Sports Rivalries

[Abishai100]

Rivalries in sports signify a social interest in competition mixed with sportsmanship.

We love sports rivalries, and there are quite a few we celebrate:

1. Duke-North Carolina (men's college basketball)
2. Notre Dame-Penn State (men's college football)
3. Notre Dame-USC (men's college football)
4. Lakers-Celtics (men's professional basketball)
5. Edberg-Becker (men's international tennis)
4. Connors-McEnroe (men's international tennis)
5. Navratilova-Graf (women's international tennis)
6. Yankees-Red Sox (American professional baseball)
7. Giants-Cowboys (American professional football)
8. Argentina-England (international soccer)
9. USA-Canada (international ice hockey)

The age of television brings wide audiences to exciting matchups.

Coverage of these rivalries can impact social investments in sports and bring much-desired endorsement deals.

I used to play a lot of soccer as a youngster, so I always look for exciting matchcups during the World Cup soccer tournament, which is held every 4 years.

What's your favorite sports rivalry and why? It doesn't have to be a famous one (it could even be a hometown local-sports rivalry you always watch).

I like how sports rivalries make me think of the general storytelling associated with sports.

 

[MisterBeale]

You forgot a sports rivalry that is based on an ACTUAL war. It is over two states contesting who should own the city of Toledo, Ohio.

In the final peace treaty, Michigan received the Upper Pennisula as just compensation for losing Toledo. But the rivalry lives on through the two Universities.

I kid you not.

The Time Ohio and Michigan Almost Went to War
The Time Ohio and Michigan Almost Went to War

Ohio State vs. Michigan is one of the best rivalries in sports. But two centuries ago, Ohio and Michigan were ready to go to war for real.


The story of The Toledo War begins in 1787, when the U.S. government enacted the Northwest Ordinance. The Ordinance described the border between Ohio and Michigan as "an east and west line drawn through the southerly bend or extreme of Lake Michigan." Congress used the best map available at the time, The Mitchell Map (below), to create this east-west line, putting most of the west shoreline of Lake Erie within Ohio's borders. This would include Maumee Bay, where the Maumee River and Lake Erie meet, giving Ohio a significant economic advantage for shipping.

However, it was discovered in 1803 that The Mitchell Map was incorrect—the tip of Lake Michigan was actually farther south. A straight line from the correct southern point would have cost Ohio almost all of Lake Erie.

 

[IsaacNewton]

If you aren't watching the Alabam-Ole Miss football game get thee to a television. It is a barn burner.

 

[Lewdog]

Penn State Notre Dame? I can't even remember the last year they played each other. How about Notre Dame and Boston College? Notre Dame and Miami was a good one back in the day. Notre Dame Michigan?

The Bengals and the Browns used to be a good one, now it is the Bengals and the Steelers.

I agree that The Ohio State University and Michigan is huge.

College football has a ton of them. Oklahoma and Texas, Auburn and Alabama, Army and Navy...

Navratilova and Everrett in women's tennis.

Pete Sampras and Agassi or Boris Becker or Jim Courier. They all were big names of the time.

 

[Abishai100]

New York vs. Boston

I agree about Notre Dame-Michigan being exciting.

The NY Yankees and Boston Red Sox rivalry in MLB may not be storied, but it's certainly thrilling. Fans are eager on both sides, and the history of their franchises provides nice backdrop. For example, did you know that the Red Sox stars Wade Boggs and Johnny Damon both defected to the Yankees?

Yankees-Red Sox is a lot like Sampras-Agassi.

This didn't start out as an important rivalry but has developed into a TV-friendly one in recent times.

 

[Dreamer]

Top 5:

1.Brazil-Germany(men's national soccer)
2.Real Madrid-Barcelona(men's soccer)
3.Russia-Canada(men's national ice hockey)
4.Chelsea-Bayern München(men's soccer)
5.Sweden-Finland(men's national ice hockey)

 

[Abishai100]

Top 6:

1.Brazil-Germany(men's national soccer)
2.Real Madrid-Barcelona(men's soccer)
3.Russia-Canada(men's national ice hockey)
4.Chelsea-Bayern München(men's soccer)
5.Liverpool-Manchester U(EPL soccer)
6.Sweden-Finland(men's national ice hockey)

I agree Brazil-Germany has become nifty; I'm not a big fan of Real Madrid, but I'd go for a Real Madrid-Juventus rivalry for sure; Russia-Canada ice hockey is a nice one; I like the Sweden-Finland rivalry in men's Olympic skiing/downhill events.

The personalization of these rivalries can become downright insane!

 

[Abishai100]

Lendl-Courier: The Rivalry that Never Was

Here's a nice men's international tennis rivalry which never actually developed into a court battle drama, since their careers were of different time periods: Ivan Lendl vs. Jim Courier.

Both retired players were extraordinary Grand Slam winners and ranked #1 in the world at some point in their career. As Lendl's career was quieting down and he was getting ready to retire, Courier's career was blossoming (so when Lendl was at his peak, Courier had not yet become a superstar).

Lendl is efficient, while Courier is ruthless. Both exhibited an incredible work-ethic, which made them a terror to big-name tennis stars (e.g., Stefan Edberg, Pete Sampras, Mats Wilander, etc.).

Hey, we could always cite rivalries we *wished* developed.

How about Notre Dame-Ohio State?