Great Rivalries in Sport (and Elsewhere)

I was watching something on T.V last week that got me thinking about rivalries. Now I would love to say that what I was watching was the Red Sox-Yankees series last weekend. But that wasn't it.

It was Star Trek.

I know what you're thinking but it's true. I wouldn't lie to you (at least not that you know of). And if I was going to make something up, don't you think it would have been something other than Star Trek?

My story goes like this: One day last week, over my lunch hour, I found myself watching Star Trek, as I almost always do at lunch (this is the original series people, none of that Next Generation crap. One word: Shatner). And the episode in which Captain Kirk first encounters Khan Noonieh Singh is on. The epic struggle between Kirk and Khan gets me thinking about what other great rivalries, sporting or otherwise, we've seen over the years.

So here is the list of what my two co-conspirators and I came up with. This is by no means a definitive list and they are in no particular order.

But let's start with the match up that got this whole thing started...

1. Captain Kirk vs. Khan

Background
Found drifting in the S.S Botany Bay by Captain Kirk and crew, Khan and his band of super-humans outsmarted and out muscled the Enterprise crew and gained control of the ship. If not for a double-cross that saved Kirk's life, Khan would surely have been the future ruler of the Universe. But it was not to be, Round 1 to Kirk.

The rivalry would be renewed many years later as Khan escaped exile on Seti Alpha 5 (no, I did not have to look that up), hijacked a starship and hunted Kirk down for vengeance.

I won't ruin Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan for you but suffice it to say that Round 2 went to Kirk as well. Although only because Mr. Spock sacrificed himself to save the ship and crew - "That was hell of a thing when Spock died" (Seinfeld fans know what I'm talking about here).

Why This is a Great Rivalry
First of all, William Shatner vs. Ricardo Montalban - it doesn't get much better than that. This one had it all - decades of pent up hatred, stolen space cruisers, vengeance, and wrath - lots of wrath.

This little piece of video should provide you with a pretty good idea of what this rivalry was all about:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdOv5jpYxUI

2. Calgary Flames vs. Edmonton Oilers

Background
This rivalry has less to do with interstellar warfare and is more about civic pride. With two cities of about the same size in Alberta, there was always going to be competition between the two, whether it be football or bull riding. But the rivalry is really about hockey (it's Canada, what else were you expecting). The Flames and Oilers comprise what is known in hockey circles as "The Battle of Alberta." When your games have their own nickname, you know you've got a real rivalry. While games between the two teams have cooled off a little in recent years, it's still a pretty big deal.

Why This is a Great Rivalry
When a game is more than just a game - when it's about civic, national or religious pride - it's a rivalry. And these two cities do not like each other and generally equate civic superiority with victories on the ice. During the years 1984-1990, one of these two teams represented the Campbell Conference in the Stanly Cup: Edmonton in 84, 85, 87, 88, 90 and Calgary in 86 and 89. Looking back at that now, it's pretty unbelievable - that two teams only a couple hours from one another, and that hated each other so much, were in the Stanley Cup for 7 straight years.

They say that a rivalry doesn't truly begin until both sides have won something. This clip shows the first time Calgary beat Edmonton in the playoffs - on Steve Smith's own goal in 1986 - that is when it became a true rivalry:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDRmAW0xI0c

3. Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees

Background
Since 1919 the Red Sox have won 1 World Series, the Yankees 26. However, in 2004 the Red Sox did the unthinkable, coming back from an unprecedented 3-0 deficit to beat the Yankees in 7 games in the ALCS - after losing Game 7 of the ALCS to the Yankees the year before. The Red Sox then went on to win the World Series in 4 games over the St. Louis Cardinals.

This match-up has always had a David vs. Goliath feel to it, with the Red Sox always playing the underdog, the lovable loser. But with the World Series win in 2004, the playing field has levelled somewhat and the match-up has definitely intensified.

Why This is a Great Rivalry
History has a lot to do with this one. The Red Sox and Yankees both have long histories and their histories are intertwined with each other. In 1919 the Red Sox sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees, causing Ruth to supposedly curse the Red Sox to never win another World Series. And for 86 years it looked like it worked. This was the Curse of the Bambino - if you've ever seen the criminally-bad Fever Pitch, you should know what this is all about.

In the modern day, I'd say this rivalry hit its stride in 2003 and 2004. The Yankees won Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS in dramatic fashion, with a game-winning home run in extra innings. The story in 2004 was even more dramatic, as the Red Sox were down to their last out and were on the verge of being swept, but somehow rallied and came from 3 games down to win in 7 games.

This clip shows how intense the rivalry is for the fans, it's the scene in Fenway Park when David Ortiz beat the hated Yankees with a single in Game 5:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9ZUK4Ci3cM&mode=related&search=

4. Sylvester Stallone vs. Communism

Background
My original idea here was Rocky Balboa vs. Communism but then it was brought to my attention that John Rambo was also dedicated to wiping out the Red Menace. So it became very clear that Sly Stallone was obsessed with single-handedly destroying communism.

Why This is a Great Rivalry
Do I really need to explain? The ultimate action star of the 1980's versus the quintessentially evil political ideology of the 1980's.

John Rambo started things off by softening up the enemy, drawing First Blood:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc0BH3mK5Ek

Then Rocky Balboa ended the Cold War with his 15th round knockout of Ivan Drago. Once Drago went down in Moscow, there was no longer any hope for the Soviets - the Cold War was over:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMpSDwlGrKA&mode=related&search=

5. New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts

Background
This is one of the few rivalries in the NFL that is actually relevant. These are two of the few consistently competitive teams in the NFL and it's always a must-see game when they play each other, be it in the regular season or the playoffs. Indianapolis finally beat New England in the playoffs last year, en route to their first Super Bowl.

Why This is a Great Rivalry
This has match-up has been interesting in the last few years because in the playoffs, when it really mattered, New England would always prevail. Indianapolis would put up gaudy numbers in the regular season but could never get past New England when it really counted. This was the scene inside the RCA Dome when Indy finally beat New England in the AFC Championship Game last January. Now it's on:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P2CJdS5Feg&NR=1
(The only thing this clip needed, more cowbell)

6. Happy Gilmore vs. Shooter McGavin

Background
Seriously...do I need to explain this one?

Happy can hit a golf ball a country mile, his grandma needs money to save her house, Happy joins PGA tour to raise money, Shooter is jealous of Happy; buys grandma's house, Happy and Shooter play final game for possession of the house.

There, I've just ruined the movie for you, but do yourself a favour and watch it anyway if you've never seen it - and if you have watch it again.

Why This is a Great Rivalry
Classic good vs. evil, David vs. Goliath, underdog situation. Plus you've got Sandler in his absolute prime (but that doesn't really make it a great rivalry, just a great movie). And as if that wasn't enough you've got Apollo Creed as Happy's golf coach. And then just to top it off, the best rhyme fight in cinematic history:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgH4ECnSRKI

7. Rangers vs. Celtic

Background
Glasgow, Scotland. One major Scottish city.

Rangers, Celtic. Two major Scottish soccer clubs, one city.

Catholicism and Protestantism. Two major religions, one city.

Relations between Catholics and Protestants are generally pretty shaky at the best of times, but when you add soccer to the equation, things are taken to a whole other level. In Glasgow, the two religious factions are each represented by their own soccer team. Celtic is the Catholic team and Rangers the Protestant. Let's just say that sometimes things can get out of hand.

Why This is a Great Rivalry
As if opposing soccer fans didn't dislike one another just on general principle, throw in religious hatred as well and you've got yourself a truly great rivalry. The fact that both teams play in the same city and are perennially competing with each other for the Scottish league title makes the Rangers-Celtic rivalry all the better. The "Old Firm Derby" as their games are called have got to be about the most highly secured matches in the world. Any match up where fans have a high likely hood of serious injury or death makes this list any day:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86XNiQttRzs&mode=related&search=

8. L.A Lakers vs. Boston Celtics (Magic Johnson vs. Larry Bird)

Background
No 2 teams dominated the NBA in the mid-1980's like the Lakers and the Celtics. They were the 2 teams in the NBA. They met in the NBA finals in 1984, 1985 and 1987. And each team had their own franchise superstar, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird - the two players of the 1980's. Their personal rivalry actually dates back to 1979 when Magic and Bird met in the NCAA finals.

Why This is/was a Great Rivalry
Not so much a great rivalry anymore, as the Celtics have not been much more than lame ducks since Bird retired in the early 90's. But in the 80's if you wanted a marquee game, you wanted Lakers-Celtics. And if you wanted a marquee battle, you wanted Bird-Magic:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B4IoQoCfrQ

It's generally accepted that these two players saved professional basketball in the early 80's. They came along and injected life back into a dying sport. The rivalry between these two players and these two teams created excitement where there was none before.

9. Hulk Hogan vs. Gravity

Young Hogan, mid-1980's

Old Hogan, late 1990's

It's been an epic stuggle for many years, but eventually time makes fools of us all.

10. Turkey vs. Greece

Background
Part religious, part regional, part national, part irrational - whatever the reasons may be, the final outcome is always the same - Turks and Greeks just straight up hate each other. I'm sure there are hundreds of historical reasons why they can't stand each other, but I'm too lazy to research them all (I need an assistant) - so it's enough for our purposes here just to say they hate each other. Perhaps that's being a little too general, not every Turk hates every Greek and vice versa, but by in large, this hating on one another seems to be true. And when you add soccer to this mix it's like gas on a fire.

Why This is a Great Rivalry
As in the case of Rangers and Celtic, it always makes for a great rivalry when opposing fans and players not only dislike one another but absolutely loathe each other. And when national pride, determined on a soccer pitch, is on the line everything gets ratched up another notch or two. Watch this clip and then see if you think the Turkish players who have the bottles, sticks and fireworks thrown at them think this rivalry is pretty intense:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDMCKGXZtKM&mode=related&search=