UConn fans should stop pretending we have a shot at the Big 12

[1husky]

Now you're just making up things I didn't say. Of course UConn has a great resume, best overall athletics profile of any G5, excellent academics and research and markets. I AGREE. Stop saying I don't recognize these attributes. I recognize that, the UConn people recognize that, and I would wager they have already sent out materials and called people in the B12 and other leagues to make them recognize that.

If, as you and nelsonmuntz seem to think, this is all it takes to get to the top of the list, then UConn will be in the B12 if they expand. If, on the other hand, there are other criteria on the B12's list like recruiting territory or cultural fit, or if the Big12 are not rational actors, then a school with less value could wind up there. The fact that it already happened with UL indicates to me it can happen again. For UConn to get in the Big 12, our best bet would be for them to wait several years before expanding so that our football program (the Big12's likely #1 priority criteria) can start winning again. Then we could say at least say we'd be competitive in that league and not a drag on their perception.

You created the thread. So it's pretty obvious you don't recognize the value UConn brings. Hathaway II will not get us out of the AAC. And time is most definitely NOT working in our favor. Every day that passes is one more day we are removed from our last significant athletic success. It's one more day that our fanbase and the rest of the college world sees our rivals as Tulsa, ECU, and Temple. It's one more day our value is declining. If we are lucky enough to tapped for a new league tomorrow it will still be 27 months before we change leagues. And we know that isn't happening. If it takes 5+ years for us to get tapped we will have been in the AAC for a decade at 10% income. We need to move NOW and Warde needs to make it happen or he needs to be replaced by someone who can. Sorry to single you out but there are too many fans on this board who make excuses and accept the status quo. I'm just a frustrated fan who wants us out of this league like we all do. We need to put pressure on our leadership to make it happen and NOT accept other crappy schools passing us by.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

To me the most disturbing thing about UConn's position is the ACC has apparently never acted to add us. The B12 talk is fun but extremely impractical and even silly.
I don't believe the ACC is stupid and I think they understand that if UConn ended up in the B1G it would be awful for their NY and network objectives. It's just a good move for them to take us off the board and I am certainly no ACC fan.
In fact my first reaction to ACC acceptance would be disappoiment that my hopes of the B1G would be forever dashed.
My second reaction would be relief that athletic survival is probably assured.

I can only conclude there is little concern on their part , of another conference taking us and they think that we will eternally be available, until rendered irrelevant.
Maybe my dream of us in the B1G is just that a dream based on pure emotion.

 

[whaler11]

Should we celebrate failure instead?

If UConn's athletic department is not financially self-sufficient within 5 years, it is going to look a lot different than it is now. If you think UConn is finished athletically, I won't argue with you. I think that is the most likely outcome and regardless, I don't feel like arguing that scenario. If you think it is OK for Manuel to fail to achieve something better than the AAC and $2MM a year in conference TV revenue, then we have a strong disagreement.

I don't think it's finished. I think they end up in the ACC at some point.

This go round, I still don't actually believe the Big 12 is going to expand. If they do I don't think UConn would even enter into a Big 12 discussion.

 

[junglehusky]

You created the thread. So it's pretty obvious you don't recognize the value UConn brings. Hathaway II will not get us out of the AAC. And time is most definitely NOT working in our favor. Every day that passes is one more day we are removed from our last significant athletic success. It's one more day that our fanbase and the rest of the college world sees our rivals as Tulsa, ECU, and Temple. It's one more day our value is declining. If we are lucky enough to tapped for a new league tomorrow it will still be 27 months before we change leagues. And we know that isn't happening. If it takes 5+ years for us to get tapped we will have been in the AAC for a decade at 10% income. We need to move NOW and Warde needs to make it happen or he needs to be replaced by someone who can. Sorry to single you out but there are too many fans on this board who make excuses and accept the status quo. I'm just a frustrated fan who wants us out of this league like we all do. We need to put pressure on our leadership to make it happen and NOT accept other crappy schools passing us by.

If our fanbase saw Tulsa ECU and Temple as rivals, and sold out the Rent when they came to town it would actually help our chances with the P5 conferences, not hurt it. The point that we make less money in the AAC is not exactly a news flash. Replacing Warde would satisfy a small portion of the fanbase for about 5 minutes, then the next person would come in and UConn would be in the exact same position with regards to P5 conferences. Maybe we can bring back the #BegHarder hashtag.

There is a long term plan in place - look at faculty hires, capital improvements to campus, ice hockey upgrade, partnership with P&W, scheduling. In case you are being deliberately obtuse I'll spell it out for you - this is the exact opposite of Hathaway's record of coasting and "making excuses and accept the status quo" which you attribute to "fans on this board". It's true that the athletic department will run in the red and require subsidies while we are in the AAC. I think there's a decent chance UConn people are having preliminary discussions with B1G administrators. If there's even a chance that they would take UConn with their next move, it would be completely worth the wait, debt, and pain, no matter how long it took from them to shake loose a partner.