Seems official... Louisville to ACC

[huskeynut]

My take is the following:

1. Uconn has no place to go. If FSU or Clemson or GT bolt for another conference, we'll be waiting. So will Cinncy. We are not AAU and a BiG invite is not coming. So what's the ACC's hurry as far as we are concerned.
2. Football program has regressed and become mediocre at best in a weak conference. Poor head coach hire and a perceived unwillingness to make coaching changes by the AD.The program is boring and staid. No excitement, except for the defense. We are not competitive.
3. The Calhoun - Ollie - Manual tiff over who is head coach. This one falls on Calhoun as well as the APR mess - include Hatthaway in the APR and not monitoring the program and doing his job! One questions if men's basketball at Uconn will be a national player again. It's a valid question. I don't blame Manual for the Ollie contract. That was the right move for an untested head coach.
4. The only major program that Uconn has of any value is women's basketball. And unfortunately, it does not move the needle when it comes to conference invites.

Solutions -
Get the football program moving in the right direction. Yes, fire PP and GDL for a start. We need a younger coach who can light a fire and move the program forward. Since we are stuck in the BE, built the program so that it runs the table in conference play. Get some excitement into the offense. I don't care about pro sets that PP is pushing and wed to.

Get us the AAU status. We seem to have all the qualifications. That is the president's job along with the B of T.

If Ollie continues to keep the men competitive, give him a 3 to 5 year deal by the end of January. If not, we may loose more quality recruits, especially big men.

 

[UConnChapette]

AAU membership is by invitation. While UConn certainly has the academics that would qualify, as long as it is an invite only situation, there is little we can do to influence when an invite might come.

Louisville fought hard to influence the ACC, shamelessly self-promoting itself, inflating its football success, playing up their academic "progress", and it worked. Seems we need to have our administration swallow their pride and start aggressively promoting UConn with the same fire and gusto that other programs have no problem doing. Marketing, or the absence thereof, again appears to have been a major problem for UConn.

 

[itsasport]

If I cared about UConn men's basketball or football, I would want us to join the ACC, but, since I'm not- I don't.

Recruiting for the women's basketball program won't be affected one iota on what league they belong to or even if they are part of any conference.

It would be somewhat enjoyable to be able to hammer all the former Big East teams. The conference issue is certainly a matter of interest; but, I try to avoid worrying about things in which I have no control (a la Geno.)

I don't think that Geno will ever not coach any players that he has recruited, barring unexpected health issues, etc. He just said that he loves the job and can't visualize retiring as long as he continues being able to recruit his kind of players.

Plus, he will have that new practice facility. He said in the past that he has the easiest job in the world. He just sits on the sidelines drinking coffee. Occasionally, according to him, he wanders over to one of the groups of players being instructed by one of the coaches and makes a snide remark.

This causes both the players and coach to get pissed off at him. He just returns to the bench, and sips more coffee while the group he just left busts their butts to prove that they knew what they were doing and that he was an idiot.

 

[Man-Man]

I don't see why the ACC has such an issue with UConn. You know what, forget them I didn't want to be in the old stinky ACC anyway. Welcome Tulane....as a matter of fact we should go independent. By the way I'm taking my ball with me.


Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note II.

 

[triaddukefan]

S
The ACC clearly (to me) has members who have vendetta's against UConn, whether it is bitter feelings (Miami, BC), perceived as a weak football program (FSU, Clemson, GT, others). .

Just curious... I understand the BC angle, but what bitter feelings would Miami have towards UCONN ??

 

[UConnCat]

Just curious... I understand the BC angle, but what bitter feelings would Miami have towards UCONN ??

UConn and 3 other BE schools sued the ACC, Miami and BC back when BC and Miami left for the ACC. Although current ACC member Pitt was a co-plaintiff in the suit, I think UConn was largely considered the leader as the lawsuit was led by then CT AG and current US Senator Dick Blumenthal. I think the suit was over disclosure of confidential information and conspiring to weaken the BE and was eventually dismissed but there was some small settlement. Needless to say, some bridges were burned.

 

[UConnChapette]

Just curious... I understand the BC angle, but what bitter feelings would Miami have towards UCONN ??

It is well known to UConn fans that Shalala has never let go of her anger over the lawsuit that UConn and other schools filed to try to stop Miami's, BC's and VT's defection to the ACC. The lawsuit named her specifically as well as Gene DeFilippo.

 

[Icebear]

Just curious... I understand the BC angle, but what bitter feelings would Miami have towards UCONN ??

The law suit at the time of their departure from the Big East.

 

[UConnCat]

L'ville says its biggest advocates were FSU, Clemson and Syracuse. First 2 make sense.

UConn had the support of Wake, UNC, Duke and UVA (Let's call this the academic wing), but clearly L'ville was the only school all could agree on at this time.

 

[jplotinus]

The ACC is not better for UCONN than the BE is.

UCONN is the leader of the BE. For the life of me, I do not understand the herd mentality that presumes all east coast colleges that engage in big time athletics must go lock to the ACC. That conference serves Tobacco Road and the piedmont region. UCONN is not a good fit for that conference and will never lead it in terms of tradition and geographic affinity.

It is better for UCONN to signal a commitment to the BE and to attract comers to it rather than be seen as begging to get into the ACC.

Please stop whining about the ACC. UCONN belongs in the BE where it can carve out a leadership role in an east coast based, albeit far flung, conference.

UCONN should relish the chance to be the beast of the east. A role title once held by Penn State when it was an independent.

 

[johnhuskies95]

The ACC is not better for UCONN than the BE is.

UCONN is the leader of the BE. For the life of me, I do not understand the herd mentality that presumes all east coast colleges that engage in big time athletics must go lock to the ACC. That conference serves Tobacco Road and the piedmont region. UCONN is not a good fit for that conference and will never lead it in terms of tradition and geographic affinity.

It is better for UCONN to signal a commitment to the BE and to attract comers to it rather than be seen as begging to get into the ACC.

Please stop whining about the ACC. UCONN belongs in the BE where it can carve out a leadership role in an east coast based, albeit far flung, conference.

UCONN should relish the chance to be the beast of the east. A role title once held by Penn State when it was an independent.

Sorry, but you're delusional. Who is UConn going to "attract" to the Big East?

 

[johnhuskies95]

I don't see why the ACC has such an issue with UConn. You know what, forget them I didn't want to be in the old stinky ACC anyway. Welcome Tulane....as a matter of fact we should go independent. By the way I'm taking my ball with me.


Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note II.

UConn was an outsider for a long time in college athletics. Then two men came along and changed all of that. They took no prisoners, and said duck you to anyone who got in their way. Their respective programs became national powers in a relatively short time. UConn wasn't an athletic doormat anymore. I think that angered some people.

This may ruffle some feathers on here, but the southeast has very little that they can point to tangibly that says they're good at something. College sports is one of those things. UConn is located in a corner of the country that is hated a lot by those people, and they're going to do what they can to keep UConn down.

 

[UConnChapette]

jplotinus, are you a UConn football fan? Do you go to UConn football games? If not, I can kind of understand where you are coming from.

But if you are, then you understand that the movement of the other conferences to increasing the footprint of their conferences, increasing it's media markets and bringing in the best football programs they can will have a lasting impact on ALL sports, beyond football. The money that is on the table for schools in the mega conferences and their media contracts can be reinvested in football programs as well as the other sports. More money in the coffers means more money to enhance facilities, which will bring in better recruits, which will increase the success of the programs. Not to mention the greater and better the competition, the greater the likelihood of getting top recruits which in turn leads to more success. Less money puts teams at a competitive disadvantage all around.

Like it or not, football is the driving force behind this and UConn's success in non-football sports will, at some point, suffer if they do not end up at the adult table.

Do you remember the days when ODU was a women's basketball annual power? I do. Where are they now? When was the last time they were ranked in the top 10 or in the running for a national championship? Look at the teams in the CAA. Got any football powers there? No? Do you think that is a coincidence?

UConn cannot stay in the tattered remnants of the Big East and expect to stay relevant in the basketball world. Without big name football programs and the money that comes with the media rights for those conferences, financing the other sports will become increasingly difficult.

 

[triaddukefan]

UCONN is the leader of the BE. For the life of me, I do not understand the herd mentality that presumes all east coast colleges that engage in big time athletics must go lock to the ACC. That conference serves Tobacco Road and the piedmont region. UCONN is not a good fit for that conference and will never lead it in terms of tradition and geographic affinity.
.

This may ruffle some feathers on here, but the southeast has very little that they can point to tangibly that says they're good at something. College sports is one of those things. UConn is located in a corner of the country that is hated a lot by those people, and they're going to do what they can to keep UConn down.

Well my feathers were certainly ruffled .... not the first time on here, and wont be the last time

Well as a southeastern... I can definitely say the top sodas in America have there beginnings here in the Southeast. Coca Cola (GA) RC Cola (GA) Mountain Dew (VA), Pepsi (NC), and of course Cheerwine (NC)

 

[pap49cba]

The sun will come up tomorrow but I feel sorry for Warde Manuel... he has stepped into a pile of excrement not of his making.

 

[Icebear]

As I noted in the other thread UConn is 4-2 head to head against Louisville over the last six years. Not sure that Louisville is in fact the better football school.

 

[jplotinus]

Sorry, but you're delusional. Who is UConn going to "attract" to the Big East?

So long as UCONN maintains beggar (to join ACC) status, it will attract few. However, as soon as UCONN begins to stand firmly in support of the BE, it will both show its mettle and demonstrate how interesting and vital the reconfigured Big East can be.

Look, does anyone understand the difference between the positive outcome of building a new and improved BE and the negative outcome of begging for ACC me too status?

Right now, the herd mentality insists the ACC is better than a UCONN-led, reconfigured BE. The herd is wrong.

 

[jplotinus]

jplotinus, are you a UConn football fan? Do you go to UConn football games? If not, I can kind of understand where you are coming from.

But if you are, then you understand that the movement of the other conferences to increasing the footprint of their conferences, increasing it's media markets and bringing in the best football programs they can will have a lasting impact on ALL sports, beyond football. The money that is on the table for schools in the mega conferences and their media contracts can be reinvested in football programs as well as the other sports. More money in the coffers means more money to enhance facilities, which will bring in better recruits, which will increase the success of the programs. Not to mention the greater and better the competition, the greater the likelihood of getting top recruits which in turn leads to more success. Less money puts teams at a competitive disadvantage all around.

Like it or not, football is the driving force behind this and UConn's success in non-football sports will, at some point, suffer if they do not end up at the adult table.

Do you remember the days when ODU was a women's basketball annual power? I do. Where are they now? When was the last time they were ranked in the top 10 or in the running for a national championship? Look at the teams in the CAA. Got any football powers there? No? Do you think that is a coincidence?

UConn cannot stay in the tattered remnants of the Big East and expect to stay relevant in the basketball world. Without big name football programs and the money that comes with the media rights for those conferences, financing the other sports will become increasingly difficult.

Although the above post is thoughtful, it suffers from acceptance of too many assumptions. The ACC is not that much better in football than the best of the BE. Furthermore, a conference that is too big, as the ACCC now is, runs the risk of over saturation, leading to a decline in football interest.

ACC stadia are not usually all that full. A Miami game I recently got a glimpse of on someone's teevee, for instance, showed a near empty stadium. Miami has clearly faded since it left the BE, where it was a powerhouse to become just one of the herd in the ACC.

UCONN can strive to be the best in the BE. Winning on a consistent basis draws fans and builds tradition. Some college or another will grasp the full extent of the opportunity presented by a reconfigured BE. I hope that will be UCONN.

 

[Icebear]

So long as UCONN maintains beggar (to join ACC) status, it will attract few. However, as soon as UCONN begins to stand firmly in support of the BE, it will both show its mettle and demonstrate how interesting and vital the reconfigured Big East can be.

Look, does anyone understand the difference between the positive outcome of building a new and improved BE and the negative outcome of begging for ACC me too status?

Right now, the herd mentality insists the ACC is better than a UCONN-led, reconfigured BE. The herd is wrong.

Sorry, but you're simply irrational and blind to the unmanageable new Big East as a unit with no potential identity. You are in complete denial of the present reality.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

So long as UCONN maintains beggar (to join ACC) status, it will attract few. However, as soon as UCONN begins to stand firmly in support of the BE, it will both show its mettle and demonstrate how interesting and vital the reconfigured Big East can be.

Look, does anyone understand the difference between the positive outcome of building a new and improved BE and the negative outcome of begging for ACC me too status?

Right now, the herd mentality insists the ACC is better than a UCONN-led, reconfigured BE. The herd is wrong.

The problem is football. The new BCS playoff system (2014) omits the BE from the conferences with automatic bids. The BE shares with the Sunbelt, Mountain West, MAC and CUSA (I thin those are the 5) ONE BCS bid to the highest ranked team. To the extent that football drives the bus, this is the problem facing the BE.

 

[jplotinus]

Query:

Is it more likely for UCONN to post up an undefeated football season in the BE or ACC?


Answer:

BE

Query: Can UCONN raise the perceived level of excellence of the reconstituted BE by sending men/women to the final four in basketball year in and year out?

Answer:

Yes

 

[zls44]

Query:

Is it more likely for UCONN to post up an undefeated football season in the BE or ACC?


Answer:

BE

Query: Can UCONN raise the perceived level of excellence of the reconstituted BE by sending men/women to the final four in basketball year in and year out?

Answer:

Yes

You are wrong. Just wrong.

Rutgers will be getting $30 million plus a year in TV revenue.
Syracuse will get $17 million.
UConn will get $6 million if they're lucky.

 

[jplotinus]

You are wrong. Just wrong.

Rutgers will be getting $30 million plus a year in TV revenue.
Syracuse will get $17 million.
UConn will get $6 million if they're lucky.

Is it the teevee revenue that is causing all the ACC-lust around here? If so, the reaction seems disproportionate and presumptuous. The main presumption that I have mentioned several times in multiple ways is that the ACC colleges do not interest the NE corridor that much.

No one in, say, Albany NY cares much about Joe Jatek, let alone Sleepy Woods. Teevee revenue assumptions you've made presuppose viewer interest. I suspect, but haven't yet researched, that Miami teevee ratings have gone down or stayed flat since they left the BE.

The main problem with ACC envy is that it clouds the ability to perceive the opportunity and the upside potential of a reconstituted BE that UCONN can be the leader of.

One final thought: As the ACC does not want UCONN, the better approach is for UCONN to either embrace and nurture the BE or go begging to join the Big Ten and play against the likes of Iowa and Nebraska and call it progress.

Needless to say, I am here giving reasons why conference envy needs to stop and stop now.

Deal with it folks :-0

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

Is it the teevee revenue that is causing all the ACC-lust around here? If so, the reaction seems disproportionate and presumptuous. The main presumption that I have mentioned several times in multiple ways is that the ACC colleges do not interest the NE corridor that much.



No one in, say, Albany NY cares much about Joe Jatek, let alone Sleepy Woods. Teevee revenue assumptions you've made presuppose viewer interest. I suspect, but haven't yet researched, that Miami teevee ratings have gone down or stayed flat since they left the BE.



The main problem with ACC envy is that it clouds the ability to perceive the opportunity and the upside potential of a reconstituted BE that UCONN can be the leader of.



One final thought: As the ACC does not want UCONN, the better approach is for UCONN to either embrace and nurture the BE or go begging to join the Big Ten and play against the likes of Iowa and Nebraska and call it progress.



Needless to say, I am here giving reasons why conference envy needs to stop and stop now.



Deal with it folks :-0

"The main problem with ACC envy is that it clouds the ability to perceive the opportunity and the upside potential of a reconstituted BE that UCONN can be the leader of. "

Well, it is a hope. Sometimes opportunities come in unusual packages.

As for" dealing" with anything, please keep your patronizing advice under your own pillow. Instead of posting condescending bleats, you might opt to just sit back and digest the thoughts of other UCONN fans here.

 

[jplotinus]

Ok. Sorry to have come across as condescending. That wasn't what i was trying to do. The intent was to encourage folks to "man up" or "woman up" or "personhood up" for the BE and stop the ACC envy. The grass is not necessarily greener in the ACC, although it might be bluer in Louisville KY. But, then again, BE now has the green wave of Tulane, the Harvard of the south.

See how this works?

Just say-n :-/