A SUBWAY SERIES

The recent Yankees-Mets series had me thinking about local rivalry culture. It's a culture that often seems to feed off a kind of overblown hatred more so than just sheer competition. Why can't it just be about the competition and just leave it at that? Why do Yankee fans hate the Mets? And why do Mets fans hate the Yankees? I never understood that mindset. Sure, if you're a Yankees fan, you always want them to be better than the Mets. But when they're not, wouldn't you want the other local team to have some success rather than no New York teams having any success? And wouldn't you die for a subway series to take place on the biggest stage - the world series? I say if you're going to have hatred for another team, save it for the division rivals. If it's possible to hate the Sox more than you already do.