The Top 5 Best Sports Rivalries

The best team rivalry in sports history is when I analyze the rivalries that made them one of the best over the years. I will have a top 5 that I will break down. The teams are Yankees and Red Sox, Celtics and Lakers, Michigan and Ohio State football, Duke and North Carolina, and Packers and Bears. These rivalries have hatred, competition, intensity, passion and exciting moments that every person would want to see.

Bears vs Packers

Packers and Bears are probably one of the longest NFL rivalries in history. For the past 80 years, the Bears-Packers series has had all the bitterness, intensity, and animosity normally associated with rivalries. The Bears-Packers rivalry also has featured some of the best moments by some of the greatest players in NFL history. A total of 52 Pro Football Hall of Fame members (28 for the Bears and 24 for the Packers) have participated in the series. The Bears record against the Packers is 92-88-6. The Bears have 18 division championships to the Packers 15. The Packers won 9 Conference Champions to the Bears 4. They combine for five Super Bowls and 54 playoff appearances. Both Bears and Packers have been in the playoffs four times together and played only twice. The rivalry started in 1921, but it really took shape in 1923. At the epicenter of the rivalry stand two of the most irrepressible and influential figures in NFL history-Chicago's George Halas and Green Bay's Earl (Curly) Lambeau. Each entered the league as founder, head coach, and player. Halas controlled the Bears from 1920 until his death in 1983, roaming the sidelines as their head coach for a total of 40 years. Lambeau was the Packers' vice president and head coach from 1919-1949. Halas and Lambeau both were strong-willed, disciplined, and driven to win. Their recurring clashes kept the flame of the rivalry hot. The first ever ejections for fighting in the NFL took place between these two teams. It was when Halas, Bears owner, got the Packers kicked out of the NFL so they will not sign a specific player. The hitting also was intense during the Lombardi era. One of the ugliest incidents in the series came in 1986 when Mike Ditka was coach of the Bears and Forrest Gregg was coach of the Packers. Both men had disliked each other as players. The Bears were the defending NFL champions, and they defeated the Packers 25-12 at Green Bay in their first meeting in 1986. For the rematch in Chicago, Packers defensive end Charles Martin wore a towel that had a hit list of Bears players written on it. Quarterback Jim McMahon was at the top of the list. In the second quarter of the game, Martin proved his list was more than just for inspiration. After McMahon threw a pass, Martin grabbed the quarterback, lifted him in the air, and slammed him to the turf. Martin was ejected for his flagrant late hit.

Duke vs North Carolina

Duke and North Carolina have been always known as the greatest rivalry in college basketball history. There are more than a few college basketball diehards who object to the fact that The Battle of Tobacco Road is the sport's foremost series and rivalry, but it's an established status that won't be challenged anytime soon. For nearly 100 years, the third-and-fourth winningest programs in college basketball history have fought on Tobacco Road, setting a precedent for rivalries around the country. Both teams located just eight miles apart, Duke and North Carolina have battled for local and national dominance since the first meeting on Jan. 24, 1920. That is when North Carolina beat Duke. The last 83 matchups North Carolina has 42 and Duke has 41 wins. The two teams have not only set historic matchups in ACC play, but have also stood as NCAA powerhouses. Duke is currently fifth all time with NCAA titles in 1991, 1992, 2001, and 2010 while North Carolina stands as third all-time with titles in 1957, 1982, 1993, 2005, and 2009. Duke has earned 19 ACC tournament titles and is first overall in the conference for most conference titles. North Carolina is second overall in the conference with 17. Other Carolina greats like Vince Carter, Rasheed Wallace, Billy Cunningham, Phil Ford, James Worthy, Sam Perkins, Antawn Jamison, Rick Fox, Kenny Smith, Jerry Stackhouse and countless others have contributed to the Tar Heels program success over the decades. The Duke program has fostered countless standout players that have sealed their names in the Blue Devil history books. Duke greats Art Heyman, Dick Groat, Jason Williams, Danny Ferry, Johnny Dawkins, J.J. Redick, Shane Battier, Bobby Hurley, Grant Hill, and Christian Laettner are just a few Blue Devils who have paved the way for a historically successful program. The result of the dueling philosophies is an unrivaled combination of sustained success. The last 134 times these two have played, at least one has been ranked in the Associated Press Top 25. The last time neither was ranked by the AP was on February 27, 1960. The last meeting where neither was ranked in either poll was February 25, 1955. In all, UNC has owned a national ranking in 107 of the past 133 meetings with Duke, and the Blue Devils have also been ranked in 86 of those matchups.