Visions of Sugarplums-Is UConn Back on the Table for Big 12? | Page 2 | The Boneyard

Visions of Sugarplums-Is UConn Back on the Table for Big 12?

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They the Big 12 are not taking Houston and not sure why some continue to think that. If they expand they will move east to larger markets with viewers. UConn fits the mold but so doesn't Cincinnati, USF, UCF and Temple.
 
huskypantz said:
Bringing in Houston would be about the dumbest thing the B12 could do. They already have full penetration in that market. It would serve to further regionalize an already geographically challenged conference. I'm not saying that UConn is a good fit, but Houston, Rice or SMU should be non-starters for the B12.
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Disagree. Putting Houston and SMU in the BIG 12 makes perfect sense. They were very competitive with some of the Texas schools now in the BIG 12 but used to be part of a solid SWC. SMU and Houston football & fan base will certainly catch fire and grow as they return to historical roots. Don't see the Texan schools objecting as old rivalries will be renewed.
 
UConnTrumbull said:
No directional school hits P5 jackpot
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If the state is big enough, it can make sense. UC Berkeley and UCLA are effectively the universities of northern and southern California, respectively. San Diego State would be the equivalent of a directional school and would bring a major market. Texas has UTexas, A&M, Texas Tech in P5 and Tech is basically the equivalent of a directional school, as would be Houston. Florida is or is about to be the #3 state by population after California and Texas, and is a football recruiting hotbed. It may be able to support a 3rd state school, especially since Florida and Florida State are located well to the north of the major media markets.
 
UConn makes the most sense for any conference that hopes to build a conference network. Cincy, UCF or USF, Houston, and BYU all bring something to the table but no other school has exclusive statewide allegiance plus reach into huge out of state markets.

If the B12 is serious about a cable network and preserving the conference, they will seek UConn. More likely, though, they are just maximizing the next 10 year's revenue and minimizing costs in preparation for a breakup. In that case Houston and Cincy make more sense.
 
NEforceUConn said:
Is that a spring semester class offered at UNC? What time does it meet?
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Yes, as an honors, six credit course which meets on the third Monday of the month from 10:00-10:20 in the UNC AD's office. Registration at the football office.
 
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pj said:
Doesn't matter. We improve the B12 and the B12 improves us. There would be a further re-arrangement/rationalization at some point in the future, and we'd end up in the B1G or ACC.
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Oh I agree. The biggest thing the Big12 could do for us is improve our stock for the ACC or B1G. Have to play the hands you're dealt - sort of like TCU back in 2011.
 
tduconn said:
Disagree. Putting Houston and SMU in the BIG 12 makes perfect sense. They were very competitive with some of the Texas schools now in the BIG 12 but used to be part of a solid SWC. SMU and Houston football & fan base will certainly catch fire and grow as they return to historical roots. Don't see the Texan schools objecting as old rivalries will be renewed.
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The Texas schools led by Texas, the only one that truly matters when it comes to these things, hate Houston and SMU going back to the SWC days. In a conference full of outlaw teams who seemed to compete each year to see who could break more rules those two were the absolute worst obviously culminating in the SMU "death penalty" People have long memories.

They also add absolutely nothing to the conference in the two most important areas when considering expansion: 1) additional TV markets and 2) additional recruiting areas. If they are to expand, and with OU in playoff that has quieted down for the moment, I would say Cincinnati would be the front runner with UCF, if they get back on track, as the likely second choice
 
bc puckett said:
The Texas schools led by Texas, the only one that truly matters when it comes to these things, hate Houston and SMU going back to the SWC days. In a conference full of outlaw teams who seemed to compete each year to see who could break more rules those two were the absolute worst obviously culminating in the SMU "death penalty" People have long memories.

They also add absolutely nothing to the conference in the two most important areas when considering expansion: 1) additional TV markets and 2) additional recruiting areas. If they are to expand, and with OU in playoff that has quieted down for the moment, I would say Cincinnati would be the front runner with UCF, if they get back on track, as the likely second choice
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Let's hope that none of these leagues are watching us against Marshall today.
 
14 out of the 15 schools in the Big10 are in the AAU, when looking to add a school they are gonna look for a school that is in the AAU-and Nebraska was in the AAU until they got kicked out for not meeting a requirement.
 
MarkT said:
14 out of the 15 schools in the Big10 are in the AAU
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Fact

MarkT said:
when looking to add a school they are gonna look for a school that is in the AAU
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Likely a solid consideration, but the only consideration?

MarkT said:
AAU until they got kicked out for not meeting a requirement.
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Perspective, but truly supported by factual knowledge? People with direct insights and related reporting has consistently suggested other factors were in play prior to and subsequent to Nebraska receiving a B1G invitation. As the linked article highlights, NU's AAU status was impacted by the lack of a med school, limited engineering and other STEM graduate programs, heavy Land Grant focus with many faculty members providing ag sector outreach versus focused on research, different calculation of Land Grant research , etc.

From the same NY Times' article, it was interesting to learn more about Syracuse dropping out of the AAU. Sometimes, it's best to quit prior to getting booted.
 
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Thamel wrote a piece for SI today regarding the B12 and CR
LINK
Not much we haven't heard before. Here's what he had to say about UConn:
Connecticut: UConn came up in a surprising number of conversations considering its geography, lack of relevant football history and void of local recruiting. UConn would be attractive in a scenario in which the league adds a cable network, as it theoretically could bring a lot of eyeballs in the Northeast. The strong academics and basketball program would also be assets, as would the notion of the Big 12 adding a flagship state school. But if the conversation inevitably turns back to football, UConn wouldn't cut it.
 
tduconn said:
Disagree. Putting Houston and SMU in the BIG 12 makes perfect sense. They were very competitive with some of the Texas schools now in the BIG 12 but used to be part of a solid SWC. SMU and Houston football & fan base will certainly catch fire and grow as they return to historical roots. Don't see the Texan schools objecting as old rivalries will be renewed.
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If this was true, the SWC would not have disbanded in the 1st place.
 
SAMCRO said:
Thamel wrote a piece for SI today regarding the B12 and CR
LINK
Not much we haven't heard before. Here's what he had to say about UConn:
Connecticut: UConn came up in a surprising number of conversations considering its geography, lack of relevant football history and void of local recruiting. UConn would be attractive in a scenario in which the league adds a cable network, as it theoretically could bring a lot of eyeballs in the Northeast. The strong academics and basketball program would also be assets, as would the notion of the Big 12 adding a flagship state school. But if the conversation inevitably turns back to football, UConn wouldn't cut it.
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Uconn football, in terms of results really isn't much different than BC, SU, Rutgers and Pitt in since our FBS ascension. SU and BC have old traditions and RU has a fertile recruiting ground and nice market. Pitt comes closest to hitting all the boxes.

Bottom line in terms of on field results, none blow uconn away.
 
"But if the conversation inevitably turns back to football, UConn wouldn't cut it."

Actually, UConn would be better in football the second they joined the Big 12. The capacity would be immediately expanded. Can you imagine The Rent with another deck? During the opening Big 12 home game (vs. Oklahoma,we owe them) the first third down for them would break the town's noise ordinance. The Big 12 suits will look at each other in horror.
 
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We use the Big 12 to get to the ACC / Big 10. How do people see UConn football being successful in the Big 12, honestly?
 
B12 would not be a bad alternative and I'm skeptical that Cincinatti or UCF bring much. Cincy isn't even the most popular program in Cincy which it splits with Ohio State and to lesser degrees Kentucky and Louisville. Central Florida is hardly a blip compared to the Florida and FSU. If you can get FSU you would but the rest are so many Florida Atlantics.
 
cttxus said:
In case the above link doesn't work . . .
http://bit.do/bGQsg
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Thanks for sharing.

Interesting quotes:

One of the issues that many have thought prevents UConn from being a viable option for the Big 12 is geography, but it seems that a solution for sports other than football have already been discussed should the Huskies be added.

“You might be able to work out a deal for basketball that Connecticut and West Virginia plays a two-game road trip when they come out west,” he said. “When one of the western schools goes east, they play both West Virginia and Connecticut, so there’s ways you can work around it. It’s not ideal, but it’s sort of the landscape we’ve been given and you need to make the best of it.”

What’s even better for UConn fans is all signs indicate that the Huskies are seriously being considered.

“Don’t discount what I said earlier about the prestige,” Tramel reinforced. “The conference really would like a state, flagship university. Connecticut has a very solid academic standing and is the ‘University of.’ They may be a New England state, which sounds foreign to the Big 12, but from a prestige and academic standing, it also sounds pretty good.”
 
The only way I see this working is if they added UConn, Cinci, Memphis, Temple, USF, & UCF.
 
Biggest takeaway is that historically Tramel has been OU's media mouthpiece. So either UConn is being used to make a point or being used as a means for the end (whatever that may be on OU's agenda).
 
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pj said:
UConn makes the most sense for any conference that hopes to build a conference network. Cincy, UCF or USF, Houston, and BYU all bring something to the table but no other school has exclusive statewide allegiance plus reach into huge out of state markets.
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I understand that this is the prevailing belief on this board, but in FB, does it have any factual basis? Uconn has a hard time getting ratings in FF County. No one has ever posted the NYC metro ratingsd here for Uconn games. SNY is not part of basic cable or the expanded cable package in Springfield, Worcester or Providence. Not sure if you get it if you buy the super deluxe package. If your assertion were true, then Uconn would be in a different conference.
 
Waquoit said:
"But if the conversation inevitably turns back to football, UConn wouldn't cut it."

Actually, UConn would be better in football the second they joined the Big 12. The capacity would be immediately expanded. Can you imagine The Rent with another deck?
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So the state that can't balance its budget would magically find the $XX million to expand the Rent. All the reps from Waterbury, Bridgeport, New Haven, Willimantic, New London (all cities that cant get much help from the state on basic infrastructure needs) Litchfield County and even Hartford would be right on board with that vote for the bonding day 1? Now, whoever is gov would surely be able yo make some magic happen, but since the oriignal bonding was tied to Hartford redevelopment (including the convention center), I'm not sure how you get the expansion pushed thru quickly.

There is anti-Uconn sentiment in the political world in Hartford. The move downtown from West Hartford left a lot of stomped on legislators and lobbyists in its path. Don't discount it.
 
huskymedic said:
Biggest takeaway is that historically Trammel has been OU's media mouthpiece. So either UConn is being used to make a point or being used as a means for the end (whatever that may be on OU's agenda).
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I thought the same thing. Tramel actually sounds more like he's talking about the B1G than B12 when he says things like "state, flagship" and "prestige and academic". He could be just throwing it out there as a threat to Texas (and whoever) that OU would have a very easy time finding a partner for the B1G if the B12 doesn't expand.
 
Dooley said:
I thought the same thing. Trammel actually sounds more like he's talking about the B1G than B12 when he says things like "state, flagship" and "prestige and academic". He could be just throwing it out there as a threat to Texas (and whoever) that OU would have a very easy time finding a partner for the B1G if the B12 doesn't expand.
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Agree, and either way it could involve UConn. If it pulls us into the B12 can you imagine anything less than complete sellouts at the Rent when OU, Texas, OSU, Baylor and WV come to town?
 
Dooley said:
I thought the same thing. Trammel actually sounds more like he's talking about the B1G than B12 when he says things like "state, flagship" and "prestige and academic". He could be just throwing it out there as a threat to Texas (and whoever) that OU would have a very easy time finding a partner for the B1G if the B12 doesn't expand.
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It's no mistake. Boren is really trying to bump OU's academic reputation. UT is already very solid, and Baylor is strong. KU is AAU and is also trying to improve. ISU, KSU, OSU are all at least decent. WVU is at least a flagship. These university presidents absolutely want flagship universities, not directionals that are safety schools to those they consider their peers (USF and UCF to Florida for example, and even Cincy to Ohio State. I don't even nee to mention Memphis.). I think it is UConn's greatest current advantage...which is why Herbst keeps putting distance between us and everybody else in the G5 on that measure.
 
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