| Today’s topic is: my favorite things in
football. A number of things quickly come to mind:
Peyton Manning’s marvelous play fakes. Terrell Davis, when healthy, making a
cutback against the grain and busting a long run. The bomb to Randy Moss. Shawn Springs in
pass coverage. Jevon Kearse rushing the passer. Bill Cowher ranting and raving on the
sideline. Keyshawn Johnson making a big play. Warren Sapp destroying an offensive play.
Larry Allen blocking. Deion Sanders when he gets his hands on the ball.
None of these top my list, however. The best thing in football is …
Rivalries.
Oh, baby, I love rivalries. I love it when teams develop a good hate for each other. I
love it when their blood boils.
Which is why I am growing increasingly excited about the rivalry that is developing
between Cincinnati and Cleveland.
Just imagine how heated it will become if both teams become good at the same time.
QB Akili Smith fanned the flames last season when he earned a measure of revenge at
being passed over by Cleveland in the draft. He did so by driving the Bengals 80 yards in
the closing minutes of an October game vs. Cleveland and throwing a two-yard TD pass to
Carl Pickens for an 18-17 win over the Browns.
After the TD pass to Pickens with five seconds left, Smith raised his arms in
celebration and then pounded his chest in a gesture to the Browns’ bench.
Still carrying a grudge from Draft Day, Smith said, "It was real personal. The
(Cleveland) fans were cheering like it was the Super Bowl, and that’s how I took it.
This game was very big for me. I wanted to show them they made a mistake."
There are those who criticize Smith for acting unprofessionally after his TD pass to
Pickens. Were I a coach or talent evaluator, maybe I’d agree. As someone who likes to
watch exciting football, as someone who loves blood feuds, I absolutely loved the way
Smith was fueling the fire.
Add to this the fact that the Browns passed on WR Peter Warrick in this year’s
draft, only to see him taken by — you guessed it — the Bengals, and you have the
Hatfields vs. the McCoys.
"I’m glad that Cincinnati picked me," Warrick said. "You know,
Cleveland (has to) play Cincinnati twice (a year), and those two times, I’m gonna
give it to ’em."
With quieter would-be stars like QB Tim Couch and DE Courtney Brown, the Browns
aren’t as likely to stir things up in this rivalry. That’s OK; the Browns’
Dawg Pound will carry the load in that regard.
Call in the National Guard if you must to protect innocent bystanders, but I say to
heck with peace talks. I’m looking forward to war breaking out for years to come in
this hotter-by-the-minute rivalry. |
