I had Cowboys/Redskins at #12. The rivalry isn't nearly what it used to be, but during my childhood it was still pretty intense as the Cowboys were still pretty good team until about the 87 season and this was the Redskins heyday under Joe Gibbs.

Jul 3, 2020 13:26:56 GMT thereallt said:

I had Cowboys/Redskins at #12. The rivalry isn't nearly what it used to be, but during my childhood it was still pretty intense as the Cowboys were still pretty good team until about the 87 season and this was the Redskins heyday under Joe Gibbs.

It was weird though , even in looking up some memorable performances/games it seemed lacking. Like if a Week 2 Brunel to Miss game winner is a Top 2 moment in rivalry history like a bunch of sites had it listed - there might be a problem.

I prefer Eagles/Cowboys as far as NFC East rivals go for the Boys and even prefer 49ers/Cowboys as far as overall rivalries go. Fuck I wonder if the Packers have become bigger rivals over the years to the Cowboys. I’d say they are at least in the Top 4 for hated teams for me and their game on the calendar is bigger than most games on our schedule.

Jul 3, 2020 13:44:28 GMT UT said:

Jul 3, 2020 13:26:56 GMT thereallt said:

I had Cowboys/Redskins at #12. The rivalry isn't nearly what it used to be, but during my childhood it was still pretty intense as the Cowboys were still pretty good team until about the 87 season and this was the Redskins heyday under Joe Gibbs.

It was weird though , even in looking up some memorable performances/games it seemed lacking. Like if a Week 2 Brunel to Miss game winner is a Top 2 moment in rivalry history like a bunch of sites had it listed - there might be a problem.

I prefer Eagles/Cowboys as far as NFC East rivals go for the Boys and even prefer 49ers/Cowboys as far as overall rivalries go. Fuck I wonder if the Packers have become bigger rivals over the years to the Cowboys. I’d say they are at least in the Top 4 for hated teams for me and their game on the calendar is bigger than most games on our schedule.

Niners/Boys from the 90s is def a bigger, better rivalry for Dallas... Or in general. Felt like two super teams duking it out every year. Please tell me it ranked ahead of Skins/Boys? If not, I'll feel terrible for totally blanking on it with my list...

:$

I went mostly with rivalries that still matter in the current year, but I did make an exception for Cowboys/Redskins. Threw it on my list at #12 for historical reasons.

Jul 3, 2020 14:37:43 GMT 🤯 said:

Jul 3, 2020 13:44:28 GMT UT said:

It was weird though , even in looking up some memorable performances/games it seemed lacking. Like if a Week 2 Brunel to Miss game winner is a Top 2 moment in rivalry history like a bunch of sites had it listed - there might be a problem.

I prefer Eagles/Cowboys as far as NFC East rivals go for the Boys and even prefer 49ers/Cowboys as far as overall rivalries go. Fuck I wonder if the Packers have become bigger rivals over the years to the Cowboys. I’d say they are at least in the Top 4 for hated teams for me and their game on the calendar is bigger than most games on our schedule.

Niners/Boys from the 90s is def a bigger, better rivalry for Dallas... Or in general. Felt like two super teams duking it out every year. Please tell me it ranked ahead of Skins/Boys? If not, I'll feel terrible for totally blanking on it with my list...

You've failed us all , 🤯 -man 

I've thought about it and I think the Redskins is actually the lamest rivalry of the three by current standards. Even Cowboys vs Giant seems like a bigger deal , probably because it always gets primetime but at least the Giants were relevant every other year for awhile. And couldn't the Giants/Skins seem like a bigger rivalry? Weren't they good more often at the same times in the 80's? And you have the infamous Theisman leg break. I don't know - just spit firing really. 

I had 'skins/Cowboys at 10 but did debate putting the Cowboys rivalries with both the Giants and Niners on as well before deciding on more variety from other sports.

9. Toronto Maple Leafs vs Montreal Canadiens 

Total Meetings 

818 

Regular Season Wins 

Toronto: 318 

Montreal: 401 

Ties: 88 

Post Season Wins 

Toronto: 29 

Montreal: 42 

Head to Head Stanley Cup Finals 

Montreal: 4 

Toronto: 1 

Memorable Games and Moments

- 1960 Stanley Cup Final: Canadiens Sweep 

- 1951 Stanley Cup Final: Leafs win in Overtime 

- Pat Burns leaves Montreal and joins Toronto 

- 1964 Playoffs: Leafs beat Montreal in only Game 7 

Hey, KING KID, look! More hockey!!!

Boxing match on skates. What have I been missing?

Jul 5, 2020 16:00:35 GMT @ness said:

Boxing match on skates. What have I been missing?

One of the reasons why hockey is the greatest sport ever.

Forever Rivals. The end all, be all of hockey.

Check out this documentary, and you'll see why.




Also, you miscalculated on the head-to-head Stanly Cup matches.  Toronto won three (1947, 1951, 1967), Montreal two (1959-60).

Jul 5, 2020 18:11:37 GMT CM Punk'd said:

Forever Rivals. The end all, be all of hockey.

Check out this documentary, and you'll see why.




Also, you miscalculated on the head-to-head Stanly Cup matches.  Toronto won three (1947, 1951, 1967), Montreal two (1959-60).

I also have the book that accompanied that documentary. Plus the 1951 Cup and aftermath inspired the Tragically Hip to write a song about it. I actually still have the ProSet hockey card that inspired the lyrics.




 Good enough for number 4 on my list.

This was my number 1 with a bullet.

I’m a die hard Leafs fan and the Habs can get fucked forever.

That’s all.

Jul 6, 2020 1:10:38 GMT RT said:

This was my number 1 with a bullet.

I’m a die hard Leafs fan and the Habs can get fucked forever.

That’s all.

Same here.

Jul 1, 2020 1:19:00 GMT Shootist said:

Jun 30, 2020 21:45:21 GMT thereallt said:

Can anyone tell me why the Canadians are known as "The Habs"

Les Habitant, the group of French people who came to Quebec back in the 1600's.

Thanks for the clarification. I always wondered about the Habs nickname too. I had long guessed it was "a French thing" but had no idea about the details.

I thought Canadiens/Leafs was a thing. It was the one hockey rivalry I kinda sorta considered for a second before going in a different direction. Mainly because I just didn't know much about it.

8. Barcelona vs Real Madrid 

Meetings 

Competitive: 244 

Exhibition: 33 

Total: 277 

Competitive Wins 

Barcelona: 96

Real Madrid: 96 

Notable Matches and Moments

- Copa Del Rey Final 2011 

- 2011 Champions League Semi-Final 

- 1960 European Cup Semi-Final 

- Di Stefano's First Clasico 

- The Coming of Cruyff 

See I've heard of this one , still don't understand why to huge rivals would play exhibitions but I know nothing of the soccer culture so I'll just leave it at that.

The richest association football rivalry by far, with nothing, not even United/Liverpool, really coming close. It enjoys the passion and fury of something like Rangers/Celtic, but on an altogether different scale. Two of the most successful teams of all-time, they also represent two parts of the same country with Barcelona from Catalonia and Real from traditional Spain. So many unbelievable players have passed through both teams in their history, most recently Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo duking it out for the right to be called the best. The 'moment' that immediately comes to mind is Luis Figo having a pig's head thrown at him for doing the unthinkable, transferring from Barcelona to Real Madrid in his prime. Great rivlary.

Jul 6, 2020 12:46:31 GMT UT said:

See I've heard of this one , still don't understand why to huge rivals would play exhibitions but I know nothing of the soccer culture so I'll just leave it at that.

Exhibition is basically a pre-season game. Minimal effort, sell a shit ton of tickets in a foreign country, easy money spinner.

I figured , but I just don't understand putting huge rivals in a minimal effort game. I guess the draw will be there but no rivalry game should ever feature minimal effort. I couldn't imagine the Packers playing the Vikings in the preseason.

Shouldn't Real Madrid's biggest rivalry be against Fake Madrid?

Soccer is a very different sport to American football in terms of direct physical contact, so a friendly between rivals isn't quite the same thing.

However, 19 of those friendlies between Real Madrid and Barcelona were from before the national league was formed in 1929. They had only played 6 competitive matches before that point, in the national Copa del Rey (King's Cup), as there were regional leagues with Barcelona and Real playing in the Catalan and Central championships respectively. So there have been 14 friendlies in the 91 years since they became regular national opponents and I imagine most of them were far from friendly in their play.

Like how Rangers vs. Celtic is Protestants vs. Catholics, Barcelona vs. Real Madrid is the same for Catalonia vs. Spain. Barcelona was and is a symbol of Catalonia and its culture, hence the motto Més que un club (more than a club). When Franco was taking over Spain in 1936, the president of Barcelona was arrested and executed by his soldiers without trial and the Catalan language and culture suppressed. Real were seen as an embodiment of the oppressive, centralist, fascist regime and even the last two Kings are Real Madrid fans. As some Catalans still push for their independence, El Clásico will continue to be seen as a proxy war in their fight, and Real Madrid, the biggest and most successful football club of all time, will continue to be seen as a symbol of their big bad - the Kingdom of Spain.

The moment Todd mentioned.

I had Barcelona vs. Real Madrid at #8. Soccer is the world's most popular sport so it cannot be ignored. And this is a rivalry that captures  imagination of millions around the world.


Personally though I prefer the Premier League as their players seem to be a little more rough and tumble to me. La Liga players despite their overwhelming talent come off a little soft for my tastes.

Jul 6, 2020 14:20:30 GMT 🤯 said:

Shouldn't Real Madrid's biggest rivalry be against Fake Madrid?

It’s pronounced REE—AHL you uncultured swine. Gawd.

Jul 6, 2020 15:31:19 GMT UT said:

Jul 6, 2020 14:20:30 GMT 🤯 said:

Shouldn't Real Madrid's biggest rivalry be against Fake Madrid?

It’s pronounced REE—AHL you uncultured swine. Gawd.

And it's pronounced FAH-KAY, so... what's your point? Europeans talk funny. What else is new?

Jul 6, 2020 15:32:10 GMT 🤯 said:

Jul 6, 2020 15:31:19 GMT UT said:

It’s pronounced REE—AHL you uncultured swine. Gawd.

And it's pronounced FAH-KAY, so... what's your point? Europeans talk funny. What else is new?

I hope Todd kicks your ass for that.

And you better believe I'll scoff at whatever yank rivalries that nobody outside of Yankland cares about that you'll put ahead of this. Ye yanks.

I had heard of both these teams, and even knew how to pronounce "Real" the Spanish way, but knew nothing about them being rivals. Strobe coming through with the knowledge in much the same way RT & Shootist did for the hockey entries.

Jul 6, 2020 14:20:30 GMT 🤯 said:

Shouldn't Real Madrid's biggest rivalry be against Fake Madrid?

Getting all that dad joke practice in at our expense. Love it.

One of the best things about the rivalry between these two that hasn't been mentioned yet is how closely the players and styles of the two teams still continue to represent their history to this day.

Real had their first period of huge success in the 50s and 60s after signing Argentinian superstar Alfredo Di Stefano - who Barcelona had also tried to sign, only for the Spanish FA to block the sale because of third party involvement - which of course led to a conspiracy theory that Franco had exerted pressure to stop him from joining his team's rivals. Real went on to win six European Cups in the next 11 seasons. Signing international superstars really became Real's identity, especially from the late 90s as they looked to end their European drought post-Di Stefano. Florentino Perez was elected club president on the back of a campaign to sign the biggest names in the sport - the first being Luis Figo whose transfer from Barca was a huge scandal as Todd and Strobe have already shown. Despite delivering galatico after galactico (Beckham, Zidane, Ronaldo) it wasn't really until Perez's second period as president and the acquisition of Cristiano Ronaldo that they had another really iconic period winning three straight Champions Leagues - becoming the first team to do that in the modern era.

After missing out on Di Stefano, Barca had to wait until the 70s to sign the player that would go on to embody their club, Holland's Johann Cruyff, who chose to join Barcelona over Real because of Madrid's ties to Franco. Cruyff's arrival instantly saw Barca win their first Spanish league in 15 years, but he had a bigger influence when he returned to the club as manager in the late 80s. He constructed a team based on possession and passing which would become the club's identity, as well as bringing through the first graduates of the club's new academy La Masia where young kids were being indoctrinated with this technical style. One of the first was Pep Guardiola, who played under Cruyff, and then would return to manage Barca himself, building his team around players in his image who came through the club's youth system - chiefly Messi, Iniesta and Xavi. They were the best team I've ever seen (and probably ever will be) and won 14 trophies in Guardiola's five seasons.