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

[Kolumbo]

ethay igbay eastyay isyay ethay ifthfay estbay onferencecay inyay ollegecay asketballbay

I wanted so see a quick view of the relative strengths of the conferences. There is a slight drop off to the Big East at #5.

Big 12 and then drops off slightly to 2-4. Then more drop offs from 5-9. 9-14 are all very close which includes the American and the MAC.

 

[CL82]

ethay igbay eastyay isyay ethay ifthfay estbay onferencecay inyay ollegecay asketballbay

I wanted so see a quick view of the relative strengths of the conferences. There is a slight drop off to the Big East at #5.

Big 12 and then drops off slightly to 2-4. Then more drop offs from 5-9. 9-14 are all very close which includes the American and the MAC.

View attachment 116762

Interesting. If you move Connecticut to the ACC that would become probably the second or top conference in the country. Move us to the big 12 and you solidify their number one spot.

The fact that isn't happening is a good indication that this ranking doesn't impact the value of the conferences.

 

[freescooter]

Wait!!! Are you saying that we should join the Big 10?!?!?! Did you take a break from curing cancer and inventing a machine to travel through time to figure this out? You must be some kind of super-genius to figure that out. So when do we join?

Fun fact: The ACC reject conference you fantasize about would be worse than the Big East for hoops.

Wow! Now you have jumped the shark with that response. Let’s see, Joining the Big 10-not mentioned
Cutting cancer-never mentioned
Time travel-never mentioned though fun fact there is or at least was a faculty member at UConn studying time travel. I am not he, though.
ACC rejects-nope. Not mentioned.

Why don’t you take a couple of aspirin and maybe a nap. You’ll be fine.

 

[CL82]

fun fact there is or at least was a faculty member at UConn studying time travel. I

He had an interesting concept. Essentially you could only travel backwards in time and only do so if the door to traveling backwards in time was opened in the past and stayed open.

So if you opened a door in say 2026 and left it open for 100 years, someone in 2126 could travel back to that moment.

One interesting thought is what if someone steps through in say 2076 and another person steps through in 2126 then the two people would both occupy the same physical place and moment in time at the same time. I'm not a quantum physicist, nor a medical doctor, but I suspect that would be "a bad thing."

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Interesting. If you move Connecticut to the ACC that would become probably the second or top conference in the country. Move us to the big 12 and you solidify their number one spot.

The fact that isn't happening is a good indication that this ranking doesn't impact the value of the conferences.

You are saying that if the #3 team in the country was added to a conference, it would make that conference better? That is very interesting.

 

[uconnbaseball]

Key Characteristics and Signs of Acceptance

• Acknowledging Reality: Recognizing the loss as permanent and no longer in denial.
• Integrating the Loss: Finding a way to move forward while still incorporating the loss into life.
• Emotional Stabilization: The intense, overwhelming emotions of earlier stages subside, allowing for a mix of sadness,, calm, and hope.
• Resuming Daily Activities: Re-engaging with life, pursuing hobbies, or making future plans.
• Reframing Memories: Remembering the deceased with fondness rather than unbearable pain.

How to Cope with the Acceptance Stage

• Embrace the New Reality: Actively work to build a new life while still honoring the past.
• Seek Continued Support: Continue to talk about the loss or reach out to friends, family, or support groups.
• Self-Care: Focus on physical and mental health, as grief can still impact energy levels and mood.

Duration and Misconceptions

• Duration: This stage is not an endpoint; it can last for months or years, with some people never fully reaching it.
• Not "Okay": Acceptance does not mean the person is "fine" or has forgotten the loss; it means they have accepted it as a reality.
• Not Linear: Grief is not a linear process, and individuals may cycle back to previous stages, especially during anniversaries or triggers

In fairness, if I were a UVA sports fan I’d go through the 5 stages of grief every day.

 

[uconnbaseball]

You are saying that if the #3 team in the country was added to a conference, it would make that conference better? That is very interesting.

The ACC and Big East are both awful options with some highlight games (Duke, Villanova, St John’s, UNC). The Big 12 would be far better if the Ok State AD could get over themselves. UConn should aspire for better, especially an ACC leftover conference with UNC pillaged.

UConn will be fine because we are UConn. Put BC or Rutgers in our shoes, and they’d be Patriot league bound in years.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

The ACC and Big East are both awful options with some highlight games (Duke, Villanova, St John’s, UNC). The Big 12 would be far better if the Ok State AD could get over themselves. UConn should aspire for better, especially an ACC leftover conference with UNC pillaged.

UConn will be fine because we are UConn. Put BC or Rutgers in our shoes, and they’d be Patriot league bound in years.

Despite the hysterical rantings of some, there is not that big a difference this season between the Big East, ACC, Big 12, Big 10 and SEC. About 20-25% of those other leagues are really good, and if St. John’s had not caked its pants in the non conference, 20% of the Big East would be really good too. St. John’s wins 2 more OOC games, and the Big East is the third or fourth best conference.

The bid situation is because the bottom of the league doesn’t suck as bad as the bottom of other leagues, and Butler is getting picked off. The bottom 25-30% of other leagues losses virtually all of their games against the rest of their league. If someone wants to cry over an 11 seed, then whatever.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

That's brilliant. If St John's performed better we'd have a high quality conference.

Back to reality.

This is the top 27% of the conference:

This is the remaining 73% of the conference:

 

[Purple Stein]

If the conference affiliation is the paramount issue for these posters, what is their solution? If there is no solution, then why do they bring it up in every thread?

Often times there are problems that do not have immediate solutions.

In fact, these are the problems that tend to provoke the most discussion.

And, lo and behold, here we find ourselves, on a discussion board. Where we discuss things. Like obvious problems that don't have immediate solutions.

 

[shizzle787]

That's brilliant. If St John's performed better we'd have a high quality conference.

Back to reality.

This is the top 27% of the conference:
View attachment 116798

This is the remaining 73% of the conference:
View attachment 116799

To be fair, we could have gotten 5 in this year, but Butler caked their pants against the bottom half of the league.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

That's brilliant. If St John's performed better we'd have a high quality conference.

Back to reality.

This is the top 27% of the conference:
View attachment 116798

This is the remaining 73% of the conference:
View attachment 116799

You are the one claiming that the Big East is a mid major. Make the case.

 

[freescooter]

To be fair, we could have gotten 5 in this year, but Butler caked their pants against the bottom half of the league.

Um, Butler is 13-10 (4-8). They have been an equal opportunity loser.

 

[shizzle787]

Um, Butler is 13-10 (4-8). They have been an equal opportunity loser.

They had a 9-2 non-conference record with 3 P4 wins (they were on the right side of the line before league play).

 

[Hoophound]

I really wish there was a way to bring the Big East back to its former glory. I just got home, poured a drink, and sat down to see what games are on. Unfortunately, there’s no Big East games, and I’m not interested in anything else. I don’t care about the B1G or WVU/Cincy. I’m not sure what I want out of all this crap going on, but I think regional/traditional rivalries just matter to me.

 

[Alum86]

Nelson: It is terrible for UConn in that we are the only FBS football school. AD Dave is just biding time. If we never get out, we die with the rest of the CYO schools, eventually. Simple as that.
Welcome to UConn for every sport, not just for hoop.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

UConn has made some bad decisions waiting for the golden ticket. The Big East’s lawsuit in 2003 saved the athletic program, and we should have been rattling cages more since.

The next step should be trying to split football off from the NCAA.

 

[jfreeds]

This is the thread for those that want to litter every thread on the basketball board with their anti-Big East rants. Let's hear why the Big East is so terrible. Let's hear why UConn would be better off in the American. Educate the rest of us.

@HooperScooper @bendm @RuffRuff @rashadray11

I will supply the long winded answer:

There are two things happening:

A) Lots of money to compete consistently in college sports is required now. One's reaction to that might be "but look at what UConn has done in the last half decade" but the problem with this argument is that the requirement to make lots of money is very new. The changing landscape had little to no impact on things even only a few years ago but in 5, 10 , 20 years the impact will be very clear.

Another counter argument might be "well we've done pretty well raising money to date". I wouldn't argue with that. I would argue that it still isn't enough long term and I would argue that the bigger issue lies with our fellow conference members. These tiny, football-less schools generate WAY to little income compared to the Power 4 schools. Therefore the rest of the Big East will still start to flounder in time, thus making the conference as a whole weaker which will then make UConn less attractive to top recruits and coaches.

The Big East dissolving or essentially becoming a Mid Major conference in the next 10-20 years is very much on the table.

B) As time progresses and the Big 10 and SEC get more powerful (and we'll see what happens with the Big 12 and ACC) and as they continue to grow in size they are going to start looking into starting their own league, governed by themselves without the NCAA. Both conferences have already formed a joint advisory group with the goal of exploring possibilities how to strengthen the two conferences together in tandem.

It is conceivable that in time, the SEC and Big 10 decide "lets have our own March Madness (and football tournament) with just us (and maybe some invitees)". 40 schools competing for a their own championship that gains attention and attraction and ultimately becomes considered the most prestigious tournament in CBB and CFB. Similar to how the NCAA tournament supplanted the N.I.T. And if you not part of that group you are essentially not eligible to compete for a championship.

The Big 12 or ACC is the first step to staying relevant in the coming decades. My prediction, as is many other, is that the Power 4 becomes the Power 3 eventually. Power 2 wouldn't shock me though.

So, it's not a "the Big East sucks" rant. The Big East has been good to us and I would very much miss the Big East tournament at MSG but it is necessary to move on and we can't be stuck on what has worked for us historically thinking that will work for us in the future.

 

[Fishy]

The Big East is almost certainly a three bid league.

I will supply the long winded answer:

There are two things happening:

A) Lots of money to compete consistently in college sports is required now. One's reaction to that might be "but look at what UConn has done in the last half decade" but the problem with this argument is that the requirement to make lots of money is very new. The changing landscape had little to no impact on things even only a few years ago but in 5, 10 , 20 years the impact will be very clear.

Another counter argument might be "well we've done pretty well raising money to date". I wouldn't argue with that. I would argue that it still isn't enough long term and I would argue that the bigger issue lies with our fellow conference members. These tiny, football-less schools generate WAY to little income compared to the Power 4 schools. Therefore the rest of the Big East will still start to flounder in time, thus making the conference as a whole weaker which will then make UConn less attractive to top recruits and coaches.

The Big East dissolving or essentially becoming a Mid Major conference in the next 10-20 years is very much on the table.

B) As time progresses and the Big 10 and SEC get more powerful (and we'll see what happens with the Big 12 and ACC) and as they continue to grow in size they are going to start looking into starting their own league, governed by themselves without the NCAA. Both conferences have already formed a joint advisory group with the goal of exploring possibilities how to strengthen the two conferences together in tandem.

It is conceivable that in time, the SEC and Big 10 decide "lets have our own March Madness (and football tournament) with just us (and maybe some invitees)". 40 schools competing for a their own championship that gains attention and attraction and ultimately becomes considered the most prestigious tournament in CBB and CFB. Similar to how the NCAA tournament supplanted the N.I.T. And if you not part of that group you are essentially not eligible to compete for a championship.

The Big 12 or ACC is the first step to staying relevant in the coming decades. My prediction, as is many other, is that the Power 4 becomes the Power 3 eventually. Power 2 wouldn't shock me though.

So, it's not a "the Big East sucks" rant. The Big East has been good to us and I would very much miss the Big East tournament at MSG but it is necessary to move on and we can't be stuck on what has worked for us historically thinking that will work for us in the future.

Bingo.

Long-term, we will not survive as we are now in this conference. The money is moving away from us at too rapid a rate.

However, and probably worse, we really do not control any part of our destiny and if you’re a betting man, you would probably put money on the fact that the P4 is almost certainly done promoting up into their ranks. If there’s any conference shuffling remaining, it’s going to be internal.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I will supply the long winded answer:

There are two things happening:

A) Lots of money to compete consistently in college sports is required now. One's reaction to that might be "but look at what UConn has done in the last half decade" but the problem with this argument is that the requirement to make lots of money is very new. The changing landscape had little to no impact on things even only a few years ago but in 5, 10 , 20 years the impact will be very clear.

Another counter argument might be "well we've done pretty well raising money to date". I wouldn't argue with that. I would argue that it still isn't enough long term and I would argue that the bigger issue lies with our fellow conference members. These tiny, football-less schools generate WAY to little income compared to the Power 4 schools. Therefore the rest of the Big East will still start to flounder in time, thus making the conference as a whole weaker which will then make UConn less attractive to top recruits and coaches.

The Big East dissolving or essentially becoming a Mid Major conference in the next 10-20 years is very much on the table.

B) As time progresses and the Big 10 and SEC get more powerful (and we'll see what happens with the Big 12 and ACC) and as they continue to grow in size they are going to start looking into starting their own league, governed by themselves without the NCAA. Both conferences have already formed a joint advisory group with the goal of exploring possibilities how to strengthen the two conferences together in tandem.

It is conceivable that in time, the SEC and Big 10 decide "lets have our own March Madness (and football tournament) with just us (and maybe some invitees)". 40 schools competing for a their own championship that gains attention and attraction and ultimately becomes considered the most prestigious tournament in CBB and CFB. Similar to how the NCAA tournament supplanted the N.I.T. And if you not part of that group you are essentially not eligible to compete for a championship.

The Big 12 or ACC is the first step to staying relevant in the coming decades. My prediction, as is many other, is that the Power 4 becomes the Power 3 eventually. Power 2 wouldn't shock me though.

So, it's not a "the Big East sucks" rant. The Big East has been good to us and I would very much miss the Big East tournament at MSG but it is necessary to move on and we can't be stuck on what has worked for us historically thinking that will work for us in the future.

The reason I started this thread is because a handful of posters feel the need to beat this topic to death in every thread about every subject on the basketball board.

I will let you in on a secret. Every single poster who has ever posted on the Realignment Board or in a thread about realignment anywhere on this site, or any other site, knows most, all, or more than this about this topic. Many of us have been posting about this topic for 24 years.

The P6 became the P5 became the P4 could become the P3, P2 or P1. Got it. Is there a plan anywhere on this site for getting Connecticut on the other side of the dividing line? Because I read a lot of hope as a plan. How has that worked for the last 24 years?

 

[John]

The reason I started this thread is because a handful of posters feel the need to beat this topic to death in every thread about every subject on the basketball board.

Lots of posts last night after the St John’s game complaining about the Big East, you’d better get over there Officer Thread Police.

 

[Purple Stein]

So, it's not a "the Big East sucks" rant. The Big East has been good to us and I would very much miss the Big East tournament at MSG but it is necessary to move on and we can't be stuck on what has worked for us historically thinking that will work for us in the future.

I would love to have more fat and salt in my diet. I have very fond memories of fat and salt.

But I don't want to die too early, so I'm cutting them out.

 

[jfreeds]

The reason I started this thread is because a handful of posters feel the need to beat this topic to death in every thread about every subject on the basketball board.

I will let you in on a secret. Every single poster who has ever posted on the Realignment Board or in a thread about realignment anywhere on this site, or any other site, knows most, all, or more than this about this topic. Many of us have been posting about this topic for 24 years.

The P6 became the P5 became the P4 could become the P3, P2 or P1. Got it. Is there a plan anywhere on this site for getting Connecticut on the other side of the dividing line? Because I read a lot of hope as a plan. How has that worked for the last 24 years?

 

[jfreeds]

So a topic you feel has been beat to death, you thought to start a thread about it?

And the plan? There's no secret sauce. Win, put people in the stands, make more money and try to negotiate into one of the conferences and we already trying to do all those things.

It continues to be talked about because it is important and because there are actually people out there that think we should stay in the Big East.

 

[Blades]

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

The Big East and INDY Football is perfect for Uconn until it ain't...$$$... because unfortunately, as has been the case for years, that's all Uconn controls......#ACC or #BIG 12

P.S. "Uconn's Big East exit fee is $30 million within the first six years of membership, dropping to $15 million after that, and to $10 million after 10 years....they left the (AAC) for the Big East in 2020"