Do sports, and more specifically NCAAB, return?

[uh_no]

I think UConn tried to keep BC out of the Big East at some point. Revenge, cold dish, and all.

huh? BC and uconn were both founding members of the big east.

BC wanted to be the new england team and didn't want to be upstaged by uconn. Makes sense given they were busy getting upstaged by the rest of the ACC at everything

There was "beef" when uconn refused to play BC for a time after they left the conference, but i'm skeptical that meant much relative to the market situation.

[budwom]

a bit more detail:https://www.ctpost.com/uconn/article...CC-2210485.php

thanks you, Jim Calhoun!

[uh_no]

a bit more detail:https://www.ctpost.com/uconn/article...CC-2210485.php

thanks you, Jim Calhoun!

they should have struck a deal where they could count combine all their football wins and be "new england" in the ACC standings. Oh wait, they still would have finished last most years

[hallcity]

a bit more detail:https://www.ctpost.com/uconn/article...CC-2210485.php

thanks you, Jim Calhoun!

The lawsuit that the state of Connecticut's AG filed angered many ACC schools, not just BC. U.Conn got some money out of that suit but they ended up inflicting far more damage on themselves. I think there were warnings given at the time that the lawsuit would be very detrimental to U.Conn's prospects for ever joining the ACC but they went ahead anyway.

[Steven43]

I guess I've always labored under the illusion that college football and basketball players, or at least most of them, considered the opportunity to continue playing the game after high school and receive a scholarship that covered all the costs (plus more recently, a cash allowance) for 4 or 5 years of college to be a "reward" of sorts. And I believed those interviews in which players professed to enjoy playing because they "love the game" and "love playing with my teammates." Until now, I had no idea that so many of the players felt they were being exploited with "no clear reward."

Now that I know how the players feel about their participation in college sports, I don't see how I can continue in good conscience to support what they regard as an oppressive practice. And I trust they will respect my right to find other outlets for my entertainment time and money.

100% agree with everything you wrote.

If these “student-athletes” are not happy with the current arrangements they can feel free to not play college sports. I would not object to a single one of them quitting their college team. If that lowers the quality of play, so be it. I will root for my college teams regardless of who is on the field or court.

[jimsumner]

100% agree with everything you wrote.

If these “student-athletes” are not happy with the current arrangements they can feel free to not play college sports. I would not object to a single one of them quitting their college team. If that lowers the quality of play, be it. I will root for my college teams regardless of who is on the field or court.

It would be a lot easier for student-athletes to "quit" their college team if we hadn't spent decades establishing a system in which the best--sometimes the only way--to progress from high-school athlete to top-tier pro athlete is to pass through college. How exactly would a top high-school football player go to the NFL without playing college football?

I've known Stray Gator for years and I think his take is more nuanced than "take it or leave it."

It's a flawed system and has been since the 1880s. I do not blame college athletes for noting that and suggesting possible remedies for some of the worst abuses of that system.

[Steven43]

It would be a lot easier for student-athletes to "quit" their college team if we hadn't spent decades establishing a system in which the best--sometimes the only way--to progress from high-school athlete to top-tier pro athlete is to pass through college. How exactly would a top high-school football player go to the NFL without playing college football?

I've known Stray Gator for years and I think his take is more nuanced than "take it or leave it."

It's a flawed system and has been since the 1880s. I do not blame college athletes for noting that and suggesting possible remedies for some of the worst abuses of that system.

I didn’t say Stray Gator said “Take it or leave it.” I said I agree with what he wrote. And then I added some thoughts of my own.

Personally, I think the football and basketball scholarship athletes from Div. 1 programs have a pretty darn good thing going. That’s all I’m trying to say.

[Stray Gator]

It would be a lot easier for student-athletes to "quit" their college team if we hadn't spent decades establishing a system in which the best--sometimes the only way--to progress from high-school athlete to top-tier pro athlete is to pass through college. How exactly would a top high-school football player go to the NFL without playing college football?

I've known Stray Gator for years and I think his take is more nuanced than "take it or leave it."

It's a flawed system and has been since the 1880s. I do not blame college athletes for noting that and suggesting possible remedies for some of the worst abuses of that system.

I don't deny that the system has flaws. Where I part company with the "Players of the PAC-12" who posted the "#WeAreUnited" document -- and undoubtedly with others here -- is that I don't believe those flaws are so pronounced and pervasive as to warrant the remedies they propose. Stated another way, I submit that it's possible to fix the flaws without radically transforming the system into something that fundamentally alters college football and college basketball as we know it.

Some of the long-lamented flaws are already being addressed; for example, recent changes authorize student-athletes to receive a monthly cash allowance in addition to their scholarships, and enable players to transfer from one school to another without the severe penalties that previously applied. Moreover, it seems certain now that in the not-too-distant future, college athletes will be allowed to accept compensation for the use of their name, image, or likeness. In my opinion, those changes represent substantial progress towards remedying the kinds of systemic problems that have been the source of the complaints most consistently raised over the years; and perhaps more importantly, they signify that the potential exists for implementing further remedies in the future -- even if those remedies must be extracted one-by-one from reluctant NCAA and college administrators. I understand that those affected are impatient for change; but when the changes being contemplated are systemic in scope, there are benefits to transitional adjustment.

I appreciate that some here will disagree with my views about the extensiveness and severity of the flaws in the system, as well as the urgency of what they perceive as necessary remedies. That's fine and fair. I respect the right of my friends to reject my opinions, just as I respect the right of those student-athletes to make demands that I regard as excessive. I would never presume to tell the players that they should "take it or leave it." But the issue doesn't end there.

Like other contributors, I receive phone calls and e-mail messages every year from the Iron Dukes and Gator Boosters in which student-athletes personally express their gratitude for our donations. And in turn, I always thank them, then assure them that as alumni we appreciate their efforts and are proud of the way they represent our school both on the field and in the classroom. In those phone conversations and messages, the student-athletes invariably mention how much it means to them to receive our support in their academic and athletic endeavors, and how much they enjoy the benefits of their college experience at Duke or Florida. Try as I may, I cannot reconcile those messages with the statement in the "#WeAreUnited" document that "NCAA sports exploit college athletes physically, economically and academically."

If I learn that players at Duke or Florida feel that way, who am I to believe? And how can I in good conscience continue to support a system that I always believed was providing a beneficial opportunity for a college education and experience to young people -- especially those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds -- when they claim that they are instead being exploited by that very system? Again, I'm not saying to the players in anger that they should "take it or leave it." What I'm saying is that if they feel that college football and college basketball operate through a system that makes them feel exploited, then I should no longer support that system; and if the only way to make the college football and college basketball system fair in their eyes is to implement the changes they are demanding in the "#WeAreUnited" document, then the resulting product would not, at least in my judgment, be a "college" sport that I would be interested in watching or patronizing.

[budwom]

As predicted, we have the first case (that I know of) of a coach gaming the Covid protocol, threatening kids to not report symptoms or it will result in less playing time. (Colorado State, can't get the link to work, but it's on ESPN.com).

Doing little testing, ignoring quarantine protocols, getting that coaching "edge."

Covid + many colleges coaches = bad outcome.

[Bob Green]

Here is a link:

https://www.espn.com/college-footbal...irus-protocols

[duke2x]

Here is a link:

https://www.espn.com/college-footbal...irus-protocols

I bet BC is glad they let him go last fall.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

UConn cancelled its football season. This is their first year out of the AAC and in the Big East, so the football program is a nomad now - they basically threw the program under the bus to save basketball. So they are not giving up nearly as much as most other schools would be by cancelling football. At the same time, this isn't some tiny no-name school either.

https://www.espn.com/college-footbal...ue-coronavirus

[Tooold]

thanks you, Jim Calhoun!

Calhoun is a piece of work. I still remember when, on the heels of the 2008 crisis and Connecticut’s mandatory furloughing of state employees, he was asked by a reporter if he would give back some of his salary. Calhoun was the highest paid state employee (by a lot), and all other state employees were giving up some of their salary in order to help alleviate the state’s budget woes. He immediately, and angrily, answered “not a penny...I want to retire some day”.

[flyingdutchdevil]

UConn cancelled its football season. This is their first year out of the AAC and in the Big East, so the football program is a nomad now - they basically threw the program under the bus to save basketball. So they are not giving up nearly as much as most other schools would be by cancelling football. At the same time, this isn't some tiny no-name school either.

https://www.espn.com/college-footbal...ue-coronavirus

This is big news. And clearly the first domino to fall.

While I understand UCONN may not prioritize its football program like its basketball program, football is arguably only one of two revenue-generating sports. To give that up is a biiiiiiiiig deal.

I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot of schools where the football program isn't that highly regarded or isn't the sole (or dominant) revenue generating sport cancel their fall sports (schools like Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, etc. Basically, any D1 schools whose basketball program is significantly more powerful than its football program).

Personally, I applaud UCONN for this decision. With COVID in the US out of control, it needs to be safety first, safety second, and safety third.

[CameronBornAndBred]

Even though UCONN is in the Big East, they aren't in football; they are pretty much an independent. Because of that, this was not too hard of a decision, they essentially had their season cancelled for them.

Four of the games on UConn's schedule -- road games at Illinois and Ole Miss and home games against Indiana and FCS foe Maine -- were canceled because of scheduling decisions by those teams' leagues. Games at Virginia and North Carolina were also in question.

That's 6 games toasted. Might as well pack it up at that point.

[CDu]

Even though UCONN is in the Big East, they aren't in football; they are pretty much an independent. Because of that, this was not too hard of a decision, they essentially had their season cancelled for them.



That's 6 games toasted. Might as well pack it up at that point.

UConn isn't in the Big East in any sport, actually. The are in the AAC for both football and basketball. And there is no Big East football conference anymore.

[pfrduke]

UConn isn't in the Big East in any sport, actually. The are in the AAC for both football and basketball. And there is no Big East football conference anymore.

As of this year they left the AAC. They are football independent and Big East for basically everything else.

[CrazyNotCrazie]

As of this year they left the AAC. They are football independent and Big East for basically everything else.

They spent a lot of money building up football and when there was the conference shakeout a few years ago and they had nowhere to go, they joined the AAC so they would have a home for football. Meanwhile they were playing schools on the far side of the country that no one cared about, and all of their non-rev sports also had to travel to these places.

The football program had a few brief moments but basically didn't get off the ground, both on and off the field, so when they had the chance to return to the new Big East, they jumped on it, but that left football without a home. So they are trying to cobble together a schedule for football. But as others have noted, since there is no conference affiliation and several of their games were already cancelled, cancelling this season really wasn't that bold of a move for them, though it is definitely worth noting. The new Big East is almost all Catholic schools so it isn't the best fit, but it largely makes sense geographically and they have the great history there - UConn-Georgetown basketball will draw a lot more than UConn-Tulsa. Though they still have the $17 million AAC exit fee to worry about.

[uh_no]

UConn isn't in the Big East in any sport, actually. The are in the AAC for both football and basketball. And there is no Big East football conference anymore.

they are as of this year. They ditched the AAC since their football program sucks. Probably the right move for a mbb program that's (in theory) on the up-swing with Hurley. And all the same for Geno, who went undefeated in AAC play for the entirety of their stint.

[azzefkram]

This is big news. And clearly the first domino to fall.

While I understand UCONN may not prioritize its football program like its basketball program, football is arguably only one of two revenue-generating sports. To give that up is a biiiiiiiiig deal.

I wouldn't be surprised to see a lot of schools where the football program isn't that highly regarded or isn't the sole (or dominant) revenue generating sport cancel their fall sports (schools like Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, etc. Basically, any D1 schools whose basketball program is significantly more powerful than its football program).

Personally, I applaud UCONN for this decision. With COVID in the US out of control, it needs to be safety first, safety second, and safety third.

UConn didn't make a decision, it was made for them. As an independent, there were no conference games to save. Once the P5 went to 9/1, the likelihood for money-making games went out the window. UConn football is actually a huge money pit for the athletic department. UConn is probably saving money by not having a season.