Elite Eight: RJDUB vs. Badgerdiver

Shuless Joe

Reputation:99
Level:Superstar
Since:Aug 30, 2007

March 28, 2008 5:10 pm

Score: 92

The Elite Eight. To make it this far, all of our remaining competitors have shown themselves to be among the most knowledgeable, passionate and creative college basketball fans in the community.

Grading has become increasingly difficult, so in this round, we tried to find a question that would be a true test for the eight users still alive on the bracket. The question: What thing (or things) do you admire most about your team’s most-hated rival?

You will once again have a maximum of 250 words for your essays. Deadline will be 5 p.m. ET on Sunday, March 30. That’s only 48 hours away...so get your submissions in soon!

Great job to everyone who has made it this far. Good luck in the Elite Eight!

Let the voting, posting an Mayhem begin!

	RJDUB (Vanderbilt)
	Badgerdiver (Wisconsin)

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Elite Eight: RJDUB vs. Badgerdiver -
badgerdiver Reputation:98 Level:Superstar Since:Jan 12, 2008
	March 28, 2008 10:52 pm Score: 96
	Wisconsin has no legendary basketball rival, but in recent years, the Badgers have been battling the Indiana Hoosiers and the Michigan State Spartans for the title of Big Ten Champions. Marquette is a fantastic in-state rival, but conference foes are more easily despised. It seems tough to discern which of these worthy opponents to focus my hate at, but after much deliberation, I have decided that the Indiana Hoosiers are most worthy of my enmity. It's easy to hate the Hoosiers, but it proves increasingly difficult to hate the legacy the storied Indiana program has built. Indiana's legacy is something that I have never experienced as a Wisconsin fan (save Track and Field), and something I will not experience for MANY years, if ever. Indiana has FIVE National Championships, only Kentucky and UCLA have accumulated more, thirty two NCAA tournament appearances, and twenty Big Ten Championships. Nobody can argue the talent that the Hoosiers have put on the court, and the men coaching them. Names like Scott May, Calbert Cheaney, Isiah Thomas, and more recently D.J. White, come to mind when you think of Hoosier Basketball, and who can forget the arguably greatest coach of basketball ever: Bob Knight. You want to talk about tradition? The Hoosier's played their first basketball game in 1901 at Old Assembly Hall. 106 Years later, the Hoosier's boast an 86% winning record at the new Assembly Hall. This program has reached a level that few programs will ever reach, and that is what I truly admire about the Indiana Hoosiers.
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Elite Eight: RJDUB vs. Badgerdiver -
TrojanLuver1 Reputation:98 Level:Superstar Since:Nov 26, 2007
	March 29, 2008 3:18 pm Score: 91
	Badger...Tough "topic" but you nailed it.. but hold on what do I know... I think I scored a "56" with the 4 big points I secured from the popular vote!! Good Luck... I'd like to see you in the Final Four with a Topic Like... "Who is the MOST Exciting College BB player in 2008 that is not NAMED Curry?" Fight ON!!
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Elite Eight: RJDUB vs. Badgerdiver -
RJDUB Reputation:92 Level:All-Star Since:Dec 13, 2007
	March 29, 2008 5:26 pm Score: 86
	<p> Ashley Judd...... Oh wait, 250 words???</p> <p> Despite the close proximity of our in-state competitors, the Commodores' most abhorrent rival on the hardwood is the Kentucky Wildcats. Their fans are routinely arrogant, loud, and obnoxious. Playing at Rupp Arena, opened in 1976 and named after the program's legendary coach is a grueling task for any road team.</p> <p> Regardless of my animosity towards this storied program and their sordid supporters, one has to <u> admire their unwavering commitment to win</u> . The University's students, alumni, and boosters perceive any season which ends prior to a Wildcat national title victory, as a FAILURE. (Just ask Tubby Smith). </p> <p> The Kentucky Wildcats are the "winningest team" [<em> sic</em> ] in the history of college basketball in terms of BOTH number of victories (1,965) and winning percentage (just above 76%). The Wildcats have made 49 NCAA Tournament appearances (more than any other program). Lastly, their 7 National Championships, the most-recent of which came in 1998, ranks 2nd to only UCLA's eleven. </p> <p> This essay could easily reach<em> <u> War and Peace</u> </em> -length proportions if I were to continue listing this historic program's accomplishments and records. The aforementioned fans comprising the Big Blue Nation can be the most conceited in the country... but they have good reason to be. Why are the 'Cats so reviled? Other fan bases with their schools could be so successful, and as a Vandy fan, I'm no exception. Everyone hates a bully... and in the Southeastern Conference, there's none bigger!</p> <p> ...oh, and Ashley Judd.</p>
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Elite Eight: RJDUB vs. Badgerdiver -
HogsRoll07 Reputation:91 Level:All-Star Since:Apr 4, 2007
	March 29, 2008 6:51 pm Score: 79
	It was a good essay, but I'm not quite sure that Kentucky/Vanderbilt is classified as a rivalry. I mean...I would be interested to know what the series record between Kentucky/Vanderbilt is. Honestly you were better off going with Tennessee! You could have picked Arkansas, but thats pretty much just been the Arkansas whipping Vandy rivalry lol. What are we now like 12-1 in the last 13 meetings? Thats awesome. I voted SEC though, good job RDub.
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