How well timed. Article on UConn cupcake scheduling.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

How well timed.  Another New Haven Register article, this one on the cupcakes on UConn's schedule.

http://www.nhregister.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17583107&BRD=1281&PAG=461&dept_id=7592&rfi=6

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Guaranteed Beatings: What's in it for UConn foes
Brett Orzechowski, Register Staff
12/13/2006
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Stanley Robinson's emphatic dunk signifies the decisiveness of UConn's eight wins thus far. AP Photo   

The handshake lines formed and Texas Southern's Ronnie Courtney walked in double time to greet University of Connecticut men's basketball coach Jim Calhoun. The two quickly shook hands with little eye contact. Then Courtney turned around and headed to the Gampel Pavilion visitor's locker room.


He did not shake hands with the UConn assistants or the players. He failed to acknowledge the officials and failed to move from his seat on the bench during the final five minutes of the game, a 51-point loss.

In those situations, Calhoun said, there is not much to say, sometimes it is best not to say anything.

 
Texas Southern was the fourth of seven regular-season non-conference opponents (excluding two exhibitions) to play a guarantee game against UConn this season. St. Mary's, the penultimate program the Huskies will pay to make the trip to Connecticut, will arrive at the Hartford Civic Center on Sunday. The Gaels will receive the most money ($93,000) of the seven to play the 14th-ranked team in the country, now 8-0.

Courtney's reaction is not uncommon from coaches who have been on the receiving end of a blowout. For some, there is the unspoken embarrassment of a 30-point loss. They enter the game with the small prospect of an upset. By halftime, those thoughts are usually fleeting. These same teams receive the brunt of taunts from opposing fans, a late-game layup drill courtesy of the same opposition's second unit, and the breaking down of their collective confidence.

For others, these games serve as a primer for their conference schedules, an opportunity to play better competition, and perhaps a glimpse of what is to come if they do qualify for postseason play from a low- or mid-major

conference.

Still, all said they knew what they were signing up for when they agreed to play UConn on the road. In return, they receive a bit of national exposure and a tidy sum of money to benefit either their program or the school's athletic budget while receiving defeats from the Huskies by an average of 32 points.

The game has to be approached as if it is almost a conference championship in March, Northeastern's first-year coach Bill Coen said, otherwise, it is mentally devastating before and on the bus or plane ride home.

"These kids will never get an opportunity to play in this atmosphere against this caliber of team at all this season, unless we make the tournament," Coen said. "The game moves quicker here, so do the players. Now, take that speed and apply it to our conference. Same for the atmosphere. If it's one lesson to be learned, it's a pretty good one that will last throughout the season."

Coen understands the concept of guarantee games that are now the norm in college basketball. For nine seasons, he coached under Al Skinner at Boston College, as the Eagles feasted on similar opponents to fill their non-conference schedule. This year at Northeastern, Coen helped schedule teams like Syracuse, No. 2-ranked Pittsburgh and UConn. Northeastern will play Louisville and Boston College later this month before playing Colonial Athletic Association opponents like Towson and Drexel.

Coen said he knew exactly what he was doing when he made the schedule. In jest, he also said he believes Northeastern is the 17th-best team in the Big East, noting all the games scheduled against the largest conference in the country.

Aside from Northeastern, Quinnipiac and Sacred Heart were in-state gestures that UConn has extended in the past. The Bobcats caught UConn in the season opener, when Calhoun's young and inexperienced team was still trying to create an identity. As for Sacred Heart, coach Dave Bike's team caught the Huskies as they began carrying the current momentum they have thrived on heading into the Big East schedule.

Then there are games against teams like Albany, scheduled even before the Great Danes pushed top-seeded UConn last season in the first round of the NCAA tournament. This year's game was met with expectations, except both teams were comprised of much different personnel. This was more than just a guarantee game, Albany coach Will Brown said, because everyone, the media and the players, thought it would be a rematch of last season.

Even a few days before the November game, Brown knew everyone was wrong.

"This was scheduled months before that happened (the tournament), so I knew this would be a much, much different game," Brown said. "But you have to approach it like you're going to win. Why else would you play it? What made our game different is that people thought it would be different because of what happened last year. I thought it would be different because, guess what? It was different. You play. Then you move on and worry about your team."

That's what seemed to cross the mind of Texas Southern's Courtney. In his sixth season at the school, the Tigers have struggled. Courtney enjoyed a degree of success while coaching three All-Americans in high school, including T.J. Ford, now in the NBA. Now, Courtney tries to piece together a competitive team in the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

After the UConn loss, a distraught Courtney addressed the media and said he was not at liberty to discuss the officiating or the prospect of entertaining another guarantee game with UConn. He said, "The circumstances did not help."

When asked which circumstances he was referring to, Courtney offered a one-word answer.

"Circumstances."

Granted, the Tigers' schedule has not been favorable. Along with UConn, Texas Southern played Texas, Alabama and Oklahoma State and will face Iowa on Dec. 23. All are guarantee games. Texas Southern did not disclose guarantee money for the other games, but for playing the Huskies, the Tigers received $82,500. In 2005, Texas Southern's men's basketball budget was $491,238, which ranked it 301st of a possible 330 men's basketball teams.

If the Tigers received a comparable payout for each of the other four games against major programs, the total would be near the entire budget for the year.

Like Albany's Brown said, the exposure and the fact that a nationally recognized program is on your schedule is a great recruiting tool. Courtney said the trade-off may not be that important.

During a season when guarantee games have benefited a developing team like UConn, both the Huskies and their opponents have seen the results. Meantime, players and fans have grown restless with a thin early-season non-conference schedule. Calhoun said the design was done for a reason.

Huskies guard Doug Wiggins said he has never thought what it would be like to be on the other side of a guarantee game, but he believes teams approach it like the Super Bowl. Jerome Dyson said the concept has never crossed his mind either, but believes most enter either Gampel Pavilion or the Hartford Civic Center with upset on their minds.

And A.J. Price said maybe it's about the paycheck.

In one way or the other, all three understand the idea of a guarantee game, needed for a reason from both sides.


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Brett Orzechowski may be reached at borzechowski@nhregister.com.



©New Haven Register 2006

[tower912]

The hell you say.  I thought that TC was the only one to schedule any cupcakes and he did it just to annoy the season ticket holders.  I must have read the wrong threads.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

UConn's schedule is almost as horrible as ours, but they do have Indiana and Pepperdine coming in, and they've already played Mississippi. Even Coppin St. on their schedule is superior to almost all our opponents. They're also playing at LSU and at Georgia Tech in the middle of the conference season.

They've also won two national championships fairly recently.

[augoman]

They've also won two national championships fairly recently.

...and yet, Calhoun and Crean are paid about the same..., hmmm.

[Harrison]

The only difference between Mu and uconn when it concerns scheduling cupcakes over the last 4 years is Uconn blows them out.  Mu struggles against them.

[Big Papi]

UConn's schedule is almost as horrible as ours, but they do have Indiana and Pepperdine coming in, and they've already played Mississippi. Even Coppin St. on their schedule is superior to almost all our opponents. They're also playing at LSU and at Georgia Tech in the middle of the conference season.

They've also won two national championships fairly recently.

You have got to be kidding me!  I dont think anyone can take you seriously about anything basketball after this post here. 

Uconn's schedule is ALMOST as horrible as ours?  Name me one person who has Indiana, Pepperdine or Mississippi ranked higher than UW-Madison.  Also Duke is on par with LSU and Texas Tech is within spitting distance of Georgia Tech. 

And Coppin stat is superior to almost all our opponents?  What is your definition of almost all?  Coppin State is 2-8 and here is who they played and the score of the games:

Virginia Tech 94, Coppin St. 43   
Hawaii 79, Coppin St. 67   
Tennessee 99, Coppin St. 65   
Coppin St. 81, Winston Salem St. 56   
Kansas St. 68, Coppin St. 57   
Missouri 98, Coppin St. 77   
Coppin St. 69, La Salle 68   
Iowa 83, Coppin St. 67   
Morgan St. 86, Coppin St. 82 
Oklahoma 64, Coppin St. 47

Ahem, by the way Morgan State beat Coppin State.  Morgan State is probably the second or third worst team on our schedule.  If you define almost all has 3 teams that yea I guess your right.   

I personally am not thrilled with our schedule as I would love to have one or two more big time programs at home so I can understand some of the complaining but your comments just dont make any sense.  Coppin St. better than most on our schedule?  Please.

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

Try to stay with me...I'm talking about our HOME non-conference schedule. We played Duke in Kansas City. And you must have some kind of a comprehension problem because nowhere did I discuss where Wisconsin was "ranked" or where Indiana, Mississippi or Pepperdine were ranked. The fact is, those are three decent programs. We have one on our HOME non-conference schedule. Do you not understand that? Who cares where Wisconsin is ranked?

Also, if you don't actually pay for season tickets, you shouldn't even be a part of this discussion.

[IAmMarquette]

/quote]

In all sincerity, what does UCONN's winning of 2 championships have to do with their weak OOC schedule? I don't see how this supports your argument.

[Marquette84]

UConn's schedule is almost as horrible as ours, but they do have Indiana and Pepperdine coming in, and they've already played Mississippi.

So given that you consider Mississippi and Pepperdine acceptable non-conference opponents, intellectual consistency would suggest that any team who can demonstrate better performance should be acceptable to you as well.

I'm happy to inform you that we have THREE home non-conference opponents that outperformed Mississippi last season, and SIX that outpeformed Pepperdine.

23 Wisconsin (NCAA Team)
60 Northwestern State (NCAA team)
123 Delaware State
156 mississippi
178 Detroit
210 Idaho State
223 North Dakota State
248 Pepperdine

Somehow, I doubt you'll be mollified.

Therefore, my only conclusion is that you either don't know or don't care about the QUALITY of the opponent--only whether you recognize the name.

YOU said Pepperdine is a decent opponent.  Well, we have six teams who were arguably better than the Waves last season--go the games and shut up.

[Big Papi]

Try to stay with me...I'm talking about our HOME non-conference schedule. We played Duke in Kansas City. And you must have some kind of a comprehension problem because nowhere did I discuss where Wisconsin was "ranked" or where Indiana, Mississippi or Pepperdine were ranked. The fact is, those are three decent programs. We have one on our HOME non-conference schedule. Do you not understand that? Who cares where Wisconsin is ranked?

Also, if you don't actually pay for season tickets, you shouldn't even be a part of this discussion.

You claim that UCOnn has a better home schedule with Indiana, Mississippi and Pepperdine, yet the badgers are a better team than Indiana, Miss. and Pepperdine because they are ranked.  That is why I brought up the ranking.  I understand that you want "name schools" to come and play here regardless of actual quality but our non-conference schedule is not as bad as UConn and others.  Your comment about Coppin State being better than most of the teams on our home schedule is truly absurd and makes it difficult to take any of your comments seriously.  And yes, I might have a comprehension problem but it looks like you have a problem with analytical comprehension.

By the way, you do realize that Pepperdine and Coppin St. are 2-8 with some really bad losses dont you? Or do you not think before you write?

Lets see what else.  Oh you bash about our home schedule but than mention UConn's road games which I countered with Duke and Texas Tech.  So which is it?  Road games, home games or both or what?  Its hard to stay with you when you waffle so much.  Oh but never mind, I get it, it is whatever makes your case to bash MU at any point in time.

Oh and I have been wondering how long it was going to take before you brought up the "only season ticket holders have a right" bs.  I admit, I dont have the means to pay $600 per seat to have season tickets but I do buy anywhere from 5 to 7 games a year that costs me $300 plus dollars.  My $300 spent is probably just as valuable to me as your $600 or $1200 that you shell out yearly.  I have tickets against good and bad conference oppenents, the UW-Madison game and I have bought tickets to some less than stellar non-conference games this year.  It doesn't matter if you are a season ticket holder or not.   When I dont attend the games, I still listen to every single radio broadcast and invest as much time into MU hoops as anyone else.  WIth 3 kids and a hectic schedule my time is just as valuble as anyone elses.  Time is money too dont you think?  If you don't like the schedule, dont buy the tickets.  Complain to the staff, to Father Wild and to TC.  Organize a petition that says the schedule is crap and you know whats better for the team than TC or whatever.  Maybe just maybe they will change the schedule for YOUR benefit instead of the benefit for MU.

[spiral97]

*ahem*

_I_ unfortunately am unable to use season tickets.. I really really really wish I could.  Living in Dallas makes that fairly difficult.  When I lived in Chicago area I had them and hit close to 95% of all of the home games and a few more on the road.

Now, I am resigned to spending probably twice as much money just traveling to see the 4-5 games per year that I can manage.  However, I still follow the team ardently regardless and watch or listen to games in any way that I can (online radio, online video, regular tv, etc.) whenever I possibly can and am just as mentally and emotionally involved in the team as I was when I lived there (if not more now).  If nothing else, my dedication to this site should demonstrate that.  I know for a fact that there are quite a few other people on this board in the very same situation who feel the very same way about the team.

There is an investment by many of us long distance fans that perhaps exceeds what many of the STH's end up paying.  We have a vested interest in all games (not just HOME games as you are focused on).  The games chosen affect things like tv coverage and availability, locations we can travel to see the team in person, news coverage, general university name recognition among the locals where we live, etc.

You are VERY shortsighted if you believe that season ticket holders are the only ones that have a reason to be a part of this discussion.

[ChicosBailBonds]

They've also won two national championships fairly recently.

...and yet, Calhoun and Crean are paid about the same..., hmmm.

....and yet Crean is still our head coach 8 years in, the first run a coach at MU has had of more than 5 years in decades.  Calhoun calls Crean one of the best young coaches in the country.  I'm glad we are paying Crean to stick around, provide stability and build the program back up.