Dear Seattle,
Why must we hate and love each other so much, at the same time?
I can’t be the only one aware of this Portland and Seattle sister city love/hate relationship, especially when it comes to sports. Because man, there is nothing better than beating Seattle at anything. But, there is also nothing better than getting the opportunity to play something against Seattle, especially when it proves that Portland is the number one city in the Northwest.
The I-5 rivalry is my favorite in sports. Obviously, there are more historic rivalries, and bigger rivalries. But this one represents two cities, fighting for supremacy in the Pacific Northwest. Unfortunately for fans of this rivalry like myself, we do not get to see it very often. Timbers-Sounders is the only time we get to see two of the biggest cities in Cascadia go head-to-head.
Granted, Portland only has two professional sports teams, and it is not like we would get to see this rivalry that much more, but still, Blazers-Sonics would be nice to see. Especially for me, who as a die-hard fan of the Blazers, almost has little trouble remembering what it was like to play the Sonics. And Portland does have an indoor football team now, so I-5 football rivalry? (Watch out Seahawks).
So yeah, as a Portland fan there is no better taste than the taste of beating Seattle. But with the hate aspect of this rivalry, there is also a brotherly love. When there was all that news about the Sacramento Kings possibly relocating, I was hoping basketball would return to Seattle. I hate what happened to the Sonics, and I am waiting for the day when they return.
I am also a huge Seahawks fan, and I treat the Seahawks like they are a team from Portland. I absolutely love the Seahawks home field advantage, and I respect the fans in Seattle for creating such an atmosphere. As far as baseball goes, if I had to pick a team, I would pick the Mariners.
Portland’s limit of sports teams puts me in a situation where I am forced to root for Seattle teams, and be a part of the same fan base that I would not noramlly feel the same about. I’m rooting for the Seahawks to win the Superbowl, and I also enjoyed every second of the Timbers beat down of the Sounders in the MLS playoffs.
Seattle, our relationship is a strange one. However strange, it is incredibly exciting. You do not hear many people who aren’t excited about Timbers-Sounders. That rivalry is the most exciting one in the MLS, and it is sad that it is the only one that exists in I-5. I want more of this. I want to have to hate Seattle more than I love Seattle. And when I say hate, I really mean love. But only in a brotherly-sisterly-pacific Northwest kind of way.
Sincerely,
Alex Moore
