UCONN, The Big East and realignment

[redmen9194]

Been reading posts both here and on UConn boards and have a take on this whole thing for what it’s worth.

First, some truths.

1. UConn is the best basketball program in country. Five national championships in a 25 year span under three different head coaches. The three different coaches is quite impressive. But at this point it’s undisputed and you really can’t make the argument for anyone else with a straight face.

2. UConn does not win any of those championships without Big East membership. Yes I know they won in their first year in the AAC - but those players were recruited as Big East players. Only one player on any of their championship teams was recruited to an AAC UConn. Danny Hurley did a great job but he also used the Big East to get his players and to fill his gyms. There is a reason former Big East schools have won nothing since leaving while Nova and UConn have won out of the Big East. A kid wanting to play in the ACC will go through 10 schools before Cuse shows up in their list? Remember how Cuse would be a foothold in NYC for the ACC? Cuse is an afterthought now in the boroughs. UConn succeeds in the Big East because they ARE the Big East. They are part of its DNA. And the Big East absolutely benefits from UConn which is why they are the only FBS school the league would consider.

3. UConn was the school that got screwed the roster in realignment. They were asked by the football schools in the Big East to invest in moving to D1 football to help stabilize the conference. They did - while also not ignoring basketball. They were competitive for a period of time, but as they were getting some traction, the football schools not only walked out on them, but made sure there was no spot for them as well. The result is they are stuck in the AAC with no rivals in any sport and need to sustain football without national, regional, or fan base interest. UConn got hosed not by the basketball schools, but by the football schools.

4. UConn is not a national brand. Despite its unmatched success this quarter century, UConn is not the biggest brand in the sport - even though that’s the thought on their boards. In New England? Sure. In New York? A bit but I have yet to see anyone wearing UConn garb with any regularity unless they went there? Outside the Northeast? Forget it. Duke, UNC, Kansas, UCLA, Michigan, ND, Penn State all national brands. Georgetown is probably a bigger national brand than UConn.

5. If UConn gets an invite to a football 4 conference, it may hurt competitively but they have to take it so long as they have a football program. College football is a drug addiction for colleges. It requires huge amounts of cash and only a small number actually compete for championships. The Big East can’t sustain any school with an FBS football team. The math will never work.

So what’s the point? Not sure actually. I do not think UConn gets the invite they have been looking for. Football is still king. No one cares about UConn football. It’s got three strikes against it - it’s got no history, it’s in the one area of the country that is saturated with pro sports and cares very little about Saturday football and most importantly they stink. With the first two strikes, no one is going to bring them in thinking they will get better. If the whole purpose of making the extra cash is to compete for championships, then UConn is just fine. Cuse May have more cash on hand, but I’ll bet Orange fans would be happier with the trophy cases in Storrs and at Nova. Just my rambling thoughts.

[DeltaV]

Good post, and I agree with everything other than UConn not getting an invite to the ACC. Florida State, Clemson, and probably a few others are as good as gone. The rest of the conference is like a jilted boyfriend who keeps pining for a girl when she says she's breaking up. It's all over except for the crying, and they'll pick up UConn in the aftermath.

I also don't think it'll be good for anyone except the accountants that count the money, but even that probably won't be what it once was. But no one in college sports seems to pay attention to history, even when it stares them in the face (Syracuse, as you explain well)

[BEXU]

BE could do alot with 30 million.

[ecasadoSBU]

Uconn has been passed on repeatedly. I dont see why would any P4 would invite us at this point.

I would hate Uconn leaving the Big East. Most UConn fans love the Big East

[redmen9194]

Good post, and I agree with everything other than UConn not getting an invite to the ACC. Florida State, Clemson, and probably a few others are as good as gone. The rest of the conference is like a jilted boyfriend who keeps pining for a girl when she says she's breaking up. It's all over except for the crying, and they'll pick up UConn in the aftermath.

I also don't think it'll be good for anyone except the accountants that count the money, but even that probably won't be what it once was. But no one in college sports seems to pay attention to history, even when it stares them in the face (Syracuse, as you explain well)

I don’t think the remnants of the ACC won’t be a power football conference. If the ACC gets raided there will be three power football conferences and everyone else.

[DeltaV]

Good post, and I agree with everything other than UConn not getting an invite to the ACC. Florida State, Clemson, and probably a few others are as good as gone. The rest of the conference is like a jilted boyfriend who keeps pining for a girl when she says she's breaking up. It's all over except for the crying, and they'll pick up UConn in the aftermath.

I also don't think it'll be good for anyone except the accountants that count the money, but even that probably won't be what it once was. But no one in college sports seems to pay attention to history, even when it stares them in the face (Syracuse, as you explain well)

I don’t think the remnants of the ACC won’t be a power football conference. If the ACC gets raided there will be three power football conferences and everyone else.

Agreed, but kinda how the AAC (former Big East football) tried to tell everyone that they were still a power 6 conference, the remnants (ironically, also a lot of Big East football...) Will still sell themselves as Power 4, at least for a few years until they get tired of everyone else laughing at them.

[butlerguy03]

It'll be interesting once the NCAA cuts ties and does not sponsor bowl series football anymore (not championships). This will allow major football to go off on its own, and likely see conferences realigned again based on FCS football and basketball. This will likely lead to a breakup of the Big East and, for those original Big East schools, likely a return to the old conference in looks. Unfortunately, this may see Creighton, DePaul, Marquette, Butler, and Xavier out and into their own version of a midwestern Big East.

Just imagine a major realignment based on the schools deciding not to break off bowl football and becoming championship level football. This will be massive and possibly give the NCAA more power and credibility to work on NIL.

[xufan02]

It'll be interesting once the NCAA cuts ties and does not sponsor bowl series football anymore (not championships). This will allow major football to go off on its own, and likely see conferences realigned again based on FCS football and basketball. This will likely lead to a breakup of the Big East and, for those original Big East schools, likely a return to the old conference in looks. Unfortunately, this may see Creighton, DePaul, Marquette, Butler, and Xavier out and into their own version of a midwestern Big East.

Just imagine a major realignment based on the schools deciding not to break off bowl football and becoming championship level football. This will be massive and possibly give the NCAA more power and credibility to work on NIL.

I don't see a path where Georgetown, Villanova, Seton Hall, St. Johns, and Providence all walk away or get offered by the ACC as a basketball only addition. Maybe Nova and Georgetown as those are big brands in great markets but that would likely be it. UConn really is the only school shopping for football.

[Jet915]

John Ourand
@Ourand_SBJ
Yormark: "I did have conversations with UConn and Gonzaga. And unfortunately, things didn't work out...Those conversations are no longer."

Looks like UConn is "stuck" with us for the time being until the ACC gets picked apart....

[xufan02]

Matt Norlander had a piece on UConn and Gonzaga.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-baske ... -long-run/