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Cherry picking from long article so click the link for more.
Seen From Both Sides, Lew Perkins Can't Predict What Big 12 Will Do
>>"I haven't been involved in this, so this is all me talking — my opinion," Perkins said. "Academically, Connecticut is as good as anybody the Big 12 is looking at. I know how the presidents in that league think. That's important. UConn has been around for a long time. They run it right. They do it right. They're committed.
"The issue is travel. I listen to some guys in the Big 12 now, going to West Virginia, that's a tough trip. They're going to have to figure that out. Personally, and I just listen, I don't know if they're going to expand. If you're at Kansas, Kansas State or Iowa State [which don't get nearly the third-tier media money as Texas or Oklahoma], why do you want more people in the league? You're going to have to share. One thing they have to do, whoever they bring in, they have to bring in revenue. Connecticut is going to have to show how they can do it. They can do it in basketball. Honestly, I think they can do it in football."<<
>>"The Big 12 respects UConn basketball, there's no question about it," Perkins said. "I also know the Big 12 basketball coaches don't want to expand. It has nothing to do with Connecticut. They were told six-seven years ago to increase their schedule. They'll play Kentucky or Duke or somebody like that already. They'd have to add four more games. They don't want to do that. I know that's an issue. UConn's men's and women's teams would be a major plus for the Big 12. But that's not driving it. It goes back to what I said 30 years ago. Football. Football. Football."
Perkins said he spent a lot of time with Benedict last week. The new UConn AD, he said, also called him three or four times to discuss things. "I've got to tell you they hit a grand slam home run hiring Dave," Perkins said. "I think he's wonderful. I really do. He has worked with some great people. He gets being an athletic director."<<
>>"Connecticut has just as good a chance as anybody," said Perkins, sounding more optimistic than another former UConn AD, Todd Turner, did last week. "One thing they have is basketball. They're ahead of everybody else on that front. But football, like I said, is the big issue. The big thing here I think is they've got to start drawing. You've got to win.
"You look at the other schools. Houston is interesting. The Texas schools want them, but they don't want them. They kept them out a long time. They've also got things going down there. They're going to have trouble keeping them out. BYU? Who knows? To me, they're like Notre Dame. Stay away from them. Memphis. They're out already. Cincinnati? Who can say? There's no consensus. So why not Connecticut?"<<
Seen From Both Sides, Lew Perkins Can't Predict What Big 12 Will Do
>>"I haven't been involved in this, so this is all me talking — my opinion," Perkins said. "Academically, Connecticut is as good as anybody the Big 12 is looking at. I know how the presidents in that league think. That's important. UConn has been around for a long time. They run it right. They do it right. They're committed.
"The issue is travel. I listen to some guys in the Big 12 now, going to West Virginia, that's a tough trip. They're going to have to figure that out. Personally, and I just listen, I don't know if they're going to expand. If you're at Kansas, Kansas State or Iowa State [which don't get nearly the third-tier media money as Texas or Oklahoma], why do you want more people in the league? You're going to have to share. One thing they have to do, whoever they bring in, they have to bring in revenue. Connecticut is going to have to show how they can do it. They can do it in basketball. Honestly, I think they can do it in football."<<
>>"The Big 12 respects UConn basketball, there's no question about it," Perkins said. "I also know the Big 12 basketball coaches don't want to expand. It has nothing to do with Connecticut. They were told six-seven years ago to increase their schedule. They'll play Kentucky or Duke or somebody like that already. They'd have to add four more games. They don't want to do that. I know that's an issue. UConn's men's and women's teams would be a major plus for the Big 12. But that's not driving it. It goes back to what I said 30 years ago. Football. Football. Football."
Perkins said he spent a lot of time with Benedict last week. The new UConn AD, he said, also called him three or four times to discuss things. "I've got to tell you they hit a grand slam home run hiring Dave," Perkins said. "I think he's wonderful. I really do. He has worked with some great people. He gets being an athletic director."<<
>>"Connecticut has just as good a chance as anybody," said Perkins, sounding more optimistic than another former UConn AD, Todd Turner, did last week. "One thing they have is basketball. They're ahead of everybody else on that front. But football, like I said, is the big issue. The big thing here I think is they've got to start drawing. You've got to win.
"You look at the other schools. Houston is interesting. The Texas schools want them, but they don't want them. They kept them out a long time. They've also got things going down there. They're going to have trouble keeping them out. BYU? Who knows? To me, they're like Notre Dame. Stay away from them. Memphis. They're out already. Cincinnati? Who can say? There's no consensus. So why not Connecticut?"<<
