re: Miss State womens basketball

I agree with you, but I do disagree with ESPN has nothing to do with it. I'm not saying conspiracy theory or anything, but exposure means a shite ton.

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ESPN has nothing to do with it.

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Why do you think Pat stopped scheduling Huskies?

ESPN flipped Maya Moore for Connecticut. It was not the first time they did this, nor the last. If ESPN had not formed in CT, do you really think Uconn (men or women) would enjoy the success they have enjoyed?

Not saying Geno is not a good coach, more like what would UCLA men have done without Sam Gilbert influencing who Wooden got as players. Have you ever seen "Blue Chips"? While set in the modern era it is pretty much the Wooden / Gilbert years at UCLA.

Connecticut Huskies NCAA titles before ESPN formed = 0
VS
Connecticut Huskies NCAA titles after ESPN formed = 21
(6) Men = 4 basketball + 2 soccer
(15) Women = 11 basketball + 4 field hockey

John Wooden pre Sam Gilbert
.746 @ Indiana State (2 seasons = 44-15 and 59 total games)
.695 @ UCLA (15 seasons = 285-125 and 410 total games)
.702 = 17 seasons / 329-140 / 469 total games

John Wooden with Sam Gilbert
.922 = 12 seasons = 259-22 and 281 total games

The same Sam Gilbert who became the agent for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Lucius Allen, Sidney Wicks, Henry Bibby, Bill Walton and Swen Nater. The same Sam Gilbert who gave clothes, cars, cash, and women to UCLA players. If the same had happened at Kansas or Indiana they would have given the schools the death penalty. If it had happened as openly at Kentucky the NCAA would have burned Memorial to the ground and salted the earth.

70% is respectable, but jump to 92% is suspicious, especially when overlaid with the Gilbert influenced years.

I agree with you, but I do disagree with ESPN has nothing to do with it. I'm not saying conspiracy theory or anything, but exposure means a shite ton.

You're absolutely right that exposure on ESPN has helped and Uconn gets more than probably any other woman's program. But, that's because of their excellence. You don't see Uconn football all over ESPN, because they suck.

UCONN plays defense like no one else. Their help man to man is a thing of fricking beauty. It has absolutely nothing to do with ESPN

As long as uconn stays on top women's bb will suffer

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Would love to see proof you have of this.

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Not like I am a big fan of Wiki, but this is clipped from Geno's Wiki page LINK

The rivalry between the Huskies and the University of Tennessee Lady Vols extended to Auriemma's relationship with Volunteers counterpart Pat Summitt, who retired in 2012 and died in 2016. The two, through print and broadcast media, were often at odds. In 2007, Summitt, who believed Auriemma had used less-than-honorable tactics in his successful recruitment of Maya Moore, canceled the yearly game between the two programs.

Conversations with UT staff from the time and some confirmation from some ESPN folks who would not go on the record. It later came public but the was watered down and Connecticut was found guilty of a secondary violation and not punished for the ESPN trip and tour. Die was cast that the NCAA would not pursue ESPN interference so they have been doing so ever since at the benefit of some schools and the detriment of others.

Was at a Final Four sitting next to several ESPN folks and learned a top WBB player at the time had worked for ESPN for all 4 years of college. Was shocked as it had never been mentioned on ESPN of said arrangement. Was intrigued and leaned over to ask why it had not been made a public story and they all shut up for the rest of the game. Clearly obvious they had not meant to spill the beans which made the arrangement suspecting my view. Player was well known and a program changer. Lost much faith in impartiality of ESPN after this incident and several "flips" with suspected undue ESPN influence observed since.

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They had everything to do with turning around their respective programs, not ESPN.

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You are fooling yourself. The more ESPN grew the more exposure they gave to the folks lucky enough to be on the ground floor. I am not inclined to all out conspiracy as much as control of cheap local content. If ESPN had founded in Kansas, the Jayhawks would have been the recipient of the support above and beyond the normal.

Rasmussen established the network to broadcast CONNECTICUT sports and built their initial facility on a former dump in Bristol CT. Back then you had the Big 3 (ABC / CBS / NBC) and programming that was done after the late news and the late show. 24 hour feed needed live content and Uconn was next door and provided cheap content. It is less than 50 miles from Bristol to Storrs.

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ESPN was founded in 1978

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ESPN was conceived in May of 78 but did not officially launch till late 79. First full year did not occur till 1980. Between 80 and 84 seems you saw Connecticut and ACC content including lesser sports because the Big 3 held a lock on the power conferences of college sports and that was the content ESPN could get. In 84, ABC bought ESPN and the US Supreme court struck down the NCAA monopoly which allowed the CFA to form.

In between those 5 years, Connecticut and ACC staffed both in front of the camera and behind it and set a bias trend going forward to this day. Again, not saying this is an intentional conspiracy, but to ignore the cozy nature early on is just putting your head in the sand.

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There is some teeth to the ESPN/UConn conspiracy. There is a big push to get women's sports in the forefront. ESPN is heavily invested in this. USA Women's Soccer is the big driver. UConn womens basketball is right behind.

Most of the nation (including #7 Florida State vs. #9 Louisville) played last night. On ESPN's womens basketball page, here are the top 6 headlines.

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I will go a step further…

UK women and UL women are both Top 10 type basketball schools. Games played in Rupp, Memorial, and YUM are well attended (like top in the nation type numbers) and the games are competitive. Winners are usually determined on a final shot or overtime. Audiences are vocal and rivalry is well established.

For some reason ESPN never chooses this game for the national audiences and will show some Uconn or ACC blowout against a clearly inferior opponent instead. SEC women's basketball is some of the most competitive in the USA with over half of the current members making a Final Four yet for some reason ESPN has chosen not to promote the conference in their post game write ups nor their pre conference coverage.

I'll take it a bit further cheese.

The refs that get chosen for some of the big SEC OOC games, especially against UCONN and the ACC schools ... are questionable.

Still, UCONN is as dominant as any college sports team in history ever was and likely ever will be.

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The rivalry between the Huskies and the University of Tennessee Lady Vols extended to Auriemma's relationship with Volunteers counterpart Pat Summitt, who retired in 2012 and died in 2016. The two, through print and broadcast media, were often at odds. In 2007, Summitt, who believed Auriemma had used less-than-honorable tactics in his successful recruitment of Maya Moore, canceled the yearly game between the two programs. Conversations with UT staff from the time and some confirmation from some ESPN folks who would not go on the record. It later came public but the was watered down and Connecticut was found guilty of a secondary violation and not punished for the ESPN trip and tour. Die was cast that the NCAA would not pursue ESPN interference so they have been doing so ever since at the benefit of some schools and the detriment of others. Was at a Final Four sitting next to several ESPN folks and learned a top WBB player at the time had worked for ESPN for all 4 years of college. Was shocked as it had never been mentioned on ESPN of said arrangement. Was intrigued and leaned over to ask why it had not been made a public story and they all shut up for the rest of the game. Clearly obvious they had not meant to spill the beans which made the arrangement suspecting my view. Player was well known and a program changer. Lost much faith in impartiality of ESPN after this incident and several "flips" with suspected undue ESPN influence observed since.

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I hardly call that proof, more like hearsay.


Uconn women had 7 games scheduled on ESPN channels for this season. Notre Dame 8 and Tennesse 8. Doesn't seem like ESPN is favoring Uconn.

Again, I don't doubt that Uconn has received more play over the years on ESPN. You're right that in the beginning, ESPN put anything they could on the air and Uconn benefited from that. Woman's basketball is in the news because of their dominance, having won 90 in a row (again) and 137 of their last 138 games. I don't care what sport you talk about, a feat like that just doesn't happen and for them to win 90 games in a row twice now, is news worthy.

As far as the men's team goes, ESPN didn't help them in recruiting very much. If you look over the years, they rarely got any Parade All American players to play at Uconn. Calhoun started with CT recruiting and has stated that keeping Chris Smith from leaving CT was probably the turning point. He then expanded to dominating New England recruiting and as success continued, started reaching out nationally and even internationally. But, they never could compete with the players that Duke, NC, Kansas or KY brought in year after year. Calhoun did it with less talented players and a system that allowed them to compete at the highest level.

My heads not in the sand, yours is, because you've correlated everything to ESPN influence. Give credit where credit it due. Geno and Calhoun are the reason Uconn basketball is on the map and in the news.

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I hardly call that proof, more like hearsay.

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How long have you been following the sport?

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Give credit where credit it due.

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I give both coaches credit as being high end coaches, always have.

Where I disagree is after following the sport since the 70's I have seen too much exposure to some and to little exposure to others to not believe there is inherent bias created by ESPN. As stated above I am less likely to attribute this to conspiracy and more likely to attribute it to comfort zone of those in front of the cameras and those behind them making executive decisions based on what they know.

Does it help UNC and the ACC that Skipper @ Disney is a UNC grad? One thing about the LHN is that if it survives it will be producing the next generation of high level ESPN executives as they move up the food chain.

Why did ESPN not build the SECN studios in Atlanta or Nashville where plenty of future media talent can be developed from the local advantages? Instaed they put the studio in the heart of ACC country because that is where they have been drawing their labor pool from in the past. If sports are national why has ESPN not moved out of Bristol in favor of a Top 20 media market?

You notice this behavior in corporate headquarters and how they influence and are influenced by the communities they call home. If the president of a Fortune 50 (which Disney is) resides in your town along with their HQ it is a good bet they will demand better schools, entertainment, dining, parks, and other assorted amenities in that community. I have observed this behavior for over half a century and can assure you it exists.

As example, imagine if ESPN had been formed in Palo Alto, California. Stanford already has a very good women's basketball program but with ESPN as their corporate parent can you not see Tara and Geno reversing their respective careers?

Both are top coaches but incubated with media advantages you gets different results. In my previous example, does Wooden go on the tear he did without Sam Gilbert?