UConn Huskies: Big Ten's What If

Today, the Big Ten or the Big Ten for those who are not hip with the times, announced they will be putting a second office in New York City. This is likely due to their wider presence as they will be in New Jersey and Maryland this upcoming fall with the additions of Rutgers University and the University of Maryland. But did the B1G make the wrong choice out East?  The National Champions in both Men's and Women's basketball Connecticut Huskies are sitting there in the American Athletic Conference, and Big Ten will rue the day they did not invite UConn.

Now, we all know the reason why they did not invite the Huskies... Academics. UConn is not really known for their academics, and that was much of the reason why the Big Ten decided to go with Rutgers and Maryland versus UConn. It also didn't help the Huskies men basketball team dealt with a postseason ban at the time Big Ten searched for candidates to join the conference. Even if it was just one year, there seemed to be some uncertainty with how things would pan out therefore they looked elsewhere.

The elsewhere teams are borderline dumpster fires in the big sports minus Maryland football because Terrapins are on the rise with Randy Edsall who coincidentally enough was the head coach at UConn a couple years ago. Maryland basketball is a mess with three players transferring out this season including Nick Faust, one of their best players. Rutgers is a pure disaster with basketball due to their piss poor hire of Eddie Jordan, and how they handled the Mike Rice situation. Rutgers football is decent, but not where they were with Greg Schiano.  UConn would be the much more attractive team with their wealth of success in April, and their recent addition of Bob Diaco for their head football position.

While winning the whole damn thing was the pinnacle of the Big Ten's idiocracy, the UConn crowd at Madison Square Garden was all needed to prove Big Ten's decision to be flawed one. Imagine if they had UConn and could put them in the Garden for at least one game of the year. Call it the 'New York Classic' or something like that pitting them up against Michigan State, Ohio State, Wisconsin or Michigan. Could you imagine the crowds for these games? It would be humongous. Rutgers would be lucky to draw a lower bowl crowd for a 'New York Classic.' Big Ten brought Rutgers to the conference to get New York City involved with the Midwest conference, and they failed miserably.

American Conference will be a mid-major next season with losing Louisville to the ACC. Football money reigns supreme, but if Cincinnati and UConn could figure out a way to be independents, could they make the profits in basketball?  Probably not, but what if FOX offers both schools a Notre Dame-like contract where they broadcast all their games and works to find them a spot in a couple bowl games (Obviously for not so much money, but you get the idea). Their basketball teams could come back to the Big East where it is an immediate boost to this conference giving them two more tournament teams, renewing rivalries including Cincinnati-Xavier which would be massive and giving the conference a bigger voice in basketball. Doubt this will happen, but let's hope the Huskies are having discussions about it.

If Maryland or Rutgers turns out to the get a top notch bowl appearance or Maryland ends up in the Final Four (Let's be real about Scarlet Knights basketball), it will be a win for Big Ten's Conference. But if they continue to falter, egg will be directly on their face. Let's be honest, Nebraska basketball getting to the NCAA Tournament was bigger for the conference than anything the football team has done for them during their short time in the Big Ten. UConn is a champion without a strong conference, and that's somewhat amazing in 2014.

Charlie.