Thursday, October 15, 2009

Favorite Sports Rivalries

I'm still on Cloud Nine after the fabulous Monday Night Football game between my Miami Dolphins and the dreaded, evil-incarnate, trash-talking New York Jets. Score one for the good guys as the Fins took their first of two meetings this year 31-27.

As football rivalries go, for me, it doesn't get any better than the Dolphins/Jets... and I live in Alabama, and am an Auburn University grad and fan, and here you hear about the Iron Bowl rivalry 365 days a year -- and I'm not joking about that. I know most people in Alabama that root for one of the two schools, well, there's nothing that compares to Auburn versus Alabama (I'm fairly sure, if Alabama fans read what I just wrote, it might stick in their craw a bit that I listed Auburn first just now -- that's how bad it is). I can't downplay the rivalry here because it's like nothing I've ever seen. However, I have a lot of friends that are Alabama fans, and I enjoy them a lot. We give each other hard times, but most of it is in good fun. On the other hand, I don't have any, that I know of, friends that are New York Jet fans. So I don't look at them in the same way -- there are no "real people" that cheer for the New York Jets, only automaton spawn that spew the "J-E-T-S, Jets, Jets, Jets" mantra and infiltrate football stadiums, perpetrating heinous acts. Call me crazy, but since I let myself see it that way, then, the New York Jets... with their blowhard coach, their irritating chant, their sore-loser players (save Kris Jenkins, who manned-up after the loss), their big city media that follows them, and, as of right now, their 3-2 record, which is a game ahead of my team's... well, they're just sort of this nebulous evil entity that my Dolphin-fan-guts-and-insides just wants to rail against so as to champion the triumph of justice, decency, and valor everywhere over the insidious evil that flows out of the Empire State in the form of the New York football Jets.

Okay, okay, I'm just kidding. Sort of.

I could spend hours and pages writing about the intricacies of Monday's game... but that's not really Realm material. Plus, I do that with my dad and brother.

However, since it is what's on my mind, I decided to ask you guys:

What are your favorite sports rivalries? What makes them special to you? I know there are some good ones, and some that are longstanding. Red Sox/Yankees. Cubs/Cardinals. USC/UCLA. Army/Navy. Cowboys/Redskins. Bears/Packers. Celtics/Lakers. Rangers/Islanders. Sampras/Agassi. Ali/Frazier. And that's just touching the tip of the iceberg. Let's hear some good ones.

2 comments:

DougALug said...

Okay I have a couple:

Football:

Ohio State/Michigan --> Grew up a Buckeye and am still a nut. The added twist for me is that my wife's dad actually played football at UM. Kind of reminds me of an ESPN commercial.

Bengals/Steelers --> Okay this one isn't so talked up lately (since Pittsburgh has one 13 of their last 15 meeting, but when I was a kid (read Terry Bradshaw/Ken Anderson) this was the big game and they were always good.

Auburn/UF --> I live in Florida and there is nothing a like more than when AU would come in and smack some Gator Bootay (can I say that?). I dislike UF far more than the other Univeristy Of Alabama. In fact Miami, LSU, Tennessee, Florida, and Notre Dame are all on my 'cheer against them under any circumstance except if it helps AU or OSU' list.

FSU/Miami --> Even when they are down, this seems to always turn into a great game. Living in this state, I picked FSU as my 'Florida team'.

Basketball:

Celtics/Lakers --> I am now an Orlando Magic fan, but growing up, I couldn't wait to see my Celtics play the Lakers. One of the greatest rivalries of all time.

Baseball:

Reds/Cardinals --> Thanks to a friend in college it made this series all the more sweeter! BANNERMAN!

Tennis:

Borg / Mcenroe. The gentleman versus the jerk. I guess you know who I was for.

Boxing:

Ali/Frazier.... no doubt. The glory days of pugilism.

That about it for now.

God Bless
Doug

Rich said...

Hey, the Dolphins beat the Jets... AGAIN!!!