Uconn left standing when the music stopped

[HOFCeluck]

I'm not sure how his arguement relates to the fact that they hired our former HC about twenty years past his prime.

 

[sdhusky]

News flash. Syracuse finished 17-1 in conference play in 2012-13. You probably lost interest a few games into that season so it is understandable that you have forgotten that..

I see 11-7 not 17-1

 

[sutomcat]

I see 11-7 not 17-1

Sorry, 2011-12.

2011–12 Big East men's basketball standings

• v
• t
• e

Conf Overall
TeamW L PCT W L PCT
#2 Syracuse 17 – 1 .944 34 – 3 .919
#11 Marquette 14 – 4 .778 27 – 8 .771
Notre Dame 13 – 5 .722 22 – 12 .647
Cincinnati 12 – 6 .667 26 – 11 .703
#15 Georgetown 12 – 6 .667 24 – 9 .727
South Florida 12 – 6 .667 22 – 14 .611
#17 Louisville† 10 – 8 .556 30 – 10 .750
West Virginia 9 – 9 .500 19 – 14 .576
Connecticut 8 – 10 .444 20 – 14 .588
Seton Hall 8 – 10 .444 21 – 13 .618
Rutgers 6 – 12 .333 14 – 18 .438
St. John's 6 – 12 .333 13 – 19 .406
Pittsburgh 5 – 13 .278 22 – 17 .564
Villanova 5 – 13 .278 13 – 19 .406
Providence 4 – 14 .222 15 – 17 .469
DePaul 3 – 15 .167 12 – 19 .387​

 

[RF2044]

I see 11-7 not 17-1

Okay, Captain Pedantic. You knew what he meant.

 

[HOFCeluck]

I see 11-7 not 17-1

Yeah..it was 2011-12, while you were mired in (another) lackluster season...hardly undercuts his point.

 

[Bayside44]

I see 11-7 not 17-1

Hang your hat on a typo here, far better than talking hoops with SMU.

 

[Moontan]

I see 11-7 not 17-1

He meant 2011-12.
Final record: 34-3
Conference record: 17-1

 

[sdhusky]

Yeah..it was 2011-12, while you were mired in (another) lackluster season...hardly undercuts his point.

Right. It was a bit lackluster. Coming off the NC did help to remove the sting.

 

[Texas Otto]

Right. It was a bit lackluster. Coming off the NC did help to remove the sting.

Yaaaaaawwwwwwwwwn

:blah:

 

[HOFCeluck]

Thank god for that NC...or else we'd be talking about 6 of 7 seasons of UCONN ineptitude.

Of course, how they were able to keep Kemba eligible in spite of his illiteracy is beyond me.

 

[longtimefan]

longtimefan said: ↑

So much in your long post deserves response and/or rebuttal, but sloth prevents my taking on the task.​

​

I will take a shot at what seems to be a fairly common theme among UConn fans and supporters (Andy Katz?)--that, even if the new AAC turns out to be as weak as is feared, the Huskies can make up the difference with their out-of-conference slate. I think back to Temple in the A-10 under John Cheney. They would schedule tough OOC. I think you guys are now in analogous situation. And that ain't great.​

​

Oh, and I also think you, and many of your Huskie peers, are over-rating your academic status.​

That would be a better argument if the 70's, 80' & 2000's didn't take place.

Since they did, you can argue that SU was at a different level under PP than where UCONN has been the last 10. But not for the other 3 out the last 4 decades.

I'd like to see SU do it with someone else beside PP before I think they are at a different level.

Same with Pitt. 1979 was a long time ago and so was Doug Flutie to BB.

Okay--you quoted my post, but didn't reply to it.

Maybe you had no satisfactory response?

C'mon. You're better than that.

 

[djcon57]

Not sure Connecticut fans know what carry means. No question UConn basketball had a great run and no question it was the best program in the conference over a sustained period of time.

Thank you. This is it.

Again, I think most rational fans notice that UCONN was the best team for a period, for sure. But the point is...if UConn never happened, another team in the conference would have picked up the ball. We're talking Syracuse, Pitt, Georgetown, Nova...this isn't/wasn't UC Riverside or whatever teams were in the Big West when UNLV ACTUALLY carried that conference.

 

[djcon57]

One other thought after I reread the whole "timing" bullshit...

Do UCONN fans actually think that people think Louisville has a better football program because of the 2012 Sugar Bowl?

You are ignoring 1990 Fiesta, 2006 Orange Bowl. 9 straight bowls through the the '00s. 9-1 in 1972...oh, and that Johnny U guy was an alum.

I mean, jesus christ, I though you guys were getting better with the whole college football landscape deal.

 

[ctkev]

A couple counterpoints for those interested:

In regards to the difference between the Big East last year and the American next year. If you use last years RPI #s hold them firm for next year (I grant the issue with this, but lack a better alternative) UConns Top 8 Games in conference play for both years look as follows:

Last Year:

Louisville 0.661
Georgetown 0.635
Marquette 0.6282
Syracuse 0.6275
Notre Dame 0.5981
Pittsburgh 0.5904
Cincinnati 0.5852
Cincinnati 0.5852

Next Year:

Louisville 0.661
Louisville 0.661
Memphis 0.6283
Memphis 0.6283
Temple 0.5912
Temple 0.5912
Cincinnati 0.5852
Cincinnati 0.5852

With the unbalanced schedule in the big east, the American for at least the upcoming year, puts out a competitive schedule. Temple will clearly be a lesser team this year, but Louisville Memphis and Cinci should all stand pat. Its easy to fall into the trap of thinking a 10 team league lacks the depth of a 15 team conference, but when you get two cracks at the top of the conference the drop off is not as bad as some make it out to be. Before this gets spun into something its not, I'm not saying the American is on the same level as what the Big East was, but next year its not the colonial either. When Louisville joins you, we'll need to re-evaluate again. I'm also not sure its common knowledge here that Larry Brown's inaugural class at SMU was ranked in the top 15. Would it be shocking if Larry Brown took top 15 talent and turned it into a tournament team or close to one? I wouldn't bet on it, but I wouldn't be struck dumb if it happened. Even the dregs aren't the anchors they are being made out to be.

Regarding the inconsistency of peaking with National Championship seasons and falling to seasons without making the dance vs. consistently making the tournament every year. Its my personal opinion that the former is preferable. Every sports movie in history is about the rag tag team that can't get out of their own way developing into champions. Its entertaining.

Regarding the marginalization of Ollie's/Uconn's season last year. They were 9-5 in conference play heading into the Georgetown game. Napier played the last 20 min of the 2OT loss to Gtown on one foot. The next two losses were without Napier, Giffey and Olander (nevermind Wolf). We were filling significant minutes with a 5th year senior transfer from Holy Cross, a walk on, and a true freshman 5.

But Wins and Losses last year are not what has the fanbase energized around Ollie. It was his demeanor through the process. How the team pulled together. The development of Napier and Daniels among others. And what he is now doing on the recruiting trail. I'm sure even Francis will concede he has been impressive despite the prevailing opinions here that everything else discussed in this thread will handcuff Uconn from pulling in future talent. Uconn has offered seemingly every 4 and 5 star in the class of '14, but that is also translating into campus visits for a lot of high profile guys: Perkins, Robinson, Joseph and Oubre for certain.

 

[longtimefan]

A couple counterpoints for those interested:

In regards to the difference between the Big East last year and the American next year. If you use last years RPI #s hold them firm for next year (I grant the issue with this, but lack a better alternative) UConns Top 8 Games in conference play for both years look as follows:

Last Year:

Louisville 0.661
Georgetown 0.635
Marquette 0.6282
Syracuse 0.6275
Notre Dame 0.5981
Pittsburgh 0.5904
Cincinnati 0.5852
Cincinnati 0.5852

Next Year:

Louisville 0.661
Louisville 0.661
Memphis 0.6283
Memphis 0.6283
Temple 0.5912
Temple 0.5912
Cincinnati 0.5852
Cincinnati 0.5852

With the unbalanced schedule in the big east, the American for at least the upcoming year, puts out a competitive schedule. Temple will clearly be a lesser team this year, but Louisville Memphis and Cinci should all stand pat. Its easy to fall into the trap of thinking a 10 team league lacks the depth of a 15 team conference, but when you get two cracks at the top of the conference the drop off is not as bad as some make it out to be. Before this gets spun into something its not, I'm not saying the American is on the same level as what the Big East was, but next year its not the colonial either. When Louisville joins you, we'll need to re-evaluate again. I'm also not sure its common knowledge here that Larry Brown's inaugural class at SMU was ranked in the top 15. Would it be shocking if Larry Brown took top 15 talent and turned it into a tournament team or close to one? I wouldn't bet on it, but I wouldn't be struck dumb if it happened. Even the dregs aren't the anchors they are being made out to be.

Regarding the inconsistency of peaking with National Championship seasons and falling to seasons without making the dance vs. consistently making the tournament every year. Its my personal opinion that the former is preferable. Every sports movie in history is about the rag tag team that can't get out of their own way developing into champions. Its entertaining.

Regarding the marginalization of Ollie's/Uconn's season last year. They were 9-5 in conference play heading into the Georgetown game. Napier played the last 20 min of the 2OT loss to Gtown on one foot. The next two losses were without Napier, Giffey and Olander (nevermind Wolf). We were filling significant minutes with a 5th year senior transfer from Holy Cross, a walk on, and a true freshman 5.

But Wins and Losses last year are not what has the fanbase energized around Ollie. It was his demeanor through the process. How the team pulled together. The development of Napier and Daniels among others. And what he is now doing on the recruiting trail. I'm sure even Francis will concede he has been impressive despite the prevailing opinions here that everything else discussed in this thread will handcuff Uconn from pulling in future talent. Uconn has offered seemingly every 4 and 5 star in the class of '14, but that is also translating into campus visits for a lot of high profile guys: Perkins, Robinson, Joseph and Oubre for certain.

Your method lists 7 BE teams from last season, but only 4 AAC teams for the upcoming season. What happens when you add the next 3 (or all 5) AAC teams? On a more personal note, do you really think Memphis was a better team last year than Syracuse?

 

[ctkev]

Your method lists 7 BE teams from last season, but only 4 AAC teams for the upcoming season. What happens when you add the next 3 (or all 5) AAC teams? On a more personal note, do you really think Memphis was a better team last year than Syracuse?

Villanova 0.5783 UCF 0.5379
Providence 0.5461 UCF 0.5379
Providence 0.5461 Rutgers 0.5309
St. John's 0.5442 Rutgers 0.5309
Rutgers 0.5309 South Florida 0.5101
Seton Hall 0.5185 South Florida 0.5101
South Florida 0.5101 Houston 0.4804
South Florida 0.5101 Houston 0.4804
DePaul 0.4757 South. Methodist 0.466
DePaul 0.4757 South. Methodist 0.466

Certainly the big east wins out in the middle and late, but I'll circle around to my comments regarding Brown's SMU team earlier. If you elevate them to a middle of the pack team given their incoming class and coach, they are pretty comparable again. Big if there, but none the less.

No Memphis was not as good as Cuse last year.

 

[longtimefan]

No Memphis was not as good as Cuse last year.

And yet, they had a higher RPI.

Just another way for me to say that the RPI is less than a perfect way of rating teams.

And of course, the big factor is that you are losing those 2 big games vs. Louisville after one year.

I expect UConn's recruiting to be good for a couple of years, but after that the effects of playing in a lower-tier league (economically and competition-wise) will kick in.

 

[sdhusky]

Thank god for that NC...or else we'd be talking about 6 of 7 seasons of UCONN ineptitude.

Of course, how they were able to keep Kemba eligible in spite of his illiteracy is beyond me.

6 or 7 season of ineptitude with 2 FF's and a NC.

I'll take that over the next 6.

 

[sdhusky]

Of course, how they were able to keep Kemba eligible in spite of his illiteracy is beyond me.

What do you know about Kemba's academic career? Just one silly quote or do you have something more to make an accusation that a black man from UCONN can't read.

 

[HOFCeluck]

What do you know about Kemba's academic career? Just one silly quote or do you have something more to make an accusation that a black man from UCONN can't read.

It's pretty comical that a guy who never read a book in his entire life was able to graduate from a university in three years.

And sweet race card.

 

[HOFCeluck]

6 or 7 season of ineptitude with 2 FF's and a NC.

I'll take that over the next 6.

I admire your attitude...because I'd bet heavily that UCONN is going to look very CCNY-y for well more than six years.

 

[dasher]

What do you know about Kemba's academic career? Just one silly quote or do you have something more to make an accusation that a black man from UCONN can't read.

He didn't say anything about anyone being black. There are a lot of guys he could have said that about who are also black from UConn but he didn't. If you want to take him on, on his statement, fine. Be my guest. But don't go where the lowest dominator takes us. If you think that UConn will be just fine in the AAC long term, you are entitled to your position. It is one that I couldn't disagree more with. But that is why they make a bunch of different flavors of ice cream. I believe if you aren't able to escape that clown league and soon, you will be hurt to the point where you won't look anything like the school you are now. The landscape is changing and it really will be who is in and who is out.

 

[sdhusky]

I admire your attitude...because I'd bet heavily that UCONN is going to look very CCNY-y for well more than six years.

Could be. It will come down to Ollie.

 

[dasher]

Could be. It will come down to Ollie.

Thje coach is a big part of the program but..not everything. The $$$, the prime time tv, it is going to be very tough for him. Get in to a top 5 league, different story. Stay where you are and he has to run 150 yards in a 100 yard race with other schools for top prospects.

 

[SU2NASA]

Could be. It will come down to Ollie.

I'm looking forward to watching those UConn-Tulane grudgematches on The Ocho.