Seth Davis tweet: ND in early but signIficant talks with ACC

[kibblesnbits]

Can only wonder what Flipper's tweets sound like. You can usually find out by following the Globe's Mark Blaudschun.

BCU is probably scurrying around trying to block ND because they want to be the school for Eastern Catholics. Sure they have no better chance of that than they do of being New England's university, but delusion runs deep.

 

[John Greene]

I get a chuckle out of the cultural fit, too. Chicago Irish Catholic is about as close to a cultural fit as Northeastern Irish Catholic in a section which still refers to the War of Northern Aggression and considers the Pope the Anti-Christ...Outside of Atlanta and South Florida, the region isn't all that hospitable to Catholics even in this era.

Wow, where in the south do you live? I come from a long line of Catholics and have raised a couple here. Can't say I felt any lack of hospitality about my religion. As far as "war of northern agression" you must have attended lots of meeting of the Son's of Confederate Veterans to hear that phrase.

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

Who knows how Seth Davis defines "cultural fit"...but as I have said before, ND likes a northeastern presence due to it's alumni. ND wants to play in Boston, New York, DC, Baltimore, and Philly. If the ACC was just the Carolinas and Georgia, I agree they don't fit. But...when the ACC added BC, Cuse and Pitt...they became a whole lot more appealing to ND.

The way a 16 team conference sets up, you probably will only play maybe 2 cross over games. So...ND's typical schedule might be to play BC, Cuse, Pitt, UConn, MD, Va, VT plus 2 other ACC schools. That doesn't sound like a southern schedule to me.

 

[upstater]

Wow, where in the south do you live? I come from a long line of Catholics and have raised a couple here. Can't say I felt any lack of hospitality about my religion. As far as "war of northern agression" you must have attended lots of meeting of the Son's of Confederate Veterans to hear that phrase.

I've lived in Carolina and Virginia, the center of the ACC. We did play rebels versus traitors as kids. Be that as it may, I read Yunte Wang's article in the NYT about Alabama's new immigration law this weekend. I mean, there ARE cultural differences.

 

[John Greene]

I've lived in Carolina and Virginia, the center of the ACC. We did play rebels versus traitors as kids. Be that as it may, I read Yunte Wang's article in the NYT about Alabama's new immigration law this weekend. I mean, there ARE cultural differences.

Of course there are "cultural differences" between Queens, Riverdale, and Hartford, two of those places are even in the same city, I don't believe that t means St. Johns, Fordham and Uconn can not be in the same conference. Heck ND has a lot more in common with Duke than it does with Uconn or RU.

 

[uconnric]

I would guess that ND's interest in the ACC is due to the fact that they don't believe that the Big East will be a viable conference for much longer.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

Anybody with a reasonable head cannot believe the Big East is a viable conference anymore, especially with these new BCS considerations.

 

[epark88]

Due to the fact that the tweets are only coming from ESPN folks, I'm kinda skeptical about their accuracy and purpose in light of the Big East's expansion efforts.

I'll hold out until at least another news entity picks up on this story too before I start assuming the #BegHarder position...

 

[CL82]

Due to the fact that the tweets are only coming from ESPN folks, I'm kinda skeptical about their accuracy and purpose in light of the Big East's expansion efforts.

I'll hold out until at least another news entity picks up on this story too before I start assuming the #BegHarder position...

Agree. There seems to to be an concerted effort by some (namely the Worldwide leader and the Big 12) to queer any BE expansion.

 

[Point6]

If this is true, B1G needs to act by Friday (to pick up UConn & Rutgers) or they give up NYC.

This has to be done by FRIDAY!!

(I'm busy Saturday)

 

[EricSD]

UConn, red headed stepchild? It's amazing that as successful as UConn's athletics programs have been over the last two decades, the university is seemingly universally shunned in the realignment game.

that's a pretty awful thought. imagine ND, RU, L'ville leaving and UCONN stuck in the big east. worst case scenario hopefully it doesnt' come to pass. we could hang out with USF and Cinci.

 

[John Greene]

that's a pretty awful thought. imagine ND, RU, L'ville leaving and UCONN stuck in the big east. worst case scenario hopefully it doesnt' come to pass. we could hang out with USF and Cinci.

For what its worth I play golf regularly with someone from middle management at the SEC office (below comm. but above schedule maker) He has made comments several times about the fact that some in college sports see Uconn as a high maintenance, beautiful, girl friend. Marrying her needs to be considered carefully. The two most prominent people on the Uconn athletic side, JC & GA, to not get along and there has never been anyone nominally higher up who was strong enough to matter. This makes some AD's who have their own primadonas, (Saban, etc.) unconfortable.

 

[TRest]

For what its worth I play golf regularly with someone from middle management at the SEC office (below comm. but above schedule maker) He has made comments several times about the fact that some in college sports see Uconn as a high maintenance, beautiful, girl friend. Marrying her needs to be considered carefully. The two most prominent people on the Uconn athletic side, JC & GA, to not get along and there has never been anyone nominally higher up who was strong enough to matter. This makes some AD's who have their own primadonas, (Saban, etc.) unconfortable.

JC is a short timer at this point. I think nobody is willing to bet on the future of the athletic program being sustainable at this level.

 

[uconNYC]

UConn has two issues, one is that Geographically we are a bit of an outlier. The only conference whose footprint we fit inside is the ACC and that's only because of their additions of BC and now SU. Secondly, think ACC just did not do its homework when it comes to expansion the first time around. They actually thought that SU and BC were relevant sports programs in the New York and Boston markets (Kind of how some of our fans who've never lived in Dallas/TX think that SMU brings the Dallas market...). BC eventually got in and have been vocal in their opposition to our entry. Regardless, no matter what happens, I think we'll be fine. Our mens basketball program will be in a top 6 conference and that is all you need to have a legit shot at a FF. As for football, we'll just have to emulate what Utah, Boise state, and others have done. It starts with fans showing up for games.

 

[Fishy]

Outside of our own, no athletic director on this planet or any other gives a s*** whether our basketball coaches exchange Christmas cards or not.

 

[Ts5034]

Someone brought up ESPN before. I agree that ESPN really doesnt do a thing as far as being beneficial to Uconn. Right now it seems like their headquarters can be in Alaska and Uconn wouldnt get any more or less coverage. I feel if they were out of North Carolina there would be a lot more bias toward Duke and UNC and they would use that to their advantage.

 

[GG]

At the end of the day, how many athletic programs have experienced the amount of success that UCONN has over the last decade? UCONN would be a great addition to any of the top conferences.

 

[uconNYC]

Someone brought up ESPN before. I agree that ESPN really doesnt do a thing as far as being beneficial to Uconn. Right now it seems like their headquarters can be in Alaska and Uconn wouldnt get any more or less coverage. I feel if they were out of North Carolina there would be a lot more bias toward Duke and UNC and they would use that to their advantage.

I remember a few years back when Diana Taurasi visited ESPN Campus someone on ESPN Radio mentioning that she was perhaps one of the most popular athletes to visit their campus. Leads me to believe that a lot of ESPN's staff are Connecticut natives, but their higher-ups probably all graduated from Ivy League and NESCAC schools and really have no soft spot for UConn

 

[tduconn]

The ACC isn't buying into a school for expansion based on success of its athletic department........they are looking at football success.

Let's take our blinders off! I get it, UConn FB is a young program with some successes. And the FB program plays like a young program.......it is not very good.......it is not a very exciting brand of football. Nobody in other BCS regions of the country will forgo an ACC, SEC, Big 10, Big 12, PAC 10 FB game to tune to watch UConn play someone in a "head to head" time slot competition.

As much as I have supported UConn FB the past 40 years, I understand fans in other conferences being reluctant to adding UConn FB to their programs. Just review performance of the team this past Saturday. I'd gladly take any of Tom Jackson's or Skip Holtz's 1-aa teams from 1985 to the start of the 1-a era over this team. At least those players could run, throw, catch and tackle with consistency. And they were exciting to watch.

I wonder how many of the BE teams did not want to add Temple FB to the BE FB league in the nineties. They recognized their mistake in 2004.

UConn FB is its own worst enemy right now.

 

[GG]

I Know football drives the but how much recent success have pitt and Syracuse had?

 

[buckley503]

If it is a football based decision and I just threw up in my mouth writing this but I think RU beats us out for a final spot based on support from both school and fans. Not saying that the support from school is misguided (bankrupting the school) but they do a good job of promoting and filling the stands and having close ties to NJ the Rutgers brand is growing even amongst the casual fans.

 

[geordi]

Whether you want to believe it or not, athletic success is not solely the determining factor. We've been extremely successful in basketball (men's and women's), soccer, field hockey, baseball lately, and yes, even football to a lesser degree. That should have considerable impact. Location should have impact as well, or else we might be talking about TCU or Boise State for the ACC. But academics is the cultural fit they are looking for and talking about. That serves us well, especially looking at the recent movement to top 20 state schools, $1B research partnership, etc. All in all, athletics is a win over Rutgers as an ACC candidate, location is a win for Rutgers, academics is probably more of a wash with a slight edge to us. All of this, though, is speculation...board talk. The reality is we just have to suck it up and wait to see what they are going to do. If ND goes, the 16 team could be us, Rutgers, or someone else no one has yet thought of, Temple, Delaware, (horrors) UMess, or just stay at 15.

 

[Revrat]

You need crappy teams too. Nobody wants to be in a league where you don't stand a chance unless you are a school that is willing to be a Duke, Vandy or Northwestern. But you do need some good teams or you may never get to a BCS game because your SOS is too low. Thats what FSU is worried about. they see football getting too watered down. The ACC is set up to be the weakest league they will do whast best to improve football. Unfortunatley that probably means RU. Best thing for UConn is for the RU to B12 to come true

 

[CTpessimist]

If this is true, B1G needs to act by Friday (to pick up UConn & Rutgers) or they give up NYC.

This has to be done by FRIDAY!!

(I'm busy Saturday)

How cool would it be if Saturday afternoon right after kick off, DJ Joey started playing who let the dogs out as the jumbo tron reads UConn is leaving the big east and accepted by the (ACC, Big 10, Big 12, etc...)

 

[Kevin Caliendo]

Let's take our blinders off! I get it, UConn FB is a young program with some successes. And the FB program plays like a young program.......it is not very good.......it is not a very exciting brand of football. Nobody in other BCS regions of the country will forgo an ACC, SEC, Big 10, Big 12, PAC 10 FB game to tune to watch UConn play someone in a "head to head" time slot competition.

As much as I have supported UConn FB the past 40 years, I understand fans in other conferences being reluctant to adding UConn FB to their programs. Just review performance of the team this past Saturday. I'd gladly take any of Tom Jackson's or Skip Holtz's 1-aa teams from 1985 to the start of the 1-a era over this team. At least those players could run, throw, catch and tackle with consistency. And they were exciting to watch.

UConn FB is its own worst enemy right now.

Totally agree. Well, if Uconn is not picked to go alongside ND to the ACC if such a thing were to ever happen, you can certainly thank Mr. Hathaway for the completely uninspired hire of PP. Its hard to sell yourself to a potential conference when a fanbase is so apathetic that only hundreds of fans are left in the 4th quarter of a conference game and the "new" coach is 61 years old, is not good in front of the camera, and offers little hope for the future. If Uconn had hired RichRod or Addazio or Golden or someone who might have been able to sell hope of the future, it might completely change the perception of the Uconn football program. Do you ever hear an announcer say or read a columnist say "yes, Uconn is down this year, but PP has them moving in the right direction. Recruiting is picking up, etc.?" No, you don't. Generally, his hire was mocked nationally. There isn't anyone outside of Storrs or the remainder of the shrinking fanbase who thinks Uconn football isn't going to be a bottom dweller for the foreseeable future. Hopefully he can recruit some good players and the local QB can win the job and gets fans excited again. I just hope its not too late for the program and the athletic department.

It isn't going to be pretty when they announce season ticket sales are down to 15,000 next year. I couldn't give away my 12 tickets this year, and my buddies whom I share tickets with are doubtful to re-up next year despite having kids who they bring to the games. And if there is no invite to the ACC or Big 12 or Big 10, they might have to make a decision if they want to invest in a football program to compete at a FBS level. It just sucks

 

[Ts5034]

If Rich Rod even wanted the Uconn job last year which i dont think he had any interest, he would have bailed out to a better job just like Kelly and Edsall the last two yrs.

 

[SubbaBub]

If RU is picked over Uconn, it will be because NJ has 11m TV sets and CT has 4m. There is no other reason.

 

[metsfan2323]

If RU is picked over Uconn, it will be because NJ has 11m TV sets and CT has 4m. There is no other reason.

Thank you. The notion that we would have P and Hathaway to blame is absurd.

 

[jpm25]

For what its worth I play golf regularly with someone from middle management at the SEC office (below comm. but above schedule maker) He has made comments several times about the fact that some in college sports see Uconn as a high maintenance, beautiful, girl friend. Marrying her needs to be considered carefully. The two most prominent people on the Uconn athletic side, JC & GA, to not get along and there has never been anyone nominally higher up who was strong enough to matter. This makes some AD's who have their own primadonas, (Saban, etc.) unconfortable.

don't see how that is a conference issue.

Dear any AD in the country: you can have only one of the following two things: men's andomen's head coaches that like each other, or men's and women's head coaches that win at least 3 national championships each. Which will it be? You have 10 days to decide.

What's that? You have decided already? What? I'm the idiot?

 

[uconnfan68]

Whether you want to believe it or not, athletic success is not solely the determining factor. We've been extremely successful in basketball (men's and women's), soccer, field hockey, baseball lately, and yes, even football to a lesser degree. That should have considerable impact. Location should have impact as well, or else we might be talking about TCU or Boise State for the ACC. But academics is the cultural fit they are looking for and talking about. That serves us well, especially looking at the recent movement to top 20 state schools, $1B research partnership, etc. All in all, athletics is a win over Rutgers as an ACC candidate, location is a win for Rutgers, academics is probably more of a wash with a slight edge to us. All of this, though, is speculation...board talk. The reality is we just have to suck it up and wait to see what they are going to do. If ND goes, the 16 team could be us, Rutgers, or someone else no one has yet thought of, Temple, Delaware, (horrors) UMess, or just stay at 15.

RU is an AAU school. That trumps UConn.