UConn to Big East May Be Gaining Steam

[mauconnfan]

Mau, here is why your golf excuse does not make a lot of sense. At most, UConn plays seven home football games in a season. However, at least two of those are usually played on days other than Saturdays. So you are really looking at potentially five Saturday games a season, of which at least one is usually played at night. Is it too much to ask that you sacrifice four golf Saturdays a year for the good of the great University of Connecticut? I guess it is. What is particularly frustrating is that you clearly like football based on your love for the Giants.

The key to this is it makes sense to me I guess I didn't explain it well enough. I'm not buying season tickets to go to a Thursday or Friday game or 2. Why would I? And I like golf much more than UConn football and the best time to play is the fall and I love my family so I can't do both. And UConn football doesn't interest them so that's not an option for us to get together either. As a side not, I won't play on a cool November day when hoops start if the Huskies are playing at 1pm, basketball is more important than golf.

I am curious what is so frustrating about me clearly liking the game because of the Giants, that I just don't understand? For now, my 2nd reason to watch football is Notre Dame not UConn, is this my fault based on my upbringing and original love for a team? Admittedly when I went to South Bend to see the Huskies vs ND I was somewhat changed, I was a Husky fan they were good and fun to watch. It wasn't easy but it swung that way without prior knowledge or expectations heading there. But they have successfully lost me in that comparison now, and it was PP and his short "era" that did so. Call me a frontrunner if you want but I'd say I'm a UConn guy waiting for this program to make a consistent, positive move to winning.

You would seem to be one of those fans that just don't get it, they aren't doing enough to get the "part-time fan" to come all in. Pretty simple from here. It's up to the program and the team to win us over, not the fact the P5 is at the end of the rainbow, I alone can't make that happen.

 

[TRest]

I agree, except that our investment in upgrading football--however poorly managed--keeps us within reach of one of the few remaining P5 life preservers. Had we not upgraded, we'd have no shot whatsoever.

My fear is that after selling the state on upgrading football to save the athletic programs, any future financing of upgrades will be going nowhere. We didn't spend all that money to play football in the MAC.

 

[8893]

My fear is that after selling the state on upgrading football to save the athletic programs, any future financing of upgrades will be going nowhere. We didn't spend all that money to play football in the MAC.

Agreed. If we don't get a P5 invite, the decision to upgrade football and the manner in which we went about it are colossal institutional failures for which we'll be paying the price for a very long time.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Another voice of primarily a basketball fan. As a fan of basketball, college and NBA, football takes a distant backseat. Probably part of this is that during my time at UConn 1AA football was simply a social situation and by far in the mid-80's soccer games were more high-level competitive and fun. I hitched onto Bball wagon because I love the sport and because of Jim Calhoun.

Today add how a football game sucks up an entire day (days that are at the end of good weather period in northeast) and football problems in general (concussions). I was a big NFL fan as a kid and thru early 20's, but these days I tune in late November - Super Bowl. Mostly the time is unavailable to me due to family commitments and my kids are too young and not the least bit interested in a long football game/day. I'm in Boston area and even Patriots aren't something my kids watch. They won't watch baseball on TV either, another story though similar time commitment problem.

College football simply doesn't grab my interest because there isn't enough going on regionally to generate a buzz and certainly following UConn football and following top-20 type national championship football are almost entirely separate endeavors. I think if UConn was able to blend the two I'd get interested, but without that, the two-tiered time investment to follow the sport isn't worth it to me.

Early I was going to 1 game a year at Rent, haven't been since the PaulP era started but I'm hoping to catch a game this year.

I completely understand how important college football is b/c it dictates $ and IMO unfortunately ruined conferences particularly as it relates to college basketball. So I want UConn to do well. Nonetheless though I'd miss the NFL, I'd accept a future where football dies as a major sport due to head injuries if we got back the 80-90s college basketball conferences. I know this isn't happening & if it ever did its 20 years out.

 

[rutcor]

I mean if I party all day at the Rent and take basically my Saturday away from my family how could I dare go out and play 18 holes and grab another chunk of the weekend from my family?

Could you bring the family to the games?

 

[PRHusky]

The key to this is it makes sense to me I guess I didn't explain it well enough. I'm not buying season tickets to go to a Thursday or Friday game or 2. Why would I? And I like golf much more than UConn football and the best time to play is the fall and I love my family so I can't do both. And UConn football doesn't interest them so that's not an option for us to get together either. As a side not, I won't play on a cool November day when hoops start if the Huskies are playing at 1pm, basketball is more important than golf.

I am curious what is so frustrating about me clearly liking the game because of the Giants, that I just don't understand? For now, my 2nd reason to watch football is Notre Dame not UConn, is this my fault based on my upbringing and original love for a team? Admittedly when I went to South Bend to see the Huskies vs ND I was somewhat changed, I was a Husky fan they were good and fun to watch. It wasn't easy but it swung that way without prior knowledge or expectations heading there. But they have successfully lost me in that comparison now, and it was PP and his short "era" that did so. Call me a frontrunner if you want but I'd say I'm a UConn guy waiting for this program to make a consistent, positive move to winning.

You would seem to be one of those fans that just don't get it, they aren't doing enough to get the "part-time fan" to come all in. Pretty simple from here. It's up to the program and the team to win us over, not the fact the P5 is at the end of the rainbow, I alone can't make that happen.

You alone can't make it happen, just like one vote does not make a difference in an election, but you have to start somewhere and there are thousands like you. Based on what you are saying, you sound like the classic fair-weather fan: when they win and they are good you are there, when they are not you jump ship. UConn is clearly guilty in part of you feeling like you do; moves like hiring PP were a killer, but all the evidence is there to demonstrate that they get it now and that the program is moving in the right direction.

As for my comment that you liking the Giants makes it even more frustrating, the reason I feel like that is because you clearly like football. I cannot fault anyone for not coming to UConn football games if they despise football, but if you do like football and are a UConn fan and/or alum, you are doing the school a disservice by not attending the games you can afford to attend and are able to attend. And when I say "you", I am referring to everyone that feels the same as you; this is by no means a personal attack.

 

[dennismenace]

Lots of good comments above. I was a big time Yankees / NY Giants fan growing up. Never got into college football. Went to a college that only had club football (Manhattan)
in the late 60's but was astonished how popular it became on campus. I got hooked on UConn bb and the Big East following the Arnold Dean radio show which I listened to for Yankees/Giants. I've pretty much gotten turned off to both Yankees and Giants and those professional sports in general and am more interested in participating in sports like fishing. I understand how important college football is since it generates enormous money and that is driving everything today. It is kind of strange to be so excited about one sport (BB) and not interested in the another (FB) when the future of one (BB) may well depend on the success of the other (FB). Talk about mixed emotions. My hope is that UConn gets into the P5 because the University really shines in so many ways and as a CT resident I am very proud of it for its all around excellence. I am hopeful that getting into the P5 will elevate their football program and I believe it will. I am confident that if I hang around the creek (boneyard) long enough I'll fall in. Maybe I'll start by tuning in on tv and maybe buy a ticket while they are still at bargain prices. JC made me a believer in UConn. Hoping lightning strikes twice.

 

[Waquoit]

P had nothing to do with it? Really, he had everything to do with it.

Since HCRE coached at least 3 more years after Deep stopped going to games, I stand by my assumption.

 

[Deepster]

Since HCRE coached at least 3 more years after Deep stopped going to games, I stand by my assumption.

My decision to not renew had nothing to do with the coach. The last season I had tickets, I went in for 1 of the 6 home games and hung out in the parking lot the other 5 (with Mau for 1 of those).

I just don't like college football that much and UConn football really doesn't interest me at all. I tried. I've turned down free tickets to individual games for the last 2, maybe 3 years now.

 

[Waquoit]

There was a Tank McNamara strip a few years back that has always stuck with me. It was about women's sports but it fits here. The punchline was along the lines of "Is this a sport or a cause?" I think many of the FB first folks here are making FB a cause and that's a turnoff. It's takes all the fun out of the sport.

 

[Dogdeacon]

There was a Tank McNamara strip a few years back that has always stuck with me. It was about women's sports but it fits here. The punchline was along the lines of "Is this a sport or a cause?" I think many of the FB first folks here are making FB a cause and that's a turnoff. It's takes all the fun out of the sport.

Tank McNamara as a current source of sage wisdom - only on the boneyard

 

[JSB60]

OK, since the P5 or bust advocates are so nasty about it, I'll take the gloves off a little. Basketball is not football. You don't need the huge budget or 60 great players to win. The Old Big East was mostly a bunch of sports lightweights with decent mid-major basketball programs who figured out the formula. It still works, if you are looking at actual results on the court rather than predictions of gloom and doom. Three of the last four, four of the last six basketball championships have been won by non P5 schools. Not so bad. Go Big East, F football. UCONN is a lousy football program anyway.

 

[Stainmaster]

OK, since the P5 or bust advocates are so nasty about it, I'll take the gloves off a little. Basketball is not football. You don't need the huge budget or 60 great players to win. The Old Big East was mostly a bunch of sports lightweights with decent mid-major basketball programs who figured out the formula. It still works, if you are looking at actual results on the court rather than predictions of gloom and doom. Three of the last four, four of the last six basketball championships have been won by non P5 schools. Not so bad. Go Big East, F football. UCONN is a lousy football program anyway.

You can enjoy living in your head. What you just described is not the way of the future. In 20 years from know when P5 schools are paying players' salaries and providing family members with housing, there will be no quality player that will turn down P5 for any other conference, not even the Big East. You may think this sounds preposterous, but this is exactly what the P5 schools are looking to do by shifting away from the NCAA and making public their desire for a split. I believe the B1G is already providing 4-year scholarship guarantees for its student-athletes, with more changes like that on the way. Bottom line, you are deluded into thinking that just because the Big East, A10, and other non-P5 basketball leagues have historically competed with the P5, that will always be the reality. That doesn't become truth just because it makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. 20 years from now, the BE tournament will be on the same level as the NE10 or the Little East Tournament. Playing Georgetown or Villanova will mean nothing when the quality of play will be worse than the Fieldhouse days.

You may want to turn this program into ECSU or Conn College, but the rest of us sure as hell don't. We enjoy UConn being a big time, "blue blood" institution whose athletic department can compete with any of the top schools in the nation. And we will get "nasty" about it when people try to destroy what so many people have worked so hard to build.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Am I in the minority? I couldn't give a rats arse if UConn ever played another football game again.

It looks like you are in a minority of perhaps 6 individuals. That's too many in my opinion.

 

[upstater]

OK, since the P5 or bust advocates are so nasty about it, I'll take the gloves off a little. Basketball is not football. You don't need the huge budget or 60 great players to win. The Old Big East was mostly a bunch of sports lightweights with decent mid-major basketball programs who figured out the formula. It still works, if you are looking at actual results on the court rather than predictions of gloom and doom. Three of the last four, four of the last six basketball championships have been won by non P5 schools. Not so bad. Go Big East, F football. UCONN is a lousy football program anyway.

The P5 haven't split yet. After they do, doesn't matter if you're Villanova of Incarnate Word.

 

[dennismenace]

You can enjoy living in your head. What you just described is not the way of the future. In 20 years from know when P5 schools are paying players' salaries and providing family members with housing, there will be no quality player that will turn down P5 for any other conference, not even the Big East. You may think this sounds preposterous, but this is exactly what the P5 schools are looking to do by shifting away from the NCAA and making public their desire for a split. I believe the B1G is already providing 4-year scholarship guarantees for its student-athletes, with more changes like that on the way. Bottom line, you are deluded into thinking that just because the Big East, A10, and other non-P5 basketball leagues have historically competed with the P5, that will always be the reality. That doesn't become truth just because it makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. 20 years from now, the BE tournament will be on the same level as the NE10 or the Little East Tournament. Playing Georgetown or Villanova will mean nothing when the quality of play will be worse than the Fieldhouse days.

You may want to turn this program into ECSU or Conn College, but the rest of us sure as hell don't. We enjoy UConn being a big time, "blue blood" institution whose athletic department can compete with any of the top schools in the nation. And we will get "nasty" about it when people try to destroy what so many people have worked so hard to build.

I believe you are right. The rest of the pieces are in place including academics. Football seems to be starting to track. Good articles on the BY today by a reporter on why UConn and BYU should be admitted to the Big 12. Though I am not a FB fan yet, the thought of Texas or Oklahoma coming to CT or Yankee Stadium sounds pretty awesome.

 

[lange10]

I don't see what's difficult, to be honest. I never played football; in fact my high school didn't even have a team. I've never enjoyed college football. But, like many of you once were/currently are, I am a student at UConn. I have pride in my university - no matter the sport. I am a die hard men's basketball fan. My grades and productivity level certainly slipped once I discovered this site and became hooked on following recruiting. If you attended/are attending UConn support each damn team. You don't like college football? Suck it up, I don't either but the tailgates with my buddies are crazy fun, the product on the field is getting better and better each year under Bobby D, and most importantly FOOTBALL DRIVES THE BUS. Fill the rent vs Maine, UVA and Cuse and you basketball junkies will be very, very happy a few years from now when Kansas is in town and the atmosphere is comparable to the old big east days. My freshman year was our first year in the AAC, also our most recent national championship so I can't complain. Best weekend of my life. But god damn am I tired of playing Tulane and ECU in front of a lackluster 8,000 fans at gampel. I get it. They don't sell. Solution? Start caring about UConn football, round up your buddies, and fill the rent. Then we will never have to call ECU a conference game again. See you September 1st at the rent.

Edit: sorry for the rambling. Toilet thoughts.

TL;DR: fill the rent, if you go in with an open mind UConn football and the game day experience will grow on you. Basketball junkies, in doing so we will finally never have to call ECU a conference opponent again.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Wow. Some of this is so foreign to me. I move to CT when I was 5, from KC. I grew up a Nebraska fan mostly, but liked Michigan due to cool uniforms and "Hail to the Victors". I knew every college team in all the conferences from those days (70's) and watched games with my dad. He introduced me to UConn basketball in the late 70's, going to see them at the Civic center (Corny, McKay, Bailey etc.) and then I went to UConn in 1984. Did I go to every UConn football game? No, maybe half of them. It was 1AA...minor leagues. That was frustrating. I went to almost every soccer game and every basketball game. Then Law-school in Kansas (which actually had good teams from 91-94). D1 football was a blast.

I've never been to the Rent, mostly because I'm out of state and coach basketball on Saturdays. But I plan to fix that this year now that I'm not coaching (will still probably need to skip one of my daughter's games, in what will be her last season). Nothing is more exciting to me than the prospect of UConn stepping up and really competing in big time football. The Big East was 3/4 of the way there, but as a kid from KC, the Big 12 is another level. We have to do what we can to make it happen. And I can't even imagine seeing my two alma maters playing hoops regularly. Playing hoops in the new Big East? That's ok I guess. But let's not pretend it's the old Big East.

 

[Confident Carl]

Actually your numbers are somewhat inaccurate.
Every AAC member earned almost $2million in football playoff money from the NCAA plus
$1.5 million from ESPN
.5 million from CBS
That's about the same as the Big East gets with 4 times the exposure.
The most important thing is football particularly if Successfull keeps you in the game
The AAC is still earning revenue fron our 2011 NC, Louisville's 2013' and UConn's 2014
Last year was a good year for the Big East but I doubt we could get any money as a new member.

UCONN if not invited to the B12 would receive their piece of the exit money which would be between 20- 40 Million depending on how many teams leave. I don't want UCONN to go backwards. UMASS is dying to get in to the AAC. They had football in the MAC and Bball is in the A-10. That set up sucks and some boneheads want a similar fate for UCONN? Granted the Big East get's paid more but it's a similar model. Besides the MAC
wouldn't want UCONN for football only anyway. They booted UMASS who is no struggling to survive as an Independed in football. So that leaves CUSA or the Sunbelt for UCONN??? - NO THANK YOU!
And don't forget UCONN would have to pay. 10 Million exit fee as well!

UCONN won a Men's and 3 Women's National Championships in Bball as members of the AAC. The league has done very well all things considered. The AAC is lead by one of the best sports TV execs in the business in Mike Aresco. Hopefully after losing several teams they will restructure and Aresco can get a better TV deal. I am still leaving the door open for an ACC or B1G invite in the next several years.

 

[huskiesNhoos]

Again, why sacrifice even 4 Saturdays if you just don't care about going and think the experience is sorta meh?

Because you're the key to improving our chances in conference realignment...also, bring like 5000 friends...

 

[AZHuskiePop]

I posted the other day how UConn could survive the next 7 or 8 years
What people on this board fail to grasp is the AAC has been the most successful G5 conference with its potential flagship, UConn a football no show.
With a successful UConn,Temple,and Navy programs no other conference will match the AAC . I even think you could break a Airforce or someone else loose from the MW . Especially since there are zero exspansion candidates who move the needle.
A dominate UConn football team in the AAC more than negates the loss of a Houston or Cinn. A dominate wall to wall top ten UConn BB team wouldn't hurt either.
My chief concern was BB conference depth with the loss of Cinn.

 

[djct1999]

I posted the other day how UConn could survive the next 7 or 8 years
What people on this board fail to grasp is the AAC has been the most successful G5 conference with its potential flagship, UConn a football no show.
With a successful UConn,Temple,and Navy programs no other conference will match the AAC . I even think you could break a Airforce or someone else loose from the MW . Especially since there are zero exspansion candidates who move the needle.
A dominate UConn football team in the AAC more than negates the loss of a Houston or Cinn. A dominate wall to wall top ten UConn BB team wouldn't hurt either.
My chief concern was BB conference depth with the loss of Cinn.

This is simply unrealistic.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

This is simply unrealistic.

Show me something better. I never claimed perfection .
I have one objective :
How does UConn survive intact the next 8 years intact?

There are no other options that don't involve the slow death of UConn sports.
Every Conference is defined by its top teams .
If UConn football is successful we drag the whole AAC with us.

 

[djct1999]

Show me something better. I never claimed perfection .
I have one objective :
How does UConn survive intact the next 8 years intact?

There are no other options that don't involve the slow death of UConn sports.
Every Conference is defined by its top teams .
If UConn football is successful we drag the whole AAC with us.

That is why this round of realignment is vital. For the ones left on the outside, they most likely won't remain intact for another 8 years. A team like Purdue or Wake Forest will be making 30-50 mil per year. The AAC will make less than 5. In what world do you live in where that is sustainable for 8 more years?

 

[intlzncster]

Do you ever contribute useful posts about UConn athletics or this website just a venue for you to piss people off?

Sr Testiculo and Charlie Sheen have taken direct offense to this insinuation.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

That is why this round of realignment is vital. For the ones left on the outside, they most likely won't remain intact for another 8 years. A team like Purdue or Wake Forest will be making 30-50 mil per year. The AAC will make less than 5. In what world do you live in where that is sustainable for 8 more years?

That's completly illogical
If and I believe is very doable, UConn football can be revenue neutral ,why would you destroy that sport simply because it doesn't make enough money to subsidize all the other sports that are drags on the system. You have to make a decision on what non revenue sports you will support. Without football you die.
P5 allows you to subsidize the non revenue earners ,which would be great
If your aim is to iliminate the subsidy compleletly than you have to drop all sports except men's basketball.
Every other sport including women's basketball loses money

 

[TheChamps990411]

This has everything to do with football. If our football program didnt stink we`d be in a p5 and discussing more important matters like whose cheerleaders are hotter? Its a disgrace that a bball program like Uconn is sitting in a sh@t conference because football runs the world.

 

[djct1999]

That's completly illogical
If and I believe is very doable, UConn football can be revenue neutral ,why would you destroy that sport simply because it doesn't make enough money to subsidize all the other sports that are drags on the system. You have to make a decision on what non revenue sports you will support. Without football you die.
P5 allows you to subsidize the non revenue earners ,which would be great
If your aim is to iliminate the subsidy compleletly than you have to drop all sports except men's basketball.
Every other sport including women's basketball loses money

So in this little fantasy of your does Diaco coach for 8 years? In my world, if we remain in the AAC, he bolts for first legitimate P5 job and we start the rebuild all over again. Until that coach bolts. Rinse repeat. In the interim the once strong brand of men's and woman's hoops takes a significant hit. The men because of conference affiliation and the women because Geno retires. Then what? Reality is our athletic department won't resemble anything like it does now. So again, if we are looked over now, we surely won't be more attractive 8 years from now.

 

[mauconnfan]

Since HCRE coached at least 3 more years after Deep stopped going to games, I stand by my assumption.

Ok so he wasn't the only one? I'm okay with that but he was a plain awful hire from day 1 we can agree on that right?

 

[mauconnfan]

You alone can't make it happen, just like one vote does not make a difference in an election, but you have to start somewhere and there are thousands like you. Based on what you are saying, you sound like the classic fair-weather fan: when they win and they are good you are there, when they are not you jump ship. UConn is clearly guilty in part of you feeling like you do; moves like hiring PP were a killer, but all the evidence is there to demonstrate that they get it now and that the program is moving in the right direction.

As for my comment that you liking the Giants makes it even more frustrating, the reason I feel like that is because you clearly like football. I cannot fault anyone for not coming to UConn football games if they despise football, but if you do like football and are a UConn fan and/or alum, you are doing the school a disservice by not attending the games you can afford to attend and are able to attend. And when I say "you", I am referring to everyone that feels the same as you; this is by no means a personal attack.

Duly noted and well stated. I am ok with these thoughts and I try to get to the games when I can. If they win early this year and peak my interest I will make it happen and will even bring Deepster how's that?