The Lunatic Fringe

San Francisco’s natural rival is Los Angeles.  Same state, incredibly different ideologies.  There are rivalries around sports that came about naturally because of the game, and hold some interest.  I remember the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills of the 1990’s, and they were true polar opposites.  There is the Cardinals and Cubs, the once-western frontier.  The Celtics and Lakers were a rare bi-coastal rivalry, thanks to dominating their respective conferences, and the idea of east vs. west for the championship that is a basketball and hockey thing.

But there are few rivalries as clear as San Francisco and LA.  Not just teams, but cities.  You could put up New York and Boston the same way.  Beyond that….are there really that many?  Pittsburgh and Philadelphia could’ve been if their teams didn’t keep divided by division.

Hell, even the San Francisco Demons and Los Angeles Xtreme had a thing going.

But the NFL’s inexplicable Los Angeles absence hindered that.  The 49ers and Rams were good rivals, but it just didn’t last when they went to St. Louis.  The 49ers were isolated geographically at the end of their great years, and they never recovered.  Realignment brought them the Cardinals and Seahawks, but it just wasn’t the same.  Even when people called the 49ers and Seahawks a great rivalry, let’s be honest, it was because for a few years there was finally two nearly elite teams in the same division, and that was the basis for the “rivalry”.

But now, the 49ers have a Los Angeles rivalry.  Finally.

If only, though, the real, REAL rivalry weren’t between the 49ers fans and their owner, this might be fun.