Thinking out loud…while wondering if I can create the next social experiment to go viral…
- U-C-O-N-N! UConn, UConn, UConn!
- What was rampantly rumored to be a fait accompli last weekend, grew into reality this week when the Big East Conference decided to invite the Huskies’ athletic program – sans football, mind you – back into the league in which they were a founding member 40 years ago.
- And while I share the feelings of many in that UConn has always felt like it belongs in the Big East, I’m going to ask a question that surely must be on someone’s mind – what in the world are we doing here?
- Yes, this is the equivalent of a cockroach now falling into and spoiling your picnic potato salad.
- Or did anyone forget UConn would have bolted for the ACC in a heartbeat about eight years ago, as the old iteration of the Big East crumbled from the weight of losing BC, Pitt and Syracuse while inviting E. Carolina, Tulsa and Tulane to step in?
- At one point, it certainly seemed as if UConn didn’t need the ‘Catholic 7’ as they pulled away from the football schools. After all, they had football, it was thriving (sort of), and surely bigger landing spots lied in wait for them in greener pastures to the south, when the call came?
- Except that…the call never happened. Football, and the rest of the athletic department, has withered on the vine since, to the tune of running up an astronomical $41 million athletic department deficit last year.
- So now, here’s the Big East offering a lifeline; a much smaller, financial intravenous transfusion that comes nowhere near to the amount of help Connecticut desperately needs, but hey – let’s go ahead and give it to them anyway because they’re, well, a charter member?
- So they can exit stage left, when the ACC or the Big 12 decide they need another patsy to beat up on?
- So far, the ACC and Big 12 have said further expansion is not in their plans. But should it ever become financially feasible to make another move (i.e. – make them more $$$) UConn is gone from the Big East again faster than a fat kid chases an ice cream truck.
- You okay with that? With football still a factor on the Storrs campus, that’s fine for UConn.And I love college football. But football is, once again, driving the bus in the Big East. Didn’t the ‘Catholic 7’ pull away from the old conference because of football in the first place?
- What happened to change this thought process? Was a promise made? Was a contract signed? Were assurances given and fears assuaged? Please. Those are as worthless as teats on a boar hog. Go ahead, look that one up.
- What happened to like-minded institutions banding together?
- The UConn football team will either now find a home in a much lesser league or find itself as an independent. And UConn has spent a lot of money on infrastructure ($92 million) and present support ($80 million last year) just to move into and remain relevant in the FBS in the first place.
- Or, they can toss it all into the dumpster and rejoin the FCS, which is unlikely. Isn’t it?
- Independence or irrelevance is not for the weak. Or the broke. The Huskies will also owe a $10+ million exit fee from the American, and any new money from the Big East is likely to be phased-in over a period of time, in addition to having to pay an entry fee over time.
- Put the pencil to paper – how does this arrangement make cents? UConn would receive $7 million per year under the newly renegotiated AAC media rights deal with ESPN. The current Fox deal with the Big East pays out $500 million over 12 years, $4.16 million per school per year.
- Maybe that comes to around $5 mil per year, but the average will still go down with the addition of another school…that still has the football beast to feed.
- Look, I get it from a basketball and Olympic sport perspective…and this is where I like this new arrangement. The coaches want UConn. Fans love to hate UConn. The scheduling round-robin where everyone plays everyone home-and-away remains intact for hoops, adding two more quality games to a basketball schedule.
- Four Natty’s bring further cache for the league on a national level, even though the Big East has won two of the past four national titles. A program known for its’ hoops can’t hurt a league with a basketball identity – and let’s not forget UConn’s fans returning in droves to Madison Square Garden.
- A big-time regional rival is back and that’s a good thing, aesthetically-speaking.
- But the Big East already knows what it is. It has survived – and thrived – since Connecticut’s self-inflicted purgatory began, thanks to football. A Husky return helps, but who does it help more?
- This is a one-sided deal, ‘cuz they’re still gone if another league ever comes calling, with the football albatross hanging around their necks. Maybe that sugar-daddy is still out there, and maybe it isn’t. But right now, THEY need the Big East more than the Big East needs THEM. Just sayin’.
- UConn is desperate to return to its’ basketball roots, with an extraordinary 15 Natty’s between the men’s and women’s programs. Losing their Big East identity cost the school much more than football ever did. It caused apathy.
- The Big East is doing nothing more than saving UConn from itself and only until the next suitor comes calling – a suitor that favors wearing shoulder pads and a helmet over round balls and hardwood floors.
- At the conclusion of this “Decade of Realignment” in college sports, the athletic guillotine now hangs over all league members – after doing so much to rebuild, reconstruct and reconfigure their athletic home – as the Big East pulls the Huskies out of harms’ way from their own athletic programs being put on a potential chopping block.
- Not for nuthin’, but this song and dance ain’t over unless the Huskies drop football.
- It must be one sweet deal for the Big East to have the presidents reel the Huskies back into the fold, is all I know. When the next round of conference musical chairs is played, I’ll be the one watching from the sideline with a smug, “told you so” look. #rookestradamussaidso
- Tweet of the Week I, from @Joseph_Duarte: “Houston coach Kelvin Sampson on departure of UConn to Big East: ‘It’s a national brand. But the bell cow of our conference has been Cincinnati.’”
- The NCAA Division I Council has now made it more difficult for athletes to transfer between schools and receive immediate eligibility. Either the suits in Indianapolis are tone deaf to the needs (if not wishes) of their student-athletes’ backsides whom they profit from, or they’ve kowtowed to a whining coaching constituency which can’t possibly keep all said athletes happy.
- Simply, the NCAA says athletes now need further documentation of extenuating circumstances in order to receive a transfer waiver. Think of this as a judge now needing more paperwork before deciding to send a case to the jury. They’ve slowed the process.
- And the State of California is considering legislation that would allow its’ student athletes to profit from their likenesses being reproduced and used for institutional profit. The NCAA says they may ban Cali schools from NCAA championships if they go through with this.
- Which, as we’re now learning, could be a violation of federal antitrust laws. An illegal restraint of trade. Oh boy. Here comes the s**t ready to hit the fan.
- Don’t sweat the NBA Draft results for the Big East, with only Villanova’s Eric Paschall being selected (in the 2nd round). A young, immature league this past year will be a year older next year.
- In other headline news, the sun will rise in the East tomorrow.
- St. John’s Shamorie Ponds will hop onto the Houston Rockets’ summer league team looking for a possible free agent deal. So will DePaul’s Max Strus, although he reportedly has a two-way deal in hand already with the Celtics.
- Strus will be on Boston’s Vegas Summer League team, as will 7-6 Tacko Fall from UCF. Al Maguire once said, ‘you can’t coach height.’ But 7-6? Think you gotta at least try here, don’t you?
- Cue the karma – ex-UConn star Kemba Walker could very well be a new Celtic by the time you read this, or soon after. Walker may not be Kyrie Irving, but he should be able to make others around him better…which is something Kyrie will never do.
- Speaking of the Celtics, one-time Johnston, RI resident, Hendricken Hawk and West Virginia Mountaineer Joe Mazzulla will be joining the Celtics’ coaching staff, after serving last season with the G-League Maine Red Claws. Mazzulla spent two years before his Maine gig as the head coach at DII Fairmont State in West Virginia.
- Gotta like the Celtics creating opportunities in the EEO field, also naming Kara Lawson as an assistant to Brad Stevens. Lawson made a name for herself playing at Tennessee for Pat Summitt. She had a lengthy WNBA career and won an Olympic gold medal in Beijing before becoming an ESPN analyst.
- Big congrats to former Friar star Ruben Garces, who this week was named to replace 34-year hoops coach Tom Sorrentine as head coach at St. Raphael Academy in Pawtucket. Garces assisted Sorrentine last year, and when the coach stepped away from the hoops part of his job (he will stay on as baseball coach), earlier this month, Garces stepped in.
- Btw, Rube looks like he could suit up and play for PC tomorrow after an 18-year pro career. He’s still a chiseled 6-foot-9. And he’s now 45 years old. He should command quite a presence for the Saints program.
- How about the City of Toronto, removing basketball hoops from city parks because neighbors complained about too much noise? This after winning an NBA title, and hosting a parade where gun shots were fired? The backlash was swift.
- Toronto has stopped removing basketball hoops. All together now – stupid is as stupid does.
- At last count, by the Providence College hockey team – 12 former Friars are slated to take part in upcoming NHL Development camps. Now THAT’S a program.
- T-minus four weeks and counting to training camp. Dead time stinks, doesn’t it?
- With the Patriots scheduling the opening of training camp for July 25th at Gillette Stadium, with fans attending free as always, the Philadelphia Eagles announced they will hold just one open camp practice for their fans – and they’ll be charging $10 for it, too.
- The proceeds will be going to a good cause (Autism Challenge), but still – why so stingy? And why so secretive? What in the wide, wide world of Bill Belichick is going on there?
- The US Women’s National soccer team may be a big draw, especially for their current success in the World Cup, but it took Megan Rapinoe’s public dis of her country for me to notice.
- I’ll probably sound all Trumpian here – unintended – but hey Megan? Win something first. Then open your pie hole, or protest, or kneel during the anthem, or color your hair or whatever you want to do that this country allows you to do freely. Regardless of your stupidity. Thanks.
- Speaking of soccer, has anyone noticed the Revs have been playing better since Bruce Arena took over on the sideline? No?
- All you need to know about the Red Sox, as they prepare to embark on MLB’s lame attempt to become worldly like the NFL by playing in London against the Yankees, is they have 16 blown saves from the pitching staff so far this year. And we’re only halfway through the season.
- Take HALF of those away, which is reasonable to assume if the team had a closer, and the Sox would be in a virtual tie with the Yankees in the East. Instead, they have this mess. Blame the players, sure. Blame Alex Cora or Dana LeVangie, fine.
- But if you don’t put the ultimate blame on management’s tight-waddedness over spending a few (more) sheckles on decent pitching, well, you ain’t nuttin’ but a pink-hatted homah. The problems are real, and they aren’t spectacular.
- Matt Barnes < athlete’s foot fungus. Every time Barnes comes into a game, my feet itch.
- I had the privilege of working with (but in a different department from) Bob Ley at ESPN, and I can’t say I recall anyone in this business of reporting who was more respected for his abilities. Ley announced his retirement from ESPN this week after a stellar 40-year career in Bristol, CT. The journalism trade has lost a leader and part of its’ industrial consciousness. Can anyone pick up where he has left off?
- I also had the privilege of working with two of the very best investigative reporters to walk the planet during my TV time in Providence – Jack White and Jim Taricani. Taricani passed away last weekend at age 69 after battling health issues for years, having also had a heart transplant 23 years ago.
- God speed, Jim. Anyone who can gain the confidence of politicos and the Mafia – and still effectively report upon their activities, illegal or otherwise – should have all our respect. And thanks.
- Boo Boo Andrade’s world middleweight title fight at the Dunkin Donuts Center Saturday night is long overdue, of course. Hard to believe it’s his first fight in the building Vinny Paz and Peter Manfredo helped to put on the map during their heydays.
- But if Andrade really wants to add to those storied legacies in the squared ring, all he needs to do is ‘just win, baby.’ Put on a show, sure, but just win.
- My buddy ‘Big E’ sez he wanted to prove to Mrs. E that woman talk more than men, so he showed her a recent study which indicated that men use about 15K words per day, while women use 30K. She thought about it, then told him women have to use twice as many words per day because women have to repeat everything they say.
- ‘Big E’ sensed his moment of vindication. Stunned, he looked at her and said, “what?”
- SOCIAL EXPERIMENT: Tell me why this was all the rage on Twitter and social media this week, and what was the purpose of such a waste of time and brain cells? DO NOT read the replies before you answer.
- My own thought? Because we’re vain, vacuous and vapid, and we all lead vanilla lives. And in my case, because I love good alliteration, too.
- @ThePuffPuffy tweeted at me this week, on the Sox and the horrid performance recently from Matt Barnes: “Think they DL him? I thought they had settled on Workman as the closer. I was wrong, I guess. ☹ Never thought I’d say the Red Sox could really use Hembree back.”
- Spenser: It’s ridiculous, the state of the bullpen. Clearly, a mental block exists when it comes to this whole ‘bullpen-by-committee’ thing. It doesn’t work, it never has worked, probably will never work. But Cora is stubborn with it because he has no other choice. They won’t pay anyone to do that job. Period. What we see, is what we get. The thing is, if the starters could last 6-7 innings consistently, there wouldn’t be the overuse. Part of this is on those guys, too.
- Interested in having your questions on local Rhode Island sports (and yes, that includes the Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics) answered in a somewhat timely fashion? Send ‘em to me! It’s your chance to “think out loud,” so send your questions, comments and local stories to jrooke@weei.com. We’ll share mailbag comments/Facebook posts/Tweets right here! Follow me on Twitter, @JRbroadcaster…and on Facebook, www.facebook.com/john.rooke ...
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