The pressure people put on themselves and the rivalry between the teams is much more marked. And I think that's a good thing. As long as that rivalry remains within the spirit of competition, it con only spur everyone on.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I think today the players are too nice to one another, but that might change with the unbalanced schedule, with teams playing each other more and more. When you face each other that much, with that much at stake, something's bound to happen.
Of course, rivals do affect athletes mentally, but if you are competing with top-notch athletes, you will push each other, you will encourage each other.
I guess what I'm really saying is something obvious - that there's a unique pride in watching a home team from rival turf, especially when we're not supposed to be any good.
Winning teams have the least amount of distractions. They have a really tight group of people working towards the same common goal.
In boxing, it's one fight, so it's easier to build up rivalries, but everyone's got huge respect for each other.
I think it's an extremely important factor to have your team together. It goes back to having distractions. When you all stay together for a period of time you're not training people or feeling out different personalities.
I think that winning creates chemistry, as opposed to other way around. I've been on a lot of friendly teams that couldn't win, trust me.
The best under-the-radar rivalry is Dodgers-Giants. I had no idea how deep that one was until I moved to California... that one goes waaaaaaaaay back, and both sides absolutely detest each other. Fights in the stands, fights in the parking lot, the whole thing. It's every bit as bitter as Yankees-Red Sox without nearly the same hype.
Rivalry doesn't help anybody.
We're all just playing our own game. I don't see it as a rivalry. We're just trying to play our best.