Derby Time

The English pronounce it Daar-beee, with the enthusiasm and syllabic length dependent on the number of mid-afternoon pints and glutenous spittle inducing pies.

Derbies are as much a part of the tradition of the game of football as the usage of a ball and goalposts.

The allure lies in pitting two hometown, sometimes regionally proximate clubs against each other in a battle of both clubs and passionate fan bases.

While rivalries thrive in other major professional sports, derbies are what separate soccer from the pack.

These facts are as much subjective as they are absolute; derby football cannot be matched for it's intensity and passion.

Even the subway series of 2000 between the Yankess and Mets could not compare to a chilly evening in North London with Spurs hosting Arsenal, the season hanging in the balance, as the former fight for a top 4 finish and inclusion in next annum's Champions League, the latter battling to stay within reach of Manchester United and the elusive Premiership crown.

In what proved to be the Premier League's most entertaining match of the season, Arsenal drew 3-3 with Tottenham, seemingly falling short for the title again, with United having a 6 point advantage with 5 to play. What's worse for Gunners supporters, is that another London rival, Chelsea, defeated Birmingham City to climb into a 2nd-place tie with Arsenal.

Only adding to the more than century-long rivalry between Spurs and Gunners was the importance of the match.

A derby can be identified from a distance for the consistency of tackles riddled with temerity and the reckless pursuit of the ball. Red-faced supporters scream words better left not heard by the broadcasters mics field-side and referees stand in a pit of solitude amongst the throws of insults and flagrant fouls.

Just this past weekend, Manchester City and cross-town rivals United squared-off in a hotly contested FA Cup semi-final. Even though many of the players on the pitch weren't English, and none were from Manchester, during derbies, the players assume the position of the hometown supporters and fight for a victory. Those who do not are quickly cast-off to join another club that will be more tolerant of an insolent little piece of shit Argentine.

City was victor with a 2-1 result, almost guaranteeing a trophy leading up to the final at Wembley versus minnows Stoke City.

The same applies when Newcastle and Sunderland battle for the honour of being Yorkshire's best club, or when the likes of Portsmouth, Blackpool or Southhampton knock-heads for supremacy of the South.

Sometimes these battles are more than a competition to determine the city's best, but can be an ethnic or cultural battle too. When Barcelona is pitted against Espanyol twice a Primera League season, it is the Catalans of Barcelona versus the nationalist of Spain supported by Espanyol, pitting sovereignty against nationalism.

When Inter Milan and AC Milan square-off at the shared San Siro Stadium, it is the city's original club (AC) against the one formed as a result of AC's refusal to include international players more than a century ago - hence the Internazionale name. Also in Italy, the Torino derby of Juventus vs. Torino is a case of the haves (Juve) versus the have-nots (Torino), while the Genoa - Sampdoria derby is a battle for not only the city, but also the Luigi Ferrari Stadium they share. The Rome derby featuring Roma and Lazio has oft been a lightning rod for blood-thirsty fans, reckless tackles and goalie-striking flares.

I could actually sit here all day, mentioning and analysing the various derbies contested around the world - I've only pointed-out a few of my favorites, omitting amongst others in great detail such as the 'Old Firm' between Celtic (Catholic) and Rangers (Protestant) or a favorite of mine witnessed last season first hand between Lile and Valenciennes in North-Eastern France.

As important to the game as the rules themselves, derbies continue to be a highlight for many a football fan, and more often than not, the source of a insipid taste left in the mouths of those who just witnessed their club draw with pitiful Tottenham.