Rumor from the .

[djct1999]

If I was Delaney, I would just call Swofford and say "if you don't, I won't" when it comes to inviting UConn. What can Swofford do? If the ACC makes an offer to UConn, Delaney can beat it, so what is the point of making an offer? By isolating UConn, the Big 10 is increasing the chances that UConn will whither and die in the AAC over the next 5 to 10 years, and then the Big 10 will not have to pay a nickel more for the New York market that Rutgers didn't deliver. If UConn does something extraordinary in that period, enough to get Swofford to try and force the issue, then Delaney can move at that point. Swofford may want to move, but roughly 1/4 to 1/3 of this membership is not interested or is actively against UConn, no matter how much Tobacco Road might like us, and he can't beat Delaney, so what's the point? Everyone sits tight and waits or UConn to die. If you were the ACC or Big 10, and wanted to increase your market penetration in New York and the northeast without spending another dime, then leaving UConn in the AAC would be the perfect solution.

Interestingly, most of the posters on this board agree with that strategy.

Because this isn't about UConn's certain death. Its about tv rights, branding, and marketing. The goal for both Delaney and Swofford is NYC. All along, this board has broken down and over analyzed tv markets, number of households, neilsen ratings, etc. Not once I have read about the intrinsic value that UConn will immediately add by joining either conference. Addition by subtraction. My guess is UConn will add at least 10million per by the reverse effect it will have on the conference left out. If the ACC adds UConn, it immediately locks in the northeast. IF the Big 10 adds UConn, if leaves the ACC with a huge hole it can't fill and a minimum of two programs in realignment Sibera. UConn in all of this is still an extremely valuable pawn and will come at a relatively cheap price long term. It isnt about an unwillingness to spend another dime. Its more about spending that dime to make a quarter.

 

[djct1999]

We have been in realignment hell now for a few years and it absolutely sucks. But if we are to believe that this is a marathon and not a sprint, UConn can really be a huge winner. Simple supply and demand. Do you want 2 buyers fighting over 5 properties or 1? I really hope behind the scenes, UConn is playing both conferences and not vice versa because we can really play this hand into our favor. To up the ante UConn goes out and captures a nation by winning 2 national championships. Wow. The narrative is quickly changing and one of these two conferences has to blink. My guess is much sooner rather than later.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

As for Diaco and football, I can not imagine a more difficult job in college athletics than UConn football coach. We are in a good southern mid-major league, which has several implications:

1) There are multiple quality programs: UCF, Houston, Cincinnati, SMU, ECU, USF (once they un-Skipify the program) that are going to be competitive a lot more often than they are not. These programs all have strong local recruiting bases that enable them to compete at a mid to low P5 level year over year, with the occasional break out season. The bottom programs are terrible though, with Tulane, Temple and Memphis among the worst FBS programs over the last 10 years and Tulsa appearing to be in decline.

2) The rest of the conference makes some geographic sense, with a western nexus of SMU, Houston, Tulsa, Memphis and Tulane, with Cincinnati not too far away, and an eastern nexus of UCF, USF, and ECU, with Temple and Navy not too far away. And then there is UConn, a program that is 250 miles from its nearest conference rival and over 1,000 miles from most of the league. This makes it difficult to develop rivalries or generate schedules that casual fans care about. We have already seen the impact in attendance for both hoops and football.

3) Recruiting is going to be very tough with no local rivals. We will not get much benefit from conference mates in Florida, because if a kid in Florida is more interested in playing time than program or conference prestige, he still has to be willing to attend school 1,000 miles away when there are several AAC schools with good coaches that are much closer and don't have a foot of ice on the ground in the winter. Likewise for Texas. What is the pitch to get a 3* Florida kid to not play for O'Leary or a 3* Texas kid to not play for June Jones? If they are willing to look past the coach's reputation, then there is USF and Houston.

It won't be any easier to get northeastern kids. When Pasqualoni was recruiting the northeast for Syracuse, or Schiano was doing the same for Rutgers later on, they had a league with BC, Rutgers and Temple, and later UConn, so he could pitch kids from New Jersey or New England on the fact that they will be playing multiple drivable games every year, and there were some rivalry games in the area. There was also no local competition from other equal or better leagues until BCU joined the ACC, and that was manageable. Now the Big 10 will be all over the mid-Alantic and New Jersey, and the ACC is already there. Navy and Temple will help a little in PA and the mid-Atlantic, but there is a lot of competition in that region.

So what does Diaco have to pitch with other than his own personality and leadership? He doesn't have the conference or geographic proximity, the program itself has limited prestige, and he has to sell kids on why travel is not going to kill them. He does have an athletic department that is supporting the program, for now, at a level that is probably better than most of our conference partners, and I think the basketball championships does help the football program somewhat.


I think Diaco is a good coach, and I really hope he will be successful, but we should recognize how hard his job is. We need him to win now in a situation that has a lot of challenges, and if he fails, our chances of getting into a major conference are likely over.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

We have been in realignment hell now for a few years and it absolutely sucks. But if we are to believe that this is a marathon and not a sprint, UConn can really be a huge winner. Simple supply and demand. Do you want 2 buyers fighting over 5 properties or 1? I really hope behind the scenes, UConn is playing both conferences and not vice versa because we can really play this hand into our favor. To up the ante UConn goes out and captures a nation by winning 2 national championships. Wow. The narrative is quickly changing and one of these two conferences has to blink. My guess is much sooner rather than later.

The good news is that UConn is the only property left. The bad news is it really isn't 2 buyers fighting over 1 property, it is 1 buyer deciding whether he wants it, or if he would allow the other buyer to have it.

In game theory, these "prisoner dilemma" standoffs are inherently unstable if the two parties, in this case the Big 10 and ACC, are relatively equal. If one is clearly stronger than the other, the standoff becomes much more stable. So it comes down to two factors:

1) Whether either conference wants us at all, and

2) whether the ACC feels that it is strong enough to get us to join without us running to the Big 10 to match the offer.

 

[UConn9604]

We have been in realignment hell now for a few years and it absolutely sucks. But if we are to believe that this is a marathon and not a sprint, UConn can really be a huge winner. Simple supply and demand. Do you want 2 buyers fighting over 5 properties or 1? I really hope behind the scenes, UConn is playing both conferences and not vice versa because we can really play this hand into our favor. To up the ante UConn goes out and captures a nation by winning 2 national championships. Wow. The narrative is quickly changing and one of these two conferences has to blink. My guess is much sooner rather than later.

I agree, and I'm biased, but it's amazing to think of how far we've come in just two years. In 2012, we had just been unceremoniously bounced in the first round and placed on APR probation in men's basketball. Also, we had one year of Paul Pasqualoni under our belts, and it was becoming painfully obvious that he wasn't going to be the answer.

Now, we hired arguably the best assistant coach on the market in football, and Kevin Ollie won his first six NCAA games as a head coach, while Geno did what Geno does. Bob Diaco is certainly a question mark at this point, but our future is very, very, very bright.

If we rattle off a strong, solid 8-9 win season in football (a distinct possibility with a weaker schedule, a stronger offense and a better coach), and fill up Yankee Stadium on November 8 for the Army game, our long national nightmare may be over soon.

 

[MSNDfan]

If I was Delaney, I would just call Swofford and say "if you don't, I won't" when it comes to inviting UConn. What can Swofford do? If the ACC makes an offer to UConn, Delaney can beat it, so what is the point of making an offer? By isolating UConn, the Big 10 is increasing the chances that UConn will whither and die in the AAC over the next 5 to 10 years, and then the Big 10 will not have to pay a nickel more for the New York market that Rutgers didn't deliver. If UConn does something extraordinary in that period, enough to get Swofford to try and force the issue, then Delaney can move at that point. Swofford may want to move, but roughly 1/4 to 1/3 of this membership is not interested or is actively against UConn, no matter how much Tobacco Road might like us, and he can't beat Delaney, so what's the point? Everyone sits tight and waits or UConn to die. If you were the ACC or Big 10, and wanted to increase your market penetration in New York and the northeast without spending another dime, then leaving UConn in the AAC would be the perfect solution.

Interestingly, most of the posters on this board agree with that strategy.

That last sentence is insightful. Most UConn fans here may not recognize it, but they do seem to prefer a junior high type game in which they flirt with the ACC to draw the attention of the BeeOneGee, hopefully to then stick their collective tongue out at the ACC. And the result of such (if played by the UConn leadership) will be that Swofford will remain either wary of UConn or offended by UConn, while Delaney feels zero need to think about UConn. A UConn playing both sides against the middle is placing itself in exactly the situation you emphasize.

Delaney did not persuade Meatchicken and Blohio State to add Rutgers because the BeeOneGee would get a great football or basketball power. Rutgers serves just one purpose: make it so that the BTN can force top dollar from the NYC TV market. Delaney has no need for UConn or anyone else to add to that. Rutgers is all that is required for that purpose.

 

[upstater]

You can smell the fear in ACC fans already.

 

[Seaa Blue]

Most UConn fans here may not recognize it, but they do seem to prefer a junior high type game in which they flirt with the ACC to draw the attention of the BeeOneGee, hopefully to then stick their collective tongue out at the ACC. .

Ah, sounds like you've played this game before.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Ya know, I really have no clue what to think anymore.

 

[UCHuskies08]

That last sentence is insightful. Most UConn fans here may not recognize it, but they do seem to prefer a junior high type game in which they flirt with the ACC to draw the attention of the BeeOneGee, hopefully to then stick their collective tongue out at the ACC. And the result of such (if played by the UConn leadership) will be that Swofford will remain either wary of UConn or offended by UConn, while Delaney feels zero need to think about UConn. A UConn playing both sides against the middle is placing itself in exactly the situation you emphasize.

Delaney did not persuade Meatchicken and Blohio State to add Rutgers because the BeeOneGee would get a great football or basketball power. Rutgers serves just one purpose: make it so that the BTN can force top dollar from the NYC TV market. Delaney has no need for UConn or anyone else to add to that. Rutgers is all that is required for that purpose.

Any UConn fan that is casting aspersions towards the ACC is an idiot. Yes, they've spurned us, yes, they destroyed the Big East. But guess what, folks? They have 1 of 5 life rafts that could potentially be thrown to us to save us from drowing in the AAC. And considering 2 of the 5 are complete non-starters (PAC/SEC), and another highly unlikely (Big 12), you can guarantee that the UCONN administration is not snubbing its nose toward the ACC. You don't bite the hand that (may potentially) feed.

I cringe at a lot of the comments here re: not wanting to join the ACC. At this point, we should be so lucky....

 

[junglehusky]

Any UConn fan that is casting aspersions towards the ACC is an idiot. Yes, they've spurned us, yes, they destroyed the Big East. But guess what, folks? They have 1 of 5 life rafts that could potentially be thrown to us to save us from drowing in the AAC. And considering 2 of the 5 are complete non-starters (PAC/SEC), and another highly unlikely (Big 12), you can guarantee that the UCONN administration is not snubbing its nose toward the ACC. You don't bite the hand that (may potentially) feed.

I cringe at a lot of the comments here re: not wanting to join the ACC. At this point, we should be so lucky....

You're right, but I think we don't need to worry about comments posted on the BY or twitter or whatever having any effect on the ACC president's opinions. If they move on UConn, it'll be because that's what they want, now what their fanbases want or what our fanbase says. So even though I'm not opposed to an ACC move as others on the board are (though I do dislike Swofford on a personal level), you guys can feel free to go bombs away.

Now if Manuel or Herbst or Malloy were to say something inflammatory, that would be a different matter. But those guys (and even Blumenthal nowadays) know what the situation is and I think they'll avoid anything that would reopen old wounds.

 

[MTHusky]

That last sentence is insightful. Most UConn fans here may not recognize it, but they do seem to prefer a junior high type game in which they flirt with the ACC to draw the attention of the BeeOneGee, hopefully to then stick their collective tongue out at the ACC. And the result of such (if played by the UConn leadership) will be that Swofford will remain either wary of UConn or offended by UConn, while Delaney feels zero need to think about UConn. A UConn playing both sides against the middle is placing itself in exactly the situation you emphasize.

Delaney did not persuade Meatchicken and Blohio State to add Rutgers because the BeeOneGee would get a great football or basketball power. Rutgers serves just one purpose: make it so that the BTN can force top dollar from the NYC TV market. Delaney has no need for UConn or anyone else to add to that. Rutgers is all that is required for that purpose.

It is only insightful if it comes from someone who is sane and rational, Nelson isn't, at least when it comes to UCONN athletics.

 

[noeynox]

That last sentence is insightful. Most UConn fans here may not recognize it, but they do seem to prefer a junior high type game in which they flirt with the ACC to draw the attention of the BeeOneGee, hopefully to then stick their collective tongue out at the ACC. And the result of such (if played by the UConn leadership) will be that Swofford will remain either wary of UConn or offended by UConn, while Delaney feels zero need to think about UConn. A UConn playing both sides against the middle is placing itself in exactly the situation you emphasize.

Delaney did not persuade Meatchicken and Blohio State to add Rutgers because the BeeOneGee would get a great football or basketball power. Rutgers serves just one purpose: make it so that the BTN can force top dollar from the NYC TV market. Delaney has no need for UConn or anyone else to add to that. Rutgers is all that is required for that purpose.

Seriously what the hell do you want UConn fans to do? If the ACC wants UConn pick up the phone and call. The answer will not be no. In the mean time, we will continue to go out and win games. This is a message board, what the hell do you want, people here to the ACC online? Go pound sand or something, sheesh.

 

[Dooley]

That last sentence is insightful. Most UConn fans here may not recognize it, but they do seem to prefer a junior high type game in which they flirt with the ACC to draw the attention of the BeeOneGee, hopefully to then stick their collective tongue out at the ACC. And the result of such (if played by the UConn leadership) will be that Swofford will remain either wary of UConn or offended by UConn, while Delaney feels zero need to think about UConn. A UConn playing both sides against the middle is placing itself in exactly the situation you emphasize.

Delaney did not persuade Meatchicken and Blohio State to add Rutgers because the BeeOneGee would get a great football or basketball power. Rutgers serves just one purpose: make it so that the BTN can force top dollar from the NYC TV market. Delaney has no need for UConn or anyone else to add to that. Rutgers is all that is required for that purpose.

A little ironic that you accuse UCONN fans of playing junior high type games while you can't seem to find the maturity yourself to type "B1G", "Michigan" or "Ohio State".

And you're absolutely wrong, but thanks for trying. While UCONN fans may differ in opinion as to what conference they would want to be invited to, 100% of UCONN fans would be excited to go to the first P5 conference that offered. Whether that means the PAC, B12 or SEC as a weekly sacrificial lamb to the football gods, UCONN fans just want out of the AAC. And with good reason, UCONN is much too valuable of an entity to not be in a P5 conference. You just choose to pout whenever you read about a UCONN fan excited about the possibility of joining the B1G.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

It is only insightful if it comes from someone who is sane and rational, Nelson isn't, at least when it comes to UCONN athletics.

Usually I will let a low post count poster making a driveby on me go, but I do want to point out that making a one sentence post like this personally attacking me looks particularly stupid given the assessments I have provided within this thread. If you disagree with something I said, let's hear why. Otherwise, cool it.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I don't think anyone is casting aspersions at the ACC. Every UConn fan would be ecstatic to join that league.

I am saying something different. We are not changing the dynamic of conference realignment by waiting patiently, and if we are willing to wait patiently, there is no reason for the ACC or Big 10 to make a move unless they think the other is about to do so. The problem is that it is easy for two groups to collude against the third.

 

[Waquoit]

If you were the ACC or Big 10, and wanted to increase your market penetration in New York and the northeast without spending another dime, then leaving UConn in the AAC would be the perfect solution.

This doesn't make any sense. How does killing UConn increase market penetration? Maybe it helps them carve up the existing market. OTOH, a strong UConn program could expand the existing market, one with huge growth potential.

 

[MSNDfan]

The good news is that UConn is the only property left. The bad news is it really isn't 2 buyers fighting over 1 property, it is 1 buyer deciding whether he wants it, or if he would allow the other buyer to have it.

In game theory, these "prisoner dilemma" standoffs are inherently unstable if the two parties, in this case the Big 10 and ACC, are relatively equal. If one is clearly stronger than the other, the standoff becomes much more stable. So it comes down to two factors:

1) Whether either conference wants us at all, and

2) whether the ACC feels that it is strong enough to get us to join without us running to the Big 10 to match the offer.

And I would bet that as long as the ACC has any doubt about that, that if the ACC feels UConn's administration is anything less than 100% desirous of joining the ACC, the ACC will not offer membership to UConn.

 

[MTHusky]

Usually I will let a low post count poster making a driveby on me go, but I do want to point out that making a one sentence post like this personally attacking me looks particularly stupid given the assessments I have provided within this thread. If you disagree with something I said, let's hear why. Otherwise, cool it.

Wow, you remind me of when a child is in an argument with another kid and he has run out of things to say, comes out with "Well, my dad is bigger than your dad" as if that proves anything. It doesn't and your volume of posts only proves that you have a whole lot more time on your hands than I do.

 

[noeynox]

And I would bet that as long as the ACC has any doubt about that, that if the ACC feels UConn's administration is anything less than 100% desirous of joining the ACC, the ACC will not offer membership to UConn.

Just stop. UConn has gone to them hat in hand. Yet the conference continues to allow BC to blackball UConn. BC that wins nothing for the ACC can keep out a revenue, and national championship producing machine out of the conference? They don't have a long history in the ACC. Whatever. Just stop. You've become incredibly annoying after starting off on the right foot.

 

[Stray_Dog]

If I was Delaney, I would just call Swofford and say "if you don't, I won't" when it comes to inviting UConn. What can Swofford do? If the ACC makes an offer to UConn, Delaney can beat it, so what is the point of making an offer? By isolating UConn, the Big 10 is increasing the chances that UConn will whither and die in the AAC over the next 5 to 10 years, and then the Big 10 will not have to pay a nickel more for the New York market that Rutgers didn't deliver. If UConn does something extraordinary in that period, enough to get Swofford to try and force the issue, then Delaney can move at that point. Swofford may want to move, but roughly 1/4 to 1/3 of this membership is not interested or is actively against UConn, no matter how much Tobacco Road might like us, and he can't beat Delaney, so what's the point? Everyone sits tight and waits or UConn to die. If you were the ACC or Big 10, and wanted to increase your market penetration in New York and the northeast without spending another dime, then leaving UConn in the AAC would be the perfect solution.

Interestingly, most of the posters on this board agree with that strategy.

Do you know how to count? 5-10 years....I don't know a single poster that is ready to have UConn stay in hte AAC for five years never mind 10. I do know that we are looking to see what happens after this year and possibly next. After that, the fans will have reached terminal velocity and will be looking at any and all real possibilities besides the Big or the ACC but right now, most of us are not panicked...UNLIKE YOU!!!

 

[Dooley]

I don't think anyone is casting aspersions at the ACC. Every UConn fan would be ecstatic to join that league.

I am saying something different. We are not changing the dynamic of conference realignment by waiting patiently, and if we are willing to wait patiently, there is no reason for the ACC or Big 10 to make a move unless they think the other is about to do so. The problem is that it is easy for two groups to collude against the third.

I see what you're saying and I'd offer a third group that would have cause to collude against UCONN: ESPN. They own our rights for $2M/yr (thanks Aresco!). Why on Earth would ESPN advocate on UCONN's behalf, like they did for Pitt after BC led the anti-UCONN charge, when that would mean that they would have to pay 10x what they pay to air UCONN content?

That said, collusion is a dangerous business. If this was happening and if there was ever a mouthy AD like Flipper to open that can of worms, then that would be grounds for UCONN to open up its own investigation to determine if a lawsuit would be necessary. UCONN has said and shown repeatedly that it wants to gain entry into the P5 model. It's also shown that it can be competitive across all of its athletic programs in a P5/BCS conference (including football). I understand that UCONN is "new football money" and many feel that we have to earn our way in by playing 100 years of football, regardless if we're competitive or not (ex - Rutgers). But if CR is all about making money, and UCONN has demonstrated time and time again that it can make money, then colluding against UCONN would be pretty dangerous.

 

[UConnJim]

As for Diaco and football, I can not imagine a more difficult job in college athletics than UConn football coach. We are in a good southern mid-major league, which has several implications:

1) There are multiple quality programs: UCF, Houston, Cincinnati, SMU, ECU, USF (once they un-Skipify the program) that are going to be competitive a lot more often than they are not. These programs all have strong local recruiting bases that enable them to compete at a mid to low P5 level year over year, with the occasional break out season. The bottom programs are terrible though, with Tulane, Temple and Memphis among the worst FBS programs over the last 10 years and Tulsa appearing to be in decline.

2) The rest of the conference makes some geographic sense, with a western nexus of SMU, Houston, Tulsa, Memphis and Tulane, with Cincinnati not too far away, and an eastern nexus of UCF, USF, and ECU, with Temple and Navy not too far away. And then there is UConn, a program that is 250 miles from its nearest conference rival and over 1,000 miles from most of the league. This makes it difficult to develop rivalries or generate schedules that casual fans care about. We have already seen the impact in attendance for both hoops and football.

3) Recruiting is going to be very tough with no local rivals. We will not get much benefit from conference mates in Florida, because if a kid in Florida is more interested in playing time than program or conference prestige, he still has to be willing to attend school 1,000 miles away when there are several AAC schools with good coaches that are much closer and don't have a foot of ice on the ground in the winter. Likewise for Texas. What is the pitch to get a 3* Florida kid to not play for O'Leary or a 3* Texas kid to not play for June Jones? If they are willing to look past the coach's reputation, then there is USF and Houston.

It won't be any easier to get northeastern kids. When Pasqualoni was recruiting the northeast for Syracuse, or Schiano was doing the same for Rutgers later on, they had a league with BC, Rutgers and Temple, and later UConn, so he could pitch kids from New Jersey or New England on the fact that they will be playing multiple drivable games every year, and there were some rivalry games in the area. There was also no local competition from other equal or better leagues until BCU joined the ACC, and that was manageable. Now the Big 10 will be all over the mid-Alantic and New Jersey, and the ACC is already there. Navy and Temple will help a little in PA and the mid-Atlantic, but there is a lot of competition in that region.

So what does Diaco have to pitch with other than his own personality and leadership? He doesn't have the conference or geographic proximity, the program itself has limited prestige, and he has to sell kids on why travel is not going to kill them. He does have an athletic department that is supporting the program, for now, at a level that is probably better than most of our conference partners, and I think the basketball championships does help the football program somewhat.


I think Diaco is a good coach, and I really hope he will be successful, but we should recognize how hard his job is. We need him to win now in a situation that has a lot of challenges, and if he fails, our chances of getting into a major conference are likely over.

I disagree about football recruiting. Has joining the ACC changed recruiting for BC, Pitt, Miami, and Syracuse? Nope. Has joining the Big 10 changed recruiting for Rutgers and Maryland so far? Doesn't seem so. Has joining the Big 12 changed West Virginia's recruiting? Don't think so. Honestly, has joining the AAC impacted UConn's recruiting? Seems about the same to me.

It seems that recruiting is most impacted by coaching and winning. If Diaco wins and maintains a high energy level, UConn will recruit better. Do I think UConn would recruit better in a P5 conference? Marginally, unless we win. In the meantime, UConn needs to continue to develop players to compete and win. It worked for Edsall.

 

[businesslawyer]

If I was Delaney, I would just call Swofford and say "if you don't, I won't" when it comes to inviting UConn. What can Swofford do? If the ACC makes an offer to UConn, Delaney can beat it, so what is the point of making an offer? By isolating UConn, the Big 10 is increasing the chances that UConn will whither and die in the AAC over the next 5 to 10 years, and then the Big 10 will not have to pay a nickel more for the New York market that Rutgers didn't deliver. If UConn does something extraordinary in that period, enough to get Swofford to try and force the issue, then Delaney can move at that point. Swofford may want to move, but roughly 1/4 to 1/3 of this membership is not interested or is actively against UConn, no matter how much Tobacco Road might like us, and he can't beat Delaney, so what's the point? Everyone sits tight and waits or UConn to die. If you were the ACC or Big 10, and wanted to increase your market penetration in New York and the northeast without spending another dime, then leaving UConn in the AAC would be the perfect solution.

Interestingly, most of the posters on this board agree with that strategy.

It's amazing how easily you will accuse people of being willing to commit what would be flat out crimes. Not to mention the fact that killing UConn basketball does not just create a vacuum in metro NY -- it hurts the market by wronging a team that has become as popular in that market as any other and has clearly deserved a better fate. Not everything is a zero sum game.

 

[HuskyHawk]

As for Diaco and football, I can not imagine a more difficult job in college athletics than UConn football coach. We are in a good southern mid-major league, which has several implications:
....
So what does Diaco have to pitch with other than his own personality and leadership? He doesn't have the conference or geographic proximity, the program itself has limited prestige, and he has to sell kids on why travel is not going to kill them. He does have an athletic department that is supporting the program, for now, at a level that is probably better than most of our conference partners, and I think the basketball championships does help the football program somewhat.


I think Diaco is a good coach, and I really hope he will be successful, but we should recognize how hard his job is. We need him to win now in a situation that has a lot of challenges, and if he fails, our chances of getting into a major conference are likely over.

It's tough, but don't overstate it. He is at a flagship state university, most coaches are not. His school just won two basketball championships. It just had the #1 pick in the MLS draft. It has several players in the NFL and NBA, including some star level talent in the NBA. His facilities are superb.

The reality is, kids in high school have heard of UConn. It isn't Buffalo. It has brand power, pretty considerable brand power. More than many schools in P5 conferences. What that means, in my mind, is that it is a highly leveraged program. A little success, at this juncture, with a telegenic guy like Diaco at the helm, could just explode things.

 

[Dooley]

And I would bet that as long as the ACC has any doubt about that, that if the ACC feels UConn's administration is anything less than 100% desirous of joining the ACC, the ACC will not offer membership to UConn.

If you think that UCONN's administration hasn't desired, for one second, a P5 invitation, then you really haven't been paying attention to this and should stop posting things of this nature. UCONN has tried to get Bill Clinton to reach out to Donna Shalala to answer our phone calls. UCONN (and our state Governor...a BC grad) has tried time and time again to open a dialogue with BC only to be refuted. Just about every single member of UCONN's administration has made comments in the media over the years about their desire to join a P5 conference. Ironically, when they did that, the national media and fans across the country labeled UCONN as desperate and whiny. So in response, UCONN has tightened up the CR rhetoric and now you are accusing them as not wanting to join???

No. If the ACC wants UCONN, all it has to do is pick up the phone. If the B1G wants UCONN, all it has to do is pick up the phone. If the conference deregulation passes and conference do not need to be equally balanced to have a championship game, then UCONN wouldn't need a "partner" and can be added ASAP. The invite isn't in UCONN's hands and never has been. If it was, we would be in the ACC right now with Syracuse. But the ACC has passed on UCONN on several occasions and now UCONN's profile is becoming attractive to B1G fans and, hopefully, administrators. That's not UCONN's fault. That is 100% on the ACC.

Stop posting garbage like this.

 

[huskyrob1]

If I was Delaney, I would just call Swofford and say "if you don't, I won't" when it comes to inviting UConn. What can Swofford do? If the ACC makes an offer to UConn, Delaney can beat it, so what is the point of making an offer? By isolating UConn, the Big 10 is increasing the chances that UConn will whither and die in the AAC over the next 5 to 10 years, and then the Big 10 will not have to pay a nickel more for the New York market that Rutgers didn't deliver. If UConn does something extraordinary in that period, enough to get Swofford to try and force the issue, then Delaney can move at that point. Swofford may want to move, but roughly 1/4 to 1/3 of this membership is not interested or is actively against UConn, no matter how much Tobacco Road might like us, and he can't beat Delaney, so what's the point? Everyone sits tight and waits or UConn to die. If you were the ACC or Big 10, and wanted to increase your market penetration in New York and the northeast without spending another dime, then leaving UConn in the AAC would be the perfect solution.

Interestingly, most of the posters on this board agree with that strategy.

You don't seem to realize that UCONN is calling the shots here. They are becoming in college basketball what Notre Dame was to college football for many years until recently joining the ACC, when they had their own lucrative football deal, EVEN as they muddled through several coaches and several losing years. I don't know the terms of the present SNY deal, but can see Warde signing a major deal with ESPN or CBS for the men's and women's teams if the deal is sweet enough for them to leave the AAC in m's & w's bball only. UCONN is a $basketball factory$ and will not wither and die period, even after Geno and Kevin retire.

 

[noeynox]

You don't seem to realize that UCONN is calling the shots here. They are becoming in college basketball what Notre Dame was to college football for many years until recently joining the ACC, when they had their own lucrative football deal, EVEN as they muddled through several coaches and several losing years. I don't know the terms of the present SNY deal, but can see Warde signing a major deal with ESPN or CBS for the men's and women's teams if the deal is sweet enough for them to leave the AAC. UCONN is a $basketball factory$ and will not wither and die period, even after Geno and Kevin retire.

This may be over stating things. Just a bit.

 

[Stray_Dog]

This doesn't make any sense. How does killing UConn increase market penetration? Maybe it helps them carve up the existing market. OTOH, a strong UConn program could expand the existing market, one with huge growth potential.

Lets PRETEND for a moment that UConn athletics disappeared. People who watched UConn are not going to switch allegiances to other schools or programs. My guess, these fans would just dig their heals in and follow the PROS, whether this is the NFL, NHL, NBA, etc. And this would be especially true for those that aready have a PRO team that they follow. Others might develop a fan support for a particular close by pro team. But my opinion is that in general, fans, would snub the college game as their team is no longer in it. I do not see these fans touting any of the C-7 or rooting for Syracuse, Rutgers, or any other proposed NYC Team from the tri-state area.

 

[Sea Goat]

If you think that UCONN's administration hasn't desired, for one second, a P5 invitation, then you really haven't been paying attention to this and should stop posting things of this nature. UCONN has tried to get Bill Clinton to reach out to Donna Shalala to answer our phone calls. UCONN (and our state Governor...a BC grad) has tried time and time again to open a dialogue with BC only to be refuted. Just about every single member of UCONN's administration has made comments in the media over the years about their desire to join a P5 conference. Ironically, when they did that, the national media and fans across the country labeled UCONN as desperate and whiny. So in response, UCONN has tightened up the CR rhetoric and now you are accusing them as not wanting to join???

No. If the ACC wants UCONN, all it has to do is pick up the phone. If the B1G wants UCONN, all it has to do is pick up the phone. If the conference deregulation passes and conference do not need to be equally balanced to have a championship game, then UCONN wouldn't need a "partner" and can be added ASAP. The invite isn't in UCONN's hands and never has been. If it was, we would be in the ACC right now with Syracuse. But the ACC has passed on UCONN several occasions and now UCONN's profile is becoming attractive to B1G fans and, hopefully, administrators. That's not UCONN's fault. That is 100% on the ACC.

Stop posting garbage like this.

Nice reply - Thanks - I just don't the energy today to confront the haughty, overrated, underachieving Catholics from South Bend. Go B1G!