As of February 2012, New York as a whole, is leading the rivalry versus Boston in the four major sports. Some of the rivalries have not been as concentrated in recent years. However, the intensity will thicken come playoff time, as most of the two regions’ teams are relevant.
Knicks vs. Celtics:
The Celtics have the richest history in the NBA with the most championships out of any organization. Additionally, they have been the more successful over the course of the last decade, winning their division the last four seasons. Having said that, as of this week, I am confident in saying the tides are shifting.
The Celtics “big three” are becoming old and decrepit. The team is prehistoric and the excitement surrounding them has passed. In the other corner, the Knicks are finally creating a squad that can compete with the Heat and Bulls of the league.
Over the last nine games, the Knicks are 8-1. Presently, they are suffocating the media with unlikely star point guard Jeremy Lin. New York has immediately brought it together ever since Harvard grad Lin entered the lineup and Carmelo Anthony exited. Both squads are .500 with the Knicks being 16-16 and the Celtics 15-15.
The intensity of this competition will surge over the rest of the 2012 season as the two teams battle for a playoff spots. The difference is that as the Celtics get tired, the Knicks will get stronger.
Yankees vs. Red Sox:
The Yankees and Red Sox blood baths have cooled off a bit in recent years. Two factors are directly the cause.
One, their rivalry is truly a rivalry between the players and a lot of those players have moved on. Roger Clemens, Pedro Martinez, Jorge Posada and Kevin Millar used to be in the thick of the bench clearing brawls between the two clubs over the past decade. Two, the Tampa Bay Rays have entered themselves into the division discussion, which has lessened the attention and focus
New York and Boston show towards each other. The matchup has been fairly even in recent years, with both teams winning two championships. Nevertheless, the Red Sox have missed the playoffs over the past two seasons.
Jets/Giants vs. Patriots:
The Jets and Patriots have always been the true rivalry. The two teams play twice a season to compete for the AFC East. The Patriots have conquered the matchup over the past several years. During these years, New England has built a dynasty with Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. If the Jets happened to come out on top, it was viewed as an upset. The new and up and coming rivalry is now the Patriots and Giants. It is debatable whether the two are actually true rivals or not.
They play approximately once every four years during the regular season because they are in different conferences. Either way, the two are developing a competitiveness against each other, as they have squared off in two of the past five super bowls.
The Giants have had the Patriots number defeating New England both times. In 2007, the defeat brought an end to the Pats undefeated season.
Currently, the Giants have beaten the Pats three games in a row. It’s safe to say Tom Brady is not a fan of the underrated Eli Manning, who has stolen two super bowls from him.
On a side note, Eli Manning is the fourth best quarterback in the league after his second super bowl win.
Rangers vs. Bruins:
The Rangers and Bruins are in different divisions when it comes to the NHL. The Boston Bruins were Stanley Cup champions last season. This year, both teams sit atop the Eastern Conference standings, with the Rangers seven points ahead. The two haven’t squared off in the postseason for 39 years. Come playoff time, I believe the rivalry will be rekindled. The two will be battling for the top spot and advancement into the towards a Stanley Cup.
Bottom line, if I had the choice of picking New York or Boston to be more successful over the next year, New York has a slight competitive edge over Boston. There is just a distinctive type of anticipation about the Knicks, Yankees, Giants and Rangers.
Tim Shanahan can be reached at tshanahan@spartans.ut.edu.