UMass leaving MAC

[Jimmy Serrano]

It was still UMASS' choice, not the MAC's. UMASS could stay as a full member, and hoops would play in the downgraded league. The A10 getting six bids probably made the decision easier for them. But since we all know that they can't survive as an independent, I believe that they have a conference that will take them, either for all sports or just football. I don't think the AAC would take them for just football in a million years (why would they). They likely would consider UMASS for all sports if UConn left.

Not really.

From the MAC perspective, they need UMass football like a submarine needs a screen door. They're much more interested in UMass basketball. If they got UMass basketball, they'd take the football too.

From the UMass perspective, they aren't willing to downgrade from the A-10 to the MAC in hoops. So they forced the MAC's hand.

The only real loser in this is UMass football. This upgrade was FUBARED at every corner.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

By adding the worst FBS program, we would be hurting our only chance of getting into an access bowl.

But, given that you're a self-proclaimed master of RPI and analytics, I'm sure you considered that.

Great point. We don't want to swap computer friendly (?) games against Temple and Tulane for one against UMass.

I also suspect that the crowd for a UMass game might be a bit larger than the friends and family that showed up for Memphis.

 

[HuskyHawk]

http://www.masslive.com/sports/inde...itiv.html#incart_river_default#incart_m-rpt-1

"As a rule, FBS schools don't leave one league until they are sure of their next one. That is not the case with UMass, which has little to offer unless it caves in and joins another league in all sports - which could wind up as a desperate, no-choice solution down the road.
Can it offer the Boston market? Check the Gillette attendance figures and the 2014 schedule (with three games moved back in Amherst) for your answer."

And yet they also say this:

The one lonely hope is that UMass can land a spot in the American Athletic Conference, where Connecticut and Temple would offer natural rivals. Most of those teams would beat the pants off UMass in its current state, but that's the least of the Minutemen's problems now.
Maybe UMass secretly has a deal in the works with this league and just isn't saying. It certainly wouldn't be the first time it wasn't telling the full story about The Plan.

 

[Carl Spackler]

UMass needs to get their sh---t together and make it all work, or get out of division 1A and try to get into the Patriot league.

The reality is that if such a thing existed, as a strong football program at UMass in division 1A, vitally strong, in everything OFF the field, as well as on, as well as a strong athletic department at 1A - it would be a no-brainer for UCONN to be in the same conference with UMass.


Such a UMass thing though - doesn't exist on this plane of reality. So until then......SOL.

 

[Vuce]

And yet they also say this:

That part you quoted reads like every wing nut in the Non Key Tweets thread on the Conf realignment board. Talk of "secret deals" and "plans" that make no sense are just people trying to rationalize how this is happening. As we have seen it CAN happen. I honestly think that Umass has no secret plan and they are out there now hoping and praying that within a year they will have a landing spot for their program. They are 2 1/2 years from opening kickoff for the 2016 season. They need something in place sooner rather than later. We are freaking out because we dont have many of our non conference games filled yet for 2016....well they don't have ANY games for 2016 right now. What kind of secret master plan is that?

 

[HuskyHawk]

That part you quoted reads like every wing nut in the Non Key Tweets thread on the Conf realignment board. Talk of "secret deals" and "plans" that make no sense are just people trying to rationalize how this is happening. As we have seen it CAN happen. I honestly think that Umass has no secret plan and they are out there now hoping and praying that within a year they will have a landing spot for their program. They are 2 1/2 years from opening kickoff for the 2016 season. They need something in place sooner rather than later. We are freaking out because we dont have many of our non conference games filled yet for 2016....well they don't have ANY games for 2016 right now. What kind of secret master plan is that?

Secret plans are secret. Would I bet on it? Hell no. Do I think it is impossible? It's possible. There's no harm in looking for possible silver linings.

 

[Drew]

Only way the AAC would add UMass is if we also added a southern school (BYU, Charlotte, UTSA, UNLV, Southern Miss, Mid Tennessee are all options but none of them besides BYU are particularly appealing)

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Only way the AAC would add UMass is if we also added a southern school (BYU, Charlotte, UTSA, UNLV, Southern Miss, Mid Tennessee are all options but none of them besides BYU are particularly appealing)

Realistically, the only way UMass joins the AAC is if Navy bails out, which I put at about 50/50.

I am not sure why you think we need a southern school in order to add UMass.

 

[Drew]

Realistically, the only way UMass joins the AAC is if Navy bails out, which I put at about 50/50.

I am not sure why you think we need a southern school in order to add UMass.

im assuming everyone else remains committed and the conference would be at 12 members. umass by itself doesnt add much but umass basketball paired with byu football or charlotte/san antonio market and you might have something that espn would be willing to pay for.

 

[noeynox]

Only way the AAC would add UMass is if we also added a southern school (BYU, Charlotte, UTSA, UNLV, Southern Miss, Mid Tennessee are all options but none of them besides BYU are particularly appealing)

The fact that you call BYU a southern school leads me to believe geography isn't your strong suit. UNLV as well.

 

[Drew]

The fact that you call BYU a southern school leads me to believe geography isn't your strong suit. UNLV as well.

Forgive me almighty one, I should have said "schools with football pedigrees" or "a southern school or a school in the rocky mountain region". Didn't realize things were taken so literally here

 

[pepband99]

Great point. We don't want to swap computer friendly (?) games against Temple and Tulane for one against UMass.

I also suspect that the crowd for a UMass game might be a bit larger than the friends and family that showed up for Memphis.

Damnit, you seriously can't respond to anything without twisting it. You would be ADDING UMass to those games, exacerbating it. I never said swap. I never implied swap. STOP IT.

A crowd for EO Smith would beat the Memphis crown in a non-HCPP year.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Okay...I guess it's fair to beat up on UMass a little here. In some ways I guess we deserve it in the way we went about this move to FBS. This is a dangerous time indeed for UMass football and I'm a glass half-full kind of guy. You should hear some of the morons over on UMasshoops.com with all the doom and gloom stuff.
My take is UMass football will undoubtably get better under Whipple. We've got 2 years left in the MAC to show some life. It will help a lot when we stomp BC on Aug 30th. Okay, seriously, I believe UMass will be a replacement into the AAC. In my opinion there is no way UConn stays in the AAC. I believe you guys have a legitimate shot at your 4th NC this year and even a final 4 run will make you far too valuable to the ACC for them to continue to ignore you. As far as the BIG, I don't really know that much about UConn to make that assessment. But what I do know is you guys are a perfect fit for the ACC and would be in the upper echelon from day 1.
Two years may not be enough for us however. I see the possibility of UMass going to the Sun Belt as football only until we can get the program on solid footing. Going independent would be disastrous and more than likely the end of the program. Supposedly Carr and Assoc. , the firm UMass has hired, has reached out to the Sun Belt and got positive feedback as far as a football only membership.
One thing I am positive about through people in the know here on campus is that going back down to FCS is not an option. I guess you can say that we are going "all in" on FBS. Have to wait and see what happens

I actually feel really bad for UMass football fans. This upgrade clearly was not thought out properly and the execution has been an unmitigated disaster. It's 50/50 that UMass fields a team in 5 years.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Damnit, you seriously can't respond to anything without twisting it. You would be ADDING UMass to those games, exacerbating it. I never said swap. I never implied swap. STOP IT.

A crowd for EO Smith would beat the Memphis crown in a non-HCPP year.

He's the King Strawman. He's made quite the name for himself on this board taking other people's position, twisting it around, and then arguing with himself for 3 pages. What fun.

 

[noeynox]

Forgive me almighty one, I should have said "schools with football pedigrees" or "a southern school or a school in the rocky mountain region". Didn't realize things were taken so literally here

I'm just fugging around, busting chops. If my post offended, I apologize. That wasn't the intent at all.

 

[Drew]

I'm just fugging around, busting chops. If my post offended, I apologize. That wasn't the intent at all.

its actually on me. im still a little apprehensive from the backlash i received regarding scheduling a home and home series with umass and putting the stadium on campus -__-

 

[Dooley]

Agree. I love playing all these southern schools. Why add a drivable game and a good hoops program?

Sorry, I thought we were on the football board.

 

[uconnflyer88]

You need to work on reading comprehension if you think what I said was anything close to what Nelson said. Try again.

No my comprehension is just fine, I got that you were being sarcastic....but UMass improving our situation by coming to the AAC is so obsurd, it shouldn't even be joked about....so sorry still deserved the clip

 

[JayRU09]

UMASS doing this could mean a couple things some of which are:

1. Navy is going to bail

2. UCONN/Cincy/USF/UCF, one of those four are leaving and the American is fairly sure of that.

3. UMASS went full what Ben Stiller did in Tropic Thunder.

 

[HuskyHawk]

No my comprehension is just fine, I got that you were being sarcastic....but UMass improving our situation by coming to the AAC is so obsurd, it shouldn't even be joked about....so sorry still deserved the clip

Wish I could add this inline from my iPad.

 

[RioDog]

Yes all those TV's in Pittsfield. That will put them over the top.

Watch it buddy- my Grandma´s from Great Barrington...

 

[BlueDogs]

I hope UMass comes around and does well and takes our spot when we go to the B1G