Why is the Big East terrible for UConn and where should UConn go instead?

[ZooCougar]

Everything that can be said about the conference situation has been said many, many times about the conference situation since 2002. We have covered it ad nauseum, and I estimate that at least 5% of of all posts on the Football and Men's Basketball boards at least reference the conference situation. There is nothing new to say about the conference situation at this time. And if someone wants to talk about it anyway, there is a whole board, Conference Realignment, just to talk about the conference situation.

With that backdrop, why do the same 5-10 UConn "fans" have to derail almost every thread on the basketball board that is actually about basketball with their whining about the conference situation?

Oh you think we are in the minority?

That’s prescious.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

The AAC was a catastrophically stupid decision that was dragged out way longer than it should have been because UConn wanted to cash the exit fee checks. If UConn had joined the Big East for hoops and gone independent in football in 2013 when Pitt and Syracuse left, UConn would be a full member of the Big 12 now. The AAC killed both the football and men's basketball programs, and while Geno won 3 championships out of the AAC, he hated that league too.

Everyone that ever supported being in the AAC owes the rest of us an apology.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

This is the right attitude.
Maybe BIG is a bit optimistic, but surely a more manageable target is ACC or Big 12 in next 5 years.

If that doesn’t happen, then I suspect we may see a FB only move somewhere which wouldn’t be ideal. But look at what JMU did out of Sun Belt. Just need a legitimate path.

Fun fact: If the Big 10 wanted us, we would be in the Big 10. Same goes for the Big 12, SEC and ACC. They don't want us.

Since that should be obvious to everyone, it is safe to assume that anyone still endlessly complaining about the Big East must want us in the AAC.

 

[UConnDan97]

The AAC was a catastrophically stupid decision that was dragged out way longer than it should have been because UConn wanted to cash the exit fee checks. If UConn had joined the Big East for hoops and gone independent in football in 2013 when Pitt and Syracuse left, UConn would be a full member of the Big 12 now. The AAC killed both the football and men's basketball programs, and while Geno won 3 championships out of the AAC, he hated that league too.

Everyone that ever supported being in the AAC owes the rest of us an apology.

"UConn wanted to cash the exit fee checks".

OF COURSE WE DID! If I recall correctly, we received 25 million dollars back in 2013. By the way, that's 4X more than the current Big East media contract in 2026. Let that sink in for a second.

Had football been left in better hands, we'd currently be in the Big12 instead of Houston or Cincy, and none of this dumb thread would exist...

 

[nelsonmuntz]

"UConn wanted to cash the exit fee checks".

OF COURSE WE DID! If I recall correctly, we received 25 million dollars back in 2013. By the way, that's 4X more than the current Big East media contract in 2026. Let that sink in for a second.

Had football been left in better hands, we'd currently be in the Big12 instead of Houston or Cincy, and none of this dumb thread would exist...

You just pointed out that staying in the AAC was a really bad investment by UConn.

 

[UConnDan97]

You just pointed out that staying in the AAC was a really bad investment by UConn.

No, I pointed out that Pasqualoni, Diaco, and Warde Manuel were bad investments.

In 2013, we were still drawing 30K to football games. And in 2013, the AAC had basketball coaches such as Pitino, Cronin, Larry Brown, Dunphy, etc. (And soon to have Kelvin Sampson in 2014). The AAC wasn't the inferior of "The Catholic 7" at the time. So please stop with the revisionist history.

The problem was that we allowed football to fall into an abyss because we went cheap in many ways there, instead of capitalizing on our Fiesta Bowl appearance and decade of success.

Your infatuation with the Big East is abnormal at best, and disingenuous at worst...

 

[nelsonmuntz]

No, I pointed out that Pasqualoni, Diaco, and Warde Manuel were bad investments.

In 2013, we were still drawing 30K to football games. And in 2013, the AAC had basketball coaches such as Pitino, Cronin, Larry Brown, Dunphy, etc. (And soon to have Kelvin Sampson in 2014). The AAC wasn't the inferior of "The Catholic 7" at the time. So please stop with the revisionist history.

The problem was that we allowed football to fall into an abyss because we went cheap in many ways there, instead of capitalizing on our Fiesta Bowl appearance and decade of success.

Your infatuation with the Big East is abnormal at best, and disingenuous at worst...

Just wanting to know which UConn "fans" that want Tulsa and East Carolina back on the schedule.

The AAC was a disaster. Just because some other school made it work doesn't make it a good idea. By that stupid logic, being in a mid-major is a great idea because Gonzaga makes it work.

I said that being in the AAC was a disaster in 2014, and I was 100% right.

Thread 'A case for football independence, Part II'

Apr 8, 2014

What if UConn was invited into a conference for basketball only:

UConn would make $4-5MM a year just for men's and women's basketball.

There were more Top 50 program in this conference, and very few programs that finished outside the top 150.

The conference had a lot of historically strong programs and historical rivalries that could draw more fans to XL/Gampel.

The conference would get UConn games in NYC for recruiting.

UConn would still be on its own for football.

The conference was the ACC.

Would you be in favor of that?

• nelsonmuntz
• Replies: 149
• Forum: Conference Realignment Board

 

[UConnDan97]

Just wanting to know which UConn "fans" that want Tulsa and East Carolina back on the schedule.

The AAC was a disaster. Just because some other school made it work doesn't make it a good idea. By that stupid logic, being in a mid-major is a great idea because Gonzaga makes it work.

I said that being in the AAC was a disaster in 2014, and I was 100% right.

Thread 'A case for football independence, Part II'

Apr 8, 2014

What if UConn was invited into a conference for basketball only:

UConn would make $4-5MM a year just for men's and women's basketball.

There were more Top 50 program in this conference, and very few programs that finished outside the top 150.

The conference had a lot of historically strong programs and historical rivalries that could draw more fans to XL/Gampel.

The conference would get UConn games in NYC for recruiting.

UConn would still be on its own for football.

The conference was the ACC.

Would you be in favor of that?

• nelsonmuntz
• Replies: 149
• Forum: Conference Realignment Board

The AAC was a means to an end. The problem was that we didn't leverage it the way that Houston and Cincinnati and UCF did. We had 25 million dollars to make a splash in the next realignment and we squandered it.

The Big East is also a means to an end, whether you want to admit it or not. And this time, we're investing heavily, so that we're in good shape during the next realignment. Because believe me when I say that there are very few UConn fans who don't want to leave this conference for the P4. You are in an extremely small, and very weird, minority...

 

[John]

The AAC was a means to an end. The problem was that we didn't leverage it the way that Houston and Cincinnati and UCF did. We had 25 million dollars to make a splash in the next realignment and we squandered it.

The Big East is also a means to an end, whether you want to admit it or not. And this time, we're investing heavily, so that we're in good shape during the next realignment. Because believe me when I say that there are very few UConn fans who don't want to leave this conference for the P4. You are in an extremely small, and very weird, minority...

Since he got the topic shut down on the MBB board, Nelson started an entirely new thread on a this board just to give him more opportunities to leg-hump the AAC, He’s literally the only person on the entire Boneyard who mentions that ex-conference anymore. AAC fetish.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

The AAC was a means to an end. The problem was that we didn't leverage it the way that Houston and Cincinnati and UCF did. We had 25 million dollars to make a splash in the next realignment and we squandered it.

The Big East is also a means to an end, whether you want to admit it or not. And this time, we're investing heavily, so that we're in good shape during the next realignment. Because believe me when I say that there are very few UConn fans who don't want to leave this conference for the P4. You are in an extremely small, and very weird, minority...

UConn was the northern outpost in a southern mid-major. There was no chance of making that league work. Diaco was a terrible coach, but Pasqualoni wasn't, and he couldn't make it work. Mora was successful, once we were independent and post-House and NIL, when the huge recruiting ditch we were in as a northern school in a southern mid-major in 2014 because less problematic.

Ollie's Championship in 2014 was a miracle on many different levels, and will never be repeated again. He couldn't hold onto talent in the AAC, and Hurley wouldn't have been able to do it either if we had not gotten into the Big East. I think there is about a 90% chance that Hurley knew we were leaving for the Big East when he turned down the Pitt job.

 

[UConnDan97]

UConn was the northern outpost in a southern mid-major. There was no chance of making that league work. Diaco was a terrible coach, but Pasqualoni wasn't, and he couldn't make it work. Mora was successful, once we were independent and post-House and NIL, when the huge recruiting ditch we were in as a northern school in a southern mid-major in 2014 because less problematic.

Ollie's Championship in 2014 was a miracle on many different levels, and will never be repeated again. He couldn't hold onto talent in the AAC, and Hurley wouldn't have been able to do it either if we had not gotten into the Big East. I think there is about a 90% chance that Hurley knew we were leaving for the Big East when he turned down the Pitt job.

Cool. Cool.

Gun to your head: Big East or Big 12? I just want to get you on record for being a clown, even though plenty of that record already exists...

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Since he got the topic shut down on the MBB board, Nelson started an entirely new thread on a this board just to give him more opportunities to leg-hump the AAC, He’s literally the only person on the entire Boneyard who mentions that ex-conference anymore. AAC fetish.

I am very clear about why I started this thread. Not a lot to interpret.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Cool. Cool.

Gun to your head: Big East or Big 12? I just want to get you on record for being a clown, even though plenty of that record already exists...

We can't do the SMU deal.

I also was against the previous discussion, where we join the Big 12 for hoops only with an earn-in and get a handshake agreement that they will take a look at adding the football program in 2030. That would have been another in a long list of stupid offers that posters like you loved and would have killed the athletic program once and for all.

If we get a full member offer to any of the P4, we should pack our bags.

 

[John]

Just wanting to know which UConn "fans" that want Tulsa and East Carolina back on the schedule.

Just wanting to know which Big East “fans” pine for athletic department powerhouses like Dayton and St Louis on the schedule. See, two can play at that game.

 

[John]

I am very clear about why I started this thread. Not a lot to interpret.

Yes it’s clear you want to tell us about your AAC fetish and how you think our titan athletic department should be more like Seton Hall.

 

[UConnDan97]

We can't do the SMU deal.

I also was against the previous discussion, where we join the Big 12 for hoops only with an earn-in and get a handshake agreement that they will take a look at adding the football program in 2030. That would have been another in a long list of stupid offers that posters like you loved and would have killed the athletic program once and for all.

If we get a full member offer to any of the P4, we should pack our bags.

So based on your final sentence (because the rest is worthless), you are where every other UConn fan is. Congratulations! You finally made it here...

 

[B1GEast]

The AAC was a catastrophically stupid decision that was dragged out way longer than it should have been because UConn wanted to cash the exit fee checks. If UConn had joined the Big East for hoops and gone independent in football in 2013 when Pitt and Syracuse left, UConn would be a full member of the Big 12 now. The AAC killed both the football and men's basketball programs, and while Geno won 3 championships out of the AAC, he hated that league too.

Everyone that ever supported being in the AAC owes the rest of us an apology.

The program was too young to take on Independent status

The program needed stability

Louisville, Cincinnati, and Houston were in that league. They managed all find better homes.

We were stuck with poor leadership and we stunk. Bad coach hires

If we had a better AD that put the right coaches in place, we probably could have gotten an ACC offer

Being in the AAC wasn't the worst thing for the program, having poor leadership with no strategy was the problem.

We left at the right time. I don't see a path to independence in 2013. It wasn't feasible

 

[nelsonmuntz]

So based on your final sentence (because the rest is worthless), you are where every other UConn fan is. Congratulations! You finally made it here...

The rest is the reality where we actually live.

 

[uconnyankee]

Fun fact: If the Big 10 wanted us, we would be in the Big 10. Same goes for the Big 12, SEC and ACC. They don't want us.

Since that should be obvious to everyone, it is safe to assume that anyone still endlessly complaining about the Big East must want us in the AAC.

This statement is about as shallow as your other arguments.
Yes, it’s true UConn hasn’t landed the invite as of yet, but that hardly means Big 12 or ACC won’t invite UConn in the future.

We all know the fluidity of conference realignment and that ultimately, the media partners have to agree to any expansion.

Simply saying they don’t want us, and using our current status as evidence is just more of your weak tea.

At some point, UConn will get the invite. I understand, when that happens, you will be upset.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

This statement is about as shallow as your other arguments.
Yes, it’s true UConn hasn’t landed the invite as of yet, but that hardly means Big 12 or ACC won’t invite UConn in the future.

We all know the fluidity of conference realignment and that ultimately, the media partners have to agree to any expansion.

Simply saying they don’t want us, and using our current status as evidence is just more of your weak tea.

At some point, UConn will get the invite. I understand, when that happens, you will be upset.

It has been 24 years since conference realignment really picked up, which means 24 years of not being picked by anyone but the Big East. Look at the last few additions from the Pac 12. The ones that joined the Big 10 and ACC joined as partial members.

The only way we are getting invited is if the macro circumstances change, and when that happens, we need to be well positioned. Praying for a miracle is not a strategy.

 

[Chuck]

I honestly can't read through all of this, so I don't know if this was already addressed. Assuming that something happens in the next couple years that realistically closes the door to UConn getting into a P4 conference, what does UConn do next?

I personally don't see UConn doing a UMass and joining a crummy league for all sports. So, what do we do with football. Stay independent? Try to join a league for football only (which would require buy-in and termination fees)? Go FCS? UConn is spending a lot of money right now trying to look like a P4 team with no other end game (terrible bowl access, no conference titles or big games). We're the only real independent team considering ND has a scheduling agreement and bowl access through the ACC (and they're ND). That doesn't seem like a responsible way to spend in the long run.

 

[Stinger92860]

Football will never break off as there is no benefit to the schools that hold all of the power.

Break off from what?

 

[Slasher]

Nothing is going to happen until movement in the ACC happens. That will open up opportunities. The ACC can't stay with this odd number of teams. Nor can they think they're not going to get poached if the SEC and B1G go looking. The B1G has to want 2 more teams to get to 20. 18 is awkward. The SEC is probably content, but they could add 4 to get 20 as well. A lot of dominoes to fall before 2031.

 

[SU1968]

After reading the arguments on both sides here, I'm curious. In an alternate universe where UConn in the AAC applied to the nBE for membership and was denied because it wasn't a small, Catholic school, what do you think the outcome would have been?

 

[FfldCntyFan]

After reading the arguments on both sides here, I'm curious. In an alternate universe where UConn in the AAC applied to the nBE for membership and was denied because it wasn't a small, Catholic school, what do you think the outcome would have been?

We would have won back to back titles in 23/24 as a member of the AAC.