UMASS and AAC need each other

[AZHuskiePop]

I watched Umass football a little bit this past year. Their record does not show it, but they played some good OOC teams well, but seemed to lose their poise in the 4th quarter. Part of this may have been lack of depth, and by the 4th quarters the depth ( and talent ) of the other teams came to the fore. But they were in a lot of games until late, and they did show the ability to move the chains and score a lot of points too last season. A Uconn- Umass football game last season might have been an interesting match up too, imo.

That's totally irrelevant. We were worse Than horrific last last.
You could make the case Div 3 Yale was better than us.
If the AAC weren't our conference(original members) , UConn would not be admitted based on our football.

 

[Yawkey Way]

THAT'S THE SAME THING AS BEING IN A CONFERENCE TOGETHER

Idiot

I see no benefit financially, nor athletically, to Uconn for someone to suggest Bryant as a conference partner, together with Uconn. But you brought Bryant into the discussion as a possible partner in the AAC for Uconn ( or at least a more attractive candidate in your opinion than Umass ), but Bryant College seems like an idiotic suggestion to bring into the thread discussion... even if Bryant College was a close 3 point game this season for Uconn. I can't imagine that other Uconn football fans support any discussion of Bryant College as a AAC Conference partner. And my guess, most of the AAC schools fans have never heard of Bryant College, and few of them could tell you what state the school is even located in, let alone want to see them as a consideration for AAC league membership .

 

[Yawkey Way]

That's totally irrelevant. We were worse Than horrific last last.
You could make the case Div 3 Yale was better than us.
.

I understand your point ( minor point... Yale football is not in Div. 3 , they are in Division 1 )

 

[AZHuskiePop]

I understand your point ( minor point... Yale football is not in Div. 3 , they are in Division 1 )

Technically I guess FCS schools are still considered Part of DiV I
Only in the minds of NCAA PC mentality could two vastly different groups be considered one.
I know they are officially sub divisions
Previously the FCS schools were know as Div. IAA
But the Ivies are a special case
Their league does not allow scholarships which actually puts them on the same level as what we use to call DIII. I think even DII schools give limited scholarships.
So a I took some literary license in my description of the Bulldogs.
One can not overuse Hyperpole in description of our football misfortunes,

 

[UConnNick]

Fishy, take some time to read the article. Blaudschun suggests letting UMASS in for all sports EXCEPT football. Navy is just football. He adds that they could schedule 6 OOC games with AAC teams and let them prove themselves over time. They would be quasi Independent and highly motivated to build their football program.
They had a better football team than we had last year. They lost to Colorado and Vanderbilt by a total of 6 points! Adding them for Basketball and other sports wouldn't hurt anything.

Practically the entire country had a better football team than we had last year. Comparing anybody else to our 2014 team constitutes damning with faint praise. Almost everybody was better.

I also have nothing against UMASS, but adding them to the dumpster fire that is the AAC only fans the flames even higher.

 

[Yawkey Way]

Practically the entire country had a better football team than we had last year. Comparing anybody else to our 2014 team constitutes damning with faint praise. Almost everybody was better.

I also have nothing against UMASS, but adding them to the dumpster fire that is the AAC only fans the flames even higher.

Blaudschun probably caught a bad ice cube in his alcohol beverage of choice once again, typing this drivel about Umass and the AAC. There is a reason this guy was kicked to the curb by the Boston Globe. His erratic writings are getting crazier by the month. Umass will get to the AAC, long after anyone here sees a Unicorn..

 

[Ldandy]

Nothing against UMASS, but they in no way make sense for any conference trying to A)raise its football profile and B)trying to increase its per team pay out. Play them OOC or don't, but The AAC should be shedding dead weight not adding it.

 

[Confident Carl]

Practically the entire country had a better football team than we had last year. Comparing anybody else to our 2014 team constitutes damning with faint praise. Almost everybody was better.

I also have nothing against UMASS, but adding them to the dumpster fire that is the AAC only fans the flames even higher.

I like most will take an invite to the ACC or B1G in a heartbeat. Until that happens UCONN needs to make the most of the American. I consider the American an emerging conference and the 6th best in the country. Continuing to call it a dumpster fire is an inaccurate depiction and is counter productive. I for one am excited about seeing how well UCONN can do in this "dumpster fire" of a league next year as you and others so edifyingly depict it. The pundits like you who continually fan these flames do a good job of keeping the fire roaring.

 

[Fishy]

I understand your point ( minor point... Yale football is not in Div. 3 , they are in Division 1 )

Are you under the delusion that you add something to this board?

 

[CL82]

Wait UMass went to final four? I don't think so. Check the NCAA records.

 

[Vuce]

Wait UMass went to final four? I don't think so. Check the NCAA records.

That is true - since the 1996 NCAA Tourney wins were vacated for Umass, their last official win in an NCAA Tournament game was in 1995! They just celebrated the 20th anniversary of their last win! Congrats!! Think about that next time someone tries to sell you on the "value" Umass basketball brings to conference realignment.

 

[Ldandy]

IMO we are headed towad an expanded playoff with automatic qualifiers coming from each of the P5 Conferences's Champions. If UCONN does not get an invitation to The B1G, ACC, or Big 12 by the time Delany inks his next TV deal, it's time to examine alternatives. Adding UMASS to the conference ain't one of them.

JMO, but I believe that a football only league based around TV Brands as opposed to markets could carry enough weight to secure a 6th slot at the Big boy table. The problem with the AAC is that there is too much dead weight, and too much distance to effectively run an all sports conference.

The idea of Tulsa shleping it's Olympic Sports to Storrs and vice versa is ridiculous in a world of skyrocketing athletic budgets, over reliance on subsidies, and the reality of full cost of attendance looming. How is this even possible on the pittance ESPN gives the conference for its TV rights?

Time to sit down with any of The AAC members that have name/TV value and work up something new

 

[Ldandy]

LOL I edited my post above into a giant manifesto, but the alloted editing time apparently ran out. Here's the gist... AAC TV Deal bad. Consider other alternatives good.

 

[UMass]

As much as it pains me to say it, UMass has not yet earned admission to the AAC. The AAC is desperately trying for recognition as a good conference and attempting to separate themselves from the other non P5 conferences. UMass will not help them in that regard. I honestly things will change for the better at UMass with Marty Meehan as President. The guy has absolutely no shame asking for money and is already working that angle hard. Alums better get used to a barrage of requests for donations (especially the wealthy ones) He's already had John Legere ( CEO T Mobile) on campus. He's had Richard Gere and Natalie Cole on campus. He's going after the cash!
That being said, I do believe it benefits all involved if UConn and Temple were to schedule UMass OOC in all sports. They already play each other in most of the non-revenue sports.

 

[UMass]

Interesting read as a UMass fan. Agree we would strengthen the middle and bring up the bottom most years in BB as we been to NIT Final Four twice and NCAA once since 2007.

You may not follow UMass Football closely but watch the scores this year. If Fro stays healthy, we'll be bowling this year.

Can't believe you guys passed on Whipple several years ago and thank you for it.

Women's lacrosse and rowing are top notch and other programs suffered with our past AD's hires. Hoping for good things with Ryan Bamford. Marty Meehan was Governor Bakers guy and on his transition team. There is an article stating Meehan would be goo for UMass Athletics.

http://www.masslive.com/umassfootba...ss_selects_marty_meehan_new.html#incart_river

Steve...Welcome...nice to have another UMass guy on here. I was starting to feel like Marilyn from the Munsters (just kidding) You'll like this board if your intention is to talk college sports. Some very nice and knowledgeable guys on here. Sometimes you'll need some thick skin, but it's all good.
Whipple was a steal. Glad he's back and we've already seen the difference in the team. But going along with the theme of this thread and UMass not investing in their athletics, I would love to know why Whipple is the lowest paid coach in the MAC. That screams small time to me. It's not like we didn't know what we were getting. UMass rode his coaching ability to a 1AA championship in his first year. If a school wants to stand up and say "Hey AAC, look at us" they better put their money where their mouths are.

 

[Hoophound]

If UCONN had hired Whipple, we'd probably be in the ACC. FSU would have been fine with us if we were good. He would have had us winning games on day one and winning lots of games in year two. The guy can coach.

UMASS should take care of him but I don't really care if they do or not. If Diaco doesn't work out, he's on the short list and he won't even need to move if he doesn't want to.

 

[UMass]

If UCONN had hired Whipple, we'd probably be in the ACC. FSU would have been fine with us if we were good. He would have had us winning games on day one and winning lots of games in year two. The guy can coach.

UMASS should take care of him but I don't really care if they do or not. If Diaco doesn't work out, he's on the short list and he won't even need to move if he doesn't want to.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the breakdown between Whipple and UConn what he could pay his assistants? I thought I read that he was fine with his salary but he wanted a different pay structure for his assistants and UConn said no.

 

[CallMeBruce]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the breakdown between Whipple and UConn what he could pay his assistants? I thought I read that he was fine with his salary but he wanted a different pay structure for his assistants and UConn said no.

I think they'd be more flexible this time around.

 

[The Funster]

Yeah...gee...we made out so much better with Pasqualoni.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

If UCONN had hired Whipple, we'd probably be in the ACC. FSU would have been fine with us if we were good. He would have had us winning games on day one and winning lots of games in year two. The guy can coach.

UMASS should take care of him but I don't really care if they do or not. If Diaco doesn't work out, he's on the short list and he won't even need to move if he doesn't want to.

By the time Warde is done with our athletic program, UConn will not be a step up from UMass.

 

[NickyNewark]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the breakdown between Whipple and UConn what he could pay his assistants? I thought I read that he was fine with his salary but he wanted a different pay structure for his assistants and UConn said no.

In this age of CR you have to support the FB program at any cost even at the expense of the lesser successful programs for fear of falling behind financially and being left standing in this cutthroat game of musical chairs. Pay a solid coach and let them work.

 

[itgoeslike]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the breakdown between Whipple and UConn what he could pay his assistants? I thought I read that he was fine with his salary but he wanted a different pay structure for his assistants and UConn said no.

No. That was what Narduzzi allegedly said, although WM claims UConn never formally offered him the position.

 

[Confident Carl]

Interesting read as a UMass fan. Agree we would strengthen the middle and bring up the bottom most years in BB as we been to NIT Final Four twice and NCAA once since 2007.

You may not follow UMass Football closely but watch the scores this year. If Fro stays healthy, we'll be bowling this year.

Can't believe you guys passed on Whipple several years ago and thank you for it.

Women's lacrosse and rowing are top notch and other programs suffered with our past AD's hires. Hoping for good things with Ryan Bamford. Marty Meehan was Governor Bakers guy and on his transition team. There is an article stating Meehan would be goo for UMass Athletics.

http://www.masslive.com/umassfootba...ss_selects_marty_meehan_new.html#incart_river

I am the guy who started this thread and am in agreement with Jersey guy on a UMASS quasi relationship. Bringing up prowess in Women's lacrosse and rowing? Ten National Championships in women's Bball can't get UCONN into a major conference. This is all about football and having a local mens basketball rivalry for UCONN.

 

[coachcap]

I am the guy who started this thread and am in agreement with Jersey guy on a UMASS quasi relationship. Bringing up prowess in Women's lacrosse and rowing? Ten National Championships in women's Bball can't get UCONN into a major conference. This is all about football and having a local mens basketball rivalry for UCONN.

Every team needs a "whipping boy." I'm fine with letting UMass-Amherst being UConn's across the athletic landscape. I'm not pleased with the thought of these 2 institutions competing in the same conference. They have been divorced ever since UMass thumbed their nose at the Yankee Conference to align themselves with Penn State & form the Eastern-8 Conference ( a move which, if the shoe was on the other foot, UConn may have made the same decision).
If it suits UConn's purpose, playing UMass annually as an out of conference game is fine as it ensures good game day attendance. Otherwise, forget it as the two institutions have different agendas. UConn is fighting to gain acceptance into a P-5 conference. UMass is fighting for survival of its program at the FBS level, a move that was made too late & was poorly calculated. They would have been in a better place if they had applied to the MAC for all sports when they first made the jump. Their insistence, at the time, of clinging to their A-10 affiliation has basically doomed them.

 

[CL82]

If it suits UConn's purpose, playing UMass annually as an out of conference game is fine as it ensures good game day attendance. Otherwise, forget it as the two institutions have different agendas. UConn is fighting to gain acceptance into a P-5 conference. UMass is fighting for survival of its program at the FBS level, a move that was made too late & was poorly calculated. .

Don't kid yourself Coach. UConn is is fighting for survival of its program at the FBS level as well. That's why I stop by the CRB daily.