America Loves an Underdog

[Drumguy]

I don't think we're hated by the general public anywhere as much as Duke. I travel around the country and get a lot of shout outs when I wear UConn gear. We're a state school, in a rural part of the state. This year for all the hoopla now, we're still a 4 seed facing a 5 seed.

Of course there's going to be haters, ask Taylor Swift, just gotta Shake it Off!

 

[superjohn]

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!".

Fans on the other Big East boards seem to be recognizing how great an interview Hurley is now and how much he pumps up the Big East. He's clearly much more comfortable with everything now than he used to be. I'm not seeing the same hate there used to be.

 

[ctchamps]

Fans on the other Big East boards seem to be recognizing how great an interview Hurley is now and how much he pumps up the Big East. He's clearly much more comfortable with everything now than he used to be. I'm not seeing the same hate there used to be.

Hurley 153 gazillion > Cooley plus hell to PC fans!

This is the new and incredible way that didn't exist three weeks ago!

 

[storrsroars]

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.

I don't see that at all. Duke and UConn were the only two schools to share the #1 AP ranking. It was assumed by many well before the actual tourney that Duke, with its history and McDs AAs, were the prohibitive favorites. That wasn't the case this year at all. It was Alabama (or Houston for the dumb ones).

Additionally, there's nobody to hate on this squad. There are no villains of notoriety. Probably closest you can come to a Duke flopper or whiner is Hawkins for drawing all those fouls on 3pt attempts with his leg kick.

One more thing, those reviled Duke teams really didn't have any true "must-see" guys like AJax. They were simply straightforward, arrogant, and efficient under Ratface. There's no Laettner, Duhon, Hurley, Grayson, Wojo, or Redick. We're loveable, huggable good guys.

It's been nine years since UConn was a national force. I'm not 100% sure of this, but I think our top 7 features more homegrown guys than any of the other teams. We're not a "build with free agents" team. And none of the other "cinderellas" have a 90 year old nun or anything remotely like that for sentimentality.

I think many in the country might actually want UConn to win, at least over Miami or SDSU. We're more fun (except maybe FAU), and we're not imposters. Give folks a steady diet of AJax highlights, Jordan's sweet stroke, Sanogo unbridled glee, or the wholesomeness of Karaban or Clingan, and we'll win the country over.

 

[Inyatkin]

I don't see that at all. Duke and UConn were the only two schools to share the #1 AP ranking. It was assumed by many well before the actual tourney that Duke, with its history and McDs AAs, were the prohibitive favorites. That wasn't the case this year at all. It was Alabama (or Houston for the dumb ones).

Additionally, there's nobody to hate on this squad. There are no villains of notoriety. Probably closest you can come to a Duke flopper or whiner is Hawkins for drawing all those fouls on 3pt attempts with his leg kick.

One more thing, those reviled Duke teams really didn't have any true "must-see" guys like AJax. They were simply straightforward, arrogant, and efficient under Ratface. There's no Laettner, Duhon, Hurley, Grayson, Wojo, or Redick. We're loveable, huggable good guys.

It's been nine years since UConn was a national force. I'm not 100% sure of this, but I think our top 7 features more homegrown guys than any of the other teams. We're not a "build with free agents" team. And none of the other "cinderellas" have a 90 year old nun or anything remotely like that for sentimentality.

I think many in the country might actually want UConn to win, at least over Miami or SDSU. We're more fun (except maybe FAU), and we're not imposters. Give folks a steady diet of AJax highlights, Jordan's sweet stroke, Sanogo unbridled glee, or the wholesomeness of Karaban or Clingan, and we'll win the country over.

I was thinking solely in terms of the way we've steamrolled all comers so far, and one of the comparisons in terms of margin of victory is Duke 99. I agree the comparison only goes so far.

UConn 04 is another good one in terms of tournament performance. I like the result but I'd prefer not to be down 8 with three minutes to go on Saturday

 

[gmc1055]

We are definitely hated by Duke and Kentucky. Duke thinks we stole 2 titles sustained for them. We also took Kentucky out twice, once for the championship.

 

[CL82]

I have noticed that.

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

I don't have an answer.

Isn’t it would you rather be loved or feared?

 

[Kembacity]

In reading discussion elsewhere I do feel that our dominance in games has earned us some fans. People like watching Sanogo and Clingan and like to see a team that is well coached like we are run a nice tight defense and move the ball well like we do.

 

[pj]

In reading discussion elsewhere I do feel that our dominance in games has earned us some fans. People like watching Sanogo and Clingan and like to see a team that is well coached like we are run a nice tight defense and move the ball well like we do.

We play beautiful basketball. It's not thugball that needs an assist from officials, and it's not relying on a transcendent one-and-done talent. Team basketball, lots of assists, mentally tough team players. Real basketball fans will like this team.

 

[SoFla Steve]

I have noticed that.

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

I don't have an answer.

Machiavelli had an answer in his book, The Prince. It was required reading in B-School.

Mac knew what he was talking about.

 

[jibsey]

I don't see that at all. Duke and UConn were the only two schools to share the #1 AP ranking. It was assumed by many well before the actual tourney that Duke, with its history and McDs AAs, were the prohibitive favorites. That wasn't the case this year at all. It was Alabama (or Houston for the dumb ones).

Additionally, there's nobody to hate on this squad. There are no villains of notoriety. Probably closest you can come to a Duke flopper or whiner is Hawkins for drawing all those fouls on 3pt attempts with his leg kick.

One more thing, those reviled Duke teams really didn't have any true "must-see" guys like AJax. They were simply straightforward, arrogant, and efficient under Ratface. There's no Laettner, Duhon, Hurley, Grayson, Wojo, or Redick. We're loveable, huggable good guys.

It's been nine years since UConn was a national force. I'm not 100% sure of this, but I think our top 7 features more homegrown guys than any of the other teams. We're not a "build with free agents" team. And none of the other "cinderellas" have a 90 year old nun or anything remotely like that for sentimentality.

I think many in the country might actually want UConn to win, at least over Miami or SDSU. We're more fun (except maybe FAU), and we're not imposters. Give folks a steady diet of AJax highlights, Jordan's sweet stroke, Sanogo unbridled glee, or the wholesomeness of Karaban or Clingan, and we'll win the country over.

We are not a school that is overloaded with top 10 recruits like Duke, Kentucky, North Carolina or Kansas. Those teams are stocked and reloaded every year and they are easy to hate. Hating UCONN for being successful and in many cases with underrated or recruited players makes no sense.

 

[connVA]

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

That’s life as a Blue Blood

 

[bluestreak]

Isn’t it would you rather be loved or feared?

I could be remembering wrong. Yours sounds more like Sonny. I'll just have to watch the movie again.

 

[HuskyHawk]

In reading discussion elsewhere I do feel that our dominance in games has earned us some fans. People like watching Sanogo and Clingan and like to see a team that is well coached like we are run a nice tight defense and move the ball well like we do.

Yeah, I'm not seeing hate. I'm seeing respect. People watch us and love the way we play aggressively and fast on both ends. It's exciting basketball. If you like basketball, you like watching this team. St. Mary's is like watching paint dry.

That said, FAU is also exciting and energetic on both ends, and a high seed that has never won anything. So they get the Cinderella slipper. They are the darlings. Poor SD State would be, but as a #5, they are the slower paced higher seed everyone will root against. Miami has its rep from football, and nobody outside Miami likes any Miami teams, so I really doubt people will be rooting for us to lose unless they think it means FAU has a better chance to win. FAU vs Miami would be a really astonishing final.

 

[CL82]

I could be remembering wrong. Yours sounds more like Sonny. I'll just have to watch the movie again.

I think it is originally from Machiavelli’s The Prince. The answer, if I recall correctly is, it’s best to be both, but if you can only have one, it is better to be feared.

 

[BugsyCT]

I've been a UConn fan for too long to care anymore what other fans think about us.

We've been to the mountaintop and earned our way there. We've been stranded in the abyss and climbed our way through.

If they hate you for being good, then you're doing something right.

Go Huskies!!