Jacobs: Big 12 Is Out In The Cold, So UConn Officials Should Strike While Iron Is Hot | The Boneyard

Jacobs: Big 12 Is Out In The Cold, So UConn Officials Should Strike While Iron Is Hot

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He combines football sarcasm with our need to beg the Big 12.

"What country do we live in? America?" Baylor coach Art Briles said before the final rankings came out, arguing that he'd beaten TCU. "If you and I race and you beat me, you're faster than me. We play a football game on the field, we win, we're the better team. We are, and that's the way it is."

Only they weren't the better conference.

And that's why UConn president Susan Herbst and athletic director Warde Manuel ought to bring all UConn's national championship trophies down to Big 12 headquarters today. Walk to Irving, Texas, if needed. Put the trophies on Bowlsby's desk and tell him how the Huskies can bring quality academics and so much basketball credibility to his conference, how they can extend the footprint East toward New York. You know, get in on the Power 5 gold while still being years away from actually winning the Big 12 football title and stealing the thunder of the gridiron powers.

Unless, of course, Bob Diaco has a plan to win the Big 12 next year.


http://www.courant.com/sports/college/hc-jeff-jacobs-1208-20141207-column.html#page=1
 
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Someone on UCONN's board needs to sit down with them and explain that the school is about to start searching for a new AD and president if they don't address the school's most pressing issue.


I love the Huskies as much as the next UConn fan; but, athletics is not Herbst's most pressing issue maybe not even second. First and foremost, UConn is a state research university and thus the Connecticut state budget and the proposed cuts to higher education spending is her most pressing issue. Period. Second, is UConn's expansion initiatives (physical and human capital) and related AAU membership push, which obviously is impacted by budget issues. Third, is athletic affiliation, which could also be impacted by AAU status. She said as much in NYC a month or so back.
 
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No worries, we are monitoring the situation.

Seriously, this is the longest of long shots, but you could find posts on this board going back years where I felt we should have been pimping ourselves to the Big12 above anyother conference. This time with our football program mired dead last in FBS, I'm not even remotely hopeful that we would be considered, but every effort needs to be made to explore the possiblity. That conference doesn't need a good football add like the ACC did when they added Louisville. The need programs that add the most value to their league. We could offer a second blue blood BB program in mens hoops, a women's program that sells out opposing arenas, and northeast presence. Is it enough? Not likely, but we need to try like hell.
 
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Not that the Big XII's a legitimate opportunity, but on top of sitting UCONN's 2o or so national championship trophies on Bowlsby's desk, also drive to the Big XII's upcoming meetings in Manhattan, the one where the Huskies owned Madison Square Garden 9 months ago.
 
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UCONN wins at basketball, field hockey, and soccer. There are probably high schools in Texas that could beat our UCONN football team. There are so many reasons UCONN will not be invited to the Big 12. All this talk is nonsensical.
 

CTBasketball

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Herbst and Warde would rather stay in the AAC than go to the Big12.
 

CL82

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UCONN wins at basketball, field hockey, and soccer. There are probably high schools in Texas that could beat our UCONN football team. There are so many reasons UCONN will not be invited to the Big 12. All this talk is nonsensical.

There have been a ton of 'stupid' CR decisions made. Why can't we be the next one?

As to where this is on Susan's priority list, I agree that 3rd is about right but running this university, like running any major enterprise, isn't sequential, it is more like the plate spinning guys on the old Ed Sullivan show (not that I'm old enough to remember that...someone told me about it...like my grandfather or something) you have to keep those plates a spinning.

As Upstater periodicially points out, an under funded athletic program either syphens funds from academics or raises the cost to attend. Susan would not be be doing her job if she failed to pursue a $23 million dollar annuity (and that doesn't include our 3rd tier rights, which are worth at least 2-3 million more.) She absolutely should be fired if she didn't pursue this opportunity, notwithstanding that we are an imperfect fit.

My preference for conference affiliation is the B1G and then a big gap followed by the ACC and then a huge gap followed by the Big 12 but any of those are light years ahead of where we are now. Yes the Big 12 isn't a great fit for us, but when your ship is sinking you don't pass up the last lifeboat because you don't the other passengers.
 

Dooley

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This may be the last Power expansion in the next 5-10 years. Not the last one ever, but we can't afford to sit around and not go all-in here and hope that we get an invite from the B1G in 2020. We need an invite NOW. If the PAC invited us today, we would accept.

So as far as I'm concerned, I just ordered a pair of cowboy boots and am taking up country line dancing to fit in with our potential new conference mates. I'm not fond of the idea that my dog or wife (or both) is going to leave me, but I am found of UCONN making $20+M per year and finding financial security to fund our coaching salaries and expenses.
 

CTMike

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This may be the last Power expansion in the next 5-10 years. Not the last one ever, but we can't afford to sit around and not go all-in here and hope that we get an invite from the B1G in 2020. We need an invite NOW. If the PAC invited us today, we would accept.

So as far as I'm concerned, I just ordered a pair of cowboy boots and am taking up country line dancing to fit in with our potential new conference mates. I'm not fond of the idea that my dog or wife (or both) is going to leave me, but I am found of UCONN making $20+M per year and finding financial security to fund our coaching salaries and expenses.
I understand the importance Dooley but "hitching your wagon" to the B12 is... Well... Not a likely proposition no matter how hard we make our case. Do it - definitely try and exhaust all options - but extremely unlikely.
 
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Part of the pitch should be along the lines of we promise to invest xx percent of any new athletic revenue on our football team. We will use this money to enhance the coaching staff, recruiting, cost of attendance and associated salaries. Football home games against Texas or Oklahoma will be played at MetLife. All net revenue from these games will be spent on the football program. We have to go all in on this.
 
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The only iron that is hot is the branding iron which will burn UCONN in the cajones if it asks for an invite to the Big 12. Work it for the sake of working, but it's a no-go.
 

Dooley

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I understand the importance Dooley but "hitching your wagon" to the B12 is... Well... Not a likely proposition no matter how hard we make our case. Do it - definitely try and exhaust all options - but extremely unlikely.

UCONN was "written in pen" at the last ACC expansion before Louisville petitioned their way ahead of us. I understand that UL could market a good football program at that time and we really can't right now, but anything is possible. UCONN brings money to a conference, plain and simple. If the B12 were to get proactive, for once, instead of reactive, then expanding to 14 would be a smart play for them. If they went up to 14, then I think UCONN would be on the list given FOX's desire to get out east. You can invite 3 other good, current football programs (Cinci, UCF, and BYU) to satisfy the short-minded fan who can't understand that sports are cyclical along with UCONN. Then in a few years when UCONN football is back and the Rent is sold out again, the move to add us looks better.

Aside: fans like watching offensive football for the most part, right? Can you imagine the explosion of interest in watching B12 football in this area? UCONN could be a gateway into NYC, Boston and our own #30 market for college football that is exciting, fast-paced and full of scoring. Of course, we would need to ditch the ridiculous philosophy of punting on 4th and 1s from the 50 YL as a condition of invitation into the B12.
 

SubbaBub

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Did Jacobs write this on the throne? For a guy paid to write about sports, he appears to not understand much about CR.
 

zls44

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I like how people play the Fox angle and ignore that ESPN has half of the big XII contract.
 
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So.... the moment has arrived again? As Warde used to say, is UConn postured (To Act)?
 

Mr. Wonderful

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Just when you think it can't get any more absurd...

The Big12? Seriously?

If the administration pulls off a Big12 invite, every single poster who made a negative comment towards Herbst and Manuel needs to apologize, pronto. And throw in some grovelling too.

It's gonna take an miracle...
 
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Given the Big 12's acknowledgement that it has to do something, the ACC, B1G and SEC could drive stakes in the 12 coffin by making expansion moves. Problem is, their ultimate goals would be to grab programs looking to bail from the Big 12, not the likes of UCONN football. There could be some very interesting moves coming up. But I still sense UCONN will essentially be in Yukon, if you get my meaning. 64 programs in 4 conferences.
 

pj

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It's not out of the question. I'm sure the Big XII, if they had their druthers, would prefer a number of closer schools to UConn. But the sticking point here is money, so it might come down to: who will the networks pay the most for?

Fox is reputedly eager for an east coast presence and it's hard to beat Connecticut + penetration into NY/New England as a market. ESPN hopefully has some home state loyalty and would give a bit more ground for us than others; if not, Connecticut politicians should be asking them why. UCF, Cincy, and BYU (not to mention Houston) would be tough competition but if the networks think they'd get more viewers here than there, there's a chance the B12 looks this way.

More than Herbst and Manuel talking to peers in the B12, we need the governor talking to ESPN.
 
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Advertisers will pay and UCONN fans will watch all of the Big 12 matchups. It's money that's on the table for Fox and ESPN who already have the national ads.
 

CL82

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I like how people play the Fox angle and ignore that ESPN has half of the big XII contract.
ESPN has a history of not promoting us, why would that change now? Now, if they were asking us for another tax break, maybe, but when we need them, I doubt they even take Malloy's calls.
 
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