"UCONN belongs in a tougher conference"

[FairView]

I can't believe that the UConn women's and men's teams are enjoying remarkable seasons, showing great player development and generating real excitement, but we're choosing to have this fruitless discussion yet again. I choose to enjoy the ride we're on.

 

[cohenzone]

Whoa! This confirms that my memory definitely isn't what it used to be. Was Providence ever really decent in WCBB? I've been following the sport for 40+ years but I can only recall a couple of years when they won 20 games. Looks like I've got some research to do.

I said better teams in the original BE. Not nationally. There weren’t any really good BE teams as far as national rankings go. It was a big deal when Tracy Lis, considered the best CT high school player in her class picked PC over UConn.

404 | CWBHOF

www.ctwomensbasketballhalloffame.com

 

[my2cents]

Uconn women's basketball transcends any conference they play in. They are force unto themselves. The exposure they bring to the Big East will elevate the entire league.
But as Doug Bruno advised, teams need to go out and play P5 conference teams and beat them.
Uconn's OOC games ( depleted this year) will always guarantee that they will have the national exposure needed to attract the best players in the country.
We are fine where we are, mainly because of geography and cost issues.

 

[UcMiami]

Of course, 6th place Colorado beat Stanford. What Big Easy team could actually beat UConn?

St Johns!

 

[Waquoit]

The Big East was really good in WBB before the breakup. It'll get better now that the other teams have UConn to sell. We got out of the AAC just in time. It's a garbage league.

 

[dogged1]

View attachment 65526

In order for UConn to make it to a P5 conference, they have to have a P5 football team. That boat has sailed.

So, CL, not quite sure. Is that an argument for or against an eventual P5 invite?

 

[npignatjr]

The Big East was really good in WBB before the breakup. It'll get better now that the other teams have UConn to sell. We got out of the AAC just in time. It's a garbage league.

Want to check the AAC teams in the tournament and seedings.

 

[npignatjr]

During my pre -teen years when unhappiness overcame me with my family and I threatened to leave, my father sat me down and said if you are so really unhappy with living here why don't you just leave. Leaving would make you happy and your happiness is all we have ever wished. I am happy with this conference-- have always been. And I am not one of those who think a conference make a team bad. Some teams may, individually, have gotten better. But, there are many many bad teams in the so-called good conferences. I for one cannot see how better Uconn would be in another conf. Another conf. for these people usually mean the ACC, PAC-10(?), etc. What would be the excitement about playing some of those schools. Of course, we would be taking in a lot more $. But that comes with a pricetag.
Take my father's advise, if you are so unhappy become a fan of one of those schools in one of those conferences and you will be happy and your happiness would be all we could ask for.
Apologies for the irritation.

Exactly the reason not to leave the AAC, of course there is the $17 million penalty, and making the whole football program irrelevant.

 

[npignatjr]

This is a "swan song" that likes to be replayed and played again and again. My opinion: UConn is where it needs to be and will be for now and the near future. Do I think that the BE will be better? Yep. These BE teams have a lot of creditability both in athletics and learning that will attract very good players who will compete more aggresively inside and outside that conference. As a matter of fact, recruiting for the men's program improved significantly when players saw the advantages of competing in he BE. Whatever. I guess every 6 months that this needs to be refreshed and the outcome will still be the same.

You think a large public university, which competes in dozens of sports belongs in a conference with mostly small to medium private schools with mostly small on campus facilities?

 

[visitingcock]

I would love to see UConn join the SEC as a non-football member along with one other school.

Proposal One: Uconn and a Tulane-like school could join as non-football members. Neither can afford the SEC arms race in football spending but either could compete in all the other sports.

Proposal Two: Vandy could chose to drop out as a football member. UConn joins Vandy as a non-football member and the SEC adds a full member like West Virginia (who is simply out of touch with the Big 12).

Hey, I'm not denigrating UConn football. Y'all beat us in the Frozen Pizza Bowl. I just don't see your admin would want to get caught up in the spending madness of SEC football. Yeah, recruiting is dirty too Tennessee.

 

[veryolddog]

You think a large public university, which competes in dozens of sports belongs in a conference with mostly small to medium private schools with mostly small on campus facilities?

Yes, I do. I graduated UConn in 64. The State of CT has never really funded or did what it should do over the years to make that place a "Great" university. The State has always wanted to find the cheap way to do things. That is why they hired Geno initially. They had no idea he would build this program to what it has become and were not prepared for that kind of success. From 1961 when I first entered UConn, football was and has always been second rate. They did not want to spend the money. Even with the stadium in E. Hartford, they could not fit 100,000 people. Everything is half buttock. If it wasn't for private donations, there would be no practice center. That fellow roomed across from me when I was there and went on to Law School.

To think that UConn is looked at the same as the other Universities in the Power 5 is ludacris. They are where they belong. And I would bet because these BE schools are small and have religious support group, they are a great place to send a young person for personalized education with small classes.

My folks in 61 sent me there to get me out of Albuquerque and we also had relatives in Hartford. The University of New Mexico would have suited me just fine as well but without the worldly atmosphere for me at UConn at that time. It was a rude awakening for me to be among the "worldly" and wise of the Northeast.

 

[freescooter]

I am not a huge fan of the New Big East even on the men’s side. I think it is pretty overrated and incredibly top heavy. I mean when 1 team wind the regular season 6 times and shares it once in 8 years, and has played in the tournament final 6 times in 7 years that pretty much equals total domination. Maybe not comparable to the women and UConn but still It’s hard to argue that Villanova isn’t head and shoulders above the rest of the league.

Given all that, it is pretty clear that the decision to move to the NBE (this league is not the Original Big East so I don’t say return) was driven by 2 things. 1 was to reduce travel expenses. The other was to satisfy a loud group of men’s basketball supporters who have no interest in UConn beyond mens basketball. If you look at other sports, baseball went from an excellent conference to a one bid league. Women’s basketball went to a much worse league. Football was left out completely. You can pretend that St Johns and Georgetown will up their games. They won’t. Honestly they don’t give a crap. St. John’s about women’s sports. Georgetown about sports In general. If they could figure out a way the Hoyas would happily follow the Ivy League model. My concern about UConn in this league is that whoever follows Geno will not have the influence to avoid moving back toward the balance of the league. If you are an 18 year old all American it is one thing to decide to play in a bad league for the best coach in your sport. It is another to turn down an offer from Soth Carolina and THE SEC or Duke to play for Carla Berube...

 

[freescooter]

The re-rese of the Big East in WBB now that we're back in the conference can very much happen:

1. The BE is a basketball conference
2. The BE in men's basketball is a great conference.
3. There are some really great academic institutions in the BE.
4. The schools in the BE are in areas where girl's HS basketball is strong.

1. True. Soccer is pretty solid. Everything else is second rate. Well field hockey but only because UConn is a national power.
2. It is Villanova and the 10 dwarfs. We will see if UConn can rise to be the second team of significance.
3. Well with UConn joining there are now 2. The rest are middle of the road regional universities, and a few aren’t that good. Most dont have any significant research or graduate schools other than the requisite law school or money making mba program. Only UConn and Georgetown would qualify as major national universities. They engage in significant reseach, offer doctorates in multiple disciplines, have multiple professional schools and respected medical schools. The others range from fine to mediocre commuter schools.
4. I’ll take your word for it.

 

[Zanzman]

C

I am not a huge fan of the New Big East even on the men’s side. I think it is pretty overrated and incredibly top heavy. I mean when 1 team wind the regular season 6 times and shares it once in 8 years, and has played in the tournament final 6 times in 7 years that pretty much equals total domination. Maybe not comparable to the women and UConn but still It’s hard to argue that Villanova isn’t head and shoulders above the rest of the league.

Given all that, it is pretty clear that the decision to move to the NBE (this league is not the Original Big East so I don’t say return) was driven by 2 things. 1 was to reduce travel expenses. The other was to satisfy a loud group of men’s basketball supporters who have no interest in UConn beyond mens basketball. If you look at other sports, baseball went from an excellent conference to a one bid league. Women’s basketball went to a much worse league. Football was left out completely. You can pretend that St Johns and Georgetown will up their games. They won’t. Honestly they don’t give a crap. St. John’s about women’s sports. Georgetown about sports In general. If they could figure out a way the Hoyas would happily follow the Ivy League model. My concern about UConn in this league is that whoever follows Geno will not have the influence to avoid moving back toward the balance of the league. If you are an 18 year old all American it is one thing to decide to play in a bad league for the best coach in your sport. It is another to turn down an offer from Soth Carolina and THE SEC or Duke to play for Carla Berube...

Carla coaches Princeton but we got your point

 

[BostonBay]

UConn deserved to be in the ACC way back when the Big East was being realigned. Certain schools & political forces left UConn out...A big blow to the BB program, imo..Imagine playing Duke, NC twice a year & the $$ that would bring in.

 

[CL82]

So, CL, not quite sure. Is that an argument for or against an eventual P5 invite?

It’s neither. But if you’re asking, I don’t see much conference realignment happening. I think media rights bubble has burst. Now some will argue that online subscriptions will replace cable subscription and the continent will still have value, but I doubt we see that kind of mass realignment happening again.

I’d be very happy to be wrong about that though

 

[Waquoit]

Want to check the AAC teams in the tournament and seedings.

Want to check UConn's recruiting once they knew they were leaving.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Tougher conference? How about the WNBA Eastern?

 

[npignatjr]

Yes, I do. I graduated UConn in 64. The State of CT has never really funded or did what it should do over the years to make that place a "Great" university. The State has always wanted to find the cheap way to do things. That is why they hired Geno initially. They had no idea he would build this program to what it has become and were not prepared for that kind of success. From 1961 when I first entered UConn, football was and has always been second rate. They did not want to spend the money. Even with the stadium in E. Hartford, they could not fit 100,000 people. Everything is half buttock. If it wasn't for private donations, there would be no practice center. That fellow roomed across from me when I was there and went on to Law School.

To think that UConn is looked at the same as the other Universities in the Power 5 is ludacris. They are where they belong. And I would bet because these BE schools are small and have religious support group, they are a great place to send a young person for personalized education with small classes.

My folks in 61 sent me there to get me out of Albuquerque and we also had relatives in Hartford. The University of New Mexico would have suited me just fine as well but without the worldly atmosphere for me at UConn at that time. It was a rude awakening for me to be among the "worldly" and wise of the Northeast.

The UConn of today is vastly different, vastly different than the Lobo years. There haven't been large improvements in most still Big East schools in 25 years.

 

[npignatjr]

Want to check UConn's recruiting once they knew they were leaving.

Didn't they declare they were leaving the AAC before the 2019/2020 season who has declared after that?

 

[npignatjr]

There is also much better coaching in the BE than the AAC. Teams like Butler, Creighton and others make you work for everything you get. Many of the teams in the AAC would just roll over when facing UConn.

Coaching based on what? Marquette's good young coach left to go to PSU.

 

[npignatjr]

The re-rese of the Big East in WBB now that we're back in the conference can very much happen:

1. The BE is a basketball conference
2. The BE in men's basketball is a great conference.
3. There are some really great academic institutions in the BE.
4. The schools in the BE are in areas where girl's HS basketball is strong.

1 yes
2 middle of the road
3 ditto
4 which of UConns top players this team come from Big E areas? Was the last great UConn player from the NBE area Tina Charles? WBB is bigger in the South East, Florida, Texas, California, North West, Mid West.

 

[cbraarj]

We are easily one of the next additions to the so called glamorous "P5", but our fans....

Do have a business degree from UConn. I have no idea where people get their conclusions about UConn not being P5 worthy. It's simply asinine. We stick out in the Big East quite a bit, don't we? Geez. We also probably have the largest market out of all colleges. Between Boston, NYC and all in between.

The delusion of self grandeur.... Glad we have a competent athletic administrator, these days.

Not with the sorry excuse of a football program! You have a HC who sneaks out for another job but you rehire him after he fails at his new job! Who wants to play for that coach? Players that belong in a conference where basketball is King! Head Coach for UConn football is the Biggest joke in Division 1 football today!

 

[Urshurak]

ERIC; Good post.

I posted this in the realignment section a while back because of Covid. If we could have our own way and do as we wished UConn could be a part of a Conference with 12 Division I schools all within the Northeast region.

Boston College
Connecticut
Syracuse
Temple
Rutgers
Pittsburgh
Penn State
Maryland
Army
Navy
Buffalo
Massachusetts.

All of these schools are a bus ride away. And, it could be a football conference as well.

Sadly, this is only a dream. UConn is stuck in the Big East. They would have to pay a ton of bucks to get out.

Geno would win no matter of what conference that the team plays in. Championships would still be hung from the rafters. The only thing that would be different is how many wins and losses that he may have.

You did not just make the classic Army-Navy game a mere conference match-up.

Retired Navy here.......and this means war

 

[Skeets]

Not with the sorry excuse of a football program! You have a HC who sneaks out for another job but you rehire him after he fails at his new job! Who wants to play for that coach? Players that belong in a conference where basketball is King! Head Coach for UConn football is the Biggest joke in Division 1 football today!

Ouch! It hurts because there are a lot of grains of truth to that. Here are some thoughts from a purely WBB perspective:

1. I don't have a problem with the BE. There are some advantages to being in a basketball focused conference. The P5 conferences only have 2 sports: football and everything else.

2. The BE is mostly small to medium sized schools? True, but UCONN is not huge by mid-west standards. ND is still almost tiny. I believe it was the smallest school in the old BE. Does size really matter? Do all the undergraduates who go to ND play football or are in the band?

3. Yes 20 conference games are too many.

4. Will UCONN ever get invited to join a P5 conference? See above: football, football, football.