I see more VT gear in Pittsburgh than one might think...

(05-15-2014 07:49 AM)7fielder Wrote:  I see more VT gear in Pittsburgh than one might think...

RECOGNIZE!

A lot of kids from my high school go to Virginia Tech each year...

(05-15-2014 06:43 AM)Ragu Wrote:  North Carolina and Duke are national programs in basketball. We were talking football here.

I appreciate your point, but IMHO when it comes to conference realignment and conference valuations, it depends on the overall view of the school plus other factors. Duke may not have a FB brand, but they have such a commanding presence as a college brand that it doesn't matter if they're bad in FB.

Interestingly enough, UCONN has a GREAT BB presence, yet it cannot overcome it's FB situation and overall I don't see them as a national brand. The only thing I can point to - aside from academics - is that Duke at least has some degree of FB success when you look back to the 50's and 60's. UCONN does not have any sustained FB success to speak of.

I think UConn's issue isn't just that they didn't participate in FBS until a decade ago and are only mediocre at it now, but that the Big East didn't really have their basketball "equal" like Duke had with the UNC rivalry.

(05-15-2014 01:35 PM)Marge Schott Wrote:  I think UConn's issue isn't just that they didn't participate in FBS until a decade ago and are only mediocre at it now, but that the Big East didn't really have their basketball "equal" like Duke had with the UNC rivalry.

Not sure what you mean? Cuse, Louisville, Pitt were their high end rivals.

Pitt doesn't factor in the discussion. UL wasn't in the same conference until a decade ago. Cuse, while a great program, is a lesser version of UNC to UConn's Duke (UConn-Duke comparison miko33 made).

(05-15-2014 02:46 PM)Marge Schott Wrote:  Pitt doesn't factor in the discussion. UL wasn't in the same conference until a decade ago. Cuse, while a great program, is a lesser version of UNC to UConn's Duke (UConn-Duke comparison miko33 made).

Interestingly enough, Syracuse was big before UConn and has a winning record against UConn (both historically and recently).

Our problem is that they're a great tourney team and we are not. Overall, I would say that our program is better. However, I'm sure many UConn fans would disagree as their highs are higher than ours. Either way, we very clearly belong on the same court. If UConn isn't national, it isn't for a lack if rivalries. It's from a lack of Final Fours before 1999.

(05-15-2014 02:46 PM)Marge Schott Wrote:  Pitt doesn't factor in the discussion. UL wasn't in the same conference until a decade ago. Cuse, while a great program, is a lesser version of UNC to UConn's Duke (UConn-Duke comparison miko33 made).

UP until the early to mid 90's, Syracuse/Georgetown was the biggest rivalry around and neither had won a championship at that time. uconn and Syracuse have both been to 5 final Fours. Uconn coaches have just been better in the final four. the Syracuse/Uconn rivalry had grown to be a top five basketball rivalry, so that's not what is preventing Uconn from being a national program because Uconn IS a national program. So is Syracuse.

(05-15-2014 02:46 PM)Marge Schott Wrote:  Pitt doesn't factor in the discussion. UL wasn't in the same conference until a decade ago. Cuse, while a great program, is a lesser version of UNC to UConn's Duke (UConn-Duke comparison miko33 made).

Their issue certainly wasn't rivalries. Throughout the 2000's, UConn had heated rivalries with Syracuse and Pitt and then eventually UL when they joined. All three rivalries often had conference regular season title, conference tournament title, and number 1 seed implications throughout the last ten years. (although admittedly I don't think UConn-UL was as heated because each had bigger rivals). Syracuse-UConn is certainly an elite rivalry in my opinion.

Their problem is that they're still relatively new to the scene and it takes about 30 years of greatness before people accept you as a true power.

(05-15-2014 02:46 PM)Marge Schott Wrote:  Pitt doesn't factor in the discussion. UL wasn't in the same conference until a decade ago. Cuse, while a great program, is a lesser version of UNC to UConn's Duke (UConn-Duke comparison miko33 made).

One school leads the nation in attendance and one can't sell out their 10,000 seat arena on campus...Marge you are off base

Really not surprised that Cuse fans are taking exception to my comment. Also not surprised that they aren't addressing the key part about Cuse not being as strong of a name as UNC to help build UConn's profile nationally.

(05-15-2014 10:27 PM)Marge Schott Wrote:  Really not surprised that Cuse fans are taking exception to my comment. Also not surprised that they aren't addressing the key part about Cuse not being as strong of a name as UNC to help build UConn's profile nationally.

Thats because no one is going to argue that SU is as strong a brand name as UNC.

But as far as the Syracuse/Uconn rivalry, it became one of the biggest in college bb. Its ridiculous to say that thats the reason that Uconn isnt a national brand, because Syracuse isnt as big of a brand as UNC. Kansas doesnt have a brand rival anywhere near as big as UNC, or even Syracuse for that matter, but that doesnt stop them from being Kansas. Its equally ridiculous to claim that Uconn isnt a national brand anyway. Now you have caused me to have to go take a shower in clorox for defending Uconn.