http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketba...ll-rivalry

CINCINNATI -- Xavier and Cincinnati want to keep their annual basketball rivalry, but school officials haven't decided whether to play at a neutral site or return to campus after a brawl nearly sidelined the series.

Cincinnati athletic director Whit Babcock said in an interview Tuesday that the schools want to maintain the annual game, which is one of the city's sports highlights.

There was talk about ending the rivalry two years ago after a brawl erupted with 9.4 seconds left on Xavier's court. Four players from each team were suspended and video replays of the punching and shoving received national attention.

The game had alternated campuses each year, but it was moved to a downtown arena for two seasons after the brawl. Cincinnati won 60-45 last year in a game that was amicable. The schools will see how the game goes on Dec. 14 before deciding the site.

"Long-term, what we've talked about is certainly continuing to play the game," Babcock said. "Neither one of us has a desire to end that series.

"The big question is where the heck are you going to play, and that we haven't ironed out. We've left it at, `Hey, we want to see how this second year goes down there."

Babcock said the schools' presidents and trustees will be involved in the decision. The campuses are separated by only 2½ miles, and they've played each other 80 times.

The 2011 game on Xavier's court was called after the fight erupted with the Musketeers ahead 76-53. Last year, there were no hostilities or technical fouls in the first year at a downtown arena that seats 16,264. The crowd of 14,528 was nearly equally divided between Xavier and Cincinnati fans.

Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin said he liked how the atmosphere at the downtown arena was much less acrimonious on a neutral site. Xavier coach Chris Mack has said he'd like to see the game return to the campuses at some point.

"At the end of the day it's just a game, but it's a pretty darn important one for this city," Babcock said. "Right now we've just said, `Hey, in general we want to keep playing. We want to see the game this year and then we'll sit down and talk."

I wasn't at the game but saying the crowd was evenly split is ridiculous.

(11-19-2013 06:30 PM)RealDeal Wrote:  I wasn't at the game but saying the crowd was evenly split is ridiculous.

Well, I was there, and I can confirm that statement is indeed ridiculous. No way an even split.

I love this rivalry

There was a even ticket distribution but not an equal amount of fans. Anybody wonder if its possible to move back to campus sites but use an even ticket distribution process that is separate from the season ticket package. To big problem will always be the student section at Xavier.

Quote:To big problem will always be the student section at Xavier.

Not to mention the Popes and the blue blobs and the blue ink tossing fans and "Phuque UC" chants. I NEVER want to return to that cathedral to anti-christs.

Remember Mick's dad was one who had paint thrown on him. Mick does not want to ever go back to Cintas and I don't blame him. I think he's got enough respect with the AD and president that they won't put him in that position again..

The sad reality is that the nasty cintas atmosphere isn't some isolated thing. It has been going on there for years. I've been to a lot of away venues, some nasty. I've never been to one like cintas in terms of nastiness. I went in 2001 when we put a 20 pt beat down on them. Their fans were beyond the pale. It only got worse as UC piled on the pain. Stuff being throw, vile chants from not just the students but growned ass adults. The worst was their cheerleaders shoving the bearcat to the ground after the game because the bearcat had the nerve to walk across their stupid court. I saw a UC fan get tackled for having the audacity to let out a "U-C" as he walked out. I've never felt an intense nasty hatred like that. I hope we never agree to play those b@&ards at their place again.

We don't need that game if it means going to Cintas. The physical safety of the players and fans is of paramount importance. Game should be played downtown or not at all.

(11-19-2013 10:05 PM)vabearcat Wrote:  We don't need that game if it means going to Cintas. The physical safety of the players and fans is of paramount importance. Game should be played downtown or not at all.

Yep, we are not the only program who feels that way, so does Vandy and Purdue.

I was there for the fight and while I was sitting in the upper bleachers, I didn't notice any hostility extending beyond the student section. Obviously they were throwing paint and such, but the folks around me were pretty nice people. Personal experience however...

(11-19-2013 10:10 PM)SuperFlyBCat Wrote:  

(11-19-2013 10:05 PM)vabearcat Wrote:  We don't need that game if it means going to Cintas. The physical safety of the players and fans is of paramount importance. Game should be played downtown or not at all.

Yep, we are not the only program who feels that way, so does Vandy and Purdue.

^^^^^^
THIS.

And if X and Chris Mack can't deal with it, then too bad.

Besides, a neutral court only enhances the rivalry, not detracts from it. Not to mention that "rivalries" have been proven dispensable in modern collegiate athletics. UL-UC is coming to an end. Most of the other rivalries we bothered with in the Real BE have come to an end. New rivalries will spring up. It's life.

(11-19-2013 11:58 PM)BearcatJerry Wrote:  

(11-19-2013 10:10 PM)SuperFlyBCat Wrote:  

(11-19-2013 10:05 PM)vabearcat Wrote:  We don't need that game if it means going to Cintas. The physical safety of the players and fans is of paramount importance. Game should be played downtown or not at all.

Yep, we are not the only program who feels that way, so does Vandy and Purdue.

^^^^^^
THIS.

And if X and Chris Mack can't deal with it, then too bad.

Besides, a neutral court only enhances the rivalry, not detracts from it. Not to mention that "rivalries" have been proven dispensable in modern collegiate athletics. UL-UC is coming to an end. Most of the other rivalries we bothered with in the Real BE have come to an end. New rivalries will spring up. It's life.

Agree 100%. What happened that night was the culmination of years of bad behavior by their students and fans that even precedes Cintas. The brawl exposed crowd behavior that had gone unreported publicly for many years. My hope is UC never plays in Cintas again; I'm sure Vandy and Purdue won't either.

I feel very confident in saying Whit and Mick have zero interest in returning the series to campus. Their stance is we are more than willing to keep playing the game downtown but if thats not acceptable to you then too bad.

Of course they could get strong armed into a change but I hope that wouldnt happen.

UC doesnt have to play Norwood Prep anymore, college basketball is totally different now compared to 20-30 years ago. Everything is made for TV and the appeal was waning until the fight. UC would have no problem finding a suitable non-con replacement and could probably up their profile by getting in more of these one off events that have become the norm.

Downtown or cancel it.

My personal distaste for US Bank aside, I thought the game worked well downtown. x clearly wants the game back on campus so they can perpetuate the myth that they have passed UC as a program. Having the game downtown makes them face cold reality as they are soundly out drawn for their "superbowl".

I think we see it downtown or not at all as long as the current coaching staff and AD are here. That would be my stance as well. Maybe UC could play Louisville, Kentucky, IU, or someone else in neutral site game at the downtown arena. Place would be sellout equally if you bring in the right opponent. I still think they will play the game but its going to be downtown in the near future. With Xavier in the Big East, their home schedule got a nice little bump anyway.

Ya, neither team needs it nearly as bad as they used to. If Xavier is dug in against playing downtown, just forget about it.

The coaches, associate AD's, and even the senior Athletic Directors won't have anything to do with the decision. It's been hijacked and taken away from them. It's the university presidents and the board of trustees members. They'll have their own reasons for deciding, and they do not think the same way that people who actually coach and/or work in athletics think.

(11-20-2013 09:35 AM)3rd Wise Man Wrote:  The coaches, associate AD's, and even the senior Athletic Directors won't have anything to do with the decision. It's been hijacked and taken away from them. It's the university presidents and the board of trustees members. They'll have their own reasons for deciding, and they do not think the same way that people who actually coach and/or work in athletics think.

You're probably right, which makes it much more likely to continue (easy for them to want it generating money when they're nowhere near the chaos). I think it will get continued at USBank, but it's anybody's guess.

Anybody need a laugh?

http://www.xavierhoops.com/showthread.ph...car-Series

uc perspective, none of them want to come back to cintas.

I imagine they view it like we view UD arena. Fair maybe but ridiculous hyperbole. The moorehead state fan I sat next to the other night had nothing but great things to say about the atmosphere.

End of the day. They need this game more than us. Play us home and home or don't play us. We're in an elite conference now.
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There was a time when I would have hated to see the game discontinued. I love beating UC. Over the last 15 or so years, XU's program has become the better program and while UC can do well out of the AAC like they did out of the GMC and CUSA, they are now a mid major program with a coach that is no where near as good as Huggins. I would be okay if the series ended if XU replaces UC with a premier non conference annual game that would get us on national TV, like OSU, UK, Louisville or IU. Otherwise, I hope it is continued in the manner it was played for years successfully alternating on the program's on campus facilities.

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Common sense is the first casualty on Bearcat Banter.