But even if the Rangers beat the Yankees in 10 successive playoff series, and the Red Sox retire from the sport to start a bed-and-breakfast in Hyannis, could a Texas rivalry ever get as highly pitched as New York's feud with Boston?
Last year the French government refused to extradite Marina Petrella, a former Red Brigades terrorist (Carla Bruni, the president's wife, went to Mrs Petrella's hospital bed to give her the good news).