Sunbelt Conference & C-USA

[TRest]

Houston is our cautionary tale.

They got into Conference USA the same way we got into the American.

The Southwest Conference evaporated and they ended up in a newly formed conference.

TCU wandered in the desert also, but was saved by football. Winning football, which is more of a challenge, but our Tiffany basketball programs have gotten us nowhere at this point.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

TCU wandered in the desert also, but was saved by football. Winning football, which is more of a challenge, but our Tiffany basketball programs have gotten us nowhere at this point.

Good point. Let's do something that is guaranteed to turn them into New Hampshire's basketball programs.

 

[noeynox]

You'd figure that once you saw Buzz Williams run from Marquette to VA Tech for less money, and start talking about a P5 breakaway in the not too distant future it would have registered the Big East is not panacea for UConn athletics. The money for now is about even when exit fees and the like are tallied, so the only thing that I can come too is Nelson was serious about dropping football. Even the extra 2 million or so minus exit fees aren't worth the headaches it would cost to football, with scheduling and the like. UConn should follow the RU model. Start cutting non revenue sports left and right and invest those savings in football. I bet we see that in the not too distant future.

 

[noeynox]

Houston is our cautionary tale.

They got into Conference USA the same way we got into the American.

The Southwest Conference evaporated and they ended up in a newly formed conference.

What's scary about this thought is that Houston also had some GREAT FB teams under Jack Pardee in the SWC. It totally crippled their athletic teams to end up in Conf USA.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

You'd figure that once you saw Buzz Williams run from Marquette to VA Tech for less money, and start talking about a P5 breakaway in the not too distant future it would have registered the Big East panacea for UConn athletics. The money for now is about even when exit fees and the like are tallied, so the only thing that I can come too is Nelson was serious about dropping football. Even the extra 2 million or so minus exit fees aren't worth the headaches it would cost to football, with scheduling and the like. UConn should follow the RU model. Start cutting non revenue sports left and right and invest those savings in football. I bet we see that in the not too distant future.

Did Buzz say that the AAC was getting taken with the P5? I missed that. GO AAC!!!!!!!!

The money is a freaking catastrophe, it is not about even. The women's program alone was making more from SNY than all 3 programs are making from ESPN now.

 

[noeynox]

Did Buzz say that the AAC was getting taken with the P5? I missed that. GO AAC!!!!!!!!

The money is a freaking catastrophe, it is not about even. The women's program alone was making more from SNY than all 3 programs are making from ESPN now.

Will the windfall from the Big East be worth the headaches for the FB program? The scheduling nightmare, the diminished exposure, the fact that the games will have no shot of ever again drawing anything resembling our past attendance?

The women was still allowed to keep their deal with SNY, so I don't know what your point is there.

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Basically the basketball fans see the hoops program falling apart over the coming years in the AAC. It is inevitable, UConn, even with Ollie and a NC, cannot recruit with the P5 teams. Ollie will eventually leave, as well. So, the best case in their opinion is to latch onto the Big East, where the regular season games are still relevant and fun and the opponents are somewhat local and rivals.

Meanwhile, there is little hope that football will ever be good or interesting and at this point just holds back having any interest in athletics in the state school. Keep the program in the 1% chance that a P5 conference decides to invite the school, but reality is if it dies, it dies. Just don't let it kill the equity built up in the hoops programs.

I've stated the facts before. Since the inception of the NCAA Men's Championship in 1939, there have been 76 titles earned. Of those 76 championships, 18 have been won by prorgams that are not currently a P5 member, which is 24%. Within those 18 titles, 9 have been won by programs that do not have D-1/FBS, which is 12%. Since 2000, no titles have been won by programs without a D-1/FBS football program and 3 titles have been won by non P5 programs, all of which belong to UConn. Thus, UConn must keep it's D-1/FBS football program, make the changes it needs to be successful, and work/hope for a P5 promotion (50/50 within the next decade?) because without a football team, UConn's basketball future is bleak.

 

[pnow15]

The question is really simple. Why should two hundred college football programs allow themselves to be put permanently into a second class status by a handful of elite programs trying to monopolize television money? And in the process destroy NCAA basketball. If a handful of colleges want to establish a semi-pro league using the guise of college footbal, then they should quit pretending that this is college football.
This is caused by the gutlessness of the current leadership of the NCAA, who should start enforcing its eligibility criteria instead genuflecting to these conferences. The perfect example of this is North Carolina and its fake degrees. The NCAA should hit this school with a five year death sentence. And when the P-5 pros object, at least, the pretense of these schools being interested in providing students athletes with an education will now be utterly exposed for the lie is has always been.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

The question is really simple. Why should two hundred college football programs allow themselves to be put permanently into a second class status by a handful of elite programs trying to monopolize television money? And in the process destroy NCAA basketball. If a handful of colleges want to establish a semi-pro league using the guise of college footbal, then they should quit pretending that this is college football.
This is caused by the gutlessness of the current leadership of the NCAA, who should start enforcing its eligibility criteria instead genuflecting to these conferences. The perfect example of this is North Carolina and its fake degrees. The NCAA should hit this school with a five year death sentence. And when the P-5 pros object, at least, the pretense of these schools being interested in providing students athletes with an education will now be utterly exposed for the lie is has always been.

The NCAA has no power, other than to punish UConn.

Your initial question is the right one, but it appears that the "have nots" are just sheep content to be led to slaughter.

 

[noeynox]

The NCAA has no power, other than to punish UConn.

Your initial question is the right one, but it appears that the "have nots" are just sheep content to be led to slaughter.

On this we are in agreement. Worse they are led by Mark Emmert for whom there are no words for how bad he is.

 

[Antiobserver]

Just go ahead and drop football if the University were to go to the SunBelt or CUSA. Can you imagine the ridicule and embarrassment that will bring? UCONN would be better off putting the money into basketball facilities and academic facilities.

 

[Antiobserver]

The P-5 conferences remind me of the movie "A Wonderful Life" when Jimmy Stewart stated the Potter isn't selling he's buying.
The P-5 gains it power by amateurs running athletic programs. There was never any reason for the Big East to dissolve other than nervous college administrators making poor decisions. The same holds true today. The AAC's worst enemy is itself. It's star member, UConn, has pushed the panic button before the first jump ball or kick off. Despite winning two national championships.
The Big 12 is a one trick pony, Texas. Big Ten has Ohio St. Penn St. and a bunch of slum properties in Michigan. ACC has three colleges jammed into a state that can hardly support its NBA team or pro football team. Everyone of these leagues have very weak sisters.
What they do have is panic on our side.
Orlando, Houston, Tampa, CT, Tulsa, Memphis, Philly etc. are populated wealthy spaces so why is it that we should have to crawl to some two bit Iowa town or West Virginia hovel for validation. We need to take care of our business and win. Then it will be the P-6.

And what happens when Orlando or Memphis makes the move to the Big 12? Still going to be pumping sunshine and rainbows?

 

[TRest]

Good point. Let's do something that is guaranteed to turn them into New Hampshire's basketball programs.

Of course, we will have no advantages over New Hampshire, Mr. Hyperbole.

 

[whaler11]

Good point. Let's do something that is guaranteed to turn them into New Hampshire's basketball programs.

Joining the Big East?

If you are as dumb as the faction of the fanbase that thinks the basketball programs can thrive without a legitimate football program... why should we bother to read anything you've got to say about anything?

Your solution is akin to someone with a sprained ankle having their leg cut off at the knee.

The Big East got one contract. They won't get a second worth a damn. They could get higher ratings by just blasting the telecasts into space and hoping that lifeforms in other parts of the universe catch the signal.

 

[Stainmaster]

I don't think you Big East-obsessed buffoons get it.

Without a P5 invite, it is only a matter of time before UCONN athletics will die off completely.

You b1tch and moan about the lower quality basketball in the AAC? There will be no-quality anything if we do not take all of the steps necessary to put us in position for a P5 invite. The Big East will kill off this university's athletic department once the P5 are 100% broken off. Once that happens, Big East means nothing. The P5 will not keep them around due to "nostalgia". There will be no UCONN basketball for you to root for save for a rec team playing local schools.

I may be some crazy guy ranting on a forum at 4 in the morning, but I still think this; if you want this university's athletic programs to survive, suck it up and spend a few years gritting your teeth through the AAC.

 

[Kolumbo]

If the P5 split, yes, the divide with grow. But it is not the end of the world as many predict. There are always going to be kids coming out of high school who want to play ball and not all will get recruited by or accepted to a P5 school. Basketball will certainly do OK in non P5 conferences because there are just so many kids playing ball and 300 programs to play for. Football is different. But hey, Big Ben didn't play for a BCS school and he's doing pretty well.
I've always thought if I had the skills of some of these 1-and-done kids, I'd go to a local mid-major and try to win them a championship just to be original. Why help the likes of Kentucky if I know I'm going pro?
OK, i'm all over the place here.

 

[Jimdish255]

If the P5 split, yes, the divide with grow. But it is not the end of the world as many predict. There are always going to be kids coming out of high school who want to play ball and not all will get recruited by or accepted to a P5 school. Basketball will certainly do OK in non P5 conferences because there are just so many kids playing ball and 300 programs to play for. Football is different. But hey, Big Ben didn't play for a BCS school and he's doing pretty well.
I've always thought if I had the skills of some of these 1-and-done kids, I'd go to a local mid-major and try to win them a championship just to be original. Why help the likes of Kentucky if I know I'm going pro?
OK, i'm all over the place here.

If we're left out of realignment don't hold your breath waiting for any new banners because there won't be any.

 

[Kolumbo]

If we're left out of realignment don't hold your breath waiting for any new banners because there won't be any.

People don't realize how incredibly successful and fortunate UCONN has been and could very well not win another banner for a long time even if fortunate enough to get into a P5 conference. Remember an extremely good 2006 team choked its way out of the Final 4. Only 14 programs have more than 1 championship, only 8 with more than 2. Indiana hasn't won in almost 30 years.

 

[noeynox]

What are the reasons? Rift with an AD? He did say on record he expects a split of the P5 with everybody else.

 

[IMind]

I realize that you are really dense and basically a one-trick pony.

Everyone would love more money.

But money doesn't equal exposure and the lack of exposure Fox offers would kill us dead.

So shut the ever-loving f--- up.

Exactly... it was really great for the NHL when they took more money from The Outdoor Life/Verses channel than ESPN and then spent the next 10 years in obscurity because of it. They're JUST coming out of it now... and that's primarily because Comcast (who owns the Flyers) has an interest in building up hockey. The NHL probably lost billions by leaving ESPN.

 

[IMind]

No one ever, in all these stupid threads, has ever explained why the other Big East schools would invite us to join. Villanova and Georgetown don't want us in the league to kick the crap out of them anymore. Let alone DePaul and Seton Hall... None of those schools are in seem to be in a big hurry to schedule us either...

 

[noeynox]

No one ever, in all these stupid threads, has ever explained why the other Big East schools would invite us to join. Villanova and Georgetown don't want us in the league to kick the crap out of them anymore. Let alone DePaul and Seton Hall... None of those schools are in seem to be in a big hurry to schedule us either...

While I agree with this, there were articles from Big East schools/people confirming they would love UConn to be the bellcow of the league, but they knew that with FB we would always have a wandering eye. I think fans probably don't like to be in a conference against us for recruting reasons, but the BE ADs and Presidents certainly realize UConn would add value to their league in terms of eyeballs, name recognition, and just BB pedigree. But they're not stupid either, if we are playing FBS, no matter the league, they know we will always be looking to the P5, so its pretty much a non starter but some choose to rehash it over and over.

 

[specialisthusky]

No one ever, in all these stupid threads, has ever explained why the other Big East schools would invite us to join. Villanova and Georgetown don't want us in the league to kick the crap out of them anymore. Let alone DePaul and Seton Hall... None of those schools are in seem to be in a big hurry to schedule us either...

I don't disagree. The Big East will not invite UConn if UConn has an FBS football team. But UConn and Georgetown signed a two year contract to play and Jay Wright discussed ongoing scheduling discussios with UConn as well.

http://the-boneyard.com/threads/uconn-villanova-series-in-the-works.68106/
http://www.uconnhuskies.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/102414aab.html