Can always count on Auriemma...

[Scooch]

...for an uncensored take:

"The Catholic schools did a really good thing. They stayed at the table for as long as it took them to make as much money as they could. And once they saw all the money running out, they decided to go play somewhere else. Had some of them managed to vote appropriately over the last 10 years [as Big East conference members with a say on rights' fees], we wouldn't be in the situation we are now.

http://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-men/hc-geno-big-east-1219-20121218,0,1615263.story

 

[PeteCalvin]

Well deserved barbs. Too bad they will fall on deaf ears. The Catholic Seven don't really care at this point, Geno. They have done their damage. Look at the bright side, though. Most of them suck at bball now.

 

[All4SU]

You are either at the table with the big boys or you are not. - Geno Auriemma

At least he got that right.

 

[Crusty]

There is a reason he has been so successful - he ain't stupid. He is actually one of the good guys.

 

[Bayside44]

Those Catholic schools getting together back when gave a farmer college in the middle of nowhere Connecticut a platform that took said school a decade to compete in. But that part is left out.

 

[omniorange]

Countdown to Geno abandoning ship 3...2...1

Cheers,
Neil

 

[Crusty]

Countdown to Geno abandoning ship 3...2...1

Cheers,
Neil

Will never happen.

 

[690West]

He is actually one of the good guys.

Riiiiiiggghhhhttt......

 

[Crusty]

Riiiiiiggghhhhttt......

Yes, he is. A good friend of mine is a significant UConn booster and knows Geno well. I have played in a couple of member-guests with him and Geno (he is a pretty good golfer - about a 3-4 handicap). I was impressed with how much he stayed in touch with former players and how much he knew about their lives. Yes, as you would expect very competitive but a really good guy.

 

[omniorange]

Will never happen.

I'll add that to my list of things that will never happen...

Penn State will never consider leaving the Big Ten
Maryland will never leave the Big East
Rutgers will never land in a power conference
ND will never join the ACC if they give up on independence
Louisville will never be invited to join the ACC

:crazy:

Cheers,
Neil

 

[Crusty]

I'll add that to my list of things that will never happen...

Penn State will never consider leaving the Big Ten
Maryland will never leave the Big East
Rutgers will never land in a power conference
ND will never join the ACC if they give up on independence
Louisville will never be invited to join the ACC

:crazy:

Cheers,
Neil

Well, we will know in about 20 years.

 

[omniorange]

Yes, he is. A good friend of mine is a significant UConn booster and knows Geno well. I have played in a couple of member-guests with him and Geno (he is a pretty good golfer - about a 3-4 handicap). I was impressed with how much he stayed in touch with former players and how much he knew about their lives. Yes, as you would expect very competitive but a really good guy.

Which is why he almost left to coach men's basketball a few years back.

Cheers,
Neil

 

[Crusty]

And

Which is why he almost left to coach men's basketball a few years back.

Cheers,
Neil

And you are certain of this. Had nothing to do with contract negotiations? Don't be naive.

 

[omniorange]

And
And you are certain of this. Had nothing to do with contract negotiations? Don't be naive.

You want to assert that he would never leave and I'm the one being naive?

Oh Lord

Cheers,
Neil

 

[Crusty]

You want to assert that he would never leave and I'm the one being naive?

Oh Lord

Cheers,
Neil

Yes.
Cheers,
Crusty

 

[Townie72]

I'll add that to my list of things that will never happen...

Penn State will never consider leaving the Big Ten
Maryland will never leave the Big East
Rutgers will never land in a power conference
ND will never join the ACC if they give up on independence
Louisville will never be invited to join the ACC

:crazy:

Cheers,
Neil

I believed everyone of those things ... some strongly.

But then so did just about everyone else. And those that didn't had very thin logical cases to support their positions. Except for the TV insiders who said that Rutgers would be chosen eventually because of the number of cable subscribers in their local area.

What this demonstrates to me --- and most others --- is just how little we are able to think like the decision makers in these conferences and universities. We are operating with one set of objectives and facts in mind and they are operating with another.

 

[omniorange]

I believed everyone of those things ... some strongly.

But then so did just about everyone else. And those that didn't had very thin logical cases to support their positions. Except for the TV insiders who said that Rutgers would be chosen eventually because of the number of cable subscribers in their local area.

What this demonstrates to me --- and most others --- is just how little we are able to think like the decision makers in these conferences and universities. We are operating with one set of objectives and facts in mind and they are operating with another.

Agreed. I believed some of them myself. And still shaking my head at some of them, particularly Louisville to the ACC which athletically was a no-brainer but I didn't see it happening due to academics.

And since most of them have happened very recently, I'm surprised some posters still want to talk in absolutes.

I feel the same way about those who say Marrone will never leave on his own accord.

Maybe he won't, but never? Not under any circumstances? So, if the ACC Armageddon scenario happens and SU winds up in the National Conference Dregs, it still couldn't possibly happen?

Because that is what is about to happen with Geno and UConn. They were already starting to slip just a tad and now they have the prospect of playing against that line-up? Got to imagine, recruiting, even with 7 NCs is about to become much harder.

Cheers,
Neil

 

[Townie72]

Agreed. I believed some of them myself. And still shaking my head at some of them, particularly Louisville to the ACC which athletically was a no-brainer but I didn't see it happening due to academics.

And since most of them have happened very recently, I'm surprised some posters still want to talk in absolutes.

I feel the same way about those who say Marrone will never leave on his own accord.

Maybe he won't, but never? Not under any circumstances? So, if the ACC Armageddon scenario happens and SU winds up in the National Conference Dregs, it still couldn't possibly happen?

Because that is what is about to happen with Geno and UConn. They were already starting to slip just a tad and now they have the prospect of playing against that line-up? Got to imagine, recruiting, even with 7 NCs is about to become much harder.

Cheers,
Neil

In defense of absolute opinions ...If we don't have them, we end up with all sorts of weasel-worded, lawyerly, qualified opinions making this forum resemble one of those of those grad school seminars in which every comment is footnoted and hedged.

And the problem with saying "Marrone is highly, highly, highly unlikely to ever leave" as opposed to "He ain't never leaving", is that we will get any number of posts that resemble that great quote, "So you are saying there's a chance".

 

[Townie72]

Those Catholic schools getting together back when gave a farmer college in the middle of nowhere Connecticut a platform that took said school a decade to compete in. But that part is left out.

UConn is definitely in a tough spot.

But at the same time I have a problem having any sympathy for them understanding the history here.

UConn found itself in a situation in which if they upgraded their football program --- from the Yankee Conference where they had played forever --- to the Big East so they could quickly cash in on the CFB/BCS bonanza. So they charged off in that direction and spent a lot of taxpayer money on facilities to support it anticipating a huge payoff. (This strong motivation for financial returns from investments might be called "greed")

But --- in a huge failure of due diligence and staff work --- they apparently hadn't read the Big East contract that said that schools could actually leave the conference. So when Miami and BC and VT took advantage of that contractural right to leave for the ACC, to avoid being seen as stupid for investing all that taxpayer money in a risky dash-for the- BCS cash, UConn decided to sue just about everybody it could. (Led by the incredibly sleazy AG Blumenthal) They even talked Pitt and Rutgers and WVU into joining an unprecedented legal action against other universities.

And in a mind-numbing act of chutzpah, they accused Boston College of being greedy. Calling another college "greedy" on the realm of big-time sports is equivalent to accusing Indy 500 participants of speeding. Along with the suit, they also publically said all sorts of nasty things about the departing schools, including some comments by the UConn mens basketball coach.

Enjoy the down, Geno.

UConn is where it is at least in par because of what they did and what was said. (And Buzz Shaw should have kept his mouth shut too.)

 

[44PRIDE]

...for an uncensored take:

"The Catholic schools did a really good thing. They stayed at the table for as long as it took them to make as much money as they could. And once they saw all the money running out, they decided to go play somewhere else. Had some of them managed to vote appropriately over the last 10 years [as Big East conference members with a say on rights' fees], we wouldn't be in the situation we are now.

http://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-men/hc-geno-big-east-1219-20121218,0,1615263.story

Hey UConn fan...
See this? This arrogance displayed by Geno is the exact reason you are on the outside looking in. Remember that venom you spewed against BC when they left? How's that working out for ya?

Do you honestly think any of these departing schools will vote for UCant when it comes time for their conferences to expand? Not after comments like this.

Geno says good riddance to the leaving schools? Well guess what....the leaving schools say good riddance to UConn as well.

 

[All4SU]

In defense of absolute opinions ...If we don't have them, we end up with all sorts of weasel-worded, lawyerly, qualified opinions making this forum resemble one of those of those grad school seminars in which every comment is footnoted ...

We, that is most likely true. I tend to agree with that, but can't rule out other possibilities if certain other conditions are met.

 

[omniorange]

In defense of absolute opinions ...If we don't have them, we end up with all sorts of weasel-worded, lawyerly, qualified opinions making this forum resemble one of those of those grad school seminars in which every comment is footnoted and hedged.

And the problem with saying "Marrone is highly, highly, highly unlikely to ever leave" as opposed to "He ain't never leaving", is that we will get any number of posts that resemble that great quote, "So you are saying there's a chance".

It's just as easy to type "I don't believe Marrone will leave" as it is to type "Marrone will never leave."

Cheers,
Neil

 

[SUFaninNJ]

I've always looked at Geno as a successful version of Schiano.

 

[Crusty]

I've always looked at Geno as a successful version of Schiano.

Why?

 

[orange79]

It's just as easy to type "I don't believe Marrone will leave" as it is to type "Marrone will never leave."

Cheers,
Neil

Takes a bit longer, though.