Why NY Does Awesome Rivalries.

As the Rangers and Devils continue their path into the Eastern Conference finals, it had me thinking of the best all-NY playoff series. NY is arguably the best sports city in the world. Right there with Boston, Chicago and LA, New York City sports are that much better due to the fact that there are at least 2 teams in every major sport. While it’s hard to argue that state-state rivalries are not the most dramatic and riveting sports rivalries out there, there is something special about in-state rivalries. Living in the same city as other fans of teams that you despise brings such a drama to your every day live. No one wants to go to work and get ripped on by their friend whose team just beat yours; especially when it’s a playoff series. So let’s take a look at the best All-NY sports rivalries.

Devils vs Rangers

As both teams began their rise in the NHL in the mid-90s, the Rangers and Devils met often and drama ensued. While the Devils were the more successful franchise in the late 90s and early 2000s, the rivalry grew every year. The main source of this rivalry has to be the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals. In one of the more dramatic NHL playoff series ever, the Rangers won the series in game 7 overtime after Mark Messier’s guaranteed victory in game 6. Almost 20 years later, the Rangers and Devils are adding fuel to the fire in this tri-state battle.

Giants vs Jets

Though they play in opposite conferences, the two NY NFL teams play in the same stadium, share a geographical fan base and have a heated on and off the field rivalry. The chat between the franchises is constant and always owning the headlines. The regular season game this past season was quite intense and had some serious applications. The thought of a Super Bowl between these teams is just scary. Heck, their fighting over the backpage of the NY Post alone is a battle for the ages.

Yankees vs Mets

America’s past time in America’s city. NY is split between being a football and baseball city. We love our baseball. The Yankees and Mets have massive fan bases of passionate and loyal fans. Though the Yankees have dominated the success column, this rivalry is always great. Every interleague game is an event. The “subway series” has always been intense but reached a focal point in the 2000 World Series when the Mike Pizza led Mets faced off with the Yankees in the Fall Classic. The series was great and had its memorable moments, perhaps none more than Clemens throwing a broken bat in the direction of Pizza. This rivalry will live forever.