Why not the SEC?

[ctchamps]

I am against eliminating options. For example, not showing up to a crisis meeting for your own conference while at the same time telling anyone who will listen that you think UConn should be in the ACC, when there are really serious impediments to getting into the ACC, strikes me as a pretty awful strategy.

I am explained this a dozen times and you have correctly characterized my issues with Beg Harder in the past. I will chalk this post up to a failed attempt at humor at my expense.

Part humor, part clarification. I don't have an issue with your ideas of how you would approach things. I do have an issue that you presume other approaches that differ from your own ideas are failures, and that your approach is the only guaranteed approach to success. Your first sentence in this post, "I am against eliminating options", is a contradiction because you have eliminated the option of President Herbst's approach to the ACC and the BE. You presume that had she approached the situation the way you demand, things would have turned out far better for UConn.

I can't speak for others, but I get the impression you honestly believe this. I don't know how you can prove it however. And because of that lack of proof, I take issue with your presentation of resentment towards Herbts' actions.

Even more irrational in my opinion is that you now insist she approach the SEC. Well you have no way of knowing whether she did approach the SEC and if she did, how they were approached. And you are taking her to task because she might have done it quietly this time resulting in it leaving us out of the loop. Well wasn't that your complaint with her approach to the ACC, that she was overt about it. My issue with you is the continual barbs you make about Herbst without complete knowledge of the situations, and without proof that your alternative actions would be more consequential.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Part humor, part clarification. I don't have an issue with your ideas of how you would approach things. I do have an issue that you presume other approaches that differ from your own ideas are failures, and that your approach is the only guaranteed approach to success. Your first sentence in this post, "I am against eliminating options", is a contradiction because you have eliminated the option of President Herbst's approach to the ACC and the BE. You presume that had she approached the situation the way you demand, things would have turned out far better for UConn.

I can't speak for others, but I get the impression you honestly believe this. I don't know how you can prove it however. And because of that lack of proof, I take issue with your presentation of resentment towards Herbts' actions.

Even more irrational in my opinion is that you now insist she approach the SEC. Well you have no way of knowing whether she did approach the SEC and if she did, how they were approached. And you are taking her to task because she might have done it quietly this time resulting in it leaving us out of the loop. Well wasn't that your complaint with her approach to the ACC, that she was overt about it. My issue with you is the continual barbs you make about Herbst without complete knowledge of the situations, and without proof that your alternative actions would be more consequential.

There are a lot of strategies for dealing with a crisis situation like this where you need to sell a business quickly, which is essentially what Herbst is trying to do. Any number of them could have worked. Her strategy made no sense at all and had no chance of success.

 

[ctchamps]

There are a lot of strategies for dealing with a crisis situation like this where you need to sell a business quickly, which is essentially what Herbst is trying to do. Any number of them could have worked. Her strategy made no sense at all and had no chance of success.

Perhaps it didn't, but what makes you feel it will work with the SEC? Her contacts with the ACC were just as relevant as her contacts with the SEC.

Furthermore why continue to criticize her if she has made the adjustment you recommended - to approach other conferences quietly and work with the BE? At the very least she has learned from her actions and made adjustments. Continued communication of someone's past failure when they have moved past that failure is just sour grapes and makes you look bad.

For a person who is hypercritical about how people approach things, you are oblivious to a lot of recommendations about how you might want to consider approaching things. Maybe all of us taking you to task about your approach, (as opposed to your position), are wrong. But maybe we are right.

 

[06029]

There are a lot of strategies for dealing with a crisis situation like this where you need to sell a business quickly, which is essentially what Herbst is trying to do. Any number of them could have worked. Her strategy made no sense at all and had no chance of success.

The problem with selling strategies are they fall apart when there are no buyers. Until there are buyers, you can change your pitch, work on different potential buyers but ultimately, you are waiting, making calls and putting a good face on things for the outside world. That is Uconn today. The executive in a failing company that is trying to find a way to survive, working hard with the rest of the executives but hoping all those networking meetings pay off before worse goes to worst.

 

[junglehusky]

If your argument is that UConn doesn't deserve to be in a BCS league, I won't argue with you because what is the point? I think UConn does deserve to be in a BCS league. That is the premise for this whole board.

I didn't say UConn doesn't deserve to be in a BCS league. I'll be charitable and assume you were stretching my "pie-in-the-sky" comment, instead of just putting words in my mouth.

Allow me to rephrase. If we are going to reach for one of the more elite conferences, the Big Ten would be a better fit, and despite being a long-shot, a slightly more realistic long-shot than the SEC.

 

[Bootsthemonkey]

I feel like I'm on drugs just reading this thread.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

The problem with selling strategies are they fall apart when there are no buyers. Until there are buyers, you can change your pitch, work on different potential buyers but ultimately, you are waiting, making calls and putting a good face on things for the outside world. That is Uconn today. The executive in a failing company that is trying to find a way to survive, working hard with the rest of the executives but hoping all those networking meetings pay off before worse goes to worst.

No one is arguing with you on this point. She picked a bad way out, and the defense of her actions always comes down to "there is nothing she could have done". Maybe, but her approach still resulted in the lowest probability of success possible. And I reject that assertion. Inevitably, the losers are the ones that say there is nothing that could have been done. The winners figure out a way to get it done.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I didn't say UConn doesn't deserve to be in a BCS league. I'll be charitable and assume you were stretching my "pie-in-the-sky" comment, instead of just putting words in my mouth.

Allow me to rephrase. If we are going to reach for one of the more elite conferences, the Big Ten would be a better fit, and despite being a long-shot, a slightly more realistic long-shot than the SEC.

They are all long shots and average or worse fits. The SEC is the only realistic alternative that actually has a need. Companies buy what they need, not what is a good "fit".

 

[Danzz]

I feel like I'm on drugs just reading this thread.

I know the feeling. My head is spinning from all the possibilities, opinions and suggestions. Posters are making reallignment suggestions without any of the real facts or information about what is really going on between Herbst, the BE or any other conference. Oh well, I guess that is what message boards are for.

 

[HuskyHawk]

No one is arguing with you on this point. She picked a bad way out, and the defense of her actions always comes down to "there is nothing she could have done". Maybe, but her approach still resulted in the lowest probability of success possible. And I reject that assertion. Inevitably, the losers are the ones that say there is nothing that could have been done. The winners figure out a way to get it done.

Probably the only thing I disagree with you on, really, is this assumption that what was done has failed. I see no evidence that it has failed. Even if it was wildly successful, I would not expect the invite from the ACC or B1G to come at this point in time. She may have received assurances that when the time is right, it will be announced. We lack the information to judge whether or not the strategy has succeeded or failed. Two years from now, if we're independent for football or in the MAC, you can tell me the strategy has failed. Until then, this constant drumbeat about a supposed failure is pure conjecture. The sky has not yet fallen. I think it is virtually certain that we'll be in the B1G or ACC by the time Pitt and Cuse are out of the BE. Having it confirmed now would ease my anxiety, but the people making these decisions are not there to ease my anxiety or yours.

 

[06029]

No one is arguing with you on this point. She picked a bad way out, and the defense of her actions always comes down to "there is nothing she could have done". Maybe, but her approach still resulted in the lowest probability of success possible. And I reject that assertion. Inevitably, the losers are the ones that say there is nothing that could have been done. The winners figure out a way to get it done.

What result are you referring to? The result that Uconn is still in the BE? The result that there was no imminent invitation from any other league available? None of her actions could have changed the current set of results. The ACC focused on Pitt and Cuse for whatever reasons they have/had. They stopped at 14. Reports say they have a plan for 16 but they are not going there yet. The Big12 has stated their goals. The Big10 has stated they are sitting tight. Nothing Herbst could have done would change any of that. Not a single thing because, like it or not, Uconn is not in control unless they make a 100% commitment to the BE and are willing to watch the FB program lose BCS conference affiliation. Right now, with the potential of the marquee and face of the BE going to the Big 12, that is reality. Sometimes winners know when to sit tight and work quietly so the next time, they come out ahead. I know, for you, that is beg harder.

 

[Heston]

Great post Nelson.

Many will read this and think we aren't good enough for the SEC without first stopping to think what this could do for recruiting. Recruiting would improve instantly and in two years we'll be ready to hit the ground running.

There is not an SEC school that would vote for Uconn into the SEC. Ever.

 

[metsfan2323]

There is not an SEC school that would vote for Uconn into the SEC. Ever.

Well they voted for Missouri, what does Missouri have that UCONN doesn't have? Certainly not a great football program.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Well they voted for Missouri, what does Missouri have that UCONN doesn't have? Certainly not a great football program.

Certainly a much better football program, over time. Add to that, the best markets near their footprint. Honestly, other than Atlanta and whatever appeal UF has across Florida, especially around Orlando and Jacksonville, the SEC has generally weak markets. Nashville is the best market they dominate outside of Atlanta (I'm not giving GT much influence there). Now they can add St. Louis and Kansas City, two pretty decent markets, athouth Mizzou is good for no more than a third of KC.

 

[Chief00]

Some posters are finally getting it - the SEC is the best place for UConn given the circumstances.

 

[Nostical]

Stop the insanity here. Herbst did exactly the right thing and we will be landing just fine, thank you.

 

[06029]

Some posters are finally getting it - the SEC is the best place for UConn given the circumstances.

Knock, knock
Who's there?
Not the SEC.
Th SEC can pluck teams that they want from any conference. And they only want certain FB programs. They said no to WVU, the most successful BE football team, ever. They will say no to Uconn.

People need to start dealing in reality.

 

[metsfan2323]

Certainly a much better football program, over time. Add to that, the best markets near their footprint. Honestly, other than Atlanta and whatever appeal UF has across Florida, especially around Orlando and Jacksonville, the SEC has generally weak markets. Nashville is the best market they dominate outside of Atlanta (I'm not giving GT much influence there). Now they can add St. Louis and Kansas City, two pretty decent markets, athouth Mizzou is good for no more than a third of KC.

And adding UCONN and Rutgers wouldn't give the SEC a great new market? We couldn't compete on the field with Missouri if we had the SEC recruiting advantage?

 

[Chief00]

UConn is in the hunt. You don't know much.

 

[uconnbaseball]

This reminds me of...

WHY SHOULD IT GO WELL!!?!

 

[whaler11]

There is not an SEC school that would vote for Uconn into the SEC. Ever.

Don't sleep on getting Vanderbilt's vote!

 

[whaler11]

In summation, he who shall not be named believes....

1) UConn isn't worthy of the ACC
2) UConn can save the Big East
3) UConn isn't worthy of Conference USA
4) UConn is worthy of the SEC.

This reminds me of...

You forgot that the CAA is going to be a powerful FBS conference.

 

[Section205]

In the words of Judge Chamberlain Haller: "You on druuuugs?"

 

[HuskyHawk]

And adding UCONN and Rutgers wouldn't give the SEC a great new market? We couldn't compete on the field with Missouri if we had the SEC recruiting advantage?

The SEC is not going to add a New England team, or New Jersey. Geography does matter in an all sports conference. Missouri borders Arkansas and Kentucky. It's in the footprint.