Random MBB Question: How come we don't play ND every year?
Chicken jokes aside, and I'm sure WD is going to share some notes on every meeting...but why don't we play ND in basketball every year?
It makes too much sense to be honest.
Is there some history behind it? Why not play one game each year?
At least set it up some you play Home, then Away, then 2 years off, then repeat. That way every kid gets to play ND.
I think that's a fair compromise for those who want diversity in the schedule - which I understand. So you'd get ND for two years and then each team could schedule a home and home with another team in the "off" two years.
They're chicken......
March 15th, 2015 at 12:10 PM ^
Their non-conference schedules are pathetic. They haven't played a single one on the road for 3 years.
cause 'fuck notre dame'
that could be one reason.
jdon
...this is not one of those.
Fuck Notre Dame indeed.
March 15th, 2015 at 11:23 AM ^
March 15th, 2015 at 11:44 AM ^
He is not my type, does he have a sister?
We have a rivalry with Notre Dame football. We don't have any history with their basketball team. I don't think there is any team we play every year in basketball. The closest we ever came to that in recent history was Duke basketball in the 1990s.
Wasn't comparing it to football, more as a rivalry between two universities. Football, hockey, soccer...and just the school's themselves due to location, academic prestige, etc.
I think it makes a ton of sense to play them every year in basketball. It's just one date, it really doesn't matter how good either team is.
We have a football rivalry. I don't even think the hockey teams play any more now that they are in different conferences. I don't think the universities share than much in common for a rivalry.
I would much rather see the Duke game return on a yearly basis. I don't really see any motiviation to play Notre Dame, and I would rather play a rotating cycle of good teams instead. I am sure we will draw ND in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge a fair amount over time.
It will be hard to get Duke. How about some other ACC team like Maryland?
Wait, what?
March 15th, 2015 at 10:46 AM ^
we will play them then, but for me it isn't even an issue if we should play them or not; Notre Dame as a sports 'rivalry' is dead to me. If we never played them again I wouldn't even care. There was just too much animosity, too much hurt feelings and wounded pride; it seemed best we part ways.
I agree - while "rivalry" might be wrong word I'd argue there is too special of a dynamic between the two schools to ignore. Fans of both sides get very juiced up talking about each other's schools. I despise that Michigan doesn't play ND in football anymore but it is more than that.
The fun part is that the schools are comparable, yet so, so, so different. Share the same region, both nationally regarded U's, both produce successful graduates, both have wealthy student/alum demographics (trying to contrast to OSU/MSU). These similarities ground us, but each staunchly holds on to the differences as badges of honor:
- Public school vs. private school
- Secular vs. catholic (not to mention M's jewish influence)
- Quintessential college town vs. south fucking bend
- Tailgating at house parties vs. parking lots
- Greek life vs. dorm life
- M's grad-studies lean vs. ND's undergrad focus
- Progressive vs. conservative
I feel like I could go on but there is a huge cultural rivalry between the schools that to me, is the most fun part about it. In football, this was one game where almost every sutdent knew someone at the other school and could make the trip. It was an early season game with great weather, and for us with ties to Chicago and West Michigan this game meant a lot.
I'd enjoy the hell out of an M-ND matchup in any sport. Having said that, to hell with them.
March 15th, 2015 at 10:07 AM ^
March 15th, 2015 at 12:25 PM ^
I guess we are both entitled to our own opinion, but I couldn't disagree more. Besides football and proximity, Michigan and Notre Dame have little in common. And in terms of academic arrogance nationally, Michigan and Notre Dame aren't even in the top ten. Regionally, I can see MSU or OSU alums calling Michigan alums arrogant, but how often do you see Michigan comparing itself academically to Notre Dame? When people refer to Michigan and Notre Dame being arrogant nationally, they are talking about their football programs.
March 15th, 2015 at 12:49 PM ^
That is a pretty generic comparison that could apply to hundreds of schools. That just as easily could have been the comparison between Wisconsin and Notre Dame. The only real historic link between Michigan and Notre Dame is their football history and tradition. If Notre Dame football didn't exist, Michigan fans would care as much about Notre Dame as Vanderbilt or Wake Forest.
And I wouldn't call Greek life a defining characteristic of Michigan, especially compared to other universities with a Greek system.
I appreciate your perspective but I think you missed the part where I spoke about the similarities - those are what truly make the relationship between M-ND unique and the stark differences make it polarizing for those on each side.
You can't compare ND-Wisconsin, ND-IU, ND-Purdue, whatever because those schools have almost nothing in common with ND in the first place. In our case, the similarities magnify the differences.
I'd say that gives them something important in common and likely makes them more natural rivals.
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There are a number of schools who are not in the same conference who still play every year. Georgetown and Syracuse just committed to continue their rivalry despite the schools being in two seperate leagues.
Just a thought...it's not like playing ND instead of SMU is hurting anything. I'm not suggesting we call it our marquee game like we've had with Duke, Arizona, etc.
Just a one off game in December sometime. Could be fun, who knows.
That's not the same as trying to start a rivalry.
You know it takes both sides to schedule games. Look at ND's recent schedules..They play one game in the Crossroads Classic and that's it. They're not interested in playing Michigan or any other high major opponent.
How come we don't is terrible grammar.
March 15th, 2015 at 11:32 AM ^
you must be new here?
"Irony" isn't just the opposite of "wrinkly."
March 15th, 2015 at 10:59 AM ^
March 15th, 2015 at 11:57 AM ^
So is failure to use quotation marks when quoting something.
I feel like most times we see big name opponents is early season tournaments and it just hasn't shaped up to pin the two schools against each other.
March 15th, 2015 at 10:52 AM ^
They had some relevance in the 70s. They made it to several sweet 16s and even one final four, but that's a long time ago now, and they haven't really done anything to be nationally relevant since.
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I don't think it's any real loss. But we'll always have Dion Harris...
Harris shot the game winner in South Bend the year before as well.
March 15th, 2015 at 12:00 PM ^
Oh my God I hate how old that broadcast looks. 2006 and it looks ancient.
Until the recent renovations, Crisler used to look like a dungeon. The lighting was awful and the place felt like it was stuck in the 70s.
March 15th, 2015 at 10:12 AM ^
Back in the late 60s and 70s, we did play them regularly in basketball. I also recall one year we played them in basketball and then a few months later played them in baseball. Why do I mention thatt? Because the starting pitchers were both basketball players: Bob Arnzen, who later played in the ABA and NBA, and Dan Fife, who later played in MLB. As I recall the game, neither pitcher made it past the fourth inning.
March 15th, 2015 at 10:19 AM ^
too bad we laid an egg after saying that
March 15th, 2015 at 10:28 AM ^
March 15th, 2015 at 10:54 AM ^
ND wanted nothing to do with the Big Ten years ago, They just wanted the money from playing a couple of schools. If I was BT comish i wouldn't schedule any contests with ND.
March 15th, 2015 at 11:04 AM ^
March 15th, 2015 at 11:10 AM ^
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March 15th, 2015 at 11:12 AM ^
It's probably scheduling conflicts coupled with the fact they have been historically pretty bad at basketball. I did look back, though, and Michigan has only played ND 9 times since 1980, which is the same number of times they'd played Airzona and Cleveland St. So it's not like either side has made it a major priority.
March 15th, 2015 at 11:13 AM ^