Is Villanova a rival?

[CL82]

I stumbled onto this article from the Villanova website listing Villanova‘s rivals. We come in at number two, or number 1B as the case may be.

There’s a much longer description. You have to scroll down to find UConn.

I’m not sure that I’m quite there yet with thinking of nova as a rival, but I see the potential especially if both of us are competing for championships in the Big East.

 

[SubbaBub]

An old question. In the Calhoun era our rival was whomever was challenging us for the BE title. Some years it was Pitt, some GT and Nova, some years Cuse.

So in that sense we didn't have a single rival, but any BE and Fmr BE team that's had success can be considered a rival.

In the NBE, it's clearly Nova. Even with PC having their best year ever it's still not that big a deal to most people.

 

[Get a Job]

Better add another basketball to that competitiveness rating.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

To put it simply, we are far too good to have only one rival.

 

[UconnU]

They’re a main rival, I just can’t bring myself to hate them as much as little cousin lucky college and Syracuse.

 

[WhereistheDove?]

For both of our sakes (and the Big East's), this needs to get to turn into a rivalry that consistently produces high-quality games like that.

 

[bendm]

seton hall at 1???? nah they dont want that.

we're the two best programs in the conference by a mile. we are rivals by definition. embrace it.

 

[Kolumbo]

I stumbled onto this article from the Villanova website listing Villanova‘s rivals. We come in at number two, or number 1B as the case may be.
View attachment 73659
There’s a much longer description. You have to scroll down to find UConn.

I’m not sure that I’m quite there yet with thinking of nova as a rival, but I see the potential especially if both of us are competing for championships in the Big East.

I'd have to think it's a little less than satisfying if your biggest rival is SHU.

Perhaps the author's misinterpretation of events - "follow football Instead of stick with the Big East and basketball" - has clouded his judgement.

 

[nomar]

Of course it is.

From (at least) the Kittles years to the 2006 games, to 2014, there have been a lot of great battles.

We're the two top teams in the conference. They're not just a rival, they're our biggest rival for the foreseeable future.

 

[XLCenterFan]

I don't think they were ever a traditional rival. However, both programs will be competing for the class of the BE for years now (with PC competing every now and then). So yes, let's call it a rivalry. Nova is a worthy rival.

 

[UconnU]

Of course it is.

From (at least) the Kittles years to the 2006 games, there have been a lot of great battles.

We're the two top teams in the conference. They're not just a rival, they're our biggest rival for the foreseeable future.

I know they should be but I just can’t bring myself to hate Wright and crew ugh

 

[CL82]

I'd have to think it's a little less than satisfying if your biggest rival is SHU.

Perhaps the author's misinterpretation of events - "follow football Instead of stick with the Big East and basketball" - has clouded his judgement.

Yeah it’s a nova fan form article. I would expect them to have a skewed view about football.

For what it’s worth, I wonder if Villanova had upgraded football if that would’ve kept the old Big East together. I think it might’ve because the “Catholic six“ wouldn’t of had the leverage or the votes. That alone is reason enough to dislike them.

 

[CL82]

I know they should be but I just can’t bring myself to hate Wright and crew ugh

This. That’s what’s lacking for me, the visceral dislike, although Gillespie helps with that considerably.

 

[J187Money]

I know they should be but I just can’t bring myself to hate Wright and crew ugh

You don't have to hate a rival. I've never been able to "hate" Nova because they are a class act (as is Jay Wright). But that was the biggest game on our schedule for sure.

 

[Husky25]

In terms of competition, yes, because that is determined on the court/field/pitch. 'Nova is not a heated or hated rivalry at the moment, as those attributes are determined by the fanbases.

Jay Wright is way too likable and I also think that 'Nova played an indirect role in UConn returning all non-gridiron sports to the Big East.

 

[Kenny11]

Of course. The big East is very good and there are some fine programs, others with good history, others who may be on the come-up, but there are 2 big dog programs. Uconn and nova.

 

[nomar]

I know they should be but I just can’t bring myself to hate Wright and crew ugh

Can we hate him for being too classy?

 

[willie99]

I think the entire conference hates us. We're the new kids on the block, and we immediately stole a lot of limelight

 

[CL82]

Can we hate him for being too classy?

Possibly… I’ll work on that.

 

[UconnU]

Jay Wright is way too likable and I also think that 'Nova played an indirect role in UConn returning all non-gridiron sports to the Big East.

Yep. Jay Wright was our biggest supporter in the return. Whereas Lucky PC and Hall kind of begrudgingly signed off on it.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

If not Nova then who?

 

[WhereistheDove?]

The push-off thing helps and his incredulous look whenever it gets called. Plus are we entirely sure that Chris Arcidiacono isn’t some kind of illegal Gillespie clone?

I feel like he doesn't really give much of a reaction when it gets called though. The two times it got called (I mean the one against Sanogo even he had to know was absolutely egregious), he just clapped and went back to playing. Maybe I'm misremembering, but he knows that part of his game is finding that line and skirting it and I think there's an understanding that sometimes it's going to get called.

 

[huskiesNhoos]

I couldn't help but think of this scene while we struggle with the fact that the only reason we can come up for Nova not being top rival is because we don't hate them

 

[Rocktheworld]

They are a rival peer; but not our rivals.

Germany is a rival peer of ours; Russia is our rival.

They should want to be Germany. Let Cuse be Russia lol

 

[bendm]

They are a rival peer; but not our rivals.

Germany is a rival peer of ours; Russia is our rival.

They should want to be Germany. Let Cuse be Russia lol

youre not giving russia enough credit. Cuse is north korea. throwing impotent temper tantrums on the other side of the world.