Why do you like UConn?

[HuskyNationJE]

my great grandfather taught at UConn, my grandfather and dad went to UConn, I was born and raised in New Haven and since birth grew up in a die hard UConn household. There are videos of me on the couch at just a few months old watching March Madness with my parents.

 

[Guapo]

I like UConn because I want my alma mater to be the best that it can be at all things, including basketball.

I'm happy when we beat Cuse and I'm happy when a professor receives major recognition.

I'm happy when we beat Georgetown and I'm happy when a program receives a significant grant.

I'm happy when we win national championships and I'm happy when we move up in academic rankings.

It's difficult to put into words, but the school and the athletic program are totally and completely intertwined.

I realize with the pro teams I root for, I am essentially rooting for laundry (and I do so unapologetically).

With UConn sports, it goes beyond team colors; they are representing an essential life experience with intrinsic value and worth for all the alumni and anyone who calls, or has called, Connecticut home.

 

[navery12]

I still have my University of Connecticut rear windshield decal, through my time in Boston, Vegas, and now here in San Diego. I have a ton of UConn pride, way more than most of my friends in hindsight. It’s been awful to see where the AD is now.

But I was at UConn 08-12, I’d argue one of the better windows of UConn athletics: peak Edsall football and Fiesta Bowl bid; the last truly UConn-great basketball squad in 09; one of the most incredible postseason runs in the history of sport; and of course watched the women dominate. I was on campus to live and celebrate all that. And nothing can take that away. The kind of spirit that gets ingrained in you through that doesn’t just go away.

I was there 2012-2016. Probably not peak UConn athletics, but dual championships my sophomore year and being the only class with 4 women's championships gives me something to be happy about

 

[pj]

I like UConn mainly because of Jim Calhoun. I grew up near UConn and developed an interest in UConn in the late 1970s with the Corny Thompson/Karl Hobbs/Mike McKay/Chuck Aleksinas etc teams. But that only made me follow casually from a distance until the 1989-90 season when I got hooked. Then I stayed hooked because no matter the quality of his recruits, JC always made his players better and his teams better, and I enjoyed watching a discombobulated team become a tightly coordinated yet creative machine, and inexperienced kids become highly disciplined and capable players. That for me is the big attraction of college over the NBA, you can see the progression and the player development because the learning curve is so steep for these kids, the NBA is much more static and the teams that are picked to win preseason are the teams that make the finals. I find the NBA boring. Another aspect of college that interests me are the matchup issues, all the college teams have strengths and weaknesses so there is always a chance to find the Achilles heel of a strong team.

I think a lot of people got spoiled by JC and his success and aren't willing to give KO the time to prove he can develop players and develop teams. It's not easy or lots of coaches would be doing it. I still believe in KO but I do agree that the last few years his teams have been less entertaining than JC's generally were.

 

[nomar]

I was 11 when they won the NIT. I started watching the following season (1988-89). Hopped on the bandwagon right before there was one.

Zero connection to UConn other than me being a Connecticut kid.

 

[QDOG5]

Weston, Welton, Corny, Tony Hanson and John Thomas from Bogalosa, Louisiana

 

[UConnTrumbull]

Yes

Makes sense. Guess as long as we finish top half of AAC we should be content. That’s what it’s come to.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

And here in lies the gist of this discussion. Each of us handle things we observe differently.

Football has been so bad you've capitulated to the point that a 3-4 season feels good to you.

BB is different for you because between the two sports your expectations are different given that bb has not gone through such a terrible state.

Different experiences giving you different reactions.

But each of us are different. Some of us are not interested in football. Some of us are not as content with a 3-4 record. Some of us are happy and some of us are thrilled (me).

Different types of reactions apply to those of us who root for the men's bb team.

The funny (or sad) thing is everyone is telling everyone else the proper way they should react. people react to the world in the manner they consider appropriate. And for most of us what is appropriate is how we react to things.

So you. Thanks.

 

[Dove]

I have sometimes written that if Saddam Hussein came out of the rat hole in a UCONN tee I would changed my opinion of the guy pretty quickly.

 

[Mr. French]

I am born and raised in Buffalo, so I have zero connection with the university, athletics, or state.

I was young and started playing ball in 4-5-6 grade, and everyone knew Jordan, magic, bird. For me, I had no college team, though sadly the closest would prob have been Duke in those days, with Laettner, etc. But I was young and didn't know much except the major teams (UNC, fab 5, UNLV).

The first time I knew anything about UConn was seeing Donyell on the USA today All-American team, liked his look (I specifically remember liking his flat top slant fade), liked his name, liked the uniforms, so I started paying attention. By that year and then the following with Ray's sophomore year, I was hooked.

It's sort of odd, I've never really had any reason to know anything about them but after 20+ years I'm a diehard since almost day 1.

 

[Son of Robert]

Surprised nobody posted this.

That dog, the mascot, was awesome. Running and making flying leaping slides. Hasn't been done since.

Great video!

 

[mauconnfan]

I am born and raised in Buffalo, so I have zero connection with the university, athletics, or state.

I was young and started playing ball in 4-5-6 grade, and everyone knew Jordan, magic, bird. For me, I had no college team, though sadly the closest would prob have been Duke in those days, with Laettner, etc. But I was young and didn't know much except the major teams (UNC, fab 5, UNLV).

The first time I knew anything about UConn was seeing Donyell on the USA today All-American team, liked his look (I specifically remember liking his flat top slant fade), liked his name, liked the uniforms, so I started paying attention. By that year and then the following with Ray's sophomore year, I was hooked.

It's sort of odd, I've never really had any reason to know anything about them but after 20+ years I'm a diehard since almost day 1.

This one Mr French is the most interesting to me. No affiliations minus some TV time with one player and it grew into being hooked for the last 20, very cool. Glad you were watching.

 

[Scot-e]

Born in CT. Parents went to UCONN. Moved around my whole life - Two elementary schools- two junior high schools-two high schools. UCONN was always something I could concentrate on when things got complicated or simply overwhelming- UCONN kinda grounded me in a way.

The Boneyard believe it or not is a place I love to go to relax- nice to know their are other people that are as obsessed as I am. Where else can I go and talk about who our third option at the 4 might be this year?
Since 1999 they have also given the best sports moments of my life- what a feeling in 1999! KEA, Rip, Kemba, Shabazz- my sports heroes. I don't even remember the 11 hour drive home after the 1999 champ game- so happy.

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Using past performance to completely write off present conditions is fallacious.

I'm really don't want to go down this rabbit hole with you @temery or @fleudslipcon but the fact is UConn has been great and as fan my expectations and how I judge the program has adjusted accordingly.

Sure we don't have the Big East and we don't have Calhoun, but if you can find me demanding we make Elite 8s and Final 4s while being a top 10 team be my guest.

Being a consistent NCAA team given our history is not unrealistic barometer for which to measure the state of our program.