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UConn still emphasizing 'rivalry' with UCF

nick bromberg
Senior writer

The brief and awkward history of the "rivalry" between UConn and Central Florida was a topic of discussion Tuesday at AAC media days.

To recap: UConn started the "Civil Conflict" in June when it posted a picture of a rivalry trophy to be given to the winner of the game between the two schools. UCF, however, wasn't aware that UConn wanted to have a rivalry with the Knights. But UConn coach Bob Diaco said he didn't need UCF's permission to start the rivalry and has said that the rivalry was created because he wanted his program to emulate UCF's success.

So both Diaco and UCF coach and interim athletic director George O'Leary were asked about the newfound rivalry. O'Leary said he would have been willing to acquiesce to a rivalry request had UConn made one. But that USF was UCF's main rival.

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"I just didn't know about it," O'Leary said via the Hartford Courant. "What he said to me is, he's trying to emulate UCF as the kind of team he wants to be, which I think is great respect that he wanted to do that. Obviously our rival is USF. It's hard to be [a rival] when you're nine states away. I respect what he did. I would have gone along. I just didn't know about it. … But I don't have a trophy with a clock on it so I'm looking forward to that."

Yes, that comment included some subtle trash talk. Well done, O'Leary.

But now that UCF seems to be begrudgingly on board with the trophy game, Diaco made it even more awkward. He wondered about emphasizing the "FL" and "CT" in the word "Conflict."

While we can appreciate the play on words, we don't support any capitalization within "conflict." It looks too awkward and gives the expectation of increased emphasis on the abbreviations within the word when saying "conflict" out loud. Too confusing.

The two teams play at UCF on October 10 and O'Leary said to "make sure" the trophy is on the plane when the Huskies make the trip.

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Nick Bromberg is the assistant editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!