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OT: Yahoo!: Sources: UConn move to the Big East inevitable

Dr. von Yinzer

Dr. von Yinzer

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Feb 4, 2010
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Dr. von Yinzer said:
From Yahoo!
“A report emerged late Friday that UConn was making plans to leave the AAC and go back to the Big East.

Calls with multiple sources on Saturday morning indicated to Yahoo Sports that a deal is being finalized for UConn to return to the Big East in basketball and other sports. A source told Yahoo Sports that there’s still details to be worked out and unwound, but that’s the general expectation for UConn’s future.”

Sources: UConn move to the Big East inevitable
Click to expand...

Almost seems like they're waving the white surrender flag w/r/t their football program, then.
 
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If this has already been discussed, I apologize as I hadn’t seen that here. However, this is really big news. This could have easily been Pitt.

Apparently out of options, UConn is waving the white flag on football and re-joining the Big East.

I cannot adequately express how bad college athletics realignment has been for the University of Connecticut. When they talk about winners and losers, to say UConn has been the biggest loser is a bit like saying that LeBron James is the best basketball player to ever come out of Akron. UConn has been the biggest realignment loser by approximately 10,000 miles.

And the worst part about it for them is they are not going to get in if there’s more realignment. There’s no way they would ever get into say, the Big 12 or the ACC ahead of UCF or USF. Even Cincinnati likely gets in ahead of them, IMHO.

UConn has a huge fan base. That’s definitely not their problem. That is a very popular program in a wealthy state without a pro sports team. They should be so much more attractive than they have been. Honestly, I think the Big Ten should’ve taken them over Rutgers. I felt that way at the time and I still feel that way.

However, with the way the pieces have fallen, I don’t know what the hell they’re going to do? I think they’re screwed, I really do.

That’s why I think this is the right move for them. At the very least, it gets them back where they should be in basketball - playing against the likes of Georgetown, Villanova and St. John’s on a regular basis rather than teams like Memphis, Tulsa and SMU.

I have no idea what they’re going to do with their football program? This is very bad news for that program. I’m guessing they’re going to try to make a go of it as an independent? I can’t imagine that’s going to go well for them, but who knows?
 
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Dr. von Yinzer said:
If this has already been discussed, I apologize as I hadn’t seen that here. However, this is really big news. This could have easily been Pitt.

Apparently out of options, UConn is waving the white flag on football and re-joining the Big East.

I cannot adequately express how bad college athletics realignment has been for the University of Connecticut. When they talk about winners and losers, to say UConn has been the biggest loser is a bit like saying that LeBron James is the best basketball player to ever come out of Akron. UConn has been the biggest realignment loser by approximately 10,000 miles.

And the worst part about it for them is they are not going to get in if there’s more realignment. There’s no way they would ever get into say, the Big 12 or the ACC ahead of UCF or USF. Even Cincinnati likely gets in ahead of them, IMHO.

UConn has a huge fan base. That’s definitely not their problem. That is a very popular program in a wealthy state without a pro sports team. They should be so much more attractive than they have been. Honestly, I think the Big Ten should’ve taken them over Rutgers. I felt that way at the time and I still feel that way.

However, with the way the pieces have fallen, I don’t know what the hell they’re going to do? I think they’re screwed, I really do.

That’s why I think this is the right move for them. At the very least, it gets them back where they should be in basketball - playing against the likes of Georgetown, Villanova and St. John’s on a regular basis rather than teams like Memphis, Tulsa and SMU.

I have no idea what they’re going to do with their football program? This is very bad news for that program. I’m guessing they’re going to try to make a go of it as an independent? I can’t imagine that’s going to go well for them, but who knows?
Click to expand...
They could apply in the MAC for football. UMass is in the MAC, so geographically it’s possible.
 
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Dr. von Yinzer said:
If this has already been discussed, I apologize as I hadn’t seen that here. However, this is really big news. This could have easily been Pitt.

Apparently out of options, UConn is waving the white flag on football and re-joining the Big East.

I cannot adequately express how bad college athletics realignment has been for the University of Connecticut. When they talk about winners and losers, to say UConn has been the biggest loser is a bit like saying that LeBron James is the best basketball player to ever come out of Akron. UConn has been the biggest realignment loser by approximately 10,000 miles.

And the worst part about it for them is they are not going to get in if there’s more realignment. There’s no way they would ever get into say, the Big 12 or the ACC ahead of UCF or USF. Even Cincinnati likely gets in ahead of them, IMHO.

UConn has a huge fan base. That’s definitely not their problem. That is a very popular program in a wealthy state without a pro sports team. They should be so much more attractive than they have been. Honestly, I think the Big Ten should’ve taken them over Rutgers. I felt that way at the time and I still feel that way.

However, with the way the pieces have fallen, I don’t know what the hell they’re going to do? I think they’re screwed, I really do.

That’s why I think this is the right move for them. At the very least, it gets them back where they should be in basketball - playing against the likes of Georgetown, Villanova and St. John’s on a regular basis rather than teams like Memphis, Tulsa and SMU.

I have no idea what they’re going to do with their football program? This is very bad news for that program. I’m guessing they’re going to try to make a go of it as an independent? I can’t imagine that’s going to go well for them, but who knows?
Click to expand...

Maybe UConn will try to go the UMass route now? UMass is current a football indy. MAC wouldn't let UMass stay in football after they decided they didn't want to be in the MAC for hoops.
 
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Also, this is fabulous news for the Big East. This seals that conference as a Power 6 men’s basketball conference. Honestly, I always thought they were one anyway. However, this absolutely seals it. It also puts a huge gulf between them and the AAC.

I know that UConn men’s hoops has struggled over the past few years, but they’re going to be good again soon. There’s just too much money being poured into that program for them to stay down.
 
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This is a huge blow to the American. That was probably that conference’s largest fan base and to lose them in one fell swoop is absolutely devastating – regardless of how well or poorly the Huskies have competed in recent years.

I have no idea how they’re going to replace them? That will be very interesting to watch. Maybe they can convince Army to join them? Maybe FAU? Maybe they try to join with Boise State, BYU, Colorado State, etc. to form a best of the rest conference? I’m honestly not sure what they’re going to do? All I know for sure is that losing a wealthy program from a wealthy state without a pro sports team is really, really bad news for any conference.
 
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Dr. von Yinzer said:
If this has already been discussed, I apologize as I hadn’t seen that here. However, this is really big news. This could have easily been Pitt.

Apparently out of options, UConn is waving the white flag on football and re-joining the Big East.

I cannot adequately express how bad college athletics realignment has been for the University of Connecticut. When they talk about winners and losers, to say UConn has been the biggest loser is a bit like saying that LeBron James is the best basketball player to ever come out of Akron. UConn has been the biggest realignment loser by approximately 10,000 miles.

And the worst part about it for them is they are not going to get in if there’s more realignment. There’s no way they would ever get into say, the Big 12 or the ACC ahead of UCF or USF. Even Cincinnati likely gets in ahead of them, IMHO.

UConn has a huge fan base. That’s definitely not their problem. That is a very popular program in a wealthy state without a pro sports team. They should be so much more attractive than they have been. Honestly, I think the Big Ten should’ve taken them over Rutgers. I felt that way at the time and I still feel that way.

However, with the way the pieces have fallen, I don’t know what the hell they’re going to do? I think they’re screwed, I really do.

That’s why I think this is the right move for them. At the very least, it gets them back where they should be in basketball - playing against the likes of Georgetown, Villanova and St. John’s on a regular basis rather than teams like Memphis, Tulsa and SMU.

I have no idea what they’re going to do with their football program? This is very bad news for that program. I’m guessing they’re going to try to make a go of it as an independent? I can’t imagine that’s going to go well for them, but who knows?
Click to expand...

Oh well....

They never really had a relevant D1 football program anyway. So really they are just going back to the way it was 15/20 years ago. This isn’t like PITT were having relevant football (albeit not always good football) is the expectation
 
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Dr. von Yinzer said:
This is a huge blow to the American. That was probably that conference’s largest fan base and to lose them in one fell swoop is absolutely devastating – regardless of how well or poorly the Huskies have competed in recent years.

I have no idea how they’re going to replace them? That will be very interesting to watch. Maybe they can convince Army to join them? Maybe FAU? Maybe they try to join with Boise State, BYU, Colorado State, etc. to form a best of the rest conference? I’m honestly not sure what they’re going to do? All I know for sure is that losing a wealthy program from a wealthy state without a pro sports team is really, really bad news for any conference.
Click to expand...

Posted on the hoops board: Boise Statw to the American. I am rarely wrong when it comes to realignment.

As for UConn football, they will probably go Independent or start a football-only league with other hopeless Independents Army, Liberty, UMass, and NM State. They'd need to add a couple schools but there's several FCS programs wanting to move up but need a conference to take them:

James Madison
Jacksonville State
Eastern Kentucky
North Dakota State
 
Just 10 years ago or so UConn was playing Oklahoma in the orange bowl.

Realignment and the big television money to the power 5’s just widened the gap and caused schools like UConn to race to the bottom.
 
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bayardstreet said:
Just 10 years ago or so UConn was playing Oklahoma in the orange bowl.

Realignment and the big television money to the power 5’s just widened the gap and caused schools like UConn to race to the bottom.
Click to expand...

And 20 years ago, they were a bad 1-AA program with 0 fanbase. I don't shed any tears for UConn football. They were never anything. Made the jump, caught lightning in a bottle, helped get Walt and Wanny fired then back to the college football wilderness.
 
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Dr. von Yinzer said:
From Yahoo!
“A report emerged late Friday that UConn was making plans to leave the AAC and go back to the Big East.

Calls with multiple sources on Saturday morning indicated to Yahoo Sports that a deal is being finalized for UConn to return to the Big East in basketball and other sports. A source told Yahoo Sports that there’s still details to be worked out and unwound, but that’s the general expectation for UConn’s future.”

Sources: UConn move to the Big East inevitable
Click to expand...


Honestly, if you asked me last week what conference UConn was in... I woulda said the Big East.
 
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RaleighPittFan said:
"...UConn will not drop football program or drop down to FCS. It will remain in FBS. Where – as a football-only member in AAC, MAC or C-USA or FBS independent – is to be determined, sources said."

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) June 22, 2019

https://collegefootballtalk.nbcspor...king-to-keep-football-program-in-fbs-not-fcs/
Click to expand...

They will be an Independent or there will be some new football-only league. The MAC, CUSA, or Sun Belt would require some type of basketball scheduling agreement and given the Big East will be going to a 20 game schedule, I cant see UConn hoops wanting to play a couple road games vs those leagues
 
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Dr. von Yinzer said:
If this has already been discussed, I apologize as I hadn’t seen that here. However, this is really big news. This could have easily been Pitt.

Apparently out of options, UConn is waving the white flag on football and re-joining the Big East.

I cannot adequately express how bad college athletics realignment has been for the University of Connecticut. When they talk about winners and losers, to say UConn has been the biggest loser is a bit like saying that LeBron James is the best basketball player to ever come out of Akron. UConn has been the biggest realignment loser by approximately 10,000 miles.

And the worst part about it for them is they are not going to get in if there’s more realignment. There’s no way they would ever get into say, the Big 12 or the ACC ahead of UCF or USF. Even Cincinnati likely gets in ahead of them, IMHO.

UConn has a huge fan base. That’s definitely not their problem. That is a very popular program in a wealthy state without a pro sports team. They should be so much more attractive than they have been. Honestly, I think the Big Ten should’ve taken them over Rutgers. I felt that way at the time and I still feel that way.

However, with the way the pieces have fallen, I don’t know what the hell they’re going to do? I think they’re screwed, I really do.

That’s why I think this is the right move for them. At the very least, it gets them back where they should be in basketball - playing against the likes of Georgetown, Villanova and St. John’s on a regular basis rather than teams like Memphis, Tulsa and SMU.

I have no idea what they’re going to do with their football program? This is very bad news for that program. I’m guessing they’re going to try to make a go of it as an independent? I can’t imagine that’s going to go well for them, but who knows?
Click to expand...
Yep. Posted almost the same exact post on the pay board (albeit in much fewer words) but it is the right move for UConn and yes, of all the schools in the reshuffling of college sports, UConn was the biggest loser. The AAC was a horrible fit for them. And yes, it could have been us.
 
California Panther said:
Pitt needs to jump in and offer up a 2-for-1 or 3-for-1 to help them with their schedules if they want to go Indy and play mostly in the NE, maybe we can get a good deal and maybe get some revenge for Wanny!
Click to expand...

This is a great idea, although I'm sure the big dogs are already circling.....OSU,PSU, heck maybe even the SEC teams willing to pay millions to have UCONN be feast for the slaughter
 
TIGER-PAUL said:
They can be independent like umass. The 15 year P5 plan failed.
Click to expand...

I remember listening to a pregame interview with Steve Pederson in his first stint. UCONN was just announced for upgrading their football to play in the Big East. He was absolutely giddy. He said when UCONN sets there mind to something they are always successful and he had no doubt they would be a great program.

Well, they started strong and passed Wanny, but the hire of Pasqualoni was their Paul Hackett moment. Surprisingly showed that maybe they weren't as "all in" as we thought. And then getting screwed in the realignment and replacing Pasqualoni with an equally incompetent Diallo has been a death sentence for them. And we all know how well back to the future hires usually work so I don't think Edsall will be dancing on the sideline anytime soon.
 
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Dr. von Yinzer said:
This is a huge blow to the American. That was probably that conference’s largest fan base and to lose them in one fell swoop is absolutely devastating – regardless of how well or poorly the Huskies have competed in recent years.

I have no idea how they’re going to replace them? That will be very interesting to watch. Maybe they can convince Army to join them? Maybe FAU? Maybe they try to join with Boise State, BYU, Colorado State, etc. to form a best of the rest conference? I’m honestly not sure what they’re going to do? All I know for sure is that losing a wealthy program from a wealthy state without a pro sports team is really, really bad news for any conference.
Click to expand...

There isn't anyone available to the AAC that will come close.
 
PittMan 72 said:
I think that was the same guy who insisted on kicking to Mardy Gilyard. :( :mad:
Click to expand...
Dave used to talk intently to Buddy Jackson right before kickoffs because Buddy was the gunner on that side so closest to the sideline. Buddy didn't seem the sharpest crayon in the box so maybe he was the one who gave Wanny such awful advice! :D
 
cease10 said:
AAC doesn't do much for Boise, other than give them increased travel costs
Click to expand...

It's a better league than the Mountain West and they'd take it in a heartbeat. Remember they accepted a membership to join it 8 years ago or so and were going to put their other sports in the Big West.
 
Sean Miller Fan said:
It's a better league than the Mountain West and they'd take it in a heartbeat. Remember they accepted a membership to join it 8 years ago or so and were going to put their other sports in the Big West.
Click to expand...
And they ended up backing out of the invitation and never joined. The same concerns they had then, still exist now.

AAC and MWC are pretty even to me. Each conference is one undefeated or bad season away from being ahead of the other. They're pretty even.
 
They might as weld fold the football program and quit trying. IMO, this move is shortsighted and only makes sense if you're dropping football to FCS.
 
Gunga_Galunga said:
They might as weld fold the football program and quit trying. IMO, this move is shortsighted and only makes sense if you're dropping football to FCS.
Click to expand...

I think it depends on what they think they can get out of it. If they become a team that can get a big payday from playing a few games on a 2 for 1 plan and can schedule Army and UMass and a couple of other northeast schools, they could get the program to the break even point. There's so much money in CFB right now, it's worth a shot. But I bet they're prepared to back peddle if necessary.
 
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pittdan77 said:
I think it depends on what they think they can get out of it. If they become a team that can get a big payday from playing a few games on a 2 for 1 plan and can schedule Army and UMass and a couple of other northeast schools, they could get the program to the break even point. There's so much money in CFB right now, it's worth a shot. But I bet they're prepared to back peddle if necessary.
Click to expand...

You are correct there IS money to be made.
ANY FBS team, even an incredibly bad one looks better than a FCS school on the resume.

UConn can make money going the payed and slayed route.
Field an incredibly crappy team (as no real recruits will want to go there as an Independent with no cache whatsoever.

UConn H/H games: UMass, Army, New Mexico St., Liberty (these are 4 Independents that are crap and can help each other). Now they only need one more home game.

They get a 2 for 1 game to fill that out and they meet the minimum 5 home games.

Rest of the games .... highest bidder cannon fodder

UConn keeps FB break even or better monetary wise, as they won't have to pay coaches much because no real quality coach will want to go there.

That is the most viable plan, dropping down to FCS is a sinkhole for money, and they left the AAC for Big East partly due to financial reasons (as they will make much more money in BBall in the BEast)
 
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