Temple to the Big East?

[Jimmy Serrano]

I've only seen 1 guy state that he may not fork over the dough for season tickets. And I'm sorry, but he's paying $1200 for 4 seats, I don't find it unreasonable to demand BCS opponents when you're paying BCS prices.

If we are only going to talk about things we can control as fans we might as well shut this board down. Not one of us had any control over the quality of QB play last year, but that didn't stop anyone from talking about it.

 

[ZooCougar]

I guess the new AD had better work his ass off getting some decent OOC games in the Rent.

 

[UConnDan97]

I've only seen 1 guy state that he may not fork over the dough for season tickets. And I'm sorry, but he's paying $1200 for 4 seats, I don't find it unreasonable to demand BCS opponents when you're paying BCS prices.

If we are only going to talk about things we can control as fans we might as well shut this board down. Not one of us had any control over the quality of QB play last year, but that didn't stop anyone from talking about it.

First, I'm not saying to talk about just what the fans can control. I'm saying to talk about what the university and the Big East can control.

Second, if Temple joins the Big East, you just got a BCS opponent for your BCS price. That might sound like a "smart " comment, but I'm being serious. Temple is a quality football team, and we walk into the stadium knowing that the win is not guaranteed at all.

I again point to the Florida State versus Savannah State replacement game as a more reasonable game to be upset about. I also point to the possibility that the Big East teams were going to play each other twice! If you think the other conferences are laughing now...

 

[ZooCougar]

First, I'm not saying to talk about just what the fans can control. I'm saying to talk about what the university and the Big East can control.

quote]

Dan,

It seems to me that the Big East is out of options. They are playing a bad hand and playing it poorly.

At this point all UConn can do is keep building and developing, and do everything it can to schedule an appealing OOC lineup.

 

[UConnDan97]

Zoo Cougar, I agree with you on what UConn needs to do going forward, and I also agree with the bad hand that the Big East was dealt. I guess what all my posts have been about is the assessment that the Big East is playing it poorly. I don't see it that way at all. I'm not saying they've played it great, but they did actually manage to convince a perennial top 15 program in Boise St. to join, even though they are located in Idaho!

Many of the other moves were to get good (not great, but good) football teams into the conference, with the idea that they were from large cities and good recruiting areas, so that we can hopefully build our collective product and tv money deal. And all of this happening while we are under threat as a conference to have 4 more teams leave (UConn included). What else could they have done, really? The Memphis move and the SDSU move, yeah, I'm not big fans of those, but one needed to be done to get Boise here, and the other one I suppose was done for multiple reasons other than the current football product (city, "western partner", basketball, Liberty Bowl tie in (?), Fed Ex(?)).

Again, I agree with you about UConn's future: let's keep building and developing, and try to build our OOC lineup. Tennessee / NCState / Michigan / Maryland is a good start....

 

[ruskin]

Before I get started, I've been a season ticket holder since the early 1990s when I-A football was not quite a pipe dream here, but close. And I enjoyed going to I-AA games. Still do from time to time, around UConn's schedule, of course. I'd still be one of the 3 to 5,000 going to games in Storrs if the jump wasn't made. But the genie is out of the bottle.

I agree that UConn on the surface does not have much leverage at the present time. How do we get leverage? For starters (and bringing this up for umpeenth time) Lieberman and Blumenthal have to make this a temporary priority. It paid off for West Virginia, whose Senators understood how vast and devoted WVUs fan base is in that state and took steps to protect WVUs interest. Connecticut's football fan base isn't quite what WVUs is, but the UConn hoop fan base is close, and that group - and Lieberman and Blumenthal, who love their seats behind the Huskies bench when UConn plays in Washington - need to be educated how important keeping UConn at the BCS level in football is very much in basketball's interest (i know Lieberman is about to leave, but maybe he can make this cause one of his last legacies, or his replacement can make it one of their first goals).

In a perfect world, should U.S. Senators get involved with crap like this? Of course not. But Connecticut is at risk of having a very large investment in big-time football devalued essentially by one idiot in Chestnut Hill, Mass. who is so focused on bringing down this program he's done a masterful job of bringing down his own. The legality of his actions are questionable at best.

If it turns out Temple is the replacement for WVU for this season, I'll reluctantly accept it but still plan on conveying my concerns.

If Mr. Manuel can somehow extract us from this nightmare I will immediately call for a doubling of his salary. He will be worth every penny.

 

[noeynox]

Not to get too off topic, but I think the recent pronouncement of upgrading baseball, basketball, softball, and soccer facilities, is a step in making UConn more desirable if more conference shifting takes place. Those are the things the University can control at the moment, and I am glad the team of Herbst, Pendergast, and hopefully Manuel, seem to be up to the task.

 

[Marty Jackson]

Stunned at some of the pollyannas on this board. People who advocate retreating/settling for the Temple/East Carolina level conveniently forget that this state invested almost $150 MILLION in football facilities to accommodate REAL, BIG TIME I-A FOOTBALL, not a Double or Triple A version and the taxpayers who helped build those facilities are being charged REAL, BIG TIME I-A prices. Want to talk all-in? Hold Gene DiFilippo personally, legally responsible for devaluing those investments and locking UConn out of the cartel.
And by the way, as one who grew up near Philly, the addition of Temple does not "lock up" the Philly market. Their place in market is worse than BCU's in Boston. Ever been to a Temple-Penn State game in Philly? Place is 90 percent white and blue.

Hold DeFillipo responsible for what? The entire BCS system is based on collusion. What BC did is no different than what Villanova has done to Temple up to this point. And, I'm sure there are dozens of other examples just like that.
Look at how the old SWC schools faired... Some made out, others were left for dead.

 

[BNich]

I guess the new AD had better work his ass off getting some decent OOC games in the Rent.

Some of the posters on here seem to think it's quite simple. It obviously isn't or else it would have been done already.

 

[epark88]

Hold DeFillipo responsible for what? The entire BCS system is based on collusion. What BC did is no different than what Villanova has done to Temple up to this point. And, I'm sure there are dozens of other examples just like that.
Look at how the old SWC schools faired... Some made out, others were left for dead.

A great majority of the time, the main players in the 'BCS system' don't gloat about their collusion to major news writers and spill all their beans in public, in spectacularly clumsy fashion.

If you are a DeFillippo supporter...well, I don't know what to tell you, what emotion to convey to you. I just wish GDF continued longevity in his current post so he can continue giving Boston College the type of leadership they truly deserve...

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

I understand people want to complain about Temple and Memphis as BCS opponents. That's fine. It's the Internet. Complain away. It's your right.

I just don't know what you think the Big East should've done. Virginia Tech and Miami ain't comin' back.

Nobody has offered some sort of alternative solution other than "get us out of here," which does not seem to be a viable alternative at this point.

So if you don't have another solution, you're just complaining for the sake of complaining. Which is fine. Just not sure I see the point.

 

[BNich]

I understand people want to complain about Temple and Memphis as BCS opponents. That's fine. It's the Internet. Complain away. It's your right.

I just don't know what you think the Big East should've done. Virginia Tech and Miami ain't comin' back.

Nobody has offered some sort of alternative solution other than "get us out of here," which does not seem to be a viable alternative at this point.

So if you don't have another solution, you're just complaining for the sake of complaining. Which is fine. Just not sure I see the point.

Well agreed. Just gets annoying after a while seeing 7 pages of complaining about the same freaking thing. WE GET IT!! UConn isn't moving anywhere in the next few years beef up the BE as good as POSSIBLE which one would think they have done. If there were better alternatives they would have happened instead.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Hey, if you don't like a thread like this that actually is relevant to UConn......you could always go over to one of the many Edsall threads on this board. Just saying.....

 

[BNich]

Hey, if you don't like a thread like this that actually is relevant to UConn......you could always go over to one of the many Edsall threads on this board. Just saying.....

Not a fan of those either. Those are getting old and I'm sick of seeing them pop up. He is gone. He is old news. PP has been here a full year now. Everybody lets move on now.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Well agreed. Just gets annoying after a while seeing 7 pages of complaining about the same freaking thing. WE GET IT!! UConn isn't moving anywhere in the next few years beef up the BE as good as POSSIBLE which one would think they have done. If there were better alternatives they would have happened instead.

A better alternative would've been Boise St. for 2012. The reason it ain't happening is because the Big East decided they couldn't help them out financially by waiving the entrance fee and covering the $10 million tab the MWC was charging them for an early exit. We can't do this because a portion of the $20 from WVU is earmarked for DePaul.

The Big East wasn't dealt a bad hand. It is responsible for the bad hand.

 

[BNich]

Boise wasn't happening. Just too much money. Of course it was a better alternative, just wasn't going to happen. It would cost the Big East way too much money. The BE football conference doesn't carry the same prestige as other conferences. It isn't as attractive an option for other programs that are consistently in the top 25. Quite frankly who would want to come to the Big East? We aren't in the negotiating room. We don't have any insider information. Who knows what kind of leverage if any either side had, but they definitely play a part. They weren't dealt a bad hand, and they aren't responsible for it either.

 

[UConnDan97]

I just don't know what you think the Big East should've done. Virginia Tech and Miami ain't comin' back.

For some crazy reason, as I read this portion of your post, I heard Pitino saying it. Almost as if he was saying "Larry Bird ain't walking through that door. Kevin McHale and Robert Parrish ain't walking through that door."

 

[UConnDan97]

 

[ruskin]

I'm continuing this thread just because it's not about the guy who coaches football in suburban D.C. . . . .seriously I'm surprised Boise's entrance wasn't subsidized, if nothing more for the sake of TV ratings. A lot more eyeballs for Boise vs. (Big East team here) than the Owls.

 

[-Huskiediehard-]

I was being 100% sarcastic, but that's ok.

Lol, I realized it was sarcasm after I posted it I just like what Temple has to offer and I also like adding another northeast team.

 

[jdb50]

Anyone on here think we are going undefeated in FB or men's BB once WVU, Cuse and Pitt leave? Bringing in Boise and Houston we are getting tougher opponents than Cuse and Pitt football wise IMHO. Who knows where SMU and SDSU go when they get in the league. We have our work cut out for us and it should be a fun league for football. Outside of the SEC who would sign up to play Navy every year? We will be in Florida and Texas every year. This isn't all bad. Now with Memphis and Temple in men's BB things just got tougher there as well. If we get good people will be at the Rent, the league games will be a big draw just like they are now.

 

[-Huskiediehard-]

Jdb, going undefeated in any BCS conference in very hard and I am excited for the newcomers coming in I just think the BE could've been more aggressive adding good programs earlier and we may have never lost wvu,tcu,pitt,su,etc? but it is what it is. With hoops I think the BE will still continue to be a top conference SDSU,Temple, and Memphis are already big time basketball programs that should only get better in a BCS conference. As for football it needs to improve losing WVU especially hurt but Boise is a huge addition and the other teams coming in like Temple,sdsu,etc. you think would improve but only time will tell. The football conference will be very interesting and I think the turnout at the rent won't change at all if were winning the place will fill. I am very excited to see the new teams at the rent and can't wait until we beat Michigan their.

 

[jdb50]

Staying at 9 when we added TCU was a huge mistake by Providence. If we brought in Boise, Houston, SDSU, SMU and UCF at that point we'd be in a better place. At that point you chose between BYU, Navy, Temple and Memphis to get to 16. It is what it is.

 

[Srqhusky]

Guys

Stunned at some of the pollyannas on this board. People who advocate retreating/settling for the Temple/East Carolina level conveniently forget that this state invested almost $150 MILLION in football facilities to accommodate REAL, BIG TIME I-A FOOTBALL, not a Double or Triple A version and the taxpayers who helped build those facilities are being charged REAL, BIG TIME I-A prices. Want to talk all-in? Hold Gene DiFilippo personally, legally responsible for devaluing those investments and locking UConn out of the cartel.
And by the way, as one who grew up near Philly, the addition of Temple does not "lock up" the Philly market. Their place in market is worse than BCU's in Boston. Ever been to a Temple-Penn State game in Philly? Place is 90 percent white and blue.

Whoever comes into our conference does not change our BRAND of football. It is not a waste of money and 150 million is nothing compared to big programs. To switch conferences you have to be INVITED. So the best thing is for us to WIN in this NEW BIG EAST and Support the team. Beating Michigan Next year NC State this year and Virginia, Houston Boise coming up is going to open eyes. So is seeing a supportive, traveling fan base! Bailing on the team and whining is just Not what we need!

 

[epark88]

Apparently, a major issue with Boise not coming for '12 is that even if the Big East did front them the money, BSU has no idea if the WAC would still exist beyond '12 for their other sports.

The clear irony in this? The WCC, the new home of SDSU's other sports, don't want BSU because the Broncos are a geographic outlier. Chew on that for a while...