UConn unilaterally creates faux rivalry with UCF and gets embarrassed

[Scarlet Haze]

So a little over a year ago UConn unilaterally created a rivalry trophy - the "Civil Conflict Trophy" for their games with UCF. They won last year and hoisted the trophy (that they made) like they won the super bowl. UCF said they “have no involvement with the trophy or creating a rivalry game with UConn.” UCF won today and left the field without the trophy. UConn staff looked around for someone to hand it to and no one wanted it so he put it on UConn bench and it was eventually covered up by a towel by a UConn staff member. How embarrassing. Rough week for UConn after Big 12 decided to not expand and now this.

 

[ArminRU]

[roll]

 

[redking]

I'd laugh if it wasn't so sad.

 

[RUSK97]

That's just embarrassing

 

[Virginiarufan]

Too funny! They were always a crap program and now they can't even compete in the AAC. To top it off a league member insults them by leaving the fake rivalry trophy on the field. It should make a Sports Center highlight.

 

[PatrickRU92]

They have no business playing IA football. They have no recruiting base, an awful FAR off campus stadium will always be known as a bball school.

Whatshisname (quickly forgotten) made a mistake taking that HC job. Coming from a plum program like FUND as their D coordinator he eventually would have gotten a far better job in a P5 conference.

 

[SirPerceval]

they should rename it the douche chill trophy

 

[MYHATINTHERING]

that is fking hysterical, I LOVE IT.

Need to send that to ESPN so they report that....

 

[BoogieKnight]

that is fking hysterical, I LOVE IT.

Need to send that to ESPN so they report that....

They won't. Now if we did that it would be on top of their homepage.

I will take "The Tagliabue Bowl" over the AAC and it's "innovative logo" any day.

 

[Caliknight]

Please let their be video of this. This whole thing is the saddest thing ever created in sport. Completely contrived stupidity that one half of the equation doesn't even recognize.

UCF should have grabbed thing, stomped on it, and left it for dead.

 

[rurichdog]

I'd laugh if it wasn't so sad.

It's okay to laugh.

 

[Jersey Boys]

 

[Abro1975]

Can we have a Trophy game with Indiana in 2 weeks?

How about the 'Crazy Cup" ?

 

[ruready07]

seriously.. this is the funniest thing Ive heard in a while

 

[BoogieKnight]

Please let their be video of this. This whole thing is the saddest thing ever created in sport. Completely contrived stupidity that one half of the equation doesn't even recognize.

UCF should have grabbed thing, stomped on it, and left it for dead.

No no...the fact UCF paid it no mind is absolutely hilarious.

 

[KevH]

Please let their be video of this...

UCF should have grabbed thing, stomped on it, and left it for dead.

But that would've implied that they gave a damn.

 

[Caliknight]

Great point. Their non reaction was better.

 

[czxqa]

How does UConn create this thing without buy-in from UCF? Worse yet, what does a debacle like this say about the internal dynamics of that conference?

 

[graystork]

Good god. It's called the Civil Conflict because the word Conflict has the letters FL and CT in it. Could they come up with a more tenuous connection?

 

[MYHATINTHERING]

seriously.. this is the funniest thing Ive heard in a while

agree....no way this can't get reported, it's hysterical

 

[Abro1975]

Good god. It's called the Civil Conflict because the word Conflict has the letters FL and CT in it. Could they come up with a more tenuous connection?

Besides being a Defensive Genuis, Bob Diaco is a marketing Genuis ! He is from Cedar Grove NJ, you know

 

[Jersey Boys]

How does UConn create this thing without buy-in from UCF? Worse yet, what does a debacle like this say about the internal dynamics of that conference?

Back in the day, did you ever see that awkward dorky kid in school that nobody really hangs out with ask a girl out in the lunch room and she literally gives that "what just happened here look" as she walks up and leaves? It's kind of like that.

 

[delaynomore]

They should mail the Trophy to USF. Maybe they'll take up the rivalry.

 

[BoogieKnight]

I'm still laughing at this.

 

[ScarletRunner]

Diaco is an absolute nut.

Former UCF coach George O'Leary's response said it all: "It's hard to have a rivalry when you're nine hours away."

 

[OTBOTOR]

Diaco is an absolute nut.

Former UCF coach George O'Leary's response said it all: "It's hard to have a rivalry when you're nine hours away."

They're about double that distance apart, by driving time anyway. Nine states away might be more like it.

 

[czxqa]

From last year when Diaco announced the rivalry trophy:

UConn football coach Bob Diaco said Monday that he doesn’t need UCF’s permission to create a rivalry with the Knights.

No, he really did say that.

In true rivalry form, Diaco said he didn’t care whether UCF wanted to acknowledge the game as a rivalry and that he was calling it a rivalry and that was that.

"Why do I have to call their athletic department to say we've got them targeted as our rival, period," Diaco said on a Monday morning conference call. "What control over that would they have and what do I care what they think?... If they don't want to honor our rivalry, we're not their rival, that's on them. I don't control what they want. If they don't want to be a part of the trophy, I don't care about that, either.”

 

[BoogieKnight]

From last year when Diaco announced the rivalry trophy:

UConn football coach Bob Diaco said Monday that he doesn’t need UCF’s permission to create a rivalry with the Knights.

No, he really did say that.

In true rivalry form, Diaco said he didn’t care whether UCF wanted to acknowledge the game as a rivalry and that he was calling it a rivalry and that was that.

"Why do I have to call their athletic department to say we've got them targeted as our rival, period," Diaco said on a Monday morning conference call. "What control over that would they have and what do I care what they think?... If they don't want to honor our rivalry, we're not their rival, that's on them. I don't control what they want. If they don't want to be a part of the trophy, I don't care about that, either.”

This guy sounds insane.

 

[Caliknight]

And people on this board were clamoring for this moron. I noticed they were the same people who wanted Al "Couldn't Win at Miami" Golden.

 

[BoroKnight]

We would love to have a real rival. We're hoping Penn State and Maryland will be rivals going forward, but we'll wait and see. Forcing one where it doesn't belong -- and saying you don't need the other school to acknowledge it (and then having that other school not acknowledge it) is pretty funny.

I have more respect for UCF now. Now all we need is, if we do go to four 16-team conferences in a separate division, is for USF and UCF to get in and UConn to be left out.

 

[Scarlet_Scourge]

Too funny!

 

[bac2therac]

bump because UConn is so important we need three seperate threads on the first page discussing it

 

[brodo]

http://deadspin.com/ucf-beats-uconn-in-forced-rivalry-game-leaves-dumb-tro-1788119816