The AAC is a VERY good conference.

[metsfan2323]

Too much ACC envy, couched in bashing, and outright AAC hate for my taste.

We're here. It's home for now, and maybe for some time. The Big East is dead. Let's get on with it.

Yup, technically we are in the same league we have always been in, we have the headquarters in Providence and a pile of cash to prove it.

All of the new schools are here because we invited them and we invited them because we needed them. The competition they have given us in year one has been better than expected and will get better.

 

[Walker11]

I honestly thought it would be a worse league than it is but I am disgusted by the fact the Tulane and whoever the hell is is joining next year.

Unfortunately beggars can't be choosers and I think we all know where we fall.

 

[kobe]

"The bottom of the AAC is a joke. Anybody who says otherwise is in denial or is delusional."

So UConn didn't lose to Houston?

Does it really matter? This year we play 10 conference games against teams with an RPI of 150 or worse. Each one of those 5 teams would be the worst team in any of the 7 RPI leagues ranked higher than the American. Since, the top of the league has only lost 3 games to the bottom (SMUx2 and UConn) it is no wonder why the top 5 all have gaudy league records.

Do we really have any idea how good these teams are? I am starting to get a Mountain West (from last year) vibe about this conference. Think about it, here are the meaningful OOC wins for the conference: Pittsburgh (Cincinnati), Florida (UConn), Oklahoma State (Memphis) and Gonzaga (Memphis). Outside of Florida, who was missing two key players, none of those teams are going to be better than a 7 seed. So all these "quality wins" in conference are just coming against each other. If you look at the NCAA tournament resume's of the MWC schools last year, you'll see basically all their quality wins were also against each other.

This is an okay league, it isn't as bad as it could have been...but that doesn't make it great. Next year we lose two games against rival Louisville and replace them with ECU, Tulane and Tulsa. I actually the FOOTBALL side of the league is in much better shape.

 

[Durks07]

If I said two years ago that in our first season the AAC we would lose to Houston once and SMU twice I would be mocked. Are you really confident that playing at East Carolina or Tulsa next year in sold out arenas will be an easy game because I am not. Each of those teams has used their invite to the AAC as an opportunity to improve their programs (just like SMU), they each have young rosters and no seniors of importance.

You are failing to understand that the CUSA schools are upgrading, they will get better and so will the league, SMU will not be an anomaly.

The bottom of our league right now includes Temple, Rutgers, and South Florida, that's two Big East schools and the best A10 school. They are hurting this conference right now more than the CUSA schools.

That's a fair enough of a point, the league is better this year than I anticipated. However, the league will regress in the near term with the three additions and the major loss. Whether they are easy games or not, I'm not going to speculate on (I'm not going to jinx that), but going forward, I'm not confident that the other teams are going to steadily improve a la SMU. They are located in Dallas, a good area for recruiting and have a legitimate hall of fame coach on the sidelines. A top half of UConn, SMU, Cincy, Menphis, and Temple will be ok, but the other programs are going to have a steeper learning curve. SMU might not turn out to be an anomaly, but these teams, while having no seniors of note, are not lighting the world on fire in C-USA right now either and the best team they have right now is Southern Miss. Projecting a few years down the road, the outcome is too unclear to anticipate massive success and to be fair, too early to project massive failure as well.

 

[ZenConn]

It's simple. This league isn't great but isn't the worst.

The strength of the league doesn't show how you will fare in the tournament either so I'm not sure why people are so hung up about it. Butler made the finals 2 years in a row coming from the Horizon league!

 

[Walker11]

good these teams are? I am starting to get a Mountain West (from last year) vibe about this conference. Think about it, here are the meaningful OOC wins for the conference: Pittsburgh (Cincinnati), Florida (UConn), Oklahoma State (Memphis) and Gonzaga (Memphis). Outside of Florida, who was missing two key players, none of those teams are going to be better than a 7 seed. So all these "quality wins" in conference are just coming against each other. If you look at the NCAA tournament resume's of the MWC schools last year, you'll see basically all their quality wins were also against each other.

You could certainly be correct with the MWC comparison. I am 100% getting that vibe from the nBE as well. I dunno, I feel like at least 4 teams in our league pass the eye test, but what does that even mean.

 

[HuskiesAllDay]

That's a fair enough of a point, the league is better this year than I anticipated. However, the league will regress in the near term with the three additions and the major loss. Whether they are easy games or not, I'm not going to speculate on (I'm not going to jinx that), but going forward, I'm not confident that the other teams are going to steadily improve a la SMU. They are located in Dallas, a good area for recruiting and have a legitimate hall of fame coach on the sidelines. A top half of UConn, SMU, Cincy, Menphis, and Temple will be ok, but the other programs are going to have a steeper learning curve. SMU might not turn out to be an anomaly, but these teams, while having no seniors of note, are not lighting the world on fire in C-USA right now either and the best team they have right now is Southern Miss. Projecting a few years down the road, the outcome is too unclear to anticipate massive success and to be fair, too early to project massive failure as well.

Thank you.

Everyone keeps saying how good the top of the league is. Who has cinci or Louisville beaten? I honestly don't know but I can't remember them beating anyone good this year. Nobody really knows how good either of them are but to me they aren't top 10 teams.

This league sucks and we are in the middle of the pack. It's sad. Really sad. There is no way around it

 

[UofMemphis]

I honestly thought it would be a worse league than it is but I am disgusted by the fact the Tulane and whoever the hell is is joining next year.

Unfortunately beggars can't be choosers and I think we all know where we fall.

Speaking of Tulane, I can't wait to watch Memphis play at their new on-campus stadium, Yulman stadium:

I don't care if you hate the AAC, a trip to New Orleans is worth it...nothing like starting the day at cafe du monde, Bloody Mary's for lunch, fresh sea food for dinner...and a all night party.

NO is like Memphis on roids.

 

[TRest]

Speaking of Tulane, I can't wait to watch Memphis play at their new on-campus stadium, Yulman stadium:

I don't care if you hate the AAC, a trip to New Orleans is worth it...nothing like starting the day at cafe du monde, Bloody Mary's for lunch, fresh sea food for dinner...and a all night party.

NO is like Memphis on roids.

We can't make it a day trip. To their new, rumored 25k seats stadium.

 

[UofMemphis]

I'd much rather have Tulane fill a 25,000 seat stadium over bringing under 20k to the 80,000 seat SuperDome.

You're missing out if you don't visit New Orleans.

 

[TRest]

I'd much rather have Tulane fill a 25,000 seat stadium over bringing under 20k to the 80,000 seat SuperDome.

You're missing out if you don't visit New Orleans.

One of the reasons why the SEC has such great fanbases and game day atmosphere is that the schools are all within a workable distance for road trips. UConn's football fanbase is largely contained within the state's borders, so we aren't likely to send 5-10k fans to any road games a thousand miles away. Tulane works great for the former southern CUSA schools, so enjoy I guess. It does nothing for me.

 

[Pudge]

Pissing at each other is no fun.

Look ... in the beginning of the Big East, there were a bunch of schools simply not ready for the competitiveness that quickly came to the top. That is where we are today in AAC basketball. UConn, by the way, was one of the Programs that was just getting lapped by a few tougher Programs. Georgetown with John Thompson; St. John's with Carnesecca; Syracuse with Boeheim; Villanova with Massimino. Within a year or TWO, Dr. Tom Davis had a nice formula at BC. Seton Hall sucked. Dom Perno made us suck. When Pitt joined, they recruited well for a day or two under Paul Evans; but, mostly they weren't competitive.

UCF has never played at this level. They can get athletes. Will Donnie Jones raise their level? Dunno. USF? They suck today after 10 years in the BE; start all over again. Fire Heath. Houston? Man ... they have really impressive athletes. They aren't going to succeed with Dickey; that reminds me of us and Perno. Just not going to rise to compete. Temple? Again ... I have no doubt that Dunphy can be a solid competitor. Let's see what 2015 brings. And F Rutgers. Tulane, Tulsa and ECU? Tulsa has some pedigree actually. They are going to be just as awful as the current 5 dregs ... unless they quickly pull up their pants and play big boy. UConn took a while to learn. I think that's the lesson (Fishy): it can be a far better conference. Or we are going to see more 40 point losses going forward. I actually think that the dregs will re-calibrate and compete. Expect Heath and Dickey to be gone soon.

Of course Memphis is happy. That's clearly the easiest thing to predict.

 

[mauconnfan]

Louisville and Cincy are both top-10 teams...easy.

LVille is tough and good, can score in spurts and will move on through the first weekend…….Cincy may be a Top 10 team but also one that could go out quick because of their inability to score the ball sometimes, especially when Kilpatrick doesn't have it going. Sounds all too familiar!

 

[60'sfan]

The AAC has some good teams but is not a strong conference. Having come from the best basketball conference of all, it is tough transition. Unfortunately, we are losing Louisville (a tough loss) and Rutgers (no big deal). We have three weak programs joining and one of the top programs (Cincinnati) openly looking for a new home. Clearly, the conference will be weaker next year whether Cincinnati leaves or stays.

Given whom KO is already bringing in, we should still be a top 20 team but a weak schedule will not help us prepare for the NCAA tournament. I guess I also feel sorry for the women who will have no in-conference competition next year. How many fans are going to continue to want to watch 40 to 50 point blow-outs.

 

[NickyNewark]

The AAC has some good teams but is not a strong conference. Having come from the best basketball conference of all, it is tough transition. Unfortunately, we are losing Louisville (a tough loss) and Rutgers (no big deal). We have three weak programs joining and one of the top programs (Cincinnati) openly looking for a new home. Clearly, the conference will be weaker next year whether Cincinnati leaves or stays.

Given whom KO is already bringing in, we should still be a top 20 team but a weak schedule will not help us prepare for the NCAA tournament. I guess I also feel sorry for the women who will have no in-conference competition next year. How many fans are going to continue to want to watch 40 to 50 point blow-outs.

I think Geno and WBB has more staying power than MBB and its funny how perception changes every 10 or 20 years? Pre-Geno UConn WBB won less than 40% of their games yet some diss RU who until joining the BE in MBB were the NYC metro team when they played at the Barn and in 76? I think Phil Sellers, MikeDabney,Eddie Jordan,Bailey,Hollis Copeland and Abdel Anderson led them to 32+? straight wins and a Final 4 finish when Dicky V was AC and stayed pretty good for about 15 years(91?) then slowly lost ground and never recovered yet and now people think they were always dregs? RU's WBB so far have stood the test of time(since TShank-Grentz) with only a few down yrs. How humbling some will find life to be with that attitude of entitlement. Thats why its imperative to get out of the AAC ASAP or who knows where the program will be? For UConn to stay a must see in hoops a relevant conference is almost a must but esp in FB.

 

[pj]

This league is weak. I don't think there is a particularly strong argument to the contrary. The AAC is the 8th rated conference in the country despite having 5 teams in/around the top 25. By contrast, the A10 has 1 ranked team and is 7th.

This is just an artifact of bad scheduling by a number of teams. They are not gaming the RPI the way other schools and leagues are. SOS hurts not only your own RPI, but the RPI of all your conference mates, since opponents SOS is a huge factor in the RPI. If the AAC teams would just lift the OOC SOS a bit, the AAC would be a highly ranked conference, comparable to the ACC.

A lot of these schools have no experience being in a power conference. Aresco has to lay down the basketball scheduling law to these schools.

 

[pj]

Do we really have any idea how good these teams are? I am starting to get a Mountain West (from last year) vibe about this conference. Think about it, here are the meaningful OOC wins for the conference: Pittsburgh (Cincinnati), Florida (UConn), Oklahoma State (Memphis) and Gonzaga (Memphis). Outside of Florida, who was missing two key players, none of those teams are going to be better than a 7 seed. So all these "quality wins" in conference are just coming against each other. If you look at the NCAA tournament resume's of the MWC schools last year, you'll see basically all their quality wins were also against each other.

This is an okay league, it isn't as bad as it could have been...but that doesn't make it great. Next year we lose two games against rival Louisville and replace them with ECU, Tulane and Tulsa. I actually the FOOTBALL side of the league is in much better shape.

We'll find out in March. But I think the top 5 AAC teams pass the eye test. Most should win at least 1 game in the tourney. The league as a whole should be .500.

 

[Husky25]

I think Geno and WBB has more staying power than MBB...

All due respect, Nicky (and I mean that. After thinking you were a troll, I've really come around on you), I stopped reading after this. How young do you think Geno is? Don't let his Grecian formula fool you, he turns 60 in less than a month. He is absolutely in rarified air, but he is rounding Amen Corner. Who come in behind him? Who replaces Chris Dailey? As recruiting coordinator, she is just as instrumental in the Women's success as Geno.

Ollie is about to put Napier in the NBA, with potentially Boatright, Daniels, and Brimah to follow and has good/great recruiting classes (by the rankings) coming up in for the 2014/15 and 15/16 seasons.

When it comes to rating a conference like the AAC, fans cannot miss the forest for the trees like what is going on above. Individual teams, as they currently are playing, mean exactly zero. What matters is the quality of the programs that make up the league. Temple is down, but they are a good program. Memphis has had some recent success and Pastner seems like he has them on an upward trajectory. SMU will be good for as long as Brown is there. Cinci is quality, and UConn at this point is the Crème de la Crème in terms of the overall program.

For a comparison, look at the Big 12. Only 2 teams are shoe-ins for the Tournament. The AAC has four by my count.

 

[NickyNewark]

Sorry after reading it over I considered deleteing but no flame was intended and I do agree we(AAC) have some top hoop school's IC and doubtless can overcome by lifting the couple schools behind. I shouldn't have posted so soon after reading a couple of the humbling remarks/comments about RU's terrible team's over the last 20 years or so(tough to say) but as long as UConn is in the AAC I'll follow and support it because UConn has earned their seat in almost all respects in an amazingly short time relatively speaking. No doubt theres no one like Geno(even Summit/Stringer) and I respect WBB more than MBB even though I played HSBB for 3 years before going into the service.Please don't think the post was meant disrespectfully because it wasn't. I sometimes let a comment or 2 get under my skin but won't dis UConn for inconsiderate fan's.btw I thought Geno was about 48/49...unbelieveable he's that old(near my age?) though I think Chris Dailey was an early RUWBB player in the early yrs?

 

[Husky25]

Sorry after reading it over I considered deleteing but no flame was intended and I do agree we(AAC) have some top hoop school's IC and doubtless can overcome by lifting the couple schools behind. I shouldn't have posted so soon after reading a couple of the humbling remarks/comments about RU's terrible team's over the last 20 years or so(tough to say) but as long as UConn is in the AAC I'll follow and support it because UConn has earned their seat in almost all respects in an amazingly short time relatively speaking. No doubt theres no one like Geno(even Summit/Stringer) and I respect WBB more than MBB even though I played HSBB for 3 years before going into the service.Please don't think the post was meant disrespectfully because it wasn't. I sometimes let a comment or 2 get under my skin but won't dis UConn for inconsiderate fan's.btw I thought Geno was about 48/49...unbelieveable he's that old(near my age?) though I think Chris Dailey was an early RUWBB player in the early yrs?

Born in March 1954.

 

[husky91]

Nothing better than last Thurs having UConn-Temple on ESPN2 playing in front of 3k (max) and flip over to ESpN with UNC-Duke. Wow.

This league blows. Thx Warde!

From our perspective, the AAC is a trailer park in tornado alley.

It really is an unpleasant assortment of schools.

 

[Jerry1714]

Nothing better than last Thurs having UConn-Temple on ESPN2 playing in front of 3k (max) and flip over to ESpN with UNC-Duke. Wow.

This league blows. Thx Warde!

You would have the same thing last year when we were playing DePaul, USF, or Seton Hall.

Also it was not Warde who hired PP............

 

[AZHuskiePop]

Born in March 1954.

I got a tie that old. Fortunately ties are forbidden in AZ ,bolos excepted.

Pissing at each other is no fun.

Look ... in the beginning of the Big East, there were a bunch of schools simply not ready for the competitiveness that quickly came to the top. That is where we are today in AAC basketball. UConn, by the way, was one of the Programs that was just getting lapped by a few tougher Programs. Georgetown with John Thompson; St. John's with Carnesecca; Syracuse with Boeheim; Villanova with Massimino. Within a year or TWO, Dr. Tom Davis had a nice formula at BC. Seton Hall sucked. Dom Perno made us suck. When Pitt joined, they recruited well for a day or two under Paul Evans; but, mostly they weren't competitive.

UCF has never played at this level. They can get athletes. Will Donnie Jones raise their level? Dunno. USF? They suck today after 10 years in the BE; start all over again. Fire Heath. Houston? Man ... they have really impressive athletes. They aren't going to succeed with Dickey; that reminds me of us and Perno. Just not going to rise to compete. Temple? Again ... I have no doubt that Dunphy can be a solid competitor. Let's see what 2015 brings. And F Rutgers. Tulane, Tulsa and ECU? Tulsa has some pedigree actually. They are going to be just as awful as the current 5 dregs ... unless they quickly pull up their pants and play big boy. UConn took a while to learn. I think that's the lesson (Fishy): it can be a far better conference. Or we are going to see more 40 point losses going forward. I actually think that the dregs will re-calibrate and compete. Expect Heath and Dickey to be gone soon.

Of course Memphis is happy. That's clearly the easiest thing to predict.

If you listen to guys like JC or even PJ ( Seaton Hall was very good by the late. 80's.)
Their best recruiting tool was playing against schools like Georgetown.
Memphis, Cinn, and UConn,have to play that Georgetown role.
What we accomplish in the tourney will help recruiting in the rest of the league.

If one of those schools makes a run it helps recruiting through-out the league.
Women's is no exception. Schools in the AAC can go after a higher caliber of player simply by saying you will be playing against the best. In WBB especially a dozen recruits who wouldn't have come increase the quality of the league exponentially.

 

[Husky25]

I got a tie that old. Fortunately ties are forbidden in AZ ,bolos excepted.

If you listen to guys like JC or even PJ ( Seaton Hall was very good by the late. 80's.)
Their best recruiting tool was playing against schools like Georgetown.
Memphis, Cinn, and UConn,have to play that Georgetown role.
What we accomplish in the tourney will help recruiting in the rest of the league.

If one of those schools makes a run it helps recruiting through-out the league.
Women's is no exception. Schools in the AAC can go after a higher caliber of player simply by saying you will be playing against the best. In WBB especially a dozen recruits who wouldn't have come increase the quality of the league exponentially.

Then. That was then. Jim Calhoun said as much on CenterStage (Question: How did you convince a kid to spend his college years in a sleepy town in Northeast Connecticut?). The next comment out of his mouth though was that once Tate George, Scotty Burrell, and Donyell Marshall were drafted, his best recruiting tool was that he could get kids to the NBA.

Ollie will have that qualification in about 3 months time.

 

[husky91]

I don't think PP determined our conference fate. The AD and President play a much larger role. It was just bad timing hiring 2 incompetent faces of the University during this time. Jurich had a vision and could articulate it, Warde can't and didn't. People give him credit for Ollie, maybe, not sure that was some huge coup.

You would have the same thing last year when we were playing DePaul, USF, or Seton Hall.

Also it was not Warde who hired PP..

 

[Marty Jackson]

"Never mind that this conference has five top-25 caliber teams, It's terrible. Don't worry about the AAC potentially having two top-10 teams tomorrow, it means nothing. The bottom half of this conference is horrible, that's why Houston beat us"

you have to realize that there is a large contingent on this board that are simply downers. Nothing you say will convince them otherwise.

The league isn't that bad. Yes, the bottom is weak, but that includes Houston and Temple, both of which have history. Temple is simply rebuilding. Getting 5 into the tourney will make a statement. Getting 3 or 4 into the 16 would be awesome.

 

[Marty Jackson]

The AAC has some good teams but is not a strong conference. Having come from the best basketball conference of all, it is tough transition. Unfortunately, we are losing Louisville (a tough loss) and Rutgers (no big deal). We have three weak programs joining and one of the top programs (Cincinnati) openly looking for a new home. Clearly, the conference will be weaker next year whether Cincinnati leaves or stays.

Given whom KO is already bringing in, we should still be a top 20 team but a weak schedule will not help us prepare for the NCAA tournament. I guess I also feel sorry for the women who will have no in-conference competition next year. How many fans are going to continue to want to watch 40 to 50 point blow-outs.

Cincy is going somewhere? Next year?
Is that even a possibility?

 

[jibsey]

Then. That was then. Jim Calhoun said as much on CenterStage (Question: How did you convince a kid to spend his college years in a sleepy town in Northeast Connecticut?). The next comment out of his mouth though was that once Tate George, Scotty Burrell, and Donyell Marshall were drafted, his best recruiting tool was that he could get kids to the NBA.

Ollie will have that qualification in about 3 months time.

In 3 months Bazz is maybe a high first round choice? Calhoun actually has said that he sold the BE conference and that was his main selling point. I'm actually amazed KO is recruiting into the AAC as well as he has so far, but make no mistake we have to achieve in the tourney and OOC to keep it going in this conference.

 

[Scot-e]

I honestly thought it would be a worse league than it is but I am disgusted by the fact the Tulane and whoever the hell is is joining next year.

Unfortunately beggars can't be choosers and I think we all know where we fall.

At least Tulane means we can go to New Orleans for games that we win by 40. Love that city.

 

[Husky25]

He absolutely did say that he used the Conference...just before he said he used the NBA. After Calhoun proved that UConn was on the same level as Gtown, Syracuse, and St. Johns on the court, he needed a different hook. In steps the NBA. Also I did not say Napier was a high first rounder. It wasn't even implied this time. I said drafted. Tate George was drafted in the middle of the first.