Thoughts on our SF Rivalry

[49fansince70]

Based on what I see on this board, Seahawks fans consider the 49ers their greatest rival; there may be more threads on the 49ers than all other teams combined.

 

[SharkHawk]

As a kid I always thought the Raiders were our #1 rival and the Broncos were a close 2nd. Now I'm seeing it is just that I hated those teams so badly. But I felt like the Hawks and Raiders and Broncos all had a good 3 way rivalry going in the mid-80's that just petered out thanks to Ken Behring. He ruined what was turning into a really great thing (sort of like Redskins, Giants, Cowboys, Eagles).

I hated the decision to move out of the AFC West and back to the NFC, but realize now that Paul Allen was wise in agreeing to it quickly and creating a clean slate and more regional of a rivalry. KC and Denver weren't as close geographically. It's sort of like the Rams now. It just doesn't make much sense unless they get back to LA. Otherwise I think they ought to seriously consider realigning again and moving the Rams to a different division and moving a team that comes to LA into the NFC West or moving the Chargers in and an LA team to replace them in the AFC West. I kind of feel like the Chargers would be a good addition to the division and the conference if massive re-aligning were to occur again. They would be a natural geographical rival with Arizona and then the Raiders would have a natural rivalry with whoever moves into LA because of the fact that the Raiders still feel they "own" the LA market.

 

[kearly]

Rivalries are by their nature existential and short lived. For as long as two teams are both good, the rivalry lives. But as soon as one of those teams fails to be competitive, the rivalry dies off and new rivalries are forged. The key here is that both Seattle and SF figure to be very good for a very long time. The rivalry is in it's infancy, and it won't last forever, but for the next 10 years or so it figures to be one of the best rivalries the NFL has ever seen.

 

[drdiags]

Packers vs Bears will always be a rivalry, even when both or one is not doing well (see post Lombardi Packers). That is a true rivalry. Papa Halas vs Lambeau/Lombardi type rivalry. Sort of like the Yankees vs Red Sox. Lot of history is involved and nostalgia romanticizes the games.

The NFL-AFL merger took some old rivalries and diluted them. Cowboys vs Redskins because of their success with Gibbs and Landry has staying power. NY Giants as well but losing Baltimore Colts to the AFC nipped a nice rivalry from that region, only now to give us Steelers vs Ravens.

 

[Navyhawkfan187]

My re-alignment dream: Jacksonville Jaguars moves to LA and switches with STL in the NFCW, so now STL is in the AFCS w/ Indy, Hou, and Tennesee. Then you swap Houston and Kansas City.

Now NFCW is SF, SEA, LA, AZ
AFCW is Oak, SD, Hou, Den
AFCS is Indy, Tenn, STL, KC.

Makes the most sense regionally to me and has huge rivalry potential especially in the new AFC South. I've always thought KC and STL should be an instate play every year rivalry that could become huge.

 

[chris98251]

They will never bust up the AFC west, it is comprised of the original AFC teams, Al Davis is gone but the owners of the teams are still unified in staying together, it's why we were the natural selection to move again.