UCONN emerging as "heavy favorite" for Samuelson

[jdubct]

Don't bet on it just yet. We thought we were getting Chiney O and she went to Stanford with her sister. Diamond is (was) staying in the Carolinas; ditto A'ja. EDD got homesick. Lots of 'em just want to stay near home these days.

Just one correction. Chiney strongly favored Stanford throughout her recruiting process. The others were certainly surprises.

 

[HoopsFan21]

The major incentive is the hundreds of million dollars generated each year by tier 3 media rights, ticket and concession sales, merchandise sales, and donations from Alumni that are all boosted significantly by a successful athletic program and are not shared. Last year alone the University of Texas football generated 109 million dollars for the University.

Is it possible that UConn is not a P5 school? I understand the benefits of those conferences for football, but when you start talking about that kind of money that schools like Texas or an Ohio State or Alabama and so on generate, I don't think UConn is in that same class and likely never will be. I don't know how much any of this will ultimately affect WCBB anyway. Perhaps no more than it would affect say the field hockey team. Could this all be much ado about nothing at least from the standpoint of what this board focuses on (WCBB)?

 

[Tonyc]

I dont understand UConn is bad for WCBB. Was Babe Ruth bad for baseball. Wilt Russell Dr J Bird and Jordan bad for the NBA . Come on. They set the bar higher and other coaches are forced to attain that level, but only those coachs who want to compete. IMO we need Butler and Samuelson or Durr but I think we get both. With that roster we may not lose a game for a few years. The reason why is because our opponents wont do what it takes to reach the level where Geno and UConn are playing at. Again I dont think fans understand that Geno and UConn have set the bar so high that opponents know they cant reach it. They settle for losing to UConn. Do you think Geno settles for losing? How bout beating ND when it counted. UConn last season proved without KML and Tuck they could not only win but dominate MD DUKE Penn St Cal and Stanford. Then the NCAAs they found a way to win. Was there ever a doubt that UConn would lose last season. If Tuck and Williams are healthy this season I dont see Uconn losing and this season could be the weakest team UConn has for the next 4-6 years. The hyped up person who predicted 195-0 could if we get Durr and Samuleson be wrong it could be much higher then that and Geno would drawft every NCAA record mens and womens that is out there.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Who was that hyped-up person? The Lone Ranger?

 

[rvwsleep]

I dont understand UConn is bad for WCBB. Was Babe Ruth bad for baseball. Wilt Russell Dr J Bird and Jordan bad for the NBA . Come on. They set the bar higher and other coaches are forced to attain that level, but only those coachs who want to compete. IMO we need Butler and Samuelson or Durr but I think we get both. With that roster we may not lose a game for a few years. The reason why is because our opponents wont do what it takes to reach the level where Geno and UConn are playing at. Again I dont think fans understand that Geno and UConn have set the bar so high that opponents know they cant reach it. They settle for losing to UConn. Do you think Geno settles for losing? How bout beating ND when it counted. UConn last season proved without KML and Tuck they could not only win but dominate MD DUKE Penn St Cal and Stanford. Then the NCAAs they found a way to win. Was there ever a doubt that UConn would lose last season. If Tuck and Williams are healthy this season I dont season Uconn losing and this season could be the weakest team UConn has for the next 4-6 years. The hyped up person who predicted 195-0 could if we get Durr and Samuleson be wrong it could be much higher then that and Geno would drawft every NCAA record mens and womens that is out there.

This is why I hurry to read Tony C's posts. They make me smile ! It doesn't matter how many other things have gone wrong during the day. I read one of his post's and my mood changes. Thank You and keep up the good work. I can get off the couch now.

 

[Buzzyboy]

The major incentive is the hundreds of million dollars generated each year by tier 3 media rights, ticket and concession sales, merchandise sales, and donations from Alumni that are all boosted significantly by a successful athletic program and are not shared. Last year alone the University of Texas football generated 109 million dollars for the University.

Evidently there are a bunch of universities that aren't overtly concerned about those elements because they've had many many years of little or no success and whether those schools get the monies or not from those outside concerns, they have little interest in upgrading their teams. Maybe the money they save by hiring lesser talented coaches and support people saves them in the long term.

 

[Geno-ista]

Now I wouldnt say all that.....remember Football drives a lot of the conference realignments....until your Football program starts to excel....I don't see you all moving for some years.

How then do you explain Rutgers to the Big 10?[/quote]
Rutgers had some real mojo going on in their football for a Gd amt of yrs- their coach went to the NFL- Dolphins? They won a nice bowl game Yankee Stadium just prior - as I recall.

 

[cohenzone]

Let's get real hypothetical:

If, if, if, we get Bonnie and the kid from Georgtown transfers.
Then there could well be championships as far as the eye can see.
And with Geno headed for Olympic glory with a team chock full of alumnus.


Have we given up on DeSheilds already? Let's apply for entry into the WNBA.

 

[RegisteredUconn]

Is it possible that UConn is not a P5 school? I understand the benefits of those conferences for football, but when you start talking about that kind of money that schools like Texas or an Ohio State or Alabama and so on generate, I don't think UConn is in that same class and likely never will be...

This sounds like a classic Fear of Success argument. Giving up before you start because the goal seems so difficult. There's nothing intrinsic about Alabama that entitles them to football success. They're just more committed to achieving it.

 

[arty155]

C'mon y'all , don't you know this would be very, very, bad for women's hoops? Especially bad for ND, UT, Duke, Stanford, Baylor etc., etc. etc.

...At what point does it just get unfair?..A legitimate question...

- I really liked cohenzone’s post. And I think I understand your comment: we can always honestly debate what is fair. Fairness seems largely a subjective concept; every person determines what is fair in their own mind, based on personal circumstances. I guess that’s why we have a Dept. of Justice, instead of a Dept. of Fairness*.
- So, here’s my 'subjective' take:

----It’s never “unfair” to outcompete opponents, using the same rules, on a level field. It’s not only “fair,” it’s fun. It’s why we compete. In a game, or in recruiting. Being the leader, raising the bar, benefits the contest, the contestants, and generations of contestants that follow. So, I think we're OK.

--- “Unfair” would be a cute bride-musician perfectly capable of assiduously collecting and memorizing highly complex concert recordings of her favorite conductors… yet whenever a hostess, suddenly proves inept at remembering where she ‘misplaced’ her husband’s kazoo,... AGAIN.

---“Fair” would be an afterlife composers must spend in a landfill, beside André Rieu, searching until they find all my freaking kazoos (Don’t worry- on your way out, you can just hand them over to me, in the “Procrastinators' Section” of Limbo’; I'll still be guessing WCBB players’ height).

*Nathan Sass

 

[doggydaddy]

This sounds like a classic Fear of Success argument. Giving up before you start because the goal seems so difficult. There's nothing intrinsic about Alabama that entitles them to football success. They're just more committed to achieving it.

Geno and Calhoun were the perfect storm along with a growing commitment to the basketball programs from the University.

Uconn has terrific on campus football facility for practice and training. They were moving forward with several bowl wins and even a couple of BE championships before Edsall left and Paul P messed things up.

With conference realignment on the line, Uconn hired Diaco, a former national assistant coach of the year as their new head coach. There is a very positive vibe coming from the program.

Uconn actually has a decent chance to go 7-5 or better and play in another bowl game. It will take a little time, but don't underestimate the commitment Uconn will have to make a top 25 team over the next few years.

 

[HoopsFan21]

This sounds like a classic Fear of Success argument. Giving up before you start because the goal seems so difficult. There's nothing intrinsic about Alabama that entitles them to football success. They're just more committed to achieving it.

There's a lot different with the top P5 schools. They are big. They have a lot of alumni. Some of them have annual budgets that are in the 4 and 5 billion dollar range with athletic departments running in the 9 figures. They have campuses that are small cities by themselves. They've been cultivating their football programs for a century. And they have rivalries that go back half that or longer. They can put 80-90-100-110k butts in their seats. Some places 80k+ just for a silly spring scrimmage game. A lot of these schools have established football pipelines right in their own backyard. When it's Friday night, whole towns shut down to go watch some high school kids play football. Honestly, UConn and the environment compared to an Alabama couldn't be more different. College sports in general have trouble gaining traction in the Northeast just because it's such a pro-sports saturated region. Plus the schools tend to be small which fragments what exists of a college sports fan base. This isn't classic fear of success. It's more like the grass is pretty green on our side of the fence already despite all the doomsday predictions, and we will never be an Alabama, Ohio State, etc. (and I'm not so sure I'd ever want to be in that club anyway) just because it's two different worlds, so why try to be something we aren't?

 

[doggydaddy]

There's a lot different with the top P5 schools. They are big. They have a lot of alumni. Some of them have annual budgets that are in the 4 and 5 billion dollar range with athletic departments running in the 9 figures. They have campuses that are small cities by themselves. They've been cultivating their football programs for a century. And they have rivalries that go back half that or longer. They can put 80-90-100-110k butts in their seats. Some places 80k+ just for a silly spring scrimmage game. A lot of these schools have established football pipelines right in their own backyard. When it's Friday night, whole towns shut down to go watch some high school kids play football. Honestly, UConn and the environment compared to an Alabama couldn't be more different. College sports in general have trouble gaining traction in the Northeast just because it's such a pro-sports saturated region. Plus the schools tend to be small which fragments what exists of a college sports fan base. This isn't classic fear of success. It's more like the grass is pretty green on our side of the fence already despite all the doomsday predictions, and we will never be an Alabama, Ohio State, etc. (and I'm not so sure I'd ever want to be in that club anyway) just because it's two different worlds, so why try to be something we aren't?

Totally agree. But that doesn't mean Uconn can't be a top 25 team that makes a bowl game every season. They have the resources.

 

[msf22b]

There's a lot different with the top P5 schools. They are big. They have a lot of alumni. Some of them have annual budgets that are in the 4 and 5 billion dollar ?

But, for example, here was UConn woman's BB, going nowhere fast.
Get the right coach, the right staff
And stuff starts to happen.
Maybe not Alabama overnight
But a meaningful advancement of what we presently have.
Diaco is exactly the type of coach who has the potential to change everything.

 

[winlots]

[quoteFan1125, post: 958928, member: 446"]We won't be in AAC that long so it will all work out!

Now I wouldnt say all that.....remember Football drives a lot of the conference realignments....until your Football program starts to excel....I don't see you all moving for some years.[/quote]

VOL: two really good and balanced posts there, especially given your preferences. Impressive.

 

[winlots]

This is why I hurry to read Tony C's posts. They make me smile ! It doesn't matter how many other things have gone wrong during the day. I read one of his post's and my mood changes. Thank You and keep up the good work. I can get off the couch now.

RV: umm, wouldn't want you to be too hasty there....

 

[winlots]

- I really liked cohenzone’s post. And I think I understand your comment: we can always honestly debate what is fair. Fairness seems largely a subjective concept; every person determines what is fair in their own mind, based on personal circumstances. I guess that’s why we have a Dept. of Justice, instead of a Dept. of Fairness.

- So, here’s my 'subjective' take:

----It’s never “unfair” to outcompete opponents, using the same rules, on a level field. It’s not only “fair,” it’s fun. It’s why we compete. In a game, or in recruiting. Being the leader, raising the bar, benefits the contest, the contestants, and generations of contestants that follow. So, I think we're OK.

--- “Unfair” would be a bride-musician capable of assiduously collecting and memorizing highly complex concert recordings of favorite conductors… yet whenever a hostess, suddenly proves inept at remembering where she ‘misplaced’ her husband’s kazoo,... AGAIN.

---“Fair” would be an afterlife composers must spend in a landfill, beside André Rieu, searching until they find all my freaking kazoos (Don’t worry- on your way out, you can just hand them over to me, in the “Procrastinators' Section” of Limbo’; I'll still be guessing WCBB players’ height).

ARTY: seems like you know your music and a lot more. Well done.

 

[HoopsFan21]

But, for example, here was UConn woman's BB, going nowhere fast.
Get the right coach, the right staff
And stuff starts to happen.
Maybe not Alabama overnight
But a meaningful advancement of what we presently have.
Diaco is exactly the type of coach who has the potential to change everything.

Yeah I'm not saying we can't have a nice program, that cracks the top 25 and gets a decent bowl game every couple of years, but we're not going to be 'Bama, Texas, USC, Michigan, etc. no matter how hard we try. And, quite frankly, those schools are driving the wedge between student and athlete at an alarming pace, and it's a huge turnoff, to me anyway. Over the last several or maybe five years I've started tuning out college football, and that has nothing to do with UConn's recent slide. If I wanted to watch a pro team, I'd watch one of the dozen pro teams that are followed by sports fans across the state. As much as I'd like UConn to land in a P5 conference for stability, I'd hate for them to have to sell their souls to do so. In fact, I'd rather the school not blow tons of money on paying football players and use that money to continue moving its academic programs up the ladder.

 

[reno tony]

In your case, understood.
Not in mine.

Some of us understood.

 

[semper]

Just wanted to make sure everyone knows there is trouble ahead.

Doggy, you are getting to be insufferable over this! Uncle!

 

[cabbie191]

We are doomed, I tell you, irretrievaly doomed. Doomed! Nay, DOOMED!

Can't we be just retrievably doomed?

 

[UcMiami]

There are the giants of the P5 ranks and then there are a lot of schools that look like Uconn. Heck - most of the ACC looks like Uconn or Uconn light. And half of the Big 10 and most of the Pac10. Even the SEC and Big 12 while top heavy have a bunch of pretty small potato schools.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

[quoteFan1125, post: 958928, member: 446"]We won't be in AAC that long so it will all work out!

Now I wouldnt say all that.....remember Football drives a lot of the conference realignments....until your Football program starts to excel....I don't see you all moving for some years.[/quote]
AnotherVolFan- - Don't be surprised if successful FB or not the BIG10 sooner than later, makes UCONN an offer they can't refuse! I think they already regret picking Rutgers as it's NYC area team! Rutgers brings nothing at all to the BIG10 table in ANY sport but UCONN with 2 BB nat'l championships are bigger in the BIG APPLE than Rutgers!

 

[TroyHouse66]

volfan
<<Looks like the "weak conference" pitch isn't working quite well yet...>>

I don't understand how people can get off calling the AAC a "weak conference"...
doesn't it have two NCAA basketball Championship teams in it? (And at the same time!!)

 

[rvwsleep]

RV: umm, wouldn't want you to be too hasty there....

Glad that you're so concerned.