[yvonne]

In fairness, all sports boards are about "toasting [fans' teams'] sweet selfness."

However, I've never encountered the kind of vitriol and preoccupation with the rival as on the 59er boards. Ann Killion wrote a column last year, which I was unable to uncover in a search just now, basically asking whether Kal fans were more upset about their not having gone to the Rose Bowl since 1959 or with Stanford's 2013 victory. I'd guess it's the latter. Think about it. Their proudest sports moment isn't a championship, but a fluke "victory" in which referees were cowed by the crowd into not throwing a flag. They celebrate it not because it demonstrates how good their team was, but rather that it was against us.

Sure, SEC rivalries like the Iron Bowl may garner bigger crowds and year-round grudges, but at least the teams have something to celebrate that's unrelated to the rival.

[yvonne]

In fairness, all sports boards are about "toasting [fans' teams'] sweet selfness."

However, I've never encountered the kind of vitriol and preoccupation with the rival as on the 59er boards. Ann Killion wrote a column last year, which I was unable to uncover in a search just now, basically asking whether Kal fans were more upset about their not having gone to the Rose Bowl since 1959 or with Stanford's 2013 victory. I'd guess it's the latter. Think about it. Their proudest sports moment isn't a championship, but a fluke "victory" in which referees were cowed by the crowd into not throwing a flag. They celebrate it not because it demonstrates how good their team was, but rather that it was against us.

Sure, SEC rivalries like the Iron Bowl may garner bigger crowds and year-round grudges, but at least the teams have something to celebrate that's unrelated to the rival.