The unofficial online home for fans of the University of Cincinnati Bearcats. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

In a sketchy neighborhood on the west side of town, Legion Field is so Spartan that it doesn't even have permanent concession stands. Moreover, the once-familiar upper deck on the east side of the stadium was condemned several years ago, resulting in its dismantling. Which is why the current-day Legion Field looks a bit smaller than it used to appear.

Looks a bit like the Liberty Bowl without the curves.

For anyone visiting Birmingham for the bowl game, if you find yourself bored in the city, I would recommend taking a stroll through Samford University's campus. Maybe the most beautiful campus I've ever been on.

I was at a wedding at the church on the campus this past summer.

(12-09-2019 02:05 PM)doss2 Wrote:  

(12-09-2019 01:20 PM)converrl Wrote:  

(12-09-2019 08:25 AM)doss2 Wrote:  Join me in writing to the AAC. I am also sending a cc to UC.


commissioner@theamerican.org

Dear Mr. Michael L Aresco:

I am a long- time loyal Cincinnati Bearcat Football Fan. I have been a season ticket holder and UCAT Booster Member for over 25 years. I have attended every UC bowl game since 2007 except The Hawaii Bowl.

In 2007 UConn, although finishing behind UC, got the better Belk Bowl invitation and we got The Papa John’s Birmingham. UC fans were upset but coach Kelly said we should suck it up and attend to make a positive statement about our fan base. We did and Bearcat Fans out attended nearby Southern Miss by 3 to 1.

As you know in 2019 we finished as AAC East Champions and are ranked ahead of Navy and unranked Temple, yet Navy and Temple, I am sure with your help, got the much better invitations to The Liberty and Military Bowl, respectively.

I and many other Bearcat Fans have been to the Birmingham Bowl in 2007 when we should have been at the Belk Bowl. I and many other fans will not suck it up again and accept being disrespected by The AAC. The Birmingham Bowl is being played in a stadium that should be condemned and is in a sketchy area.

I and other Bearcat fans have traveled well to other bowls such as Orange, Sugar, Liberty, Belk (twice), Military (twice) since 2007.

I will not attend and will urge all other UC fans to stay home.

The disrespect of UC by The AAC needs to end!

Dear doss2:

As commissioner of the AAC I would propose that if you want a better bowl destination then the Bearcats should win more football games especially against ranked opponents. This will bolster the prestige of your program and assure you of premiere bowl destinations.

Sincerely

Mike Aresco..

Like Temple and Navy?

Like O$U and Memphis.

(12-09-2019 11:00 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  

(12-09-2019 08:33 AM)JPBearcat3 Wrote:  The leadership and administration at UC over the last decade is more at-fault than the AAC.

Everyone failed at what should have been the only goal: get to a P5 conference.

We're now reaping the benefits of what Williams, Ono, and Pinto - with the help of their AD's - created.

Issue goes back further than Ono and Pinto. Current setup is result of past failures, and now none of the P5 conferences are willing to add anyone because they would have to share revenues not just from media rights, but also from the bowl games, college football playoff. With the exception of Notre Dame there is nobody-- P5 or G5 that would be worthwhile for these conferences to add that would not result in current conference members receiving a lesser share of revenue. As an example, according to this article I linked the Big 12 is paying each of its members on average $34.8M per year from all of its revenue sources. In other words, any addition would have be able not dilute that payout to the rest of the conference. Even if the media would give the B12 more money by adding two teams, there would still be a dilution from revenue generated from the bowl games, the CFP, etc.

The only thing Ono or Pinto could have done was pay member schools of these conferences hundreds of millions of dollars to make up for the lost revenue.

https://collegead.com/power-five-distribution/

Sad to see this old topic raise its head as it still suffers in purgatory.

The solution if you recall was for UC to accept lesser shares than current conference members. That was a similar strategy accepted for new ACC and B12 invites. Conference realignment really happened with Universities in media markets that were no better than Cincinnati. Pitt is a perfect example. But our leadership failed. It's not that lesser schools weren't invited because they were ie TCU, Syracuse. UC wasn't because the carnival barker went unchecked by an uniformed BOT. Their failures continue to generate revenue shortfalls that may never be overcome.

And now we toil in a worthless league that forces us to squeeze every nickel out of the student base so we can play in a condemned building.

(12-09-2019 08:33 AM)JPBearcat3 Wrote:  The leadership and administration at UC over the last decade is more at-fault than the AAC.

Everyone failed at what should have been the only goal: get to a P5 conference.

We're now reaping the benefits of what Williams, Ono, and Pinto - with the help of their AD's - created.

Why don't we go back to the original implosion of the AD....the needless firing of Bob Huggins.

This set the stage for a mediocre successor and a decline in the profile of MBB around which the UC AD had built it's national identity.

It's speculation, but, had Huggins remained, you may have retained Kelly long enough to gain P5 having 2 high-profile revenue sports.

I say...if you want to point the finger of blame...you point it at Z and the BOT at the time.

(12-10-2019 07:35 AM)Ragpicker Wrote:  

(12-09-2019 11:00 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  

(12-09-2019 08:33 AM)JPBearcat3 Wrote:  The leadership and administration at UC over the last decade is more at-fault than the AAC.

Everyone failed at what should have been the only goal: get to a P5 conference.

We're now reaping the benefits of what Williams, Ono, and Pinto - with the help of their AD's - created.

Issue goes back further than Ono and Pinto. Current setup is result of past failures, and now none of the P5 conferences are willing to add anyone because they would have to share revenues not just from media rights, but also from the bowl games, college football playoff. With the exception of Notre Dame there is nobody-- P5 or G5 that would be worthwhile for these conferences to add that would not result in current conference members receiving a lesser share of revenue. As an example, according to this article I linked the Big 12 is paying each of its members on average $34.8M per year from all of its revenue sources. In other words, any addition would have be able not dilute that payout to the rest of the conference. Even if the media would give the B12 more money by adding two teams, there would still be a dilution from revenue generated from the bowl games, the CFP, etc.

The only thing Ono or Pinto could have done was pay member schools of these conferences hundreds of millions of dollars to make up for the lost revenue.

https://collegead.com/power-five-distribution/

Sad to see this old topic raise its head as it still suffers in purgatory.

The solution if you recall was for UC to accept lesser shares than current conference members. That was a similar strategy accepted for new ACC and B12 invites. Conference realignment really happened with Universities in media markets that were no better than Cincinnati. Pitt is a perfect example. But our leadership failed. It's not that lesser schools weren't invited because they were ie TCU, Syracuse. UC wasn't because the carnival barker went unchecked by an uniformed BOT. Their failures continue to generate revenue shortfalls that may never be overcome.

And now we toil in a worthless league that forces us to squeeze every nickel out of the student base so we can play in a condemned building.

You are not wrong. I do think the 2016 B12 expansion project was a complete con job. The Media and the B12 played UC and other schools like a fiddle in order to negotiate the pro-rata clause in the B12 media contract. There was no question UC was only going to be given a lesser share, but the guys in Texas do not want to associate with anyone else unless it is a blue blood from a P5.

Our best shot at expansion was the ACC raid in 2011 and then with Louisville in 2012. As you said the leadership at that time did not have us ready for that move. That’s on Williams and then Ono but you also have to throw Mike Thomas in there as well for his inaction to enhance facilities and the overall profile previously.

(12-10-2019 08:18 AM)converrl Wrote:  

(12-09-2019 08:33 AM)JPBearcat3 Wrote:  The leadership and administration at UC over the last decade is more at-fault than the AAC.

Everyone failed at what should have been the only goal: get to a P5 conference.

We're now reaping the benefits of what Williams, Ono, and Pinto - with the help of their AD's - created.

Why don't we go back to the original implosion of the AD....the needless firing of Bob Huggins.

This set the stage for a mediocre successor and a decline in the profile of MBB around which the UC AD had built it's national identity.

It's speculation, but, had Huggins remained, you may have retained Kelly long enough to gain P5 having 2 high-profile revenue sports.

I say...if you want to point the finger of blame...you point it at Z and the BOT at the time.

You make so much sense!

(12-10-2019 08:28 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  

(12-10-2019 07:35 AM)Ragpicker Wrote:  

(12-09-2019 11:00 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  

(12-09-2019 08:33 AM)JPBearcat3 Wrote:  The leadership and administration at UC over the last decade is more at-fault than the AAC.

Everyone failed at what should have been the only goal: get to a P5 conference.

We're now reaping the benefits of what Williams, Ono, and Pinto - with the help of their AD's - created.

Issue goes back further than Ono and Pinto. Current setup is result of past failures, and now none of the P5 conferences are willing to add anyone because they would have to share revenues not just from media rights, but also from the bowl games, college football playoff. With the exception of Notre Dame there is nobody-- P5 or G5 that would be worthwhile for these conferences to add that would not result in current conference members receiving a lesser share of revenue. As an example, according to this article I linked the Big 12 is paying each of its members on average $34.8M per year from all of its revenue sources. In other words, any addition would have be able not dilute that payout to the rest of the conference. Even if the media would give the B12 more money by adding two teams, there would still be a dilution from revenue generated from the bowl games, the CFP, etc.

The only thing Ono or Pinto could have done was pay member schools of these conferences hundreds of millions of dollars to make up for the lost revenue.

https://collegead.com/power-five-distribution/

Sad to see this old topic raise its head as it still suffers in purgatory.

The solution if you recall was for UC to accept lesser shares than current conference members. That was a similar strategy accepted for new ACC and B12 invites. Conference realignment really happened with Universities in media markets that were no better than Cincinnati. Pitt is a perfect example. But our leadership failed. It's not that lesser schools weren't invited because they were ie TCU, Syracuse. UC wasn't because the carnival barker went unchecked by an uniformed BOT. Their failures continue to generate revenue shortfalls that may never be overcome.

And now we toil in a worthless league that forces us to squeeze every nickel out of the student base so we can play in a condemned building.

You are not wrong. I do think the 2016 B12 expansion project was a complete con job. The Media and the B12 played UC and other schools like a fiddle in order to negotiate the pro-rata clause in the B12 media contract. There was no question UC was only going to be given a lesser share, but the guys in Texas do not want to associate with anyone else unless it is a blue blood from a P5.

Our best shot at expansion was the ACC raid in 2011 and then with Louisville in 2012. As you said the leadership at that time did not have us ready for that move. That’s on Williams and then Ono but you also have to throw Mike Thomas in there as well for his inaction to enhance facilities and the overall profile previously.

100% on Thomas. So many of our leaders only rode the rising tides created by Steger, Goins, and Huggins. They personally did nothing to keep the momentum going. Rath often commented that UC really missed their big opportunity to expand UCATS and the big donors during the Orange/Sugar years. So true.

Nothing you can do about the past, it's over. Invest now and win now for 2026. That includes winning championships and consistently winning your bowl games.

Sent from my Moto E (4) Plus using CSNbbs mobile app

(12-10-2019 08:42 AM)Bearcatdh58 Wrote:  Nothing you can do about the past, it's over. Invest now and win now for 2026. That includes winning championships and consistently winning your bowl games.

Sent from my Moto E (4) Plus using CSNbbs mobile app

Keep pushing that date out, and I will be watching from the great Nippert in the sky!

Some movement may occur sooner but the point is UC must continue to demonstrate they are P5 worthy team on the field and in the stands, facilities and coaching. That includes the BHam bowl. ,😎

Sent from my Moto E (4) Plus using CSNbbs mobile app

(12-09-2019 01:20 PM)converrl Wrote:  

(12-09-2019 08:25 AM)doss2 Wrote:  Join me in writing to the AAC. I am also sending a cc to UC.


commissioner@theamerican.org

Dear Mr. Michael L Aresco:

I am a long- time loyal Cincinnati Bearcat Football Fan. I have been a season ticket holder and UCAT Booster Member for over 25 years. I have attended every UC bowl game since 2007 except The Hawaii Bowl.

In 2007 UConn, although finishing behind UC, got the better Belk Bowl invitation and we got The Papa John’s Birmingham. UC fans were upset but coach Kelly said we should suck it up and attend to make a positive statement about our fan base. We did and Bearcat Fans out attended nearby Southern Miss by 3 to 1.

As you know in 2019 we finished as AAC East Champions and are ranked ahead of Navy and unranked Temple, yet Navy and Temple, I am sure with your help, got the much better invitations to The Liberty and Military Bowl, respectively.

I and many other Bearcat Fans have been to the Birmingham Bowl in 2007 when we should have been at the Belk Bowl. I and many other fans will not suck it up again and accept being disrespected by The AAC. The Birmingham Bowl is being played in a stadium that should be condemned and is in a sketchy area.

I and other Bearcat fans have traveled well to other bowls such as Orange, Sugar, Liberty, Belk (twice), Military (twice) since 2007.

I will not attend and will urge all other UC fans to stay home.

The disrespect of UC by The AAC needs to end!

Dear doss2:

As commissioner of the AAC I would propose that if you want a better bowl destination then the Bearcats should win more football games especially against ranked opponents. This will bolster the prestige of your program and assure you of premiere bowl destinations.

Sincerely

Mike Aresco..

I hope for Aresco’s sake he did not say that UC needed to win more games. If he said that he needs to go. I for one would lose confidence in his ability to lead.

(12-10-2019 10:34 PM)kyucat Wrote:  

(12-09-2019 01:20 PM)converrl Wrote:  

(12-09-2019 08:25 AM)doss2 Wrote:  Join me in writing to the AAC. I am also sending a cc to UC.


commissioner@theamerican.org

Dear Mr. Michael L Aresco:

I am a long- time loyal Cincinnati Bearcat Football Fan. I have been a season ticket holder and UCAT Booster Member for over 25 years. I have attended every UC bowl game since 2007 except The Hawaii Bowl.

In 2007 UConn, although finishing behind UC, got the better Belk Bowl invitation and we got The Papa John’s Birmingham. UC fans were upset but coach Kelly said we should suck it up and attend to make a positive statement about our fan base. We did and Bearcat Fans out attended nearby Southern Miss by 3 to 1.

As you know in 2019 we finished as AAC East Champions and are ranked ahead of Navy and unranked Temple, yet Navy and Temple, I am sure with your help, got the much better invitations to The Liberty and Military Bowl, respectively.

I and many other Bearcat Fans have been to the Birmingham Bowl in 2007 when we should have been at the Belk Bowl. I and many other fans will not suck it up again and accept being disrespected by The AAC. The Birmingham Bowl is being played in a stadium that should be condemned and is in a sketchy area.

I and other Bearcat fans have traveled well to other bowls such as Orange, Sugar, Liberty, Belk (twice), Military (twice) since 2007.

I will not attend and will urge all other UC fans to stay home.

The disrespect of UC by The AAC needs to end!

Dear doss2:

As commissioner of the AAC I would propose that if you want a better bowl destination then the Bearcats should win more football games especially against ranked opponents. This will bolster the prestige of your program and assure you of premiere bowl destinations.

Sincerely

Mike Aresco..

I hope for Aresco’s sake he did not say that UC needed to win more games. If he said that he needs to go. I for one would lose confidence in his ability to lead.

Isn't it up to the people that run the bowl game to decide who gets invited? A commissioner of a conference can moan and groan, but at the end of the day, he/she/they don't make that decision.

(12-14-2019 02:55 PM)converrl Wrote:  

(12-10-2019 10:34 PM)kyucat Wrote:  

(12-09-2019 01:20 PM)converrl Wrote:  

(12-09-2019 08:25 AM)doss2 Wrote:  Join me in writing to the AAC. I am also sending a cc to UC.


commissioner@theamerican.org

Dear Mr. Michael L Aresco:

I am a long- time loyal Cincinnati Bearcat Football Fan. I have been a season ticket holder and UCAT Booster Member for over 25 years. I have attended every UC bowl game since 2007 except The Hawaii Bowl.

In 2007 UConn, although finishing behind UC, got the better Belk Bowl invitation and we got The Papa John’s Birmingham. UC fans were upset but coach Kelly said we should suck it up and attend to make a positive statement about our fan base. We did and Bearcat Fans out attended nearby Southern Miss by 3 to 1.

As you know in 2019 we finished as AAC East Champions and are ranked ahead of Navy and unranked Temple, yet Navy and Temple, I am sure with your help, got the much better invitations to The Liberty and Military Bowl, respectively.

I and many other Bearcat Fans have been to the Birmingham Bowl in 2007 when we should have been at the Belk Bowl. I and many other fans will not suck it up again and accept being disrespected by The AAC. The Birmingham Bowl is being played in a stadium that should be condemned and is in a sketchy area.

I and other Bearcat fans have traveled well to other bowls such as Orange, Sugar, Liberty, Belk (twice), Military (twice) since 2007.

I will not attend and will urge all other UC fans to stay home.

The disrespect of UC by The AAC needs to end!

Dear doss2:

As commissioner of the AAC I would propose that if you want a better bowl destination then the Bearcats should win more football games especially against ranked opponents. This will bolster the prestige of your program and assure you of premiere bowl destinations.

Sincerely

Mike Aresco..

I hope for Aresco’s sake he did not say that UC needed to win more games. If he said that he needs to go. I for one would lose confidence in his ability to lead.

Isn't it up to the people that run the bowl game to decide who gets invited? A commissioner of a conference can moan and groan, but at the end of the day, he/she/they don't make that decision.

UC got the bowl game they deserved. They didn’t win the conference and were not going to play in the game they did last year or in the city they spent the last two games.

They have a power conference opponent in January.

(12-14-2019 03:00 PM)bearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  UC got the bowl game they deserved. They didn’t win the conference and were not going to play in the game they did last year or in the city they spent the last two games.

They have a power conference opponent in January.

I can't disagree with this. I know the location/stadium is not desired by some but I'd rather play a power conference team than the Charlotte's, FIU's, EMU's, Rajun' Cajun's, et al., of the world. We've benefited from our conference affilation, brand and overall success to mostly play power opponents since Brian Kelly coached here...

2006 Western Michigan
2007 Southern Miss
2008 Virginia Tech
2009 Florida
2011 Vanderbilt
2012 Duke
2013 North Carolina
2014 Virginia Tech
2015 San Diego St
2018 Virginia Tech
2019 Boston College