(01-03-2013 06:55 PM)bmorex Wrote: (01-03-2013 06:25 PM)Captain Bearcat Wrote: And actually, I was more worried about the hate coming the other way. I have a friend in Xavier's athletic department who said that they're doing everything in their power to try to keep UC out of any conference they join. I really don't know where they get this hatred for UC, but it's definitely there. Curious coming from a Catholic institution.
Interesting that you've heard that. Everything that I have heard is that Mick Cronin hates playing us in basketball, and that the only reason why we're playing the Shootout down at US Bank is because that is the only way UC would agree to the game.
(Though, the whole "Catholic" thing is irrelevant. I think everyone knows that it's every man for himself in the realignment game.)
Most coaches hate playing rivalry games. It puts their jobs on the line. It doesn't help that Mick's octogenarian father (a longtime Lasalle high school basketball coach) got drinks thrown at him during the game last year. And there's some decent arguments for having it downtown:
1) less violent crowd
2) equal for both fanbases
3) easier access in & out
4) neighborhood is safer than Avondale or Clifton with 5) more after-game entertainment options,
6) most importantly, more money to both schools due to more seats, (much) higher prices, and they don't have to include the game in the season ticket package
However, it would be pretty ridiculous to make a conference decision based on one school that you dislike playing. Our AD and President are smart enough to know that (this is actually the first time in a long time that any school I like has had both a President and an AD that are both amazing at their jobs).
My Catholic comment was more about the hatred than not wanting UC in the conference. They truly
hate UC. You can see it in the eyes of my buddy who works at X whenever the topic comes up. As a Catholic myself, it's embarrassing to see fans of Catholic school act that way.