Disrupt Big East!

 

Well, there goes the neighborhood.  The public University of Connecticut (UConn) is in talks to rejoin the Big East Conference (BE).  @DigSportsDesk reported Friday night, 21Jun19, that UConn is in talks to return to the Big East, for the 2020-21 school year.  On Saturday, 22Jun19, writers @PeteThamel and @DanaONeil picked up on the rumor/story and scuttlebutt has it that the move will be confirmed this week.

Quiet as it’s kept the Holyland of Hoops message board had been talking in reference to this move over the last several days in 2 different threads and cited the UConn message board (the Boneyard) chatter on Friday night regarding reliable posters on the site, including one Chief00.

Chief00 said:   “The report is true – basketball is heading to Big East. Chief has been holding back on publicizing this news but here it is.”

The Chief has spoken…now its official!

Like  Reactions:JMick, UofCT2009, KSC94 and 7 others

https://the-boneyard.com/threads/report-uconn-going-to-big-east-for-2020-2021-season.144653/

http://holylandofhoops.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6928&sid=a399f8d96fa105f12f239ee7fa2ff238  (HLOH)

As one who placed great value on the Big East Presidents’ going all private in the revised Big East iteration, a move such as admission of a public school to the mix, imo, greatly alters what has been a excellent reconfiguration to date.

As a conference of private schools, the BE had reduced government reporting, less intrusión by the media, and were hardly bothered by incessant FOIA requests.  The conference is highly proactive in dealing with the press and has excellent Public Relations offices already, but had the luxury of being highly selective in their disclosures.  Opening up a public/private conference partnership returns the BE to the mayhem of older iterations of itself and the crush of information seekers of all walks.

It seems at 1st blush that many on our member sites and on HLOH welcome this potential move by UConn returning to the BE and are happy to have them return to the fold.  Whether this is primarily from old, long-time BE fans and notions of “old time sakes” or newbies as well who seek increased conference value, most appear receptive of the move.  I question the motivations of these folks.

I for one, am reluctant to relinquish being a private school conference and grudgingly let go of the privacy benefits the Big East has accrued.  I am inclined to advise the Big East to stay private and look elsewhere for expansión:  Private schools such as Gonzaga and St Louis and future ACC private school castoffs (as the rift widens in that conference) are perfect fits.  Let Uconn sink.  They are the American Athletic Conferences’ albatross.  We don’t need another conferences’ problem child.  UConn would be a disruption to good order and discipline.

Furthermore, UConn brings little to the table in their return.  Yes, they have a sterling history these last 20 years or so, but little else.  The men’s basketball team has fallen greatly over these last 6 years.

Coach Ollie’s championship in 2014 seems decades removed, even if only 5 years ago.  The last 2 seasons have been dismal for UConn, both on and off the court.  Their record is abysmal, attendance has fallen off a cliff, recruiting is down, and their fanbase has abandoned ship.

Money has and continues to flood down the drain in attempts to prop up their weak football program, and UConn subsidies are a drain on Connecticut’s financial coffers.  A return to the BE will help their basketball programs, but do little to stem the football hemorrhaging.  They are the AAC’s and state of Connecticut’s problem – the Big East should not get involved.

The 2019 Panam Games Team has been selected.

 

For the record the 2019 Panam Games USA Basketball team has been selected.  Back in December 2018 USA Basketball and the NCAA selected the Big East to field this years team.  It is the 1st time a single conference has been chosen to represent the USA in the Panam Games.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Pan_American_Games

Providence HC Ed Cooley is the coach of the Panam Games USA team.  He’s had a difficult job as several big stars have graduated or are in the NBA Draft and 5-6 current Big East squads are doing overseas trips this summer, which has depleted the available talent pool from which he can draw his team roster.  Three days ago a complete roster was made public.  It has several surprises in its’ makeup.

 

The biggest surprise is the selection of a few prior graduates who are Euro pros now.  Tyler Wideman and Geoffrey Groselle both play in Europe, but provide much needed size to this small USA Panam team.

G – Gillespie, Pipkins, Duke
G – Powell, Heron, Malinowski
G – Alexander, Cale, Reeves
F – Diallo, McDermott, Samuels
C – Wideman, Groselle, Watkins

Reaction on the Holyland of Hoops message board was less than ecstatic.  example…

kayako- So we have no real PG, got some much needed size by getting past BE players, and 5 Providence players. I’d have to think Zegarowski and Akinjo weren’t available.

I was personally shocked to see CU’s Ty-Shon Alexander listed, as the Jays have an extended trip to Australia in early to mid August.  I saw a blurb on either GoCreighton.com or the World Herald Jays page stating he would catch up with the team after the Panam Games completed, flying from Peru to Australia.

Generally speaking the USA doesn’t do well in Panam competition, and garnering 3rd place finishes is the best we have mustered in years.  To be fair, most countries are using professional players to make up their teams.  The USA still fields teams with predominantly college level players.*

Ed Cooley, Seton Hall’s Kevin Willard, and Brown Univ.’s Mike Martin are the coaches of the team.

 

*Correction:  In looking at the Panam Games homepage, I noted that the 2015 Panam Games USA Men’s team consisted of 9 former college and pro players – many of which played overseas – and only 3 college players.  https://www.usab.com/mens/pan-american-games/roster.aspx

The current team information is not yet posted.