The school that realignment left behind: Inside UConn football's collapse - Adelson @ ESPN

[LBird33]

Very fair article

 

[seeya27]

Very fair article

Except for the part about Calhoun and the NCAA violations. UConn's issues barely qualify as jaywalking compared to what Louisville has faced, not to mention UNC, KU, Baylor, and others.

 

[WestCoastHusky]

Except for the part about Calhoun and the NCAA violations. UConn's issues barely qualify as jaywalking compared to what Louisville has faced, not to mention UNC, KU, Baylor, and others.

The infractions Calhoun had under his watch was nothing comparing to the gangster hood that was Louisville.

The main reason ACC took UL over the Uconn the second time was this: football schools in the ACC (mainly FSU and Clemson) didn't want to come more north to play another football game, and ACC felt UConn will always be available if they ever needed another school for expansion since we are geographically isolated. The Carolina schools like UNC, Duke, Wake, and NCST along with UVA wanted us. The old BE schools BCU, Fruit U, and Pitt voted against us along with Miami, FSU, and Clemson.

The only other P5 conference that could take us is the B1G, and we would go there even if we are in the ACC.

Being an ESPiN article, of course it didn't mention the fact that ESPN orchestrated the raid on the BE along with the ACC so they can save on the overall cost of the media deal vs paying 2 separate conferences.

 

[Bongo Fury]

Cuse had some issues too. Was UCONN the only one to have actual penalties?

 

[Dean Wormer]

Agreed. It's also probably his most coherent statement related to UConn ever.

Yeah, much respect and very unexpected coming from him.

 

[SubbaBub]

Well..it was his failures in those areas that led to losing games. He doesn't have to get into specifics...we all know what goes into winning.

I have said this before...the one thing I always thought was a core Edsall strength was integrity. Wow was I wrong.

Diaco is proving to be a much more genuine person than Edsall. And 5 years ago I would have thought you were nuts if you said that.

Nothing but kudos to Diaco for being forthright. Maybe in time Edsall will be more honest about what happened.

Are you nuts? Diaco lied all the time while he was here and despite Randy's shortcoming he remains the best of the D1 coaches we've had.

It's a nice statement from Diaco, but let's keep things in perspective.

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

Are you nuts? Diaco lied all the time while he was here and despite Randy's shortcoming he remains the best of the D1 coaches we've had.

It's a nice statement from Diaco, but let's keep things in perspective.

I probably am misremembering....but I never thought of Diaco as a liar. Just a used car salesman. Always a spin.

Edsall preached integrity...right to the bitter end..but didn't live it.

 

[John]

The Louisville choice was really more about FSU pushing back against Tobacco Road. It sucks, but it is what it is.

When ever I get frustrated on being on the outside and looking in at P5 football, I think to myself would I rather have the financial security of being in a P5 conference than 4 men’s basketball national championships. The answer is a resounding no.

BCU, Pitt and, increasingly, Syracuse have all been marginalized as programs in the ACC. I’m not saying that would’ve happened to us, but it did happen to them.

BCU and Pitt were always marginal athletic departments (a few up years, but nothing really notable). I think the only surprising one is Cuse.

 

[huskyjawz]

The timing is a little odd though huh? You can football has been a suck fest all year long, but on the day after we have positive news about a great new coach hire ESPN writes an article talking about how the University of Connecticut is footballs biggest loser.

Conspicuously absent of course is ESPN’s role in the demise of the Big East and Connecticut being on the outside and looking in. Without ESPN funding the raid on the Big East, it never happens in the whole conference realignment debacle never guts college sports. ESPN is a Connecticut company that receives tax breaks from the state of Connecticut. Since they were the financier of the ACC‘s raids against the Big East they could’ve stepped up on our behalf at any time. They did not and that cost Connecticut taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. That should never be forgotten, especially the next time they come hand-in-hand asking for more Connecticut taxpayers money.

I couldn't agree with you more. The sad thing is that all they have to do is threaten to pick up and move and they will be able to milk the state again.

 

[CL82]

BCU and Pitt were always marginal athletic departments (a few up years, but nothing really notable). I think the only surprising one is Cuse.

And I agree regarding BCU, especially. Pitt was having a good run though, not national championship good, but they were a decent team. Now, not so much.

 

[CL82]

I couldn't agree with you more. The sad thing is that all they have to do is threaten to pick up and move and they will be able to milk the state again.

I hope not. If it is publicly known that they are asking for more relief, every Connecticut fan should be on the phone to their state legislator telling them that a vote for taxpayer money going to ESPN will mean a vote for whoever runs against them. I’m serious. They’ve cost Connecticut taxpayers, minimally, $35 million a year since 2013. Do the math. It’s $280 million that would have otherwise come into the athletic department. Since the state subsidizes the school, that’s money out of Connecticut taxpayers pockets. ESPN should never see another dollar of taxpayer money until Connecticut is in the P5. ESPN could make that happen with a phone call.

 

[huskymedic]

Since she couldn't get into ESPN's culpability in this mess, outside of Diaco admitting he didn't win enough games, the only thing that got my attention was Toscano. My view of him has diminished greatly based off his comments. Wonder if they were altered to fit the narrative.

BOT Toscano comment seems like it was before they hooked Mora (“"If this doesn't work, we're going to have some tough decisions to make," Toscano said. "I'm confident we'll get the right person and we'll find success…”)…

… but it’s fairly consistent w/ what he said back in early September: “If we can’t manage our way out of this, and the narrative is that when we go play FBS teams we get our [butt] kicked, well, that’s not good for anybody and it’s not sustainable,” UConn Board of Trustees chair Dan Toscano said last week. “I just don’t believe that’s going to be the narrative. We’re going to give it some time and see it play out. … It’s not short-term. It’s definitely not long-term. It’s somewhere in the middle. I don’t know if that’s 3-5 years or whatever. We’re going to be impatiently patient.”

 

[coachcap]

And I agree regarding BCU, especially. Pitt was having a good run though, not national championship good, but they were a decent team. Now, not so much.

Except this football season where Pitt leads its division...

 

[BlueMAB]

Discos buyout includes a non-disparagement clause. Let’s not give him too much credit

"No comment" would have satisfied the requirement of a non-disparagement clause.

"It was just my fault, honestly" is the opposite of disparaging.

 

[CL82]

Except this football season where Pitt leads its division...

 

[CL82]

BOT Toscano comment seems like it was before they hooked Mora (“"If this doesn't work, we're going to have some tough decisions to make," Toscano said. "I'm confident we'll get the right person and we'll find success…”)…

… but it’s fairly consistent w/ what he said back in early September: “If we can’t manage our way out of this, and the narrative is that when we go play FBS teams we get our [butt] kicked, well, that’s not good for anybody and it’s not sustainable,” UConn Board of Trustees chair Dan Toscano said last week. “I just don’t believe that’s going to be the narrative. We’re going to give it some time and see it play out. … It’s not short-term. It’s definitely not long-term. It’s somewhere in the middle. I don’t know if that’s 3-5 years or whatever. We’re going to be impatiently patient.”

Is it me, or is this a really dumb comment by Toscano? In the middle of a positive PR that changes the narrative that you can football is on the clock, why release the statement? I suspect that the ESPN reporter may have been sitting on that quote for a while. Just a hunch.

 

[freescooter]

Except this football season where Pitt leads its division...

Just so we are talking about the same Pitt, you mean the one that lost to Western Michigan, right? And Miami? They are leading their division in a remarkably weak ACC. This is like one of those seasons when Illinois wins the Big 10. They are pretty good but everyone else is having an off year.

 

[huskymedic]

Is it me, or is this a really dumb comment by Toscano? In the middle of a positive PR that changes the narrative that you can football is on the clock, why release the statement? I suspect that the ESPN reporter may have been sitting on that quote for a while. Just a hunch.

Isn't that what I said in first sentence? It doesn't match the sequencing...

 

[nycscooby]

Agreed. Dream isn't over. But crazy to hear those quotes from our coaches and admin of what it was like leading up to the realignment selection.

They really what was on the line in real-time, and could foresee how screwed we would be when we didn't get in.

Extremely devastating for a department that was busting their butt to get in.

Just confirms how out of touch our administration was, not picking up on the signs. Letting JC’s then NCAA infractions become something material! They wouldn’t even be infractions today. No sense of urgency because they were asleep at the wheel is what stands out to me. And, we might never recover from it.

 

[UCMB88]

Get this ESPN narcissistic passage, "With a lucrative television deal on the table from ESPN, the conference had a chance to solidify its future. But some in the room felt the league could gain more in the open market. So the Big East turned the deal down. Shortly thereafter, the ACC started showing interest in multiple Big East teams."

How dare the Big East turn down the almighty World Wide Leader's money?! That last line should read, "Shortly thereafter, a butt hurt ESPN conspired with the ACC to destroy the Big East."

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Integrity? Diaco gets A+. Edsall gets a F. The only defense I can offer for Randy is that he never should have been hired the second time. He was absolutely the worst case hire.

 

[BigEastCT]

good article, thought they would have mentioned the DB lawsuit

 

[Kolumbo]

The only thing worse than espn's involvement in contributing to UCONN's struggles is an espn assclown writing about it.

The success of any university in academics or athletics shouldn't revolve around which program was invited into a conference. The only positive from this article is that it explains, again, how UCONN took the biggest kick to the cajones. UCONN is in about as critical a situation as it gets for football. Benedict knows it. Mora has to know it. And I have to believe they have a plan to build a solid program putting UCONN far above many P5 programs.

 

[noeynox]

Well..it was his failures in those areas that led to losing games. He doesn't have to get into specifics...we all know what goes into winning.

I have said this before...the one thing I always thought was a core Edsall strength was integrity. Wow was I wrong.

Diaco is proving to be a much more genuine person than Edsall. And 5 years ago I would have thought you were nuts if you said that.

Nothing but kudos to Diaco for being forthright. Maybe in time Edsall will be more honest about what happened.

Don't hold your breath on Edsall.

 

[gioff2323]

Integrity? Diaco gets A+. Edsall gets a F. The only defense I can offer for Randy is that he never should have been hired the second time. He was absolutely the worst case hire.

Good lord, the disco-apologistas are out. That frigging guy destroyed the program. Read Dan Os quote about the players he left behind. But, he’s an RKG. Frigging unbelievable. I guess he won breakfast today

 

[hardcorehusky]

Diaco was about Diaco. He had no integrity, no skills as a leader. He was a total and I can say that after dealing with him. He always thought he knew more than anyone else and didn't care what anyone- above him, outside of his circle or those who could help him, would say. Forget Randy, Forget Red Pants, Forget PP- it doesn't matter anymore. It is now about Mora!!

 

[ASweet3781]

2 things.

Discos buyout includes a non-disparagement clause. Let’s not give him too much credit

Article underscores how FCS our trustees are. They alone give me zero confidence. How there was no blowback on them is incomprehensible. They should have all submitted their resignation.

What? You don't trust Rebecca Lobo?

 

[Goatmeat]

"I remember going in his office, shutting the door and being like, 'What happened?' I did not know the program talentwise had fallen off that much," Orlovsky said.

This just hits different.

 

[Hoophound]

"I remember going in his office, shutting the door and being like, 'What happened?' I did not know the program talentwise had fallen off that much," Orlovsky said.

This just hits different.

Meh. I wonder if he walked into Edsall’s office and asked him what happened. Diaco won a lot more games than Randy 2.0.

Dan is a little bit of a loose canon. I don’t really take much he says seriously.

 

[Exit 4]

I have a condensed summary to offer; ESPN administered largely by Syracuse alumni saw an opportunity to toss UConn overboard and BC watched the deck while it happened. Everything else is just noise. CRA is driven by financials and media contracts- ESPN was more than happy to wink and nod for Louisville which was absolutely essential.

If you had a time machine I would make two changes; put the stadium on campus and be the idea guy that huddled with the ACC first (you don’t want BC, you want us!). That or made sure they pulled Penn State into the BE when they had the chance.