Underrated rivalries

[tp49]

Islanders-Leafs. Im not so sure if the Leafs fans feel the same way as the Isles fans feel, but we sure hate the Leafs. Especially Darcy Tucker. Ever since that great 02 playoffs series where Tucker took out Peca with that hip check, we boo the $hit outta him. He even took a shot in the shootout last week at the Nassau Coliseum. I dont think Ive heard a louder boo towards one person, since he touched the puck in Game 6 of that playoff series.

I'm an Isles fan and I don't know if I would agree with this. I think there is more of a rivalry with Washington then there is with the Leafs. Not that I don't hate Tucker but there isn't the history between the two teams to constitute a rivalry...yet.

[Intimidator85]

There are several rivalries out there that don't get the publicity they should and are very underrated. One example I can think of is the Clemson-South Carolina rivalry. Note that I did not mention a particular sport, because this rivalry (unlike most others in college) carries on to other sports besides football. This rivalry splits the state in much the same fashion as Auburn-Alabama. The two fanbases don't respect each other at all--they just plain hate each other each day of the year.

In the NBA, the Pacers and Celtics have a rivalry that not very many are talking about. These two teams played a few thrilling playoff series against each other, with lots of trash talk going back and forth over the years.

In the NFL, you can just pick any two teams out of the NFC South and call it a rivalry. I'm serious. Falcons-Saints is the charter rivalry and both fan bases have hated each other for nearly 40 years. The Panthers' inability to beat the Falcons (until this year) helped fuel dissent amongst both teams. Likewise, the same has happened with the Falcons' inability to beat the Bucs and the Bucs' inability to beat the Saints. Both the Saints and Panthers have stolen playoff berths from each other over the years, so there's no love lost there. Amazingly, there's been very little talk about any of these series.

As far as baseball is concerned, there are a lot of underrated rivalries you can name, but I'll just mention A's-Angels for now. This rivalry is beginning to pick up steam, with the Angels costing the A's playoff berths the past two years.

[Steel Certain]

Penn State / Notre Dame had a great rivalry, and they've been off of each others schedules since the mid-90s. This would have been a GREAT bowl game....

[tp49]

Penn State / Notre Dame had a great rivalry, and they've been off of each others schedules since the mid-90s. This would have been a GREAT bowl game....

So did Alabama and Penn State back when Bear was coach.

[BaltimoreFan]

I would add the following:

1. Maryland/Virginia -- especially in football, basketball and lacrosse

3. Orioles/Yankees -- probably more of a one-way street with the O's recent struggles, but it certainly has its moments

I agree with these two, however I think they both have cooled (maybe not UMD/UVA in lacrosse). UMD/UVA is going to be overlooked since Virginia Tech has now joined the ACC. Orioles/Yankees is pretty big in Baltimore, even today random "Yankees Suck" chants will come out in Camden Yards, even if we aren't playing them.

Maryland Sports really lacks good rivalries. It was actually brought up in a Baltimore Sun article earlier this year with the Terps. WVU, UVA, and Navy could all be considered are top rivals, however all three of them have bigger rivalries with other schools. I'm hoping the O's will develop a good rivalry with the gnats. With the way Angelos is treating gnats fans, it is already begining.