The List: Best feuds

OUR TOP FIVE Here’s how the Page 2 staff ranked the top sports feuds of all-time:1. Ali vs. Frazier: Although they’ve buried the hatchet, these two are always ready to “rumble.”2. Pete Rose vs. Bud Selig: The ultimate he-said, he-said affair.3. Reggie Jackson vs. Billy Martin: The best example of manager-player relations gone wrong.4. Bobby Clarke vs. Eric Lindros: When family members get involved, it makes a feud all the juicier.5. Al Davis vs. Pete Rozelle: The image of Rozelle handing the Super Bowl trophy to Davis in ’84 is still priceless.Honorable mention: Roger Clemens vs. Mike Piazza, Bob Knight vs. Murray Sperber, Shaq vs. Kobe, Bob Arum vs. Don King On Tuesday, Page 2 ran its list of the best sports feuds of all-time. We asked for your take, and you filled our mailbag with plenty of opinions.After going through nearly 600 letters, here’s a complete rundown of the voting, along with some of the best letters about each feud: 1. Reggie Miller vs. Spike Lee (22 letters)This may be the greatest feud between a player and a fan, if not the only recurring feud between a player and a fan.Half of the fun of a Knicks-Pacers game is the showdown between these two. Reggie pays more attention to Spike Lee in the stands than to the opposing players. He’d rather hit a 3 to win a game and cross his hands on his throat making the choke sign to Spike Lee, than win a championship.No feud between a player and fan will ever exist like this again, and thus, this should be the No. 1 feud in sports.Josh KleinYorktown Heights, N.Y. Because all through the 1990s the way Reggie kept ripping out the Knicks’ heart and then ran down the floor pretending to choke himself while looking at Spike. It was great.Jimmy FlemingMarina, Calif. 2. Al Davis vs. Pete Rozelle or Mike Shanahan or Marcus Allen or the NFL (22 letters)The Pete Rozelle-Al Davis feud has to be the best of all-time because it still goes on today, even though Pete Rozelle is gone. The Silver and Black (The Evil Empire versus The Federation) out to rub more salt in the wounds of the NFL. This is even better than the wild imagination of any WWF or WCW script writer.Ray BykeTempe, Ariz. My choice would have to be the long, ugly feud between Al Davis and Marcus Allen. What makes it so bad is that very few people outside football even know about it or the sordid details. This feud is the reason why Allen will enter the Hall of Fame as a Chief.Tom MalminAptos, Calif. 3. Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier (18 letters)Nothing’s better than Frazier-Ali. They fought the greatest bouts in history. Not only were their fights legendary, but the verbal sparring between the two introduced America to a new part of sports trash-talking.KevinFlorham Park, N.J. Unlike the others mentioned, this feud was settled in the arena, man against man. The others were hashed out in the press, in board rooms or court rooms. This was settled in the ring, with devastating results, however.Mike OsterburSidney, Ill. 4. Roger Clemens vs. Mike Piazza (18 letters)Mike Piazza was beaned in the head and was forced to miss his start in the 2000 All-Star Game. Then, Clemens saws Piazza’s bat off. The broken part ends up rolling to the mound where Clemens picks up the piece and throws it in Piazza’s direction!No other feud is so shocking as this, even Rocker vs. Every nonracist person in America.JayFarmingdale, N.Y. After the head-hunting incident, you knew Piazza was going to get revenge. And Game 2 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium was priceless.AmandaWilton, Conn. 5. Pete Rose vs. Bud Selig (18 letters)Pete should be in the Hall of Fame and the only one who doesn’t want him in there is the commissioner. Go Pete, someday you’ll get your space in Cooperstown.Brandon FowersLogan, Utah As an owner of a ridiculously underachieving franchise, Bud Selig would probably have sold his daughter to have Pete Rose manage that team. Now in the commissioner’s post, he can’t see through the remnants of Bart Giamatti’s beard to let Rose rest in the hall.Greg H.Royal Palm Beach, Fla. 6. John Rocker vs. New York City (17 letters)Is any player hated anymore, or booed any louder in any ballpark than John Rocker in Shea Stadium? When he’s in New York, he’s the only player in baseball who requires a police escort. And Rocker loves it!He hates Mets fans more than they hate him.Mike SortoNew York I live in New York and every single New Yorker hates him. The fact that he is on the Atlanta Braves doesn’t help either.J. BrinkGardiner, N.Y. 7. Billy Martin vs Steinbrenner or Reggie Jackson (17 letters — the Boss 12. Vs. Reggie 5)How many people do you know were hired for the same job five times?Bill SiebertGladwin, Mich. My vote is for Billy Martin against the rest of the world. Who can ever forget the “Game of the Week” incident in Fenway Park when Billy and Reggie Jackson almost duked it out in the dugout? Not to mention Billy’s famous almost-last words “One’s a born liar, and the other’s convicted,” when he dissed Reggie and his boss, George Steinbrenner. Or when Billy punched out the marshmallow salesman? I miss Billy.Bill GallagherSimsbury, Conn. 8. Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees (17 letters)The Beantown Boys vs. Bronx Bombers. This is baseball’s classic rivalry and most bitter blood feud. Walk into any bar in either town, voice support for the opposing team and pray God saves you because no one else will.When the Red Sox and Yankees play, nothing else matters. Each win and loss is a microcosm of the season itself and indicative of the fortunes of both teams. No one loses when the Sox play the Yankees. The players, the owners, and most importantly the fans all get fired up. This is one of baseball’s oldest, most bitter, and best feuds.Thankfully, the league finally did something right and instituted the unbalanced schedule. Eighteen games vs. the most-hated Yankees. Pedro vs Clemens. Nomar vs Jeter. Boston vs. New York. Baseball heaven.Mark MesitiLawrence, Mass. The Red Sox vs the Yankees, no matter what year and who is on the team, the blood boils for the fans and that has to rub off on the players.John EstabrookWoburn, Mass. 9. Art Modell vs. Cleveland (16 letters)One of the greatest sports towns in the world, home to one of the proudest traditions in all of sports. Shafted by a nasty turncoat looking for a quick buck. Don’t come back to Cleveland anytime soon, Art. For your own sake.Philip MeckleyNashville, Tenn. What other feud involves more individuals, more passionate hatred or more of what is totally wrong about professional sports?Jamie WrightPortland, Maine 10. Bobby Clarke vs. Eric Lindros (15 letters)Because they’re just two stubborn mules who refuse to give in. It’s the classic “Dad vs. son” battle because it will probably go on forever.Tim BilskyBelle Vernon, Pa. Honorable mentionsMy choice for best feud (and in many ways the worst) in sports, is that between Mike Tyson’s boxing talent, and his short circuiting/synapse-misfiring head. Rarely has the world seen a talent the likes of Tyson. Equally rare are the numerous meltdowns Tyson has brought on himself. Tyson, however, has done his best to make them seem second-nature.Never have I been so thoroughly mesmerized by a fighter as I was by the young Tyson, who bashed and battered his way through opponents. That Tyson was a great for the ages. He had a rare blend of speed, power, and will.Unfortunately the other side of Tyson was equally powerful. That Tyson bullied and bashed and bit when he didn’t get his way. That side of Tyson eventually consumed most of the talented fighter we once idolized. I can only hope that Mike Tyson the man can finally find the peace that he has seemingly lacked, and that we can again remember Mike Tyson the fighter as a great former champ and possible future contender.Chris WilliamsPrinceton, Minn. Don King’s Hair vs. gravity: Sure, gravity has its own laws, but then Don has always been above the law, as is his hair. But then again, his hair is above everything.Russell NadicksberndMemphis, Tenn. Probability vs. Chicago Cubs: Pick any major-league team and find me someone who would bet on them to lose for the next 93 years.Craig AntoshChicago Send this story to a friend | Most sent stories