Biggest Rivals

[hchoya]

I think you have to put ND above NOVA, too many recent classes games vs. ND, and they are Notre Dame they think they are better then everyone no matter what.

[mapei]

I think when you have ND-GU you have the two premiere Catholic universities in the country going against each other, which makes for a great rivalry. Some of the best rivalries are with schools you have the most in common with rather than those that are opposites (e.g., UMCP, WVU).

That said, 'cuse has to be at the top. And I think Marquette has real potential. But, honestly, St. Leo belongs on that list.

[Saxa71]

Syracuse is definitely #1. After that it depends upon who is hot.
St. John's is probably our oldest rival but they have been down for a while. The rivalry with Nova really is based on the the '85 game. If we could establish an ongoing series with Duke, that could really turn into something special.
If a rivalry is based on teams you love to hate then it would have to be ND and College Park Tech.


PS Bring back St.Leos

[lichoya68]

NOVA NOUGH SAID GO HOYAS ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[HoyaInsomniac]

1. Cuse - Bar none. Goes way back.
2. Nova - '85

After that, doesn't really matter much enough to call it a genuine rivalry. There's gotta be years of consistent history to make it a good one.

UConn, as a program, I greatly respect. They built up a strong team over the years and until very recently, have always been tough games, but they were games I enjoyed.
WVU and ND, I hate playing, especially at home, because their fans are so insufferable. But WVU was hanging out in the bottom of the conference just hoping to make the BET, and so my first years in college I saw them as a gimme win. ND has a history of showing up strong (4OT loss, anyone?) but they're streaky at best. SJU has been out of the running for years as well, although once they rebuild the program, they could be a force to be reckoned with. Maybe. As far as OOC games, we just don't play anyone often enough to make a true rivalry. Maybe if we continue playing Duke, that can build, but again, you need time to develop a history.

The last time we had a streak like this? '89, I think? Let's go Hoyas, keep it up!!

[2ndRyan]

When I moved to Philadelphia in the early 80's I drove Nova fans CRAZY when I said Georgetown's rivals in the Big East were St John's and Syracuse. Nova desperately wanted to think of themselves as competitive with us. Generally in the period 80 to 84 we beat them like a drum. I told them there's a Big Three in the Big East and you ain't in it. 85 changed all that.

I would put Nova behind Syracuse. I'd like to hope St John's would be back someday.

In 2003 I was down at the Practice Rounds of the Masters when the Championship game aired. I was the guest of some guys from upstate New York who while they weren't alumni, were on the Orange bandwagon because what the hell else do you do in Buffalo besides the Sabres. As the game was ending in a Syracuse triumph I excused myself. Even though I was there as their guest drinking their vodka and eating their steak I couldn't even pretend to share their joy. I guess my point is Syracuse for me is in a class by itself. I never wish them well. I believe somebody on this Board noted the Boehiem Exception. It's real for me.

[midsouthhoya]

Having attended Hoya games since the late 70s (and having been a lurker on this board for way too long!), I agree with the consensus 'Cuse-SJU-'Nova triumvirate of BE rivals. Of course, there have been classic confrontations with Providence and Seton Hall over the years (I'm still disgusted over a trip to Landover once when a poor Seton Hall team trounced a highly regarded G'town squad), and one could make a strong case for any of the original BE teams.

But I'm going to make a pitch for what is currently not a strong rivalry, but one which I hope gets rejuvenated even within the presently unwieldy BE. During the 80s, Depaul was a reliably nasty OOC foe. Granted, those were different times for the Blue Demons, but I always geared up for that annual contest, having a lot of respect for their teams (even if we generally managed to win). I admit, it's hard to imagine the Depaul-G'town game gaining the weightiness of a matchup with Syracuse, but it's exciting to think that the rivalry could take on new life.

I think one of the great promises of the current BE structure is that there are so many great teams (even if this year is downer for some) with which to build terrific rivalries. Already, Marquette-GU seems like it could develop into something legendary, and it's easy to imagine others. The only challenge is the lack of consistent home-home contests. But if the Hoyas can reestablish a regular appearance in the top of the BE, the conference tournament will take care of the rest.

[HealyHoya]

1. SUcks
2. St. Johns
3. 'Nova
4. Plotkin

[hoyadestroya]

1. Syracuse

All others just come and go. Living in Syracuse , I can tell you flat out there is no other they despise either.

That being said, I can't wait til Big Monday Feb. 26 !!!

[lichoya68]

NOVA FOLKS NOVA

[SirSaxa]

Cuse
Johnnies
Nova

Those are the top three.

More on SJU --
1. They may be down, but they have beaten us at MSG with regularity anyway!
2. Wishing they come back strong to be a real rival in the top 20 top 10 range... this is not a bad wish against a rival.

Why? because it is no fun to beat a team that sucks. The rivalry disappears. Beating a crappy Cuse team isn't nearly the rewarding feeling that beating a good Cuse team is.

I will add this though, I think there is more ill will between Cuse and GU than the others. When SJU was a really big rival in the 80s, they had Louie. He is such a well liked, good guy, and he and JT were such good pals, it took the edge off the rivalry. It was still a rivalry, but without the bitterness felt toward Cuse.

Look at it this way. Do the Army guys really hate Navy? Do they want Navy to lose every game in every sport? Do the Yalies really HATE the Harvard guys/gals? Or do they just want to win every game/match against each other?

One final word... the lack of consistent home and home games against fellow BE teams every year does NOT help the rivalries.

[Nevada Hoya]

1. Orange
2. Nova
3. St. Leo's

[PopeJohn2]

i dunno. i happen to think our biggest rival at the moment is florida. noah talks lots of smack about us.

[njcoach]

sirsaxa said:

Cuse
Johnnies
Nova

Those are the top three.

More on SJU --
1. They may be down, but they have beaten us at MSG with regularity anyway!
2. Wishing they come back strong to be a real rival in the top 20 top 10 range... this is not a bad wish against a rival.

Why? because it is no fun to beat a team that sucks. The rivalry disappears. Beating a crappy Cuse team isn't nearly the rewarding feeling that beating a good Cuse team is.

I will add this though, I think there is more ill will between Cuse and GU than the others. When SJU was a really big rival in the 80s, they had Louie. He is such a well liked, good guy, and he and JT were such good pals, it took the edge off the rivalry. It was still a rivalry, but without the bitterness felt toward Cuse.

Look at it this way. Do the Army guys really hate Navy? Do they want Navy to lose every game in every sport? Do the Yalies really HATE the Harvard guys/gals? Or do they just want to win every game/match against each other?

One final word... the lack of consistent home and home games against fellow BE teams every year does NOT help the rivalries.

Well said.

Duke? No way. I guarantee they don't think of Georgetown that way.

[aggypryd]

hoyaclap said:

Take Duke off that list. They have never been, nor will ever be our rivals until we face them 3 of 4 years in the Final Four and/or JT3 and Coach K get into a fist fight at an AAU Tournament while recruiting the number one prospect in the nation.

Now THAT'S how you start a rivalry!!!!

I'd pay good money if someone could kick WoJo in the xyphoid process!!!

[texanmark]

Cuse Fan here:

Most Cuse fans probably consider UConn the Number One rival lately (since the late 90s) but Georgetown is a close second. Georgetown was the unquestioned #1 rival up until Esherick coached your team into mediocrity.

After UConn/GTown...a big gap to Nova, Notre Dame and St Johns. Pitt, WVU after that. Louisville is up and coming.

The Cuse/Hoya game will be big coming up in a week or so.

[2ndRyan]

I dunno, texanmark I watched the CT-Syracuse game Saturday and it seemed to lack the spark of a Georgetown-Syracuse tiff. Perhaps it's the relative mediocrity of both teams this year.

I would suggest Georgetown's improvement may rekindle things for you.

[HeartAttackHoya]

One Georgetown win at the Carrier Dome followed by Jessie Sap puffing out his Jersey so that Cuse fans can read the name on his jersey should vault us past Conn..

[texanmark]

;D Both of you are correct...I think we just need another flash point to rekindle it.

We still had about 32, 500 for the UConn game--I know it was only the 25th biggest crowd ever but they still come out for UConn. Not sure what Big Monday will bring for G-town. I suspect if we win the students will rush the court though.

I think we'll see about 28k for Georgetown. Monday night games hurt the crowd.

[IlladelpHoya]

People talking about St. Johns as one of our biggest rivals need to put their walkers aside and sit down. I get as excited about playing St. Johns these days as I do about playing Navy. (Except Navy has some fans). History is important in determining top rivals, clearly, but so is relevancy. Iona is more relevant in CBB today than St. Johns. So. Top 5.

1. Cuse
2. Nova
3. WVU
4. ND
5. UConn
6. Maryland (honorary - here for recruiting purposes)