"Greatest rivalry in sports"

"It's the greatest rivalry in sports."

So said the promotional voice-over leading into the Michigan at Ohio State football contest today in Columbus, Ohio. And, of course, the Wolverines-Buckeyes rivalry is, indeed, special. The Big House. The Horseshoe. Hail to the Victors. Dotting the "i." Great uniforms, nationwide fan bases, iconic stadiums - this one has it all.

But, the "greatest?" Let's take a look at some facts to consider.

First, let's set the parameters for how we consider this and other great rivalries. We'll keep this focused on team sports in the U.S., and will only consider those rivalries that span at least 50 years of existence. And, finally, let's be parochial and only consider the major U.S. sports of football, baseball and basketball.

Here we go.

Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees. Iconic teams and broad fan bases symbolize this rivalry. These teams have met 2,257 times in their 100 year plus competition. The Yankees lead the regular season history, 1,202 to 1,018; they also lead the postseason meetings, 12-11. The fan bases, shall we say, don't like each other very much.

Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears. These two have 22 NFL championships and five Super Bowl trophies combined. The teams have met 197 times with Green Bay holding a slight advantage, 97-94-6. Again, iconic venues, traditional uniforms, Lombardi, Halas - it's the NFL's oldest and best rivalry.

North Carolina and Duke in college basketball. If there is a rivalry that I think matches or exceeds Ohio State and Michigan, it's this one. Simply consider the numbers: one of every four national championships over the past 36 years has been won by one of these schools. One school is private, the other is public. The campuses are 10 miles apart.  The overall record leans to UNC, 137-111.

Will Blythe, a North Carolina graduate who went on to be editor of Esquire, famously wrote this: "To legions of otherwise reasonable adults, it is a conflict that surpasses sports; it is locals against outsiders, elitists against populists, even good against evil. The rivalry may be a way of aligning oneself with larger philosophical ideals - of choosing teams in life, a tradition of partisanship that reveals the pleasures and even the necessity of hatred."

Auburn and Alabama in college football. The Iron Bowl. These two in-state rivals have met for 71 straight years since 1948. Alabama leads the series, 45-36-1.

Are there others? Of course - here are a few that are bitter rivalries but did not make the above short list because of overall current relevance and impact, or the fact that the rivalry is no longer in place. (The overall record is in parentheses for each rivalry.)

Oklahoma and Texas in college football. (Texas leads 62-46-5.)
Oklahoma and Nebraska in college football. (Oklahoma leads 45-38-3.)
Kentucky and Louisville in college basketball. (Kentucky leads 34-16.)
USC and Notre Dame in college football. (Notre Dame leads 47-37-5.)
Texas and Texas A&M in college football. (Texas leads 76-37-5.)
Penn State and Pittsburgh in college football. (Penn State leads 52-43-4.)
Kansas and Missouri in college football. (Missouri leads 57-54-9.)

Honorable mention:

USC and UCLA in college football.
Georgetown and Syracuse in college basketball.
Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders.
Harvard and Yale in college football.
Florida and Florida State in college football.
BYU and Utah in college football.
Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins.
Indiana and Kentucky in college basketball.
Xavier and Cincinnati in college basketball.
St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs.
Stanford and California in college football.