(05-03-2017 07:27 AM)TopperCard Wrote: Football:
1. Kentucky
2. Cincinnati
3. Formerly West Virginia, but accepting offers.
Basketball:
1. Kentucky
2. Cincinnati
3. Memphis
Historically, this nails it.
But for Card fans under the age of 35, they won't truly understand the
Memphis hatred. It is palpable, the older you go. And they REALLY DESPISE US. An open switchblade was thrown at Denny Crum in the old Mid-South Coliseum. Denny was actually hit by a quarter in the forehead in another game there, which drew blood. Surprising to see Memphis fans part with that much money, but that's just how much they hate us. The last big event in that series, was in the CUSA championship, in Memphis, with Calipari as their coach, and Darius Washington choking away a win at the free throw line (never mind his travel before the shot). It was a beautiful moment to watch in person, and reminisce about today ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AA13mfhVMsY I'll never forget the feelings of schadenfreude, as we left Memphis, listening to the post game call in shows after this game. An hour of pure joy, as the callers bemoaned losing like that, their only shot at getting in the NCAA tourney, while beating their huge rival, in our last year in CUSA, as we were leaving for the Big East the next year.
It is much more of a rivalry than with Cincinnati. But distance, and longevity, in both football and basketball elevate Cincy above Memphis.
Marquette an Louisville had something going while in CUSA and the Big East. Both school winning at the buzzer several times. Marquette Coach Mike Deane losing his mind after one such win, running around the court at Freedom Hall, pumping his fists at all the Louisville fans, accelerated the feelings. But we didn't play long enough to truly develop the potential rivalry.
I'd say the same for
West Virginia, in football and hoops. The Big XII fight too enhanced feelings for a while. But we didn't play long enough to truly develop the hatred that started to grow between the fan bases.
The fan base is split on all others, really.
UConn was starting to grow, but then Pitino rattled off a bunch of wins against them, many by 25-30 points, so it became one sided. Randy Edsell's penchant for teaching his players to cheat during the game also wasn't enough to turn into full blown hatred.
Syracuse had many great games and could still develop into a solid rival. I think there is respect from our fan base to theirs, not sure about the other way but longevity in the series could develop into something. At least it feels like it could.
Wake Forest has become pretty annoying lately. Maybe that could turn into something.
Notre Dame hoops is pretty crazy. And while in the Big East, we seemed to always have to play Notre Dame for league titles in all the olympic sports. So it was a rival in some respect there. Our only meeting on the grid iron was a Louisville win. If we beat them enough, maybe they'll start to notice us, but I think it will take a while before they do so.
I think the ACC will find Louisville developing some rivalries in due course.