We can solve Problem #1, we can't solve Problem #2

[UConnNick]

So I sort of agree. The dismantling the Big East was tragedy. It literally was the great basketball conference of all time. There will be never be another another tournament like the BET. One epic game after another with talented teams coached by great coaches going incredibly hard at one another. Makes me a little depressed just to talk about it.

That said, a decent UConn team can become a magnet for NYC point guards again. We won't be able to beat the Dukes and Kentuckys for kids, but we really never did.

We did beat Kentucky for a recruit at least one time...Ray Allen!

 

[tzznandrew]

Ok then, so if the conference allegedly doesn't matter then how about travel or TV? Who's up for Thursday in Tulsa on ESPNNEWS? Or Sunday 3:00 PM in Greenville, NC?

Nobody wants to watch those games because all teams involved in those games currently suck. Did you ever care that much for UConn/DePaul? UConn/Rutgers? Those games got better times and better schedules in part because UConn was awesome and it had some general interest.

Consider: through the 1990s nobody cared about Miami basketball. A terrible team and a waste, by and large; Pitt, too. As a fan, we watched the games but the teams just weren't compelling. And then in the late 1990s and early 2000s, each of those teams got really good, and those games began to mean something. Those teams weren't close to UConn. But they were good and played us tough--and we were good--so people cared.

We'll likely never care about ECU. They'll never be nationally relevant. But Cincy/Wichita/SMU/Houston all are, or have been, and Memphis/Temple have been recently. We've had sold out games for these teams, and have sold out there.

Don't get me wrong, this isn't the glory days of the Big East. But unless we're dropping football to go to the BE (a totally different league than we knew it to be, too), or getting to the ACC or B1G, we are where we are. It doesn't have to be bad.

It will be particularly bad, though, if we can't win games. Win games and this is a different conversation.

 

[tzznandrew]

Look everything matters, I wish we were in a better conference. But we have a big enough brand that we can overcome a lot of that stuff. We also play in major preseason tournaments every year. We can schedule powerhouse programs out of conference. And if you have a coach and program that wins games, guys know they'll be in the spotlight in the tournament.

RPI Team
8 Cincy
12 Wichita
19 Houston
48 Temple
69 Tulsa
77 UCF
105 UConn
111 SMU
112 Memphis
157 Tulane
272 East Carolina
274 South Florida

There are two absolute clunkers on this list. If UConn and Memphis were themselves, and SMU and UCF didn't get hit with injuries, though, we'd have 3-5 Top 25 teams, 5-7 Top 50 teams, and 9 Top 100 teams.

It would be a 4-6 bid league.

This isn't WCC, or CUSA after the BE raided it. All I did for this year was give us a win vs. Syracuse, home wins against Cincy, WSU, and Memphis, and a sweep of Tulsa. 21-10, RPI 26, SOS 25. And that's with no really good OOC win.

It's not hard to get a good RPI from this league if we schedule well.

We just need to win.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I tend to think that the best thing for UConn would be for KO to find his groove and for him to succeed here.

If it was just growing pains, I'd consider letting it ride out for the betterment of the program long term.

However, we're paying KO $3M and by many accounts he's not putting in the requisite effort to earn that.

Think we have to move on.

P.S. if we became we a current day Cincinnati or a Temple from their A10 days, i.e. always a tournament team but without many deep runs, I think you'd have be pretty happy. We were spoiled and that new reality may not sit with a lot of people.

 

[Ts5034]

I was listening to Joe and Evan on WFAN yesterday and they had Brandon Tierney on who broadcasts St Johns games on the radio. They were talking about the Big East tournament and the old Big East came up in conversation and he said he would love to have UConn back in the league. Benigno went on to say how UConn lost their identity when they “left” the Big East. That statement is 100% true and that has become the narrative about the program nationally.

Its true that we won a National Championship as a member of the AAC, but when this conference was formed it just kind of felt like we were forced to start over. Thats why I dont buy the argument when people say that we can be a powerhouse in this league just because of what Cincy and SMU have done. Our situation coming into the AAC was completely different than all those schools. I understand that financially we will be better off in the AAC compared to the Big East, but I just think it will take a special coach as in a once in a lifetime hire that could turn things around to win consistently in this league and to get back to the days of being a perennial top 25 program.

 

[SouthBayHusky]

If 2015-16 is a "bad season," then I don't know when you'll be satisfied again.

I don’t think he said that. Read what he wrote. He never said “bad” season. He said underachieving and not great and only became relevant in last week and half. That means mediocre, or more precisely, exactly what he said “not great”, “underachieving” and “not relevant” til very end of season

 

[Scrutineer]

The right coach can matter more than every other factor combined in recruiting. Make the right hire, it will work itself out.

Excellent point. Look at the turnaround at Ohio State this year.

 

[beakumhawks]

Kevin Stallings is available if you are looking for a Head Coach to replace Ollue

Pitt fires coach Stallings after 0-19 ACC run

 

[Stainmaster]

I don’t think he said that. Read what he wrote. He never said “bad” season. He said underachieving and not great and only became relevant in last week and half. That means mediocre, or more precisely, exactly what he said “not great”, “underachieving” and “not relevant” til very end of season

No, he pretty explicitly called 2015-16 a "bad season."

And, to correct a premise: it's not 2 bad seasons, it's 4 bad seasons. The 2016 team underachieved and was relevant for a week and a half. That's not a good season.

 

[Stainmaster]

Kevin Stallings is available if you are looking for a Head Coach to replace Ollue

Pitt fires coach Stallings after 0-19 ACC run

Why do you still post here?

 

[RJScootin]

A 25 win conference tourney champion and NCAA 2nd round exit against a 1 seed will never be accepted as a "bad season" by me so stop trying. 324 schools in the country would trade places with that season.

6th place 11-7 AAC isn’t a good season.

UConn should not be one of those 324 teams you’re refering to.

Easy to understand why you’re an Ollie guy when you have such low expectations for the program.

 

[billybud]

The conference doesn't seem to matter for the UConn women...hell, they'll be champs playing wherever you would stick them. On whatever planet.

Win and recruits will come. Win and you are a major brand for the sport.

Al Davis has always been right.

Just win, baby.

 

[Uconn77Duke74]

The conference doesn't seem to matter for the UConn women...hell, they'll be champs playing wherever you would stick them. On whatever planet.

Win and recruits will come. Win and you are a major brand for the sport.

Al Davis has always been right.

Just win, baby.

We won the NC and didn't receive the recruiting boost one would expect. Not sure how much of that had to do with conference vs. Ollie. I expected to land at least one or two Studs during that window in time where Ollie was considered the hottest coach in the Country

 

[metsfan2323]

How does that end the thread?

Because Mick Cronin isn't just winning he is thriving. Cincy has actually been better without the C7. 8 straight tournament appearances.

One thing the C7 crowd chooses to ignore is the AAC is improving every year, we're gaining on them and will gain even more if UCONN hires a real coach.

 

[beakumhawks]

Why do you still post here?

Ever since trannymidgetporn.com got blocked at work I have nowhere else to go.

(You clicked on the link. Admit it. )

 

[August_West]

6th place 11-7 AAC isn’t a good season.

UConn should not be one of those 324 teams you’re refering to.

Easy to understand why you’re an Ollie guy when you have such low expectations for the program.

Are you one of the guys who wants to be Cincinatti now?


Thats a typical Cincinatti season.

 

[gtcam]

The right coach can recruit anyone to play anywhere. With the right coach, top 20 kids would be willing to play at UConn.
(Sad thing is, a while back I thought we had that guy.)

Absolutely untrue
How many top 20 players are currently playing in the AAC?
C'mon - you desire to get rid of KO is allowing you to say some over the top things
Yeah the right coach can convince any top 20 player to play in the Patriot League, Mountain West
WOW

 

[gtcam]

We can become competent again for sure with the right coach

All these folks looking to replace KO with the right coach will bring UConn back to the good old days are now searching for mere competency????
If so, no use in paying someone over $500K

 

[gtcam]

Right now the basketball team just lost the 8-9 game in the American Conference in front of 800 people at noon. Let that sink in.
Have you watched any of the day games of the P5 conferences this week? I have saved most of them. They were ghost towns. This is not limited to UConn or AAC only games.

 

[huskyrob1]

This program has 2 major problems. One of them can be solved in a matter of days. Hiring a competent hungry basketball coach. I have no idea what happened to Kevin Ollie the last couple of years. I find it incredibly sad. But he has earned every ounce of the firing if he is in fact fired.

Problem #2 cannot be solved. We play in a southern based football league. This is not a conference where a school from Connecticut can attract the type of basketball player our program once attracted. We just played a game in front of about 800 people in Orlando. Our major competitors are playing in packed crowds in Madison Square Garden (Big East, Big Ten) and Brooklyn (ACC). The atmospheres are not comparable. Our selling points of old, which won us 4 National Titles and 7 Big East Tournaments, can no longer be used.

UConn built championship teams and our brand attracting players from NYC (Kemba, Ben G, Charlie, Taliek), Boston (Shabazz, Oriakhi), Pennsylvania (Donyell, Rip), Maryland (Rudy, Boone), Maine via Wisconsin (Caron), Connecticut (Smith, Drummond) all northeast players in Big East country who were obviously allured by playing in the top TV conference in the country who played their tournament on the biggest stage MSG. We also recruited top players and sleepers nationally based on this allure. Minnesota (Khalid), South Carolina (Ray), Texas (Emeka, Jake), Georgia (Lamb, Moore) and international (Doron, Nadev, Neils).

Would we be able to attract these players to play in that atmosphere we just played in? Maybe some. Most I doubt.

We can hire a better coach. If we are lucky we may at least "Take care of business" and do what Cincinnati is doing and take the easy 20-25 wins playing in this league should get you. Perhaps we become Xavier. Perhaps we will simply look like a competent basketball team again. I'll take any of this after what I witnessed the last 2 seasons. But we will never ever ever ever be what we once were. It's impossible. And the fact that every state leader/politician/school official/coach hasn't raised bloody hell about this is their ever lasting shame.

Been saying this for a couple years now, being in the AAC hurts men's basketball a lot more than it hurts football, if at all. A P5 invite to the ACC would solve that but highly unlikely it happens.

 

[djct1999]

Absolutely untrue
How many top 20 players are currently playing in the AAC?
C'mon - you desire to get rid of KO is allowing you to say some over the top things
Yeah the right coach can convince any top 20 player to play in the Patriot League, Mountain West
WOW

Seems more like your affinity for KO is unfortunately blinding your ability to see reality. I never said any top 20 player but with the right guy with the right northeastern aau and prep ties, yes a coach could get a top 20 player to UConn even in the AAC. Truth is, as hard as you try, there is no justifying the last two years. Not just on the court but also off it. I could argue that even if we isolated the problems with KO to just one, he should be fired. KO needs to be judged as a coach and nothing else. As a coach, he is simply brutal.

 

[CL82]

Ever since trannymidgetporn.com got blocked at work I have nowhere else to go.

(You clicked on the link. Admit it. )

Uh, I don't know, maybe a Kansas forum?

(Actually Beakum is good people, not withstanding his trashing us on his home board.)

 

[kobe]

Because Mick Cronin isn't just winning he is thriving. Cincy has actually been better without the C7. 8 straight tournament appearances.

One thing the C7 crowd chooses to ignore is the AAC is improving every year, we're gaining on them and will gain even more if UCONN hires a real coach.

Cincinnati has thrived in the Missouri Valley, Great Midwest, Metro, C-USA, Big East (to lesser extent) and the American. We are used to moving around. UConn never really had to move around and coincidentally probably made the "wrong" hire right when you did move. In a pecking order of what the problem is, conference affiliation is way down the list.

 

[Mr. French]

Cincinnati has thrived in the Missouri Valley, Great Midwest, Metro, C-USA, Big East (to lesser extent) and the American. We are used to moving around. UConn never really had to move around and coincidentally probably made the "wrong" hire right when you did move. In a pecking order of what the problem is, conference affiliation is way down the list.

Other than Leonard Stokes, Kenny Satt and Nick Van Exel, you are worthless!!! Leave!!!

Jk, about the second part.

 

[RJScootin]

Are you one of the guys who wants to be Cincinatti now?


Thats a typical Cincinatti season.

My wants:

• Consistent top three in AAC
• 80% NCAA Tourney Team
• Competitive no matter who we play (no need for 20+ point blow outs)
• Recruit shooters, actual position players (not a team full of 6'7 string beans)
• Team identity (bring back that UConn D)
• Players with basketball IQ
• Coaching that that has a plan going into game and who can make adjustments

The entire season isn't just the NCAA Tourney, anything can happen in a game like we saw with 2014 UConn run. Give me an exciting, winning product and lets see where it goes.

I'm not at the point that I think the wants listed above are unrealistic (with the right coach). I know some on this board might.

 

[freescooter]

The AAC thing is nothing more than an excuse. On the football side it had 3 ranked teams including 1 in the top 10 and 1 who 4 years ago was almost Rutgerslike in its ineptitude. But they brought in the right guy and turned it around and are a consistent top 25 program. On the basketball side there are 2 top 15 programs an another in the top 25. And none are the historic leaders in basketball. UCONN Memphis Nd Temple get their acts together and this is a league that competes with anyone in the country.

 

[kobe]

Other than Leonard Stokes, Kenny Satt and Nick Van Exel, you are worthless!!! Leave!!!

Jk, about the second part.

Wow a couple of deep cuts. Most people would go Van Exel, Danny Fortson, Kenyon Martin and maybe Jason Maxiell. Well played.

 

[Lefty2one]

Yeah, I don't buy this. The right coach can make this school a consistent Top 25 team and a frequent Top 10 team.

What are the "right" B10 and ACC schools? Money isn't everything to a smart coach. They going to leave for UMiami? Boston College? Virginia Tech? Most of the "right schools" already have good coaches, which is why they're the "right schools." Duke, UNC, Michigan State, Michigan... But we were afraid we were going to lose Jim Calhoun to South Carolina in the late 1990s!

Get a good coach. Win. Both of those are possible in our league. We won a title out of it. Hope Memphis and Temple get their crap together. Hope Houston and SMU keep their crap together. Hope Marshall stays at WSU. But more important: win. Win, and the rest will take care of itself.

I wish I shared your optimism. I don't see any chance of us being a frequent Top 10 in the future unless we hit a home run with a young hire.

By "right" school I mean the big programs. A coach wouldn't leave of us Miami or VT but they would for the cream of the crop in those conferences. If Michigan State or Duke opens up, a coach would be out of his mind to stay at UConn-in-the-AAC.

 

[Title]

Because Mick Cronin isn't just winning he is thriving. Cincy has actually been better without the C7. 8 straight tournament appearances.

One thing the C7 crowd chooses to ignore is the AAC is improving every year, we're gaining on them and will gain even more if UCONN hires a real coach.

That's just absurd.

In the five years of each conference's existence, the league's finished (obviously not done this year, but the BE advantage will just be more in at the end with two 1 seeds)...

2014: Big East 5th (4 bids) - AAC 7th (4 bids)
2015: Big East 2nd (6 bids) - AAC 9th (2 bids)
2016: Big East 3rd (5 bids) - AAC 7th (4 bids)
2017: Big East 3rd (7 bids) - AAC 7th (2 bids)
2018: Big East 3rd (6 projected) - AAC 7th (3 projected)

After this year, the Big East will AVERAGE 56% of its league in the Tournament per year. If you look at the numbers, the AAC is LITERALLY closer to the MVC than the Big East. And as far as 'gaining' the only year it was even remotely close was the first year of each league.

There's a Grand Canyon gap between a Top 3 league annually and the top non major. It's embarrassing to even juxtapose, there's just nothing to hang your hat on.

kenpom.com subscription

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Yup and it only worked because of patience.

That, plus much of Cincinnati's strongest competition has steadily departed/'departed' :Syracuse, Pitt, Note Dame, West Virginia, Louisville. & Villanova, et al

It could be argued that Cronin's greatest ability is simply to have held steady while things changed significantly around him, which is no small virtue given that UConn has failed to do so