So let's be honest, what's left for UConn?

[Hoophound]

If anything UCONN may want to form an alliance with Notre Dame in football if they want to go independent. Michigan and USC always play Notre Dame and perhaps UCONN could be the little brother following in the footsteps. This is just something I've been thinking of. Don't know how it would work. Any thoughts?

What would this alliance entail?

Us: "Hey Notre Dame, we want to do what you do do, let's form an alliance".

ND: "Wow, that sounds awesome. We are now allies. Well, catch you later, we are off to play USC. Maybe we can get a coffee when you guys get back from Buffalo".

 

[Glastonhusky]

What would this alliance entail?

Us: "Hey Notre Dame, we want to do what you do do, let's form an alliance".

ND: "Wow, that sounds awesome. We are now allies. Well, catch you later, we are off to play USC. Maybe we can get a coffee when you guys get back from Buffalo".

Well they are interested in continuing the women's Bball series after they leave, could we leverage that? I'm reaching for anything at this point.

 

[Atross]

What would this alliance entail?

Us: "Hey Notre Dame, we want to do what you do do, let's form an alliance".

ND: "Wow, that sounds awesome. We are now allies. Well, catch you later, we are off to play USC. Maybe we can get a coffee when you guys get back from Buffalo".

That is the question I'm asking. There are proponents of on this board on going Independent. Notre Dame is the example of how it is done. Yes they have the history (Gipper, Wake Up the Echos, Touchdown Rudy etc). But we have to be creative. At least Talk with Notre Dame. If anything having a guaranteed game with Notre Dame each year would be serious money and an opening for recruiting. Why not be known as the barnstorming Huskies?

Whatever. I guess I'm crazy to think this.

 

[CL82]

It's finally happened. After wearing the paint off the F5 key on two computers, I've finally gotten to the point that I just don't care anymore. It is out of our control. We're screwed in the near term, so...I'll watch the games that are scheduled and root for our teams and without giving a rat's ass about conference. It's all we can do, IMO.

 

[Hoophound]

That is the question I'm asking. There are proponents of on this board on going Independent. Notre Dame is the example of how it is done. Yes they have the history (Gipper, Wake Up the Echos, Touchdown Rudy etc). But we have to be creative. At least Talk with Notre Dame. If anything having a guaranteed game with Notre Dame each year would be serious money and an opening for recruiting. Why not be known as the barnstorming Huskies?

Whatever. I guess I'm crazy to think this.

I think we all dream of that working from time to time. Honestly though, if others schools could do it, they would. We just don't have the cache to land a decent schedule as an Indy. We could get plenty of great away/NYC games but our home schedule would be awful. Then again, I might be ok with that for a while. If we started winning big road games, we'd build momentum quickly.

 

[Jericho]

That is the question I'm asking. There are proponents of on this board on going Independent. Notre Dame is the example of how it is done. Yes they have the history (Gipper, Wake Up the Echos, Touchdown Rudy etc). But we have to be creative. At least Talk with Notre Dame. If anything having a guaranteed game with Notre Dame each year would be serious money and an opening for recruiting. Why not be known as the barnstorming Huskies?

Whatever. I guess I'm crazy to think this.

It's possible, but not sure Notre Dame is all that interested. They will have a pretty full schedule between Navy, Stanford, USC, and 5 ACC games a year. That leaves 4 games per year, and some of them will go to their traditional Big 10 rivals (Purdue, MSU, Michigan). You also have to figure they want the freedom to schedule other schools (like Oklahoma this year, Air Force is several years, and BYU next year). So UConn would be fighting for limited spots.

 

[UConnDan97]

It's finally happened. After wearing the paint off the F5 key on two computers, I've finally gotten to the point that I just don't care anymore. It is out of our control. We're screwed in the near term, so...I'll watch the games that are scheduled and root for our teams and without giving a rat's ass about conference. It's all we can do, IMO.

I'm close to hitting that point, too. I guess the optimist in me tries to envision "best-case scenarios" no matter what they may be. But at the end of the day, I'm still a UConn Husky fan. I'm still going to go to their sporting events and wear their gear.

"They may take our conference....but they'll never take....our freedom!!!"

 

[BigEastCT]

As of this minute. (I am stressing minute) I would like to join the C7 along with Cincy and a few others (Xavier/Butler/Temple).

I would like to play an independent football schedule in lieu of joining MAC/Conference USA

Depending on others schools schedules, which I beleive others would make room for us, I would hope it would look somthing like.

1) Army
2) Syracuse (Acc)
3) ND
4) Rutgers (Big Ten)
5) Boston College (ACC) Schedule thanksgiving weekend
6) SEC Team
7) Big Ten Team
8) Pac Team
9) Big 12 Team
10) Cincy (since we are stuck in the same boat)
11) Mountain West
12) MAC

Lets put togther a diverse schedule and show what we can do for an audition

 

[CL82]

I'm close to hitting that point, too. I guess the optimist in me tries to envision "best-case scenarios" no matter what they may be. But at the end of the day, I'm still a UConn Husky fan. I'm still going to go to their sporting events and wear their gear.

"They may take our conference....but they'll never take....our freedom!!!"

Thanks. It took a lot of therapy to bring me to this point. As a service to the board, I'll summarize it below, but this should not be considered a substitute for meeting with a professionsal in severe cases (cough, cough... HFD...cough.)

The Seven Stages of Conference Realignment

1. SHOCK & DENIAL-
You will probably react to learning of the loss of yet another conference member with numbed disbelief. You may deny the reality of the loss at some level, in order to avoid the pain. Belief in a secret plan that will bring UConn to the Big 10 is typical in this stage. This may last for weeks.
2. PAIN & GUILT-
As the shock wears off, it is replaced with the suffering of unbelievable pain. Although excruciating and almost unbearable, it is important that you experience the pain fully, Life feels chaotic and scary during this phase. Expect very little productivity during this stage as reading the Boneyard replaces normal functions such as work, talking with your spouse and bathing.
3. ANGER & BARGAINING-
Frustration gives way to anger, and you may lash out and lay blame for the lack of a decent conference on someone else. Many choose Warde Manual or Jeff Hathaway. This is a time for the release of bottled up emotion. You may rail against fate, questioning "Why UConn ?" You may also try to bargain in vain with the powers that be for a way out of your despair ("I will not complain about Syracuse’s cupcake basketball schedule anymore, if you just bring back the original Big East members.")
4. "DEPRESSION", REFLECTION, LONELINESS-
Just when your friends may think you should be getting on with your life, a long period of sad reflection will likely overtake you. Encouragement from others is not helpful to you during this stage of grieving. During this time, you finally realize the true magnitude of your loss, and it depresses you. You may isolate yourself on purpose, and talk of “going independent in football” becomes the norm.
5. THE UPWARD TURN-
As you start to adjust to life without a meaningful conference affiliation, your life becomes a little calmer and more organized. Your physical symptoms lessen, and your "depression" begins to lift slightly. You actually start working at work again and your boss decides that he doesn’t need to fire you or upgrade the internet firewall.
6. RECONSTRUCTION & WORKING THROUGH-
As you become more functional, your mind starts working again, and you will find yourself seeking realistic solutions to problems posed by life without a decent conference. You will start to work on practical and financial problems and reconstructing your program, such as stadium expansion and focusing on third tier TV rights.
7. ACCEPTANCE & HOPE-
During this, the last of the seven stages of conference realignment, you learn to accept and deal with the reality of your situation. Acceptance does not necessarily mean instant happiness. Given the pain and turmoil you have experienced, you can never return to the carefree, untroubled YOU that existed before this tragedy. But you will find a way forward, unfortunately that may involve trips to Amherst, but you will survive.

 

[Waquoit]

7. ACCEPTANCE & HOPE-
...\

I'm at acceptance, where's the hope?

 

[CL82]

I'm at acceptance, where's the hope?

Looking forward to an easy road trip? ...ahh, I've got nothing.

 

[Jericho]

As of this minute. (I am stressing minute) I would like to join the C7 along with Cincy and a few others (Xavier/Butler/Temple).

I would like to play an independent football schedule in lieu of joining MAC/Conference USA

Depending on others schools schedules, which I beleive others would make room for us, I would hope it would look somthing like.

1) Army
2) Syracuse (Acc)
3) ND
4) Rutgers (Big Ten)
5) Boston College (ACC) Schedule thanksgiving weekend
6) SEC Team
7) Big Ten Team
8) Pac Team
9) Big 12 Team
10) Cincy (since we are stuck in the same boat)
11) Mountain West
12) MAC

Lets put togther a diverse schedule and show what we can do for an audition

That schedule is likely not feasible. The problem is that so many of the big conference schools do not play out of conference late in the season. And by late, I'm really talking outside of September. The ones that do, tend to do it for very specific rivalries. Good luck getting any ACC, SEC, Big 12, Big 10, or SEC school to schedule October or November games. Even if you get 1 or 2 (which is reasonable), you still end up with a lot of slots to fill. Notre Dame is its own challenge to even get on their schedule (too many other and better commitments). By far the most likely bets would be Army, the Mountain West (although what their conference looks like is in flux) and the MAC. But that's basically what the schedule would look like now.

Look at BYU. They are a much bigger brand and look at their 2012 schedule:
Washington State (August game), Weber State, Utah (September game), Boise State, Hawaii, Utah State, Oregon State (October game), Notre Dame, Georgia Tech (October game), Idaho, San Jose State, New Mexico State, San Diego State (bowl game). That's a more feasible schedule for UConn to get. Except, if Notre Dame has to choose between BYU and UConn, which one do you think it picks?

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I'm at acceptance, where's the hope?

It's at the bottom of the bottle, inside the scorpion. This is how HFD got the B1G to add BU ice hockey.

 

[ctchamps]

I'm close to hitting that point, too. I guess the optimist in me tries to envision "best-case scenarios" no matter what they may be. But at the end of the day, I'm still a UConn Husky fan. I'm still going to go to their sporting events and wear their gear.

"They may take our conference....but they'll never take....our freedom!!!"

Each development has hit me in the gut in a manner I would suspect is similar to everyone else who is an avid UConn fan of whatever sport(s) they follow.

I'm trying to be like the black belt dude! If a young kid comes up to him for an autograph, and as he grabs the book from the kid, the kid knees him in the nuts, the black belt dude is going to keel over in pain.

But I bet his recovery is quicker than the rest of us! He goes through the breathing and conditioning exercises that were necessary for his accomplishment. He regains his composure and moves on. The rest of us would be crying for hours, days, weeks or months. Nothing wrong with being part of the herd and crying about the situation UConn has been dealt with. I'm trying my best to be extraordinary.

New Years helped. I bought extra champagne. Part of my conditioning exercise! I'll pretend I've lost my long term memory and tomorrow will be New Years. And then the next day and the day after that.......

 

[Danzz]

If anything UCONN may want to form an alliance with Notre Dame in football if they want to go independent. Michigan and USC always play Notre Dame and perhaps UCONN could be the little brother following in the footsteps. This is just something I've been thinking of. Don't know how it would work. Any thoughts?

ND doesn't need us. They will be playing for a NC in a week and have the ACC for other sports. ND like Uconn and the rest of the schools won't do anything unless it benefits them. We don't bring anything to the table.

 

[J187Money]

I haven't worried about this for one minute yet. Nor will I probably. At some point if we are actually not in a real conference and are playing 12 games a year against Buffalo I will worry about it then. Makes for entertaining reading, but I really can't understand the level of panic.

I will continue to go to FB and BB games, root for our men and women and trust that Herbst will have us in the right place in the long run.

UCONN sports were an absolute joke when I entered the school in 1989 (only because I couldn't afford better). I know we won the NIT but still.

We are light years ahead of where we were and most of my great sporting memories came from the Huskies as both I and the programs grew up together. For that I will be forever loyal.

We are not going back to the Yankee Conference days. Not. Going. To. Happen.

 

[CL82]

I haven't worried about this for one minute yet. Nor will I probably. At some point if we are actually not in a real conference and are playing 12 games a year against Buffalo I will worry about it then. Makes for entertaining reading, but I really can't understand the level of panic.

I will continue to go to FB and BB games, root for our men and women and trust that Herbst will have us in the right place in the long run.

UCONN sports were an absolute joke when I entered the school in 1989 (only because I couldn't afford better). I know we won the NIT but still.

We are light years ahead of where we were and most of my great sporting memories came from the Huskies as both I and the programs grew up together. For that I will be forever loyal.

We are not going back to the Yankee Conference days. Not. Going. To. Happen.

I don't think that you can say UConn sports were an absolute joke. UConn was a decent sports school just not elite...yet.

 

[UConnDan97]

Each development has hit me in the gut in a manner I would suspect is similar to everyone else who is an avid UConn fan of whatever sport(s) they follow.

I'm trying to be like the black belt dude! If a young kid comes up to him for an autograph, and as he grabs the book from the kid, the kid knees him in the nuts, the black belt dude is going to keel over in pain.

But I bet his recovery is quicker than the rest of us! He goes through the breathing and conditioning exercises that were necessary for his accomplishment. He regains his composure and moves on. The rest of us would be crying for hours, days, weeks or months. Nothing wrong with being part of the herd and crying about the situation UConn has been dealt with. I'm trying my best to be extraordinary.

New Years helped. I bought extra champagne. Part of my conditioning exercise! I'll pretend I've lost my long term memory and tomorrow will be New Years. And then the next day and the day after that.......

That's a good thing to aspire to. To take a knee in the nuts better than the other guys...

 

[NEforceUConn]

I think joining the C7 for all non fb sports and being a FB Indy idea is sound. I assume FB is set for next year with whatever is the BE. So we are talking about 2014/15 +. We need 12 games with games against major conference players early so: UVA, RU, Cuse, SEC school, BIG school, then Army, Temple, Bufalo, UMass, URI, MAC school, Navy .

I think as an Indy we can realistically have an OK schedule for 3 or 4 years. By that time, or sooner, conference reallignment is complete and our future is then known. I think their are a bunch of schools that feel like they kind of owe UConn a game or two because we have been jerked around by everybody, and our mens and women's bb team are for real; schools like UVA, UNC, RU, Maryland, Wake, and Baylor. Our home schedule would blow, but the critical time period is only 2 to 4 years. After that the future is known and we are either sitting pretty (ala RU), doing OK in a watered down almost major conference, or in trouble.

I would rather do that than put together some 10 team temoprary FB conference knowing that we want to leave asap. Now with the C7, sure they know we want to leave but tell them we are happy being fb Indy and to show our faith agree to pay a $10m exit fee if it comes to that.

 

[junglehusky]

Who are we going to schedule as an indy?

 

[J187Money]

I don't think that you can say UConn sports were an absolute joke. UConn was a decent sports school just not elite...yet.

NOBODY decided to go to UConn in 1989 because they were excited about the athletics. That's what I'm saying. I grew up in Wisconsin and sports were a real draw.

 

[ctchamps]

To be honest, UConn still has my support as a fan! And in my book that is the only thing that matters!

 

[J187Money]

To clarify, I was pissed. My brother got to go home and go to Madison for school. My parents couldn't afford OOS tuition again. So I sucked it up and went to a school that I didn't want to go to, that had NOTHING in the way of a REAL football program. I'm not even sure I went to two games when I was in Storrs. Why bother?

So when UCONN decided to build a program, I was all in. And unlike many others here, I realized from Day 1 you can't turn UCONN into Wisconsin (including the stadium experience and fanbase) in 10 years. I'm not saying that we couldn't have done better. I'm not happy about the last two years. But I'm not a doomsayer.

 

[UC990411]

To clarify, I was pissed. My brother got to go home and go to Madison for school. My parents couldn't afford OOS tuition again. So I sucked it up and went to a school that I didn't want to go to, that had NOTHING in the way of a REAL football program. I'm not even sure I went to two games when I was in Storrs. Why bother?

So when UCONN decided to build a program, I was all in. And unlike many others here, I realized from Day 1 you can't turn UCONN into Wisconsin (including the stadium experience and fanbase) in 10 years. I'm not saying that we couldn't have done better. I'm not happy about the last two years. But I'm not a doomsayer.

Thing is, people around here don't realize you can't build a program in ten years. They get their panties in a bunch because we're not Wisconoson or Alabama.

I think ten years ago if you asked everyone if they'd be happy with where we are today you'd get 50/50 split yes and no. Of the 50% who say no, half of that group would rather still be playing games in Storrs at that high school stadium. I don't know where I'm going with this but all I can say is we're in a better spot now than we were ten years ago, even if its the nnnnnbe. We'll find a landing spot eventually

 

[TouchdownHusky]

UConn needs an Orrin Hatch who can raise enough stink and be a big enough PIA to get the Huskies into a major conference just to shut him up (or keep Washington out of the matter). Worked for Utah. Need to put pressure on anyone and everyone. ESPN would be a start. Have always felt they could be a real asset for UConn if they just acted like a good corporate neighbor.

 

[kingdobbs]

UConn needs an Orrin Hatch who can raise enough stink and be a big enough PIA to get the Huskies into a major conference just to shut him up (or keep Washington out of the matter). Worked for Utah. Need to put pressure on anyone and everyone. ESPN would be a start. Have always felt they could be a real asset for UConn if they just acted like a good corporate neighbor.

Not that this isn't accurate, but you know what else worked for Utah?

Being good at football.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Not that this isn't accurate, but you know what else worked for Utah?

Being good at football.

UConn was on it's way there. Just needed the status quo to remain in effect. And let's see. . . . Urban Meyer or Paul Pasqualoni? Hmmmm. Someone should rot in he££ for hiring and allowing that man to coach UConn.

 

[ScottVib]

UConn was on it's way there. Just needed the status quo to remain in effect. And let's see. . . . Urban Meyer or Paul Pasqualoni? Hmmmm. Someone should rot in he££ for hiring and allowing that man to coach UConn.

You really think that Urban Meyer was an option? How muh would UConn have had to overpay to lure him back from his medically-induced semi-retirement? 100 million?

Meyer would have only considered a handfull of the creme-de-la-creme schools. He wasn't coming to UConn.

 

[huskymedic]

You really think that Urban Meyer was an option? How muh would UConn have had to overpay to lure him back from his medically-induced semi-retirement? 100 million?

Meyer would have only considered a handfull of the creme-de-la-creme schools. He wasn't coming to UConn.

Last game @ UF was the Bowl game on 1/1/11. He took the tOSU job 10 months later for
$4m plus (we sure weren't gonna be paying any coach that).

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...ary-4-million/2011/11/29/gIQAup9K9N_blog.html

 

[TouchdownHusky]

You really think that Urban Meyer was an option? How muh would UConn have had to overpay to lure him back from his medically-induced semi-retirement? 100 million?

Meyer would have only considered a handfull of the creme-de-la-creme schools. He wasn't coming to UConn.

No I didn't think a post Florida UM was an option. But he was a helluva get for Utah coming from Bowling Green - an up an comer. UConn? They hired a tired old retread. Bad fit at the time he was hired, worse now that we all know. So in that sense, Utah was vastly ahead of UConn. UConn desperately needed a dynamic coach post Randy.