Greatest Sporting Rivalry

[Morientes50]

So what is the worlds greatest sporting rivalry?

Real Madrid vs Barcelona (footy)

Red Sox vs Yankees (baseball)

Man U vs Liverpool (footy)

Celtics vs Lakers (basket)

Reds vs tahs (Rugby)

England vs Australia (cricket)

USA vs Mexico (footy)

Celtic vs Rangers (footy)

Brazil vs Argentina (footy)

Cowboys vs Everyone hates them (NFL)

So you get the point...

Name the biggest in the world...

And what is your personal biggest rivalry? For example, as a Miami Dolphins fan I hate the Jets. I mean I really hate them. I would like to piss in that fireman's hat an make him wear it. (but we beat them twice this year so its all good )

So who do you hate? Is hate too strong a word? No!! I really do hate the G** D*** Jets

[cadillacdoc]

Uppies vs. Doonies in the Kirkwall Ba'

[sandholm]

Uppies vs. Doonies in the Kirkwall Ba'

Ken VS Smithy

[BolivarSmoker]

Being a baseball fan, (and a Yankees fan at that), my vote is for Yankees-Red Sox. Even spring training games between these two clubs get interesting. There is SO much history.

[buster]

Being a baseball fan, (and a Yankees fan at that), my vote is for Yankees-Red Sox. Even spring training games between these two clubs get interesting. There is SO much history.

What do you know... Yankees fans and Red Sox fans can agree on something There is hope for this world!

Rick

[KB24]

For the college basketball fans out there in the states I have to go with Duke vs North Carolina. No matter what the teams are ranked heading into the game they always seem to play like #1 vs #2. It's not too often the game isn't a thriller and some past games have been legendary.

-Patrick

[DrunkenMonkey]

Used to be Michigan-Ohio State. Of course, when one of the teams perennially SUCKS, it takes some of the fire out of a rivalry. No offense to any Wolverine losers who happen to read this.

[jjeng]

how about the colts and pats for the nfl?

[Ryan]

This is really on the fringes of what might be called a "rivalry" but you won't see this at a Sox-Yankees game!

Ahh, the beautiful game. My father's pub was about 1/2 mile from the stadium, that was a difficult night.

[Ryan]

As an aside, one of the funniest photographs I've ever seen in a newspaper was of Irish riot police, in full riot gear after escorting some of these people back across the Irish Sea, getting off the ferry. All of them with bags of duty free in their hands. I wish I could find it now.

[DrunkenMonkey]

This is really on the fringes of what might be called a "rivalry" but you won't see this at a Sox-Yankees game!

Ahh, the beautiful game. My father's pub was about 1/2 mile from the stadium, that was a difficult night.

Jesus, I never even knew about that. Animals.

[Onsto]

One of the longest running has to be Oxford v Cambridge - the Boat Race. It draws a massive crowd and while the rivalry is good natured, it is extremely intense.

[Ken Gargett]

personally i think the ashes crocket and the rugby, as both named, though in reality, with professionalism, that rugby rivalry is nowhere what it was.

i think that the qld v nsw state of origin has to be right up there, certainly on the field.

[Guest rob]

I defy anyone to watch a 1980's or 1990's State of Origin match and tell me that the players on the field (and supporters) didn't think it was win or die.

[Ken Gargett]

I defy anyone to watch a 1980's or 1990's State of Origin match and tell me that the players on the field (and supporters) didn't think it was win or die.

ah, the glory days with the king!

but i'm not certain it is any less intense these days. after the way the last one finished (cheap shot on price by scumbag blues), the glorious maroons are out for blood - not just to make it five series in a row.

[BolivarSmoker]

What do you know... Yankees fans and Red Sox fans can agree on something There is hope for this world!

Rick

Yeah, I guess hell has officially frozen over!

[Buch0]

i think that the qld v nsw state of origin has to be right up there, certainly on the field.

Couldn't agree more. Back in the 80's and early 90's it would be hard to find a professional rivalry pushed to the extent that some of these games were. If you weren't bleeding or battered by the end of the game you were in a way, looked down upon. Unbelievable contests over the years and the fact it was a best of 3 game series made each pursuing match more critical than the last, creating even more carnage.

Its hard for the players now to play like they did back then though, the governing body seem to find less things appropriate year after year its getting to the point where a perfectly legal hard hit is scrutinised.

[Morientes50]

For me, Its got to be Real Madrid vs Barcelona for worlds biggest rivalry. The roots of the hatred goes back to the Spanish civil war. Gen. Franco was considered a big supporter of Real Madrid. The rivalry is so big that even fans in Spain of neither team usually pick a side. I still remember when Madrid signed Luis Figo from Barca and a fan of Barca threw the head of a pig onto the pitch when he returned for a match.

FYI, there's a wonderful book on Spanish football in english called "Morbo". Morbo is best translated as "bad blood"

[Deemancpa]

TEXAS vs Oklahoma

[Ken Gargett]

Couldn't agree more. Back in the 80's and early 90's it would be hard to find a professional rivalry pushed to the extent that some of these games were. If you weren't bleeding or battered by the end of the game you were in a way, looked down upon. Unbelievable contests over the years and the fact it was a best of 3 game series made each pursuing match more critical than the last, creating even more carnage.

Its hard for the players now to play like they did back then though, the governing body seem to find less things appropriate year after year its getting to the point where a perfectly legal hard hit is scrutinised.

there is not quite the same biff but my understanding is that it is not so much that the game has been cleaned up - it should have been, things like les boyd's cheap shot on brohman were a disgrace and he should still be in jail, tho plenty of other examples - but simply the game is so fast now that there is not much time or energy for that. the last few years have seen some extraordinary games, at least the equal of the early ones, though of course, we've never seen anything like the king dominating as he did.

[brutusthebuckeye]

Used to be Michigan-Ohio State. Of course, when one of the teams perennially SUCKS, it takes some of the fire out of a rivalry. No offense to any Wolverine losers who happen to read this.

Go Buckeyes!!!!!!!!!! Muck Fichigan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tress owns the Maze&Blew!!!!!!!

Another thing about this rivalry is when UofM was beating OSU alot in the 80's and 90's they did it with a coach Bo Schembeckler(from Barberton Ohio)....Desmon Howard(from Ohio)....Charles Woodson (from Freemont Ross Ohio)...they were beating us with guys who were from Ohio!!!!! That was a slap in the face!!!!!!

[ARRV]

ah, the glory days with the king!

but i'm not certain it is any less intense these days. after the way the last one finished (cheap shot on price by scumbag blues), the glorious maroons are out for blood - not just to make it five series in a row.

I seem to recall that particular game finished with a penalty being awarded to the maroons who proceeded to kick an up and under to enable them to smash the poor recipient. Hodges was leading the charge from memory.

Hardly a gracious act.

[jquest63]

My favorite rivalries: I know, some of these are dated, but were memorable

Baseball: Red Sox vs Yankees

Boxing: Ali vs. Frazier

Tennis: McEnroe vs Borg

Basketball: Knicks vs. Bulls

Soccer: Liverpool vs Manchester United

[bunburyist]

Would have to put El Clásico Barca-Real Madrid at the top for me, as already said there is more than just a sporting relationship there. Catalans are very much individual part of Spain and the civil war history makes it so much more than a game of sport. A trip to the Camp Nou is well worth it if you're ever in the area - I particularly liked the Chapel in the players tunnel coming onto the pitch - quick prayer before entering the cauldron...

Similar with Rangers v Celtic in Glasgow. Lots of cultural friction, history and bloodshed there. I went to an Old Firm match many years ago at Ibrox - tbh it was not a pleasant experience. So much hatred, the Rangers fans with their Union Jacks and picture of the Queen, the Celtic fans with their Irish tricolours and pictures of the Pope - some people just can't let go of the past huh. Here's a verse from a typical chant, this one from Rangers, obviously:

''Hullo, Hullo

We are the Billy Boys

Hullo, Hullo

You'll know us by our noise

We're knee deep now in Fenian blood

Surrender or you'll die''

With Billy being the Protestant King William III (William of Orange), Battle of the Boyne, Fenians being Irish Republicans/rebels, British oppression in Ireland, Northern Ireland, the Troubles, massacres on both sides etc etc.

So for me there's great sporting rivalries, then there are those which are so loaded with history they take on a different angle. I prefer the match ups which are more about the game than who killed who 50 or 500 years ago. Look forward to seeing a State of Origin one day.

Talking of which, I always thought the old Cold War USA v USSR basketball and hockey matches were good, although I was too young for most of them.

[strayvector]

You ask the Liverpudlians as to who they consider their biggest rival is, and I'm sure none would name ManU, but instead name their crosstown rivals, Everton. IMO the biggest rivalry have to go to Rangers vs. Celtic...same country, same city, same sport, separated by neighborhood and religion.