StorrsMaybe the best advice Jim Calhoun ever issued during one of his postgame oratories was this: A basketball season - not to mention life in general - must be viewed as a motion picture, not a snapshot. That's a clever way of saying tomorrow always has this habit of showing up and you better evolve with it.

Maybe the best advice Jim Calhoun ever issued during one of his postgame oratories was this: A basketball season - not to mention life in general - must be viewed as a motion picture, not a snapshot. That's a clever way of saying tomorrow always has this habit of showing up and you better evolve with it. And this much we know about the resident Hall of Famer in the UConn men's basketball office: He heeds his own advice. Because Calhoun, a man who is fiercely, intensely and passionately loyal to his sport and the avenues it has opened for the university, admitted Tuesday that football - before basketball - will drive UConn in what is becoming a morass of speculation about future conference affiliations.

And this much we know about the resident Hall of Famer in the UConn men's basketball office: He heeds his own advice. Because Calhoun, a man who is fiercely, intensely and passionately loyal to his sport and the avenues it has opened for the university, admitted Tuesday that football - before basketball - will drive UConn in what is becoming a morass of speculation about future conference affiliations.Calhoun might have surmised as much all along, albeit grudgingly. But it sure sounded as though the football team's win over South Carolina in the Papajohns.com Bowl, coupled with the absurd revenues football perpetuates in the Bowl Championship Series conferences, has been responsible for his evolution.

Calhoun might have surmised as much all along, albeit grudgingly. But it sure sounded as though the football team's win over South Carolina in the Papajohns.com Bowl, coupled with the absurd revenues football perpetuates in the Bowl Championship Series conferences, has been responsible for his evolution."Five years ago, I wouldn't have been saying this," he said Tuesday at Gampel Pavilion, just after practice. "But we've shown that we can do it in football. And I think if you look around at other places, you see what (football) can do for basketball and how sports help each other. Look at Texas. No. 2 in the country in both sports. It can be done."

"Five years ago, I wouldn't have been saying this," he said Tuesday at Gampel Pavilion, just after practice. "But we've shown that we can do it in football. And I think if you look around at other places, you see what (football) can do for basketball and how sports help each other. Look at Texas. No. 2 in the country in both sports. It can be done."Calhoun hasn't always referred to football glowingly. He once called the Burton Family Football Complex, football's state-of-the-art practice facility, the "Taj Mahal." He's wondered why basketball, the sport that transformed UConn from a regional to a national school, wasn't treated with respect proporionate to the accomplishments. (He is entirely correct about that, too.)

Calhoun hasn't always referred to football glowingly. He once called the Burton Family Football Complex, football's state-of-the-art practice facility, the "Taj Mahal." He's wondered why basketball, the sport that transformed UConn from a regional to a national school, wasn't treated with respect proporionate to the accomplishments. (He is entirely correct about that, too.)"Jim Boeheim always told me that I'd be upset with the way they'd push football on me," Calhoun said. "I'm not upset with it. I'm a football fan. ... The biggest win football ever had here isn't Notre Dame. It's South Carolina. I watched South Carolina stop (Clemson Heisman candidate C.J.) Spiller earlier this year and kick Clemson's butt. That was a great win."

"Jim Boeheim always told me that I'd be upset with the way they'd push football on me," Calhoun said. "I'm not upset with it. I'm a football fan. ... The biggest win football ever had here isn't Notre Dame. It's South Carolina. I watched South Carolina stop (Clemson Heisman candidate C.J.) Spiller earlier this year and kick Clemson's butt. That was a great win."All of which brings us to the speculation about Big Ten expansion, generally considered the catalyst for a foray of changes within conference structures. Would the Big Ten want Pittsburgh? Syracuse? Rutgers? UConn? All? None? Would the Big Ten look at Missouri? If so, does Arkansas bolt the SEC for the Big 12?

All of which brings us to the speculation about Big Ten expansion, generally considered the catalyst for a foray of changes within conference structures. Would the Big Ten want Pittsburgh? Syracuse? Rutgers? UConn? All? None? Would the Big Ten look at Missouri? If so, does Arkansas bolt the SEC for the Big 12?"Something is going to happen because everybody is restless," Calhoun said.

"Something is going to happen because everybody is restless," Calhoun said.Then the coach paused and said, "I think that we're a flexible flyer. We'd be able to go anywhere in basketball. I wouldn't prefer the Big Ten, but whether they expand the Big East, Big Ten, whatever. We bring 1990s and 2000s tradition, not old-time tradition. Whatever we do, our decision must we well researched and in the best interest of the school."

Then the coach paused and said, "I think that we're a flexible flyer. We'd be able to go anywhere in basketball. I wouldn't prefer the Big Ten, but whether they expand the Big East, Big Ten, whatever. We bring 1990s and 2000s tradition, not old-time tradition. Whatever we do, our decision must we well researched and in the best interest of the school."Translation: This is about self-preservation.

Translation: This is about self-preservation.UConn fans might never find it in their hearts and minds to forgive Virginia Tech, Miami and (especially) BC for abandoning the Big East. But say this much for them: The ACC, while plenty underwhelming in football since expansion, is in less danger of losing schools at the moment than the Big East. Perhaps the Hokies, 'Canes and Eagles were also in self-preservation mode a few years ago, odious as it might have been?

UConn fans might never find it in their hearts and minds to forgive Virginia Tech, Miami and (especially) BC for abandoning the Big East. But say this much for them: The ACC, while plenty underwhelming in football since expansion, is in less danger of losing schools at the moment than the Big East. Perhaps the Hokies, 'Canes and Eagles were also in self-preservation mode a few years ago, odious as it might have been?Maybe you scoff at that. But a veteran member of the UConn athletic department, who didn't want to say this publicly, said recently that if UConn's football program were as advanced in 2004 as it is today, the ACC would have bypassed BC and gone straight for UConn.

Maybe you scoff at that. But a veteran member of the UConn athletic department, who didn't want to say this publicly, said recently that if UConn's football program were as advanced in 2004 as it is today, the ACC would have bypassed BC and gone straight for UConn."And we would have gone to the ACC in a heartbeat," he said.

"And we would have gone to the ACC in a heartbeat," he said. (And wouldn't that have ruined Mr. Blumenthal's lawsuit?)

(And wouldn't that have ruined Mr. Blumenthal's lawsuit?)But we digress. This is about the future, not the past.

But we digress. This is about the future, not the past. Until the Big Ten decides which school - schools? - it wants, UConn remains in a holding pattern. It can research, investigate and, to borrow the dreaded educational jargon, be "proactive." At least the Huskies bring a burgeoning football program and two elite basketball programs to the motion picture, which is more than many other BCS schools can say.

Until the Big Ten decides which school - schools? - it wants, UConn remains in a holding pattern. It can research, investigate and, to borrow the dreaded educational jargon, be "proactive." At least the Huskies bring a burgeoning football program and two elite basketball programs to the motion picture, which is more than many other BCS schools can say.

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro.