UConn-Tennessee game resuming?

[alexrgct]

I can't remember which thread it was in, but I could have sworn I saw a post from somebody mentioning John A had tweeted that the annual game was on the path to being restored, possibly as early as 2014-15.

This seems to me to be pretty big news. Although neither program necessarily needs the game, it's good for the sport as a whole that these two programs play. Certainly, it won't be the same without Pat on the sidelines, but it's still a game I expect people to tune in and show up for. I will absolutely be one of them.

 

[Phil]

meh.

 

[pap49cba]

This was the discussion...

 

[doggydaddy]

They can meet every year in the NCAA's. Other than that, who cares.

 

[UCONNfan1]

Not even sure the rest of WCBB really cares. UCONN and Tennessee fans will. But Tennessee isn't anywhere near the level UCONN is. Maybe in 4 or 5 years, depending on who they recruit, it might be a decent game. Till then, the result will look an awful lot like the UCONN-Stanford, UCONN-Purdue, UCONN-Tex A&M, etc.

 

[vtcwbuff]

Yawn. UConn vs UTenn is sooooo over. The only reason I can see the schools meeting again outside of the NCAA's would be a bit of charity on Auriemma's part.

 

[UConnChapette]

Not even sure the rest of WCBB really cares. UCONN and Tennessee fans will. But Tennessee isn't anywhere near the level UCONN is. Maybe in 4 or 5 years, depending on who they recruit, it might be a decent game. Till then, the result will look an awful lot like the UCONN-Stanford, UCONN-Purdue, UCONN-Tex A&M, etc.

Well, this is one UConn fan who doesn't give a rat's patootie. I have moved so far away from caring about the old rivalry that I am looking forward to a UConn vs. Tenn matchup about as much as I look forward to UConn vs. Seton Hall.

I agree with Phil. "Meh" just says it all.

 

[Biff]

Meh too

 

[Vowelguy]

. But Tennessee isn't anywhere near the level UCONN is.

TN could be very good in 2 yrs.
Massengale (Sr), Carter (Jr), Tucker (So)
Burdick (Sr), Graves (Jr), Russell (So)

 

[tomcat]

I know I'll be in the minority here, but I think this is great news. Okay, the "rivalry" as we all knew it is over. But the fact is that Tennessee probably will continue to be a top 10 team for the near future and possibly beyond, and, depending on recruiting, could get really good again. They have a heritage to sell and they play in a decent league.

On the other side of the game, I believe that unless UConn gets into a big-time league, recruiting will eventually suffer, and "eventually" could happen in as few as three years. As a result, in 4-5 years, the program may have some very good classes but overall could be much less successful than it has been. If that happens, UConn-Tennessee could be a great matchup.

Besides, IMHO, it's great to play a team whose fans, on the whole, are so easy to detest.

 

[pppggg]

They dumped on the Huskies. Their program is sinking without Pat and NOW Tenn needs UCONN to add some luster to their schedule. UCONN does not need them. I say the heck with them.

We have Stanford and Baylor on the schedule and we don't need the Vols.

 

[speedoo]

Meh three.

 

[alexrgct]

I'll be in the minority here too. The game is coming back, and given that UConn's conference schedule is totally up in the air right now, that's damn good news. I don't care about rhetoric about Tennessee dumping us, and I don't care about games against Oregon. Tennessee has high school AAs at every position, TBA is a tough place to play, and it's great preparation for the postseason.

I hope we play Tennessee, Stanford, Baylor, and Notre Dame every year in the regular season.

 

[alexrgct]

They dumped on the Huskies. Their program is sinking without Pat and NOW Tenn needs UCONN to add some luster to their schedule. UCONN does not need them. I say the heck with them.

We have Stanford and Baylor on the schedule and we don't need the Vols.

Meh

 

[stwainfan]

I would like to see it. This years team is made of mostly freshman and sophomores . Next year adding that class team will be really good.

 

[semper]

Yeah, I agree completely with Alexgct. We need to play all those guys, as our conference, if you can call it that, is a joke.

 

[UCONNfan1]

TN could be very good in 2 yrs.
Massengale (Sr), Carter (Jr), Tucker (So)
Burdick (Sr), Graves (Jr), Russell (So)

Vs. KML, Banks, Stokes seniors, Stewie, Tuck, Jefferson juniors, and Chong sophomore. UCONN still wins that game by 20+. Not saying Tennessee won't be good, just saying they aren't close to the talent level UCONN enjoys, and landing Russell does little to offset that. Tennessee has always looked great on paper.

 

[Tonyc]

Meh 4 If it does come about no away games at Tenn. All games for the next 72 years at UConn only.

 

[vtcwbuff]

They dumped on the Huskies. Their program is sinking without Pat and NOW Tenn needs UCONN to add some luster to their schedule. UCONN does not need them. I say the heck with them.

We have Stanford and Baylor on the schedule and we don't need the Vols.

The program was sinking with Pat.

 

[stwainfan]

Vs. KML, Banks, Stokes seniors, Stewie, Tuck, Jefferson juniors, and Chong sophomore. UCONN still wins that game by 20+. Not saying Tennessee won't be good, just saying they aren't close to the talent level UCONN enjoys, and landing Russell does little to offset that. Tennessee has always looked great on paper.

I don't think it will take 2 years. Think Russell, Graves, duo in post Carter, Massengale duo in backcourt. The rest of the roster also the team is loaded.

 

[HuskyNan]

I don't think it will take 2 years. Think Russell, Graves, duo in post Carter, Massengale duo in backcourt. The rest of the roster also the team is loaded.

Russell and Graves vs Stewart, Tuck and Stokes. Hmmm....

 

[JoePgh]

Would you "meh" folks really prefer to see the likes of Colgate, Oakland, and Oregon on UConn's schedule rather than Tennessee?

Don't you care about the financial bounty that ESPN or ABC would bestow each year on the program for the game?

Don't you think that UConn's conference situation makes it imperative to schedule as many non-conference Top 25 games as possible until that issue is sorted out?

I actually think that the first year's game should be in Knoxville to maximize the hostility and the hype, and therefore the ratings and the purse.

 

[stwainfan]

Russell and Graves vs Stewart, Tuck and Stokes. Hmmm....

Russell, Graves and Harrison trio will be pretty darn good.

 

[Bestiarius]

I don't think it will take 2 years. Think Russell, Graves, duo in post Carter, Massengale duo in backcourt. The rest of the roster also the team is loaded.

I agree with you, it will take many more years than two years, if ever. Regarding the rest of the team being loaded, I don't care how much they drink, they'll never again be at the UConn level.

By the way, did you see how UConn handled Stanford? How did Tennessee do against them?

 

[iri10]

Don't you think that UConn's conference situation makes it imperative to schedule as many non-conference Top 25 games as possible until that issue is sorted out?

Concur. It's college basketball's version of networking - you don't have to like every team you "keep in touch" with; if they're still a quality opponent (as TN is), they're still a net benefit for the schedule.

And maybe there'll be some point in the future where scheduling the game benefits you more than the opponent, and at that time you'd appreciate that the two teams stayed in touch.