Why a yearly Thanksgiving series vs UMASS makes sense

[tduconn]

No to UMass.

The schedule is perceived to be weak enough. Scheduling down does not help UConns perception. I'd rather play a tough (perenniel league icon) MAC school that is competitive with some of the mid-west "P-5 schools"

 

[Carl Spackler]

I would much rather have a trophy game with umass than play against Stony Brook or create a trophy game with Tulsa

My guess is your a young guy, and I appreciate your sentiment, I do. It's kind of heartbreaking in a way. But I'm in a bleeding heart mood, rare for me.

I would love it if UMass were at the same level we are at and we could play again every year. There was a time, when the UMass game mattered a lot. Not as much as Yale, but it mattered.

The facts are that since 1997, after what about 50 years in the same football conference, UCONN has not been part of a conference arrangement that has remained stable with the same programs for more than I think at most 3 years. I can't even keep it straight anymore. We were in the A-10. We were independent. We joined the Big East. A bunch of teams left, a bunch of teams joined. The big east added a few more teams, the big east lost a few more teams. THe big east folded up shop. The American Athletic Conference formed, the American AThletic Conference lost a few teams, the American Athletic adds a few new teams next year.

That's 16 years of complete instability as a football program when it comes to the concept of having a "rival". It's something I would love to have, but it's just not in our DNA - to quote Diaco - as a division 1A football program. We are a loner.

If a scheduling arrangement were to be reached where UCONN were to play annually, the same program on the last weekend of November for a long term commitment, we would be much better served to try to get either BYU or Army to arrange to something like that.

UMass, as has been noted, would be nice to fill a September date, once in a while.

 

[jbdphi]

Drew, I'm with you in that I would like to have more local games that are easier to travel to but I fear that ship has sailed. The real challenge (IMO) is this:
- we need to schedule a healthy percentage of P5 OOC games going forward (not 100% but >50% at a minimum)
- depending on the teams we schedule, some of those games may need to be 2 for 1's or one off paycheck games*
- to balance that out and provide us with enough homes games every year, the remainder of our OOC games will need to be 2 for 1's our way or paycheck games where we pay someone to show up at our house
- this would preclude the ability to do home and home games with UMass every year

What I find hilarious is how people here are offended by the concept of playing UMass home and home yet get so pissed off when other programs in P5 say the same thing to us. Justify it any way you want to but it's the peak of hypocrisy.

* Claiming that because we were able to schedule home and homes with Tennessee, Michigan and Virginia when we were a member of the Big East (prior to its implosion) and saying we should be able to do the same today is delusional

 

[Drew]

Carl I am a young guy, 21 year old junior from NC so I don't really know the history of uconn. I just know part of the reason that there's these crazy rabid fanbases for colleges where i'm from is because they play local teams.

South Carolina opened against UNC this year and plays Clemson every year (which would be considered a regional rivalry game, that as of late has garnered some attention nationally), UF plays FSU, ECU regularly plays UNC, Duke, and State, etc. It's good to play these local OOC games because it helps grow the sport in your area. And to those that say we should be playing games in recruiting areas, how many players from MA do we have on the roster? Wasn't our best linebacker from MA this past season?

I think it's actually a good thing in the long run if we can help keep Umass alive in D1 and have them eventually join our conference again. I guess that's how I'm looking at it. Just imagine the scene it would be having us play a Hockey East game against Umass on Thanksgiving night at XL, bball game there the next day, and after splitting the first two events beating Umass in football in East Hartford and UConn running across the field to grab the trophy and celebrate while the band plays the fight song and the crowd erupts in cheers. After doing it for 5 years maybe BC and RU see how big of a success it is and they decide to make it an even bigger event by joining in.

Doing this athletics series is more than just playing Umass. It makes UConn football, and more importantly, college sports, an event for a whole weekend where people are usually with family and they can make a tradition out of going to these games. People are right when they say we don't have traditions at this level, but why be afraid to make them?

 

[Waquoit]

Guys, lets not dismiss this out of hand.

No, lets.

 

[Oxford Bob]

I'd play UMass every year as long as we didn't have to play an FCS school. We should really look to play one of the Northern ACC schools for the end of the year games, a la Ga-Ga Tech. USC-Clemson, FLA-FSU. BC would be ideal, if not then Cuse, then Pitt if those don't work Rutgers.

 

[Drew]

only reason i chose umass was because they have the hockey and basketball program to make the big event i was talking about worthwhile and they would actually play us. BC is obviously first choice but i'm not living in fantasy land like some of the people on here and realize that its not going to happen. Rutgers would be a better football game but they do not provide the same draw in the other sports (do they even have hockey?) to make the big event possible. Pitt isn't bad but honestly was there really much of a hatred for pitt when they were BE with us?

 

[Drew]

Did you honestly just ask if BC plays hockey?

no, i asked if rutgers plays hockey

 

[BoatShow]

no, i asked if rutgers plays hockey

Ah my bad. Skimmed over the word Rutgers as it means nothing to me.

 

[ZooCougar]

If Rutgers had a non club hockey team then they would probably cancel the program.

 

[uconnbill]

1. Both teams need a New England rival
2. Easy travel to Amherst (yes, this game should be played on their campus when they host it, and obviously in EH when we host it)
3. Now that UMASS basketball is respectable again, make it a sports series ( hockey game Thanksgiving night, bball game Friday night, football game saturday)
4. Make it a trophy game. Would be pretty cool to see our players holding up the trophy after kicking umASS
5. At least for now, saves an easier game for the end of the schedule after a tough stretch of conference games. Think about what the SEC does with most of their teams scheduling FCS teams the second to last week of the season.
6. Most students at both schools have friends that have gone to the other one. Incentive for students to travel and or show up to the home game over thanksgiving break

NO. It does nothing for UCONN at all.

Sorry but pass

 

[Fishy]

Given the number of bad ideas we have around, you know something is really impressive when just the title makes you say 'wow' out loud before you even read the thread.

Well done, Drew.

 

[2Infinity]

Pitt isn't bad but honestly was there really much of a hatred for pitt when they were BE with us?

IMO there wasn't much hatred with Pitt in football, though we always seemed to be a thorn in their side. We had some victories over them when they thought there was no way that would possibly happen. However, in hoops, we had some great games! The rivalry we had was classic. Who can forget the BE championship game where Ben Gordon came into his own and went off against Pitt? That was perhaps the greatest game against them, but there were many.

 

[SubbaBub]

IMO there wasn't much hatred with Pitt in football, though we always seemed to be a thorn in their side. We had some victories over them when they thought there was no way that would possibly happen. However, in hoops, we had some great games! The rivalry we had was classic. Who can forget the BE championship game where Ben Gordon came into his own and went off against Pitt? That was perhaps the greatest game against them, but there were many.

We beat them, often. They really didn't like that because they thought they were better than us. IMO, that's the best kind of rival. Too bad they really went into the tank as a program.

 

[UCFBfan]

I'm all for more regional games and while I don't think a UMass game is the best idea it's not horrible either. I just want everyone to remember their reaction to this thread the next time someone like Coach Flood comes on over and tells all of us that RU has ZERO reason to play UConn and you all go off on him. Every reason RU fans give for not wanting/needing to play UConn are the same ones you are all giving to not wanting/needing to play UMass. Just a thought......

 

[Woof 101]

1. Both teams need a New England rival
2. Easy travel to Amherst (yes, this game should be played on their campus when they host it, and obviously in EH when we host it)
3. Now that UMASS basketball is respectable again, make it a sports series ( hockey game Thanksgiving night, bball game Friday night, football game saturday)
4. Make it a trophy game. Would be pretty cool to see our players holding up the trophy after kicking umASS
5. At least for now, saves an easier game for the end of the schedule after a tough stretch of conference games. Think about what the SEC does with most of their teams scheduling FCS teams the second to last week of the season.
6. Most students at both schools have friends that have gone to the other one. Incentive for students to travel and or show up to the home game over thanksgiving break

It's BC for The New England Cup on Thanksgiving Saturday...Home & home...We do not need another game only found on the radio. This heard only 14 miles from where it is played....

 

[Fishy]

Please, that's horse crap.

UConn and Rutgers are still in a conference together.

We don't have to invent a rivalry or pretend there's parity because it's already there.

 

[Drew]

It's BC for The New England Cup on Thanksgiving Saturday...Home & home...We do not need another game only found on the radio. This heard only 14 miles from where it is played....

I may not be familiar with this but how many times has this been played in the last 15 years and what sport are you referring to?

 

[UCDaveD]

Dress for the job you want, not the job you have. No need to go dumpster diving in Amherst.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

There is a surprising level of complete ignorance on this board about the ramifications of our current conference situation. We are in a southern mid-major conference where UConn will be lucky to average 30,000 fans because casual UConn fans could care less about any of the teams in the league outside of Cincinnati and maybe a few old timers who remember when Houston or SMU were good.

BCU and Syracuse want nothing to do with UConn. I don't see a series with Pitt any time soon either. Look at our schedule. The only quality games were either scheduled before realignment or are with programs that have scheduling challenges themselves (BYU and Boise). There are maybe 3 SEC teams that would even consider a road trip to East Hartford. About the same for the Big 10. Most of the Big 12 seems content to load up on Sun Belt schools in the non conference.

So who will UConn be scheduling outside of UMass? Other MAC schools? A school that could get the Rent close to filled is a pretty popular opponent right now.

 

[WestHartHusk]

Drew...I'm a UMass fan and as much as that game would be a great deal for UMass, I'm agreeing with the guys on this board that are saying there is no real upside for UConn to do it at this time. If Umass builds the program like I hope they do, maybe 3-5 years down the road it would be great to re-establish the local rivalry, but I'd guess UConn will not be in the AAC by that time.
That said, I really do think basketball and hockey could put a week end series together annually that would be good for both schools.

This, this, this.

 

[Adios]

On the bright side, UMass does draw crowds comparable to the U in Miami while playing at Gilette. They would draw crowds comparable to Tulsa in Amherst. UMass fans are still happy to be 2 games ahead of us in the all-time series.

 

[Waquoit]

There is a surprising level of complete ignorance on this board about the ramifications of our current conference situation. ...
So who will UConn be scheduling outside of UMass? Other MAC schools? A school that could get the Rent close to filled is a pretty popular opponent right now.

Heal thyself in the ignorance dept. UMass didn't bring a crowd of note when they came to The Rent. And filling the Rent is more about the home team than the visitors.

 

[minidarren]

 

[Waquoit]

On the bright side, UMass does draw crowds comparable to the U in Miami while playing at Gilette. They would draw crowds comparable to Tulsa in Amherst. UMass fans are still happy to be 2 games ahead of us in the all-time series.

And we are happy to note that in the best season in UMass history, they lost to UConn twice.