UConn is still strong

[ZooCougar]

If this were a hollywood movie script, yesteday might have ended with Jim Delany handing Warde an envelope on the floor of MSG. But real life doesn't work like that.

That being said, after this year's dismal football season and really three dismal, disappointing seasons; how nice is it to have the basketball programs hitting on all 8 cylinders again? And how nice is it to head into football with bright eyed and bushy tailed Head Coach who by all accounts is playing the long game and reenergizing the football program the RIGHT way. He's not out pulling in sketchy transfers, not looking for the quick kill with a bunch JUCOs. It's a rebuild job that is going on from the foundation up.

With that being said, that B1G invite may never come. Or a P5 invite may be a loooong time in coming. But this athletic program will still have tremendous value regardless. So we just have to play in the AAC and perform and we will transcend this G5 nonsense. UConn is too strong to be defined by conference affiliation.

We still have two national Basketball programs. Geno isn't going anywhere and Kevin Ollie has already catapulted himself into being one of the top coaches nationally.

The AAC dunderheads who think we never had a good football program and will never be good again will be sorely disappointed.

We could have a really entertaining 5-10 year run coming up. I have little doubt that in that time period UConn will surpass the other schools that might be in consideration for a P5 spot.

 

[Husky25]

Andy Katz said that Manuel is looking to extend Ollie after the season. Ollie goes from a 7 month contract to 2 extensions in the span of 16 months. Not bad. Not bad a 'tall.

 

[ZooCougar]

Andy Katz said that Manuel is looking to extend Ollie after the season. Ollie goes from a 7 month contract to 2 extensions in the span of 16 months. Not bad. Not bad a 'tall.

He should rip it up. He's earned something lucrative and long term. Only a matter of time before the media starts whispering about Ollie and NBA jobs. It would really help in recruiting.

 

[Husky25]

He should rip it up. He's earned something lucrative and long term. Only a matter of time before the media starts whispering about Ollie and NBA jobs. It would really help in recruiting.

An extension usually means a raise in pay as well. I don't think UConn fans will have to worry about the NBA for a couple more years.

 

[ZooCougar]

An extension usually means a raise in pay as well. I don't think UConn fans will have to worry about the NBA for a couple more years.

That's what I meant by ripping the contract up for something for a lucrative package.

 

[noeynox]

Tired Of Saying It, But It Is Worth Repeating. I'm Through Yearning For The Acc Or Big Ten To Save Us. I Am Going To Enjoy The Games In Whatever Conference We Are In. The The TV Revenue Gap Is Something Real That Warde And Sue Will Have To Address If UConn Is To Be Competitive In the Future. The Absolute Best Thing That Has Happened Since Cr Has Started, Is The Dismissal Of Hathaway. He Hired An Absolute Dud In P. The One Thing UConn Has Always Had Is The Knack For Hiring Excellent Coaches. The One Blemish Is Hathaway/P Boondoggle.

 

[Carl Spackler]

IF..... there are intercollegiate athletic conferences that have desires to replace what the Big East had in the largest media market in the world, and play football and basketball in the Big Apple, it seems that those few people - and they are a very few number of high placed individuals in higher education institutions, who are responsible for the votes to date that have kept UCONN out of such a thing - they should be having their feet held to the fire more and more in answering the question - why?

For those that voted to keep UCONN out of such a thing so far, coming up with a good (truthful) answer that doesn't involve fear and loathing seems like it would hard to do.

It would seem that with each passing sports season, and repeated demonstration of what UCONN is......at some point, fear and loathing from the few, won't be a good enough answer to outweigh the benefits of inclusion, for the rest of the crowd.

The American Athletic Conference is home, for the foreseeable future, and what we do is win.

 

[buddy]

IF..... there are intercollegiate athletic conferences that have desires to replace what the Big East had in the largest media market in the world, and play football and basketball in the Big Apple, it seems that those few people - and they are a very few number of high placed individuals in higher education institutions, who are responsible for the votes to date that have kept UCONN out of such a thing - they should be having their feet held to the fire more and more in answering the question - why?

For those that voted to keep UCONN out of such a thing so far, coming up with a good (truthful) answer that doesn't involve fear and loathing seems like it would hard to do.

It would seem that with each passing sports season, and repeated demonstration of what UCONN is.at some point, fear and loathing from the few, won't be a good enough answer to outweigh the benefits of inclusion, for the rest of the crowd.

The American Athletic Conference is home, for the foreseeable future, and what we do is win.

Fear and loathing is really what it is all about. BC, FSU,ESPN, maybe ND lead the list of fear and loathers, I think.

IF..... there are intercollegiate athletic conferences that have desires to replace what the Big East had in the largest media market in the world, and play football and basketball in the Big Apple, it seems that those few people - and they are a very few number of high placed individuals in higher education institutions, who are responsible for the votes to date that have kept UCONN out of such a thing - they should be having their feet held to the fire more and more in answering the question - why?

For those that voted to keep UCONN out of such a thing so far, coming up with a good (truthful) answer that doesn't involve fear and loathing seems like it would hard to do.

It would seem that with each passing sports season, and repeated demonstration of what UCONN is.at some point, fear and loathing from the few, won't be a good enough answer to outweigh the benefits of inclusion, for the rest of the crowd.

The American Athletic Conference is home, for the foreseeable future, and what we do is win.

The real reason is exactly what you stated, but are looking for more. Fear and loathing are what it is all about, and it all starts with BC and now FSU and I would speculate behind the scenes ND. They are all afraid of UConn. That is all. The good news is that BC will never, ever be relevant in the ACC.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

If money was no object, I would be in violent agreement with the OP. Unfortunately, Zoo just tells us that he wants to spend, not how he is going to pay for it.

Ollie is in line for a $2MM+/year 5 year deal. That is market for a guy with Ollie's pedigree who makes a Final Four in his first year eligible for the Tournament. Who is going to pay it? Right now, our ex-conference mates are paying all of UConn's coaches salaries, but that well will dry up soon. Our AAC revenue share, which I estimate will be in the neighborhood of about $5-6MM all-in, will not cover it. We need more money. Where is that money going to come from?

Maybe sdhusky has an answer, since he seems to have sorted the entire world into black and white.

 

[Fishy]

You do realize that UConn make money from things other than conference revenue, don't you?

 

[nelsonmuntz]

You do realize that UConn make money from things other than conference revenue, don't you?

I also realize there are a lot of hands in the university treasury cookie jar, and most schools don't like losing money on their athletic program, of financing it through "student fees".

 

[pj]

It's a great problem to have. I hope Ollie puts together a John Wooden like string and earns $5 mn a year.

 

[ZooCougar]

If money was no object, I would be in violent agreement with the OP. Unfortunately, Zoo just tells us that he wants to spend, not how he is going to pay for it.

Ollie is in line for a $2MM+/year 5 year deal. That is market for a guy with Ollie's pedigree who makes a Final Four in his first year eligible for the Tournament. Who is going to pay it? Right now, our ex-conference mates are paying all of UConn's coaches salaries, but that well will dry up soon. Our AAC revenue share, which I estimate will be in the neighborhood of about $5-6MM all-in, will not cover it. We need more money. Where is that money going to come from?

Maybe sdhusky has an answer, since he seems to have sorted the entire world into black and white.

Shake your rattle a little harder.

 

[upstater]

You lose Ollie, you might as well close up shop.

 

[Husky25]

Perhaps this will put some of the naysayers' minds at ease.

In 2012, UConn paid its 20 head coaches a total of $9.5 million while its sports teams brought in a combined $63.8 million in revenue.

Mike Enright, spokesman for UConn athletics, cautioned against comparing total revenue in the federal data because UConn only counts privately-raised money when it is spent, not when it is received.

According to the UConn Foundation, donations to support the athletic department last year totaled $21.8 million.

If the donations from last year were added to UConn’s revenue total, it would rank 20th for revenue. This approach may be double-counting some UConn revenues while it also ignores that other schools could account for fundraising the same way.

Now does UConn have the same return as OU, UT, OSU and 'Bama? No, but they also are not a P5 school (Yet, as one can only hope, but it's looking good based on moves made by the administration to date). The article does infer that UConn is in the black with room to spare and when donations are considered. With an improbable 2014 run to the Final 4, there is no reason to believe that donations will decrease.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Shake your rattle a little harder.

Does that mean the revenue to pay for your plan will appear by magic?

 

[ZooCougar]

Does that mean the revenue to pay for your plan will appear by magic?

That means you should try harder to look for attention.