Tonight brings the next edition of the greatest rivalry in the sport of basketball as #9 North Carolina visits #6 Duke. Just 10.5 miles separates Duke’s Cameron Indoor Stadium (where the game will be held) and the Dean Dome (home to the UNC Tar Heels).
This bitter feud reminds of us another rivalry that’s heating up- the Manchester Derby.
Of course, it goes without saying that Liverpool-Manchester United is the truest rivalry of soccer/football/futbol, but the Man United-Man City bloodfeud is definitely becoming more acrimonious. Just 15 miles separate Old Trafford (United’s home ground) from The Etihad (City’s home venue), so it’s similar to UNC-Duke in that regard.
City doesn’t have much history, and they didn’t become a powerhouse until 2008, but they’re having a very special season right now, and currently playing at a level that has been described as “unstoppable.”
So we’ll break down the two rivalries (four teams) by looking at their total club/program history, and then shift the focus to what has gone on in the past decade alone.
Duke Blue Devils
In 2008, a major media outlet named Duke the most prestigious college basketball program since the 1985–86 season, the campaign that began the NCAA tournament 64 team era.
The Blue Devils have five NCAA titles (tied with Indiana for fourth all-time behind North Carolina, UCLA and Kentucky). They also have 11 national title game appearances (third all-time) and 16 Final Fours (fourth all-time behind North Carolina, UCLA, and Kentucky).
Additionally, Duke has a national best .755 NCAA tournament winning percentage. Since 2008, Duke has won national titles in 2010 and 2015, and reached the sweet 16 in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016. Students have been camping out for weeks upon months, even fighting off a serious flu epidemic, in order to be in line to snag the best seats for epic rivalry clash on Saturday night.
North Carolina Tar Heels
UNC is currently ranked 3rd nationally in wins all time, behind only Kentucky by 33, and Kansas by 11. The Tar Heels, along with the two aforementioned teams, and Duke as well, comprise the only four programs to have ever amassed 2,000 victories.
The Heels’ six NCAA Tournament Championships are third-most all-time, behind only UCLA and Kentucky. They can also boast 18 Atlantic Coast Conference tournament titles, 31 Atlantic Coast Conference regular season titles, and an Atlantic Coast Conference record 20 outright Regular Season Championships.
They also boast the most Final Four appearances with 20. In 2012, a major media outlet placed North Carolina atop its list of the 50 most successful programs of the past half-century.
Since ’08, the Heels have reached the elite 8 six times: 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017, won the conference championship six times; 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2016, 2017, and made the final four four times: 2008, 2009, 2016, 2017.
The Heels reached the national title game three times, winning it all twice, since ’08. The Tar Heels enter this game after dropping their senior night outing to Miami, a contest that was among the greatest ever played.
We now transition from one huge sports brand in sky blue to another.
Manchester City
It wasn’t until the early 2000s that City were able to regain Premier League status. The Citizens had, at one point, even fallen all the way down to the English third tier in 1998.
Everything changed though in 2008, and that is why we’re evaluating everything here from 2008 on only. City was purchased that year by the Abu Dhabi United Group for £210 million. The group is led by Sheikh Mansour, is the deputy prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, who boasts an estimated net worth of $ 38 billion.
Since 2011, the club have won seven official honors, including the Premier League title in 2011-2012 and 2013-2014. Yet Manchester City still achieved the fifth-highest revenue of any football club in the entire world last season, bringing in an annual revenue of €527.7 million.
Last year they also achieved the fifth highest valuation of any club in the entire world. In addition to the two league titles since 2008 they have also won the FA Cup 2010-11 and the League Cup three times: 2013-14, 15-16, 17-18.
Premier League champions in waiting by a runaway margin, and consensus favorites for UEFA Champions League, City have a legitimate shot at winning a very rare treble this season. The manager of the reigning champions described the Sky Blues as “unstoppable.” City and United will clash in the next edition of the Manchester Derby, at the Etihad, on April 7.
The last one ended in a very ugly tunnel brawl, which is as indicative of a real rivalry as anything. Yes, Liverpool is United’s real rival, but right now it feels like City is the sworn enemy.
Manchester United
Manchester United are considered by many the most accomplished and successful football club in the world. They are also deemed among the best and highest accomplished franchises in any sport, anywhere. United have won a record 20 League titles, 12 FA Cups, 5 League Cups and a record 21 FA Community Shields.
In the words of Junior Senior, “everybody, move your feet and feel United, oh whoah oh.” United can also boast of three Champions Leagues, one Europa League and in 1999, became the first British to win the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League treble.
When they took home the Europa League title last season they became one of just five clubs to have won all three main UEFA club competitions.
The distinction also made them the lone British club to have won every ongoing honor available.
Since 2008, they have won four league titles: 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13, three league cups: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2016–17, one champions league 2007–08 and one FA Cup 15-16.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, currently contributes regularly to WGN CLTV and the Tribune company’s blogging community Chicago Now.
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