The Unfortunate Truth of Basketball Success

[Ha Who]

I want things to go well. We all know its a combo of football and market. Remember what UConn got out of the last realignment? Right, nothing. Why? Football. The schools all said that we were a worse football choice than all the other options. And yes, the ACC chose Cal over considering UConn because of football because they think Cal can come back. They think Stanford can come back, they do not have those thoughts about UConn.

I want football to win. I want people to realize the reality of what's going on and to not tell themselves lies so that things are pushed in the right direction. It is NOT to my advantage for UConn to slip further behind in the pecking order.

I think smelling your own basketball farts ignores the reality that the schools are working with and ignores why we're being passed over.

---

I want the teams to win, I want excuses to go to game watches, have a good time, and meet people. Riling people on a message board doesn't get me that.

I do feel the need to point out things to people who are consistently wrong.


No, I think it will but by then UConn may be so locked out and the major conferences may be so rigid that its hard to get in.

Obnoxious post of the year. Congrats!

 

[dayooper]

Obnoxious post of the year. Congrats!

I think there are more obnoxious posts than this by a certain forum member. Just sayin.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

I want things to go well. We all know its a combo of football and market. Remember what UConn got out of the last realignment? Right, nothing. Why? Football. The schools all said that we were a worse football choice than all the other options. And yes, the ACC chose Cal over considering UConn because of football because they think Cal can come back. They think Stanford can come back, they do not have those thoughts about UConn.

I want football to win. I want people to realize the reality of what's going on and to not tell themselves lies so that things are pushed in the right direction. It is NOT to my advantage for UConn to slip further behind in the pecking order.

I think smelling your own basketball farts ignores the reality that the schools are working with and ignores why we're being passed over.

---

I want the teams to win, I want excuses to go to game watches, have a good time, and meet people. Riling people on a message board doesn't get me that.

I do feel the need to point out things to people who are consistently wrong.


No, I think it will but by then UConn may be so locked out and the major conferences may be so rigid that its hard to get in.

I don't believe you. You are here to troll the board and crap on the school. The act is getting old.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

you know what's really dead? Big East football. You know what's a slow-moving terminal illness? Independence.

You know what killed the football program? Joining the AAC. You know what saved the hoops programS? Joining the Big East. You know what gives UConn a prayer of getting into a P4? The basketball programs in a streaming era.

 

[hank970]

You know what killed the football program? Joining the AAC. You know what saved the hoops programS? Joining the Big East. You know what gives UConn a prayer of getting into a P4? The basketball programs in a streaming era.

Hogwash. There's no doubt that UConn basketball has excelled in the New Big East, but it doesn't make sense to blame AAC membership for killing its football program. How, exactly, did AAC affiliation hurt UConn football while some of its conference mates were able to prosper and move on to bigger and better things? What did those non-flagship schools do that UConn didn't or couldn't do, and vice versa?

UConn football has suffered due to poor institutional support, some bad coaching choices, its location in a part of the country that couldn't care less about college football, and a diminished game-day experience for students due to a relatively remote, off-campus stadium. If Gampel Pavilion were located in Hartford rather than Storrs, do you think UConn basketball would enjoy the same level of student support and the success it's now accustomed to? Finally, status as a football-independent doesn't help when you usually play opponents whose only interest in scheduling you is because they need to fill up a couple of body-bag dates on their pre-conference calendars.

 

[UConnJim]

You know what killed the football program? Joining the AAC.

This is not correct. What tanked the football program in the AAC was the lack of investment in the program.

And, no I'm not talking about facilities. In 2011, UConn paid Paul Pasqualoni $1.5 million per year and the assistant coaching pool ~$1.7 million. Fast forward to 2022 (USA Today data) and UConn is paying the head coach $1.5 million and the assistant coaches ~$1.8 million. So in 11 years, the football coaching salaries are flat and down in real terms after adjusting for inflation. Does that show a commitment to winning football?

Compare the above numbers with Cincinnati. In 2011, they paid the head coach ~$1.1 million with a $1.5 million assistant pool. In 2022, they were paying the head coach $5 million (before he left for Wisconsin) with an assistant pool of $3.3 million. Doesn't that show more commitment to football than UConn?
UConn paid it's football coach at the high end of AAC salaries when the league started and now, UConn is paying about middle of the AAC pack.

 

[ZooCougar]

This is not correct. What tanked the football program in the AAC was the lack of investment in the program.

And, no I'm not talking about facilities. In 2011, UConn paid Paul Pasqualoni $1.5 million per year and the assistant coaching pool ~$1.7 million. Fast forward to 2022 (USA Today data) and UConn is paying the head coach $1.5 million and the assistant coaches ~$1.8 million. So in 11 years, the football coaching salaries are flat and down in real terms after adjusting for inflation. Does that show a commitment to winning football?

Compare the above numbers with Cincinnati. In 2011, they paid the head coach ~$1.1 million with a $1.5 million assistant pool. In 2022, they were paying the head coach $5 million (before he left for Wisconsin) with an assistant pool of $3.3 million. Doesn't that show more commitment to football than UConn?
UConn paid it's football coach at the high end of AAC salaries when the league started and now, UConn is paying about middle of the AAC pack.

Not being in a conference is the single biggest indicator of a lack of commitment. And also the biggest liability.

 

[jostar1]

UCONN BANKS ON BASKETBALL’S VALUE IN FOOTBALL-DRIVEN NCAA

UConn is the only school to have won both Division I basketball titles in the same season—which it accomplished in 2004 and 2014—and it continues to serve as a prime example of the kind of value premier basketball programs can have, even in this transformative era when college football is dictating so much across the athletics landscape, from TV contracts to conference realignment.

“I would say its biggest value for our university is the overall brand recognition,” UConn athletic director Dave Benedict said in an interview. “Obviously basketball schools don’t necessarily benefit as significantly from a financial standpoint [as big-time football programs] but certainly from a brand recognition standpoint.”

But UConn instead chose to prioritize basketball, getting out of the football-focused AAC to return to the league where it an original member.

“I would like someone to tell me now that it wasn’t the right decision,” Benedict said. “It was. It doesn’t mean it’s perfect for every program on our campus, but ultimately it was about the opportunity to reposition our men’s basketball program in a way to make sure we’re nationally relevant.”

UConn Banks on Basketball’s Value in Football-Driven NCAA

UConn serves as a prime example of the kind of value premier basketball programs can have in this era when college football is dictating so much.

www.sportico.com

 

[buddy]

UCONN BANKS ON BASKETBALL’S VALUE IN FOOTBALL-DRIVEN NCAA

UConn is the only school to have won both Division I basketball titles in the same season—which it accomplished in 2004 and 2014—and it continues to serve as a prime example of the kind of value premier basketball programs can have, even in this transformative era when college football is dictating so much across the athletics landscape, from TV contracts to conference realignment.

“I would say its biggest value for our university is the overall brand recognition,” UConn athletic director Dave Benedict said in an interview. “Obviously basketball schools don’t necessarily benefit as significantly from a financial standpoint [as big-time football programs] but certainly from a brand recognition standpoint.”

But UConn instead chose to prioritize basketball, getting out of the football-focused AAC to return to the league where it an original member.

“I would like someone to tell me now that it wasn’t the right decision,” Benedict said. “It was. It doesn’t mean it’s perfect for every program on our campus, but ultimately it was about the opportunity to reposition our men’s basketball program in a way to make sure we’re nationally relevant.”

UConn Banks on Basketball’s Value in Football-Driven NCAA

UConn serves as a prime example of the kind of value premier basketball programs can have in this era when college football is dictating so much.

www.sportico.com

Seems like AD Dave has given up on football and thus conference realignment for UConn to a power conference.

 

[Hoophound]

Seems like AD Dave has given up on football and thus conference realignment for UConn to a power conference.

I don’t think he means that at all. He was aware that he needed to save the golden goose for the good of all programs, including football. He did, and then some.

 

[AllHusky]

I don’t think he means that at all. He was aware that he needed to save the golden goose for the good of all programs, including football. He did, and then some.

Posted this already in another thread. We are going to have a shot at the gold(brass?) ring sometime soon. We have to be ready. Ready means spending like a drunken sailor on FB right now. Promising moves made to retool the staff the way Mora did. Now with a bit of scheduling acumen, hitting an Orlovskyish home run(Welliver??) and some real NIL money, we can raise eyebrows enough that BC, Pitt and Syracuse won't look much different than us in FB, and Hoops there is no comparison. The Rent rocked during our ascension. It can rock again.

 

[John]

Posted this already in another thread. We are going to have a shot at the gold(brass?) ring sometime soon. We have to be ready. Ready means spending like a drunken sailor on FB right now. Promising moves made to retool the staff the way Mora did. Now with a bit of scheduling acumen, hitting an Orlovskyish home run(Welliver??) and some real NIL money, we can raise eyebrows enough that BC, Pitt and Syracuse won't look much different than us in FB, and Hoops there is no comparison. The Rent rocked during our ascension. It can rock again.

The Rent in that era was Husky Fandom at it's absolute finest.

 

[CL82]

The Rent rocked during our ascension. It can rock again.

From September 13, 2003 to November 27, 2010 the Rent had 30 sellouts. On September 21, 2013 they added another one where they were actually 2700 over capacity by adding temporary seating.

The demand is there for a product that doesn't suck. Multiply 40,000 times the average ticket price and you can see the revenue generating potential of the program. That is before adding an additional $30 million a year in media distributions if we were a part part of a P4 conference.

I have no idea if it's going to happen, but if it doesn't it's not because Connecticut residents won't support a winning college football team.

 

[AllHusky]

From September 13, 2003 to November 27, 2010 the Rent had 30 sellouts. On September 21, 2013 they added another one where they were actually 2700 over capacity by adding temporary seating.

The demand is there for a product that doesn't suck. Multiply 40,000 times the average ticket price and you can see the revenue generating potential of the program. That is before adding an additional $30 million a year in media distributions if we were a part part of a P4 conference.

I have no idea if it's going to happen, but if it doesn't it's not because Connecticut residents won't support a winning college football team.

Support the FB$$ team, and it will support you!! #W's

 

[CL82]

Support the FB$$ team, and it will support you!! #W's

We just need to win, consistently. I'm not saying go undefeated, but we need to be right around 500. 5-7 in a bad year and 8-4 in good years is enough, but three or four win seasons isn't going to get it done.

We are closer than people think. We had four losses by a single touchdown or less. One more defensive stop, or one more successful drive in each of those games and we finished the regular season at 7-5 and we are going to our second bowl game in a row. People would begin to start talking about Connecticut football differently. Again, I'm not sure if it's going to happen, but it's certainly possible.

 

[AllHusky]

We just need to win, consistently. I'm not saying go undefeated, but we need to be right around 500. 5-7 in a bad year and 8-4 in good years is enough, but three or four win seasons isn't going to get it done.

We are closer than people think. We had four losses by a single touchdown or less. One more defensive stop, or one more successful drive in each of those games and we finished the regular season at 7-5 and we are going to our second bowl game in a row. People would begin to start talking about Connecticut football differently. Again, I'm not sure if it's going to happen, but it's certainly possible.

People that can't see this aren't paying close enough attention

 

[noeynox]

Support the FB$$ team, and it will support you!! #W's

FB games are an all day event or close to it. If you sat through UConn's 59-0, drubbing to Purdue, you come away with the feeling that you would rather not spend your Saturdays like that. The product on the field has to be at least competitive. Mora is getting them there but he's older and its fair to wonder how long he is willing to stick around given what he is fighting against.

 

[AllHusky]

FB games are an all day event or close to it. If you sat through UConn's 59-0, drubbing to Purdue, you come away with the feeling that you would rather not spend your Saturdays like that. The product on the field has to be at least competitive. Mora is getting them there but he's older and its fair to wonder how long he is willing to stick around given what he is fighting against.

Thinking that Jim Moras job is to provide professional stability(no Diaco), hire a younger up and coming staff(Sammis and Brock?), get the W-L stabilized where we are competitive(CL82 might be a little conservative, think we need all records .500 of above) and have a successor that can carry the ball to the next level on staff(Sammis?). Universities job(Trustees, Pres, AD, Alums) is to pour resources into program, so that it looks like a Big Boy program, not a treading water program.
As mentioned earlier a couple of times, the Rent rocked when we were ascending, leading up to to the departure of Edsall and our descent into Dantes 2nd ring of Hell(Hathaway,Pasqualoni, no ACCC invite etc)

 

[freescooter]

Last year’s NC State crowd showed the potential of this program. After 2022 people had hopes that the corner had been turned. UConn’s football problem was 3 parts. 1. Poor coaching choices. 2. Lack of commitment. 3. The program being undermined by a faction of folks who saw it as hurting basketball. The AAC wasn’t the problem. In fact it turned out some very solid bssketball programs. Houston, SMU had a solid run under Larry Brown. UCF had some solid teams. Cincinnati did until Mock Cronin left. We basically gave up on athletics for a period when we had awful coaches in the major sports. Had we competed, we’d be in a P4 league today.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

What do all the doomsdayers on this board know that Hurley does not? Hurley has turned down the Kentucky Wildcats and Los Angeles Lakers in the last two months to stay at UConn. Could some of the doomsdayers walk us through why Hurley is making a huge mistake?

 

[noeynox]

What do all the doomsdayers on this board know that Hurley does not? Hurley has turned down the Kentucky Wildcats and Los Angeles Lakers in the last two months to stay at UConn. Could some of the doomsdayers walk us through why Hurley is making a huge mistake?

He knows the UConn checks haven't bounced once!

 

[AllHusky]

What do all the doomsdayers on this board know that Hurley does not? Hurley has turned down the Kentucky Wildcats and Los Angeles Lakers in the last two months to stay at UConn. Could some of the doomsdayers walk us through why Hurley is making a huge mistake?

Thanks Nelson. Sums it up for me.

UConn athletics is at an infection point. Coming off Hurleys monstrous decision, a sliver of an opportunity is in front of us. The P2 cartel is trying to diminish any aspirational programs that want to play in their league. Win 8 FB games this year and ramp up the pressure to have and do all the things the P2 does. Does that include an on campus FB stadium? Maybe. Can it be done? Maybe. With a coherent 10 year plan for the stadium and a continued commitment to the resourcing of the FB program(=W's), maybe we open the right eyes. Can the Stadium be a new and improved Rentschler? I guess so, but yechh. CL82 I believe points out the problems with our landlord there(CRDA??). Many folks point out the allure of an on campus stadium.

To say that talking about that is a waste of time and bandwidth is extremely defeatist. Two things can happen concurrently, do what it takes to win now, and make the blueprint for the future(8-15 years out) an action plan, not a feasibility study. That study probably says "not feasible". Winning a NC in Hoops much less 2 in a row wasn't feasible once upon a time.

And YES, the first three things on the agenda are WIN, WIN, WIN. Dan Hurley and the hoops program have given us a shot, the same as Jim and Geno did(and are still doing Geno). There are enough people out there willing to step on us, we shouldn't do it to ourselves. Go Huskies. #W's #Donate

 

[Kolumbo]

1. Back to Back National Champions
2. Danny Hurley chooses to remain at UConn rather than go to kentucky or lakers
3. Power invitation

Now is the time for someone to grab UConn and it has to happen within the next 24 months. No other program has done more with less and UConn deserves it. UConn Football will be successful on a level playing field and we still have HC Jim Mora, for now.

What do all the doomsdayers on this board know that Hurley does not? Hurley has turned down the Kentucky Wildcats and Los Angeles Lakers in the last two months to stay at UConn. Could some of the doomsdayers walk us through why Hurley is making a huge mistake?

Coach Hurley did not sign a life-long contract. Dan knows UConn still has a ton of upside and he knows he will have options for years to come. I'll wager he doesn't believe the current Big East 11 will be the same conference in 5 years.

 

[John]

What do all the doomsdayers on this board know that Hurley does not? Hurley has turned down the Kentucky Wildcats and Los Angeles Lakers in the last two months to stay at UConn. Could some of the doomsdayers walk us through why Hurley is making a huge mistake?

I wish you'd learn more than one note on your pennywhistle.

 

[AllHusky]

I wish you'd learn more than one note on your pennywhistle.

WT F does that mean?