The Civil Conflict!

[Carl Spackler]

I wish he'd just have called them, so they could have said "Well Bob you may be just a bit premature. Let's hold off on this for the time being." and then after he hung up the phone "Man that guy is batsheet crazy."

I've said it before but HCBD worries me. We've all seen guys like this - high energy, high enthusiasm guys who impress early and then flame out due to the Peter Principal. I don't think that the program can survive another train wreck. I'm not saying that Bob's going to be one, but cr@p like this scares me... a lot.

He doesn't worry me. He's either going to win, and be successful at UCONN or he won't. He's doing it his way though, and he's a guy that has shown he can get things done, it's just a matter of what level he can get to. If he doesn't get it done, he'll be gone and the school will need to find the next head coach to keep working to get it done.

No matter what, it is entertaining for me for a little while in early June, when it frigging feels like we went straight from April to Autumn outside. I hope it is real though. The thought of bringing that trophy to Orlando, and having it on the sidelines? Good stuff win or lose. It will make news and publicity one way or the other. If we win - we have an engraver on the sidelines and hoot and holler and make a huge deal out of it, who gives a duck what anyone else thinks - we are UCONN. Imagine if we lose? I can imagine Diaco running around with the trophy trying to give it to UCF players with Benny Hill music playing. LOLOLOL.

It is real though, that a good leader will take the one bright spot that was last seasons win over UCF and try to find a way to make it real for the returning players to look at that, as valid proof that they can play at this level and compete and win. This entire thing - is exactly that. The fact that it's such a quirky thing that came out of a post game press-conference many months ago, is just a little bit more evidence of this guy's quirky brilliance that so many people that know him have testified to.

Gotta win though, sooner than later, or it's just another irrelevant footnote in history before the next coach arrives.

 

[CL82]

Carl I agree that in the end, was wIth most things, it all comes down to winning and losing. Win and he's a quirky genius. Lose and he was a nut who was in over his head. I just wish I had a better sense our which it will be.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Carl I agree that in the end, was wIth most things, it all comes down to winning and losing. Win and he's a quirky genius. Lose and he was a nut who was in over his head. I just wish I had a better sense our which it will be.

The Villanova game will give a good sense of direction. By the time that game arrives, he'll have completed something like 18 months of calendar time in the HC position, he'll have 2 spring and 2 fall camps, and 1 full regular season experience under his belt. He'll have a roster that will be what he's had 18 months to determine are all his RKG's.

If we're still a disorganized and undisciplined mess on the field from individual play to team concepts, communication, and game plan execution- then I'll start worrying about this guy's plan as a head coach.

 

[1999.2004.2011]

I still can't understand why you pick UCF over Cincinnati? Granted we have little history with either team, but at least we've played more than two games against Cincy

 

[SubbaBub]

I still can't understand why you pick UCF over Cincinnati? Granted we have little history with either team, but at least we've played more than two games against Cincy

We didn't beat anyone else last season. Kinda dumb to start crowing about rivalries when you are 0-1 against the rival.

 

[whaler11]

We didn't beat anyone else last season. Kinda dumb to start crowing about rivalries when you are 0-1 against the rival.

Also kinda dumb to leave off the 2013 game if you don't want them to publically mock you.

 

[mets1090]

Also kinda dumb to leave off the 2013 game if you don't want them to publically mock you.

Yeah honestly I don't really care one way or the other about this trophy. Time will tell if this turns into a competitive series. I do have a problem with leaving off the beating we took two years ago. Taking a beat down and then coming back and winning the following year is not embarrassing, it helps build a rivalry. It's obviously forced right now but a few more years of back and forth like that and maybe we could actually have something. Not like the natural rivalries with Rutgers/Cuse/BC but still a rivalry built on experiences instead of geography.

 

[SonsOfNutmeg]

Here's what I hope happnens, UCF actually does recognize this and they win this year so they accept it and then we have to put a sack of oranges on the stand in the Burton all off-season long.

Also, while we're on rivalry games and trophies. WTH don't we actually establish something real with UMass... I mean at this point, we both could use one another for scheduling each year, and we're receptive to conversation with one another (unlike BC or 'Cuse until recently). Let's make a New England FBS football rivalry game happen!

Possible UConn/UMass Game Name Ideas:

• The Battle for the Yankee Cup
• The Border Battle
• The Battle for New England
• Battle for the Lobster Pot Trophy

 

[John]

Here's what I hope happnens, UCF actually does recognize this and they win this year so they accept it and then we have to put a sack of oranges on the stand in the Burton all off-season long.

Also, while we're on rivalry games and trophies. WTH don't we actually establish something real with UMass... I mean at this point, we both could use one another for scheduling each year, and we're receptive to conversation with one another (unlike BC or 'Cuse until recently). Let's make a New England FBS football rivalry game happen!

Possible UConn/UMass Game Name Ideas:

• The Battle for the Yankee Cup
• The Border Battle
• The Battle for New England
• Battle for the Lobster Pot Trophy

Just kill me. This is what we've come to.

 

[Stray_Dog]

Personally, I don't mind the potential behind this rivalry. Why are so many here, so upset? Sure it is not a rivalry against say Michigan or ND or any historically significant / regionally located P5 program but guess what, they are not on our schedule. So, we take on the biggest in conference school we can and state for the record, we are as good as them. If its not true, do you want to point it out??? What is wrong with trying to believe that we may actually be better than we think we are?

Do you want to get respect by saying hey, we don't believe in rivalries we know the P5 in some way is moving away from this but we also see examples where they are fighting it. We are saying hey, we are going to create rivalries because we can. And we are going to say this in JUNE!!! Think about that, delivering this message in June and your worrying about it now? Heck, take a calculus III class and worry about your finals before you even see the results from your first homework assignment. Right now, the coach can afford to be a little off game focus but only for a short time. See what happens next month regarding this. Chances are most of us and the coach will already have moved on and as in typical rivalry fashion it wont be brought up again until the UCF game week.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Also kinda dumb to leave off the 2013 game if you don't want them to publically mock you.

AND
......cue the stick in the mud.

That season was pre-Diaco post UCF game presser in October 2014. I'm not sure if any UCONN players even showed up in 2013, in fact I'm pretty sure that season never even happened. Somebody made it up. I heard that in 2013, Michigan played an away game at UCONN and was losing 21-7 in the third quarter. LOLOLOL.

 

[Doggie Style]

He's a strange man. I thought the uniform video was well done. Clever, funny, entertaining. This is just sad and pathetic.

The video would of been better if the unis were ACTUALLY good!!

 

[Doggie Style]

This is batsht crazy, completely insane, embarrassing, and sad. I really have no choice but to get behind it because the reality is too brutal to acknowledge. Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Lets get some wins Bobby! Beat UCF! Keep the Civil Conflict trophy in the north!

Hysterical!!

 

[UCPusky]

There's even a trophy.

The line to take a selfie with the trophy at this month's season ticket holder BBQ should be short.

 

[Doggie Style]

The only way we pull this off is if we treat it like the laughing stock level of ridiculousness that it is, and make it into the AAC version of "Punked." We land in Fla and when the media asks us how important the Civil Conflict is to Uconn..... We reply with a "I have no idea what your talking about???" THEN, it would be marketing genius!!!

 

[whaler11]

AND
.cue the stick in the mud.

That season was pre-Diaco post UCF game presser in October 2014. I'm not sure if any UCONN players even showed up in 2013, in fact I'm pretty sure that season never even happened. Somebody made it up. I heard that in 2013, Michigan played an away game at UCONN and was losing 21-7 in the third quarter. LOLOLOL.

Gotta love it.

Bob Diaco made an absolute fool of himself and embarassed the program yesterday... yet if you don't just grin like an idiot and pretend it isn't the case you are a stick in the mud.

Call me crazy but if I'm the head coach and don't have a single verbal for 2016 - I would look for more productive projects. Maybe making a ridiculous trophy for a non-existant rivalry with one of the dumber names that has ever been conceived could have stayed on the back burner.

 

[Carl Spackler]

This whole thing is almost as funny to me as how agitated everybody was seeing red with the new helmet designs. I would have loved to play football with a guy like Bob Diaco, and I bet his players love playing for him.

I'd love to see this guy start making good on his words about building a winner. He's been pretty consistent in everything else he's done when it comes to demonstrating the ability to state a goal, lay out a plan, and get it done.

I hope that when this team takes the field in September, that it shows that proper preparation to perform has been done well. Nothing else matters, but JMoney is absolutely right. What a guy with personality like this can do for a program that is winning 8+ games a year would be a really fun ride to be part of. I hope it happens.

For now, I have a choice to either be excited for a new football season, or not be excited, and I choose to be excited, and the thought of this trophy's existence and traveling it to Florida in October has made the thought of next season very fun for me, for at least a little while.

I can only imagine what it's like to be around this guy day in and day out - I would have loved to play football with him - I'm sure, and I bet his players all would run through walls for him.

All of that's nice to talk about though - but it don't mean jack shiiite unless you can win.

2015 kickoff is a little closer today, than it was yesterday.

Have a nice day all.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Gotta love it.

Bob Diaco made an absolute fool of himself and embarassed the program yesterday... yet if you don't just grin like an idiot and pretend it isn't the case you are a stick in the mud.

Call me crazy but if I'm the head coach and don't have a single verbal for 2016 - I would look for more productive projects. Maybe making a ridiculous trophy for a non-existant rivalry with one of the dumber names that has ever been conceived could have stayed on the back burner.

Crazy.

I suppose you have a detailed insight into who has actually been offered to accept a scholarship at UCONN in 2016 and who hasn't. I don't, so I think it's kind of dumb to make any conclusions about that yet. What I can do is look at the results of the stated plan and recruiting approach that Diaco has established through a full yearly NLI cycle and then some now, and I'm not concerned at all about recruiting. I'm quite pleased actually.

Recruiting is not what concerns me about Diaco.

I choose to be excited about 2015. I'm excited to see Diaco coach his first game with an actual intent to win

 

[GoldCstHusky]

Diaco is like the overly-spirited volunteer coach of a last place little league team trying to motivate and make things "fun" in a manner that lacks any self-awareness. He may not care what others think of his gimmicks, but unfortunately UConn is not in a position where it can afford to be seen as a joke.

If the bloom was not already off the rose, it is now.

 

[Brochacho]

Crazy.

I suppose you have a detailed insight into who has actually been offered to accept a scholarship at UCONN in 2016 and who hasn't. I don't, so I think it's kind of dumb to make any conclusions about that yet. What I can do is look at the results of the stated plan and recruiting approach that Diaco has established through a full yearly NLI cycle and then some now, and I'm not concerned at all about recruiting. I'm quite pleased actually.

Recruiting is not what concerns me about Diaco.

I choose to be excited about 2015. I'm excited to see Diaco coach his first game with an actual intent to win

98th best recruiting class in the country.

(In before stars don't matter)

 

[whaler11]

Crazy.

I suppose you have a detailed insight into who has actually been offered to accept a scholarship at UCONN in 2016 and who hasn't. I don't, so I think it's kind of dumb to make any conclusions about that yet. What I can do is look at the results of the stated plan and recruiting approach that Diaco has established through a full yearly NLI cycle and then some now, and I'm not concerned at all about recruiting. I'm quite pleased actually.

Recruiting is not what concerns me about Diaco.

I choose to be excited about 2015. I'm excited to see Diaco coach his first game with an actual intent to win

Not being concerned about recruiting as a UConn football fan is a lot like dinosaurs not being concerned about meteors.

That you are pleased with recruiting is perfect - only someone who has completely lost the forest for the trees could be pleased with recruiting.

 

[Stainmaster]

Out of curiosity -- will any of you season ticket holders attempt to sabotage the trophy at the BBQ? This could be your one chance to have an impact on the program's publicity...

 

[Carl Spackler]

98th best recruiting class in the country.

(In before stars don't matter)

Diaco has stated a very clear, and well thought out recruiting plan and approach, and has delivered results so far that are consistent with the stated plan and approach and goals. Many of the players have seen the field at game time already and have demonstrated at the very least, the potential to develop and compete at the required level of competition - which is division 1A - American Athletic Conference. He's identified major problems with recruiting that he inherited that date back 6 years now, and with his continued plan, will be corrected by the first Wednesday of February 2016. There is no reason to think that the plan he has put in place will deviate when it comes to recruiting. He's chosen a method of backfilling rosters through preferred walk on status that is much riskier on the front end than what both Edsall and Pasqualoni did with their recruiting strategies, but pays off much better in the long run - if you are good enough as a salesman recruiter to get the players to literally have their parents buy in - which so far - he's demonstrated the ability to do.

The only thing, and I mean the only thing that Diaco has not done well IMO since taking on this job of being head coach at UCONN, is the 5 P's that go into actually playing games. Unfortunately, that is the most important part of the job - if you want to keep your job for any long period of time.

This trophy thing is really, really funny to me. Both the thing itself and how upset people can get about it. LOL. Priorities. This trophy is far less embarrassing than the performance on the field against Cincinatti at home last season. 41-0. That was not funny.

 

[Brochacho]

Diaco has stated a very clear, and well thought out recruiting plan and approach, and has delivered results so far that are consistent with the stated plan and approach and goals. Many of the players have seen the field at game time already and have demonstrated at the very least, the potential to develop and compete at the required level of competition - which is division 1A - American Athletic Conference. He's identified major problems with recruiting that he inherited that date back 6 years now, and with his continued plan, will be corrected by the first Wednesday of February 2016. There is no reason to think that the plan he has put in place will deviate when it comes to recruiting. He's chosen a method of backfilling rosters through preferred walk on status that is much riskier on the front end than what both Edsall and Pasqualoni did with their recruiting strategies, but pays off much better in the long run - if you are good enough as a salesman recruiter to get the players to literally have their parents buy in - which so far - he's demonstrated the ability to do.

The only thing, and I mean the only thing that Diaco has not done well IMO since taking on this job of being head coach at UCONN, is the 5 P's that go into actually playing games. Unfortunately, that is the most important part of the job - if you want to keep your job for any long period of time.

This trophy thing is really, really funny to me. Both the thing itself and how upset people can get about it. LOL. Priorities. This trophy is far less embarrassing than the performance on the field against Cincinatti at home last season. 41-0. That was not funny.

The recruiting problems that allowed for 16 guys to get selected in the NFL draft during that span? And that disregards the CFL guys or free agent NFL guys. The problem is Diaco is driving a historically mediocre football program (6.4 losses per year since going D1A) into the abyss. His 24 man class has 6 P5 offers between them. But hey, they're tall, smart, and nice. If Diaco keeps doing stupid things while losing 10 games he won't be here past their sophomore year.

 

[Carl Spackler]

The recruiting problems that allowed for 20 guys to get selected in the NFL draft during that span? And that disregards the CFL guys or free agent NFL guys. The problem is Diaco is driving a historically mediocre football program (6.4 losses per year since going D1A) into the abyss. His 24 man class has 6 P5 offers between them. But hey, they're tall, smart, and nice. If Diaco keeps doing stupid things while losing 10 games he won't be here past their sophomore year.

I'm not getting into this again. You think what you want, and I'll think what I want. The results will be what they are when we play the games. Too often I get into discussions with people that think they know football, but are really basketball fans. I'm not sure if that applies to you or not, but I'm leaning toward it based on this comment. Bottom line is that the rules allow for having up to 85 players on scholarship among a full 105 players that can get to the roster through a multi-year recruiting process that involves a lot of time identifying players, tracking their development, and making sure they fit the program goals and direction. By fall of 2016, we should have 105 players on the roster that fit that description again, and we haven't had that for many, many years, and the results on the field have demonstrated it. UCONN has consistently placed productive players into the NFL for a decade now - and the NFL people know it. Putting players into the NFL has nothing to do with putting a regular winning team on the college football field in division 1A.

My time has run out for today, I feel the dark side coming.

This trophy is frigging hilarious, and it makes UCONN football fun - for me - and I'm sure for the UCONN coaches and UConn players too - and that's all it is. I don't give a flying frack about what anyone else thinks, and neither should they.