#1 Basketball (& other sports) Rival

Submitted by PB-J Time on

This has been something that I have been thinking about for awhile and only seen brushed over in debate on the MGoBoard. I mentioned it as a discussion thread and was encouraged to post.

We all know who our #1 football rival is. There is an actual debate about whether MSU is a football rival (IMO yes). However, who do you consider to be our #1 rival in basketball? If you'd like to include hockey and other sports I'd be happy to see this included. 

Basketball- In my opinion, I see MSU as at least as strong of rival as OSU in Bball. When we were going through our well documented strugles in Bball one of the considerations was how poorly we played and how seldomly we won against Sparty. Also, MSU has had consistent success over the past decade and recently their championships/Final Four are something to aspire to.

Hockey- To me this isn't as close. MSU is the biggest rival. This is who we played at Michigan Stadium, this is the important one as hockey is (IMO) more important in the state of Michigan than further south (yes, even 1 state further south)

Soccer- Heck, we have a rivalry trophy win 1 team and 1 team only

Lacrosse- Varsity for too short of time. Athletic departments trying to start one with OSU & PSU  (Creator's Trophy)

Softball- thoughts?

I must add the disclaimer that I grew up in SE Michigan and my high school was the #1 feeder school to MSU, so this changes how I see the rivalry (also my roomate after undergrad was a MSU alum). 

Last thought, those of you who say beating MSU in Bball isn't important, you will be remembered for joyous/butthurt reaction to outcome of tomorrows game. 

Needs

February 11th, 2013 at 5:27 PM ^

Yep, it's definitely MSU. I don't even really consider Ohio State a basketball rival. We haven't regularly been good at the same time (this is the first time since the fab five vs. Jimmy Jackson's teams), and when we have, the games haven't seemed particularly ill tempered. That game the other night was hard fought, but there wasn't really a bitter edge to it. 

Whereas there are a lot of bad feelings with MSU basketball, from Izzo running up the score, to Jalen and Ray Jackson (?) wiping their butts on the S after some particularly nasty taunting, to "we own Crisler," to GTFO my court, etc. 

profitgoblue

February 11th, 2013 at 4:53 PM ^

Basketball:  I'm from the Fab 5 era and live in NC so, for me, it will always be Duke.  (Plus, its more fun listing someone other than Sparty as the main rival, kind of like the football rivalry debate.)

 

justingoblue

February 11th, 2013 at 4:57 PM ^

but I'll go again. I think it's MSU in everything but football. Don't get me wrong, there's no love lost on my end for anything from Columbus, but I think the basketball series is better, the hockey rivalry isn't close, and everything else is probably more meaningful to beat the in-state, in-conference team.

ryanlove12

February 11th, 2013 at 4:57 PM ^

Our rival is Ohio. That's it. Msu thinks they are a rival and they hate us. That's on them not us. IMO, annoying somebody by living in close proximity does not make a rivalry.

justingoblue

February 11th, 2013 at 5:04 PM ^

especially hockey. Michigan-Michigan State is one of the best series in the country, separated by 20 games out of 289 and dating back 91 seasons. MSU is a tradition rich program with a lot of success in its history; OSU is a comparative newcomer with very little in the way of tradition or sustained success.

By way of numbers, Sparty has three national titles, nine Frozen Four appearances, two Hobey Baker (hockey Heisman) winners and has made the NCAA tournament 25 times in 70 seasons. OSU has no national titles, one Frozen Four, no Hobey Baker winners and six NCAA tournament apperances in 49 seasons.

Buck Killer

February 11th, 2013 at 5:05 PM ^

Always 1st is ohlio. Second to me is everyone in the big ten. I live in SEC country and they love SEC teams. The Florida vs Georgia game this year blew me away. It was crazy how nice the fans were to each other. They teased each other a little bit, but were great to each other after the game.

BraveWolverine730

February 11th, 2013 at 5:07 PM ^

In basketball (and any other sport that's not football), it's MSU and not even close. Anyone saying otherwise is just trying to annoy Spartans. Beating OSU is big in anything, but I agree with the above that there just isn't the same bad blood as there is with MSU. 

AtkinsDiet

February 11th, 2013 at 6:12 PM ^

That is absolutely absurd. They aren't in the conference and haven't been regularly scheduled for a while now.

Michigan fans do hate Duke, but so does the rest of the country.

FrankMurphy

February 11th, 2013 at 5:17 PM ^

It's MSU, hand down. We're in each other's backyard, we recruit against each other, and our basketball tradition is roughly comparable to theirs (their additional national championship and lack of major NCAA trouble under Izzo probably gives them an edge, but not a huge one). Considering Duke to be our biggest rival is just wishful thinking. Let's be honest: we're not on Duke's radar. 

Darth Wolverine

February 11th, 2013 at 5:42 PM ^

Clearly MSU is the biggest rival for basketball. Like someone else mentioned...it is Sparty for just about everything but football.

PB-J Time

February 11th, 2013 at 6:01 PM ^

Interesting. This is what I like to see or know: some of the other olympic sports that you wouldn't neccessarily think about.

I'm glad to see most see it the way I do that MSU is the primary rival for non-football sports and OSU is a secondary rival (what's interesting is that MSU is AT BEST a secondary rival for football)

AtkinsDiet

February 11th, 2013 at 6:09 PM ^

It's MSU and it's not even close in basketball. It's always your in-state rival unless there are special circumstances which is obviously the case in UM vs. OSU football.

OSU views UM as their top rival in everything because they are the only ambitious athletic department in the entire godforsaken state.

Avant's Hands

February 11th, 2013 at 6:19 PM ^

I agree that MSU is our biggest rival in both basketball and hockey, but they are not the conference team I hate the most in either sport. Wisconsin absolutely drives me batshit insane in basketball, and not just because of last week's game. And any sport that includes ND in our conference is not even up for debate on my part when it comes to most hated. I will never forgive them for the 08 Frozen Four, either. I thought that team was going to win the title.

Who do we have a trophy game with in soccer?

Heisman21

February 11th, 2013 at 7:11 PM ^

For me, Wisconsin in basketball. My hatred for them runs to the deepest levels because I live in Wisconsin... and they have dominated us in the last decade. That's the only reason I personally need.

philclar

February 11th, 2013 at 7:28 PM ^

People in East Lansing were super quiet/apathetic/humbled during football season, but now they can't stop trash talking about the UM basketball team. MSU is a basketball school

gwkrlghl

February 11th, 2013 at 7:35 PM ^

It's strange how Ohio and Notre Dame are such big rivals in football but not that much in anything else. It's always huge to beat OSU in basketball but I always see that as a big win over a conference favorite rather than a rivalry game.

MgoRayO3313

February 11th, 2013 at 10:14 PM ^

State is our biggest rival in hockey, soccer, and likely bball. Hockey seems fairly obvious. In state competition in a state that has long loved its hockey. Soccer, kinda the same deal, only not as entrenched in history. I would say state is our biggest rival in bball, but with some concessions. When I watched the fab five documentary I felt that ohio was a much more significant game. I think it fluctuates based on which program has had the upper hand in state. Since we have been down for 15+ years, it seems as though the in state rivalry has become more significant. Lots of factors play into this; proximity, recruits, bragging rights, etc. However, if Michigan continues to prove itself as a conference contender year in and year out, my guess would be that the rivalry with ohio will be rekindled. If you have hate in your heart, let it out. And no matter what I will always hate ohio and everything it stands for.

trueblueintexas

February 12th, 2013 at 1:50 AM ^

Basketball is tough because there is so much variance in the quality of teams over time. And when players used to stay for 3-4 years it really went in 2-3 year cycles. Some examples:
If you asked in the 70's it would have been Indiana without question. Michigan and Indiana played for league and national championships. In the first part of the 80's it was still Indiana. I can still remember arguments over who was better between Gary Grant/Glen Rice/Rumeal Robinson and Jay Edwards/Calbert Cheaney/Steve Alford. In the later part of the 80's it was Illinois. Remember the great flyin Illini teams?. In the early 90's it was Duke. What's also part of this is throughout all of these periods other teams also became mini rivals. Iowa had a little run with Marble, Gamble, Armstrong, and Earl. MSU had their run starting with Steve Smith and going through Cleaves and Peterson. OSU had their run with Jimmy Jackson. Purdue had theirs with Big Dog and Counzo Martin up through the Robby Hummel teams. Remember Manny Harris and the elbow swings? Even Minnesota was a rival for a few years in the late 80's/early 90's with Willie Burton and Voshon Leanord led teams. Series would heat up for a few years and then players would graduate and a different series would heat up. I remember many years where beating MSU was nice but it was not the be all end all of the season. The other issue with basketball is the regular season is one component, but the tournament is what really matters. In the early 90's most Michigan fans only wanted to beat UNC because they knocked Michigan out of the tournament 2 or 3 years in a row.