Who is SLU's rival?

[STL Hoops Insider]

???

[Majerus Magic]

Mizzou (if we played them), SIUC and Mo State.

It's private vs. public and whether people will like to admit it or not those rivalries will always be stronger than Xaiver, St. Joes or Dayton.

[slufanskip]

Mizzou (if we played them), SIUC and Mo State.

It's private vs. public and whether people will like to admit it or not those rivalries will always be stronger than Xaiver, St. Joes or Dayton.

Our biggest conference foe will become a bigger rival than SIU or MSU. Attendance at the 2 local games is rarely anything special

[powerballer]

Our biggest conference foe will become a bigger rival than SIU or MSU. Attendance at the 2 local games is rarely anything special

I hope we are not in the A10 long enough for that to happen. I don't think they have one.

[Taj79]

I would offer that we don't have one. Mizzou won't play us so we lose that state bragging rights perspective that is there with Louisville/Kentucky, Memphis/Tennessee, Wisconsin/Marquette or even Michigan/Michigan State. Some states don't have the natural division of one versus the other (Pennsylvania, New York, Alabama) and others have such varied competition (Ohio, Illinois, California) that it is hard to place one head-to-head rival distinction on one over the other.

From a regional perspective, I could see someone saying our rivals are Southern Illinois or Missouri State, or even expanding that to include a Bradley and/or a Creighton. That could also be expanded in the SIU/MoState comparison because we compete for the same players. But that, to me, is stretching it as someone noted that neither game is a must-see, get-me-a-ticket kind of event.

Rivals would then expand to conference and I think we had some nice ones in the Great Midwest and CUSA days. We could count Marquette, DePaul, even Louisville. But that would be us calling them rivals, I doubt they would reciprocate in kind. So then you go to the current conference and I can see Dayton and Xavier with old connections to Charlotte and some possible with St. Joe's and George Washington. But, much like the days of CUSA, those will wither on the vine because they are artificially invented by conference affiliation. Are not the old Marquette and DePaul days dead and gone in the CUSA post-mortem?

We don't have one, period.

[bluecrewprez]

In terms of A-10 rivals and from the stand point of which school causes the most uproar within the student section, I would say that Dayton would be our biggest rival. When we were in Dayton for the last road trip, I got a chance to talk to the president of their student section for a while and I was saying that we consider them pretty much our biggest rival...he said they had no idea, they consider Xavier theirs--obviously--and that they thought of us at the same level as Fordam or Charlotte. Either way, I think we need to stir something up with somebody in conference....maybe the Blue Crew could do something sort of mascot attack on Dayton or Missouri State or something....I bought a brand new Billiken blue Mazda3 that I could use as the getaway car....you wouldn't believe the trunk space!

[slu72]

In terms of A-10 rivals and from the stand point of which school causes the most uproar within the student section, I would say that Dayton would be our biggest rival. When we were in Dayton for the last road trip, I got a chance to talk to the president of their student section for a while and I was saying that we consider them pretty much our biggest rival...he said they had no idea, they consider Xavier theirs--obviously--and that they thought of us at the same level as Fordam or Charlotte. Either way, I think we need to stir something up with somebody in conference....maybe the Blue Crew could do something sort of mascot attack on Dayton or Missouri State or something....I bought a brand new Billiken blue Mazda3 that I could use as the getaway car....you wouldn't believe the trunk space!

The only game(s) I think would fall under the "you've got to get a ticket from a scalper" would be Mizzery or maybe Illinois. The few times we have played them in the past, they've drawn big crowds and lot's of excitement. Mizzery considers KU and Ill their main rivals and am sure we're not even on their rival radar. But Louisville had the same problem years back until they and KY agreed to meet every year. Why we can't reach the same deal with Mizzery is a mystery to me since it's such a money maker. And to add further insult to injury isn't the game with Ill held every year right in our soon to be vacated house?

[Tonka]

The only game(s) I think would fall under the "you've got to get a ticket from a scalper" would be Mizzery or maybe Illinois. The few times we have played them in the past, they've drawn big crowds and lot's of excitement. Mizzery considers KU and Ill their main rivals and am sure we're not even on their rival radar. But Louisville had the same problem years back until they and KY agreed to meet every year. Why we can't reach the same deal with Mizzery is a mystery to me since it's such a money maker. And to add further insult to injury isn't the game with Ill held every year right in our soon to be vacated house?

I would agree that we really don't have a true rival. We haven't played Illinois or Mizzou regularly to even remotely think they are to be considered. I think if we had to pick, I would say either MO State or SIUC. I think a true rivalry should be a team we play every year and as some have said, we will develop some in the A-10 especially as the program gets better.

Actually, as of today, our biggest rivalry is our self. We have been way too inconsistent as a team and I am expecting that to all change in the upcoming years.

[ACE]

MO State, SIU... Xavier and Dayton will begin to develop.

[jimbofive]

???

SIU, for me, I guess... The game at their "house" last year was very heated and we would have won if Lisch didn't get his arm snapped off because their players learned to backyard wrestle over twinkies and kool-aid® when they were kids. I think unless you have a close geographic situation with a school and a competitive home and home every year, it's pretty hard to have a true rival. Fighting over the conference championship every year would increase the angst. I think in '08 some other A-10 teams are going to start to hate us. And then it's on.

[brianstl]

MO State, SIU... Xavier and Dayton will begin to develop.

I agree with the group you listed Ace.

One to really watch is UMass. While it is not close at all regionally, every game we have ever played against them has been a great game. It goes all the way back to the A-10/CUSA challenge. If we keep on having games like that fans for both schools will start hating the other.

[STL Hoops Insider]

I would offer that we don't have one. Mizzou won't play us so we lose that state bragging rights perspective that is there with Louisville/Kentucky, Memphis/Tennessee, Wisconsin/Marquette or even Michigan/Michigan State. Some states don't have the natural division of one versus the other (Pennsylvania, New York, Alabama) and others have such varied competition (Ohio, Illinois, California) that it is hard to place one head-to-head rival distinction on one over the other.

From a regional perspective, I could see someone saying our rivals are Southern Illinois or Missouri State, or even expanding that to include a Bradley and/or a Creighton. That could also be expanded in the SIU/MoState comparison because we compete for the same players. But that, to me, is stretching it as someone noted that neither game is a must-see, get-me-a-ticket kind of event.

Rivals would then expand to conference and I think we had some nice ones in the Great Midwest and CUSA days. We could count Marquette, DePaul, even Louisville. But that would be us calling them rivals, I doubt they would reciprocate in kind. So then you go to the current conference and I can see Dayton and Xavier with old connections to Charlotte and some possible with St. Joe's and George Washington. But, much like the days of CUSA, those will wither on the vine because they are artificially invented by conference affiliation. Are not the old Marquette and DePaul days dead and gone in the CUSA post-mortem?

We don't have one, period.

You dont think Temple and St. Joes is a rivalry in Pennsylvania? Alabama vs Auburn in Alabama?

[Westy03]

Im just going to throw this one out there, how about UMASS. The last 3 games were very heated and came down to the last possesion. I feel that Ford will have great success there just like Majerus. The obvious ones are dayton and X

Edit: Brian you beat me to it

[brianstl]

Im just going to throw this one out there, how about UMASS. The last 3 games were very heated and came down to the last possesion. I feel that Ford will have great success there just like Majerus. The obvious ones are dayton and X

Edit: Brian you beat me to it

Glad I am not the only one feeling that way.

[powerballer]

I agree with the group you listed Ace.

One to really watch is UMass. While it is not close at all regionally, every game we have ever played against them has been a great game. It goes all the way back to the A-10/CUSA challenge. If we keep on having games like that fans for both schools will start hating the other.

Why does there have to be hate to be a rivalry? There is too much hate, anger and bickering on this board.

[sillybilly]

Personally, I think SIU or Mizzou.

However, if one would ask anyone from schools that we play, I'm sure not one would rank us as their biggest rivalry.

[Timmy]

I tend to agree with Sillybilly. In order to have a true rivalry, both sides must agree that it is indeed a rivalry. For example, the Cardinals play Kansas City as their "rivalry" match up in interleague play - does anyone outside of Kansas City pay attention to those games over say games with the Brewers or Padres?

As a Saluki fan living in St. Louis, I consider St. Louis University to be a rivalry game, but not to the extent of Creighton or Wichita State, or Illinois (if they'd ever play SIU.) It's a game that I expect SIU to win - hopefully that will change with the new leadership of the St. Louis University basketball program and we can begin to experience a true rivalry.

[ACE]

And playing SIU at home this year, I expect SLU to win this game, just like we did last time we played them at home in '06.

[Westy03]

we usually beat them at home and they usually beat us at their shed. Its pretty even the past 5-10 years, i could be wrong

[billiken_roy]

In order to have a true rivalry, both sides must agree that it is indeed a rivalry.

.....

As a Saluki fan living in St. Louis, I consider St. Louis University to be a rivalry game, but not to the extent of Creighton or Wichita State, or Illinois (if they'd ever play SIU.) It's a game that I expect SIU to win - hopefully that will change with the new leadership of the St. Louis University basketball program and we can begin to experience a true rivalry.

so why is illinois an siu rival? by your reasoning illinois doesnt consider siu a rival and hasnt played siu since when? that would be no different than slu fans saying mi$$ouri is a rival.

i am amused you "expect" siu to win the upcoming game when the truth is that over the last 15 years the series is a slight edge to slu and for the most part slu and siu trade wins every other year more or less with a couple of small streaks for each program.

[STLfan]

I agree with the people that said we don't have a real rival. I don't think there is any school out there with a fan base that when asked who they hate most would say SLU. Moving from conference to conference has probably hurt us in that regard. I'd like to see us schedule a long term agreement with someone like Creighton and play every year or even do a home and home every year during the non conference part of the schedule.

It would also help if we played Dayton and Xavier twice every year but for some reason the "leaders" of the A10 decided not to pair us up with X this year. Of course when the A10 eventually breaks up we will be in another conference again. I just don’t see it lasting long term as it is currently set up.

This is somewhat off topic but this subject got me thinking about it again as I was writing the above.

Every now and then I wonder if we wouldn't be better off forming a new conference our selves instead of reacting to others or waiting around to see if the BE is going to implode or not. If you took Creighton, Dayton, Saint Louis, and Xavier you would have the start of a very solid league. Add maybe Bradley and Butler to get to six then we would just need to find two or three more private schools in that general geographic area that care about Basketball.

[brianstl]

I agree with the people that said we don't have a real rival. I don't think there is any school out there with a fan base that when asked who they hate most would say SLU. Moving from conference to conference has probably hurt us in that regard. I'd like to see us schedule a long term agreement with someone like Creighton and play every year or even do a home and home every year during the non conference part of the schedule.

It would also help if we played Dayton and Xavier twice every year but for some reason the "leaders" of the A10 decided not to pair us up with X this year. Of course when the A10 eventually breaks up we will be in another conference again. I just don’t see it lasting long term as it is currently set up.

This is somewhat off topic but this subject got me thinking about it again as I was writing the above.

Every now and then I wonder if we wouldn't be better off forming a new conference our selves instead of reacting to others or waiting around to see if the BE is going to implode or not. If you took Creighton, Dayton, Saint Louis, and Xavier you would have the start of a very solid league. Add maybe Bradley and Butler to get to six then we would just need to find two or three more private schools in that general geographic area that care about Basketball.

It is pretty easy to get at least part of SIUC's fan base to hate a small portion of Billiken Nation.

[Timmy]

so why is illinois an siu rival? by your reasoning illinois doesnt consider siu a rival and hasnt played siu since when? that would be no different than slu fans saying mi$$ouri is a rival.

i am amused you "expect" siu to win the upcoming game when the truth is that over the last 15 years the series is a slight edge to slu and for the most part slu and siu trade wins every other year more or less with a couple of small streaks for each program.

Glad that I could amuse you BR. Hopefully you won't be as grouchy and crabby as you normally are for the rest of the evening. Just because the series is close doesn't mean that I don't expect to win the game. IMO SIU is a better program than St. Louis right now - I sense that St. Louis is going to raise itself to the Salukis level in the near future - which is good for both programs.

I tend to agree with you regarding Illinois as an SIU rival. They are far too high and mighty to think of little ol' SIU as a rival - the same way Missouri-Columbia thinks of St. Louis or Mo. St. I think what I was getting at there was the fact that SLU, MSU, and SIU would play MUC or UIC if given the opportunity but the "big boys" don't want to take the risk of being defeated by a "lesser" opponent.

[Timmy]

Creighton, Dayton, St. Louis, Xavier, Bradley, and Butler would form the core of a tremendous league. As much as I'd hate to see Bradley and Creighton leave the Valley that league would really be a monster and would get my attention as a college basketball fan.

[kevinfootes]

???

Since SLU doesn't play in a conference for very long, there are no real rivals. That's reflected in attendance. The closest thing might be SIUC or SMSU. Dayton and XU have potential.

I don't think you can have a rivalry with a team that you don't play at least once in awhile.