PDA

View Full Version : Steelers vs Ravens.... .How does a great sports rivalry begin?



polamalubeast
08-16-2011, 09:40 AM
This One's Personal
How does a great sports rivalry begin? Sometimes it starts with the fans. A rivalry game can take on added meaning for a fanbase because of the accumulated memory of great moments and perceived slights from years past. For instance, Art Modell's decision to move the Browns to Baltimore in 1996 gave Cleveland Browns fans plenty of reason to hate the Baltimore Ravens. But it usually takes time for that sort of intensity to translate to the players themselves. The nature of the NFL is that a player can find himself playing for his team's former rival on short notice, so there often isn't time for the players to build animosity toward a particular team beyond what is normal for opponents.

The interesting thing about the rivalry between the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers is that it didn't start with the fans. It started with the players. It took just a few years, some big games, plenty of crushing hits, and a lot of trash-talking to transform Steelers-Ravens into one of the fiercest rivalries in the NFL.

read more

http://www.afc-north.com/rivalry/pitbal.html