In praise of local rivalries
I understand the pecking order in college basketball and the need for UC to make as much money as it can off its home basketball games. And yes, it’s rare for a Big East team to play a road game at a MAC school like Miami. I get all that.
But I still believe there’s value in local rivalries. I still want UC to play Miami on a regular basis. Maybe I’m just an old-school traditionalist, or maybe I’m just old, but I don’t think I’m alone in this. I believe that college basketball fans in this area want to see UC play more local teams than just Xavier. Am I right? Do local fans care about these games? Or is it just me?
I’m not saying that UC has to play Miami every year, but there should be some way for that game to happen occasionally. Maybe UC offers a little more money on its guarantee and Miami settles for a little less and they face each other every two or three years.
And it’s not just the Miami game. There’s so much quality college basketball around here, so many opportunities for games that fans would love to see but that never happen. Ohio State and Kentucky won’t play UC, which will play Miami only at home and now won’t play Dayton at all.
It’s a shame.
posted by bill koch at 12:23 PM
27 Comments:
at 12:56 PM 
CanMickCoach? said...
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Unknown said...
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Cheviot Sports Authority said...
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Thad said...
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Unknown said...
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bearcat428 said...
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JB said...
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rob said...
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'WLMNMW' Prez said...
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kylemack said...
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kyucat said...
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RDJ said...
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BearcatTom said...
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MsUC said...
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Ironmike said...
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bearcat1984 said...
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CanMickCoach? said...
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cincinnatisportsfanatic said...
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Thad said...
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'WLMNMW' Prez said...
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Thad said...
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Post a Comment*you are dead on. it is a shame that a few extra dollars saved and a switch to east-west podunk U on the schedule takes precedence over Miami U.
This must be part of the big east experience.
I totally agree with you, Bill.
None of these games would hurt any of the RPI's.
I would love to see a S.Ohio Christmas Tournament. Annually would be good, but every other year would work.
Can you imagine: OSU, UC, XU, OU, Dayton, WS, Miami....it would be so great.
I'd definitely pay to see it.
I would rather have a rivalry with OSU or Kentucky or Indiana, not Miami , Xavier or Dayton. The fact is that UC is in the BEast and doesn't have to meet all the demands that smaller schools may have.
Why should UC care about playing Miami at home? Now they can add another game with a real fan interest, you know somebody like Coastal Carolina AT&T or Bethesda State.
ST CSA
Hey CSA,
What was UC's Strength of Schedule last year?
The separation in college athletics is becoming more obvious between the "haves" and "have nots". Most of this is determined by what the BCS has done to division 1 football. Teams will not schedule unless certain conditions are met to protect the big boys (the haves). College basketball is following the same scenario. Since UC is now in a "haves conference" they've got to play by the same rules as the rest of their "haves' buddies.
This is going on every where. Dayton won't play Wright State for the same reasons. That is just one example and I'm sure there are others all over the country.
all those people that want the rivalry to continue should have gone to the game.
I would rather see Miami & Dayton than some team that I have never heard of.
UC and Miami fans never supported the "rivalry" therefore the cancellation of the game. Why continue a "rivalry" when there is no real interest by the fans on either side. Charlie Coles is a good guy. Mick Cronin is a good guy. The game is a dud, and I've been to all the duds on the riverfront.
So you would rather go to Dayton or Miami every other year?
Rivalries seem to create a certain level of interest that isn't found otherwise. More important though is having a BB team that schools do not want to play because of the team's ability and not the amount of payoff involved.
Really, how many of us REALLY care about playing Dayton or Miami? Or Big Girls State U that we lost to last season? What most of us want is a perennial 20+ win team and annual invites to the REAL tournament.
Bill there is no rivalry between UC and Miami. When was the last time Miami beat UC, 20 years ago?
UC needs buy games so go after other MAC teams or MVC teams. The one bad thing about not playing Miami is that
even when UC has been really bad, the last 2 years, it was an automatic win for UC.
UC should play Miami and Dayton when Ohio State & Kentucky plays UC
I always followed the rivalry, and went to the games, but I'm an alumni of both schools. I always thought it was a good rivalry between the two schools in both football and basketball. There are always a lot of GCL guys on both football squads, and area guys on the basketball squads. The games give us local guys to get a chance to see names we've followed for years playing against each other again. It saddens me that this might not happen anymore.
"UC...now won’t play Dayton at all."
Bill - what information are you basing this on?
Fans vote their preferences by buying tickets. The UC/X game is the only consistant local rivalry sellout. And that game is a regional broadcast not national, since UC's downfall.
I agree, Bill. I chuckle when I hear people at UC talk like they are just too good for their neighborhood.
They look silly - they don't fill their own building.
Perhaps they need to feel superior to someone since they have been treated like scum by OSU and KY for years.
This program isn't Duke.
Think of the best rivalries of all time.
BoSox-Yanks
Mich-OSU
They are in the same conference. Miami is not a rival.
it seems to me that the feelings of schools have changed from hopnling to beat their rivals to hoping to avoid them as to not have a blemish on a postseason resume. Just play the games, its much worse in college football.
Few people were going to the UC-Miami game. It's not much of a rivalry anymore. UC pounds Miami most of the time, other times squeaks by, but mostly just wins. Almost 20 straight years? No wonder no one is excited about this game.
Unfortunately, UC cannot afford to put itself at a disadvantage versus its peers.
We don't play Oberlin or Kenyon College anymore either. The world is dynamic, not static. Things change.
And I agree that an Ohio Classic would be a great tournament, but don't hold your breath. You won't see it before you die.
Honestly, I think you are off. The casual fan, the guy who will attend one maybe two games a season, probably is the same guy who loves the local rivalries. Personally, the avid Bearcat fan, does not want to play a garbage MAC school, nor do they care if we play dayton. Dayton is its own little world up there, and i dont think you can call it a local rivalry. On the other hand, Local (by bill's definition)rivalries such as OSU, UK, UoL...are ligitimate basketball programs, with highly competitive programs. It does nothing for a team to play non competitive games.
So i guess if you like walks in the park, spending saturday morning at the coffee shop, or watching dog shows on TV, the local rivalry thing sounds about right for you.
It will be interesting to see which team is selected to replace Miami U.
I wonder if the infusion of new admins in the department makes the longstanding series less relevant. they are nickle and dimeing everyone to death now.
For what it's worth, I actually attended Miami University and have also been a UC fan since the early nineties (before attending MU). I understand and agreed with the point of getting the RPI up and not simply playing a team each year since it is a local school.
With that said, my view on the best way to settle this would be the idea of an every other year Southern Ohio tourney that pits Columbus on down against each other (about eight teams)...unfortunately, it would have to be a random bracket, since it is too early for seeding and there isn't enough time to have each team play every other team.
I don't much care about the game itself but when i think of Miami i think of Charlie Coles. This may be the last year we could play him due to his fast declining health. He said he will coach til his health totally fails him, which sadly may not be much longer.
Miami is NOT a rival to UC. Louisville is a rival. UC crushes miami year in and year out in front of diminishing crowds.
Until, if and when, both UC and Miami have good coaches and good teams again, do you really believe that anyone really cares about the UC - Miami "rivalry"? If that day ever comes again, then maybe. If it doesn't, then we can keep playing Coastal West Carolina Intramural All Stars and Big Girl State University. Who cares?
Prez,
According to the attendance of the last 3 years of the Miami UC game, NO, nobody cares.
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