That's the whole problem - rivalries must be grown organically, they can't be built. MLS simply has little understanding of how fans react and the game itself. They're clueless...
What's the problem? The title was "Hoops *HOPE* to build new rivalry". Are you under the impression that, somehow, the fact that both of these teams will be in Texas will escape the attention of the fans of both teams? It's not like they're making a rivalry between New England and Columbus. These are two teams in Texas. Of course there will be a rivalry. Get your head out of your collective asses.
Hey Calexico, good luck with your chivas rivals, that will be a fun one. The big gripe is the fact that theyre talking about a rivalry with a team that has no name and has been in the state for less than a month. Real rivalries have history and passion, its hard to have passion for a team with no name. Can you say "MLS is trying too hard..."
As Mike Wazowski might say, "If your going to insult us, do it properly"... You might have a point if there is any existing rivalry between Houston and Dallas teams. I have no idea if there is but I'm sure that the only thing that started the Gals/'Quakes rivalry is a history of existing sports rivalries to feed it. (49'ers/Rams & Giants/Dodgers are two I've had experience with) And the thing that makes a rivalry passionate is a history of reversing domination between the teams. However, and this will date me as older than Goodsport, the most intense rivalry I've experienced besides the last 4 years of the 'Quakes/Gals rivalry was the 49'ers/Cowboys rivalry that started in the early '70s when Dallas knocked S.F. out of the NFC playoffs three years in a row. Being in the same conference got that started, no need for co-state existence. That was what made "The Catch" such a big deal for 49'er fans. On the other hand, by the end of the '80's, 49er/Cowboys games were no longer any fun (at least for me) because the Cowboys had been the 49er's bitch for so long, there didn't seem to be any fight left in them. L.A. coming to Spartan and spanking the Clash (and the 'Quakes) for five years straight is what made the 5/4 comeback in '03 so great for 'Quakes fans. Knocking the 'Quakes out this year had to feel almost as good as winning the Cup, didn't it? There is No Rivalry between Dallas and Houston now and without any existing history of rivalries between them, there probably won't ever be.
California Clasico? What kind of stupid name is that? Can MLS, just for one day, stop acting like the fat kid who tries to be Goth by buying slipknot t-shirts at Hot Topic?
Players will be facilitators. Now granted hockey is a little more physical, but I remember the first innocous meeting of the International Hockey League teams from Houston and San Antonio a few years back. No rivalry btw SA and Hou, but it got so ugly on the ice the refs stopped the second period with 2:30 left on the clock to try and get things to cool down. They tacked the time on the third period. Didn't help. Not sure if there will be anything close to that physical in soccer seeing as they are all paid by the same entity MLS not the teams. So in a way they are all on the same team. Also, some of these guys play on the MNT.
The real rivalry between Dallas and Houston is, has always been, and will always be over which gets to assume the coveted title of "assh*le of the Universe".
The Quakes/Galaxy rivalry took off for me with the obvious antagonism between players on each team. What player rivalries do you see developing between the members of the Hoops and Houston?
No player rivalries as of yet. Geography would be the reason but the league can't create them--the players and fans would have to build it from there. Wait until the game leading to Dallas v Houston and we'll see how it goes from there. Obviously the fans of the respective teams are looking forward to it! It will take some incident or result to foster that one. I'll let the Dallas and Houston fans chime in and yes, it's similar to what we had with Los Angeles. Once that result of Houston v Dallas is in, it should take off from there. Yes, that applies to the other sports--throw in San Antonio for hoops and it's a trifecta!!!
Ruiz had a rivalry with Troy Dayak, who is no longer playing. Plus, I will be extremely surprised should Ruiz reappear in hoops. Try again, putz.
Goodson and Ching have something going on, so that could spark it (although it always seemed like Ching was more confused and annoyed with Goodson than anything else)
Yeah, but Goodson's not a great (or even good) player. It generally takes a talented player (such as Ruiz or Serna or Donovan) to get a really juicy rivalry going. In the absence of Carlos "AWOL" Ruiz and "The Beast" in the equation, it's hard to seen the raison d'être for any real passion between the two squads
Heh. Anyway, there's a civic rivalry between Dallas and Houston, but as an FCD fan there's only one team I hate with the heat and intensity of a thousand burning suns, and it's the one that played its home games on the shores of Lake Michigan.
I hope they find a nice college to partner with, build a fabuloso stadium/sports complex, generate millions in revenue plus international PR, and someone takes the press clippings and some loose change from the parking revenue and stuffs them up Don Kassing's rear end.