Sports Rivalries: Which Is the Best One?

After all the talks of the rivalries in professional sports, I decided that it was time for the Bleacher's finest to decide.

So after all the hell I got from my Oakland Raiders column, it's time for those very same haters of me to tell me if there is a rivalry that is the absolute best in the world.

There is no out of bounds this time. I'm only going to talk about two rivalries that stick out for me since this is officially baseball season.

The rest is going to be up to all of you. So here are my thoughts on my nominees.

New York Mets-St. Louis Cardinals

For years, the Mets and Cardinals have been locked in an epic battle in both the regular season and postseason. No matter whether they're battling for a playoff berth or for pride, these two powerhouses always leave it all on the field.

That's why I nominate this rivalry for category of one of the best in the world.

Who can forget the epic seven game series between these two teams in 2004?

Still to this day, that NLCS series still ranks among the best of all time. For many reasons, everyone still finds themselves talking about the slugfests from Games six and seven.

For me, it was all about the ending that no one saw coming.

The looks on Mets fans' faces as the Cardinals celebrated their first trip to the World Series in over a decade.

As fans were left in shock, Cardinal fans across the country were in a state of frenzy as their hometown team put it all on the line and came back to beat the Mets in their own backyard.

Despite what happened a week later, I still enjoy the visions of the New York Mets wondering what just happened and what should have happened in their eyes.

Four years later, the pain still lingers, and the rivalry still contains at the same intensity.

Ohio State Buckeyes-Michigan Wolverines

For the better half of the 20th Century, the Big Ten has always played a perennial part in deciding the national championship contender.

Whether they're playing for that or bragging rights, these two college gladiators clash for the ultimate prize in their conference.

And that is respect.

Every year in Colorado, I watched as Buckeye and Wolverine fans talk mad smack to each other.

With all due respect to Broncos and Raiders fans, this game brings out the best and worst in people.

Even my brother, who is usually quiet and nonchalant, finds himself with a beer in one hand and a "Bad Call" Brick in the other.

The Buckeyes have won the last two meetings between the two teams, but what made this rivalry go up a notch was the showdown that occurred in 2006.

Ohio State won a high scoring game, but after USC fell to UCLA, it was Michigan that was chanting "BCS! BCS!" in the hopes that the committee was listening.

Unfortunately, the committee was listening, but was not in their favor.

Florida got the spot that Michigan felt they deserved, and the rubber match between Michigan and Ohio State never happened.

Ohio State and Michigan both went on to lose their respective bowl games in January 2007, and the team that ended up with the bragging rights turned out to be Florida.

Even though that was then and this is now, next season will be different.

Most likely, Mike Hart, Chad Henne, and Lloyd Carr are all leave Ann Arbor, while James Laurinitis will probably be heading to the pros.

Expect even more fireworks next season as it will be a new crop of players planted into one of the biggest rivalries in the country.

So, there are two rivalries that I feel deserve consideration in the best in the country.

I'm figuring that the ones with most vote make the Top 10, and after that's been decided, I'll post the winners.

Doesn't matter what sport it is. If you got one that deserves consideration, by all means, let them fly.

It's time for you to decide once and for all.

Who owns the right to be called "The Greatest Rivalry of All Time?"