balancing the schedule

[Wally B]

A nice but slow day led me to a passing thought about our 2010 schedule and rivalries..... Granted 6 home games/year at the 411 is better than 4 at the bowl, but it does pose its' own scheduling difficulties. Clearly the wagon wheel game is going to be our consistent bread and butter..... but only every other year. Cant is and will remain our cheif rival no matter what happens with conference realignments in the next 100 years (rumor has Cant going independent to garner some of Notre Dames sweet indy cash in 2045!!! ). But beyond that who is our next rival?? Sure bad blood and close games spark intrest in the short term (thinking Muck Fiami from a few years back) but why not promote the brewing/ongoing rivalry we have w/ OHIO U?????The ingredients are all there! Recent bad blood in basketball! (close games and Bubba Walther ) Several close games and bad losses in football. And the Rowdies well traveling compliment... the OZone? (certainly better at board banter than the flushies anyway..... have sense of humor.... understand definition of rival.... etc... i digress...) (disclaimer for OU fans: any actions/thoughts of AirportKC)Now back to our football schedule, which is why i brought the subject of the kitties up. Currently their rotation appears to match the flushies, home w/ Cant = home w/ Ohio, away w/ Cant = away w/ Ohio (sans the templeEAST rotation which i believe has an Akron/Cant clause). However, push the secondary rivalry, switch their rotation and you with are left with a good drawing home game every year.... Cant home = Ohio away, Ohio home = Cant away! makes sense....probably won't happen..... thoughts...Clarification: to avoid confusion we're not looking for a second girlfirend (someone we have to take to dinner and listen to them whine about "the HILLS" just so we can play some football) We're pimpin for a second payday..... if you're on the dance floor and you look to your left and your right and there's not a woman in sight...you're NOT pimpin'

[g-mann17]

Wally, I had brought the "added rivalry" before. Everyone has a different opinion.Miami has been a thorn to a lot us for a while.Ohio is what Ohio is.I liked the idea of Buffalo because the "industrial city/urban campus" and the Rubber Bowl heartbreaker followed up by our denial of their Men's MAC Tournament Champs bid. I agree with you that pushing a rivalry makes for a better sell. It's just determining who and what stakes are on the line.Can't has always been about Northeast Ohio bragging rights. (recently there have been some basketball stakes on the line).I don't know that we have that with anyone else yet (2008-2009 with Buffalo, but one year does not make a rivalry). Miami maybe (basketball heartbreaker, Roethlisberger Miracle) years of high noses toward like we didn't belong.

[InTheZone]

I can tell you who the 2nd rival is for the players, at least in football.... The sweaters, without a doubt.HATE REDThat huge sign was always posted on the lockerroom wall during the Owens years, and Brookhart continued it. The defection of two Owens assistants to Miami in the 90's as well as one season (1996 maybe?) that we beat Miami at the bowl and they were so stuck up and embarrassed by it, they thought they were too good to come across the field and shake hands before making a beeline for the lockerroom (at least that's the story Owens told in the later years). Miami week was always the biggest week and the most focused preparation, outside of Can't State in both the Owens and Brookhart years. We'll see if Ianello continues this.

[g-mann17]

I can tell you who the 2nd rival is for the players, at least in football.... The sweaters, without a doubt.HATE REDThat huge sign was always posted on the lockerroom wall during the Owens years, and Brookhart continued it. The defection of two Owens assistants to Miami in the 90's as well as one season (1996 maybe?) that we beat Miami at the bowl and they were so stuck up and embarrassed by it, they thought they were too good to come across the field and shake hands before making a beeline for the lockerroom (at least that's the story Owens told in the later years). Miami week was always the biggest week and the most focused preparation, outside of Can't State in both the Owens and Brookhart years. We'll see if Ianello continues this.

I would love that as a shirt.(and yes I have disdain for the sweaters). Heck they don't even respect us enough to consider us a rival.

[Wally B]

Agreed, the sweaters should die like their fb program did...... FACT: It is against the law in Oxford,OH for a woman to undress in front of a picture of her boyfriend..... Problem for me is that i don't see/feel anything in b-ball and the redfans are just lacking....... period! While they are perhaps the only MAC team for which i take personal joy when lose (yes i'd cheer CANT if they beat the suckeyes, for the MAC of course) .... Ohio on the other hand is fun to banter w/ and i'm willing to make the trip from MD to see a game! It's more than just the players on the field/court, the added banter makes the college sports environment fun.... Don't like the rowdies, go to a HS game this is college sports. G-mann thanks for the comments.... Usually i'm one to pass these threads by, to be honest if you look at the last couple of years there have been some great games/opportunities it's all how you look at it i guess. For me i've decided to add Ohio to my list and hopefully others will join the cause or start their own (fb players running through a HATE RED banner?). Now that i've moved up from the Carolina's to MD i think i will make plans to scoot over to Penden in the fall in addition to my annual Cant trek! Hope to see the ZN there!