RIP Crosstown Shootout

At the time I am writing this we are only 2 days from our annual match-up with UC and the lack of chatter on the board is alarming.

All of the media outlets have written their stories about the Shootout and its tenuous status and I saw it as a non-story, until now. We might as well be playing Fordham this weekend.

This is why I am now of the opinion that college basketball's best rivalry has dwindled and died. There have been many factors that have lead to the death of this once nationally spotlighted game and the end is here.

I won't be surprised to see this game left off our schedule next year and I'm not sure how much the fans on either side will care, or if they'll notice.

They won't stop playing it, but it's not the same. UC is not consistently highly ranked anymore, and Xavier is no longer an emerging program. The story lines that made the game intriguing on a national level aren't there anymore. I still think it's a good rivalry, but the atmosphere around it has changed.

It's actually an important game this year. Xavier needs a notable win away from home if they want to stimulate their season, and although UC has won all their games, their next notable win will be their first. I know they beat NC State, but I'm not that big on them. I don't think it will end up meaning all that much.

XUBREW -

FYI...UC lost on the road at New Mexico a week or so ago. They are no longer undefeated this season.

fUCk

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Originally Posted by xubrew

They won't stop playing it, but it's not the same. UC is not consistently highly ranked anymore, and Xavier is no longer an emerging program. The story lines that made the game intriguing on a national level aren't there anymore. I still think it's a good rivalry, but the atmosphere around it has changed.

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That is a very good point.

I posted it another thread but I believe this game should be moved back to the middle of the conference season. Right now college basketball as a whole is getting swallowed up by pro and college football talk. In February, it would be the talk of the town for the week with no other pro sports going on. You could possibly move it to ESPN's "rivalry" week when Duke plays UNC, Florida plays Kentucky, and UC used to play Louisville.

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Originally Posted by Burrcats

You could possibly move it to ESPN's "rivalry" week when Duke plays UNC, Florida plays Kentucky, and UC used to play Louisville.

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Those are all conference games. With 18 games on our conference schedule, we may have lost the flexibility to insert an OOC game in the middle.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lamont Sanford

XUBREW -

FYI...UC lost on the road at New Mexico a week or so ago. They are no longer undefeated this season.

fUCk

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I knew that. I actually watched the game. Brain fart.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Burrcats

That is a very good point.

I posted it another thread but I believe this game should be moved back to the middle of the conference season. Right now college basketball as a whole is getting swallowed up by pro and college football talk. In February, it would be the talk of the town for the week with no other pro sports going on. You could possibly move it to ESPN's "rivalry" week when Duke plays UNC, Florida plays Kentucky, and UC used to play Louisville.

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If you were at any level up to speed about the game and scheduling, you would know it was UC and Huggs who begged to schedule the game in December and NOT during conference play b/c the intensity of the game resulted in lack of focus for both teams when conference play resumed. Both UC and XU often would lose games after the Shootout to inferior opponents.

I was having the same problem honestly. Do yourself a watch a few youtube clips of the shootout. I feel much better and ready to roll.

My opinion on the Shootout?

Zip it up!!

Who cares......I don't care about playing sUCks anymore. I don't care if its good for the city....blah blah blah.
I want tourney wins. Playing sUCks is equivalent to playing Alabama and Wake Forest...the next 2 games on the schedule.
Get rid of it. The few sUCks fans that remain are obnoxious about their non-existence on the national stage.