It's the University of Connecticut

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Why go to all this trouble to get a lackluster school like U Conn. The Big Ten might as well disband if that's the best we can do.
 

LOL, the Big Ten stopped being exclusively Midwestern when they went and got Penn State. They are East Coast.

Fact is, the conference is going to do what it's going to do and we'll all accept it, move on, and learn to enjoy our new coastie neighbors. Hell, it probably leads to more name recognition for the Gophers and less "that's the frozen tundra, right?" talk.
 

Conference Name

So does the Big10 Conference get renamed to the Middle East Conference? ;)
 

RaT said:
Fully agree with CRG.

This all feels wrong. Shouldn't Big Ten expansion be an exciting thing.

Most would disagree, but I would prefer Missouri if we go to 12.

Nebraska and Kansas if we go to 14.
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Even though I absolutely hate Nebraska, this is looking more and more like the best option to me. I know it's just my opinion and ain't worth a hill a beans, but it's mine. :rolleyes:
 



RaT said:
Fully agree with CRG.

This all feels wrong. Shouldn't Big Ten expansion be an exciting thing.

Most would disagree, but I would prefer Missouri if we go to 12.

Nebraska and Kansas if we go to 14.
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Add in Texas and Oklahoma for 16 and you have a legitimate reason for the Big 10 to expand. That conference would legitimately compete for the best conference in the country in basketball and football.
 

Gopher07 said:
LOL, the Big Ten stopped being exclusively Midwestern when they went and got Penn State. They are East Coast.

Fact is, the conference is going to do what it's going to do and we'll all accept it, move on, and learn to enjoy our new coastie neighbors. Hell, it probably leads to more name recognition for the Gophers and less "that's the frozen tundra, right?" talk.
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Penn St is ALL east coast. Very true.

Speaking of coastie attitudes toward the midwest:

When I worked out east and told people I was from Wisconsin, the PA/Maryland/Delaware kids were like, "That's somewhere over by Texas, right?"

I told them not quite, and then got the response, "Well, it's DEFINITELY between here and California."
 

Conversely, they may have offered UConn (and I've seen some rumors that Pitt will be offered as well) as an inducement to nd. A friend sent me a blog rumoring that nd is also being offered. If that's true, I doubt Delaney would offer nd unless he knew they were going to say yes. Otherwise he looks like a chump.

The alternative is that they'll give nd an ultimatum that this is their final chance. "An offer you cannot refuse" as the Godfather would say.

UConn is up and coming in football, and would be a good get for basketball. I doubt the BT would only add them, though. There's more happening than meets the eye
 

Why the Move to the East??

RaT said:
Fully agree with CRG.

This all feels wrong. Shouldn't Big Ten expansion be an exciting thing.

Most would disagree, but I would prefer Missouri if we go to 12.

Nebraska and Kansas if we go to 14.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Would rather add Big 12 teams.
 



The Big 10 couldn't possibly turn down a football tradition as rich as Connecticut. They made it to the 2nd round of the D-1AA playoffs in 1998. No other Big Ten team has even been to the 1-AA playoffs.
 

cfield23 said:
Not true at all! I'm from Boston, MA area and UConn is followed heavily there and also followed quite a bit in NYC, too.

According to U.S. News and World Report's National University rankings, Minnesota's #61, UConn's #66, and Indiana University is #71. Please elaborate on how they don't fit in academically...

http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/national-universities-rankings/page+3
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It doesn't matter where they are followed quite a bit. It matters where they would be able to sell BTN as a primary station to the cable companies. Uconn would add neither.

Why it is not an academic fit has already been talked about. But academics is hardly the primary reason they would be kept out. AAU membership could be gained.
The reasons are that they wouldn't add much to football or to TV
 

For all of the UConn football bashing a lot of people on this board wanted the U to hire Randy Edsall. He is building a pretty good program out there.

I'm not saying I think UConn would be a good fit, I'm just saying they are becoming a pretty good football school.
 

SMU GOPHS FAN said:
For all of the UConn football bashing a lot of people on this board wanted the U to hire Randy Edsall. He is building a pretty good program out there.

I'm not saying I think UConn would be a good fit, I'm just saying they are becoming a pretty good football school.
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Edsall is an up and comer. He may have already reached his ceiling at Uconn. He has compiled a 66-65 record (take with a grain of salt because they jumped divisions) a 15-21 Big East record and 1 winning season in conference play.

They are the 4th or 5th best program in the Big East.
 



SMU GOPHS FAN said:
For all of the UConn football bashing a lot of people on this board wanted the U to hire Randy Edsall. He is building a pretty good program out there.

I'm not saying I think UConn would be a good fit, I'm just saying they are becoming a pretty good football school.
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one of his players was stabbed to death on his watch?
 

I know that this is a football board but don't discount the addition of UConn, Rutgers, and Pitt, to the potential audience. There is a huge east coast basketball audience that currently has no intrest in the B10. Add the aforementioned schools and you'll get cable systems adding the B10 Network for basketball alone. It's all about total revenues.
 

UConn is NOT joining the Big Ten. Colin Cowherd is not correct. That is all.
 

UConn fan just dropping in to answer any questions you may have. Recently worked with a UM alum, great guy, represented your school very well. I'm also a big stadium design follower, so I'm impressed with TCF, even if you stole UConn's glory of having the most recently built BCS stadium. :D

Anyway, here is the thoughts of the general fanbase so far, from what I can tell:
-We're as shocked as anyone to be considered. UConn was, until yesterday, looking like a lock to be the odd team out if the Big 10 went to 14 or 16, stuck hoping the ACC would expand
-We are all mortified of playing Big 10 basketball. Sorry, I'm just being honest. Big 10 basketball also took out UConn in the 2009 Final Four & at Michigan, so respect for that.
-We like the Big East but are well aware of impending doom.
-I love the thought of UConn playing at the Barn.
-The school president, Michael Hogan, has deep Big 10 ties back to his days at Iowa, when he was nearly chosen to be their president. His not being chosen led to a big outcry amongst the Iowa students. UConn's gain.
-We have no misconceptions: NYC is not a college football town. Rutgers thinks it can be & that they themselves will make it so. They are insane.
-UConn has, without question, the worst hockey team in D-I. I'm a USCHO reader, so I will spare you BIG TEN HOCKEY CONFERENCE!!!!!1111111 jokes. But maybe? EH? EH?
-The depth of the UConn athletic department may be a factor. Lots of historically very good programs, solid coaches & leadership. For chrissakes, our baseball team is in the Top 20 and they usually can't play a home game until mid-April.
-The Big 10 Network is ALREADY available on a very cheap sports tier in 95% of the state of Connecticut. Moving it to basic cable would not be a problem. With Rutgers, you're dealing with Cablevision & Charles Dolan. They put up a fight to carry the Yankees network. In New Jersey. And the NFL Network. The Big 10 Network is available on a sports tier, but moving it beyond that...good luck.
 



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