Uconn's reputation - a conundrum

[Tk79]

It's hard to know at this point whether this is Title afterglow or a permanent change in perception, but UConn is clearly getting a lot more respect from the national media these days. 4 in 16 is hard to ignore and that is obviously a big part of it. I also suspect that Ollie being such a likable person has an impact - he is an absolute star.

So here's the question. Do we want the media to slurp over UConn all the time and treat us like Duke, Kentucky, UNC, etc? The seemingly obvious answer is yes, because exposure helps recruiting. It also just plain makes us feel good as fans.

But what about the mojo? Can you imagine Chuck and Vitale picking us to win every March? All of our recruits becoming 5 stars once they commit? That would be a really weird, bizarro world situation. The "lack of respect" rallying cry has treated us well for 25 years now, motivating both players and fans.

I say this mostly tongue-in-cheek, because it should be a no brainer. But if this really is a turning point in terms of coverage and perception, part of me will miss the good old days.

What do you think?

 

[noeynox]

Yes. Ollie is a star, you are right. Likeable and undisputedly, the best young coach in the game. Makes a difference for sure in our perception. JC's strong will alienated a lot of people, but that was their problem. I think it did hurt us at times though.

 

[UConnSwag11]

I like us how we are

 

[DMW88]

I have never worried about the media or national perception. I'm a Uconn alum and LOVE UCONN. Period. But it will help recruiting. KO is a star, but I think his personality is so likable and humble, yet confident, it will be well received. I really don't care about it. I remember 99 when NO ONE gave us a change. All the media coverage was DUKE DUKE DUKE...they can have it, I'll take the Championships!!!!

 

[benjordan]

Like it or not I think we'll always have a degree of underdog status in the AAC, which is fine by me. As you said, it's served the program well for 25 years.

 

[Waquoit]

It's pretty clear that UConn is not part of the club and never will be. This title changes nothing.

 

[Kitaman]

Great question, and one I've thought a lot about recently. It was topical with all the complaining around here about our lack of coverage/respect during the FF. Even the players were motivated because of that (no one giving them a chance).

Aged old wisdom is 'be careful what you wish for'.

 

[amory]

lol yeah UConn is definitely in danger of getting too much positive recognition and respect

 

[RayRay19]

Screw everyone. As KO said championships will be chasing us, so will everyone/everything else. We have done perfectly fine with the amount of media attention we have been given so far. The only thing I want is to get out of the AAC.

 

[Strummer]

Do we want the media to slurp over UConn all the time and treat us like Duke, Kentucky, UNC, etc?

Yes, up to, but not including the point at which Dick Vitale treats us like any of the above and starts doing his clown routine every time our name comes up. No thank you on that.

 

[dogpause]

No one ever hires a Mojo Relations Agency.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

I'll take the titles and the attention.

 

[Palatine]

There are many ways to be successful. And you don't always get to define yourself. In this case, we should embrace any positive position and build on it. The mojo will travel with us.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

It's hard to know at this point whether this is Title afterglow or a permanent change in perception, but UConn is clearly getting a lot more respect from the national media these days. 4 in 16 is hard to ignore and that is obviously a big part of it. I also suspect that Ollie being such a likable person has an impact - he is an absolute star.

So here's the question. Do we want the media to slurp over UConn all the time and treat us like Duke, Kentucky, UNC, etc? The seemingly obvious answer is yes, because exposure helps recruiting. It also just plain makes us feel good as fans.

But what about the mojo? Can you imagine Chuck and Vitale picking us to win every March? All of our recruits becoming 5 stars once they commit? That would be a really weird, bizarro world situation. The "lack of respect" rallying cry has treated us well for 25 years now, motivating both players and fans.

I say this mostly tongue-in-cheek, because it should be a no brainer. But if this really is a turning point in terms of coverage and perception, part of me will miss the good old days.

What do you think?

Take the acclimation - definitely. In football, we complain because we are considered irrelevant. Look at Notre Dame? What have they done lately? The won a couple of titles back in the forties and we've been stuck with them ever since. Talk about present day irrelevance. So take the BB hype and hope it pulls everything else along with it.

 

[EdgewoodNHV]

Just win, baby.

(Though I suspect positive attention from the media can't hurt us in terms of conference realignment.)

 

[DarthGrumpy]

I want UConn to be UConn, not Kentucky, not Duke, etc. That said, hopefully the good PR will get UConn into the B1G or alternately the ACC.

 

[mauconnfan]

Yes. Ollie is a star, you are right. Likeable and undisputedly, the best young coach in the game. Makes a difference for sure in our perception. JC's strong will alienated a lot of people, but that was their problem. I think it did hurt us at times though.

JC's strong will alienated "some people" but obviously more of the right people came to UConn anyway. Parents who want their baby pampered go to Kentucky and UNC because they are promised PT obviously, the other want their kids to earn what they gain in life and that started with JC's approach and KO is no different. He may be a different coach with some different philosophies but these are men from the same cloth and that's why UConn brings home trophies and others recruit "trophy' players!!

 

[freescooter]

I noticed a real change in a lot of reporting after Monday's game. People actually talking about UCONN as one of the bluebloods, for example, and pointing out that our record since 1999 is superior to Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, Indiana, UCLA...Some talking head made the comment, and I'm paraphrasing, that you can't talk about elite programs without STARTING with UConn. That's a sea change. I do think that winning this title the way we did, and without Jim Calhoun on the bench was a big factor. Before this, the perception was that Calhoun won titles. this time, for the first time, it was UConn wins titles, if you get what I mean.

 

[Deepster]

I think that, after 1999 and then 2004, we did deal with the balance of taking more talented recruits than we may have gotten in the past vs. taking guys who might have questionable personal characteristics. I feel like it stung us in the rear on a few occasions and the program's rep suffered a little with laptopgate, some of the Doug Wrenn foolishness, etc.
I feel like we've gotten back to the "old" way of building the team and I do hope the success and spotlight after this year don't bring us down that path again. I feel silly worrying about getting more talented players....but I like the old UConn formula and it's worked.

 

[SubbaBub]

The thing I noticed most ia how similar they all are as if pulling from a wire report or reading one story and writing a different draft of the same idea.

Fascinating and disturbing thought on how information and opinion is distributed as if no one is concerned about quality, originality, or accuracy.

I have a feeling if one report had Ollie eating spinich before every game, every report would.

 

[Excalibur]

It's pretty clear that UConn is not part of the club and never will be. This title changes nothing.

This is true. We will always be considered nouveau riche by the traditional powers like UNC, Duke, Indiana, Kansas, and Kentucky, but that's fine with me. At this point, the NR have more of the money anyway . . .

Contrast that with Syracuse, who is really just an upper middle class family that is trying to impress with a big house and fancy car, but hiding the fact that they're leveraged to the hilt and don't own any of it.

 

[sportsart]

This title, IMHO, means we can be in the Sun Belt conference and it would not matter for basketball. KO's reputation and 4 NC's mean we will always be "UConn" and our name will be synonymous with elite college basketball. I believe we are the Notre Dame, in terms of recognition, for college basketball.

Like college football, most fans will only go back 20 years, when thinking about "greatness". UCLA and Indiana look good on paper. We look good on TV.

 

[huskypantz]

Between UConn South in MSG and national championships #4 and #9 respectively, the past two weeks might have been the biggest overall boost to UConn's image in the new conference realignment era. We desperately needed the national media to question why we are not in a P5 conference, this can only help our cause.