UConn Moving to the Big East?

[uconnell]

UConn post Geno is going to be in a tough spot either way. 90% of the reason we get the recruits we do is because of Geno. No one will ever fill those shoes or take his place. These kids all come to UConn to play for Geno. When Geno is gone, why are they going to come to UConn any more than some other school? They're certainly not going to come just to play Tulsa twice a year and stare at the banners in the practice facility and the falling apart ceiling in Gampel.

Nay Sayers said the same thing about Calhoun and the men's basketball team. Perhaps Geno is already training his successor.

 

[CocoHusky]

So what is it exactly that we lack? Right now I feel like UConn could win the national championship in football and we'd still get the cold shoulder. You were lucky; win it with some frequency then we'll talk is what people would say to excuse us from being part of the big boy club. Perhaps there is some merit to the idea that the other schools are just scared of UConn.

Quite honestly what I think you lack is an objective assessment of UCONN and a credible plan. It has been more than a decade since BC left the BE and joined the ACC-2005. In the decade + there have been 4 former BE schools that have joined the ACC (Syracuse, Pitt, ND, & Louisville). An objective assessment of UCONN would compel the UCONN administration to determine and emulate what made those school successful in gaining membership if that is what was desired for UCONN. Pitt would be an interesting case study because it is comparable to UCONN in student body, academic reputation, & caliber of football team -in last decade. If such a plan exists, then the issue may be with the execution, 10 years is a long time.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Not to answer for Broadway but assume the latter. To amplify, why are these UCONN "attributes" insufficient to have UCONN in a P5 conference already?

Thanks for the support! The question was not sarcastic--I hope it is not a trait of mine at times I try to be facetious --it was one I know a tiny bit of the answer and one in which those who want Uconn in the Big 12 to answer for themselves and come to reality of exactly what the B12 would see as a reason for or against UConn.
After that exercise maybe AAC or BE or another lessor conference may be the only choice. With any choice the State of Conn, Uconn, even Yale shall not disolve into dust. But I'm one who liked the Yankee Conference.
Again Coco--thanks.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Quite honestly what I think you lack is an objective assessment of UCONN and a credible plan. It has been more than a decade since BC left the BE and joined the ACC-2005. In the decade + there have been 4 former BE schools that have joined the ACC (Syracuse, Pitt, ND, & Louisville). An objective assessment of UCONN would compel the UCONN administration to determine and emulate what made those school successful in gaining membership if that is what was desired for UCONN. Pitt would be an interesting case study because it is comparable to UCONN in student body, academic reputation, & caliber of football team -in last decade. If such a plan exists, then the issue may be with the execution, 10 years is a long time.

Coco--Kind of what I was seeking in my questions.
One step further--it's easy way too easy for Fans to say --if we don't do this-we are done---the hard part is doing the plan and effort (financial, physical) to make a valid presentation to B12 for consideration.
What would YOUR plan be and what, if you were the UC pres/Ad need to address and where would the funds come from to allow the B12 to know you are capable of completing your plan??

“Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies.”
Groucho Marx.
Politics is a constant competitive process and what dislike most about this UCONN situation is the assertion that the right outcome was not achieve because of "politics". i.e, UCONN is not in a P5 conference because of politics-Nonsense IMO. The reality is that playing winning politics is just as important to getting into a P5 as is playing winning football. Commit to do both.

Where is Groucho when we need him. And from a guy known for outrageous comedy not intelligence.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

For the same reason that Non-SEC teams like ND, Stanford still schedule Tennessee after Pat Summitt (RIP) is no longer the coach.

Its a process, their recruiting began suffering last year. They will at least have a strong conference to recruit in.
Jim Calhoun recruited playing in the conference. That is gone.

 

[BroadwayVa]

Yep. It would be a mistake to fold 'em.

Knowing when to hold em or when to fold them has to do with reality and how much more TAXPAYER dollars will be needed.Having seen taxpayer dollars wasted for no good end--the bottomless well of tax money REALLY does have a bottom The state of CT is now reaping the rewards of nice programs to have and useless programs to have . The leadership is doing the fiscal thing and is about to be run out of Dodge to boot hill.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Knowing when to hold em or when to fold them has to do with reality and how much more TAXPAYER dollars will be needed.Having seen taxpayer dollars wasted for no good end--the bottomless well of tax money REALLY does have a bottom The state of CT is now reaping the rewards of nice programs to have and useless programs to have . The leadership is doing the fiscal thing and is about to be run out of Dodge to boot hill.

The top 10 or 20 highest paid state employees should be laid off immediately. That's one way to save taxpayer dollars instead of cutting folks making $40k/year that are just getting by.

 

[uconnell]

Coco--Kind of what I was seeking in my questions.
One step further--it's easy way too easy for Fans to say --if we don't do this-we are done---the hard part is doing the plan and effort (financial, physical) to make a valid presentation to B12 for consideration.
What would YOUR plan be and what, if you were the UC pres/Ad need to address and where would the funds come from to allow the B12 to know you are capable of completing your plan??


Where is Groucho when we need him. And from a guy known for outrageous comedy not intelligence.

The top 10 or 20 highest paid state employees should be laid off immediately. That's one way to save taxpayer dollars instead of cutting folks making $40k/year that are just getting by.

UConn coaches are among the top 10 highest paid state employees.

 

[HoopsFan21]

Come on guys, if UConn needs to put together a presentation to sell itself, then we're in trouble. I know in this Trumpian age facts yield to social media, but look at what I laid out above. There is nothing embellished because UConn's success story doesn't need embellishment. UConn is a great school that's on the rise academically with a fantastic athletic pedigree in a great TV market with plenty of fan support even at Gampel South a.k.a. MSG. It's kind of sad that despite winning 15 basketball titles in 21 years we still can't get any of the TV talking heads to call us one of the basketball blue bloods.

 

[HoopsFan21]

UConn coaches are among the top 10 highest paid state employees.

You don't say...

 

[CocoHusky]

Coco--Kind estment of what I was seekingsity in my questions.
One step further--it's easy way too easy for Fans to say --if we don't do this-we are done---the hard part is doing the plan and effort (financial, physical) to make a valid presentation to B12 for consideration.
What would YOUR plan be and what, if you were the UC pres/Ad need to address and where would the funds come from to allow the B12 to know you are capable of completing your plan??

Where is Groucho when we need him. And from a guy known for outrageous comedy not intelligence.

1) My plan would start with something concrete, I'm not sure of the specific but I know there were law suits to which UCONN was a party when BC and others left the BE for ACC. To the extent that UCONN enemies were made in the process that needs to corrected. By time, by apologies, by payoffs if necessary. Lets call that eliminating ANYONE who would say no to UCONN membership today because of something that happen a decade ago.
2) Quantify what UCONN has to offer a conference, Academic, facilities, Potential TV viewers, Investment in the University, UCONN brand etc. Call this our Elevator speech- 5-7 quantified things can be rattled off in <60 seconds.
3) Establish a champion/sponsor in Big 12, Big 10, & ACC. Warde Manuel for Big 10. We'll call this the Inside man. These champions are working convince the other conference members that UCONN is worthy and constantly counting the vote-as in if a vote came up today for UCONN membership here is how it would turn out.
4) Establish and monitor a list of measurables. Examples: Your 5-7 elevator speech don't have to get to 8 but over time they need to get stronger- That New Champions center, that new science building, new dorm .... all. The vote count from you inside man is a definite measurable. One of the most important measurables that has been mentioned is the decrease in funding from the state. This requires a separate detailed plan to offset. The football team has to prove it can be competitive in any of these conferences. A increasing challenging football schedule and better performance is a measurable must have. Schedule the weakest team in each of these conferences, beat them and then the next. That is only 3 games per year if each says yes and they won't initially- That where your inside men comes back into play.
5) Energize your Alumni for donations-another measurable. Season ticket sales need to be trending up. Make sure they know that we are trying to get to a P5 conference and buying a season ticket will help.
6) Be opportunistic but patient. Be transparent with your own conference, know what your conference exit fees are and where the money would come from to pay exit fees. Conference realignments are cyclical, this will not be the last one. Ultimate Success is to have more to offer each time an opportunity comes around.

 

[HoopsFan21]

1) My plan would start with something concrete, I'm not sure of the specific but I know there were law suits to which UCONN was a party when BC and others left the BE for ACC. To the extent that UCONN enemies were made in the process that needs to corrected. By time, by apologies, by payoffs if necessary. Lets call that eliminating ANYONE who would say no to UCONN membership today because of something that happen a decade ago.
2) Quantify what UCONN has to offer a conference, Academic, facilities, Potential TV viewers, Investment in the University, UCONN brand etc. Call this our Elevator speech- 5-7 quantified things can be rattled off in <60 seconds.
3) Establish a champion/sponsor in Big 12, Big 10, & ACC. Warde Manuel for Big 10. We'll call this the Inside man. These champions are working convince the other conference members that UCONN is worthy and constantly counting the vote-as in if a vote came up today for UCONN membership here is how it would turn out.
4) Establish and monitor a list of measurables. Examples: Your 5-7 elevator speech don't have to get to 8 but over time they need to get stronger- That New Champions center, that new science building, new dorm .... all. The vote count from you inside man is a definite measurable. One of the most important measurables that has been mentioned is the decrease in funding from the state. This requires a separate detailed plan to offset. The football team has to prove it can be competitive in any of these conferences. A increasing challenging football schedule and better performance is a measurable must have. Schedule the weakest team in each of these conferences, beat them and then the next. That is only 3 games per year if each says yes and they won't initially- That where your inside men comes back into play.
5) Energize your Alumni for donations-another measurable. Season ticket sales need to be trending up. Make sure they know that we are trying to get to a P5 conference and buying a season ticket will help.
6) Be opportunistic but patient. Be transparent with your own conference, know what your conference exit fees are and where the money would come from to pay exit fees. Conference realignments are cyclical, this will not be the last one. Ultimate Success is to have more to offer each time an opportunity comes around.

I like your idea about the inside man. I've been hoping for a while that this will help us into the most stable of stable conferences.

 

[CocoHusky]

Come on guys, if UConn needs to put together a presentation to sell itself, then we're in trouble.

I hope the arrogance of this statement is self evident. There are 17 teams putting together presentations to the Big 12 for membership. What you should be saying is: I hope UCONN makes the best presentation.

 

[HoopsFan21]

There are 17 teams putting together presentations to the Big 12 for membership.

Oh my gosh! How many national championships have those 17 teams won?

 

[CocoHusky]

Oh my gosh! How many national championships have those 17 teams won?

I can't seem to get through to you so I'll try being blunt. What is in UCONN's trophy case is not going to help UCONN get into a P5 conference. If the trophy case was going to help UCONN would already be in a P5. That's that lack of objectivity that I keep talking about.

 

[uconnfan68]

That's not the way I saw it. I thought the Catholic schools left en masse because the football schools were leaving (or attempting to leave) the Big East like rats on a sinking ship. UConn had been trying to leave for the ACC before the Catholic schools decided to leave, so you can't blame them for going their own way. If I found out that my date for the prom kept trying to upgrade her situation by propositioning other guys, I would beat her to the punch by finding someone better for myself, leaving her without her safety net.

It was ND that screwed everyone, and walked away clean.

 

[uconnfan68]

I can't seem to get through to you so I'll try being blunt. What is in UCONN's trophy case is not going to help UCONN get into a P5 conference. If the trophy case was going to help UCONN would already be in a P5. That's that lack of objectivity that I keep talking about.

Well, I think that P5 ship has sailed. Why would any current league want to share their money, unless a new member was worth more, if not immediately, then in a very short time? Some pretty worthless programs will be cashing big checks, and our program will fade away from national prominence. All I can say is that I'll never be supporting any P5 without UConn as a part of it.

 

[j66kicker]

So what is it exactly that we lack? Oh we suck at football? That's a start...

Right now I feel like UConn could win the national championship in football and we'd still get the cold shoulder. No, that would do it!

Perhaps there is some merit to the idea that the other schools are just scared of UConn. Hmmmm....don't think that's it.

 

[CocoHusky]

Well, I think that P5 ship has sailed. Why would any current league want to share their money, unless a new member was worth more, if not immediately, then in a very short time? Some pretty worthless programs will be cashing big checks, and our program will fade away from national prominence. All I can say is that I'll never be supporting any P5 without UConn as a part of it.

There will be another ship. BC is a Jesuit institution how hard would it be for the BE to poach BC back from the ACC? How hard would the ACC fight to keep BC. FSU, Clemson, & Miami are much more attractive targets for SEC than say Vandy. ND independent status in football won't last forever. Huston has the biggest Non-P5 media market and apparently either USC or UCLA is tired of playing little brother. There is also a slight possibility that the "Independent" status granted to P5 will not work out business wise. It is remarkable what happens when you have to manage a billion dollar property like a real business, your labor force is demanding salaries and benefits like insurance, your non-profit status is under assault. If you are Alabama Football why not start your own network, like Texas? Are we going to have a B12 network and Texas- Longhorn separate from that?

 

[uconnfan68]

There will be another ship. BC is a Jesuit institution how hard would it be for the BE to poach BC back from the ACC? How hard would the ACC fight to keep BC. FSU, Clemson, & Miami are much more attractive targets for SEC than say Vandy. ND independent status in football won't last forever. Huston has the biggest Non-P5 media market and apparently either USC or UCLA is tired of playing little brother. There is also a slight possibility that the "Independent" status granted to P5 will not work out business wise. It is remarkable what happens when you have to manage a billion dollar property like a real business, your labor force is demanding salaries and benefits like insurance, your non-profit status is under assault. If you are Alabama Football why not start your own network, like Texas? Are we going to have a B12 network and Texas- Longhorn separate from that?

BC isn't leaving the ACC ($25-20M) for the BE ($5?M). In the real world teams usually only step up. When was the last time you heard of a program being pushed out of a league?

 

[CocoHusky]

BC isn't leaving the ACC ($25-20M) for the BE ($5?M). In the real world teams usually only step up. When was the last time you heard of a program being pushed out of a league?

Well if I'm to believe many of these post UCONN was pushed out of the Big East.

 

[Vowelguy]

There will be another ship. BC is a Jesuit institution how hard would it be for the BE to poach BC back from the ACC? How hard would the ACC fight to keep BC. FSU, Clemson, & Miami are much more attractive targets for SEC than say Vandy. ND independent status in football won't last forever. Huston has the biggest Non-P5 media market and apparently either USC or UCLA is tired of playing little brother. There is also a slight possibility that the "Independent" status granted to P5 will not work out business wise. It is remarkable what happens when you have to manage a billion dollar property like a real business, your labor force is demanding salaries and benefits like insurance, your non-profit status is under assault. If you are Alabama Football why not start your own network, like Texas? Are we going to have a B12 network and Texas- Longhorn separate from that?

read up on conference realignment and you will see that every sentence you wrote is incorrect.

 

[CocoHusky]

read up on conference realignment and you will see that every sentence you wrote is incorrect.

A sentence that poses a question ( by definition) cannot be incorrect- nice try though.

 

[uconnfan68]

Well if I'm to believe many of these post UCONN was pushed out of the Big East.

They weren't pushed out. They chose to be with other football teams in a new conference. The catholic schools paid for the Big East name.

 

[triaddukefan]

BC isn't leaving the ACC ($25-20M) for the BE ($5?M). In the real world teams usually only step up. When was the last time you heard of a program being pushed out of a league?

Temple.... the Big East kicked them out in football.