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UConn to the MAC (football only)?


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I like the addition of UConn for football only with the requirement that they schedule significant OOC games with MAC teams in other sports. This is a solid academic school with a good athletic brand name...a definite step up from UMass. Talk about helping MAC OOC scheduling and RPI...

 

Make them play 4 OOC games against top MAC men's and women's basketball, and rope them in for an ongoing home-home series with top MAC men's and women's soccer teams. Then, seal the deal.

Edited by UAZipster0305
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11 minutes ago, K92 said:

Hartford, you say?  Well, at one time I would have said "Cool, maybe we could catch a Whalers game while we are out there" but even they knew Connecticut blows and moved to Raleigh.

Great pizza in Hartford

 

I went to see the Zips play UConn back in the Brookhart era. Renchler Field is not the best place I've ever been as far as tailgating goes. A lot of east coast "New York attitude" that can rub some midwesterners the wrong way. The vibe was more "city" than "campus-like", as you'd expect. Nothing like Wisconsin...or even Army (two of my favorite trips to-date). But overall I had a good time.

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16 minutes ago, Captain Kangaroo said:

Great pizza in Hartford

 

I went to see the Zips play UConn back in the Brookhart era. Renchler Field is not the best place I've ever been as far as tailgating goes. A lot of east coast "New York attitude" that can rub some midwesterners the wrong way. The vibe was more "city" than "campus-like", as you'd expect. Nothing like Wisconsin...or even Army (two of my favorite trips to-date). But overall I had a good time.

I was too, pretty sure I sat near you if you were the one wearing a Matt Cherry jersey. I've visited over 100 FBS fields (although I've probably only gotten to see a game at maybe 20). Rentschler field was one of my least favorite, cold, sterile concrete ashtray of a field built on an abandoned airport nowhere near the University (my favorite roadies were Michigan and Oklahoma and no surprise Alabama has by far the nicest field). So meh for a game at Connecticut but that said If you could find a good partner I'd be OK with them joining as long as there were some other sports concessions like Temple and UMass had when they joined (IIRC correctly it had to do with basketball scheduling). If UConn really wants in for football, giving up a couple basketball dates shouldn't be a big deal. The MAC has associate members in about a half dozen sports.

 

Men's Tennis

   Binghamton

Men's Swimming

   University of Evansville

   Southern Illinois University

   Missouri State

Field hockey

   Longwood University

   Missouri State

   Appalachian State (2017)

 Wrestling

   Missouri University

   Northern Iowa

   Old Dominion University

Soccer

   West Virginia University

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Make it happen if we can get some BB games out of it. Maybe 3-4 a year, with a st amount of MAC home games. Rotate among the top 4 finishers (otherwise it's be UCONN @ UA every year, which of course is fine by me).. Get creative.

 

As for the road trips. We'd be moving towards a big boy conference, that happens. OSU doesn't play every game within their own state, their fans survive. I think it'd be a net benefit - if and only if we get some BB games out of it. 

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2 hours ago, K92 said:

BG is a great roady.

 

Not really sure why BG would be a snore for any Zips fan.  

 

One of the easiest road trips to make?  Yes.  Would I encourage every Zips fan to do it at at some time.  Yes.  

 

But, if you do it, make it a Day Trip !!    Bowling Green might be one of the most boring "college towns" in America.  If you are looking for a weekend full of entertainment, sightseeing, etc., to go along with an away football game, don't choose this one.  

 

 

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1 hour ago, MDZip said:

I was too, pretty sure I sat near you if you were the one wearing a Matt Cherry jersey.

That was me! :D

 

Great memory of that game was Brookhart going ballistic just before halftime because Jacquemain took a half-ending sack on the 5 yard line instead of throwing the ball away. Cost us a then much-needed 3 points. About as hard as I've ever seen a player get chewed-out. 

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2 hours ago, skip-zip said:

 

One of the easiest road trips to make?  Yes.  Would I encourage every Zips fan to do it at at some time.  Yes.  

 

But, if you do it, make it a Day Trip !!    Bowling Green might be one of the most boring "college towns" in America.  If you are looking for a weekend full of entertainment, sightseeing, etc., to go along with an away football game, don't choose this one.  

 

 

Totally disagree.  Best bar scene in the MAC.

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OK, apparently I am looking for a bit more of a cultural experience than you guys on a long weekend football road trip.  You know.  Things to see and do, and great places to eat, beyond going to a couple of college bars and watching students drink beer.   A college campus with little architectural character in a small town on the flat plains of NW Ohio, surrounded by nothing but miles and miles of corn fields in all directions doesn't do it for my wife and I.  

 

Sure, places like Miami and OU are isolated too.  But Miami is one of the most beautiful and tranquil small college towns you'll ever visit.  And Athens has such historic appeal along with it's riverside setting and appalachian foothills terrain.  

 

But, I'm glad you guys like BG.   Maybe if I was young and single I'd feel differently.  It was always one of my least favorite destinations when I used to make business trips out to that part of Ohio years ago as well.  I'd never stay there past a day again.  Just my opinion and advice.

 

Now, I guess I'll never be asked to write a testimonial for the Wood County Visitors Bureau.   

 

And I sure hope Storrs CT has a lot more to offer for me.  

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4 hours ago, skip-zip said:

OK, apparently I am looking for a bit more of a cultural experience than you guys on a long weekend football road trip.  You know.  Things to see and do, and great places to eat, beyond going to a couple of college bars and watching students drink beer.   A college campus with little architectural character in a small town on the flat plains of NW Ohio, surrounded by nothing but miles and miles of corn fields in all directions doesn't do it for my wife and I.  

 

Sure, places like Miami and OU are isolated too.  But Miami is one of the most beautiful and tranquil small college towns you'll ever visit.  And Athens has such historic appeal along with it's riverside setting and appalachian foothills terrain.  

 

But, I'm glad you guys like BG.   Maybe if I was young and single I'd feel differently.  It was always one of my least favorite destinations when I used to make business trips out to that part of Ohio years ago as well.  I'd never stay there past a day again.  Just my opinion and advice.

 

Now, I guess I'll never be asked to write a testimonial for the Wood County Visitors Bureau.   

 

And I sure hope Storrs CT has a lot more to offer for me.  

Next thing you know you're gonna be telling me you don't like tractor pulls, either.

 

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I am tired of the MAC bringing these one sport schools in.  Temple, UMass, and how many times did the MAC let Marshall get in and out (although in multiple sports)?  They always have one eye on the door for the next conference opportunity.  And looking at soccer, Kentucky, Hartwick....when will West Virginia leave?  The NCAA DI conference death march continues....the big eat the small until?

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  • 6 months later...
  • 1 year later...
On 2/16/2017 at 8:56 AM, ZachTheZip said:

It only makes sense if we bring in another team to make it fourteen. UMass is the obvious choice, but getting Army would be a coup.

Trying to figure out why Army would even consider that. Thats a move down for them is it not? They can already go to bowl games. And, they play for the Commander in Chief trophy with the other two service academies. They get plenty of exposure already don't they?

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On 2/16/2017 at 12:34 PM, UAZipster0305 said:

I like the addition of UConn for football only with the requirement that they schedule significant OOC games with MAC teams in other sports. This is a solid academic school with a good athletic brand name...a definite step up from UMass. Talk about helping MAC OOC scheduling and RPI...

 

Make them play 4 OOC games against top MAC men's and women's basketball, and rope them in for an ongoing home-home series with top MAC men's and women's soccer teams. Then, seal the deal.

UConn WINS national championships in B.ball. Just like all the other big boys they are gonna refuse to give up a home date with all that revenue to play in a MAC B.ball venue. Might be better to extract a BIG guarantee from UConn in order to have MAC teams play early games there. Would pad the MAC bank accounts and elevate the RPI even with losses.

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  • 7 months later...

Initial thought - I'd be in favor of adding UCONN (and even UMASS) for football only, but they need to bring something to us. Guaranteed scheduling of MAC opponents in OOC basketball (both men's and women's) that includes games at MAC sites. Something like 3/year with match-ups dependent upon conference preseason top 3 picks or something along those lines.

Edited by LZIp
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https://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-huskies/hc-sp-uconn-big-east-conference-aac-20190622-20190622-qgewcp6jhvd5fd4lenxr5vnncm-story.html

 

The MAC seems to make the most sense for them if they want to remain FBS. Colonial/Northeast/Patriot would be good geographically but FCS may be too much of a come-down for them(?)

 

 

Edited by ZippyRulz
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1 hour ago, ZippyRulz said:

https://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-huskies/hc-sp-uconn-big-east-conference-aac-20190622-20190622-qgewcp6jhvd5fd4lenxr5vnncm-story.html

 

The MAC seems to make the most sense for them if they want to remain FBS. Colonial/Northeast/Patriot would be good geographically but FCS may be too much of a come-down for them(?)

 

 

 

I think it will come down to the Big 12 or the MAC, neither one of whom is mentioned in the article you provide.

I do like the proposed plans to add sorely restrooms to the XL Center.  Maybe they can hire the guy who designed the restrooms for the Rubber Bowl.

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