Most Cursed City in Sports

[tigerslionspistonshabs]

Surely Atlanta has to have risen up the rankings after last night's collapse. 

[Sport]

Agreed. Atlanta doesn't get enough credit for their futility. 

 

Falcons: 50 years, 2 super bowl appearances ever, and you can add all-time worst super bowl choke ever. Also they completely choked the 2012 NFCCG to the 49ers. People seem to forget about that one. 

Braves: Had a hell of a team with maybe the best pitching staff ever and with that won the division every year from 1991-2005, played in 5 WS, and only won 1 in that stretch. They actually haven't won a playoff series since 2001, which I didn't realize. That's startling. 

Hawks: Been in Atlanta since 1968. Bad to irrelevant with random periods of semi-competence mixed in. Farthest they've ever advanced in the playoffs was the conference finals two years ago. 

Hockey: Flames and Thrashers both moved to Canada. 

 

 

and this has nothing to do with any of that, but they're replacing two perfectly usable stadiums with unnecessary monstrosities next season so maybe they deserve it. 

[bosrs1]

On 6/27/2016 at 10:34 AM, 2001mark said:

Yep, the Chargers have lost with respect.  The Bills & Sabres have lost probably shortening some of their fans' lifespans.  The Bills manhandled the AFC 4 straight seasons, blew out the NFC in regular season games I think those years, & kept stumbling at the finish line.  The Chargers were borderline elite during the Brady-Manning era, respectfully enough.  

The Padres seem a borderline fictional team without much baggage - unlike the Cubs & until '04 Red Sox deadly anchors around their necks.

 

I'll give more cursed points to SD if the Chargers move to LA, joining the Clippers... both of whom will never be the #1 team there.  2 lesser franchises being taken away to their neighbour would add cursed points for sure.

 

Whelp that happened. San Diego not only has season after season of futility in all of its Big 4 teams, it has now lost 1 NFL franchise, 2 NBA franchises (arguably 3 if you count that the Warriors abandoned plans to either move to or split time with San Diego in 1971), 1 ABA franchise (just before that league collapsed) and 1 WHA franchise (just before that league collapsed, and 1 NASL team (when that league collapsed).

 

Only the city's original team, the Padres, are still hanging around. And they're not looking to even compete until 2019.

[H11K]

1 hour ago, McCarthy said:

Agreed. Atlanta doesn't get enough credit for their futility. 

 

Falcons: 50 years, 2 super bowl appearances ever, and you can add all-time worst super bowl choke ever. Also they completely choked the 2012 NFCCG to the 49ers. People seem to forget about that one. 

Braves: Had a hell of a team with maybe the best pitching staff ever and with that won the division every year from 1991-2005, played in 5 WS, and only won 1 in that stretch. They actually haven't won a playoff series since 2001, which I didn't realize. That's startling. 

Hawks: Been in Atlanta since 1968. Bad to irrelevant with random periods of semi-competence mixed in. Farthest they've ever advanced in the playoffs was the conference finals two years ago. 

Hockey: Flames and Thrashers both moved to Canada. 

 

 

and this has nothing to do with any of that, but they're replacing two perfectly usable stadiums with unnecessary monstrosities next season so maybe they deserve it. 

Phoenix really lines up with that. One Super bowl Appearance (heartbreaking loss), longest championship drought now belongs to the Cardinals for any sport. Hockey hasn't won anything, choked away the 2012(?) WCF to the Kings. The D Backs haven't amounted to anything since their title in 01', managing 1(?) NL Championship appearance since. Not to mention the suns could never get over the hump to either the spurs or lakers when they had Nash. Its been a rough ride for any Phoenix sports teams fans. Not as many heartbreaking losses, but just below average sports teams for the majority of their existence. 

[ltjets21]

New York...if you like the :censored:ty teams that I do 

1.Jets... Just the fact that Bill Belichick was our coach and then told us to take a hike stands alone along with a bunch of publicity stunts and tough playoff losses.

2.Knicks...Couldn't win a finals in the 90's pretty much a joke ever since not being able to crack a playoff appearance in the Eastern Conference.

3. Mets...Competitive every once in a blue moon but something always goes wrong collapses, hurt pitchers etc. Also always in the Yankees shadow as a :censored:ty organization

4. Islanders...Greatest Dynasty but not much after that...took DECADES to win a playoff series and we cant find an arena to play in.

But if you like the Giants Yankees Devils you enjoy watching sports as a NY fan.

[Unocal]

Not Boston.

[tigerslionspistonshabs]

Some would argue that well "Atlanta has a Championship" and Buffalo and San Diego don't...which they would be right. But- does one measly title within a longer time period with doubled or tripled chances with the amount of teams actually make it worse? This would especially be true in Atlanta's case where the 3 teams have been around for 50 years give or take, and have competed at a high level more often than not. 

 

I still think when it's all said and done, Buffalo takes the cake. 4 STRAIGHT SUPER BOWLS- 0 wins. It doesn't get much worse than that. 

[Guy with Machete]

The Bills will always be a dynasty in Africa.

[Sport]

1 hour ago, tigerslionspistonshabs said:

Some would argue that well "Atlanta has a Championship" and Buffalo and San Diego don't...which they would be right. But- does one measly title within a longer time period with doubled or tripled chances with the amount of teams actually make it worse? This would especially be true in Atlanta's case where the 3 teams have been around for 50 years give or take, and have competed at a high level more often than not. 

 

I still think when it's all said and done, Buffalo takes the cake. 4 STRAIGHT SUPER BOWLS- 0 wins. It doesn't get much worse than that. 

 

The 1995 Braves championship automatically puts Atlanta behind Buffalo and San Diego on the list, but I will listen to arguments about how that team was so dominant for so long that only winning 1 championship in all those opportunities is a black mark on the city's sports history. They had one of the best pitching staffs ever and went 1-4 in World Series. How does that happen? It's also funny to consider that the one they won was against the best team they had to face. 

 

Also, there's another discussion here - gut punch losses versus just being bad/mediocre for extended periods. What the Falcons just did is a gutpunch like the Bills in Super Bowl 25 like the Bengals in 23. Prior to that they've pretty much just been bad. Getting close and losing in heartbreaking fashion counts more to me than decades of just being a sucky team. The former rips your heart out in a single moment. The latter is just a dull hum in the back of your head that you learn to live with. The Hawks, for instance, have been bad for most of their time in Atlanta and don't really have that one defining heartbreak moment like a buzzer beater shot or blowing a 3-1 lead in the finals so the Hawks ineptitude doesn't garner as many sympathy points as say, the Phoenix Suns, who've come up short more often. The Falcons moved up the NFL list for snake-bitten franchises. I put them in the tier with the Bengals now.

 

 

[bosrs1]

3 hours ago, tigerslionspistonshabs said:

Some would argue that well "Atlanta has a Championship" and Buffalo and San Diego don't...which they would be right. But- does one measly title within a longer time period with doubled or tripled chances with the amount of teams actually make it worse? This would especially be true in Atlanta's case where the 3 teams have been around for 50 years give or take, and have competed at a high level more often than not. 

 

I still think when it's all said and done, Buffalo takes the cake. 4 STRAIGHT SUPER BOWLS- 0 wins. It doesn't get much worse than that. 

 

Yes it does. Having won ANY championship even if 25 years ago, means there are fans in that town who have tasted victory, seen a parade, etc... San Diego has never had that opportunity. Neither has Buffalo.

[Pauly]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say Milwaukee.One sports championship;the Bucks in 1971.They were never able to get a NHL franchise due to Arthur and Bill Wirtz of the Blackhawks consistently blocking any expansion or relocation to Milwaukee based on territorial rights and their influence with the league.Lost the Braves to relocation,received the Brewers;at one time hosted I believe 4 Packer games a year in County Stadium;has never been talked about for even getting NFL preseason games played there.City seems to be in the perpetual shadow of Chicago.Atlanta would be my second choice.Couldn't support hockey,can't sell out baseball playoff games.Build arenas,tear them down to build newer ones.Yep.Milwaukee&Atlanta.

[tigerslionspistonshabs]

Milwaukee's a Packers town. They know victory.

 

I think the top 3 are a lock:

1. Buffalo

2. San Diego

3. Atlanta   

 

 

[Jimmy!]

I'd put San Diego at the top over Buffalo.  Three championship appearances in 33 years compared to four Super Bowl and three Stanley Cup appearances for Buffalo since '74.

[Cosmic]

35 minutes ago, Jimmy! said:

I'd put San Diego at the top over Buffalo.  Three championship appearances in 33 years compared to four Super Bowl and three Stanley Cup appearances for Buffalo since '74.

Two Stanley Cup Finals, not three.

[habsfan1]

38 minutes ago, Jimmy! said:

I'd put San Diego at the top over Buffalo.  Three championship appearances in 33 years compared to four Super Bowl and three Stanley Cup appearances for Buffalo since '74.

 

It's a close call, though. 4 straight Super Bowl losses, 0 Championships, it's tough to top that.

[Jimmy!]

Two?  Ok.  Sorry.  Either way, it is a close call. 

[Cosmic]

2 minutes ago, Jimmy! said:

Two?  Ok.  Sorry.  Either way, it is a close call. 

Would have been three if Jay McKee didn't get a fracking staph infection!!

[bosrs1]

17 hours ago, habsfan1 said:

 

It's a close call, though. 4 straight Super Bowl losses, 0 Championships, it's tough to top that.

 

At least they made the show 6 times. People in San Diego still salivate about the 1984 and 1998 WS despite the fact one was a 1 win series and the other was a complete blowout by one of the greatest Yankee teams of all time. And they did the same for the Chargers lone SB appearance until recently despite that also being a blowout. Even being at the league final a few more times would be a vast improvement for San Diego, never mind winning the first.

[BeerGuyJordan]

2 hours ago, bosrs1 said:

 

At least they made the show. People in San Diego still salivate about the 1984 and 1998 WS and they did about the Chargers lone SB appearance until recently. Even being at the league final a few more times would be an improvement for San Diego.

This is why San Diego is number 1, on the list, IMO.

 

There are San Diego fans who wish they could just see their team play for a championship. Yes, those finals losses suck, but hey are jealous of what Buffalo fans have experienced. Let that sink in for a second.

[2001mark]

On 06/02/2017 at 4:06 PM, McCarthy said:

 

Hockey: Flames and Thrashers both moved to Canada. 

 

I mean, you know it's something when something is cliche, but that's something.  Not 1 but 2 teams leaving town for Canada in the NHL?  That doesn't even compute.

Regardless the Chargers situation, I still say Buffalo.  It wasn't like the NFL utterly stole the team from SD like the Colts or Browns or whatever.  

Padres, Chargers, & Clipper lore doesn't quite match Bills & Sabres.  Falcons fans this week can even be grateful for no wide ride scenario, nor a Stanley Cup clinching goal which was called back all f'n season long lols.