These Western Conference Finals got us thinking: Chicago sports is loaded with fierce rivalries, but which is the most heated? This list caused some disagreement amongst the staff (Ha! Staff.) so feel free to voice your opinion below.
Chicago sports pretty much revolves around the pro teams, but Illinois-Northwestern is as good as it gets for the colleges. In football, the two teams have played the last 63 years for the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk, which was retired this year. From now on, the Land of Lincoln Trophy will be what's at stake. In basketball, of course, this is usually a mismatch. There have still been some exciting moments though, including Illinois' improbable road comeback last season that ended any chance the Wildcats had at making the tournament.
In recent years, Bears-Vikings has produced perhaps the most competitive games in the NFC North. If Brett Favre winds up in Minnesota next season, this rivalry has the potential to jump a few spots up this list.
Enjoy Indiana while they're down, Illini fans. It won't take Tom Crean many more years to turn that program around. As far as the rivalry goes, I'm told Lou Henson and Bobby Knight used to get into it back in the day, but the Eric Gordon saga took it to another level. With solid recruiting classes coming in for both teams in the next few years, expect this rivalry to only get more intense.
In the 90's, there wasn't a more perfect foil for MJ and Co. than the Knicks. These teams produced a bunch of great games, but the two moments that stick out in my mind are Hugh Hollins' phantom foul call on Scottie Pippen in 1994 playoffs, and, of course, the Charles Smith Game.
These teams produced some of the roughest and toughest games around in the late 80's. We forget it now, but even MJ had to pay his dues, losing three times to Detroit in the playoffs before finally conquering the Pistons in 1991, en route to his first NBA title.
This has been a flat out war for the last decade. Only twice in the 00's has a team other than one of these two taken the AL Central. Tensions may have reached an all-time high last season when the two teams slugged it out in September, culminating with a Sox victory in Game 163.
This is where the debate gets interesting. More than one TTCS'er placed Cubs-Sox in the top spot on their ballot. If rivalries are about the fans, it's tough to top the venom that Cubs-Sox brings out. But I'm putting this at No. 4 because nothing has ever really been on the line. Six games in the middle of the summer just don't really mean that much. Now if they ever played for a World Series.....
I recently asked a kid at school what baseball team he roots for and this was his response: "Well I had to choose a team, so I went with the Cubs".
I explained to him why that was a bad choice, why the Sox are waaaaaaay cooler, and then he looked at me like I had three heads.
"Well, it was Cubs or Cardinals."
Oh.
We're so head over heels here for the Cubs and Sox that sometimes we forget just how big Cubs-Cardinals is elsewhere. Of all the rivalries on this list, Cubs-Cards might have the widest national appeal.
Upon declaring I was putting this in the two hole, the most common response was, "where would you have put it this time last year?". It's a valid argument, but I honestly still think that 'Hawks-Wings would have come in second. This rivalry has everything you look for: history (two Original Six teams), passionate fan-bases that don't like each other (Detroit suuuucks!), and - hey now - two pretty damn talented teams (currently).
Obvs. You know this thing is real when 'Beat the Packers' was the first of Lovie Smith's three goals after becoming Bears head coach.
Agree? Disagree? Let's hear it.
10. Illinois-Northwestern
Chicago sports pretty much revolves around the pro teams, but Illinois-Northwestern is as good as it gets for the colleges. In football, the two teams have played the last 63 years for the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk, which was retired this year. From now on, the Land of Lincoln Trophy will be what's at stake. In basketball, of course, this is usually a mismatch. There have still been some exciting moments though, including Illinois' improbable road comeback last season that ended any chance the Wildcats had at making the tournament.
9. Bears-Vikings
In recent years, Bears-Vikings has produced perhaps the most competitive games in the NFC North. If Brett Favre winds up in Minnesota next season, this rivalry has the potential to jump a few spots up this list.
8. Illinois-Indiana
Enjoy Indiana while they're down, Illini fans. It won't take Tom Crean many more years to turn that program around. As far as the rivalry goes, I'm told Lou Henson and Bobby Knight used to get into it back in the day, but the Eric Gordon saga took it to another level. With solid recruiting classes coming in for both teams in the next few years, expect this rivalry to only get more intense.
7. Bulls-Knicks
In the 90's, there wasn't a more perfect foil for MJ and Co. than the Knicks. These teams produced a bunch of great games, but the two moments that stick out in my mind are Hugh Hollins' phantom foul call on Scottie Pippen in 1994 playoffs, and, of course, the Charles Smith Game.
6. Bulls-Pistons
These teams produced some of the roughest and toughest games around in the late 80's. We forget it now, but even MJ had to pay his dues, losing three times to Detroit in the playoffs before finally conquering the Pistons in 1991, en route to his first NBA title.
5. Sox-Twins
This has been a flat out war for the last decade. Only twice in the 00's has a team other than one of these two taken the AL Central. Tensions may have reached an all-time high last season when the two teams slugged it out in September, culminating with a Sox victory in Game 163.
4. Cubs-Sox
This is where the debate gets interesting. More than one TTCS'er placed Cubs-Sox in the top spot on their ballot. If rivalries are about the fans, it's tough to top the venom that Cubs-Sox brings out. But I'm putting this at No. 4 because nothing has ever really been on the line. Six games in the middle of the summer just don't really mean that much. Now if they ever played for a World Series.....
3. Cubs-Cardinals
I recently asked a kid at school what baseball team he roots for and this was his response: "Well I had to choose a team, so I went with the Cubs".
I explained to him why that was a bad choice, why the Sox are waaaaaaay cooler, and then he looked at me like I had three heads.
"Well, it was Cubs or Cardinals."
Oh.
We're so head over heels here for the Cubs and Sox that sometimes we forget just how big Cubs-Cardinals is elsewhere. Of all the rivalries on this list, Cubs-Cards might have the widest national appeal.
2. Blackhawks-Red Wings
Upon declaring I was putting this in the two hole, the most common response was, "where would you have put it this time last year?". It's a valid argument, but I honestly still think that 'Hawks-Wings would have come in second. This rivalry has everything you look for: history (two Original Six teams), passionate fan-bases that don't like each other (Detroit suuuucks!), and - hey now - two pretty damn talented teams (currently).
1. Bears-Packers
Obvs. You know this thing is real when 'Beat the Packers' was the first of Lovie Smith's three goals after becoming Bears head coach.
Agree? Disagree? Let's hear it.
3 comments:
No one would ever think NHL would stand up again, keep the fever rolling!
You were right. If it was last year the Blackhawks - Red Wings rivalry would have been at #9, #10, or not even on the list. But just like everyone else, jump on the bandwagon. Also one rivalry that has really died down is Marquette - Depaul. Back in the day these schools hated each other.
Michael B...It's DePaul and nobody really gives a flying rats ass.
Unless, of course, your name is Scott Phillips.
Post a Comment