The Knicks-Pacers rivalry of the ’90’s went from a simmer to a boil — the Hicks and the Knicks, blessed with protagonists such as Reggie Miller, Patrick Ewing, John Starks and even Spike Lee.
What’s remarkable about the Colts and Patriots is that they’ve developed this rivalry after realignment sent them to separate corners/divisions. When the Colts and Pats played twice a year as part of the old AFC East, it was never like this — just two generally awful teams playing out the string. But since realignment, both franchises have been dominant, routinely meeting on national television in the regular season (during sweeps week!) and in the postseason.
Before it starts — before the beers start flowing and the roars reach a crescendo — take a moment to contemplate how special this is to bear witness to one of sport’s great stories. Football, as we know, is not built for continuity. Players, who understand the transient nature of the business better than anybody, say that NFL stands for “not for long.”
In this salary-cap age, where annual turnover is massive and nothing stays the same for very long, the Colts and the Patriots have beaten the long odds, remained dominant for a decade. That’s a testament to the men who run their organizations, Bill Polian and Bill Belichick, and to the friends who stand behind center and measure themselves against each other, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady.
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