Why keep football ?

[Devland]

This decision will be made after HCRE2.0's fifth year. No sooner. A nationally ranked winning G5 football program is a completely different animal from what UConn has now.

I think people seem to forget that it took RE1 four years just to have a .500 season. His first three seasons he had 4, 3 and 2 wins. His method of developing raw players with strength and conditioning takes time. I don't know if RE2 will reach the level of RE1 but I think we need to give him time. We can't just keep hitting the reset button every couple years. It will get us nowhere.

 

[champs99and04]

The NBA is destroying everyone.

The NFL is healthier than CW.

College football at the national level isn’t too bad off.

Soccer is growing in the US.

College basketball is dying so fast nobody even cares about the trial.

College basketball has been a niche sport for at least a decade now. It's not a case of a sport that's bleeding out gradually by the year, it's a sport that's already been through the ringer and it will survive from here on out, barring any significant changes, as a product you either like or you don't. Four weeks per year is all they need.

I don't see any sport that's really ready to take off. I think soccer has always been very popular in the United States, but there is too much global change that would have to occur for it to ever morph into a true spectator sport.

Hockey faces some obvious demographic challenges that will make expanding the sport throughout the country a non-starter. But I do expect that it will begin to fill more of the vacancy in the northeast, if and when football sputters out. Basketball will reap the benefits as well, but there doesn't seem to be much overlap between the fans of those sports, and there's a regional appeal that's becoming jeopardized with basketball as many of the traditional northeast powers have been left out of the p5 model.

 

[freescooter]

It is really a cultural change. Younger people have other things to do. It is being felt at every level of sport from high school to the NFL. My high school used to send multiple bus loads of students to away football games. My nieces who go to the same school and are active in school activities from track to plays to the school paper have been to a couple of games in their 2 and 4 years but none away and there is surely no bus. And UConn is far from alone in having less than great student attendance. Students at Duke still camp out for student tickets but for most games it isn’t necessary. It is just a college event. Michigan was giving away free tickets to football if you bought Coke. They stopped because it looked bad not because they were selling out. The NFL is seeing attendance and viewing fall. College basketball has followed the NBA toward a mostly meaningless regular season. In all seriousness why go out on a Tuesday night in Januaryvto watch UCONN play Temple when the outcome is more or less meaningless. March matters and winning your regular season really doesn’t. Hasn’t for a while but now people are getting that it’s meh. In many ways the NCAA tourney has become the perfect event for a generation raised on trophies for all. For some leagues you get in by finishing 8 or 9. Honestly you don’t even have to be that good. And guys who actually win their leagues to get in get relegated to the playin round.

 

[RSTuthill]

I think people seem to forget that it took RE1 four years just to have a .500 season. His first three seasons he had 4, 3 and 2 wins. His method of developing raw players with strength and conditioning takes time. I don't know if RE2 will reach the level of RE1 but I think we need to give him time. We can't just keep hitting the reset button every couple years. It will get us nowhere.

Agreed. And five years is long enough to establish if there is any hope.

 

[huskyrob1]

Tell more of the UB football story if you can. I'm genuinely curious.

Here's one side of it, this article has nothing about what killing the program did to the school itself. At one time UB football ruled in Connecticut. I was there, right in the middle of it.

For a brief period, UB's football program among the elite

 

[methodology]

They are all in. Can't back out now. Have to take the punches while they try to come back to respectability

 

[uconnphil2016]

Saw Colorado bear ASU today. I highly recommend going to the stadium—may be the most beautiful in all of sports. Saw good football with a great crowd.

I left more convinced than ever that we need to shut it down. We’re not in the same stratosphere as what’s going on at a mid level P5 program.

It’s not salvageable—just give it up

 

[Bomber36]

Ouch.

 

[huskymedic]

Look what you people are doing to the ad profile??

 

[UConnTrumbull]

Saw Colorado bear ASU today. I highly recommend going to the stadium—may be the most beautiful in all of sports. Saw good football with a great crowd.

I left more convinced than ever that we need to shut it down. We’re not in the same stratosphere as what’s going on at a mid level P5 program.

It’s not salvageable—just give it up

Your fiance is a lucky woman

 

[nelsonmuntz]

If shutting the football program down tomorrow, and playing basketball in the Big East this season was an option, I would do it without a moment's hesitation.

 

[Adios]

If shutting the football program down tomorrow, and playing basketball in the Big East this season was an option, I would do it without a moment's hesitation.

We didn't know that. Thank you for informing us of your opinion.

We going to start collegiate MMA by any chance?

 

[NC_Uconn_Fan]

I give the die hard football fans credit for watching every game, knowing the outcome will be bad. I'm a Giants fan, so I understand.

 

[Waquoit]

And the TAXPAYERS will be paying for a 40,000 seat abandoned stadium that is a WHITE ELEPHANT. What should we do with Rentschler? Give it to Goodwin College, Manchester Community College or UHart in exchange for them starting a football team? Please leave, you are a disappointment!!

It's already paid for Art.

 

[Madmannsucks]

Saw Colorado bear ASU today. I highly recommend going to the stadium—may be the most beautiful in all of sports. Saw good football with a great crowd.

I left more convinced than ever that we need to shut it down. We’re not in the same stratosphere as what’s going on at a mid level P5 program.

It’s not salvageable—just give it up

I live in Denver. CU had a miserable stretch up until the last couple years. Actually 10 straight losing seasons. Half empty stadium. 2 yrs ago 10 and 4, then 5-7 last year. When you win, they will show up.

 

[uconnfan68]

Saw Colorado bear ASU today. I highly recommend going to the stadium—may be the most beautiful in all of sports. Saw good football with a great crowd.

I left more convinced than ever that we need to shut it down. We’re not in the same stratosphere as what’s going on at a mid level P5 program.

It’s not salvageable—just give it up

If we had mountains in the backdrop, and weed in the parking lots, I'm sure you'd be just as happy here.

 

[Adios]

Can we lock this -ing thread already?

Weed will be legal here soon.

 

[Cubbybear]

Tell more of the UB football story if you can. I'm genuinely curious.

I was a member of the FB team 1970-1975
We were the best Div II team in the country and had the longest winning streak in the country at 22 straight games
we would pack Kennedy Stadium in Bridgeport for home games
The demise of the program was s perfect storm Ed Farrell and most of his coaches left for Davidson after the 74 season and we also installed a new president in Leland Miles
Miles was big into the arts and enrollment was declining It was decided to drop fb after the 75 season with scholarships honored
The school later went belly up when the “Moonies” took over i believe the school was on shaky financial standings for 15 years or so
Although the stadium was off campus we always played to great crowds because imho we where a smack you in the face physical teamWhen the program folded Nick Giaquento transferred to UConn I believe the early 70 teams at Bpt would have beaten Early 70! UC teams

 

[noeynox]

I think people seem to forget that it took RE1 four years just to have a .500 season. His first three seasons he had 4, 3 and 2 wins. His method of developing raw players with strength and conditioning takes time. I don't know if RE2 will reach the level of RE1 but I think we need to give him time. We can't just keep hitting the reset button every couple years. It will get us nowhere.

I agree. But it's hard to see coach after coach talking about this is a ground up rebuild while asking you to come out and support absolute putrid football.

 

[Cubbybear]

I agree. But it's hard to see coach after coach talking about this is a ground up rebuild while asking you to come out and support absolute putrid football.

I once asked if Edsel has any responsibility in this . By leaving the way he did he had no input on who should be the HC to continue the program The assistant s had no clue he was leaving Perhaps if he had meet with the staff someone like a Todd Orlando or Norris Wilson could have taken overOrlando has been mentioned for several HC jobs in the SEC and is currently DC at Texas Both of those coaches bonded with the kids and Orlando wS a great coach and recruiter i think if RE1 had truly built a program as he says now it should have survived years 1 and 2 of PP

 

[uconnphil2016]

I once asked if Edsel has any responsibility in this . By leaving the way he did he had no input on who should be the HC to continue the program The assistant s had no clue he was leaving Perhaps if he had meet with the staff someone like a Todd Orlando or Norris Wilson could have taken overOrlando has been mentioned for several HC jobs in the SEC and is currently DC at Texas Both of those coaches bonded with the kids and Orlando wS a great coach and recruiter i think if RE1 had truly built a program as he says now it should have survived years 1 and 2 of PP

Not trying to be that guy, but how on earth do you not know how to spell Edsall’s name

 

[Cubbybear]

Not trying to be that guy, but how on earth do you not know how to spell Edsall’s name

I like to compare him to the failed car.... it’s my bad

 

[concerned143]

Rankings : Out of 129

124

(-1)

Connecticut Huskies (1-5)



125





Texas State Bobcats (1-4)



126





Bowling Green Falcons (1-5)





127





Rice Owls (1-5)





128





San Jose State Spartans (0-5)





129





Texas-El Paso Miners (0-6)

 

[Madmannsucks]

Pretty sure Rice could beat them....

 

[uconnphil2016]

Rankings : Out of 129

124

(-1)

Connecticut Huskies (1-5)



125





Texas State Bobcats (1-4)



126





Bowling Green Falcons (1-5)





127





Rice Owls (1-5)





128





San Jose State Spartans (0-5)





129





Texas-El Paso Miners (0-6)

I fail to believe that we aren’t the worst team in America