Who is our rival now?

[Doctor Hoop]

The truth is our rival is whatever national team is really good this year. We measure ourselves this year against Purdue, Arizona, Kansas, Kentucky, UNC, Marquette. Maybe Duke. Next year some of those teams might be different.

Within the league I went with 'Nova. Not because they're threatening, but because of the recency of their championships and the old Big East history, albeit under the old coach. They have the potential to get back to that level again, though might need to replace Neptune to do it. Marquette is a recent challenge, and is a rival. Just not the biggest one.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

UConn's rival is UConn

We set a standard and are competing against ourselves

I'm totally serious. I don't see any program that has done more with less.

We're not number 1 in recruiting. That's dook, Kentucky, UNC, Kansas, etc.

We're not in national power conference

This program is literally fighting itself to be better than the standard it set.

I read your first sentence and instantly thought, "Glad to see somebody agrees with me," but then I read your argument , which is actually pretty good, but not what I'd had in mind.

As fans who lack a true, current, sustained rivalry (at least by traditional measurements), we prefer to direct our negative energy toward each other. We do it here every day, on nearly every topic, only varying by the percentage distribution of opposing viewpoints, the variety of disagreements, and the depth of passion that goes into each of them.

 

[HuskyinWRNY]

Everyone wants a piece of us. Everyone is a rival

 

[superjohn]

Further, it's been absolutely dreadful for the basketball program. We haven't even won a title in 11 months.

Freescooter still hasn't recovered from it.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I hate Providence the same way I hate those tiny little dogs that yap at your heels so loudly and for so long that finally you just feel compelled to kick them like 20 yards.......

The thing is there was a lot more to Cooley's "Spoiled and arrogant" comment. When he said it he was still thinking as if he was one of them. They view us as arrogant because we don't believe that the two programs are equals. They view us as spoiled because somehow we were gifted titles that they know they can never achieve.

They don't believe we've earned them and they don't believe we are more successful. That (after continual, incessant badgering, similar to your tiny dog analogy) we do point out the difference between the two programs, somehow makes us arrogant. That we have something (our success) to point to as evidence that we are clearly the superior program makes us spoiled.

 

[MTBingNinja]

Everyone looking up

 

[NH Husky]

I would love to see St John’s pick things up. Call it a battle for NYC.

If the ACC falls apart, it would be cool to have a hybrid football/basketball conference like the old Big East adding Duke, Wake, GT, and our old conference rivals. Don’t try to compete with B1G or SEC football but catch the viewing audience of the northeast corridor.

 

[bluestreak]

My money is on St. Johns. You can feel something bubbling here. Pitino had Louisville become our 3rd biggest rival behind Cuse and Pitt. I can see St. Johns becoming our biggest rival in the Big East as long as he's there.

I was thinking this too. Also with the MSG battle for home court thing goin on. Adding to it.
I just don't know if Rick has enough years left in him unless he gets this team built back in the next two or three years. If the fans don't continue to come back he may call it a career.
I'm hoping he gets it going.

 

[JBG4]

Kind of surprised no one mentioned Cincy. The moment has probably passed at this point, but there was some bad blood back in the day between JC and Cronin, then during our AAC days it felt like they often got the better of us. Throw in the Jalen Adams buzzer beater and you have a lot of the ingredients there. They certainly would have been my answer if you had asked me 6 or 7 years ago...

 

[superjohn]

Kind of surprised no one mentioned Cincy. The moment has probably passed at this point, but there was some bad blood back in the day between JC and Cronin, then during our AAC days it felt like they often got the better of us. Throw in the Jalen Adams buzzer beater and you have a lot of the ingredients there. They certainly would have been my answer if you had asked me 6 or 7 years ago...

Oh god no. That was the worst part of being stuck in the AAC, some fans trying to make UConn Cincinnati a thing.

 

[PaulVentrales]

Kind of surprised no one mentioned Cincy. The moment has probably passed at this point, but there was some bad blood back in the day between JC and Cronin, then during our AAC days it felt like they often got the better of us. Throw in the Jalen Adams buzzer beater and you have a lot of the ingredients there. They certainly would have been my answer if you had asked me 6 or 7 years ago...

I was thinking this as well!

 

[MilliniumPrince]

Destiny

 

[mauconnfan]

If you read the threads you’d think Purdue and we probably won’t even play them

 

[Jaydumo20]

We will have a new rival after today. No matter the outcome.

 

[Jaydumo20]

We will have a new rival after today. No matter the outcome.

Damm. Ha

 

[Khal Drogo]

With Pitino and the fight for MSG, it will be St Johns

 

[WestHartHusk]

History

 

[Jaydumo20]

History

Good call

 

[biggieb1950]

Agreed. I feel Creighton has the most potential in the future if they remain competitive. But also think that if St. John's won one against us this year it would've been more heated, with the Pitino Hurley thing and the battle for MSG, etc. etc.

could become St John's because of Pitino, but only if he stays and doesn't leave because of more sanctions and indiscretions

 

[John]

could become St John's because of Pitino, but only if he stays and doesn't leave because of more sanctions and indiscretions

Or sunrise.

 

[jibsey]

St. John's played us better than Marquette must be because of Pitino's coaching.