PITTSBURGH - The Pittsburgh Pirates are playing in Cleveland this weekend, so the subject of rivalries is relevant.
Some people think the Pirates and Indians should meet every year.
Really, though, it's not that big a deal.
Rivalries come from competition, not geography.
The Steelers against the Cleveland Browns isn't such a big deal these days because the Browns rarely win.
It wasn't that big in the 1970s, either, because the Steelers were locked into heated rivalries with the Houston Oilers and Oakland Raiders.
The Steelers had no history with either of those teams, both of which were original entries in the old American Football League.
But when they started competing for a Super Bowl berth, things got very intense in a hurry.
Now that they don't meet in the playoffs, games between the Steelers and Raiders have little meaning.
The Pirates played the New York Mets for 20 years and nobody cared. In the 1980s, when the teams were fighting for first place, their games between a big deal.
The same thing happened with the Philadelphia Phillies in the 1970s.
Rivalries develop when both teams have big stakes in the matchups.
You can't manufacture that.
Good timing
Major League Baseball allowed it to slip out that nine teams are currently not in compliance with the MLB policy on revenue/debt ratio.
This means they're spending too much. What's the biggest expense for a major league team?
That's right, player salaries.
In other words, the message is that teams are spending too much on players.
The fact that the labor agreement expires at the end of this calendar year is purely a coincidence.
The real agenda
Don't be fooled by the assertions that baseball realignment is about balancing the schedule or cutting down travel costs.
It's about making more money with expanded playoffs.
Rocked out
Rock 'n' roll is not an easy business, especially if you're playing the senior tour.
Reports are that Huey Lewis left PNC Park on a gurney after last Saturday's performance following the Pirates' game.
Nothing terribly serious, just dehydration issues after playing for about an hour on a steamy night.
Maybe it can be turned into a Gatorade sponsorship?
Just a suggestion
If Terrelle Pryor ever goes back to Ohio State and gets his diploma, perhaps he can have it in the form of a tattoo.
Mehno can be reached at johnmehnocolumn@gmail.com
