America Loves an Underdog

[Gampel91]

.....and we aren't it. UConn is the Duke of this tournament, the team everyone loves to hate. Respected by many for sure, but no one outside of our fan base wants us to win. Starting to see the comments on the blogs, the only reason to tune is to see UConn go down. Are we ready to embrace the role of the villain?

BRING IT ON!

 

[bluestreak]

I have noticed that.

"Would you rather be loved, or would you rather be respected?" Sonny 1993

I don't have an answer.

 

[XLCenterFan]

We’ve taken our lumps before. We were kicked around and discarded in the AAC. Refs were ganging up on us early in the BE season. Country was calling us frauds after we went 14-0 and slipped a little. This fan base and this team is ready. The rest of the country might see us as the villains here, but I don’t see it like that. This is payback for us.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

The team has my love. I'm not sure that the love of some random hick from a place like Tractor Pull Indiana, Potato Head Idaho or Donkey Boil Missouri is necessary.

 

[jibsey]

.....and we aren't it. UConn is the Duke of this tournament, the team everyone loves to hate. Respected by many for sure, but no one outside of our fan base wants us to win. Starting to see the comments on the blogs, the only reason to tune is to see UConn go down. Are we ready to embrace the role of the villain?

BRING IT ON!

A lot of it is because of our margins of victory. If we scraped by with 2 point wins, bit different but yes the country knows our history and will pull for the unknown other 3 teams. Let’s not forget we weren’t preseason at the top of any rankings and we’re getting little respect,

 

[Gampel91]

I have noticed that.

"Would you rather be loved, or would you rather be respected?" Sonny 1993

I don't have an answer.

I'll take respected. And feared.

 

[kobebeanbryant]

I have noticed that.

"Would you rather be loved, or would you rather be respected?" Sonny 1993

I don't have an answer.

 

[AdamaNation]

A lot of it is because of our margins of victory. If we scraped by with 2 point wins, bit different but yes the country knows our history and will pull for the unknown other 3 teams. Let’s not forget we weren’t preseason at the top of any rankings and we’re getting little respect,

You have to think FL has a team it two they are pulling for.

 

[Palatine]

.....and we aren't it. UConn is the Duke of this tournament, the team everyone loves to hate. Respected by many for sure, but no one outside of our fan base wants us to win. Starting to see the comments on the blogs, the only reason to tune is to see UConn go down. Are we ready to embrace the role of the villain?

BRING IT ON!

We were unranked and picked in the middle of our conference. And as Hurley noted, in January people we throwing dirt on our grave. Not really Duke-like in any way.

 

[Gampel91]

Another factor is Dan Hurley, opposing fans across the country just hate him. That is understandable given how he has come across in the past as hot-headed, smug, arrogant, etc. but I will say that watching the many interviews with him this week, he is coming across as more thoughtful, self-deprecating, and someone who genuinely cares about the individual players on the team. That may not translate to everyone though, so he is still not someone neutral fans will root for. But will hopefully begrudgingly respect.

Let's be honest, if we get by Miami, we will possibly be a double-digit favorite and people may tune in just to root for David vs. the UConn Goliath. We've come a long way from "We shocked the world!".

 

[Gampel91]

We were unranked and picked in the middle of our conference. And as Hurley noted, in January people we throwing dirt on our grave. Not really Duke-like in any way.

True, but the fact that people enjoyed throwing dirt on the grave is Duke-like.

 

[ctchamps]

Everybody has a job and a sportswriters job is to create narratives that appeal to the public. What is most appealing is a David and Goliath narrative. And definitely we are the Goliath. Not based on recent history but on the pedigree our past provides.

Most fans who are not invested in a particular remaining team will feel UConn and their fans have had the opportunity to feel and experience that ultimate attainment of a NC. There is a gut reaction by these fans to want someone other than UConn to win. It's a sense of fairness.

Our coaches and players were not part of that past. This is new to them. Furthermore most of our players have respect for what has happened in the past and want to honor those that came before.
They will ignore this hype.

On the other hand the press will focus their attention on the other teams. They're the story. And that is a distraction that I am happy our team will not have to deal with as much as the other teams.

This is a better way (for us)!

 

[August_West]

Are we ready to embrace the role of the villain?

Ive been embracing it for 23 years.

After the 99 championship we evolved in to one of the most hated programs in the country. They hate our team and they especially hate our fans. I'm fine wearing the black hat, it means we are back!

 

[FfldCntyFan]

What is most appealing is a David and Goliath narrative. And definitely we are the Goliath. Not based on recent history but on the pedigree our past provides.

For the most part I agree with you but the manner that we plowed through a couple of very good teams in Vegas is enough to label us as Goliath. The four trophies in our back pocket are merely a bonus.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Yesterday morning, I was walking with my lady along the beach between PB and Mission Beach here in SD, before SDSU beat Creighton. I was wearing a UConn shirt. Got 5 shout-outs, only one of them being a guy In UConn gear.

I don’t think we are hated like Duke.

It’s gonna be interesting for me if we somehow meet SDSU in the championship game lol because we will definitely be villains then

 

[Inyatkin]

The way the tournament has gone it does give a sort of 1999 "Duke Invitational" feel to it. We know how that turned out. On the other hand, I didn't see Rip Hamilton on any of the other three teams.

 

[August_West]

I don’t think we are hated like Duke.

No one is hated like Duke, but we are a top 5 hated program. All you need to do is read opponent message boards and National hoops boards.

 

[Tenspro2002]

This is a good point. We don't have a true road game against Texas, but the entire building will be rooting against us.

 

[Palatine]

Yesterday morning, I was walking with my lady along the beach between PB and Mission Beach here in SD, before SDSU beat Creighton. I was wearing a UConn shirt. Got 5 shout-outs, only one of them being a guy In UConn gear.

I've gotten positive shout outs in Greece, Italy and Amsterdam while wearing UConn gear. We're Earth's team.

 

[housekeys]

We are such bullies, lol.

 

[wingsfan055]

The UConn team and Hurley still feels disrespected from the treachery of fans (many of whom post in this BY) and basketball pundits after it went into their mid-season slump & were counted out. They are using it as a Revenge Tour in this Tourney. You can hear it in the undertones of their post-game comments. Hurley is the new Michael Corleone.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Ive been embracing it for 23 years.

After the 99 championship we evolved in to one of the most hated programs in the country. They hate our team and they especially hate our fans. I'm fine wearing the black hat, it means we are back!

Yeah.

The thing about it is when people start thinking they are superior and part of some elite club they don't like it when others demonstrate they may also belong in that club.

They threw a party and said we weren't invited. We crashed that party, stole their girls and laughed at how they were dressed.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I've gotten positive shout outs in Greece, Italy and Amsterdam while wearing UConn gear. We're Earth's team.

You should see if your star trek buddies can work on making us the universe's team.

 

[Rocktheworld]

No one is hated like Duke, but we are a top 5 hated program. All you need to do is read opponent message boards and National hoops boards.

Sure, but we are talking about the general viewing public; not Internet forum posters. I guess if you had to rank it maybe we would be 5th just because of how much we've won. Like nobody who has won less than us (namely a school like Nova or UVA) can really be hated as much or more, I wouldn’t think.

Wonder if Bama has come close given how much everyone hates on their football success, plus this horrendously-handled murder

 

[FfldCntyFan]

This is a good point. We don't have a true road game against Texas, but the entire building will be rooting against us.

We already conquered Texas. San Antonio in 2004, Houston in 2011 and DFW in 2014. The land us ours, we're returning for tribute.