Way back in the day: Ye olde New England vs NY

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - Think this New York vs. New England thing is a product of the modern sports era? Prithee, fuggedaboudit.

The regional rivalry long predates Giants vs. Patriots or Yankees vs. Red Sox. New York and its neighbors to the east have bad blood stretching all the way back to colonial America, when New England militiamen viewed "Yorkers" as blasphemous, profane drunks.

For their part, New York soldiers considered the men of the Massachusetts Bay colony to be Puritan-raised prudes who didn't know how to have a good time, even going so far as to ban Christmas in Boston during a 22-year period in in the 1600s.

During the French and Indian War, New York and New England regiments manning the same frontier forts were known to get into brawls over food and beer.