Rivalries

[Mike George]

1. One who attempts to equal or surpass another, or who pursues the same object as another; a competitor.
2. One that equals or almost equals another in a particular respect.

I picked these two definitions off the web at random, but I think it best explains the mindsets or confusion (i.e. Dayton Crosby thread) of what a rivalry is.

By definition, Crosby and Dayton are DEFINITELY rivals. Why? They've been playing each other off and on, mostly on for more than three quarters of a century. Whenever the two get together it's a brawl. The teams don't like each other, the fans enjoy the aspect of rubbing it in each other's face and no matter who's favored or even comes in with what is perceived as the better team, no one can determine with 100% accuracy who will win, i.e. 2009.

That being said, domination by a team over another team does not in itself preclude or otherwise exempt them from being rivals. Number two in the definition could be construed that way, but "in a particular respect" is the key phrase that should eliminate any misunderstanding. The fact that both teams are in the same district, or in some cases a bi-district playoff game, and the fact that they are close to each other in proximity plus the fact they have the history they have are plenty of "particulars" to satisfy the definition.

Want an example? I was at this year's Dayton vs Crosby game (duh). A team and its fans DO NOT celebrate a win over a neighboring community the way Crosby celebrated that win without the game being an INTENSE rivalry. Now that they are playing each other again, I expect Barbers Hill and Dayton, if not already, are rivals. Anyone knows IF and that's a great big large IF, Liberty ever gets their program to the point where they will ever consider playing Dayton again that this will be a rivalry from the very "re-beginning" of play.

I would have posted this on the original thread, but didn't want it to be lost in the mix.

Oh, and there is another kid named Howard from Dayton playing college football.

[PNG Proud]

Just one question about  your statement "A team and its fans DO NOT celebrate a win over a neighboring community the way Crosby celebrated that win without the game being an INTENSE rivalry."  So, if a neighboring community was ranked, say #1 and another team that is not ranked at all beats them, would the winning team not celebrate like crazy, simply because they were not, as you put it "INTENSE rivalries"? 
I didn't see the game that you mention, but that statement doesn't seem totally accurate to me,  if I understand you correctly.

[the_dude_abides]

1. One (CROSBY) who attempts to equal or surpass another (DAYTON), or who pursues the same object as another; a competitor.
2. One (NOT CROSBY) that equals or almost equals another (DAYTON) in a particular respect

So, by your definition, the game is a rivalry for Crosby and not Dayton.

[TexazBall]

Biggest Rilvary Around these parts are

Nederland vs P.N.G
Central vs Ozen
W.O.S vs Silsbee is also a good one

[coach bear]

I have to agree that the Crosby Dayton game is not a rivalry game. With Crosby winning it may become more of one because Dayton will play it with more emotion. but because it has been so one sided in recent times it cannot be so classified. In my belief rivalry games are Clear Lake-Clear Creek, DeerPark-Laporte, Sterling-Lee, PNG-Nederland, Temple-Belton, even WestBrook-PAM. I know I extended the reaches of southeast texas a bit, and I know there are many 2 and 3A games I am not familiar with. In the past Dayton-Liberty used to be a good one just like CE King-Crosby in the late 80's and early 90's. Texas - Oklahoma is a rivalry game, but Texas - Texas A M is not as good as it used to be. WHat do ya'll think?

[rapayne]

I think it was by far the rivalry game of kings in the SETX area!!! I mean look how far these two programs went in the postseason. Nothing like the one and done Nederland or down in two over hyped PNG. These were programs that really showed some stuff. LOL!

[Cougtalk]

[quote name="the_dude_abides" post="731094" timestamp="1260928768"]
1. One (CROSBY) who attempts to equal or surpass another (DAYTON), or who pursues the same object as another; a competitor.
2. One (NOT CROSBY) that equals or almost equals another (DAYTON) in a particular respect

So, by your definition, the game is a rivalry for Crosby and not Dayton.


[/quote]

We surpassed dayton this year... quagmire.

And in the past the games have been competitive in some respects. scores never tell the whole story.


Its funny how Dayton ebats us bad 2 years ina  row, after winning sometimes by the skin of thier teeth the previous 8 years and its they've "destroyed" crosby, the only thing your destroying is your own dignity.

[rapayne]

When did Dayton escape by the skin of their teeth, and really does it matter. Bottom line is watermelon watermelon watermelon rhine look at the scoreboard and see who is behind!!!!

[dayton]

2009 crosby 28-0, 
2008 Dayton 49-14,
2007 Dayton 49-7,
2006 Dayton 35-0,
2005 Dayton 21-3,
2004 Dayton 36-17,
2003 Dayton 35-20,
2002 Dayton 49-14,
2001 Dayton 31-0,
2000 Dayton 10-7,
1999 Crosby 31-21,
1998 Dayton 35-14,

Cougtalk... you are right that scoreboards don't always tell the whole story.... which is what many Dayton fans have been trying to say for months.

I don't see many skin-of-your-teeth type scores in that list of scores.... only one is, IMO.

[cardinal66]

Now that's funny I don't care who you are.  Good post Payne.  Old sayings, love them

[Mike George]

[quote]2. One (NOT CROSBY) that equals or almost equals another (DAYTON) in a particular respect[/quote]

This is the crux of those who think this is not a rivalry. Yes, in some cases teams equal in talent where one wins approximately as many games as the other is a rivalry. But "in a particular respect" does not meet "only that" as a criteria. In the case of Dayton and Crosby there are several "particular respects" - the long, long history of playing each other, the fact they are only 17 miles apart, the fact that both have almost always been the same class size, the fact that . . . do I need to go on?

Liberty has dominated Dayton as far as wins and losses goes, but try and tell me that would not be a huge rivalry if they started playing again. Won-loss records have little if anything to do with teams being rivals simply because the underdog (in this case Crosby) is always going to relish when they win and the Dayton players are always going to say they don't want to be the team that lost to the Cougars. Get it? That means due to everything BUT the win/loss comparison, the teams rival each other.  Capiche?

[cardinal66]

Crosby and Dayton border each other out there on the farm land.  The post offices are probably less than 10 miles apart.