Which basketball program do you hate the most?

[UcMiami]

Absolutely no hate at all.
Why bother with such a profoundly negative emotion
Joanne's antics bother me
I'm not a fan of Kim
The terrible things reported about Pat and UTenn are mostly hearsay for me... I wasn't around...
Sad, irritating...true... but hate?
No way...
Who can hate such a pathetic bunch.
As a poster above noted...We've been blessed and may continue to be
Channeling our energy into maximizing our team's future and good fortune is my main objective.
(above sentence edited to eliminate coercion so as to not suggest anyone follow this path at my suggestion).

See - this is why women's sports and WCBB and the WNBA in particular struggle so much - we are all such wishy-washy fans, no deep emotional commitments!

Ask a Boston fan to express their feelings about the Yankees and 'hatred' would be the gentlest expression they might use. A Rangers fan about the Fliers, and any fan of another team about the Pistons of Lambeer vintage, SF about LA, you name it. People get in bar brawls as a gentle expression of their love for their own team and repudiation for any other fan's team. But in women's sports we have to be so circumspect. We mildly disapprove of the golden domers inability to maintain their footing, or tut tut about TN, or express our feelings about Kim as an unhappiness with her wardrobe choices or sideline demeanor.

We need to grow a pair! Be obnoxious, Revel in the hatred of our rivals and return it 10 fold. Stomp on the pretenders and wannabes. Gnash our teeth when we lose and swear blood feuds on those who dare to challenge us! If not for ourselves, for the health of our sport!

To the ramparts!

 

[stwainfan]

Hey boo.

Just kidding.


I voted "other".... Kentucky, in case anybody is wondering. Barf. Although it is difficult for me to relish in what's currently happening there. I wouldn't wish that on anybody..

Hey actually I voted other. I hate Bama in all sports.

 

[JordyG]

I don't hate any, but I have no respect Baylor for ducking us these past years.

Aside from ducking us, just watching Mulkey's antics on the sidelines, berating and occasionally attacking her staff in frustration makes my blood boil. Who would want to play for someone like that?

 

[EricSD]

Next time I do it, I'll use the word "dislike". I will also remove Maryland and Duke and replace them with??? Kentucky? UNC? I can't imagine too many UCONN fans voting for 'bama, but i can understand why a Tenn fan would ...

Below is one of my all time favorite videos. Obviously it's all about football, but the guy is a hoot. I imagine some Tenn fans might feel the same way about Alabama... Even while he's walking away he's saying "I just can't stress that enough. I hate Tennessee"...

 

[Woof 101]

Can't dislike any team of young women out there giving it their all. Their coaches? Another matter entirely.

Took the words right out of my mouth. There is no place in sports for hatred which only leads to violence. I do have a dislike for teams that refuse to play anyone, anywhere, anytime. My own opinion of the opponent is often formed by the style of coaching also. Players are doing what they are told and exempt from this for the most part. So having said that I do have a disdain for certain coaches that thought beating up on Stewie was a game plan.

 

[JordyG]

See - this is why women's sports and WCBB and the WNBA in particular struggle so much - we are all such wishy-washy fans, no deep emotional commitments!

Ask a Boston fan to express their feelings about the Yankees and 'hatred' would be the gentlest expression they might use. A Rangers fan about the Fliers, and any fan of another team about the Pistons of Lambeer vintage, SF about LA, you name it. People get in bar brawls as a gentle expression of their love for their own team and repudiation for any other fan's team. But in women's sports we have to be so circumspect. We mildly disapprove of the golden domers inability to maintain their footing, or tut tut about TN, or express our feelings about Kim as an unhappiness with her wardrobe choices or sideline demeanor.

We need to grow a pair! Be obnoxious, Revel in the hatred of our rivals and return it 10 fold. Stomp on the pretenders and wannabes. Gnash our teeth when we lose and swear blood feuds on those who dare to challenge us! If not for ourselves, for the health of our sport!

To the ramparts!

The problem here as I see it is there are no real rivalries in WCBB as when UT was top dog and The UCONN usurped them. Some here obviously would still like to throttle UT's entire admin and the wounds are still raw. I get it. But from my viewpiont, how can I still hate such a losing, irrelevant, inept program? It's like beating an unruly child. It gains me nothing and ultimately others see it as both criminal and wastefull. From my view, rivalries generate hate, and fuel the sport overall.

 

[JordyG]

Took the words right out of my mouth. There is no place in sports for hatred which only leads to violence. I do have a dislike for teams that refuse to play anyone, anywhere, anytime. My own opinion of the opponent is often formed by the style of coaching also. Players are doing what they are told and exempt from this for the most part. So having said that I do have a disdain for certain coaches that thought beating up on Stewie was a game plan.

If you thought Stewie took a whuppin' in college, wait until you see the physical price she pays in the pro's.

 

[Jimbo]

I would just like to take a step back and point out that the team currently receiving half of all votes, and more than twice as many votes as any other team, is one that hasn't faced UConn even once in the past nine seasons, which means that team has had absolutely no involvement in the last half dozen national championships that UConn has won. That is pretty remarkable if you stop and think about it.

(They got my vote too.)

 

[Gate81]

actually it's the recruiting tactics I dislike at some schools, and the coaches' willingness to take siblings, hire parents, lie about open spots, whatever it takes. Led me to vote "other" since relates to several schools, some of which aren't on the list along with at least one on the list.

 

[j66kicker]

Next time I do it, I'll use the word "dislike". I will also remove Maryland and Duke and replace them with??? Kentucky? UNC? I can't imagine too many UCONN fans voting for 'bama, but i can understand why a Tenn fan would ...

Below is one of my all time favorite videos. Obviously it's all about football, but the guy is a hoot. I imagine some Tenn fans might feel the same way about Alabama... Even while he's walking away he's saying "I just can't stress that enough. I hate Tennessee"...

Yes, "hate" is a strong word... but not too strong for Tennessee!!!

(That was the easiest poll question ever - I feel so decisive!!)

 

[HGN]

I don't hate any of them...... I just LOVE me some Huskies. And in just loving the Huskies so much makes it seem like I hate all others.

 

[triaddukefan]

See - this is why women's sports and WCBB and the WNBA in particular struggle so much - we are all such wishy-washy fans, no deep emotional commitments!

Ask a Boston fan to express their feelings about the Yankees and 'hatred' would be the gentlest expression they might use. A Rangers fan about the Fliers, and any fan of another team about the Pistons of Lambeer vintage, SF about LA, you name it. People get in bar brawls as a gentle expression of their love for their own team and repudiation for any other fan's team. But in women's sports we have to be so circumspect. We mildly disapprove of the golden domers inability to maintain their footing, or tut tut about TN, or express our feelings about Kim as an unhappiness with her wardrobe choices or sideline demeanor.

We need to grow a pair! Be obnoxious, Revel in the hatred of our rivals and return it 10 fold. Stomp on the pretenders and wannabes. Gnash our teeth when we lose and swear blood feuds on those who dare to challenge us! If not for ourselves, for the health of our sport!

To the ramparts!

I agree... WCBB needs more hatred I admit I was a bit let down when I attended the Rutgers-UCONN regional final here in 2008. After reading and hearing about the rivalry and dislike between the two programs and fanbases.... I was halfway hoping.... well more like 95% hoping that I would see some yelling, cursing... and maybe not fisticuffs... but at least some pushing and shoving in the stands and/or concourse between the two fanbases. I witnessed none of that, and I left the Coliseum mildly disappointed.

 

[dtbtbtb]

Like others here, I don't hate any team. I dislike TN but not because of the players or coach I dislike ND as well but it's out of respect

 

[MilfordHusky]

Duke is vaguely annoying but their trials and tribulations are entertaining.

The amount of drama in Durham and Knoxville this past season was incredible. So were the loss totals.

 

[MilfordHusky]

The folks at ESPN made a movie about this guy and the "lack of affection" for him:

 

[Alydar]

The folks at ESPN made a movie about this guy and the "lack of affection" for him:

But if you watch the program it spends very little time on why he was hated and a lot of time on what a great guy he is.

 

[HardHatGuy#2]

I don't like to use the word "hate" (trying to break my daughter of it as well); this is one of the few things this New Age of Sensitivity has brought us that I agree with. However, I certainly despised Goestenkors, and reveled in her failures, and in turn, Duke's. Tennessee was a great rival, and Summitt definitely went out-of-bounds with her actions regarding MM, but karma has alleviated my angst with that program.

A more appropriate question could be "Who do you think our Top 5 rivals are", which would include teams/coaches/players that we don't like, are challenging UConn for top billing, or are overzealous in mocking/fouling/avoiding us. For me:

1. Notre Dame - Talent, they play hard, have a style of play akin to ours, and frankly I don't like Muffet's hairstyle. I think many ND fans would say the EXACT same things about UConn.
2. South Florida - Jose can coach, and they play us HARD. I think that UConn's first loss in the AAC will be to them.
3. Baylor - I understand with Coach Mulkey's decision to avoid us when they were rebuilding; I don't agree with it, but I understand it. I LOVE her as a coach.
4. Maryland - Because of Coach Frese's basketball accumen, I get the willies when UConn is playing them.
5. Stanford - History, a good coach, and a solid program. They also seem to play up to UConn.

Note that South Carolina isn't on the list. They haven't really given us a game, yet; I wonder how far we've burrowed into their psyche. Maybe this season will be the one for them.

 

[HardHatGuy#2]

The folks at ESPN made a movie about this guy and the "lack of affection" for him:

One seriously offensive image. Another person in whose failures I reveled.

 

[shinobimono]

See - this is why women's sports and WCBB and the WNBA in particular struggle so much - we are all such wishy-washy fans, no deep emotional commitments!

Ask a Boston fan to express their feelings about the Yankees and 'hatred' would be the gentlest expression they might use. A Rangers fan about the Fliers, and any fan of another team about the Pistons of Lambeer vintage, SF about LA, you name it. People get in bar brawls as a gentle expression of their love for their own team and repudiation for any other fan's team. But in women's sports we have to be so circumspect. We mildly disapprove of the golden domers inability to maintain their footing, or tut tut about TN, or express our feelings about Kim as an unhappiness with her wardrobe choices or sideline demeanor.

We need to grow a pair! Be obnoxious, Revel in the hatred of our rivals and return it 10 fold. Stomp on the pretenders and wannabes. Gnash our teeth when we lose and swear blood feuds on those who dare to challenge us! If not for ourselves, for the health of our sport!

To the ramparts!

Good point. Yes, it does seem that "hatred" of an opponent is characteristic of men's sports.
Having spent many years in Boston, I really enjoyed watching the Celtics on TV (tickets were hard to come by in the Bird era), but always tuning in to Johnny Most for the audio because he called the game the way partisan fans wanted to hear it. He could really fan the flames of hatred toward specific players, especially Kareem, Bill Laimbeer, Denis Rodman, and Michael Jordan ("his lordship" as Most called him). This kind of hatred really gets the blood boiling and makes the games more exciting. Unfortunately, that type of announcer is rapidly disappearing, and along with it the intense rivalry. I must admit, however, that it was much easier to get into that intense 40-minutes of hate when I was in my 30s and 40s.

 

[shinobimono]

See - this is why women's sports and WCBB and the WNBA in particular struggle so much - we are all such wishy-washy fans, no deep emotional commitments!

Ask a Boston fan to express their feelings about the Yankees and 'hatred' would be the gentlest expression they might use. A Rangers fan about the Fliers, and any fan of another team about the Pistons of Lambeer vintage, SF about LA, you name it. People get in bar brawls as a gentle expression of their love for their own team and repudiation for any other fan's team. But in women's sports we have to be so circumspect. We mildly disapprove of the golden domers inability to maintain their footing, or tut tut about TN, or express our feelings about Kim as an unhappiness with her wardrobe choices or sideline demeanor.

We need to grow a pair! Be obnoxious, Revel in the hatred of our rivals and return it 10 fold. Stomp on the pretenders and wannabes. Gnash our teeth when we lose and swear blood feuds on those who dare to challenge us! If not for ourselves, for the health of our sport!

To the ramparts!

Good point. Yes, it does seem that "hatred" of an opponent is characteristic of men's sports.
Having spent many years in Boston, I really enjoyed watching the Celtics on TV (tickets were hard to come by in the Bird era), but always tuning in to Johnny Most for the audio because he called the game the way partisan fans wanted to hear it. He could really fan the flames of hatred toward specific players, especially Kareem, Bill Laimbeer, Denis Rodman, and Michael Jordan ("his lordship" as Most called him). This kind of hatred really gets the blood boiling and makes the games more exciting. Unfortunately, that type of announcer is rapidly disappearing, and along with it the intense rivalry. I must admit, however, that it was much easier to get into that intense 40-minutes of hate when I was in my 30s and 40s.

 

[HuskyNan]

One seriously offensive image. Another person in whose failures I reveled.

Do you like this image better?

 

[HuskyNan]

For those who reject the word "hate" in this thread - here in Red Sox country, uh, New England, those of us who grew up on one side or the other of the Great Baseball Debate (Red Sox vs Yankees) know full well what it is to hate another team while not necessarily hating the people on the team. After all, it's not the same people from year to year. I've stood in Fenway Park, in the bleachers where the real fans sit, and cursed Dave Winfield and, ugh, Reggie Jackson, I've owned a tee shirt that says "My favorite team is the Red Sox and whoever plays the Yankees", I've made a million Billy Martin and George Steinbrenner jokes and I've declared I wasn't going to watch baseball any more whenever the Yankees won the World Series. But while I despise the team and always root for them to lose in an embarrassing fashion, I've always liked and respected individual players (especially the classy Derek Jeter).

"Hating" Tennessee or Notre Dame or Duke in this context isn't the same as hating child abusers or even the same as hating a politician. There's nothing personal; it's the program or sometimes the coach that is considered the enemy. For example, a lot of UConn fans feel differently towards Duke under McCallie than they did when Coach G was there. Interaction between the fan bases have a lot to do with the "hate" as well. (I'm not going into that topic, thank you very much)

Maybe Eric could have elaborated a little on his definition of hate but otherwise, this topic is OK for the offseason.

 

[shinobimono]

For me, it is clearly Notre Dame. I was not yet a fan of UConn when the Lady Vols were still ascendant, so the intense hatred for them that I often see here is mostly lost on me, but I understand it. Actually, I grew up in East Lansing, Michigan on the campus of MSU (my father taught there). We lived in campus housing that is now the site of the Breslin Center (the MSU basketball arena), in fact Magic Johnson’s statue is located right where our backyard used to be. Magic was supposed to attend my high school (the school near his home that he wanted to attend), but the introduction of busing sent him to a school across town. The MSU football stadium was only about a five minute walk from our home. I even had tickets to the so-called “Game of the Century” between MSU and Notre Dame in 1966 that ended in a 10-10 tie. Therefore, I was already raised to not like Notre Dame, a traditional football rival. That said, I find the Notre Dame fan posters on this site to be among my favorite.

 

[SCGamecock]

Note that South Carolina isn't on the list. They haven't really given us a game, yet; I wonder how far we've burrowed into their psyche. Maybe this season will be the one for them.

Well, we're not really rivals yet, and for a few reasons:

(1) We seldom play one another. I think this upcoming season will be the 5th time we've ever played. 3 of those times will be in the last 3 years.

(2) Also, like you've mentioned, we've never won a game versus UCONN. How can you dislike a team that's never seriously challenged you? SC just went to its first NCAA Final Four in school history not too long ago. The program still has wobbly knees.. We're in that awkward stage right before puberty.

(3) We don't share a geographic area. In my opinion, in college sports regional rivalries are easier to fester than national ones. Being in the same conference? Even better.

(4) We don't recruit against one another enough. UCONN recruits nationally and competes nationally against other national programs for national recruits.. (I used that word a lot for a reason). SC is JUST beginning to recruit nationally. We still pick our battles carefully when it comes to chasing after top 30 players. Sure, our 2014 class was strong (2 of those players are no longer here) and Wilson was a major win for us over UCONN/Tenn, but she was also from right down the street and didn't intend on straying too far from home. One top 5 class doesn't mean SC is going to recruit with the likes of ND/Maryland/UCONN/Baylor/Louisville every year. Those schools have sustained success over a long period of time.

Other less obvious reasons..

(5) Our coaching staffs are openly amicable towards one another and so are our players. Our HC's even have a sort of mentor/mentee relationship and they have a philly connection.

(6) We don't poison one another's message boards with hate, yet. ..and this kind of relates to #3... there's not enough vitriol between the two fanbases. I actually live in Connecticut now and wear SC stuff all of the time. I've had nothing but pleasant encounters with UCONNWBB fans and great basketball discussion, not even a little heckling. That would never happen in Tennessee or Kentucky.


Maybe if SC furthers cements itself as a big time program and starts winning games versus UCONN, then yeah.... but until then.

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

Boston College, but dislike not hate

 

[UcMiami]

When I posted my 'we don't have enough hatred in women's sports' diatribe it was certainly meant tongue in check, but I do think there is a certain kernel of truth in it. The more posts I read here and the more I think about the other sports I follow and the men's sports forums I have visited the more truth I think it contains.

This idea was borrowed from the men's board and I just checked - there is one poster who has stated they don't 'hate' Syracuse, because they are located in the hell hole of central upstate NY with a coach who picks his nose, etc, etc. Everybody else just steps up to the plate and names names. No 'hatred is too strong a word', or 'I try not to hate anything'.
When I followed the Celtics I hated LA even if Magic and Bird were all buddy buddy - they took what I wanted too many times!
The Jets ... love to dance on their grave, and watch with glee ever stumbling bumbling ineptitude.
Bucky Dent - public enemy #1 (And #2 is the coach who left Billy Buckner in playing first base late with a lead!)

Sports are supposed to be cathartic and a way to release tensions - the Romans really perfected it as a civic exercise and the more blood and guts spilled (literally) the better! I am not advocating that we need to go quite that far, but ...

Strong emotions invested in 'our team' and in 'our opponent' drive involvement and fandom. We seem to have the first half pretty well down, but shy away from the second. And it really is a concern especially for the WNBA - if the cities of Phoenix and Minneapolis cannot build up some sort of hatred for the other based on the rivalry between the Mercury and Lynx for supremacy in women's basketball ... there needs to be edgy trash talking, there needs to be depression when the other team scores and elation when our team does, there needs to be a little healthy hatred! Because it signifies emotional investment. DT is a perfect villain, Maya is just a silent assassin. Candace at least dunked at the Civic Center - now that stirred up some passion, DT punched the basketball stanchion, because as she said 'she needed to punch something orange!' and TN fans HATED her! Good for them!

 

[iamcbs]

I don't waste the energy it takes to hate, that being said I really don't like Duke at all and that goes for every sport....

 

[EricSD]

I agree... WCBB needs more hatred I admit I was a bit let down when I attended the Rutgers-UCONN regional final here in 2008. After reading and hearing about the rivalry and dislike between the two programs and fanbases.... I was halfway hoping.... well more like 95% hoping that I would see some yelling, cursing... and maybe not fisticuffs... but at least some pushing and shoving in the stands and/or concourse between the two fanbases. I witnessed none of that, and I left the Coliseum mildly disappointed.

Um, this is NOT European soccer...

 

[Kibitzer]

I abstain. All my hatred emotion is used up on those SOB's in the Mideast waving black flags and blowing innocents up. None left for mere domestic basketball programs.

 

[HoopsFan21]

I don't hate any of them. I just LOVE me some Huskies. And in just loving the Huskies so much makes it seem like I hate all others.

Same here. Don't hate any schools or teams. You have to respect all student-athletes for the hard work, dedication, and commitment required to play while getting an education regardless of what colors they wear.