Best Rivalry In Sports

[Jeremy D. Scott]

There is a poll on ESPN.com right now that I thought would be interesting to post on Naznet. I have a feeling the results will be a bit different.

This was the poll on ESPN.com:
Which is the best rivalry in sports?
Cowboys-Redskins
Michigan-OSU football
UNC-Duke Basketball
Yankees-Red Sox

I will add one more choice:
Other

If you choose "Other," let us know which one.

Of course, all the options on ESPN.com were of North American sports. Perhaps there are some out there that may be bigger.

[Jen Blackburn]

if i'm going to answer from where *i* stand - it'd have to be one of the following:

Michigan vs. Michigan State
Packers vs. Vikings
Auburn vs. Alabama

[Cindi Hammons]

I voted OSU v. Michigan, but it is turning out to be OSU v. Texas. The fans in Ohio have been stoked about the Texas game since last year...whereas, Michigan is just another Big 10 game.

Really...they are both very important games...and rivalries.

Oh, by the way...we're still #1.

[Brad Mercer]

I very much suspect that the poll results will reflect the regions in which the respondents live more than the quality of the rivalries. If I were a baseball fan or a resident of New York or Boston I'd presumably be far more likely to choose that rivalry than I am as a Texan who prefers football over baseball.

Still, a fun poll.

[Dave McClung]

I voted OSU v. Michigan, but it is turning out to be OSU v. Texas. The fans in Ohio have been stoked about the Texas game since last year...whereas, Michigan is just another Big 10 game.

Really...they are both very important games...and rivalries.

Oh, by the way...we're still #1.


Without a doubt the greatest sports rivalry in the country is Oklahoma University vs Texas. It is such a rivalry that they can't play at either team's home field. They play in the Cotton Bowl which is approximately half way between the schools.

[Roland Hearn]

Well obviously the poll should say: "Best Rivalry in American sport" because that is what the specific options reflect. It is probably safe to say that American sport lacks the patriotism and parochialism that genuinely international sports can offer so to make the claim of best rivalry in sport doesn't really resonate as the appropriate title. Australia v England in cricket is huge, South Africa v New Zealand in Rugby Union is a biggy as is Australia v both of those countries in Rugby, Australia v India in field Hockey is a great clash, Australia v England in Rugby League is a big rivalry. Of course all the professional games played at club level have big rivalries but everyone dreams of playing for their country in whatever form of sport they choose. Then of course there are all those soccer enthusiast from European and South American countries that could come up with a few rivalries of their own that I didn’t mention.

[Jeremy D. Scott]

Without a doubt the greatest sports rivalry in the country is Oklahoma University vs Texas. It is such a rivalry that they can't play at either team's home field. They play in the Cotton Bowl which is approximately half way between the schools.



I'm not sure it's "without a doubt," but I was surprised it isn't an option.

[Jeremy D. Scott]

I very much suspect that the poll results will reflect the regions in which the respondents live more than the quality of the rivalries. If I were a baseball fan or a resident of New York or Boston I'd presumably be far more likely to choose that rivalry than I am as a Texan who prefers football over baseball.

Still, a fun poll.

Yes. Region is a factor.

I also think that time is a factor. If the poll were created twenty years ago, I wonder if Celtics-Lakers would be on it. Others: Agassi-Sampras, Harvard-Yale (which, to the two schools today is still a big rivalry, but it might be considered the "original"), Arnold Palmer-Jack Nicklaus.

That's why I think Yankees-Red Sox is pretty huge - it is decades-long and filled with stories 85+ years in the making. Of course if even won-loss record is part of your definition of "rivalry," this one doesn't fit it. The Yankees have for the most part dominated the Red Sox.

[Jeremy D. Scott]

I very much suspect that the poll results will reflect the regions in which the respondents live more than the quality of the rivalries. If I were a baseball fan or a resident of New York or Boston I'd presumably be far more likely to choose that rivalry than I am as a Texan who prefers football over baseball.

Still, a fun poll.

Attached is the actual map from the poll. It is regionally affected, but you can see the national consensus.

[Brad Mercer]

Yes. Region is a factor.

I also think that time is a factor. If the poll were created twenty years ago, I wonder if Celtics-Lakers would be on it. Others: Agassi-Sampras, Harvard-Yale (which, to the two schools today is still a big rivalry, but it might be considered the "original"), Arnold Palmer-Jack Nicklaus.

Well, at least they didn't say the greatest rivalry "of all time". I always hate surveys or countdowns like that because they always mean "in living memory".

I just watched an Australian program a few nights ago that claimed to be counting down the "20 Greatest Songs of All Time". No songs from ancient China made the list. Nothing from the Psalms. No wandring minstrel's ballad from the middle ages. No 19th century waltz. Nothing from the big band era of the 30's and 40's. The oldest song on the list was 1954's Rock Around the Clock, and the only non-rock song was Louis Armstrong's What a Wonderful World.

Any "greatest of all time" list should just carry the title "my favorite" instead.

Brad

[Gary Swartzlander]

...whereas, Michigan is just another Big 10 game.

Oh, by the way...we're still #1.


"Just another Big 10 Game"? It may not be this year. We took care of No. 2 today.

Go Blue!!

[Gary Swartzlander]

Must be that all 60 people who live in South Dakota are transplants from North Carolina.

[Royce Chesser]

A great rivaly in sports right now in sports car racing is Corvette vs. Aston-Martin, which is really a continuation of Chevy vs. Ford since these are the parent companies of the two cars.

[Billie Goodson]

I have to agree with the Auburn vs. Alabama matchup.

[Cindi Hammons]

I knew when I posted that, it would be taken wrong. I didn't mean that Michigan was nothing to worry about. Michigan is always something to worry about. Maybe I should've said that Michigan is just part of the family.

BTW, thanks for taking care of ND.

[Beth Larpenter-Shurbutt]

I could not vote because Alabama and Auburn were not on the list!!!

I believe it varies from region to region. In Alabama, the biggest rivalry is between Alabama and Auburn! The coach of the losing team usually loses his job the following year!

The Auburn vs. LSU games is very big too. If you watched it yesterday, you saw a good, close game!!!

Beth

[Joel Merrill]

A great rivaly in sports right now in sports car racing is Corvette vs. Aston-Martin, which is really a continuation of Chevy vs. Ford since these are the parent companies of the two cars.

How about, Tony Stewart against everyone else. I can't hardly stand to watch NASCAR anymore.

Joel :basic04

[Jim Franklin]

The OU-Texas rivalry was very big on the BNC/SNU campus when I was there although back in the 30s the rivalry between Baker and LaGrande OR high schools went to the point that they brought their own drinking water from their own town rather than drink from the fountains or taps from the other school. When I was in high school my high school, Chelan, Washington and Cashmere, Washington was such that the last football game of the season was played on Armistice Day (Veteran's Day to you younger folks) where football fans from all over the state of Washington who had no previous connection with either school would drive long distances from Spokane and Seattle just to see those two teams go at it. My last year at Chelan I was the waterboy for Chelan and we won 33-0. The visiting trophy to which ever team won was a bronzed football shoe.

You did not include Purdue-Indiana for the Old Oaken Bucket. Minnesota plays its rival for the Little Brown Jug. Washington State and the University of Washington for the Apple Cup.

Most states who have both a University and a State University are strong rivalries, Oregon-Oregon State, Arizona-Arizona State. Well anyway Wyoming has only a University but a rivalry is developing with Boise State which won its game yesterday over Wyoming by a very disappointing score of 17-10 after a great win last week over Oregon State, 42-14.

[Nelson Bradford]

:)

[Gary Swartzlander]

[QUOTE=
BTW, thanks for taking care of ND.[/QUOTE]

I don't think even the best of Michigan fans could see that coming. It was a pleasure to watch.

[Alisa Stoll]

I don't think even the best of Michigan fans could see that coming. It was a pleasure to watch.

The win or the manner of win? I figured they had a good chance of winning and I'm an OSU fan. Seeing how well OSU controlled them in the bowl game, I wasn't suprised that they controlled them that well aslo. So all in all I think the Michican should have seen it coming.

So maybe Michigan needs better fans?


grinning and ducking

Alisa

[Bruce Carriker]

Other candidates for best rivalry in sports:

KC Chiefs- Oakland Raiders (Raiders have been abysmal the last few years, so its lost some of its luster, but it's one of the best in the NFL; more bitter and longer running than Wash-Dall, for sure)

Cardinals - Cubs. Doesn't matter whether you're in Wrigley or Busch, there will be more road fans when the other team comes calling than for any other series all season. Cards-Cubs is pretty much a guaranteed sellout every time, both places.

Somebody already mentioned Texas-Oklahoma, I think.

Whoever did the poll for ESPN was obviously from the East Coast.

[Pam Little]

KC-Oakland would be my hubbys answer because he is a long time dedicated Chiefs fan. Where was Iowa -Iowa State? LOL Living in Iowa that would be the only answer to your question.

[Mark Bolerjack]

Yes, Texas and Oklahoma. I grew up with that rivalry.

Other possibilities:

Michigan - Ohio State as mentioned
Army - Navy
UCLA - USC
Auburn - Alabama
Harvard - Yale

Cowboys - Steelers
Denver - Oakland

Yankees - Red Sox

[Bruce Carriker]

I forgot Alabama-Auburn. Having lived in Columbus, GA, which is right on the Alabama line, I can assure you this is a bitter, bitter rivalry.

[Jon White]

The best rivalry in college football used to be Nebraska-Oklahoma before the Texas schools that joined the Big XII (especially UT) bullied the schools already in the Big 8 Conference to kowtow to their wishes. Because of this, the Huskers and OU now only meet every two years. (They battled in 2004 and 2005; they won't play again until '08 and '09). The formation of the Big XII did away with a game that almost always had a bearing on conference and national championships.

And, yes, if this poll were conducted 15-20 years ago, Lakers-Celtics would be at the top of the list.

Oh, and I'm one of those "60 people" (actually 754,844) that live in South Dakota.

[Bruce Carriker]

Here's is perhaps THE best rivalry in all of North America, but virtually no one in the United States cares:

Montreal Canadiens - Toronto Maple Leafs

[James Riggsby]

Alabama vs Auburn in football....Hands down, nothing like a good southern football rivelry...

[Dave Hershberger]

What a game indeed. We lived in Oklahoma previoulsly and OU-Texas was the big event every year. I repeat was.http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k14/daveprays/BEATTEXAS.jpg