Red versus Blue, Good versus Evil, North versus South, Light versus Dark, however you describe it, rivalries are a crucial part to sports and athletics.
But the real question is what makes a good rivalry? Is it the off field antics that go down before games, or is it the nail biting action on the field?
From brawls and social media teases, to in game moments that capture the eyes of fans and the determination of athletes. It creates the atmosphere for epic games, comebacks and more. But what makes them so important?
“I’d probably have to say the build-up,” said Drake Hadlock (‘27) a multi-sport athlete at the high school after being asked what his favorite part of the rivalry (Red Sox and Yankees) is. “…all the things people go over, and even in the past on like so and so hit two bombs off this guy, and this guy was pitching, blah, blah. So for me it’s more of the build up and watching what is happening before the game” said Hadlock.
One big part of rivalries is the fans. They are not only the focal point of any rivalry, they are also what fuels the fire for the anticipation of the game.
In 1953, Army and Navy were two somewhat popular teams at the time. Especially when they both went head to head.
Before the game, two Army supporters stole Navy’s mascot “Bill the Goat” in the first ever goat-napping as they call it. This obviously to help boost morale, also helped fire up Army as they won 20-7.
Since this moment, Army has attempted at least 10 times to steal Navy’s mascot, as well as Navy stealing the Army’s mascot mules, in hopes of aggravating their fans. Goes to show the lengths in which fans will go to show their support for their team.
“There’s a lot of beef between them and a lot of fights, ” said Easton Aalbu (‘27), an athlete at the high school also talking about the Red Sox and Yankees rivalry. “It’s definitely fun to watch,” Aalbu said.
Two other teams that constantly have seemed to have problems, not only involving during the games, is the North Carolina and Duke rivalry.
Coined in 1920, the Battle of Tobacco Road has mainly been competitively played on the basketball court, but there’s another key detail to what adds on to the hatred of one another. It’s a public v.s private school feud.
Rooting back to the 1700’s, UNC has always been the flagship public university, while Duke is the private institution, living off of the money from old tobacco industries. This rage’s Tar Heel fans as they find Duke as the stuck up upper class program, while the Blue Devils find UNC cheap and unsportsmanlike.
Ever since the students and fans have found out about the school situation, games have escalated to huge opportunities to prove to the other program who is better. Showing the deep history and institution related hate for the other team, and why it makes those games so important.
What makes a good rivalry is not only what those in attendance do, but those on the field and court who perform with one goal and one goal only. To beat the team they had circled on their calendar since day one. The determination and will to win just hits different when you’re playing the team you hate.
“They’ve both been really great teams and had some really great match ups,” said track athlete Collin Gainer (‘26), when talking about the long rivalry between the 49ers and Seahawks. “They seem to see each other a lot in meaningful situations,” Gainer said.
In the Apple Cup between Washington and Washington State in 2012, the Cougars went into the fourth quarter down by 18, and in the back of their mind they knew they couldn’t lose once again.
The past eight years to that point, the Cougars had lost in horrific and embarrassing fashion, to the point where people questioned the importance of the game. Wazzu used that to fire them up, sparking a late comeback.
Having huge stops and big plays offensively, the Cougars prevailed and silenced all the haters and the Huskies as they won the game 31-28. Telling all the fans that they wanted it more, and were willing to fight tooth and nail for that cup.
“Just the hatred that started it,” said Jaxon Spicochi (‘27), a varsity football player, about the 49ers and Seahawks as well. “It’s a big rivalry game, really to make the playoffs,” said Spicochi.
With all good rivalries, it can spill over into the playoffs, as it did with the Giants and Dodgers in 1951 to claim the division and move on to the World Series.
It was game three in what had been a heated series of big plays, chirps, and classic rivalry moments. But nothing was more monumental than “The Shot Heard Around the World” hit by Bobby Thomson in the bottom of the ninth.
With 2 runners on, down 4-2, Thomson had come up to bat against Ralph Bronca. Thomson knew about the previous actions of what the Dodgers did, giving a wreath to the Giants manager with it saying “RIP New York Giants”.
Having that in mind, a pitch came in, then back out over the left field wall off of Thomson’s bat, winning the game, series, and as announcer Concord Hymn said, “The pennant.” This became one of the most famous wins in baseball history, and a bookmark in the rivalry of the Dodgers and Giants.
“I mean it’s something that’s been going on (Competitively) for the past 20 years” said Varsity athlete Brayden Jewett (‘27) when talking about the Red Sox and Yankees. “I mean you’ve got two great teams going head to head all the time” said Jewett.
Now, with good pregame pranks and close games that draw the eyes of those even not involved, is the history and longevity of certain rivalries. A great rivalry usually has one of two things. That’s been around for a long time, or is close in all-time record.
The importance of rivalries to some is that it’s an annual occurrence of the game, and to others it’s to prove that they are the “Big Dawg” in the rivalry, trying to put another win in the win column.
Starting in 1897, “The Game” played between Michigan and Ohio State University, not only has been around for over 100 years, has also had a close record all-time, 62-51-6 in favor of Michigan.
Starting in 1894, “The Civil War” played between Oregon and Oregon State University has been played 128 times, and has had a close all-time record as well with a 70-49-10 in favor of Oregon.
Known as “The Battle For Paul Bunyan’s Axe” the Minnesota and Wisconsin rivalry has been played since 1890, and has an exact record of 63-63-8. These rivalries, and others, are not only important to the teams involved, but to the history of College football or even sports in general.
“It’s usually when they get feisty, when peoples best come out” Said Spicochi when asked about what he likes most about rivalry games.
Yankees and Red Sox, having played since 1903, and have met over 2,000 times! Lakers and Celtics meeting for the first time in 1948, known as the two kings of the basketball world have met 376 times in their franchise history. The Bears and Packers have played since 1921, with an all-time record of 108-96-6 in favor of Green Bay.
All sports fans know about these match ups, and all fans understand the importance of them because they either go back so far into America’s history, and or have had a heated back and forth contest since day one.
You see, there really is no reason why rivalries are important. All it took was one wrong look, one team to brag to the other about who’s better in the state, or who has a better team, and the hate for the other team grew.
“I mean if you lose, you’re going to get clowned for it the rest of your life” said Hadlock. “You don’t ever want to lose that game, because if you lose that game you’re gonna hear about it” Hadlock said.
It’s not only what makes sports fun, it gives a sort of purpose to the love of one team, and the dislike of another. Without that passion, that will to win and beat the opponent that you’ve hated for so long, and the determination, Sports wouldn’t be the way they are today.
That boiling inside, that anger, that tenacity to win drives these meetings into such major match ups, even if they have no importance to a team’s season.
Because it always comes down to that one game, that one team, that one color, that repulses you at the sight of them. That rival, that makes you grind your teeth, clench a fist, and boils your blood. In the end, when that day comes, there is one thing in mind. Winning, and there will be nothing civil about it.
“If you truly have a competitive spirit, you’ll find a way not to not be a fan of that team” said Gainer. “You may have respect for them. I may not have a lot of respect for the 49er’s players, but you’re not going to like them as much” said Gainer, the avid Seahawks fan.
