(04-15-2014 05:04 PM)HuskyU Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:02 PM)AGuyIn_Water Wrote:  Why Big East invited UConn twenty or so years ago?

UMass could be everything like UConn.

UMASS never had the commitment from the state, which is very important for a flagship university. Unfortunately that remains the case today.

Uhh . . .

They just got a commitment a few years ago. That's how they moved up to FBS. I agree that it's been a long time coming, but it has finally arrived.

They're in a tough spot. When you're in the same state with Harvard and MIT, Amherst and Williams, BC and Holy Cross, it's tough to get attention for your academics. And when your state's sports attention was dominated for generations by a Celtics sports dynasty and a Bruins hockey fixation and more recently by Patriots and Red Sox dynasties, it's tough to get attention for your athletics.

They had a tough row to hoe, but they've finally got enough support to get their endeavor off the ground. There's real potential there.

(04-15-2014 05:13 PM)Melky Cabrera Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:04 PM)HuskyU Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:02 PM)AGuyIn_Water Wrote:  Why Big East invited UConn twenty or so years ago?

UMass could be everything like UConn.

UMASS never had the commitment from the state, which is very important for a flagship university. Unfortunately that remains the case today.

Uhh . . .

They just got a commitment a few years ago. That's how they moved up to FBS. I agree that it's been a long time coming, but it has finally arrived.

They're in a tough spot. When you're in the same state with Harvard and MIT, Amherst and Williams, BC and Holy Cross, it's tough to get attention for your academics. And when your state's sports attention was dominated for generations by a Celtics sports dynasty and a Bruins hockey fixation and more recently by Patriots and Red Sox dynasties, it's tough to get attention for your athletics.

They had a tough row to hoe, but they've finally got enough support to get their endeavor off the ground. There's real potential there.

I agree, and I have nothing against UMASS. The state has begun to show UMASS some love, no doubt, but it's still nowhere near the level of most other state flagship's support. If the school was closer to Boston, they'd be in much better shape.

(04-15-2014 05:04 PM)HuskyU Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:02 PM)AGuyIn_Water Wrote:  Why Big East invited UConn twenty or so years ago?

UMass could be everything like UConn.

UMASS never had the commitment from the state, which is very important for a flagship university. Unfortunately that remains the case today.

lol...we have one thread saying UConn would never let UMass in the AAC and we have another thread saying UConn cant survive with all the far away schools.....is one correct, the other correct, or is neither on point.....

(04-15-2014 05:10 PM)AGuyIn_Water Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:08 PM)UConnHusky Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:02 PM)AGuyIn_Water Wrote:  Why Big East invited UConn twenty or so years ago?

UMass could be everything like UConn.

Yes, if Massachusetts spent any money on that school and if the students and alums weren't so distracted by the Sox/Patriots/Celts.

UConn is the only game in town in CT. UConn basketball and football are like Connecticut's "pro teams" as there are no actual pro teams with which to compete.

Isn't that the same case for Boise State and Idaho?

Sure it is. But the problem for them is that their population is only a third the size of Connecticut's. And Connecticut has the spending power to build their program because they're the most affluent state in the country.

The real similarity is their proximity to a big state which is underdeveloped by the P5, leaving lots of extra recruits to be scooped up.

(04-15-2014 05:17 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:04 PM)HuskyU Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:02 PM)AGuyIn_Water Wrote:  Why Big East invited UConn twenty or so years ago?

UMass could be everything like UConn.

UMASS never had the commitment from the state, which is very important for a flagship university. Unfortunately that remains the case today.

lol...we have one thread saying UConn would never let UMass in the AAC and we have another thread saying UConn cant survive with all the far away schools.....is one correct, the other correct, or is neither on point.....

You saw the logic!!

(04-15-2014 05:17 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:04 PM)HuskyU Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:02 PM)AGuyIn_Water Wrote:  Why Big East invited UConn twenty or so years ago?

UMass could be everything like UConn.

UMASS never had the commitment from the state, which is very important for a flagship university. Unfortunately that remains the case today.

lol...we have one thread saying UConn would never let UMass in the AAC and we have another thread saying UConn cant survive with all the far away schools.....is one correct, the other correct, or is neither on point.....

A lot of UCONN fans are split on this topic.

(04-15-2014 05:17 PM)Attackcoog Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:04 PM)HuskyU Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:02 PM)AGuyIn_Water Wrote:  Why Big East invited UConn twenty or so years ago?

UMass could be everything like UConn.

UMASS never had the commitment from the state, which is very important for a flagship university. Unfortunately that remains the case today.

lol...we have one thread saying UConn would never let UMass in the AAC and we have another thread saying UConn cant survive with all the far away schools.....is one correct, the other correct, or is neither on point.....

To be fair to the other UConn guys, I am one who said that UConn will be just fine with far away schools and that UConn will never let UMass in. Some other UConn posters are saying the exact opposite on both points. But no single UConn poster is saying both at the same time.

(04-15-2014 05:15 PM)HuskyU Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:13 PM)Melky Cabrera Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:04 PM)HuskyU Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:02 PM)AGuyIn_Water Wrote:  Why Big East invited UConn twenty or so years ago?

UMass could be everything like UConn.

UMASS never had the commitment from the state, which is very important for a flagship university. Unfortunately that remains the case today.

Uhh . . .

They just got a commitment a few years ago. That's how they moved up to FBS. I agree that it's been a long time coming, but it has finally arrived.

They're in a tough spot. When you're in the same state with Harvard and MIT, Amherst and Williams, BC and Holy Cross, it's tough to get attention for your academics. And when your state's sports attention was dominated for generations by a Celtics sports dynasty and a Bruins hockey fixation and more recently by Patriots and Red Sox dynasties, it's tough to get attention for your athletics.

They had a tough row to hoe, but they've finally got enough support to get their endeavor off the ground. There's real potential there.

I agree, and I have nothing against UMASS. The state has begun to show UMASS some love, no doubt, but it's still nowhere near the level of most other state flagship's support. If the school was closer to Boston, they'd be in much better shape.

I agree. Their location doesn't help them.

There are a lot of people there who have worked long and hard to get it to this point. I don't think they're going to let now.

On a side note. Whipple is a great coach. I wish that UConn had signed him instead of Pasqualoni. I think that people are going to be surprised by how good UMass football will become and how quickly he will have them winning.

(04-15-2014 05:21 PM)Melky Cabrera Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:15 PM)HuskyU Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:13 PM)Melky Cabrera Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:04 PM)HuskyU Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:02 PM)AGuyIn_Water Wrote:  Why Big East invited UConn twenty or so years ago?

UMass could be everything like UConn.

UMASS never had the commitment from the state, which is very important for a flagship university. Unfortunately that remains the case today.

Uhh . . .

They just got a commitment a few years ago. That's how they moved up to FBS. I agree that it's been a long time coming, but it has finally arrived.

They're in a tough spot. When you're in the same state with Harvard and MIT, Amherst and Williams, BC and Holy Cross, it's tough to get attention for your academics. And when your state's sports attention was dominated for generations by a Celtics sports dynasty and a Bruins hockey fixation and more recently by Patriots and Red Sox dynasties, it's tough to get attention for your athletics.

They had a tough row to hoe, but they've finally got enough support to get their endeavor off the ground. There's real potential there.

I agree, and I have nothing against UMASS. The state has begun to show UMASS some love, no doubt, but it's still nowhere near the level of most other state flagship's support. If the school was closer to Boston, they'd be in much better shape.

I agree. Their location doesn't help them.

There are a lot of people there who have worked long and hard to get it to this point. I don't think they're going to let now.

On a side note. Whipple is a great coach. I wish that UConn had signed him instead of Pasqualoni. I think that people are going to be surprised by how good UMass football will become and how quickly he will have them winning.

I think that Whipple would have excelled at UConn when Edsall left. Coming off the Fiesta Bowl, a good coach would have leveraged that for recruiting.

However, I doubt Whipple will have great success at UMass. As any coach will tell you, "It isn't about the X's and O's, it's about the Jimmy's and Joe's". It ALL comes down to the talent of the guys on the field. I don't think that Whipple will be able to recruit at a school that has become the punchline of FBS football and no longer has a conference to call home.

(04-15-2014 05:25 PM)UConnHusky Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:21 PM)Melky Cabrera Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:15 PM)HuskyU Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:13 PM)Melky Cabrera Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:04 PM)HuskyU Wrote:  UMASS never had the commitment from the state, which is very important for a flagship university. Unfortunately that remains the case today.

Uhh . . .

They just got a commitment a few years ago. That's how they moved up to FBS. I agree that it's been a long time coming, but it has finally arrived.

They're in a tough spot. When you're in the same state with Harvard and MIT, Amherst and Williams, BC and Holy Cross, it's tough to get attention for your academics. And when your state's sports attention was dominated for generations by a Celtics sports dynasty and a Bruins hockey fixation and more recently by Patriots and Red Sox dynasties, it's tough to get attention for your athletics.

They had a tough row to hoe, but they've finally got enough support to get their endeavor off the ground. There's real potential there.

I agree, and I have nothing against UMASS. The state has begun to show UMASS some love, no doubt, but it's still nowhere near the level of most other state flagship's support. If the school was closer to Boston, they'd be in much better shape.

I agree. Their location doesn't help them.

There are a lot of people there who have worked long and hard to get it to this point. I don't think they're going to let now.

On a side note. Whipple is a great coach. I wish that UConn had signed him instead of Pasqualoni. I think that people are going to be surprised by how good UMass football will become and how quickly he will have them winning.

I think that Whipple would have excelled at UConn when Edsall left. Coming off the Fiesta Bowl, a good coach would have leveraged that for recruiting.

However, I doubt Whipple will have great success at UMass. As any coach will tell you, "It isn't about the X's and O's, it's about the Jimmy's and Joe's". It ALL comes down to the talent of the guys on the field. I don't think that Whipple will be able to recruit at a school that has become the punchline of FBS football and no longer has a conference to call home.

Player development is very important in college football. Recruiting "talent" is overrated. I have every confidence that Whipple will find athletes that he can develop and he'll turn them into winners.

(04-15-2014 05:28 PM)Melky Cabrera Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:25 PM)UConnHusky Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:21 PM)Melky Cabrera Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:15 PM)HuskyU Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:13 PM)Melky Cabrera Wrote:  Uhh . . .

They just got a commitment a few years ago. That's how they moved up to FBS. I agree that it's been a long time coming, but it has finally arrived.

They're in a tough spot. When you're in the same state with Harvard and MIT, Amherst and Williams, BC and Holy Cross, it's tough to get attention for your academics. And when your state's sports attention was dominated for generations by a Celtics sports dynasty and a Bruins hockey fixation and more recently by Patriots and Red Sox dynasties, it's tough to get attention for your athletics.

They had a tough row to hoe, but they've finally got enough support to get their endeavor off the ground. There's real potential there.

I agree, and I have nothing against UMASS. The state has begun to show UMASS some love, no doubt, but it's still nowhere near the level of most other state flagship's support. If the school was closer to Boston, they'd be in much better shape.

I agree. Their location doesn't help them.

There are a lot of people there who have worked long and hard to get it to this point. I don't think they're going to let now.

On a side note. Whipple is a great coach. I wish that UConn had signed him instead of Pasqualoni. I think that people are going to be surprised by how good UMass football will become and how quickly he will have them winning.

I think that Whipple would have excelled at UConn when Edsall left. Coming off the Fiesta Bowl, a good coach would have leveraged that for recruiting.

However, I doubt Whipple will have great success at UMass. As any coach will tell you, "It isn't about the X's and O's, it's about the Jimmy's and Joe's". It ALL comes down to the talent of the guys on the field. I don't think that Whipple will be able to recruit at a school that has become the punchline of FBS football and no longer has a conference to call home.

Player development is very important in college football. Recruiting "talent" is overrated. I have every confidence that Whipple will find athletes that he can develop and he'll turn them into winners.

I agree and I disagree. I agree in that Randy Edsall was the king of player development. He could take unheralded athletes and string together a solid winning season for UConn. However, the talent gap was often exposed in big games against better FBS opponents (like OU and most games against WVU).

In the end, talent trumps player development. Ideally, a team has both talent and player development. However, I will take raw talent and skill over player development all day long.

(04-15-2014 05:33 PM)UConnHusky Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:28 PM)Melky Cabrera Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:25 PM)UConnHusky Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:21 PM)Melky Cabrera Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:15 PM)HuskyU Wrote:  I agree, and I have nothing against UMASS. The state has begun to show UMASS some love, no doubt, but it's still nowhere near the level of most other state flagship's support. If the school was closer to Boston, they'd be in much better shape.

I agree. Their location doesn't help them.

There are a lot of people there who have worked long and hard to get it to this point. I don't think they're going to let now.

On a side note. Whipple is a great coach. I wish that UConn had signed him instead of Pasqualoni. I think that people are going to be surprised by how good UMass football will become and how quickly he will have them winning.

I think that Whipple would have excelled at UConn when Edsall left. Coming off the Fiesta Bowl, a good coach would have leveraged that for recruiting.

However, I doubt Whipple will have great success at UMass. As any coach will tell you, "It isn't about the X's and O's, it's about the Jimmy's and Joe's". It ALL comes down to the talent of the guys on the field. I don't think that Whipple will be able to recruit at a school that has become the punchline of FBS football and no longer has a conference to call home.

Player development is very important in college football. Recruiting "talent" is overrated. I have every confidence that Whipple will find athletes that he can develop and he'll turn them into winners.

I agree and I disagree. I agree in that Randy Edsall was the king of player development. He could take unheralded athletes and string together a solid winning season for UConn. However, the talent gap was often exposed in big games against better FBS opponents (like OU and most games against WVU).

In the end, talent trumps player development. Ideally, a team has both talent and player development. However, I will take raw talent and skill over player development all day long.

No disagreement.

When you say "raw skill", I would put the emphasis on "raw". It's important to have very good to excellent athletic skills - speed, quickness, reaction, timing, etc. I think that a very good athlete who is unrefined in his football skills can develop those. He can even develop strength. The players who are highly rated coming out of high school tend to have both. There are some things you can't teach, but football skills and technique can certainly be taught and it can be done relatively quickly as can be seen by the long list of top athletes who have transitioned into pro football after not having played any football in college.

(04-15-2014 05:33 PM)UConnHusky Wrote:  In the end, talent trumps player development. Ideally, a team has both talent and player development. However, I will take raw talent and skill over player development all day long.

Yep.

(04-15-2014 04:42 PM)AGuyIn_Water Wrote:  UConn just won the national championship both men and women. Now threads are all over the place discussing UConn's immediate future. Where there is smoke, there is fire. Usually fans speculation points to common sense around college athletics.

UMass withdraw-ed from precious conference and looking for a home.

American has 11 teams next year, which team is coming for 12?

See the pattern here. UMass to AAC now!!

You do know Navy is coming in for 12 right? Or did you mean non football?

(04-15-2014 05:21 PM)Melky Cabrera Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:15 PM)HuskyU Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:13 PM)Melky Cabrera Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:04 PM)HuskyU Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 05:02 PM)AGuyIn_Water Wrote:  Why Big East invited UConn twenty or so years ago?

UMass could be everything like UConn.

UMASS never had the commitment from the state, which is very important for a flagship university. Unfortunately that remains the case today.

Uhh . . .

They just got a commitment a few years ago. That's how they moved up to FBS. I agree that it's been a long time coming, but it has finally arrived.

They're in a tough spot. When you're in the same state with Harvard and MIT, Amherst and Williams, BC and Holy Cross, it's tough to get attention for your academics. And when your state's sports attention was dominated for generations by a Celtics sports dynasty and a Bruins hockey fixation and more recently by Patriots and Red Sox dynasties, it's tough to get attention for your athletics.

They had a tough row to hoe, but they've finally got enough support to get their endeavor off the ground. There's real potential there.

I agree, and I have nothing against UMASS. The state has begun to show UMASS some love, no doubt, but it's still nowhere near the level of most other state flagship's support. If the school was closer to Boston, they'd be in much better shape.

I agree. Their location doesn't help them.

There are a lot of people there who have worked long and hard to get it to this point. I don't think they're going to let now.

On a side note. Whipple is a great coach. I wish that UConn had signed him instead of Pasqualoni. I think that people are going to be surprised by how good UMass football will become and how quickly he will have them winning.

I hope the support keeps coming because a good UMASS athletic department is good for the Northeast and the perception of New England college sports. I also think going with Whipple was a great call as I think he can really raise the program.

On a side note...

I love that the UCONN fans have overtaken this thread. UMASS fans: Feel free to chime in at any time.

(04-15-2014 06:29 PM)Bleeds_Purple Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 04:42 PM)AGuyIn_Water Wrote:  UConn just won the national championship both men and women. Now threads are all over the place discussing UConn's immediate future. Where there is smoke, there is fire. Usually fans speculation points to common sense around college athletics.

UMass withdraw-ed from precious conference and looking for a home.

American has 11 teams next year, which team is coming for 12?

See the pattern here. UMass to AAC now!!

You do know Navy is coming in for 12 right? Or did you mean non football?

Navy is another year away.

(04-15-2014 06:47 PM)Melky Cabrera Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 06:29 PM)Bleeds_Purple Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 04:42 PM)AGuyIn_Water Wrote:  UConn just won the national championship both men and women. Now threads are all over the place discussing UConn's immediate future. Where there is smoke, there is fire. Usually fans speculation points to common sense around college athletics.

UMass withdraw-ed from precious conference and looking for a home.

American has 11 teams next year, which team is coming for 12?

See the pattern here. UMass to AAC now!!

You do know Navy is coming in for 12 right? Or did you mean non football?

Navy is another year away.

What's your point?

(04-15-2014 06:48 PM)Bleeds_Purple Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 06:47 PM)Melky Cabrera Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 06:29 PM)Bleeds_Purple Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 04:42 PM)AGuyIn_Water Wrote:  UConn just won the national championship both men and women. Now threads are all over the place discussing UConn's immediate future. Where there is smoke, there is fire. Usually fans speculation points to common sense around college athletics.

UMass withdraw-ed from precious conference and looking for a home.

American has 11 teams next year, which team is coming for 12?

See the pattern here. UMass to AAC now!!

You do know Navy is coming in for 12 right? Or did you mean non football?

Navy is another year away.

What's your point?

Sorry. My mistake.

(04-15-2014 04:42 PM)AGuyIn_Water Wrote:  UConn just won the national championship both men and women. Now threads are all over the place discussing UConn's immediate future. Where there is smoke, there is fire. Usually fans speculation points to common sense around college athletics.

UMass withdraw-ed from precious conference and looking for a home.

American has 11 teams next year, which team is coming for 12?

See the pattern here. UMass to AAC now!!

lol why not...the conference already blows

(04-15-2014 07:42 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  

(04-15-2014 04:42 PM)AGuyIn_Water Wrote:  UConn just won the national championship both men and women. Now threads are all over the place discussing UConn's immediate future. Where there is smoke, there is fire. Usually fans speculation points to common sense around college athletics.

UMass withdraw-ed from precious conference and looking for a home.

American has 11 teams next year, which team is coming for 12?

See the pattern here. UMass to AAC now!!

lol why not...the conference already blows

A BCS bowl victory over the Big 12 Champion in football, UCONN winning both the men's and women's title in hoops, and Houston and Louisville in the Top 25 in baseball. Yeah, this conference blows, I tell ya.