A cross-town rivalry we can root for

Maybe something good will come of new Cubs ownership after all.

No, not a World Series. Let's not go nuts here. More realistically, how about an acrimonious atmosphere between the Cubs and the White Sox?

Cubs owner Tom Ricketts apparently has awakened Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf's inner ire. Soon it might be mutual.

Perhaps you have been following the reports about the Cubs' pursuit of an upgraded training facility in Mesa, Ariz.

One proposal to pay for it is a surcharge on tickets to spring-training games throughout the Cactus League.

Reinsdorf and owners of other clubs object to what is being referred to as a "Cub tax." They don't want their fans having to finance a spring complex for another team.

On the other hand, Ricketts has the leverage of the most popular and revenue-generating franchise in Arizona.

So there you have the disagreement between Chicago's two baseball teams. It's about time, don't you think?

The relationship between the Sox and the Cubs has become much too cozy over the years, at least publicly.

Sox employees might resent all the attention the Cubs receive for being unsuccessful. Cubs employees might resent the Sox having had a bigger office staff.

But Reinsdorf always has been careful not to promote animosity toward the Cubs, and Tribune Company didn't seem to care about the Sox except for their potential advertising dollars.

However, the Cubs' ownership change provides hope the kissie-kissie, huggie-huggie environment will change, too.

Last autumn I told Ricketts I would like that. He proceeded to express admiration for Reinsdorf. In other words, don't expect a fresh feud.

But maybe Ricketts didn't foresee resistance from an alleged friend over the building of a spring-training facility to match or surpass the one the Sox share with the Dodgers across Phoenix in Glendale.

Maybe other disputes will rise to the surface from a festering underground as competition for fans, sponsors and broadcast ratings escalates back home in Chicago.

Look, I don't care where the Cubs play spring games: Mesa where they have been or flirtatious Naples, Fla.

Of the 10 World Series champs the past decade, seven trained in Florida and three in Arizona. Regardless, the Cubs have indicated for a long time that they can fail anywhere at any time, Florida or Arizona or Manitoba, for that matter.

What I do care about is the Sox and the Cubs participating in a friendly, nasty, good-natured, bitter rivalry.

Disagreements, let's call them, between fans in the stands should flare when the Cubs and the Sox play each other. Nobody should be injured, mind you, other than financially from posting bail.

It's also OK if occasionally one team's catcher wants to punch the other team's catcher at home plate and a hockey brawl breaks out.

Heck, why not have the younger Ricketts and older Reinsdorf throw down in a steel cage? Don't bet against the geezer's survival instincts.

Overall, let's have more dislike - not hatred, but dislike - between the Cubs and the Sox from the field to the front office to the seats.

If that's the first thing that comes from a change in Cubs ownership, it would be an encouraging start.

mimrem@dailyherald.com