It is rivalry week on ESPN for college basketball. It's a wonderful thing. Duke/UNC being the main event every year I remember watching college basketball. It's always interesting, so much emotions going into the game by the players and fans. UConn hasn't really had a rival since Boston College left for the ACC.
Rivalry make both sides better. Just look at the great teams, Celtics/Lakers, The New York Yankees/The Boston Red Sox, Man U/Chelsea, Colts/Pats, Texas/Oklahoma, and Michigan/OSU. Then you have individual rivals like Federer/Nadal (May be the best rivalry ever), Tiger Woods/Phil Mickelson, Lance Armstrong/Alberto Contador/Jan Ullrich, and of course Ali/Frazier. Rivalries up the competition of both sides. Raising the bar for the rest of the competition. The intensity is amazing. It's not only in sports either. Look at Windows/Mac OSX, Andriod/iOS (Maybe Windows mobile soon?), Facebook/Myspace (I think this one is over), Mario/Bowser, Walmart/Target, Nike/Adidas, and finally Coke/Pepsi. Rivalries have significant importance and it only motivates us to be the best we can.
I don't ever remember being part of a rivalry. The most significant rival is probably my brother. He seems have had the head start and constantly wins. It's only about time I will start winning more often (Being taller is a good start, tennis will be next!). Maybe Cranston High School East/Cranston High School West was a rivalry. Of course CHSE was much better. Not in tennis though, not even close. The band was definitely better though. I slightly had a rivalry in chemistry my freshmen year, but I didn't think of it that way. I always see everything as a competition against myself, and strive to be the best I can be. Motivation was lacking at times but my immense competitive spirit always pushed me. It's always good to have a standard to look to though, so I know at I am seeking to be better than. It's a mindset I seem to have all the time.
My better is better than your better.