What did UCONN do to the ACC?

[ZooCougar]

Sometimes more is better.

I'll get the sense from your post that FSU woke up and said oh my God we don't want to be in a conference with Connecticut, we hate them. I think it was more like oh my God we are so tired of having tobacco Road ram everything down our throats and let's assert a little power. They have power because they threatened to leave and at the time there wasn't a GOR to keep them in place. That is no longer the case, but they still seem to have a brief is the same toddler like strategy of threatening to hold their breath until they get their way. In both circumstances you can let them pout all they want, but the thread is an empty one.

Not in this case.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Times have changed. Gene D was a vindictive man, got pushed out at BC, and he has been gone for over 10 years. Father Leahy is not that involved in athletics outside of making sure they are profitable. And, Connecticut has the 3rd largest group of BC alumni after Massachusetts and NY. Plus, the tri-state area produces more BC students than Massachusetts.

BC and UConn have been playing each other in every sport except men's and women's basketball. (There has been men's game between BC and UConn at MSG since BC joined the ACC.) The last time UConn played football at BC, it was the 2nd highest attendance game of the season behind #3 Clemson. The crowd was bigger than against #5 Louisville and Syracuse.

It is not really being vindictive. BCU views us as an existential threat to their position in a major conference. We may think the more the merrier in the northeast, but BCU has never viewed us that way.

 

[HuskyHawk]

It is not really being vindictive. BCU views us as an existential threat to their position in a major conference. We may think the more the merrier in the northeast, but BCU has never viewed us that way.

Certainly, they used to think this under Gene DeFilipo. It was short-signed and stupid then and their recent history should show them that it still is. Honestly the worst thing that happened to BC was losing UConn as a local rival to generate interest in the college football in New England. Absolutely brain dead not to realize that we help make them better. Auburn would be nothing without Alabama.

 

[Waquoit]

It is not really being vindictive. BCU views us as an existential threat to their position in a major conference. We may think the more the merrier in the northeast, but BCU has never viewed us that way.

At that shows you what a waste of money BCU is. We are better than BCU in football and hockey now. That was inconceivable 20 years ago. But the Eagles made it happen.

 

[Fishy]

ESPN did not say no.

Initially, it was going to be UConn; some schools were skeptical and then we started to have issues with the NCAA in basketball and the end of the Calhoun era was in sight.

There was also a thought that the Big 12 might take Pitt so that had the added benefit of being a solid defensive move. (It would have happened.)

 

[JohnFSilver]

ESPN did not say no.

Initially, it was going to be UConn; some schools were skeptical and then we started to have issues with the NCAA in basketball and the end of the Calhoun era was in sight.

There was also a thought that the Big 12 might take Pitt so that had the added benefit of being a solid defensive move. (It would have happened.)

This is what happened.

 

[giddyup]

Basic truth - We are too good for a lot of egos to handle, and we learn over and over egos win over logic every time.

 

[spsct]

I've seen from time to time someone state that BC has blackballed us from joining the ACC. Is that really a thing? I can't really see how one school can block what 14 other schools want to do. Unless it's NATO, I guess... Unfortunately I follow this from afar and try not to get too invested because I don't like the taste of vomit in my mouth.

 

[Khal Drogo]

With Mora at the helm, I think we finally have a chance to be consistently better than BCU, and much their asses.

UConn has to find a way to keep Mora there long term so he can build the program his way.

Thanks for posting Jim.

 

[Fishy]

Basic truth - We are too good for a lot of egos to handle, and we learn over and over egos win over logic every time.

I keep reading this.

The ACC has stolen Miami, Notre Dame, Louisville, Syracuse and Pittsburgh. The SEC stole Texas, Oklahoma and Texas A&M. Big Ten took USC, UCLA, Nebraska and Oregon.

The idea that we were left out of conference realignment because conferences were scared to take us is grade A self-soothing.

 

[Waquoit]

Clemson or FSU would sue the ACC in a heartbeat if it was in their best interest to do so.

 

[huskymedic]

In 2011 Clemson and FSU woke up one day and realized UConn was about to be added.

They were worried about the ACC’s place in the universe as a waning football power. So they freaked out and forced the conference to add Louisville because they felt they had better football.

We also beat Louisville in football that year. The whole thing is really dumb.

 

[giddyup]

I keep reading this.

The ACC has stolen Miami, Notre Dame, Louisville, Syracuse and Pittsburgh. The SEC stole Texas, Oklahoma and Texas A&M. Big Ten took USC, UCLA, Nebraska and Oregon.

The idea that we were left out of conference realignment because conferences were scared to take us is grade A self-soothing.

Seems to be a rather shortsighted view in light of the dynamics we know have occurred in this and past cases. If you are OK State, Kansas State etc.. you don’t want to move down the ladder. If you’re BC you don’t want us competing in the same region and moving to choice #2. There is a lot of illogical decisions occurring, which means it’s a lot of ego and pride driving outcomes.

In any case, I don’t self sooth on the boneyard. There are better ways to handle it, if you follow.

 

[pj]

Clemson or FSU would sue the ACC in a heartbeat if it was in their best interest to do so.

But they are intelligent enough to know it's not in their best interest.

 

[billybud]

What did UConn do to piss off the ACC?

We beat Duke's unbeatable team in 1999.

We beat Duke again (and then ACC school Georgia Tech) in 2004.

We continued winning national championships after everyone thought we fell off the map (in 2010 they started writing the obituary), after we were relegated to the AAC and then we went out and did it again this past season.

Ahhh...Basketball.

I do believe that shoring up football was an ACC priority as they discovered that the bus driver had switched. The ACC known for basketball, now needed to become more football oriented.

 

[Khal Drogo]

FSU kept us out and fought for Louisville. He doesn’t even mention BC. I liked the fact that Florida won’t allow FSU in the SEC and Big 10 doesn’t want them

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Ahhh...Basketball.

I do believe that shoring up football was an ACC priority as they discovered that the bus driver had switched. The ACC known for basketball, now needed to become more football oriented.

Yeah, but in mid September 2011, when they announced Syracuse and Pitt, we had been clearly better than Syracuse in football for about half a dozen years and had been a little better than Pitt as well (beyond at that time being far superior in a few other sports the ACC places value in; men's and women's basketball, men's and women's soccer, women's field hockey, baseball).

 

[Nostical]

Word is that ND is now pushing the ACC to add Cal and Stanford. Self serving in a way since Stanford’s status is important as one of ND’s opponents—plus ND has all its other sports parked in what they hope is still a vital ACC.

 

[Alum86]

It is not really being vindictive. BCU views us as an existential threat to their position in a major conference. We may think the more the merrier in the northeast, but BCU has never viewed us that way.

Spot on, Nelson. Like UF not wanting FSU in the SEC

 

[CL82]

I keep reading this.

The ACC has stolen Miami, Notre Dame, Louisville, Syracuse and Pittsburgh. The SEC stole Texas, Oklahoma and Texas A&M. Big Ten took USC, UCLA, Nebraska and Oregon.

The idea that we were left out of conference realignment because conferences were scared to take us is grade A self-soothing.

We are the best! They're all afraid of us!

 

[HuskyHawk]

Word is that ND is now pushing the ACC to add Cal and Stanford. Self serving in a way since Stanford’s status is important as one of ND’s opponents—plus ND has all its other sports parked in what they hope is still a vital ACC.

Which is why I said it would likely happen a week ago. I just hoped we’d come in at the same time to get them to 18.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

FSU kept us out and fought for Louisville. He doesn’t even mention BC. I liked the fact that Florida won’t allow FSU in the SEC and Big 10 doesn’t want them

How many BCU defenders does this board have?

 

[billybud]

Yeah, but in mid September 2011, when they announced Syracuse and Pitt, we had been clearly better than Syracuse in football for about half a dozen years and had been a little better than Pitt as well (beyond at that time being far superior in a few other sports the ACC places value in; men's and women's basketball, men's and women's soccer, women's field hockey, baseball).

Ahh...but you forget the times...Shalala at Miami was a Syracuse grad, Masters and Phd, a former Syracuse honcho....She made a committment to add Cuse and BC the "bride price" for luring Miami away from the Big East. And Miami, at the time, was the prize.

"We're very appreciative of the invitation from the A.C.C. to join their conference," Shalala said in a statement. "We are disappointed that they've decided not to extend invitations to Boston College and Syracuse. Since this is a new proposal, we will evaluate it before making a decision."

 

[CTFIRERETIRED]

When BC went to ACC, and Bloomy filed suit, it left the bad taste in the ACC's mouth. I mentioned that BC to the ACC would not be great fit. Boston is the Bruins in Hockey, Patriots in football, Sox in baseball, and Patriots in pro football. BC was down the priority poll as a "big deal" in Boston, except in collegiate Hockey. No one cares about BC, and we shouldn't either.