Sports rivalries have been around for as long as organized sports have, if not longer. They're sometimes based on the quality of the opponent but more recently rivalries are decided simply by geographic area.

Soccer has some of the most well-known rivalries in the world: Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, Real Madrid and Barcelona and closer to home we have Portlands Timbers and Seattle Sounders FC or New York Red Bulls and New York City FC. Rivalries can do amazing things for sports but sometimes they become so overhyped that the supporters can forget what lines shouldn't be crossed. This week, the newest rivalry in the MLS saw what can happen when fans lose perspective.

The southern rivalry between Orlando City SC and Atlanta United FC has everything it needs to be one of the greatest in the league including the sometimes overzealous fan support. What happened in this instance was a fan who got a bit too excited and posted a comment saying to "think of it as a PULSE part 2" in regards to the match that was played Friday night.

This type of comment, while heinous, isn't all that shocking for those of us who have grown up in the sports world. I hear comments all the time about how "this game is going to be a slaughter" or "we're gonna massacre that team."

I even remember hearing analogies to rape, although in my circles those particular comments are much less common. But the thought process, or rather lack of thought is still so prevalent. How have we forgotten that sport is just a game? Why do we as supporters feel that it's okay to compare a game to death?

I previously said these types of comments aren't shocking, but they should be. Supporters need to take a step back and think of the context of what they are saying. If no one calls out the problematic behaviors of fans they will never change.

Orlando City SC Head Coach Jason Kries said it best when speaking to Channel 9 News, "There's a line; there should always be a line. At the end of the day, this is a sport. This is not life or death. This is not war. So we need to treat it that way."

He is 100% correct. Sports are not life or death. While rivalries do wonders to grow the game and create an amazing atmosphere in which to compete athletes need to be able to focus on the game at hand. When supporters create drama of this magnitude it takes away from the game itself. Instead of focusing all their effort on the upcoming game the athletes instead have to put at least some effort into answering the questions about these off-field issues.

Without the fans sports would be nothing. But these same fans need to realize that this sport is not their entire life. This rivalry is not a reason to bring about hate. Sport is and always has been about community, one of my favorite things about being an athlete and a fan is the sense of community I get from being at the fields. Within a community you don't use someone's worst day as trash talk.

This instance should be a wake up call for supporters of all teams and all leagues that sports are not life or death. Rivalries are not about hate, but rather a mutual respect. Supporters must remember to show respect to get respect. This rivalry will live on so next time we can hopefully keep the chatter to playful banter and let the athletes on the field tell the full story. Until next time...City till I die!