UCONN to new Big East

[tomcat]

Figuring that the current Big East vs. AAC is kinda like "pick your poison," I always figured that I have no dog in this hunt at all. But forgive me for rambling as I lay out some thoughts.
1. AAC is the conference you love to hate. A dog's breakfast of teams, tossed together in hopes that together they would succeed. It's not working.
2. AAC WBB teams are slowly getting better, but not quickly enough to really matter. The team strength stat that someone previously showed, BiG East vs. AAC, was a huge surprise to me and very instructive.
3. While selfishly I do not want to lose my Florida UConn games (not to mention an excuse to go to New Orleans), it makes a lot more sense for UConn to play where the opponents are, more or less. A flight to Wichita or Tulsa just because you have to is not my idea of fun.
4. I don't follow much football, UConn or otherwise, but I know the basic facts of the situation. I was long gone from CT when they decided to build that stadium in East Hartford, but that never, ever made any sense to me. "Build it and they will come?" Nossir. Not even a little. Think about programs like Penn State. The university is located in Podunk, and so is the stadium. They fill it all the time. Isn't there a lesson there for someone?
5. Truth is, I don't much care what happens to the football program.
6. The stadium is not a reason to keep trying to make football a major sport. That is backwards logic propelled by those who thought that creating the stadium would bring UConn into the big leagues. Good try. No cigar.
7. Since the stadium is less of a draw than the UConn Dairy Bar, I propose that they give the stadium to the UConn Dairy Bar. Its location closer to the cities means there will be an immediate increase in customers.
8. Whatever damage has been done to UConn's reputation, recruiting-wise, probably has already been done by the AAC. I'm pretty sure opposing coaches won't have much more negative to say about the Big East than about the AAC. I figure this should not be an impediment to moving.
9. I don't know if the Big East would be cheaper to operate in, but it does seem logical that travel would be lessened.
10. I didn't think this would happen, but it's turning out that I'm talking myself into thinking a move to the Big East would be a good idea. This is especially true if several AAC teams are going to leave that conference for greener pastures. An AAC without USF and UCF is simply not worth being in.

 

[CL82]

Use it for UCONN men's and women soccer and UCONN field hockey - give those teams a chance to play in front of thousands - they are certainly good enough. And the stadium is already built, so complaining about it seems a little late in the game. What do you propose to do with it?- keep waiting for an invitation to a P5 conference?

What about paintball? I hear that's quite popular these days. You could set up obstacles in the field and sniping positions in the press box. I'm excited about it.

 

[ocoandasoc]

Use it for UCONN men's and women soccer and UCONN field hockey - give those teams a chance to play in front of thousands - they are certainly good enough. And the stadium is already built, so complaining about it seems a little late in the game. What do you propose to do with it?- keep waiting for an invitation to a P5 conference?

Remember years back when some folks complained that they didn't make the stadium big enough? LOL, that didn't age well. But the suggestions that the stadium should have been built on campus have.

UConn had a chance to have a relatively successful big-time football program, the equal of Rutgers and BC, anyway. But a series of disastrous decisions and actions by an arrogant and incompetent administration totally blew it. And sometimes you don't get a second chance.

 

[MSGRET]

What makes Jacobs think “Michigan, Notre Dame, Texas, etc.” would schedule away games with UConn? The only “big money” aspect of those games is what those schools pay creampuffs to schedule home-only ass whoopings.

UNLV has played many two game series in football with a lot of P5 teams, they also play single game series with larger payouts. It may happen because it's Las Vegas. Soon all of our home games will be played in the new Raiders stadium (2020 season) and they already have P5 schools talking about coming to Vegas to play. All UConn has to do it try to get games with P5 schools scheduled to play in the Giants/Jets stadium once a year and it would be more money then what they get in the AAC contract for the team.

 

[j66kicker]

UNLV has played many two game series in football with a lot of P5 teams, they also play single game series with larger payouts. It may happen because it's Las Vegas. Soon all of our home games will be played in the new Raiders stadium (2020 season) and they already have P5 schools talking about coming to Vegas to play. All UConn has to do it try to get games with P5 schools scheduled to play in the Giants/Jets stadium once a year and it would be more money then what they get in the AAC contract for the team.

So UConn vs Texas at MetLife Stadium...

- Would they fill the stadium? Who would actually go to this game besides maybe the 21,000 (avg) who go to UConn home games now?

- What network is putting this game on in prime time or Saturday afternoon?

- Why would Texas do this? They can get UConn-level teams to play them in Austin with no return commitment, get a guaranteed sellout, and broadcast it on the Longhorn Network.

 

[cockhrnleghrn]

So UConn vs Texas at MetLife Stadium...

- Would they fill the stadium? Who would actually go to this game besides maybe the 21,000 (avg) who go to UConn home games now?

- What network is putting this game on in prime time or Saturday afternoon?

- Why would Texas do this? They can get UConn-level teams to play them in Austin with no return commitment, get a guaranteed sellout, and broadcast it on the Longhorn Network.

Recruiting in NJ.

 

[j66kicker]

Recruiting in NJ.

Good point. Texas, Michigan, etc, might get some recruiting benefit.

 

[Adios]

Remember years back when some folks complained that they didn't make the stadium big enough? LOL, that didn't age well. But the suggestions that the stadium should have been built on campus have.

UConn had a chance to have a relatively successful big-time football program, the equal of Rutgers and BC, anyway. But a series of disastrous decisions and actions by an arrogant and incompetent administration totally blew it. And sometimes you don't get a second chance.

Ever hear of Temple University Owls football?

 

[triaddukefan]

What makes Jacobs think “Michigan, Notre Dame, Texas, etc.” would schedule away games with UConn? The only “big money” aspect of those games is what those schools pay creampuffs to schedule home-only ass whoopings.

Hopefully they can continue to schedule games with UCF. Hate it when realignment kills rivalry games.... like Oklahoma vs Nebraska....... Texas vs TAMU , Kansas vs Mizzou..... Pitt vs WVU..... Please figure out a way to keep the Civil Conflict alive

 

[Vowelguy]

Why do you assume this is going to be financially worse for UConn?

Show me where I said that.

B10 and SEC schools are earning $50M/ yr
The BE woukd be overjoyed to get be 1/10 th of that. 1/20 th or 1/50th more likely.

The goal was P5. If that is formally off the table, then there are questions about the long term.

 

[Kurebeach5]

Figuring that the current Big East vs. AAC is kinda like "pick your poison," I always figured that I have no dog in this hunt at all. But forgive me for rambling as I lay out some thoughts.
1. AAC is the conference you love to hate. A dog's breakfast of teams, tossed together in hopes that together they would succeed. It's not working.
2. AAC WBB teams are slowly getting better, but not quickly enough to really matter. The team strength stat that someone previously showed, BiG East vs. AAC, was a huge surprise to me and very instructive.
3. While selfishly I do not want to lose my Florida UConn games (not to mention an excuse to go to New Orleans), it makes a lot more sense for UConn to play where the opponents are, more or less. A flight to Wichita or Tulsa just because you have to is not my idea of fun.
4. I don't follow much football, UConn or otherwise, but I know the basic facts of the situation. I was long gone from CT when they decided to build that stadium in East Hartford, but that never, ever made any sense to me. "Build it and they will come?" Nossir. Not even a little. Think about programs like Penn State. The university is located in Podunk, and so is the stadium. They fill it all the time. Isn't there a lesson there for someone?
5. Truth is, I don't much care what happens to the football program.
6. The stadium is not a reason to keep trying to make football a major sport. That is backwards logic propelled by those who thought that creating the stadium would bring UConn into the big leagues. Good try. No cigar.
7. Since the stadium is less of a draw than the UConn Dairy Bar, I propose that they give the stadium to the UConn Dairy Bar. Its location closer to the cities means there will be an immediate increase in customers.
8. Whatever damage has been done to UConn's reputation, recruiting-wise, probably has already been done by the AAC. I'm pretty sure opposing coaches won't have much more negative to say about the Big East than about the AAC. I figure this should not be an impediment to moving.
9. I don't know if the Big East would be cheaper to operate in, but it does seem logical that travel would be lessened.
10. I didn't think this would happen, but it's turning out that I'm talking myself into thinking a move to the Big East would be a good idea. This is especially true if several AAC teams are going to leave that conference for greener pastures. An AAC without USF and UCF is simply not worth being in.

Very astute assessment Tomcat !!

 

[browndog319]

Figuring that the current Big East vs. AAC is kinda like "pick your poison," I always figured that I have no dog in this hunt at all. But forgive me for rambling as I lay out some thoughts.
1. AAC is the conference you love to hate. A dog's breakfast of teams, tossed together in hopes that together they would succeed. It's not working.
2. AAC WBB teams are slowly getting better, but not quickly enough to really matter. The team strength stat that someone previously showed, BiG East vs. AAC, was a huge surprise to me and very instructive.
3. While selfishly I do not want to lose my Florida UConn games (not to mention an excuse to go to New Orleans), it makes a lot more sense for UConn to play where the opponents are, more or less. A flight to Wichita or Tulsa just because you have to is not my idea of fun.
4. I don't follow much football, UConn or otherwise, but I know the basic facts of the situation. I was long gone from CT when they decided to build that stadium in East Hartford, but that never, ever made any sense to me. "Build it and they will come?" Nossir. Not even a little. Think about programs like Penn State. The university is located in Podunk, and so is the stadium. They fill it all the time. Isn't there a lesson there for someone?
5. Truth is, I don't much care what happens to the football program.
6. The stadium is not a reason to keep trying to make football a major sport. That is backwards logic propelled by those who thought that creating the stadium would bring UConn into the big leagues. Good try. No cigar.
7. Since the stadium is less of a draw than the UConn Dairy Bar, I propose that they give the stadium to the UConn Dairy Bar. Its location closer to the cities means there will be an immediate increase in customers.
8. Whatever damage has been done to UConn's reputation, recruiting-wise, probably has already been done by the AAC. I'm pretty sure opposing coaches won't have much more negative to say about the Big East than about the AAC. I figure this should not be an impediment to moving.
9. I don't know if the Big East would be cheaper to operate in, but it does seem logical that travel would be lessened.
10. I didn't think this would happen, but it's turning out that I'm talking myself into thinking a move to the Big East would be a good idea. This is especially true if several AAC teams are going to leave that conference for greener pastures. An AAC without USF and UCF is simply not worth being in.

The stadium was built because the Patriots were going to play there. A gazillion years ago, Bob Kraft was pissed at MA because they wouldn’t renovate or give him a new stadium (before they were the winners they are now). So CT lured them to Hartford. We used the NFL quality stadium to cement our plans to go FBS. But it seemed like a fiscally sound plan because Patriots.
Well, ground was already broken when MA decided to give Kraft what he wanted. He pulled out of the deal so fast it was shocking.
How anyone in that state is a Pats fan is beyond me.
They’re the reason we have that stadium in East Hartford and no additional leasees to support it.

 

[Biff]

The stadium was built because the Patriots were going to play there. A gazillion years ago, Bob Kraft was pissed at MA because they wouldn’t renovate or give him a new stadium (before they were the winners they are now). So CT lured them to Hartford. We used the NFL quality stadium to cement our plans to go FBS. But it seemed like a fiscally sound plan because Patriots.
Well, ground was already broken when MA decided to give Kraft what he wanted. He pulled out of the deal so fast it was shocking.
How anyone in that state is a Pats fan is beyond me.
They’re the reason we have that stadium in East Hartford and no additional leasees to support it.

Your recollection of the circumstances of the UConn football stadium construction is very incorrect.

 

[hoophuskee]

Hopefully they can continue to schedule games with UCF. Hate it when realignment kills rivalry games.... like Oklahoma vs Nebraska.. Texas vs TAMU , Kansas vs Mizzou..... Pitt vs WVU..... Please figure out a way to keep the Civil Conflict alive




View attachment 44084

Please no UCF. They bring nothing of a benefit to UCONN. UCONN doesn't have an obligation to please fans with "rivalry" games. They have an obligation first and foremost to the development of their team throughout a year and in future years.

UCF plays extremely physical basketball that puts the UCONN players at risk if not for injury but also to get "beat up." UCONN gets little benefit in terms of RPI or anything national if they win. They risk a loss, a player getting hurt or banged up and if they ever lose it hurts recruiting too. It is highly doubtful they lose but if UCONN is banged up leading into the game - and they have to play a dirty team like UCF - it wears down the starters.

In our conference, they play chippy/dirty basketball - fine. Maybe with their OOC they beat someone good or do well and get in NCAA's and make a huge surprise. We root for that. But once we leave - there is no reason to play a dirty team that knows us well. It's not worth it.

UCONN has an obligation to keep their eye on the ball and worry about improvement, health of the player and the program. Scheduling UCF after we leave provides none of this. UCF isn't that good to really need this type of game for the UCONN team. This game isn't much of a rivalry anyways.

 

[GoDawgs4]

I from MS but me looking from the outside, I always thought UCONN was in a great spot to become a very good football program. What am I missing? Several of you on here allude to some bad decisions being made concerning football. Could any of you elaborate?
I also would think that either the ACC or B1G would be perfect fit for UCONN. You are in a great market, close to NYC.
How did UCONN get passed over in the last wave of realignments? Was the school just the odd one out or were there other factors involved?

Being a MState alum and fan, I have a lot of respect UConn not just WBB but all around and wish you all well in all respects except of course when we play you.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

Please no UCF. They bring nothing of a benefit to UCONN. UCONN doesn't have an obligation to please fans with "rivalry" games. They have an obligation first and foremost to the development of their team throughout a year and in future years.

He was just kidding.

And very amusingly so.

 

[oldude]

Please no UCF. They bring nothing of a benefit to UCONN. UCONN doesn't have an obligation to please fans with "rivalry" games. They have an obligation first and foremost to the development of their team throughout a year and in future years.

UCF plays extremely physical basketball that puts the UCONN players at risk if not for injury but also to get "beat up." UCONN gets little benefit in terms of RPI or anything national if they win. They risk a loss, a player getting hurt or banged up and if they ever lose it hurts recruiting too. It is highly doubtful they lose but if UCONN is banged up leading into the game - and they have to play a dirty team like UCF - it wears down the starters.

In our conference, they play chippy/dirty basketball - fine. Maybe with their OOC they beat someone good or do well and get in NCAA's and make a huge surprise. We root for that. But once we leave - there is no reason to play a dirty team that knows us well. It's not worth it.

UCONN has an obligation to keep their eye on the ball and worry about improvement, health of the player and the program. Scheduling UCF after we leave provides none of this. UCF isn't that good to really need this type of game for the UCONN team. This game isn't much of a rivalry anyways.

Agree on UCF, but I would expect Geno and his good friend Jose to attempt to continue to schedule USF vs UConn.

 

[ed4ourgirls]

Jose and some other WBB coaches in the AAC must be licking their chops.

Now they have an enhanced likelihood of getting to the big dance each year.

 

[hoophuskee]

He was just kidding.

And very amusingly so.

Okay. I missed it.

 

[LIUCHusky]

Based on what has been presented the move to the New Big East would be both a prudent business decision for UConn and for the other sports programs of the University. I graduated from UConn in 1964, and attended some football games. UConn was a perrenial loser in their old league, the Yankee Conference and they have been consistently a loser ever since. People tout the season when they went to the Fiesta Ball but they lost to Oklahoma by such a wide margin, that by the end of the game, Oklahoma was playing with the third string. Football is not going to happen at UConn and as one poster said the hope to get into a P5 conference is only a hope. UConn means basketball. Thanks to Jim Calhoun and Geno A., UConn is on the map as the basketball Capital of the USA. If the Governor, the people and the UConn Board of Directors accept this and support this 150 per cent, its future in competitive basketball will be assured.
[/QUOTE
UCONN was never a longtime loser in football in the Yankee Conference. I suggest taking another look at the Oklahoma game. UCONN could have easily kicked 4 fgs to make the score a heck of a lot more closer. But for a couple of crazy interceptions bouncing off receivers hands the game would have been much more competitive.

 

[hoophuskee]

Agree on UCF, but I would expect Geno and his good friend Jose to attempt to continue to schedule USF vs UConn.

That's okay with USF. UCF is a different animal.

 

[Vowelguy]

Jose and some other WBB coaches in the AAC must be licking their chops.

Now they have an enhanced likelihood of getting to the big dance each year.

Nah. Now there's a greater chance that it's a 1-bid league and so they have to win the conf tourney.

 

[Wbbfan1]

Some of the Non Conference Games the SEC plays against over matched opponents, they (Bama, Auburn etc) pay these teams upwards of $500K. Don't know if any of the SEC teams would be willing to schedule UConn and of course its a home game for the SEC Teams.

 

[Puppy Love]

Hopefully they can continue to schedule games with UCF. Hate it when realignment kills rivalry games.... like Oklahoma vs Nebraska.. Texas vs TAMU , Kansas vs Mizzou..... Pitt vs WVU..... Please figure out a way to keep the Civil Conflict alive




View attachment 44084

The best of the Diaco Follies.

 

[triaddukefan]

Please no UCF. They bring nothing of a benefit to UCONN. UCONN doesn't have an obligation to please fans with "rivalry" games. They have an obligation first and foremost to the development of their team throughout a year and in future years.

UCF plays extremely physical basketball that puts the UCONN players at risk if not for injury but also to get "beat up." UCONN gets little benefit in terms of RPI or anything national if they win. They risk a loss, a player getting hurt or banged up and if they ever lose it hurts recruiting too. It is highly doubtful they lose but if UCONN is banged up leading into the game - and they have to play a dirty team like UCF - it wears down the starters.

In our conference, they play chippy/dirty basketball - fine. Maybe with their OOC they beat someone good or do well and get in NCAA's and make a huge surprise. We root for that. But once we leave - there is no reason to play a dirty team that knows us well. It's not worth it.

UCONN has an obligation to keep their eye on the ball and worry about improvement, health of the player and the program. Scheduling UCF after we leave provides none of this. UCF isn't that good to really need this type of game for the UCONN team. This game isn't much of a rivalry anyways.

Actually I was talking about Football.