With the first year of football/basketball play coming to an end:

1) Did the AAC's competitiveness meet, exceed, or fall below your expectations?

2) How does your experience rooting for a team in the AAC compare to your days in the Big East? This is a general question. I have been on these boards for five years (under pzz189) and recall the OBE having a similar struggle of fighting for respect from the other BCS conferences.

3) Do you guys miss the Big East branding? I personally have grown tired of the "American" gimmick and cartoonish A. The AAC acronym also doesn't roll off the tongue as nicely as "Big East."

4) Are you happy to see the downfall of the Big East schools that packed up and left? The Johnnies might be facing their 4th or 5th transfer, Marquette's coach just left to go to the ACC for a paycut, and no Big East team made it past the Round of 32. Recruiting's dropped off for a few teams and the X and Butler additions have yet to make much of a difference. The FS1 ratings have been much lower than what was expected and they likely see a decrease in their TV deal at the time of contract renewal.

(04-04-2014 08:07 AM)SouthPhillyFall Wrote:  With the first year of football/basketball play coming to an end:

1) Did the AAC's competitiveness meet, exceed, or fall below your expectations?

2) How does your experience rooting for a team in the AAC compare to your days in the Big East? This is a general question. I have been on these boards for five years (under pzz189) and recall the OBE having a similar struggle of fighting for respect from the other BCS conferences.

3) Do you guys miss the Big East branding? I personally have grown tired of the "American" gimmick and cartoonish A. The AAC acronym also doesn't roll off the tongue as nicely as "Big East."

4) Are you happy to see the downfall of the Big East schools that packed up and left? The Johnnies might be facing their 4th or 5th transfer, Marquette's coach just left to go to the ACC for a paycut, and no Big East team made it past the Round of 32. Recruiting's dropped off for a few teams and the X and Butler additions have yet to make much of a difference. The FS1 ratings have been much lower than what was expected and they likely see a decrease in their TV deal at the time of contract renewal.

1) Met expectations. Need the bottom half in football and especially basketball to improve with Ville leaving.

2) As a UC fan, it's kind of tough. All regional rivalries are all gone. That matters.

3) Least of my worries about this conference.

4) Happy? Of course.

1) Met expectations - against UofL, houston and SMU
Fell below - the rest

2) Didn't change how I root for my Bearcats; however, I do miss the games against Syracuse and Pitt and will miss the UofL game.

3) Not really, however, the Big East had developed some credability through Miami, Virginia Tech, Pitt and Syracuse success. we just need to develop our own.

4) No

(04-04-2014 08:07 AM)SouthPhillyFall Wrote:  With the first year of football/basketball play coming to an end:

Quote:1) Did the AAC's competitiveness meet, exceed, or fall below your expectations?

We didn't win football, and we got ousted early in Memphis, so I am not complaining. But the lower half needs to be better in both.

Quote:2) How does your experience rooting for a team in the AAC compare to your days in the Big East? This is a general question. I have been on these boards for five years (under pzz189) and recall the OBE having a similar struggle of fighting for respect from the other BCS conferences.

Don't care. The Cincinnati Bearcats are still the same teams as before.

Quote:3) Do you guys miss the Big East branding? I personally have grown tired of the "American" gimmick and cartoonish A. The AAC acronym also doesn't roll off the tongue as nicely as "Big East."

Don't care. The Big East FB didn't get respect, and the American doesn't (and won't) either. The bottom line is, I root for Cincinnati to do the best it can, given the circumstances (mostly beyond its control).

Quote:4) Are you happy to see the downfall of the Big East schools that packed up and left? The Johnnies might be facing their 4th or 5th transfer, Marquette's coach just left to go to the ACC for a paycut, and no Big East team made it past the Round of 32. Recruiting's dropped off for a few teams and the X and Butler additions have yet to make much of a difference. The FS1 ratings have been much lower than what was expected and they likely see a decrease in their TV deal at the time of contract renewal.

Well, they are still making more TV money than we are. But, yeah, it's not exactly a conference I root for - LOL!

1. Slightly exceeded expectations in basketball, met them in football (although my expectations for football weren't high).

2. Still hear everyone ripping our schedule that isn't a UC fan only now we mostly agree with them.

3. The branding is fine to me. They are doing the best with what they have to work with. The cards are stacked against growing the brand and I think they're still getting SOME traction.

4. Root against it entirely because they have X now. I have nothing against the C7 schools.

Hey guys,

First time poster, long time lurker. I have been a UC fan since birth, and I love reading this board to gain insight into other's points of view. With that said:

1. The competition in this league definitely exceeded my expectations. I think new kid on the block UCF taking the BCS bid from the conference was huge for the AAC. Obviously, having UCONN in the final 4 is a win for the conference as well. To me, that is just icing on the cake from what we have already accomplished this year. Having 5 teams in the ap top 25 for the whole conference stretch was huge. Does the bottom half of the league have to step up to be competitive? Sure, but I think we are in a good place and have a few solid programs in both sports to carry the torch.

2. I have the same feeling cheering for and AAC team that I had when I was cheering for an OBE team. I am a UC fan first, but I always wish that other conference mates do well. The disrespect card has been played ever since we joined the BE and I dont think that it is going to go away anytime soon unless we keep winning.

3. I'm not worried about the branding. Just win baby.

4. I hate Xavier

(04-04-2014 08:07 AM)SouthPhillyFall Wrote:  1) Did the AAC's competitiveness meet, exceed, or fall below your expectations?

A little of each. Football was what I expected. Great bowl win by UCF to add credibility to the conference. Basketball had a clear top and bottom. I'd like to see more parity going forward and I'd like everyone to schedule better out of conference.

(04-04-2014 08:07 AM)SouthPhillyFall Wrote:  2) How does your experience rooting for a team in the AAC compare to your days in the Big East?

It feels like the early days of the Big East with the league struggling for respect. I think this time the respect mountain is higher due to not being in the P5.

(04-04-2014 08:07 AM)SouthPhillyFall Wrote:  3) Do you guys miss the Big East branding?

I miss some of the respect the league name had, particularly in basketball, but not the logo/branding.

(04-04-2014 08:07 AM)SouthPhillyFall Wrote:  4) Are you happy to see the downfall of the Big East schools that packed up and left?

I enjoy any conference that my school isn't in falling on their face. Some conferences (ACC) more than others. I don't dislike anyone in the old Big East, but I certainly won't root for them any more. Out of conference I root for every AAC team now. Same as i did during the B.E. days.

I agree with Mac but I'll add my own.

In football it met or exceeded my expectations, but fell below in basketball.

In bball, I expected SMU to be good knowing the players it had and the coaches.

I expected Temple to be much better, and for Houston to play much better. I expected a lot more out of USF and UCF given how the level of play of those teams in the past.

So, while Houston and especially SMU were improved, I expected that. I expected SMU to be as good, and expected Houston to be slightly better.

(04-04-2014 08:07 AM)SouthPhillyFall Wrote:  1) Did the AAC's competitiveness meet, exceed, or fall below your expectations?

I guess it depends how you look at it. There were some good teams, which I expected, but not enough of them. The bottom of both football and basketball were pretty weak. UC didn't lose to a non-former Big East team in football and only lost once to a non-former Big East team in basketball (at Moody). The basketball league did nothing among the bottom 5 this year. SMU was probably a bit ahead of where I thought they would be, but Memphis continues to underachieve given their talent. I was really happy with Uconn making the final four and UCF winning a BCS bowl. Very good for the league.

(04-04-2014 08:07 AM)SouthPhillyFall Wrote:  2) How does your experience rooting for a team in the AAC compare to your days in the Big East?

Not nearly as exciting.

(04-04-2014 08:07 AM)SouthPhillyFall Wrote:  3) Do you guys miss the Big East branding?

Don't care about branding, other than maybe basketball. I miss the quality of the leagues.

(04-04-2014 08:07 AM)SouthPhillyFall Wrote:  4) Are you happy to see the downfall of the Big East schools that packed up and left?

I would not say there has been a downfall among those schools. The downfall occured when Syracuse, Pitt, WVU, and Louisville all got out. Rutgers leaving was not that big of a deal, but so it goes. It's a different Big East. Would it have been better off sticking with the football school? I'm not so sure. Big East is what it is... a solid league That's not going to be great at the top.

Exceeded expetations, don't miss the Big East, love the American (both conference and brand). And I must admit to taking quite a bit of enjoyment from seeing all the departures fall down. Wasn't totally unexpected though.

The American will be what we make of it. When all our schools embrace it, talk it up, promote, talk long-term... it will pay off big time.

I miss the Big East. There, I said it. I do like the American though. The Big East, while mocked constantly, was still a BCS conference. There was a level of prestige in that fact. And now that is gone. In true reality the AAC is as good as the BE was in football, but faces a steeper hill to climb due to being on the outside looking in. The BE may have barely been in, but they were in. I find it odd that some so called power brokers make up some imaginary line out of thin air that if you are on the good side of that line, somehow you are so much more powerful that if you are on the other side. What a scam. By the way, the league actually exceeded my expectation is both football and basketball.

Thanks for the insight everyone.

I am surprised by the positive comments and how well many accept being in the league. On the other side, it's a little discouraging to see some Cincinnati fans view themselves as separate from the entity they've found themselves in.

1) Met expectations in football, fell slightly below in bball

2) Rooting for a team in the AAC isn't as fun as in the BE in bball. Every bball game in the Big East was huge. As a UConn fan, I really only enjoy playing Cincy, Memphis, and SMU as they bring a crowd. I am not used to UConn playing in empty arenas.

3) I miss the Big East name and the tourney at Madison Square Garden. However, the AAC is doing a good enough job with the new name and logo

4) I will admit that I am happy to see the Big East falter. It makes me less sad about Big East fracturing off after UConn missed out on joining a P5 conference since we aren't missing anything in the new Big East. The American should be the best non-P5 basketball and football conference in short time.

(04-04-2014 01:56 PM)SouthPhillyFall Wrote:  Thanks for the insight everyone.

I am surprised by the positive comments and how well many accept being in the league. On the other side, it's a little discouraging to see some Cincinnati fans view themselves as separate from the entity they've found themselves in.

Which UC fan said they feel separate from the AAC? The only thing I hvae read is that UC misses regional battles with UofL, Pitt and WVU. Those schools all share the Ohio River with UC and are within a reasonable driving distance for our fans. UC has played Louisville 53 times in football and over a hundred time in basketball. The cities of CIncinnati and Pittsburgh already have rivalries in pro sports and it kind of carried on in football. It is kind of hard to replace trophy games with teams a few hours away with schools that over 10 hours away.

(04-04-2014 08:07 AM)SouthPhillyFall Wrote:  With the first year of football/basketball play coming to an end:

1) Did the AAC's competitiveness meet, exceed, or fall below your expectations?

2) How does your experience rooting for a team in the AAC compare to your days in the Big East? This is a general question. I have been on these boards for five years (under pzz189) and recall the OBE having a similar struggle of fighting for respect from the other BCS conferences.

3) Do you guys miss the Big East branding? I personally have grown tired of the "American" gimmick and cartoonish A. The AAC acronym also doesn't roll off the tongue as nicely as "Big East."

4) Are you happy to see the downfall of the Big East schools that packed up and left? The Johnnies might be facing their 4th or 5th transfer, Marquette's coach just left to go to the ACC for a paycut, and no Big East team made it past the Round of 32. Recruiting's dropped off for a few teams and the X and Butler additions have yet to make much of a difference. The FS1 ratings have been much lower than what was expected and they likely see a decrease in their TV deal at the time of contract renewal.

1) Competitiveness was about what I expected. I knew basketball and football would both be worse than the old Big East though basketball would still be a good league but football wouldn't, and both proved correct. Figured someone who rise up to challenge Louisville for the football crown though didn't know it would be UCF.

2) I root for USF the same no matter what conference we are in, but whereas Big East membership was a source of some pride (we were AQ despite the constant criticism and the basketball was second to none), it was hard swallowing being affiliated with the AAC, since we obviously were left-behind in realignment and it is an inferior league compared to the old Big East.

3) "Big East" is a much better name than "AAC" or "the American", both of which sound generically G5.

4) Four is a silly question, since it's nothing but anti-Big East propaganda with no basis in reality. No Big East schools have experienced any kind of "downfall", and they are cashing much bigger media checks than we are, which reminds me how lousy the AAC media deal is.

(04-04-2014 02:47 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  3) "Big East" is a much better name than "AAC" or "the American", both of which sound generically G5.

LMAO! You were the one saying that we shouldn't keep the name.

IMO, the new name and logo have ended up being a shot in the arm for the conference.
It separated us from all the damage ESPN pundits had done to former brand association.
The success of the conference this year has given the mark some good equity... while the NBE has fallen off.

(04-04-2014 02:54 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  

(04-04-2014 02:47 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  3) "Big East" is a much better name than "AAC" or "the American", both of which sound generically G5.

LMAO! You were the one saying that we shouldn't keep the name.

IIRC, I said the C7 had the greater moral claim to the name, since those schools had been in the Big East, on average, much longer than had the AAC schools. But in any event, "Big East" is a better name than "AAC". It just is.

The AAC name is completely generic and hasn't done anything for us in terms of public relations. Nothing. It doesn't harm us, but it is just a bland name that doesn't establish any kind of identity. It's like C-USA.

(04-04-2014 02:57 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(04-04-2014 02:54 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  

(04-04-2014 02:47 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  3) "Big East" is a much better name than "AAC" or "the American", both of which sound generically G5.

LMAO! You were the one saying that we shouldn't keep the name.

IIRC, I said the C7 had the greater moral claim to the name, since those schools had been in the Big East, on average, much longer than had the AAC schools. But in any event, "Big East" is a better name than "AAC". It just is.

The AAC name is completely generic and hasn't done anything for us in terms of public relations. Nothing. It doesn't harm us, but it is just a bland name that doesn't establish any kind of identity. It's like C-USA.

LMAO!!

You are on a roll!!!

I am very happy we have the name we do. I will leave it at that. The $$$ is a very nice bonus.

By the way, WHAT CONFERENCE NAME ISN'T GENERIC? Go ahead and throw Big 12 in with CUSA as well. ACC sounds just as generic...

(04-04-2014 02:57 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(04-04-2014 02:54 PM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  

(04-04-2014 02:47 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  3) "Big East" is a much better name than "AAC" or "the American", both of which sound generically G5.

LMAO! You were the one saying that we shouldn't keep the name.

IIRC, I said the C7 had the greater moral claim to the name, since those schools had been in the Big East, on average, much longer than had the AAC schools. But in any event, "Big East" is a better name than "AAC". It just is.

The AAC name is completely generic and hasn't done anything for us in terms of public relations. Nothing. It doesn't harm us, but it is just a bland name that doesn't establish any kind of identity. It's like C-USA.

If the conference wanted to brand around football, selling the "Big East" name isn't really a big deal; the Big East was known for hoops.

I don't necessarily like the name American (seems too much like Conference USA) and think that they should have resurrected the Metro, since the schools are predominantly urban/city schools.

(04-04-2014 03:08 PM)megadrone Wrote:  If the conference wanted to brand around football, selling the "Big East" name isn't really a big deal; the Big East was known for hoops.

I don't necessarily like the name American (seems too much like Conference USA) and think that they should have resurrected the Metro, since the schools are predominantly urban/city schools.

I never really liked the Big 10 name (for a conference with more than 10 schools) either. I guess Big 12 was taken and the Big 14 was already trademarked.

Let's be honest, its really not about the names. If someone has an agenda, they'll see the name the way they want to see it.

The problem with the CUSA mark was always its extreme busy-ness.. with 4 letters and "conference" in front. It was like no traditional conference name. The AAC has never had those issues. The AAC logo is fresh and legit. It reminds me of the AFC, which is a good association - considering that our programs are in major cities, like the teams in the AFC.