RE: Mr. Pot meet Mr. Kettle.....

[Keith Wedinger]

An annual OSU/UC would easily become the 2nd biggest game on the
schedule with regards to pregame hype.  The only game that would eclipse
it would be the Crosstown Shootout.  You have history ('61 and '62), bad
blood (recruiting of Flint and Butler), and a matchup of the two biggest
in state schools in the state.  The local newspapers and the local media
would have no trouble building up this game.

It would be awesome baby with a capital A.

J. Keith Wedinger
Bearcatnews.com
Sciotofootball.com


-----Original Message-----
From: address@hidden [mailto:address@hidden 
Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2003 2:37 PM
To: address@hidden
Subject: Re: [UC Basketball] Mr. Pot meet Mr. Kettle.....

I agree there might be interest in playing OSU in basketball and the
rotation you suggest would obviously be compelling but I doubt there is
as much interest in a UC/OSU basketball series as there is in the
football series (since OSU basketball is down and has been for some time
whereas UC basketball is up and has been for some time).  In all the
examples you give but one (Pitt vs. Penn St), the lesser program is
obviously willing to play the more highly successful program with lots
of fan interest.

This is not the case for UC vs. OSU in basketball...
now football is different case and hence all the interest...

With OSU being in the better conference and more universally followed
for all sports within the state, shellacking them for a few years would
be nice, but unless they become more successful in basketball, I believe
the fan interest would wane...

CD '96

"Shinkle, Randy" wrote:
> I respectfully disagree.  Let's try a few comparisons.  In a list of
top rivals that they really want to play and beat:
>   - where would Louisville fans rank Kentucky?
>   - where would Memphis fans rank Tennessee?
>   - where would Pittsburgh fans rank Penn State?
>   - where would Houston fans rank Texas?
>   - etc.
> A major state school makes for a powerful regional rival.  I admit
that the intensity wanes a bit when the state school is relatively weak
in a given sport (such as Penn State in basketball) but it's still
there.
> I'm also not inclined to believe that the "newness" would wear off
after a while (see again UofL vs. UK), but if that's a real concern,
perhaps this idea (from a post of mine after last year's OSU football
game) would be more acceptable ....
>     I can't imagine anyone who was at the game Saturday, from either
side,
>     thinking that it would be a bad idea to bring this game back to
PBS.  IMO,
>     the answer is obvious:  UC and Ohio State agree to return in 2008,
per the
>     reported option in the current contract, and every 4 years
thereafter.  In
>     the other even-numbered years, UC plays at Ohio State.  Both
schools can
>     tell every recruit that they'll play in PBS during their
eligibility, and
>     UC recruits can also expect to play at OSU while they're at UC.
>
>     I think UC can play another game at PBS sometime during the years
between
>     OSU games, but it needs to be one that generates similar
excitement.  To do
>     that, it has to be a school that sees value in giving up a home
game to
>     bring their team to the Cincinnati market and will bring lots of
their
>     fans, who will look at UC as at least a potential rival.  Very few
schools
>     fit that description; in fact, IMO, only one.  I don't think
Michigan,
>     Notre Dame or Tennessee would come here, and the only school that
could
>     generate enough "buzz" (assuming they start winning more) is UK.
>
>     There's a bigger picture here.  UC has two local rivals:  Miami in
football
>     and Xavier in basketball.  They also have a great nearby
conference rival
>     in Louisville.  What UC doesn't have are a couple of big regional
rivals to
>     add to the interest level.  Enter OSU and UK, in both football
*and*
>     basketball.  Imagine the following:
>
>     2006:  UC at OSU (football) -- UK at UC (basketball)
>     2007:  OSU at UC (basketball) -- UC at UK (football)
>     2008:  UC vs. OSU at PBS (football) -- UC at UK (basketball)
>     2009:  UC at OSU (basketball) -- UC vs. UK at PBS (football)
>     2010:  (repeat the cycle)
>
>     Sure, it would be great to play both UK and OSU every year in
basketball,
>     but I'd be OK with the above, at least to get something started.
I'd even
>     agree to play the UC home basketball games at US Bank Arena and
let the UK
>     and OSU fans have a few thousand seats.  Building these regional
rivalries
>     would be worth it, IMO.
>
>     Now that UC and OSU have played competitive football games, and
given that
>     UK has also played UC recently and likes to bring their basketball
team to
>     Cincinnati, I don't see why this couldn't be sold to each schools'
athletic
>     departments.  What is the down side for anyone?
>
> This is not to say that I wouldn't like to see Indiana or Notre Dame
(or several others) on UC's schedule, but I don't think any of them
carry quite the clout of OSU, regardless of won-lost records (within
reason).
> Randy '78
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Brett Pappas [mailto:address@hidden
> > Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2003 1:36 PM
> > To: address@hidden
> > Subject: Re: [UC Basketball] Mr. Pot meet Mr. Kettle.....
> >
> >
> > I just don't get the need by UC fans to play OSU in basketball.. How

> > does this help UC?? Beating a team that is rarely ranked in the
polls?
> > Seriously, the only interest would be the fact that they haven't 
> > played each other in so long. After a few home and home games, who 
> > would really care about this game?
> >
> > Personally, I would rate Ohio State below a number of other local 
> > schools I would like to see:
> >
> > 1. Kentucky
> > 2. Xavier
> > 3. Indiana
> > 4. Louisville
> > 5. Notre Dame
> >
> > I guess I would base my criteria on local fan support for these 
> > schools, success over the last 5-10 years and proximity. I can't say

> > that I know of many OSU basketball fans around here.
> >
> > --Brett
> >
> > Keith Wedinger wrote:
> >
> > > Excellent points.  Trust me, there is no shortage of bad
> > blood between
> > > UC and OSU basketball fans.  It all started back when UC
> > knocked off OSU
> > > in '61 and '62 for back-2-back national championships.  It flared 
> > > up again when UC supposedly turned in OSU on recruiting violations 
> > > committed during the recruitment of Damon Flint who ended up at UC.
> > > This is just another chapter in the story.
> > >
> > > The one thing that bugs me is Ohio State's continued refusal
> > to play UC
> > > in basketball.  There is absolutely no reason why these two
> > teams should
> > > not play every year.  This would be a guaranteed sellout and
> > probably a
> > > guaranteed national TV game.  I know OSU likes to refer to itself 
> > > as "The" Ohio State University so maybe, OSU does not want to
> > take a chance
> > > on playing 2nd fiddle to the 2nd biggest state university in Ohio.
> > >
> > > J. Keith Wedinger
> > > Bearcatnews.com
> > > Sciotofootball.com
> > >
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: address@hidden [mailto:address@hidden
> > > Sent: Tuesday, August 12, 2003 1:02 PM
> > > To: address@hidden
> > > Subject: [UC Basketball] Mr. Pot meet Mr. Kettle.....
> > >
> > > When UC fans bash Ohio State because of what a recruit said
> > about their
> > > school aren't you doing the same thing?  We can bad mouth OSU all 
> > > we want over the Clarrett ordeal, but I think we should be
> > carefull what we
> > > say first.
> > > Cincinnat players are by no means "saints" and when an
> > Athletic Director
> > > goes on record as saying "misdemeanor means nothing to me
> > anymore" that
> > > speaks volumes about what a person has had to tolerate and deal 
> > > with since he has been there.  I am not bashing Cincinnati, but I
> > don't think
> > > this should give UC fans a chance to take shots at Ohio State.  
> > > Jamar has said those things not Jim O'brien or Jim Tressel.  If 
> > > your upset because OSU continued to recruit the kid after said he 
> > > was
> > coming to UC
> > > fine, but like Mike Ryan said it isn't official until they sign in 
> > > November.  Jamar should not have committed that early
> > anyway, but I can
> > > understand why you are bitter believe me.  The same thing
> > just happened
> > > to us in February with two recruits in football and it's not a good

> > > feeling.-joey