(10-26-2018 02:32 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  

(10-26-2018 02:23 PM)BePcr07 Wrote:  

(10-26-2018 02:06 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  It wouldn't surprise me if the MAC took their football (back). James Madison, get ready for a phone call...

Perhaps the MAC would consider Connecticut and Massachusetts for football only since 14 would be an even number?

West: Northern Illinois, Ball St, Western Michigan, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Toledo, Bowling Green St
East: Miami OH, Ohio, Akron, Kent St, Buffalo, Connecticut, Massachusetts

That would make a lot of sense. The MAC is going to want some basketball games in return.

Both Connecticut and Massachusetts could spare a couple basketball games a season against the MAC

Not sure with Uconn if the Big East is at 20....

They'd have
20 cofnerence games
1-2 challenge games
4 game Exempt tournament

right there would be 25-26 games. With only 5-6 games left. Still need at least 1-2 good OOC games outside the challenge/exempt tourney. so would only have 3-5 slots left- and some of those are your buy type dog games.

I do find it funny that people are salivating over rumors from an SBNation fan site and a college basketball writer from the Asbury Park Press. I think Frank the Tank has it right - the only way UConn makes this move is if they've fully abandoned any hope of joining the B1G or the ACC. I also have to figure that politically, slapping the taxpayers of Connecticut in the face after they spent roughly $100MM to build the Rent less than 20 years ago would have some ugly repercussions...

USFFan

(10-26-2018 01:08 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  If UConn football goes independent you are looking at a schedule full of home and aways with:

UMass
Buffalo
Temple
Army
Liberty
NMSU

Possible Home and Aways or 2 for 1s with:
BYU
BC
Rutgers
Pitt
Maryland
Syracuse

Hosting 1-2 FCS schools in the Northeast like:
Stony Brook
URI
UNH
Maine
Albany

UConn could make it work if they had to I guess.

just drop football... stick to basketball.. because Husky football won't be viable playing these folks..

(10-26-2018 02:32 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  

(10-26-2018 02:23 PM)BePcr07 Wrote:  

(10-26-2018 02:06 PM)The Cutter of Bish Wrote:  It wouldn't surprise me if the MAC took their football (back). James Madison, get ready for a phone call...

Perhaps the MAC would consider Connecticut and Massachusetts for football only since 14 would be an even number?

West: Northern Illinois, Ball St, Western Michigan, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, Toledo, Bowling Green St
East: Miami OH, Ohio, Akron, Kent St, Buffalo, Connecticut, Massachusetts

That would make a lot of sense. The MAC is going to want some basketball games in return.

I don't think the offer re-extends to UMass unless they bring all of their sports. People at least show up for UConn football, and you don't need to worry about what they bring for hoops. The MAC knows what they'll get with UMass...they weren't impressed with just football.

But thirteen for basketball is weird, be it all of UMass or JMU.

And if you put football in MAC, you pretty much get a game with the Big Ten. Of course, midweek games wouldn't go over well with UConn I'd wager.

(10-26-2018 02:37 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(10-26-2018 01:58 PM)Frank the Tank Wrote:  UConn won’t go anywhere unless they are 100% unequivocally certain that they’re never getting a P5 invite, in which event the football independence/Big East combo becomes more attractive. Football was really a means to an end for UConn to join a power conference, so if that’s not happening (after exhausting every inkling of a possibility), then a different direction is certainly possible. I agree with others that the AAC wouldn’t keep UConn just for football, so it would be a road of independence for them.

Here’s a plausible independence lineup that gives UConn 6 home games per year:

BYU (home-and-home)
Army (home-and-home)
Liberty (home-and-home)
UMass (home-and-home)
New Mexico State (home-and-home)
P5 - Syracuse-type (home-and-home)
P5 - BC-type (home-and-home)
P5 - Guarantee game (away)
G5 (home-and-home)
G5 (home-and-home)
G5 (home-and-home)
FCS - Guarantee game (home)

Essentially, 1 guarantee road game at a P5 power to pay the bills, 5 home-and-home series against the non-ND independents, 2 home-and-home series against mid-tier P5 schools, 3 home-and-home series against G5 schools, and 1 guarantee home game against an FCS opponent. That seems like a reasonably plausible way to get to 6 home games and a decent schedule. Only UConn can say whether that’s worth going for independence (and it will depend upon the size of the next AAC TV deal).

If I were betting probability, my bet would be that it is more likely the P5 becomes the P4 than the P5 lineup stays unchanged except for some G5 call ups.

If Big East can avoid a haircut then odds are they can deliver more dollars to UConn than AAC, it is worth remembering that a well supported conference tournament can be a significant revenue source for a conference plus basketball units.

Financially Big East makes sense.

Before CUSA formed, the Liberty for a time had what was called the Liberty Bowl Alliance. A group of independents (most ended up in CUSA) with the Liberty promising to pick from the group. No reason UMass and UConn and Liberty and NMSU couldn't do similar.

Despite foregoing a big piece of CFP money the net difference probably favors Big East. That makes the worst element the lack of a path to the Access Bowl.

Scheduling UConn has a dandy carrot to offer. Dangling a home/home in hoops for home/home in football can open doors for UConn when others can't get past the gate to get to the door.

This. No other football indy can offer a guaranteed sellout home basketball game.

Cincinnati has used this carrot in the past. It's how we got home-and-home series with both Nebraska and Oklahoma in football.

UC actually got invited to a bowl game in the late 90s because we promised the Humanitarian Bowl in Boise that we'd sign a home-and-home basketball series against Boise State.

(10-26-2018 02:50 PM)usffan Wrote:  I do find it funny that people are salivating over rumors from an SBNation fan site and a college basketball writer from the Asbury Park Press. I think Frank the Tank has it right - the only way UConn makes this move is if they've fully abandoned any hope of joining the B1G or the ACC. I also have to figure that politically, slapping the taxpayers of Connecticut in the face after they spent roughly $100MM to build the Rent less than 20 years ago would have some ugly repercussions...

USFFan

Well, the B1G is never happening due to many reasons that UConn cannot control. The ACC will never call unless it loses many of its strong Southern football schools and/or the Tobacco Road schools. The other hope is that the Big 12 gets raided and that the left-behinds call-up a handful of AAC schools, which still would not bring UConn any closer to their perceived peers in the B1G and ACC. It would just be kicking the can down the road even further. Theoretically, UConn can have hope as long it wants, praying that some mass shakeup occurs at the top levels of college football. Politically, continuing to rise the expenses and having the most allocated funds in college athletics (according to USA Today), would have even uglier long-term repercussions.

Spending blindly at a dream that is very unlikely to happen, especially considering where UConn Football is presently at, is a foolish financial decision, no matter what has already been spent previously.

(10-26-2018 03:27 PM)GoldenWarrior11 Wrote:  

(10-26-2018 02:50 PM)usffan Wrote:  I do find it funny that people are salivating over rumors from an SBNation fan site and a college basketball writer from the Asbury Park Press. I think Frank the Tank has it right - the only way UConn makes this move is if they've fully abandoned any hope of joining the B1G or the ACC. I also have to figure that politically, slapping the taxpayers of Connecticut in the face after they spent roughly $100MM to build the Rent less than 20 years ago would have some ugly repercussions...

USFFan

Well, the B1G is never happening due to many reasons that UConn cannot control. The ACC will never call unless it loses many of its strong Southern football schools and/or the Tobacco Road schools. The other hope is that the Big 12 gets raided and that the left-behinds call-up a handful of AAC schools, which still would not bring UConn any closer to their perceived peers in the B1G and ACC. It would just be kicking the can down the road even further. Theoretically, UConn can have hope as long it wants, praying that some mass shakeup occurs at the top levels of college football. Politically, continuing to rise the expenses and having the most allocated funds in college athletics (according to USA Today), would have even uglier long-term repercussions.

Spending blindly at a dream that is very unlikely to happen, especially considering where UConn Football is presently at, is a foolish financial decision, no matter what has already been spent previously.

Not arguing that I think UConn is likely to get consideration for either conference. Rather, that as long as UConn has FBS-level football, I don't think they do this, because the costs of being in the FBS won't go down as an independent, and the money they would make as an independent in football will not offset any additional money they might get for having their basketball in the Big East.

Now, if they make the decision to drop back to FCS, then I think this is doable. The question will be whether the UConn administration is willing to do that at a time when there are far more schools trying to move up than move down.

USFFan

I want to go on the record and bet that this annual thread reaches 25 pages and then starts over under some slight change in wording three times after that. By then it'll be basketball season.

(10-26-2018 11:45 AM)TheBasketBallOpinion Wrote:  Looks like Fox Sports may be willing to throw a good chunk of money at UConn to ensure the Big East remains the only conference at MSG

IMO, the Big East will keep MSG regardless of whether UConn rejoins the Big East or not. But that said, it would be great if UConn did come home, just in general.

Also, I disagree with those who think if UConn called the AAC's bluff and decided to move their hoops to the Big East but keep football in the AAC that the AAC would boot them.

Aresco would rattle all kinds of cans, but in the end, UConn football would remain in the AAC. AAC would be cutting off its nose to do otherwise.

(10-26-2018 04:01 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(10-26-2018 11:45 AM)TheBasketBallOpinion Wrote:  Looks like Fox Sports may be willing to throw a good chunk of money at UConn to ensure the Big East remains the only conference at MSG

IMO, the Big East will keep MSG regardless of whether UConn rejoins the Big East or not. But that said, it would be great if UConn did come home, just in general.

Also, I disagree with those who think if UConn called the AAC's bluff and decided to move their hoops to the Big East but keep football in the AAC that the AAC would boot them.

Aresco would rattle all kinds of cans, but in the end, UConn football would remain in the AAC. AAC would be cutting off its nose to do otherwise.

No, they don't think that way. they would boot UConn even if it meant a downgrade replacing them (ODU, Charlotte, Middle Tennessee) just out of pride and stubbornness. they'd get on their high horse and tell UConn to get lost, much like they told Boise State to get lost. (In Boise State's case, it was clear that the conference was better off on-the-field with Boise. In Uconn football's case, that's not clear at all)

(10-26-2018 04:01 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(10-26-2018 11:45 AM)TheBasketBallOpinion Wrote:  Looks like Fox Sports may be willing to throw a good chunk of money at UConn to ensure the Big East remains the only conference at MSG

IMO, the Big East will keep MSG regardless of whether UConn rejoins the Big East or not. But that said, it would be great if UConn did come home, just in general.

Also, I disagree with those who think if UConn called the AAC's bluff and decided to move their hoops to the Big East but keep football in the AAC that the AAC would boot them.

Aresco would rattle all kinds of cans, but in the end, UConn football would remain in the AAC. AAC would be cutting off its nose to do otherwise.

You seem to forget that it's not Aresco who makes the decision on this. It's the other university presidents. Presidents who have egos as well as looking at the bottom line. If UConn tells these other schools "we don't want to align with you for any of our other sports, but we want to stay with you for football," they would vote (and I would bet unanimously) to hit the bricks. You can bet the farm on that. Since football is what moves the TV contracts (to the tune of 75% of the overall value), losing UConn from the basketball side would not be a crushing financial hit, and might even be offset by the cost savings from adding an all sports school that's nearby.

USFFan

(10-26-2018 04:29 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(10-26-2018 04:01 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(10-26-2018 11:45 AM)TheBasketBallOpinion Wrote:  Looks like Fox Sports may be willing to throw a good chunk of money at UConn to ensure the Big East remains the only conference at MSG

IMO, the Big East will keep MSG regardless of whether UConn rejoins the Big East or not. But that said, it would be great if UConn did come home, just in general.

Also, I disagree with those who think if UConn called the AAC's bluff and decided to move their hoops to the Big East but keep football in the AAC that the AAC would boot them.

Aresco would rattle all kinds of cans, but in the end, UConn football would remain in the AAC. AAC would be cutting off its nose to do otherwise.

No, they don't think that way. they would boot UConn even if it meant a downgrade replacing them (ODU, Charlotte, Middle Tennessee) just out of pride and stubbornness. they'd get on their high horse and tell UConn to get lost, much like they told Boise State to get lost. (In Boise State's case, it was clear that the conference was better off on-the-field with Boise. In Uconn football's case, that's not clear at all)

? When did the Big East tell Boise State to "get lost?"

USFFan

(10-26-2018 04:32 PM)usffan Wrote:  

(10-26-2018 04:29 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(10-26-2018 04:01 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(10-26-2018 11:45 AM)TheBasketBallOpinion Wrote:  Looks like Fox Sports may be willing to throw a good chunk of money at UConn to ensure the Big East remains the only conference at MSG

IMO, the Big East will keep MSG regardless of whether UConn rejoins the Big East or not. But that said, it would be great if UConn did come home, just in general.

Also, I disagree with those who think if UConn called the AAC's bluff and decided to move their hoops to the Big East but keep football in the AAC that the AAC would boot them.

Aresco would rattle all kinds of cans, but in the end, UConn football would remain in the AAC. AAC would be cutting off its nose to do otherwise.

No, they don't think that way. they would boot UConn even if it meant a downgrade replacing them (ODU, Charlotte, Middle Tennessee) just out of pride and stubbornness. they'd get on their high horse and tell UConn to get lost, much like they told Boise State to get lost. (In Boise State's case, it was clear that the conference was better off on-the-field with Boise. In Uconn football's case, that's not clear at all)

? When did the Big East tell Boise State to "get lost?"

USFFan

ESPN article from January 2013, mostly quoting Aresco

i always thought that UC, UConn, Temple, and UMass would best served with a Big East/MAC combo. Way too many things would need to happen for all the parties to agree on this. I believe in regional conferences if possible and this combo would really do that for all parties.

(10-26-2018 04:39 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(10-26-2018 04:32 PM)usffan Wrote:  

(10-26-2018 04:29 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(10-26-2018 04:01 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(10-26-2018 11:45 AM)TheBasketBallOpinion Wrote:  Looks like Fox Sports may be willing to throw a good chunk of money at UConn to ensure the Big East remains the only conference at MSG

IMO, the Big East will keep MSG regardless of whether UConn rejoins the Big East or not. But that said, it would be great if UConn did come home, just in general.

Also, I disagree with those who think if UConn called the AAC's bluff and decided to move their hoops to the Big East but keep football in the AAC that the AAC would boot them.

Aresco would rattle all kinds of cans, but in the end, UConn football would remain in the AAC. AAC would be cutting off its nose to do otherwise.

No, they don't think that way. they would boot UConn even if it meant a downgrade replacing them (ODU, Charlotte, Middle Tennessee) just out of pride and stubbornness. they'd get on their high horse and tell UConn to get lost, much like they told Boise State to get lost. (In Boise State's case, it was clear that the conference was better off on-the-field with Boise. In Uconn football's case, that's not clear at all)

? When did the Big East tell Boise State to "get lost?"

USFFan

ESPN article from January 2013, mostly quoting Aresco

OK, so they weren't willing to give Boise State almost $1MM extra per year to join the Big East the way the Mountain West was.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc...107671558/

That's a move I would still defend, by the way. Your post came across more like the Big East wasn't willing to invite them. Big difference.

USFFan

(10-26-2018 04:43 PM)bearcatlawjd2 Wrote:  i always thought that UC, UConn, Temple, and UMass would best served with a Big East/MAC combo. Way too many things would need to happen for all the parties to agree on this. I believe in regional conferences if possible and this combo would really do that for all parties.

On this, I agree 100%. It's really silly to force all sports to be in the same conference. There is no reason for USF and UCF's volleyball teams to have to fly to Wichita to play games in front of dozens of fans when there are plenty of teams closer by. Football and probably basketball are the only conferences that really warrant that.

USFFan

(10-26-2018 04:45 PM)usffan Wrote:  

(10-26-2018 04:39 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(10-26-2018 04:32 PM)usffan Wrote:  

(10-26-2018 04:29 PM)johnbragg Wrote:  

(10-26-2018 04:01 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  IMO, the Big East will keep MSG regardless of whether UConn rejoins the Big East or not. But that said, it would be great if UConn did come home, just in general.

Also, I disagree with those who think if UConn called the AAC's bluff and decided to move their hoops to the Big East but keep football in the AAC that the AAC would boot them.

Aresco would rattle all kinds of cans, but in the end, UConn football would remain in the AAC. AAC would be cutting off its nose to do otherwise.

No, they don't think that way. they would boot UConn even if it meant a downgrade replacing them (ODU, Charlotte, Middle Tennessee) just out of pride and stubbornness. they'd get on their high horse and tell UConn to get lost, much like they told Boise State to get lost. (In Boise State's case, it was clear that the conference was better off on-the-field with Boise. In Uconn football's case, that's not clear at all)

? When did the Big East tell Boise State to "get lost?"

USFFan

ESPN article from January 2013, mostly quoting Aresco

OK, so they weren't willing to give Boise State almost $1MM extra per year to join the Big East the way the Mountain West was.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nc...107671558/

That's a move I would still defend, by the way. Your post came across more like the Big East wasn't willing to invite them. Big difference.

USFFan

OK. I kind of shorthanded it, since a lot of us have been round that mulberry bush many times since 2012-13. Boise wanted a special snowflake deal, and the Aresco League presidents made a big rhetorical point about all-for-one and one-for-all.

Navy President (or AD?) Gladchuk: “What Boise State wanted was outrageous and unprecedented. It was not palatable to any of the other Big East institutions,” Gladchuk said. “In the final analysis, Boise wasn’t worth it. There is zero television interest in Boise along the Eastern seaboard. What it tells me is the Mountain West was desperate. Clearly, the Mountain West was willing to make whatever concessions necessary to keep Boise in the fold.”

Old CSNBBS thread--sorry, the actual news articles aren't on the web anymore

(10-26-2018 04:01 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(10-26-2018 11:45 AM)TheBasketBallOpinion Wrote:  Looks like Fox Sports may be willing to throw a good chunk of money at UConn to ensure the Big East remains the only conference at MSG

IMO, the Big East will keep MSG regardless of whether UConn rejoins the Big East or not. But that said, it would be great if UConn did come home, just in general.

Also, I disagree with those who think if UConn called the AAC's bluff and decided to move their hoops to the Big East but keep football in the AAC that the AAC would boot them.

Aresco would rattle all kinds of cans, but in the end, UConn football would remain in the AAC. AAC would be cutting off its nose to do otherwise.

Sorry but there's no snowballs chance in hell that UConn would be allowed to remain in football. Absolutely none. that's probably quite frankly why UConn hasn't left yet, because they know 100% that's the case... Why would losing a team in UConn that is since the AAC formed for the 2013 season has gone all of 18-50 hurt in football 1 bit? They are one of the 5 worst teams in football the last 6 years. It would be the literal case of addition by subtraction. UConn football is a negative- it doesn't help in any fashion at all.....

(10-26-2018 04:01 PM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(10-26-2018 11:45 AM)TheBasketBallOpinion Wrote:  Looks like Fox Sports may be willing to throw a good chunk of money at UConn to ensure the Big East remains the only conference at MSG

IMO, the Big East will keep MSG regardless of whether UConn rejoins the Big East or not. But that said, it would be great if UConn did come home, just in general.

There was uncertainty upon the split that this C7+3 group wouldn’t live up to the hype of its former legacy, and it grew louder on its first year when it failed to thrill with conference bids compared to its lesser counterpart, the A10. That was quickly silenced, with Villanova leading the charge, but I don’t think the Big East is truly out of the woods with defending its spot on the MSG calendar.

It must consistently do well from here on out. It seems like a pretty safe bet that it should have no problem keeping up, but it still has to provide the work.

This is the same conference that almost overlooked Creighton for St. Louis...with G-Town, SJU, Seton Hall, and DePaul all at the bottom at that time, with questions about Butler’s consistency out there, too.

They’ve been fortunate so far...