Best Rivalries in sports?

**Clone9** · 07-15-2009, 07:59 AM

I think its these three in a league of their own, and then all the rest....

Yanks/Sox
Duke/UNC
tOSU/Michigan

**TarHeelHawk** · 07-15-2009, 08:11 AM

Yanks/Sox is played out; it was better before the Sox started winning. Now Boston is just another team with an inflated payroll.

In college, it' Duke/UNC and Michigan/OSU, and nothing else comes close.

In the NFL, it'd be easy to say Bears/Packers, but neither team has ever really been successful at the same time, and they've never met in any real meaningful games.

Somebody mentioned Red Wings/Avalanche back in the mid/late 90's, and that was some good stuff. They met in the conference finals 3 years in a row (I think), you had Claude Lemieux's cheap shot on Chris Draper, Vernon and Roy fighting at center ice in Detroit the next year, Detroit forcing Roy into retirement by scoring 7 goals against him in a game 7....many memorable moments, and everyone on both sides truly hated each other, right down to the coaches.

**jdoggivjc** · 07-15-2009, 08:20 AM

Originally Posted by illinoiscyclone

Yanks/Mets

Mets/Yankees aren't really much of a rivalry, well, outside of what they'd really like us to believe. In fact, I really wouldn't call any of the interleague matchups rivalries (even though there are very compelling matchups such as Mets/Yankees, Reds/Indians, Cardinals/Royals, Twins/Brewers, etc.) simply because they are just too novel in nature.

My list of rivalries in each league would be:
MLB:
Red Sox/Yankees
Twins/White Sox
Angels/A's
Mets/Phillies
Cubs/Cardinals
Cubs/Brewers (developing)
Giants/Dodgers

NFL:
The entire NFC East
Packers/Vikings
Packers/Bears
The entire NFC South (developing)
The entire AFC East
Baltimore/Cleveland
Indianapolis/New England
The entire AFC WEst

NHL:
Rangers/Islanders
Rangers/Devils
Canadiens/Maple Leafs
Red Wings/Blackhawks
Red Wings/Avalanche
Flyers/Penguins
Oilers/Flames

NCAA
Army/Navy
Alabama/Auburn
Florida/Georgia
Duke/North Carolina
Ohio St/Michigan
Michigan/Notre Dame
Texas/Oklahoma
Texas/aTm
USC/UCLA
Cal/Stanford
Oregon/Oregon St

I love the Iowa St/Iowa rivalry, but it doesn't even crack the top 10 NCAA rivalries. Maybe the top 25.

**jdoggivjc** · 07-15-2009, 08:26 AM

Originally Posted by TarHeelHawk

In college, it' Duke/UNC and Michigan/OSU, and nothing else comes close.

I call BS on this. They're among the top 10 greatest rivalries in college sports, but first neither may be number one, and two to say nothing else comes close is ludicrous.

Originally Posted by TarHeelHawk

Somebody mentioned Red Wings/Avalanche back in the mid/late 90's, and that was some good stuff. They met in the conference finals 3 years in a row (I think), you had Claude Lemieux's cheap shot on Chris Draper, Vernon and Roy fighting at center ice in Detroit the next year, Detroit forcing Roy into retirement by scoring 7 goals against him in a game 7....many memorable moments, and everyone on both sides truly hated each other, right down to the coaches.

That Lemieux cheap shot was what ignited that rivalry. The fuel - the great success of both teams - was already present and was what fueled that rivalry for years to come. But the cheap shot was what sparked it. I'll never forget the line "I can't believe I shook the guy's friggin' hand" in reference to Lemieux's cheap shot. I forget exactly who from the Red Wings said it (I don't think it was Stevie Y), but he plainly stated what everyone on the Red Wings was thinking (and it gave Keith Olberman a catch phrase for years to come).

**TarHeelHawk** · 07-15-2009, 08:35 AM

Originally Posted by jdoggivjc

I call BS on this. They're among the top 10 greatest rivalries in college sports, but first neither may be number one, and two to say nothing else comes close is ludicrous.

That Lemieux cheap shot was what ignited that rivalry. The fuel - the great success of both teams - was already present and was what fueled that rivalry for years to come. But the cheap shot was what sparked it. I'll never forget the line "I can't believe I shook the guy's friggin' hand" in reference to Lemieux's cheap shot. I forget exactly who from the Red Wings said it (I don't think it was Stevie Y), but he plainly stated what everyone on the Red Wings was thinking (and it gave Keith Olberman a catch phrase for years to come).

Darren McCarty. He beat Lemieux's *** the next year.

The Michigan/OSU game has decided who won the Big 10 at least a dozen times. Not being able to beat Michigan cost John Cooper his job, and not being able to beat Ohio State is a big reason Lloyd Carr isn't at Michigan anymore. 2 seasons ago, they were ranked 1-2 and playing to go the national championship.

As far as what is on the line (usually) when the two teams play, you really can't get a whole lot better than UNC/Duke and Michigan/OSU.

**cybsball20** · 07-15-2009, 09:06 AM

Florida - Florida State?

Florida - Georgia?

**Clones85'** · 07-15-2009, 09:09 AM

Cubs vs Sox? That isn't even a top 50 rivalry in sports. Up until interleague came into play, when was the last time they even played?

And no way is the Cubs vs Cardinals top 5! Not even top 10

**Cyclonestate78** · 07-15-2009, 09:10 AM

I can't believe that it took 18 posts for someone to drop Army/Navy into the mix. They may suck at football or at least Army does but this is one of the most storied rivalries in all of college football.

**DJK15** · 07-15-2009, 09:13 AM

1. Duke/UNC basketball
2. NY Yankees/Boston Red Sox
3. Michigan/tOSU football

**Cat4ISU** · 07-15-2009, 09:16 AM

This is pretty good article spotlighting the ISU/Iowa rivalry:

Link

**cyrocksmypants** · 07-15-2009, 09:22 AM

American sports, I'd go with either Army/Navy (I have a buddy in the naval academy and it's AMAZING the hatred he has toward them) or Auburn/Alabama. I wouldn't put any professional sports in there, because although the fans hate each other, the players are generally all friends.

If you're going worldwide, Soccer team A/Soccer team B would beat any American rivalry. I hate soccer with a passion, but their fans love their teams with even more passion.

**aeroclone** · 07-15-2009, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by Stumpy

The rivalry between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens is easily one of the biggest in all of sports. Don't forget Red Wings/Avalanche in NHL or Raiders/Chiefs in NFL either.

I think there is more bad blood between the Chiefs and Broncos than with the Raiders. Everybody hates the Raiders, there is nothing unique with that!

**Cyclonestate78** · 07-15-2009, 09:50 AM

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPm4jJLx87E]YouTube - Army Navy Football 2008[/ame]

**jdoggivjc** · 07-15-2009, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by Cat4ISU

This is pretty good article spotlighting the ISU/Iowa rivalry:

Link

Wrong. By nature there is nothing that comes from the Daily that can be classified as a "pretty good article." I should know - I used to write for that campfire kindling...