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July 20, 2008 by editor.
When we start talking about great rivalries, we have to first determine the criteria that that we will use to come to our conclusions. With so many teams and individuals on a professional and collegiate level that would qualify for this list, we will keep it down to something that is workable.
The definition of the word rivals : two competitors pursuing the same object, but with equal tenacity in their quest to surpass the other. In sports that is normally when both competitors or teams have a lot of history between them, and the stakes are high.
One criteria has to be fan enthusiasm and participation. The fans have to be jacked for the contest, and it has to mean something. If nothing is on the line then it takes away from the rivalry. There are times however, when there is nothing on the line, that the respective fans of both teams dislike each other so much, that it doesn’t matter that there is nothing on the line.
Both teams or participants have to be consistently good. It won’t generate as much of a buzz if one or both teams are down, or just not that good. That will have to be factored in.
There must be history there between the teams or athletes involved. The more history in many cases means the rivalry is more intense.
Geographical location will be a consideration as well. Natural rivalries develop over time where teams have a common border, or are inter-state. This is very prevalent in college sports.
They will be listed in no particular order, and it will be open for debate which are the best.
Joe Frazier vs. Muhammad Ali
This was a boxing rivalry to end all boxing rivalries. The first time they fought in 1971 the fight was so hyped that it seemed that it could never live up to it’s billing. It was called at the time, and is still referred to by many, as the fight of the century. Both men were undefeated and about as different as they come. Ali was the brash, trash talking anti-war Muslim who took on the establishment, and Frazier was the Bible reading Christian who liked to sing.
Frazier would win that epic battle and knock Ali down in the 15th round. This would be the only fight out of the three that Frazier would win. The rematch in January of 1974 was called “Superfight” and Ali would get his revenge. He would dominate the fight with his lightning quick punches and movement.
In the pre-fight press conference Frazier got tired of the name calling and the taunts Ali dished out and attacked him. Needless to say there was no love loss between the two.
The third fight, the Thrilla in Manila, in 1975 was a tremendous ending to this rivalry where both men dished out serious punishment, but Ali tortured Frazier in the later rounds worse than anyone had ever done. Frazier couldn’t answer the bell for the fourteenth .
These men put each other in the hospital and inflicted permanent damage to each other, and when they were through, they ended up respecting each other. For us, we will never see heavyweights like this again.
Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Thomas Hearns
September 16, 1981 at Caesars Palace was the place where the two best welterweights met for the first time in the ring. There was no love loss between them, particularly with Hearns. I believed he hated the fact that Sugar Ray got more attention and was the flashier of the two.
The first fight would go down as the fight of the decade. Leonard was losing the fight and had to stalk Hearns in the late rounds until he would catch up to him and knock him out. The ironic thing was that they reversed their natural tendencies for much of the fight. Leonard the boxer with the speed and finesse became the hunter, and Hearns with his punching power became the boxer with the effective jab.
This fight sealed Leonard’s greatness, and made Hearns yearn for another opportunity to prove he was better. They would fight again and the match would be scored as a draw, but most think that Hearns won the fight.
Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Roberto Duran
Duran was a hall of famer who was a beast, and finished with a record of 104-16 with 69 knockouts. Duran thought Leonard was less of a man than he was, and in their first fight, which was a 15 round war, Leonard ignored conventional wisdom and stood in front of Duran the whole fight and duked it out with him. In trying to prove to Duran that he was not afraid of him, he fell into his trap.
It was one of the best fights in welterweight history, but Leonard took the loss. In the rematch, Leonard used his boxing speed, style, and counter-punching ability to humiliate Duran into quiting in the eighth round. Leonard also taunted Duran during the fight. No one had ever done this to Duran before.
Duran was know for his brutality, but was reduced to a loser , quitter, and a traitor. Nine years would pass and they fought again when they were well past their primes, and Leonard dominated that one as well. The “no mas” fight will always be remembered, and these men would forever be linked together like Ali and Frazier were.
Lakers vs. Celtics
The Magic vs. Bird rivalry started in the college championship game in 1979 and continued into the professional ranks. No other personal rivalry actually carried over like this one did. That being said, the Boston vs. L.A. rivalry started long before Magic and Bird came on the scene.
Overall the Lakers and Celtics have met 11 times in NBA finals since 1959, with Boston winning nine of them. Bird and Magic coming into the NBA was significant because up unto that time the NBA was in a down period and the battles that they would have against each other generated a tremendous amount of interest.
It was the slower, plodding, team-work oriented Celtics vs the showtime, fast-breaking, highlight reel Lakers. Many times fans made it the mostly Caucasian Celtics vs. the mostly African American Lakers. It forced all the fans to pick sides. These star studded battles revitalized the NBA and Magic and Bird were the star of stars. They rescued the NBA from low attendance and low television ratings
Over-all, Magic would get the better of it against Bird winning two championships(1985 and 1987) head to head versus one (1984).
Other Lakers vs. Celtic battles would feature Bill Russell and Bob Cousy for Boston, and Elgin Baylor and Jerry West for Los Angeles.
Larry Bird vs. Magic Johnson
We have to mention these two seperately from the Boston, L.A. rivalry because of what was at stake when they played, the intensity of the battles, and the way the fans took sides and debated who was better. They were both great, but I would have to Magic the slight edge.
Bill Russell vs. Wilt Chamberlain
These two warriors met 142 times in 10 years and was unquestionably the most talked about match-up in basketball in the 1960’s and is still debated today. Keep in mind that the game was a little different then than it is now. Bill and Wilt guarded each other every time they played. That wouldn’t happen today because most times the two teams best players don’t guard each other so they can stay out of foul trouble.
Chamberlain averaged 28.7 points and 28.7 rebounds in those games and Russell averaged 14.5 points and 23.7 rebounds. Russell’s teams fared far better. In that time period he won nine championships to Wilt’s one. Who was better? I will let you decide.
New York Knicks vs. Miami Heat
In the 1990’s no one could doubt the ill will that these two teams had for each other. It involved the teams, the fans, and the front offices. Pat Riley leaves the Knicks under bad circumstances to coach the Heat and all of a sudden things get ugly.
These were two teams built on physical play and their regular season games and playoff games were all heated. Charlie Ward would tangle with P.J. Brown and it would almost lead to a bench clearing brawl which would cause many Knicks to be suspended for leaving the bench and dooming their playoff chances.
Alonzo Mourning and Larry Johnson get into a full fledged fight in a play-off game, and Jeff VanGundy would grab Mourning’s leg in an ill fated attempt to break it up. He gets dragged across the garden floor in the process. Over a four year period the NBA put these teams on national television every time they could because of what might happen in the game.
For the most part they were all low scoring physical affairs with each point being precious, but that was really how the game is supposed to be played. And then there was the shot. Allan Houston’s jumper with less than a second left eliminated the Heat in a playoff series and added more fuel to this fire.
What made this more interesting was that Jeff VanGundy was a Rily disciple, and Rily’s top assistant at Miami was Stan VanGundy, Jeff’s brother. The Knicks got the better of this rivalry over the years. Fierce is not a strong enough word to describe their match-up. Honorable mention goes to Bulls vs. Pistons in the Jordan era.
Florida State Seminoles vs. Miami Hurricanes
There are so many rivalries in the college game that are intense, that it is hard to highlight one, or just a few. One reason Miami and Florida State stands out because over the years their games affected the whole college football landscape. The games took on more meaning when Bobby Bowden took over Florida State in 1987.
Not only was (and still is) there a definite hatred between the two intrastate rivals, but five losses to Miami have kept Florida State out of national championship games. Thirteen times in the last twenty years they have met when both were ranked in the top ten.
This rivalry has been marked by missed kicks that always seem to go against the Seminoles. Even though both schools are down right now the rivalry is still intense, and over the years there has been more at stake with this game than any other.
Army vs. Navy
We have to put the Army vs. Navy game on this list as well. When the men who protect us get together and play this game amidst the pageantry and the pre-game march on to the field, we all have to stand up and take notice. They are the most well trained and disciplined that we have, and in many ways this rivalry tops the list.
Honorable mention: Auburn vs. Alabama, U.S.C. vs. Notre Dame, Oklahoma vs. Texas, Georgia vs. Florida, Michigan vs. Ohio State.
Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees
Many feel that this is the fiercest, and most bitter rivalry in all of sports, and it doesn’t seem to be quieting down. Since the wild card was instituted, they have played in the American League Championship Series three times, with the Yankees winning twice.
They finished tied at the end of the regular season in 1978 and played a famous one game playoff in Fenway that won by the Yankees 5-4. The big hit was a three run home run by the light hitting Bucky Dent. That season was memorable because Boston had a fourteen game lead on the Yankees at one point.
The ALCS in 2003 had some fireworks that resulted in a bench clearing altercation that resulted in Yankee coach Don Zimmer charging Pedro Martinez and being thrown to the ground. This series was intense, and Boston actually led game seven 5-2 in the eighth inning, when Red Sox manager Grady Little decided to leave a tired Pedro Martinez in the game.
New York staged a one out rally with three straight hits to make the lead 5-3, and when Little left Martinez out there, Jorge Posada doubled in the tying runs. The Yankees ended up winning on an Aaron Boone home-run in the eleventh inning. This added to the feeling by the Red Sox nation that they were cursed.
Boston would turn things around, but the animosity between the teams would never wane. In 2004, Alex Rodriguez and Jason Varitek got into a fight that resulted in another bench clearing brawl. Both teams would finish first and second in the division and meet for the second straight year in the ALCS, and it didn’t disappoint as far as drama is concerned.
The Yankees led the series three games to none, and Mariano Rivera was on the mound in game four to save a 4-3 game. Boston would come back and win this game, and begin what would go down as the biggest collapse in major league playoff history. The Red Sox would go on to win the World Series that year and since then have not looked back.
In 2005 both teams lost in separate divisional series, but Boston, after not making the playoffs in 2006, would win their first American League East Championship since 1995 and go on to win the World Series.
Red Sox and Yankee fans go further than having a healthy dislike for their counterparts. Boston fans won’t root for any New York team in any sport, and vice versa. Even at this years All Star game, when Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon came in the game for the AL, he was booed mercilessly because of perceived disrespect aimed at Mariano Rivera.
Someone actually went so far as to bury a Red Sox jersey in the foundation of the new Yankee Stadium, believing that would jinx them. The news about it became public, and the construction crew searched for it and subsequently found it and took it out. Enough said.
NFL Football has so many great rivalries it’s hard to center on one or two. The Bears and Packers had a great rivalry in the old NFL days, but in modern times this has been nothing special. Chiefs and Raiders, Steelers and Browns, and Giants and Cowboys have a lot of history, but we will choose another.
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Oakland Raiders
This was a rivalry that could have been played out in a back alley or an Mixed Martial Arts ring. For about six years between 1972 - 1977 these two viciously beat on each other and called it football. The Raiders specialized in intimidating their opponents, and Pittsburgh’s steel curtain backed down from no one.
Raider safety George Atkinson knocked Lynn Swann out with a forearm to the head after a play was over, on the other side of the field, that resulted in a lawsuit being filed by Chuck Noll. Atkinson countered by suing Noll for slander.
Keep in mind that a lot of the bitterness came from the fact that both teams had unbelievable talent. Nineteen players from the teams from this era have been inducted into the hall of fame, and they were constantly competing for the right to go to the Super Bowl. They met in three straight AFC championship games from 1974-1976.
The most famous moment was the immaculate reception game in 1972, where Franco Harris caught a deflected pass just before it hit the carpet and scored the winning touchdown with little time left. To this day, former Raider players say they were cheated by the officials on the play. This rivalry was one of the nastiest in NFL history, if the nastiest.
Honorable Mention: Redskins vs. Cowboys from 1970-1983, Colts vs Patriots (current), Steelers vs Cowboys.
Raphael Nadal vs. Roger Federer
On the tennis courts, history is being made every time these two meet. Nadal is the physical young bull, and Federer is the smooth, unflappable assassin. They are the best in their sport and most of their matches have been epic battles.
Federer’s legacy as the best ever has been thwarted by losses in three French Open finals, and this past Wimbledon final, which was probably the greatest match ever played. Nadal has been frustrated by Federer on the grass as well until this year.
They have brought out the best in each other and do it in a way that is different than all the other rivalries we have mentioned before. There is no ill will between them, and they praise each other as top notch players.
These two are so good and battle so hard, that they have drawn fans to the sport that were indifferent before. This is the top individual rivalry going on today. There is not another that comes close.
Honorable mention: Borg vs. McEnroe
Tiger Woods vs Nobody
We are currently waiting for someone to step up and replace Nobody. I don’t think it will happen.
Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
Canada is serious about their hockey, and this was their version of the Hatfield’s and the McCoys. Through 1970 they were the only teams north of the American border, so every time they met it was a big deal. From 1944 to 1978 they met twelve times in the playoffs, and faced off in five Stanley Cup finals.
This rivalry is symbolic of a rift in their history and society- the English and the French Canadians. The English were British, conservative, and Protestant, and the French Canadians were Roman Catholic and liberal.
Duke Blue Devils vs. North Carolina Tarheels
Also known as the battle of Tobacco Road, is the most fierce rivalry we have in college basketball. The intensity of the rivalry is inflamed by the proximity of the two universities, located only eight miles apart. These teams are always among the ACC’s top teams and every time they meet it is a huge deal.
Former North Carolina coach Dean Smith and current Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski are hall of fame coaches that have presided over some of the best and hotly contested battles between the two schools.
There are other college basketball rivalries, but this one is the gold standard. None of the others have quite the bite that this one has.
Rivalries are what help to make sports what it is. It lets us know that that there is something other than just money that is driving our athletes. Thanks, to the rivalries past, as we look forward to the future rivalries.
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May 25, 2008 by editor.
The Los Angeles Lakers will be hard pressed to play better than they did in game 2 as they completely dismantled the Spurs 101-71. The surprising thing has not been that they beat San Antonio, it is the way they have been doing it.
L.A. has played excellent team defense, especially against the pick and roll, which Tony Parker thrives on. Individually, Sasha Vujacic has tormented Manu Ginobili into two very sub-par efforts. He finished game two with only 7 points on 2-8 shooting. The Lakers are prepared and Phil Jackson knows exactly how he wants to defend San Antonio, and so far they are executing their game plan.
The Spurs seem to be playing on their heels and look tentative. Tony Parker in particular seems to be playing less aggressively than he was against the Hornets. Derek Fisher is a good, experienced defender, but Parker doesn’t seem to be able to get to the basket consistently. If San Antonio is to rebound at home, Parker is going to have to be one of the reasons why.
The Lakers have not lost much when their bench comes in either. They have actually extended leads when they were on the floor. When San Antonio’s bench was in the game they struggled to score points. Gregg Poppovich may have to adjust his rotation because there were too many times in game two where there were just two Spurs on the floor who were legitimate scorers.
That gives Los Angeles the opportunity to double team off of guys like Robert Horry, Jacque Vaughn, and Bruce Bowen. Bowen to his credit has been making a decent amount of his open shots, but the Lakers don’t fear him as a scorer.
After sub par performances in game one Fisher and Lamar Odom (20 points, 12 rebounds) set the tone in this game and were very active on offense and defense. Along with Jordan Farmar (14 points) they continually pushed the ball up the floor with every opportunity, and the Spurs looked like they were playing with lead weights on their feet.
Kobe Bryant was his usual unstoppable self, but he didn’t have to be extra-ordinary this game. They dismantled the Spurs as a team, and now San Antonio finds themselves in the same predicament they were in versus New Orleans.
In order for the Spurs to win, Poppovich will have to come up with schemes to free up their scorers so they get easier baskets. The condition of Ginobili’s ankle will be key as well because if he cannot attact the basket he will become a jump shooter, and he has not been effective at that so far. The Lakers have had success defending Ginobili during the season, so this is not new for them.
Parker will have to step up and put pressure on the Laker defenders and get to the basket, and when that isn’t happening he needs to set up Finley and perhaps Brent Barry for open threes. Parker and Duncan need to get fifty points together to have a chance.
Defensively, San Antonio has to decide to take away something from L.A. If they decide to let Kobe go one on one, they can’t let him set up his teammates for easy baskets. They can let Kobe get forty points, but they have to limit the rest of his team. Kobe has learned that setting up other players is just as important as scoring, and San Antonio must make a decision on how to limit the damage he is inflicting.
I wouldn’t count the Spurs out. They have not looked good, but as they have shown us in past series, they will not go out with out a fight. They have the heart of a championship and they are truly a team. I look for them to win game three at home and generate some momentum. It is really a must win game.
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May 4, 2008 by editor.
New Orleans came from behind in the second half and beat San Antonio 101-82 to take a one game lead in this best of seven series. The Hornets didn’t look shell-shocked, nervous, or intimidated as they executed their game plan to perfection.
They double-teamed and harassed Tim Duncan into a five point three rebound night that doomed San Antonio. The Spurs had no answer for David West as he destroyed Kurt Thomas and Fabrico Oberto to the tune of thirty points. Oberto looked particularly helpless on defense.
Look for an adjustment to be made as Popovich will either put Tim Duncan on West or employ another strategy to slow him down.
Peja Stojakovic got loose for 22 points which does not bode well for the Spurs. The one thing that they could not afford was for both David West and Stojakovic to thrive on offense.
Chris Paul didn’t have his best game but he was good enough as he controlled the tempo of the game (17 points, 13 assists). Tyson Chandler had 15 rebounds, 6 on the offensive end as he was very active. San Antonio was out worked and out hustled, which rarely happens.
Tim Duncan passed enough out of the double teams but his teammates could not deliver. San Antonio shot well in the first half, but cooled off in the second, and couldn’t force the Hornets into turnovers. I look for Duncan to rebound and have a better game in game two. The Spurs can’t win without him being a major contributor.
David West averaged 23 points against San Antonio in the regular season, and if the Spurs can’t figure out a way to slow him down they may not be defending their championship too much longer.
The Hornets strategy is clear. Make Duncan a passer and force his teammates to make plays. They didn’t make enough of them in game one. It is difficult to game plan New Orleans because of how Chris Paul runs the team. Popovich pointed out that “he (Paul) runs an organized playground”.
San Antonio must figure out how to get Duncan room to operate, and they can’t get pounded on the boards like they did in game one. It may be too early to say game 2 is a must win for the Spurs, but they have to win at least one game in New Orleans.
It looks like we are in for a long series.
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May 3, 2008 by editor.
The job for the Phoenix Suns is simple. Stop one of the Spurs’ big three from being a factor, force them into being jump-shooters, take away the layups and easy fast break points, and wear them down with a consistent offensive attack.
They know what they have to do, but they are unable to execute it. For the Suns, that is the demoralizing part.
They have had double-digit leads but can’t hold them. They were seconds away from winning Game One but couldn’t seal the deal.
They know San Antonio wants to get to the basket, but they can’t dig deeply enough to limit the amount of damage.
In Game Three, the Spurs took a page out of the Suns’ book and jumped out to a big lead, thanks to Tony Parker. He went to work early and often, and the Suns’ strategy was evident as they backed off and challenged the Spurs to hit jumpers.
There was only one problem with that. They were uncontested mid-range jump shots.
San Antonio is not a great outside shooting team to say the least, but any team will look good shooting the ball if they are at relatively close range and are not contested.
The Spurs controlled the game and led from wire to wire, blowing out the Suns in Game Three. The Suns have had control of games, only to let them slip away.
Phoenix has to face the fact that they have no answer for San Antonio in any aspect of the game. The Spurs have been tougher physically and mentally. They have been better offensively, even though Phoenix is the team known for putting up tons of points.
San Antonio has been better defensively, which we figured, but the ineptitude with which the Suns have played with on that side of the ball is hard to figure. This leads to my next point.
Phoenix is not as well-coached as San Antonio is. Gregg Popovich has pushed all the right buttons, called the right plays to the right people at crucial times, and the players trust him.
The Suns seem confused on defense and aside from Game One, they fell apart when the Spurs turned up the heat. This series for all intents and purposes is over, and Phoenix knows it.
Their time has past and they are not serious contenders any more, with or without Shaq. Many thought this would be time for the Suns’ revenge.
Instead, the only thing that’s been proven is that the gap between these two teams is wider than the Atlantic Ocean.
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April 24, 2008 by editor.
Game 2 of this 7 game series started out the same way game 1 did. Phoenix took control early, building a double digit lead and clicking on all cylinders. You still had the feeling that San Antonio would come back and eventually take control of the game.
It was just a matter of time. What has to be recognized is that this is a bad match-up for the Suns. What Phoenix lacks, San Antonio excels in. Even without foul trouble, Phoenix was unable to effectively defend the paint against Parker and Ginobili.
Parker abused them for 32 points, and Ginobili took turns shooting 3’s and driving to the basket. When it mattered most, the Spurs turned up the heat defensively and completely shut down the Steve Nash and company in a way that seemed to stun the whole team.
The Suns are not built to do that. They are built to outscore their opponents, and play average to below average defense. If they can’t score consistently, they will not beat a good team like the Spurs. They don’t have the capability to turn it up a notch on defense.
When San Antonio needed a lift from someone other than Tim Duncan, Parker or Ginobili, they got it from Steve Finley. His eight points at the beginning of the 3rd quarter set the tone for the rest of the game.
Amare Stoudemire went cold in the 3rd period and couldn’t hit anything, and Nash was smothered by Bruce Bowen as the Suns committed one turnover after another. No one else stepped up for Pheonix. They needed a spark, but was unable to get one from Barbosa, Diaw, or Grant Hill, who is hurt and will not be a factor in this series.
If Stoudemire or Nash don’t score, you get the feeling that no one else will.
Shaquille O’Neal is a liability playing the pick-and -roll, and San Antonio will exploit that. The Spurs have had their lapses, but they do a much better job than the Suns.
When the Suns had control of the game, they couldn’t put the Spurs away. When San Antonio got control of the game, their defense kept Phoenix from over-taking them.
Few want to admit that this a bad match-up for Phoenix, but that is the case. They had better find some answers for Ginobili and company quickly, or they can book their tee times for early next week.
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