True story....

[coachcap]

Was flying home from Raleigh yesterday from a family wedding over the weekend. As I was boarding the connecting flight to ATLANTA, I was greeted by flight staff. The flight assistant saw the Husky logo on by mask & blurted out " UConn! Great basketball teams, but you've GOT to get better in football." I replied that I hoped that our newly hired head coach would be bringing UConn back to respectability. He was stupified when I told him that UConn had hired former Falcons Head Coach Jim Mora. On the pre-flight announcements, it was stated that the entire flight crew were Atlanta home based. Guess news travels slowly below the Mason-Dixon.

 

[cohenzone]

Yup, people say as football goes, you are a great basketball school.

Unrelated This reminded me of an experience I had swimming at a hotel pool near San Simeon California years ago. Several people were there and my wife and I noticed they were speaking a foreign language. We moved to the hot tub where one of them was and asked what language they were speaking. With very limited English he said they were Israelis speaking Hebrew. (I’m Jewish but his conversational Hebrew was unrecognizable to me). Anyway, I figured how can I connect? So I said “basketball, Nadav Henefeld, Doron Sheffer.” He smiled and said “UConn”. I cracked up.

 

[Nostical]

Ha! That story reminds me of the time some years back when we were visiting Israel and went to see the grottos in the north on the Mediterranean near the Lebanon border. Very cool site. Anyway the entrance to the tram to take you down was next to an Israeli security post where there were soldiers with weapons guarding the area. My wife wanted to have her picture taken with the soldiers so I asked "Is that OK?" I was met with stern looks that screamed "no way". So I said 'Please". No comment. Then I said "UConn Huskies." He said what? I said "UConn Huskies-- Nadav Henefeld, Doron Sheffer" and shot an imaginary basketball. He said "UConn Huskies?" He turned to his buddies and said excitedly "UConn Huskies!" She got her picture and he let her wear his army beret.
The point is you'll see UConn shirts all over the world, in Japan, Argentina, Viet Nam, etc. Basketball has made us a national---and international--brand. Mora gets it. He's also a national brand. An NFL and UCLA coach from a well known coaching family. Like UConn he has a brand name and when recruiting it's easier to sell a brand name. There's value in that. When I was a kid shopping with my Grandfather he asked me to bring him 2 cans of tuna fish. I came back with 2 cans of Tom's Tuna. He said, "what's this? Take it back and bring me Bumble Bee!"

 

[RioDog]

OK here's one for ya-

I was living and teaching in Rio de Janeiro 2010-2014. One day I had to go to Copa Cabana to attend training at my School's HQ location. During the lunch break I went to a Shawarma place I had seen on my walk from the metro to the school that morning. I was wearing a UConn t shirt, and the guy behind the counter said "Uconn? Doug Henefeld!" I said "Yeah! and Doron Sheffer." Turns out the he was an Israeli ex-pat who owned the restaurant and was a big UConn BB fan. Said many Israelis try to catch as many UConn gams as possible. Told me that Doron had become a kind of mystic/ spiritual ascetic semi-recluse. I have no idea if any of that is true, but the guy's affection for UConn was real. I tried find the place on google maps to include a screen shot, but I fear the guy may have gone under during COVID. I see a lot of empty store fronts in street view, which is not normal for Copa Cabana.


Anyway I still had to pay for my Shawarma.

 

[Hamms30]

I got spotted by a couple guys in Killarney one evening while I was on vacation. I was wearing a hat and heard "Uconn!!!!!" Turns out they were over there studying abroad for the year and we had a good chat. We're everywhere!

 

[Kolumbo]

Was flying home from Raleigh yesterday from a family wedding over the weekend. As I was boarding the connecting flight to ATLANTA, I was greeted by flight staff. The flight assistant saw the Husky logo on by mask & blurted out " UConn! Great basketball teams, but you've GOT to get better in football." I replied that I hoped that our newly hired head coach would be bringing UConn back to respectability. He was stupified when I told him that UConn had hired former Falcons Head Coach Jim Mora. On the pre-flight announcements, it was stated that the entire flight crew were Atlanta home based. Guess news travels slowly below the Mason-Dixon.

He knew enough about UCONN Football to know it has to improve, that's something too. Have to believe the Carolina fans know Jim Mora well from the NFC South.

 

[cohenzone]

At the risk of offending someone who is maybe on this board, I have another. My wife and I were on a day tour in Iceland when a guy wearing UConn gear got on the bus. We talked and turned out he was a UConn Club guy who had suggested using the “ that’s another UConn 1st down” I didn’t gave the heart to say I didn’t like it, especially when we were down 3,or 4 scores in the 4th quarter.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I have a couple:

In October 2017, at arrival in Rome (DaVinci/Fiumicino) wearing a UConn polo (the insignia was small) I heard someone yell "UConn". About 20 yards from me a guy (originally from Portugal, worked in Italy at the time but had worked in NYC for years) saw the shirt and identified it immediately.

Late November 2015, on a train from Venice to Milan an older couple diagonally across from us heard us speaking English and ask if we were Americans. They then asked if we were college basketball fans (which surprised me), as they were both retired, former employees of Northern Iowa (he was a teacher) and they were thrilled that over the prior couple of days they had beaten two ranked teams. When I told them I was a long time season ticket holder for UConn games they went on for a while about how much they enjoyed the women's team and made a comment about being happy the men knocked off Iowa St in the 2014 tournament (they disliked the Cyclones and Hawkeyes).

 

[RioDog]

All the above tells me that me we are, in addition to the 6th borough, international, at least through Europe, the Middle East, and South America. Any stories from Asia or Africa? Or Oceania? We may be going global...

 

[Waquoit]

I wore my UConn polo on our flight to Australia and had a nice chat with a Qantas flight attendant. Big women's team fan. And I remember being at a tasting room in Napa next to a couple lamenting how bad their FB team was going to be. May I ask who "because I'm sure you're better than us." Cal was the reply. I said UConn "but we're gonna be good in basketball this year." The woman's reply was "But you always are."

 

[Husky pride]

Don’t you just love these stories about our favorite teams’ world-wide fame!! It makes you all the more proud—-if that’s possible!!!

 

[McLovin]

Don’t you just love these stories about our favorite teams’ world-wide fame!! It makes you all the more proud—-if that’s possible!!!

Post/handle

 

[CL82]

Ha! That story reminds me of the time some years back when we were visiting Israel and went to see the grottos in the north on the Mediterranean near the Lebanon border. Very cool site. Anyway the entrance to the tram to take you down was next to an Israeli security post where there were soldiers with weapons guarding the area. My wife wanted to have her picture taken with the soldiers so I asked "Is that OK?" I was met with stern looks that screamed "no way". So I said 'Please". No comment. Then I said "UConn Huskies." He said what? I said "UConn Huskies-- Nadav Henefeld, Doron Sheffer" and shot an imaginary basketball. He said "UConn Huskies?" He turned to his buddies and said excitedly "UConn Huskies!" She got her picture and he let her wear his army beret.
The point is you'll see UConn shirts all over the world, in Japan, Argentina, Viet Nam, etc. Basketball has made us a national---and international--brand. Mora gets it. He's also a national brand. An NFL and UCLA coach from a well known coaching family. Like UConn he has a brand name and when recruiting it's easier to sell a brand name. There's value in that. When I was a kid shopping with my Grandfather he asked me to bring him 2 cans of tuna fish. I came back with 2 cans of Tom's Tuna. He said, "what's this? Take it back and bring me Bumble Bee!"

That night the guard went home and said “I just met Rebecca Lobo. She seems shorter in person.”

 

[Eastwood]

Several years ago we were visiting Rome. We took the metro to dinner. When we returned to the station the entire train line was shut down for repairs. Neither I nor my wife spoke much Italian. Let alone enough to ask for directions back to the hotel. We started talking amongst ourselves as to what we could do. The hotel was at least a half hour walk, and we had no idea in which direction. Fortunately, a by stander over heard our conversation, and in perfect English asked where we were from. I said Connecticut. And he replied, Go Huskies! We learned he was from Queens, a St. John's fan and living in Rome as a freelance film producer. He gave us excellent directions via a bus back to our hotel!

 

[gtcam]

Nothing overseas
A while back (early 2000's) I was invited onto the field to watch BP at an Arizona Diamondbacks game. They were hosting the Atlanta Braves,
I was out collecting balls and putting them in pails for the Braves. I was wearing my 1999 UConn mens BB hat. All of a sudden I felt this arm go around my shoulders and someone said "Love them Huskies". I looked up and there was Greg Maddox. We talked for about 15 minutes and he was a Mens College BB encyclopedia! He loves Jim Calhoun and said he met him a few times and picked his brain. Being a Cubs fan, I was delighted to meet him and took pictures got autograph ball etc
A bunch of players on both teams made UConn comments.

Love those international stories!!!

 

[CL82]

I was in Maine at Acadia National Park. A woman came up to me because she saw my 99 championship hat and started talking to me about the Huskies. I’m going to say it was 2009. She was very knowledgeable about the men’s team and talked about how the Dyson injury really cost us that year. I talked with her for a little while and then she mentioned that she was an assistant coach at Tennessee. It turns out it was Holly Warlick.

 

[Slick]

Ha! That story reminds me of the time some years back when we were visiting Israel and went to see the grottos in the north on the Mediterranean near the Lebanon border. Very cool site. Anyway the entrance to the tram to take you down was next to an Israeli security post where there were soldiers with weapons guarding the area. My wife wanted to have her picture taken with the soldiers so I asked "Is that OK?" I was met with stern looks that screamed "no way". So I said 'Please". No comment. Then I said "UConn Huskies." He said what? I said "UConn Huskies-- Nadav Henefeld, Doron Sheffer" and shot an imaginary basketball. He said "UConn Huskies?" He turned to his buddies and said excitedly "UConn Huskies!" She got her picture and he let her wear his army beret.
The point is you'll see UConn shirts all over the world, in Japan, Argentina, Viet Nam, etc. Basketball has made us a national---and international--brand. Mora gets it. He's also a national brand. An NFL and UCLA coach from a well known coaching family. Like UConn he has a brand name and when recruiting it's easier to sell a brand name. There's value in that. When I was a kid shopping with my Grandfather he asked me to bring him 2 cans of tuna fish. I came back with 2 cans of Tom's Tuna. He said, "what's this? Take it back and bring me Bumble Bee!"

Great story!

 

[Exit 4]

I was down south - deep country, just a little north of the Darien Gap at the corner of South Broad and Pattison when a couple dudes tried to clock me from behind as I was walking into an Giants-Eagles game wearing my all cotton deep navy universal sex embroidered UConn baseball cap.

Any number of pivotal moments in a man’s timeline can be linked to having just the right thing to wear for the challenges at hand. The right outerwear, for starters, is essential. What protected me in this ambush was my British SBS Canoe Smock ($379) from J Peckerman. With an extremely dense layer for blocking wind, water and assaults from unruly miscreants, the Canoe Smock has an ROI that is nearly infinite when tested in the wilds of opposing stadiums. The stealth advantage here is the fabric swells when wet from beverage spills, beer throws and even rain, making the yarns even more densely packed together. But consider, when your life flashes before your eyes, you’ll want the method of survival in easy reach. This is where these pockets come in, at chest and waist. A small utility pocket on the hood fits a compass nicely. And should you find the need to clamber over rocks (or garbage, rubble or rows of pack high priced stadium seating) you’ll be glad to know the elbows are reinforced too.

British SBS Canoe Smock (No. 6980) painstakingly reproduced from the post-war military canoe smock made only for the Special Boat Service of the British Special Forces. Pullover style and raglan sleeve for easy on and off. Two bellowed chest pockets (one slanted for easy access) with drainage holes. Reinforced facings at chest pockets. Two large pleated hand pockets. Gusseted storm flap at hood. Contrasted lined hood. Adjustable waist and hem. Metal grommets. Cotton braided draw cord. Wood stopper, Imported.

Let me know if anyone needs a Canoe Smock, pretty much 3.5 Billion people should get one according to the analysis I have run. DM me, I have three left to offload.

 

[Kolumbo]

I was down south - deep country, just a little north of the Darien Gap at the corner of South Broad and Pattison when a couple dudes tried to clock me from behind as I was walking into an Giants-Eagles game wearing my all cotton deep navy universal sex embroidered UConn baseball cap.

Any number of pivotal moments in a man’s timeline can be linked to having just the right thing to wear for the challenges at hand. The right outerwear, for starters, is essential. What protected me in this ambush was my British SBS Canoe Smock ($379) from J Peckerman. With an extremely dense layer for blocking wind, water and assaults from unruly miscreants, the Canoe Smock has an ROI that is nearly infinite when tested in the wilds of opposing stadiums. The stealth advantage here is the fabric swells when wet from beverage spills, beer throws and even rain, making the yarns even more densely packed together. But consider, when your life flashes before your eyes, you’ll want the method of survival in easy reach. This is where these pockets come in, at chest and waist. A small utility pocket on the hood fits a compass nicely. And should you find the need to clamber over rocks (or garbage, rubble or rows of pack high priced stadium seating) you’ll be glad to know the elbows are reinforced too.

British SBS Canoe Smock (No. 6980) painstakingly reproduced from the post-war military canoe smock made only for the Special Boat Service of the British Special Forces. Pullover style and raglan sleeve for easy on and off. Two bellowed chest pockets (one slanted for easy access) with drainage holes. Reinforced facings at chest pockets. Two large pleated hand pockets. Gusseted storm flap at hood. Contrasted lined hood. Adjustable waist and hem. Metal grommets. Cotton braided draw cord. Wood stopper, Imported.

Let me know if anyone needs a Canoe Smock, pretty much 3.5 Billion people should get one according to the analysis I have run. DM me, I have three left to offload.

 

[Fairfield_1st]

My international story pales in comparison. I was in Ireland at either the Cliffs of Moher or Giant's Causeway in 2017. I saw another person who had UConn gear on in the store. Unfortunately the other person wasn't a fan, they had gotten the gear from a family member who went to UConn. I do make a point to wear my UConn gear wherever I go.

 

[cohenzone]

Nothing to do with UConn but still pretty funny. We were on a group tour in Ireland. That day we were in a small town. Due to a joking rivalry, I was wearing a Yankee hat in response to a mother and daughter on the tour wearing Red Sox stuff. My wife and I were wandering a small street where we encountered a typical Irish gentleman, 70 or so, all tweedy with a cap and walking stick. He takes one look at me and says in a thick brogue “ The Angels are going to kill you”. I nearly keeled over, this guy in the middle of Ireland talking baseball . Of course we talked and it turned out he just visiting back home but had been living in LA for years.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

An addendum to my Rome story:

There is a picture of me, in front of the Coliseum wearing a UConn football Jersey.

 

[UConnMike04]

I was in Maui 5 years ago with my wife on our honeymoon at a recommended Hibachi restaurant. The cook was asking where everyone was from and when I said CT he got all excited and said “oh UConn! Great womens basketball team, all of the best players go there!” What made it hysterical was he got to the girl next to me who was on her WNBA all star break - Mistie Bass (Chubby Checkers daughter), who went to Duke. She told him she was a pro WNBA player for Pheonix and he said “oh, did you go to UConn?” She goes “no, Duke.” He then goes “You said pheonix right? So you must know Diana Taurasi.” I just about fell off my chair laughing.

Side story - we spent a lot of time that dinner BSing about basketball at our schools, and we saw her for another week or so around the resort and she and her mother always stopped to say hello. She also picked up our dinner as a congrats for just getting married. Told her I was at the UConn game in ‘04 when they beat us in Hartford actually as a student.