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Duke-North Carolina. Both are extremely major "cream of the crop" caliber almost every single year and they're barely 8 miles apart from each other (as opposed to almost any other rivalry at all). By the way I'm a North Carolina (Tar Heels) fan.
The thing about it is, too, you not only root for whichever when they play the other, but you also root for other teams when they play against the "other" one. Duke fans were delighted to see Carolina lose the Villanova at the buzzer last April, failing to realize that hey at least Carolina was PLAYING in the final game of the year while they were watching it on TV. We were the same way in 1999 when they lost to UConn in the title game.
No doubt I celebrate each and every Duke loss with nearly the same level of excitement of a Carolina win.
You can tell a real rivalry when they have troops in full riot gear and automatic weapons instead of "courtesy stewards."
See: Game 6 2004 ALCS
The Boston Police once tried arresting a Canadiens player, and when they played in Montreal next there were some brawls in the stands.
US sports rivalries come nowhere close to soccer rivalries
Argentina-Brazil rivalry is similar to having a US-Russia rivalry
Barcelona-Real Madrid rivalry is similar to having a Yankee-Confederate rivalry
Just to give you an idea,
but I think the biggest soccer rivalry in the World, from what I've read, is the Celtic-Rangers rivalry in Scotland.
Is no secret that Catholics and Protestants have hated each other in UK for a very long time.
Celtic is the Catholics team and Rangers is the Protestant's team.
After WWII, only 5 players have played for both teams.
Their first game was in 1888 and ever since have played 404 games
US sports rivalries come nowhere close to soccer rivalries
Argentina-Brazil rivalry is similar to having a US-Russia rivalry
Barcelona-Real Madrid rivalry is similar to having a Yankee-Confederate rivalry
Just to give you an idea,
but I think the biggest soccer rivalry in the World, from what I've read, is the Celtic-Rangers rivalry in Scotland.
Is no secret that Catholics and Protestants have hated each other in UK for a very long time.
Celtic is the Catholics team and Rangers is the Protestant's team.
After WWII, only 5 players have played for both teams.
Their first game was in 1888 and ever since have played 404 games
But that's the thing those aren't sports Rivalries. Catholics and Protestands in the U.K. killed each other as a pastime for about 300 years. They hate each other in everyday life, they just so happen to be in the same place when their teams face.
Real Madrid vs Barcalona has to do with Independencefrom Spain.
The only sports rivalry in the US with an origin off the field/court is the White Sox/Cubs which is a racial divide.
As opposed the US Rivalries when Bostonians don't hate New York in general they hate the Yankees (or the Rangers) Montrealers don't hate Boston they hate the Bruins etc. People from Barcalona hate Madrid for reasons nothing to do with soccer.
The Celtics vs Rangers during the old days would be like the Atlanta Hawks vs the Cleveland Cavs during the Civil War, the hatred between the fan bases would have nothing to do with sport.
Cricket Pakistan vs India, these countries actually fought 3 wars against each other. Nothing else can compare
But that not a Sports Rivalry. its an event where peoples who already hate each other for real reason are drawn too.
Bruins/Canadien is not based of off the hate between two different styles of Hockey, one believes the other is a dirty, skilless team, while the other thinks the other one is soft.
Cardinals/Cubs is based of off Chicago constantly getting their sports dreams crushed by the Cardinals. Not St Louisians coming into their city and slaughtering people.
National teams are a completely different dynamic. Even a few such as Celtic Ranger and Real Madrid are more political than sport.
If we're truly going worldwide it has to be Rangers-Celtic. That one has religious undertones and really transcends sports. It's difficult to say on most of the ones listed because you really don't know these rivalries unless you live among them. So for that reason I'll go Bears Packers since it's one I know first hand
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