The Best Part Of College Basketball Last Night Was Showing That Hate In Rivalries Is Good And We Need More Of It

Let's just get right to it. Last night was awesome. Not because of crazy endings or big plays or anything like that. But because we saw two wild ass environments built on hate. We need more of it. Sports are fun because you are a fan. You're supposed to hate your rival. You're supposed to have a different sort of energy in the crowd and not be afraid to talk some shit. Sports are competitive, let's stop the friendly bullshit and get back to hatred. Obviously, there's a line. We're not dumb here. But I want to see Bruce Pearl mock Alabama football and grab a broom after sweeping Alabama. I want Alabama to turn off notifications only for Big Cat to bully them to turn it back on. 

At the same time we had an environment that we won't see again. I mentioned it before but we just won't get a coach leaving for an in-state conference rival like Chris Beard. You also can't replicate the first time. You had Beard coming out like Goldberg on Nitro in the 90s. 

Lubbock was fucking wild and you could actually hear it through the TV. You could just tell it was different. 

You even had gamesmanship in the game. Chris Beard played Avery Benson early on, a guy who came with him from Texas Tech. You had fans losing their mind. It was EXACTLY how it should be. That includes after, when Texas Tech even threw out a shot at Beard. 

This is a quote from Beard when he left UNLV after a week for Tech.

"It's like when Bear Bryant left Texas A&M for Alabama," Beard said Saturday at a campus news conference. "He said, 'When momma calls, you've gotta go home.' Texas Tech is my momma and I'm home. I'm so glad to be here."

The only problem was this going on at the same time. I wish we got to have both of these games, even if they were blowouts, as like standalone big games. But the point is hating rivals is awesome. I don't know why we have to hide it. For me? Fuck Louisville. Fuck Tennessee. Fuck Duke. Get it out and give me more shit like we saw last night. It makes the sport better.