Who will become the Shockers new conference basketball rival?

[JKLshocker]

I went with SMU, primarily because of the history between Marshall and Jankovich.

[shockerfan]

Yeah I went with SMU also. Mostly cause I live down here now lol.

I also think that there will likely end up being geography rivals and possibly competitive rivals. Time will tell. Unless all the competitive rivals happen to be closer geography lol.

[wsushox1]

I think you guys are overestimating the Tulsa factor. If they aren't good, they aren't going to be WSU's rival - even if they are just down the road from Wichita.

[shocks02]

I voted for UCONN because they seem easy to hate.

[Aargh]

I'm seeing an easy way for WSU and UConn fans to REALLY dislike each other.

[ShoxRoxMySox]

It'll be whichever team has some weird occurrence vs us multiple times. Flying karate kick? Timer didn't start for a last second game winner? Coaching staff shove match? Whichever team happens to have those vs us, will find a delightful new rival.

[shock]

I'm seeing an easy way for WSU and UConn fans to REALLY dislike each other.

Kemba and Calhoun aren't walking through those doors. They are just an upgraded bradley. Glimmer of success, then back to obscurity. Going to take more than a decent womens team to make a rivalry with WSU.

[Aargh]

Kemba and Calhoun aren't walking through those doors. They are just an upgraded bradley. Glimmer of success, then back to obscurity. Going to take more than a decent womens team to make a rivalry with WSU.

Maybe UConn will be able to recruit better now that we're in their league.

See how easy this is?

[SHOCKvalue]

Kemba and Calhoun aren't walking through those doors. They are just an upgraded bradley. Glimmer of success, then back to obscurity. Going to take more than a decent womens team to make a rivalry with WSU.

Fishing with the big bait tonight, eh?

[shock]

Maybe UBonn will be able to recruit better now that we're in their league.

See how easy this is?

UConn is All About That Drake



They are going to hate us. This is going to be fun.

[shock]

Fishing with the big bait tonight, eh?

When I lived in Kansas, we had a rule of thumb when setting limb lines: The bigger the bait, the bigger the fish. We caught some BIG fish.

[1972Shocker]

I agree with @MoValley John:. You generally don't go about creating rivalries like an arranged wedding. Any rivalry will develop organically and naturally. Plus I think you can have more than one rival. Each rivalry might be a bit different and the rivalries from one sport to another will vary. Hopefully, the Shockers end up with a boatload of AAC rivalries across the full spectrum of all our sports programs.

BTW, Missouri State has been a rival in Baseball and Volleyball. Although the Shocks aren't holding up their end of things in baseball very well. The rivalry in Volleyball is about as competitive as you can get but without any animosity. In fact, Lambo and Melissa Stoke are very good friends.

[Ricardo del Rio]

I haven't posted on forever and spent today catching up on everything I could read. This probably isn't the right thread for most of it, but here goes.

Your "rivalry" either happens or it doesn't. In five years, it could be Tulsa, it could be UConn. It won't be USF. Maybe it will, but probably not.

Any long-standing hatred for Creighton, well that's over, too. You might want to hang onto it, but it's over. Creighton is in a place where they can't think about an out of conference school 300 miles away. And thankfully, now the Shockers are as well. Some off you might understand this right now, some won't, but with annual games against UConn, Memphis, Cincy, SMU, Houston and others, you have neither the time, nor the energy to devote to hating Creighton. Your life went from "We beat Evansville by 30, I freaking hate Creighton" to, "Boy, we barely got by Memphis, I hope we beat Cincy this Tuesday on ESPN!" You have no time for the silliness of hating a school you might never play. Even the most die hard Shockers only remember the Tulsa rivalry as something of ancient lore, the same will now happen with Creighton.

At least Missouri State isn't your rival. Part of my reading today included catching up on the Bears. Having gone through some real heartache, I've changed. I no longer laugh when I think of the Bears misfortunes, I genuinely feel sad for them. That said, they just cut their athletic budget and eliminated sports, but they still think that they are going to Big South? They are upset that you guys are moving up, and now think their best option is to simply move up to FBS football, like everybody wants them. Puzzling...

Let the rivals come to you, they will. Nothing will build a true rivalry faster and more intensely than graciously entering the AAC and winning the league by three games. Enjoy the ride, guys, you deserve it!

Edit......... I typed Big South, I should have typed Sun Belt. I'm rusty.

The Bars have been grazing on loco weed.

I look forward to the first game of the Bars v. Crimson Tide. Historic.

[Ricardo del Rio]

UConn is All About That Drake



They are going to hate us. This is going to be fun.

Where is the link for the Drake song? It is one of the all time great theatrical productions. Reminds of West Side Story and the Jets and Sharks.

[WstateU]

Where is the link for the Drake song? It is one of the all time great theatrical productions. Reminds of West Side Story and the Jets and Sharks.

Here you go brother...

http://youtu.be/3UrVD4MwQP4