AAC news
- Thread starter the Blades
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Does this posture the AAC to seize Texas when the Big 12 finally collapses? Is that what this is really all about?
Could be since he's an older northeast guy/ Middletown, CT native with his law degree from Uconn. But I can think of 1.8 million reasons ($) he might be willing
to move..I'm lukewarm on him as the AAC commish' at that price, though his current contract is supposed to brings him to his early 70's.....
AAC commissioner Mike Aresco has contract extended into 2022
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I also think some new blood is needed and Aresco’s days are numbered. His main (meager) contribution the last couple of years was to institute a “Power 6” marketing campaign in the vain hope that the media would bite and run with it, but it seemed to be mostly met with derision with only a few national writers acknowledging the quasi-legitimacy of the claim.
"the American Athletic Conference just got a whole lot more relevant. And make no mistake, the league needs UConn and Memphis to be relevant. And good."
“I think it’s very important,” Hardaway told Hearst Connecticut Media. “Both universities — they’ve won championships, we haven’t won any, but we’re used to competing in the Sweet 16, the finals. As competitive as we are, we all want the league to do well. The older guys who’ve been in the league for a while want to see it advance, get the notoriety they deserve. Hopefully, Danny and I can boost that.”
“I think it’s very important,” Hardaway told Hearst Connecticut Media. “Both universities — they’ve won championships, we haven’t won any, but we’re used to competing in the Sweet 16, the finals. As competitive as we are, we all want the league to do well. The older guys who’ve been in the league for a while want to see it advance, get the notoriety they deserve. Hopefully, Danny and I can boost that.”
Although it’s nice from the PR standpoint, it doesn’t mean anything until these guys consistently win. Hurley has a good track record, Hardaway has as much of a coaching track record as Ollie did when UConn hired him. I thought Tubby Smith did a really good job, but he seems to be perceived as a good game coach and not such a good recruiter. As with Ollie, losing really good players to transfers never helps.
However in the big picture, I like what AAC has done the last few years adding Wichita State, adding some great coaches like Kelvin Sampson and Mike Dunleavy, and generally looking like they could be a legit challenger to the power conferences. Now the AAC has to take another step and start doing better in the NCAA tourney. Cincy’s loss out of the tourney last year and Cronin’s behavior after the loss were unacceptable. They did very little to relieve the perception that they are a perennial team that’s going out second round or Sweet 16. They and UConn need to do better. Remember what the Big East was at one time - it’s achievable in basketball. Memphis is a team like UConn, like Cincy, like Wichita State, that can be in the NCAA every year. Just have to do damage once you are in the tourney otherwise all this talk means nothing.
However in the big picture, I like what AAC has done the last few years adding Wichita State, adding some great coaches like Kelvin Sampson and Mike Dunleavy, and generally looking like they could be a legit challenger to the power conferences. Now the AAC has to take another step and start doing better in the NCAA tourney. Cincy’s loss out of the tourney last year and Cronin’s behavior after the loss were unacceptable. They did very little to relieve the perception that they are a perennial team that’s going out second round or Sweet 16. They and UConn need to do better. Remember what the Big East was at one time - it’s achievable in basketball. Memphis is a team like UConn, like Cincy, like Wichita State, that can be in the NCAA every year. Just have to do damage once you are in the tourney otherwise all this talk means nothing.
Tubby Smith ....ouch: " Last season, Memphis averaged 4,583 fans per game — a 48-year low for the program." ... Just 4 years ago Memphis was averaging 16,121................and I thought KO was an energy vampire to a fanbase ( 10,134 in 2014 to 7829 last year)
I think that's all we need to know about Tubby...
I think that's all we need to know about Tubby...
Memphis did win 21 games last year so that stat is odd.........that fans would bail on a 21 win team.
I really do not feel like I have a very good handle on the league next year and will have to defer to Borges and his picks. My sense is that UCF could be the best team in the league, and that Memphis has much better than 8th place talent, but beyond that I really do not know what will happen. We do not know if Hardaway isn't a Kevin Ollie in waiting, as far as being over his head as a college head coach. This is a league that will eat inexperienced coaches alive. Cronin, Marshall, Sampson, Dunleavy, Dawkins, are all proven big time coaches. Hurley is close to being proven- needs to do it at the higher level now.
In other legal news, Mick Cronin's right hand man (for 12 years) and interim HC ( when MC had health issues), didn't just retire as Cincy reported.. .." but hastily resigned after the school had started the process to terminate his employment. "
Yahoo Report: Ex-UC assistant ousted over airplane assault allegation
Yahoo Report: Ex-UC assistant ousted over airplane assault allegation
Wow, if those allegation are to be believed, Mick’s right hand man was a closet perv, a groper of women. Not good!!!!
Here's another AAC legal story.....regarding Uconn...but not for hoops.... that I linked on the FB side:
Speaking of the AAC I was watching some of last night's NY Knicks v. Indiana Pacers game and Jeff Van Gundy was plugging what a great hoops league the AAC is and how it produces "tough players." He brought that up after watching some great hustle plays by Damyean Dotson, who played for Houston under Kelvin Sampson and now starts for NY Knicks. He mentioned Rob Gray as well and said that Sampson "toughens up" his guys. Unfortunately no mention of any UConn guys who were toughened up by the AAC. But, that kind of soup-up, coming from JVG on a national TV game, is very good PR for the AAC and we have to take whatever bones of PR we can get!!!!!!!
What waste of taxpayers money and someone on the ethics committee needs to fired, dismissed, whatever.
"They (Uconn/Edsall ) were up front about what they were trying to accomplish from the moment it became likely he would take over as UConn coach. UConn put together a management plan for Corey that the board deemed laughable but ( Judge) Shortall ruled exceeded what is mandated by the state for such a situation......So ultimately the Edsalls and UConn won a fight, a fight that never had to be, one that came about after UConn sought from the Office of State Ethics what the Office of State Ethics should provide: guidance. The university, the athletic department and the coach never tried to trick anyone."
Mike Anthony: Judge ruling shows ethics challenge in UConn football coaching case was a waste of time
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Not a great Sunday for the AAC... when your #1 pre-season pick loses to mid major that's a 21 point underdog:
Finished
Finished
Those weekend results and especially FAU beating UCF did not do much to inspire confidence in this league, but this could be a positive sign for UConn as they look to finish in the top 3 or so of the league. UConn will have to make some noise in the out of conference games no matter what happens with league play.
So if Penny pulls this off is it the AAC's version of the Big East signing Patrick Ewing back in the day ?
East's James Wiseman, No. 1 class of 2019 recruit, to make college decision Tuesday at noon
East's James Wiseman, No. 1 class of 2019 recruit, to make college decision Tuesday at noon
The AAC has secured the number 1 recruit in the nation:
No. 1 recruit James Wiseman going to Memphis
https://es.pn/2TuLC3F
No. 1 recruit James Wiseman going to Memphis
https://es.pn/2TuLC3F
New AAC power ranking from SI's .....Fanside - Busting Brackets:
" One thing is clear through five games – UConn is an NCAA Tournament team."
Fullread- AAC Basketball Power Rankings: UCF on top as UConn, others rise
" One thing is clear through five games – UConn is an NCAA Tournament team."
Fullread- AAC Basketball Power Rankings: UCF on top as UConn, others rise
UCF football at the moment is beating LSU in the FIESTA BOWL on national TV in what could be an important statement by the AAC.
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The AAC has not done well in bowl games this year. USF lost what was basically a home game, Houston and Temple were curb stomped. Conference runner up Memphis lost to Wake Forest.
Thank goodness for Cincinnati and Tulane because this has not been a good bowl season for the AAC.
Forget about it...once Milton went down (2 time AAC player of the year ) it was like the Patriots playin' without Brady in the playoffs. UCF had a QB that's actually played in about 3 games besides mop-up.......Also can't stand these ESPN P-5 schills running their mouth about UCF or a so called G-5 not being able to compete with a P-5 school. You know...... like they've already forgot that UCF beat the team in last years bowl (Auburn) who beat both of the teams that played in the NC game ( Alabama & Georgia) ......The amazing amount of propaganda out of ESPN never ends. Now suddenly because LSU sneaks by a team without their Heisman candidate, the AAC champ can't hang with the mighty P-5, what BS.
PS. When UCF had Milton earlier this year they beat Pitt by 31 points.....same team that CFB "playoff worthy" team Notre Dame beat by 5 (Pitt falls to unbeaten Notre Dame 19-14)....just sayin'
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And once again proof that it's not about the AAC or P-5...some schools just seem to take things like FB a little more serious,
The Big 12's loss is the AAC's gain. Regarding UCF, they started the game well today and were up 14-3 on LSU after a pick-6 93 yard TD return that featured the LSU QB getting absolutely steamrolled on a legal block by one of UCF's DLs. Was classic:
https://www.12up.com/posts/6260926-...olutely-destroyed-on-ruthless-blindside-block
But for that block LSU QB Burrow has the angle to at least shove out of bounds the streaking UCF CB who intercepted him. Instead its a 93 yard TD- pick-6.
Unfortunately UCF got absolutely nothing out of their true freshman QB who made some really bad plays and did not seem ready for prime time.
https://www.12up.com/posts/6260926-...olutely-destroyed-on-ruthless-blindside-block
But for that block LSU QB Burrow has the angle to at least shove out of bounds the streaking UCF CB who intercepted him. Instead its a 93 yard TD- pick-6.
Unfortunately UCF got absolutely nothing out of their true freshman QB who made some really bad plays and did not seem ready for prime time.
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Was just watching Cincy's expected demolition of Tulane on CBS Sports Network which is having an AAC night tonight, when they showed a very touching story on Mick Cronin's 12 year old daughter Sammi. Apparently Mick was married to a black lady and the daughter is multiracial but has Jheri-curls and they actually showed Mick Jheri-curling the daughter's hair. It was kind of touching. The girl, who is a swimmer and is very cute, was seated behind the bench. She lives with Mick, not the mother, who Mick is divorced from.
This profile humanized Mick in a way that we do not normally see in the media. Mick needs all the positive PR he can get, certainly, after that disastrous exit from the NCAA tourney last year and his bizarre press conference after that game.
BTW Cincy has a guy named Mamadou Diarra on their team who is a different guy than UConn's Mamadou Diarra. This will lead to some confusion when the 2 teams play each other.
This profile humanized Mick in a way that we do not normally see in the media. Mick needs all the positive PR he can get, certainly, after that disastrous exit from the NCAA tourney last year and his bizarre press conference after that game.
BTW Cincy has a guy named Mamadou Diarra on their team who is a different guy than UConn's Mamadou Diarra. This will lead to some confusion when the 2 teams play each other.
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Watched Houston very impressively and easily beat UCF on the road tonight Houston is now 22-1 and very much looking like the best team in the AAC, their only loss coming on the road to the same Temple team that hammered UConn last night. Houston leads the AAC in every major defensive statistical category, they play very hard and scrappy and tough, and in short they look a lot like some of Jim Calhoun's UConn teams right now.
We have to face the reality that the league is very good and UConn is at this point unlikely to have a winning record in this AAC league this year. It's disappointing to have losing records in this league, but the league is actually very good, and this bodes well for the future.
We have to face the reality that the league is very good and UConn is at this point unlikely to have a winning record in this AAC league this year. It's disappointing to have losing records in this league, but the league is actually very good, and this bodes well for the future.
With SMU losing at home to Wichita State, UConn has now tied SMU for 10th place with a chance to jump ahead to 9th place and get in that more desirable 8-9 game.
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/standings
Schedule favors UConn. SMU has games at Houston and at USF. I don't see them winning either one. UConn needs one win and they are in the 8-9 game. Likely opponent: USF in a rematch of today's game.
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/standings
Schedule favors UConn. SMU has games at Houston and at USF. I don't see them winning either one. UConn needs one win and they are in the 8-9 game. Likely opponent: USF in a rematch of today's game.
I just looked at the current bracketolgy, a Uconn win at home this Thursday on SR night would be a killer for the AAC. Right now there's 4 teams in, none on the bubble, but I'm sure that would change for Temple if Uconn can start hitting some 3's...
:2019 NCAA Bracketolgy
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If SMU loses out, which seems likely with the 2 road games they have, UConn can lose to Temple, then win at ECU, and they will have snagged that coveted 9 seed away from SMU. Any combination of 3 UConn wins and/or SMU losses snags the 9 seed. If UConn and SMU both win, split, or lose, there will be a tie for 9th place and it will go to the tiebreaker. I do not know what the tiebreaker is, because the teams split head to head.
There is a wonderful battle going on for AAC supremacy going on between Houston and Cincinnati. Sampson v. Cronin. The Sampsonites are looking very tough at the moment.
I thought the team wearing black would be Cincy but today it’s Houston!
I thought the team wearing black would be Cincy but today it’s Houston!
"To say University of Cincinnati basketball coach and human volcano Mick Cronin has Napoleon complex is a slight to Napoleon."
NCAA tournament-bound team hosting tryouts
NCAA tournament-bound team hosting tryouts
Cronin has a history of really bad press conferences after tough losses, the worst of which was the one he had after Cincy blew a 23 point lead to Nevada in the NCAA 1st round last year. One can draw the conclusion that he is not a good loser. However, he is a really good coach and his record over the past 4-5 years, accomplished with way less than high end talent, is remarkable.
Dunleavy Fired By Tulane:
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/26280014/dunleavy-tulane-coach-4-27-season
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/26280014/dunleavy-tulane-coach-4-27-season