Too Early to Deserve National Credibility?

[nparker1]

Had a debate at work over the weekend that raised an interesting topic. The conversation started with the various projections of UC finishing fourth or fifth in the Big East. I initially took the projections as a snub against UC (being defending champs and all...). However the guy at work (a OSU fan) made a good point. He said that UC may have been Big East champs last year, but nationally, they are have not done enough to receive the credibility and respect of other schools like Boise State or Utah. I hate to say it, but he is kind of right. Boise State has won a BCS bowl game, has been consistently winners in their division for at least four to five years. So maybe when UC wins the Big East title again this year and win the BCS Bowl game, maybe they will finally receive the recognition they deserve.
What is everyone opinion on this idea (I could use some ammo for my next debate)?
Go Bearcats!

 

[david aka the TYZ]

It is a good point, but to counter what has UConn done to deserve being projected ahead of us? Or South Florida? Pitt and WVU have more history and respect nationally, but we've beaten each of them the past two years head-to-head and they don't show to be improved any more than we are or aren't.

Having us anywhere below third is a slap in the face and anywhere below first or second is disrespectful. Like I said any argument that says we don't deserve the respect, but gives it to South Florida or UConn over us has no feet to stand on. Pitt and West VirGINA do have better recruiting classes than us year-to-year, but not S. Florida and UConn.

What people fail to realize is we didn't surprise people and win the Big 12 or SEC where you might could argue it was a fluke. We won the Big East, we showed we were the best team over a two-year period and this year we should be considered one the favorites by default. Honestly only Pittsburgh has an argument to be considered favorites to win the league other than us.

 

[david aka the TYZ]

Or Rutgers? I forgot to mention them in my argument. They haven't done anything either except get hammered by us four years in a row.

 

[DontMissHim]

I stopped reading after you thought Utah still had more respect then UC nationally.

 

[psax889906]

BACK TO BACK Conference championships in a BCS conference... no, we aren't OSU, Texas or Florida yet... but that should garner a healthy amount of respect from the nation... hopefully this year when they 3-peat, with a different coach, people will realize this program is for real and it will REALLY start to take off... I really see a Big East championship (and BCS bowl game victory) this season as being key to this program making the transition from where it is now (regional) to where it could be (national)... I believe UC is poised to take that next step into the second tier of all of college football... the rung directly below the OSU's, Texas' and Florida's...

 

[Little Danny]

I'd argue UC has more recognition nationally than we do in the mid-west. We will never garner OSU fans respect. Other people have that "we are not got enough" syndrome. I stopped looking for that a long time.

 

[psax889906]

I'd argue UC has more recognition nationally than we do in the mid-west. We will never garner OSU fans respect. Other people have that "we are not got enough" syndrome. I stopped looking for that a long time.

Your point is well received... and you may be right, to an extent imo, when it comes to the issue of credibility... though from a fan perspective the program is still regional in scope... UC has to conquer Cincinnati first, before it can begin to spread it's wings nationally... though the large alumni base scattered about does help...

 

[JasonS]

UC and UC fans garnered a lot of respect in New Orleans in January. I heard from many locals down there that they were very impressed by the UC turnout and the respectfulness all the fans showed. I had one person tell me they were concerned when it was UC because of the way OSU fans acted in 2007 for the National Championship. I can tell you first hand (because I go to the Sugar Bowl/National Championship game every year in New Orleans for work) that the OSU fans acted just like their reputation. Total jackasses. That person told me they would welcome UC fans back every year.

 

[david aka the TYZ]

I stopped reading after you thought Utah still had more respect then UC nationally.

You seriously think UC gets more respect than Utah and Boise St.? Boise will be a top five team preseason and Utah gets ranked every year around 15-18. UC is getting picked in the bottom half of the BEast by some and probably won't be ranked to start the year. People are starting to notice UC, but we have very little respect thus far. Both of those teams have won BCS games vs. traditional powerhouses. Boise has now won 2 BCS games (although one was vs. TCU, which isn't a traditional powerhouse.) We got waxed by a powerhouse this past year. The general consensus was we didn't belong on the field with them.

 

[Little Danny]

Boise, Utah and I'll throw in BYU get far more national respect than UC. It was just a few weeks ago that ESPN ran a poll to gauge which was a better conference: The MWC or the Big East. The MWC won by a 54 to 46% margin. Keep in mind the most respected programs in the BE are still WVU and Pitt by far with UC likely holding up the rear of the BE (behind terrible teams like Syracuse and UL who have traditionally been very solid ball clubs and USF and Rutgers who they opine will be the next big thing).

All one has to do is look at the football preview magazines from the past few years (including this year). Each year, it is the same thing for UC. They are placed in the back half of the BE and we hear repeatedly about how UC will descend back to "their rightful spot in the Big East".

 

[Kingsley Court]

UC and UC fans garnered a lot of respect in New Orleans in January. I heard from many locals down there that they were very impressed by the UC turnout and the respectfulness all the fans showed. I had one person tell me they were concerned when it was UC because of the way OSU fans acted in 2007 for the National Championship. I can tell you first hand (because I go to the Sugar Bowl/National Championship game every year in New Orleans for work) that the OSU fans acted just like their reputation. Total jackasses. That person told me they would welcome UC fans back every year.

Thats great news. I hate Ohio State and their fans. The funny thing is, they always say the same things: "Every team will have those types of fans" or the classic "yeah I see those type of OSU fans all the time, I'm not one of them and I can't stand them." OSU fan's are retarded, and impossible to have a logical discussion with about anything, not just college football. They are clueless.

As for you, what is it that you do that you are there every year, if you don't mind me asking.

 

[Kingsley Court]

You seriously think UC gets more respect than Utah and Boise St.? Boise will be a top five team preseason and Utah gets ranked every year around 15-18. UC is getting picked in the bottom half of the BEast by some and probably won't be ranked to start the year. People are starting to notice UC, but we have very little respect thus far. Both of those teams have won BCS games vs. traditional powerhouses. Boise has now won 2 BCS games (although one was vs. TCU, which isn't a traditional powerhouse.) We got waxed by a powerhouse this past year. The general consensus was we didn't belong on the field with them.

I agree with you, and I can understand why they don't respect UC yet. Boise State has been there for many more years then UC, and Utah has done well too, heck they were invited to the Pac 10. I think UC deserves more respect then they get, but I don't know if they deserve to be on the Boise State level yet. Boise State will be a great team next year. I'm not trying to hate on UC, because I think they are good, they just need to keep it up for a few more years, and I do think they are in a good position to do that.

The biggest problem with teams like UC getting national respect, at least IMO, is UC's style of play. It might be far fetched, but it almost always seems like the teams that put up tons of points, don't get the respect they deserve. "Gimmick Offense" is a phrase that I hear a lot, while I may or may not agree that it is a gimmick offense, I do think that it hurts UC in regards to national respect (which I could care less about really.) We will see, I think this year will be important, especially the Oklahoma game.

 

[JasonS]

Thats great news. I hate Ohio State and their fans. The funny thing is, they always say the same things: "Every team will have those types of fans" or the classic "yeah I see those type of OSU fans all the time, I'm not one of them and I can't stand them." OSU fan's are retarded, and impossible to have a logical discussion with about anything, not just college football. They are clueless.

As for you, what is it that you do that you are there every year, if you don't mind me asking.

I am in sales and my company has tickets a couple rows off the field in the corner of one of the end zones. The first time I went was in 2007-08 for the National Title game. I skipped 2008-09 to go to the Orangebowl and went this year and fortunately the Bearcats were there. It was tight.

The highlight from the National Championship game was the OSU cheerleaders spelling O-H-I-O wrong. They spelled it O-O-H-I and I have a picture of it. Freaking awesome!

 

[david aka the TYZ]

I am in sales and my company has tickets a couple rows off the field in the corner of one of the end zones. The first time I went was in 2007-08 for the National Title game. I skipped 2008-09 to go to the Orangebowl and went this year and fortunately the Bearcats were there. It was tight.

The highlight from the National Championship game was the OSU cheerleaders spelling O-H-I-O wrong. They spelled it O-O-H-I and I have a picture of it. Freaking awesome!

The cheerleaders saw you and were mesmerized and and wanted to say hi to you. That's how I'd tell the story at least.

 

[david aka the TYZ]

I agree with you, and I can understand why they don't respect UC yet. Boise State has been there for many more years then UC, and Utah has done well too, heck they were invited to the Pac 10. I think UC deserves more respect then they get, but I don't know if they deserve to be on the Boise State level yet. Boise State will be a great team next year. I'm not trying to hate on UC, because I think they are good, they just need to keep it up for a few more years, and I do think they are in a good position to do that.

The biggest problem with teams like UC getting national respect, at least IMO, is UC's style of play. It might be far fetched, but it almost always seems like the teams that put up tons of points, don't get the respect they deserve. "Gimmick Offense" is a phrase that I hear a lot, while I may or may not agree that it is a gimmick offense, I do think that it hurts UC in regards to national respect (which I could care less about really.) We will see, I think this year will be important, especially the Oklahoma game.

I agree with the gimmick offense, but not winning the big games does as much damage. We need to beat Oklahoma to get that respect or a BCS game. Boise and Utah got that respect by beating Oklahoma and Alabama in BCS games. West VirGINA beat Georgia and Oklahoma in BCS games recently. If they had lost those games the Big East might be getting less respect than it does.

 

[Little Danny]

I agree with you, and I can understand why they don't respect UC yet. Boise State has been there for many more years then UC, and Utah has done well too, heck they were invited to the Pac 10. I think UC deserves more respect then they get, but I don't know if they deserve to be on the Boise State level yet. Boise State will be a great team next year. I'm not trying to hate on UC, because I think they are good, they just need to keep it up for a few more years, and I do think they are in a good position to do that.

The biggest problem with teams like UC getting national respect, at least IMO, is UC's style of play. It might be far fetched, but it almost always seems like the teams that put up tons of points, don't get the respect they deserve. "Gimmick Offense" is a phrase that I hear a lot, while I may or may not agree that it is a gimmick offense, I do think that it hurts UC in regards to national respect (which I could care less about really.) We will see, I think this year will be important, especially the Oklahoma game.

I agree with you regards teams that point up lots of points (for example see Hawaii). Boise State is the exception to the rule but I think their win over Oklahoma in dramatic fashion gave them a lot of respect for people. One other aspect I would include would be people buy into the negativity that UC receives other programs, primarily OSU. OSU fans constantly harp that UC has trerrible facilities, no fan support, is a terrible academic school and we will never escape their shadow. I think people buy into this logc and throw it out there themselves. I was on a Louisville board the other day and had to crack up laughing when one of them commented they heard UC's academics is worse than theirs. People are just waiting for the other shoe to drop on this football program but are not waiting for some others who not even have the same level of sucess as UC (namely Rutgers, USF and UCONN).

EDIT: One other thing I would add is our Bowl losses. Granted, Florida kicked UC's rear. I'm not going to dispute that one. But is it just me or has people turned our 20-7 loss to Virginia Tech into something much bigger? I mean, it was a 13 point margin of victory. There have been many of those. You always hear about how VT whipped UC so badly. You would think they beat UC 49-0 or something. People forget UC had the ball on the 1 yard line and but for Kelly not having Pike hand the ball off to Jacob Ramsey for at least two attempts the game is within 6 with five minutes to play.

 

[Kingsley Court]

Oh, I fully agree. I think the gimmick offense along with the big games is what is keeping UC and the big east as a whole from national respect. That was in response to david.

I do think it's stupid to talk about fan support and academics when it comes to football. A) I feel like UC has great fan support with their football team. B) What does academics have to do with how good a football team is?

As for Boise State, I think their win against Oklahoma was huge. Not only that though, I think they started out with a great offense, but now their defense is catching up. They have/are getting a good defense now, which has also helped their "gimmick offense" image.