Welcome Back, UConn Fans!

[adoraz]

Well the UConn BoT has voted, so now it's official.

Going to be weird rooting for UConn going forward. I will certainly root for UConn to win the AAC next year, and I think even OOC I'll root for them (besides when they're playing Big East members).

This all feels so surreal and sooner than I expected, but thrilled to have UConn on board!

[GampelCrazies]

LET'S GO!!!!!!!!

[kayako]

LET'S GO!!!!!!!!

Hoping for some new info for tomorrow's announcement at the MGS.

[X Hoops 19]

https://twitter.com/bigeast/status/1143 ... 55939?s=21
Looks like it we’ll be able to watch via live stream.

[gtmoBlue]

I-m with Max...this is all about money...not a good move.

Unread post by maxpowers » Wed Jun 26, 2019 12:50 am

I appreciate all the good insight from this board. But I think people are falling for groupthink on this one. There were lots of good reasons UConn was kicked out of the conference in the first place. Little has changed. I'm surprised more people aren't talking about the downsides of this decision, which are significant. The goal of including "like-minded colleges and universities..." with similar fit should come before the goal of an earlier contract renegotiation and more money. The original Big East members have shown great judgment over the years with their leadership of the conference, but I think this decision is motivated by money and nostalgia. It's a big mistake.

This is like reuniting with your alcoholic ex-spouse. Only in this scenario, the ex-spouse is still a drunk. Why would you expect this turn with UConn to result in a better outcome?
maxpowers

[ArmyVet]

I-m with Max...this is all about money...not a good move.

Unread post by maxpowers » Wed Jun 26, 2019 12:50 am

I appreciate all the good insight from this board. But I think people are falling for groupthink on this one. There were lots of good reasons UConn was kicked out of the conference in the first place. Little has changed. I'm surprised more people aren't talking about the downsides of this decision, which are significant. The goal of including "like-minded colleges and universities..." with similar fit should come before the goal of an earlier contract renegotiation and more money. The original Big East members have shown great judgment over the years with their leadership of the conference, but I think this decision is motivated by money and nostalgia. It's a big mistake.

This is like reuniting with your alcoholic ex-spouse. Only in this scenario, the ex-spouse is still a drunk. Why would you expect this turn with UConn to result in a better outcome?
maxpowers

Doesn't really matter much what a few message board posters think though, does it. It's happening.

[Hall2012]

I-m with Max...this is all about money...not a good move.

Unread post by maxpowers » Wed Jun 26, 2019 12:50 am

I appreciate all the good insight from this board. But I think people are falling for groupthink on this one. There were lots of good reasons UConn was kicked out of the conference in the first place. Little has changed. I'm surprised more people aren't talking about the downsides of this decision, which are significant. The goal of including "like-minded colleges and universities..." with similar fit should come before the goal of an earlier contract renegotiation and more money. The original Big East members have shown great judgment over the years with their leadership of the conference, but I think this decision is motivated by money and nostalgia. It's a big mistake.

This is like reuniting with your alcoholic ex-spouse. Only in this scenario, the ex-spouse is still a drunk. Why would you expect this turn with UConn to result in a better outcome?
maxpowers

So what are the down sides exactly? That UConn doesn't get it's shit together and we all get 2 free wins in addition to benefitting from its brand and fan base? Or that UConn eats Creighton's lunch and then runs off to a P5 conference leaving us exactly where we were prior to them joining?

[Xudash]

If it's true that there are always, or at least typically upsides and downsides with every opportunity, I cannot begin to fathom how anyone would come to the conclusion that the supposed downsides of this opportunity outweigh the mutual benefits of this deal to UConn and the BE.

This is so much of a homerun for both parties that it isn't even close.

And this is NOT 2012. The Big East is about BASKETBALL now. 10 votes see it that way day in and day out and have seen it that way since 2013. UConn is coming back into the BE specifically for the purpose of saving its basketball program. Let them do what they have to and can do in order to maintain an FBS-level football program. Wish them all the luck in the world in doing that.

Managing basketball expectations within the conference with UConn a part of it moving forward? NO PROBLEM.

[GoldenWarrior11]

I-m with Max...this is all about money...not a good move.

Unread post by maxpowers » Wed Jun 26, 2019 12:50 am

I appreciate all the good insight from this board. But I think people are falling for groupthink on this one. There were lots of good reasons UConn was kicked out of the conference in the first place. Little has changed. I'm surprised more people aren't talking about the downsides of this decision, which are significant. The goal of including "like-minded colleges and universities..." with similar fit should come before the goal of an earlier contract renegotiation and more money. The original Big East members have shown great judgment over the years with their leadership of the conference, but I think this decision is motivated by money and nostalgia. It's a big mistake.

This is like reuniting with your alcoholic ex-spouse. Only in this scenario, the ex-spouse is still a drunk. Why would you expect this turn with UConn to result in a better outcome?
maxpowers

So what are the down sides exactly? That UConn doesn't get it's shit together and we all get 2 free wins in addition to benefitting from its brand and fan base? Or that UConn eats Creighton's lunch and then runs off to a P5 conference leaving us exactly where we were prior to them joining?

I think today - 2019 - is much different for UConn than in 2013. In 2013, UConn was clearly a football-first athletic program, and was under the misguided belief that it was next in-line for the realignment game of musical chairs. It saw Louisville get plucked by the ACC, and, while disappointed, had an optimistic long-term view of being called up in the next go-around. However, in between, many events happened that changed their viewpoint and their standing (the Big 12's public expansion plans, the decline of UConn Football, the decline of UConn Men's Basketball, the decline in fan support, the increasing traveling expenses, the increasing Southern focus of the AAC, and, finally, the disappointing returns of the AAC TV deal). Today, UConn is very much a men's basketball-first school. With this move, they have committed to prioritize men's basketball at the highest levels of college basketball (much like our current membership).

The result of tomorrow will be an increase in value of our conference as a whole, via our individual programs' reputation from UConn joining, the increase in exposure and interest in the BET (which was already the best in college basketball), the increase in expected tournament bids/seeds, the increase in exposure from a national perspective.

In addition, their reported buy-out from the Big East is extremely in the favor of the conference. They wouldn't agree to those terms if they thought there was a snowballs chance in hell that they would be bolting in the next couple of years.

[GumbyDamnit!]

For those that are worried that UConn will use the BE as a rest stop on their way to an ACC, B12 or B1G Ten invite, calm your fears. Those decisions will be football decisions, not BB ones. The ACC did not gain all that much adding Pitt and Cuse. College football is still a southern-centric sport and the Fl St., Clemson, VT, Miami's of the conference will not be interested in adding another northern based school--especially one that has not had any success of late. B1G thought Rutgers was delivering the NY market. Yeah, not so much. The Penn St. and Michigan alums probably make more of an impact on TV's in NYC. B12? No chance. So with a move out of the AAC which is the next best FB conference out of the football P5, this is a move that basically signals that UConn is stepping off the FBS dance floor.