Sentimentally-deserving teams that didn't win

[dbadefense1990]

Even though I'm obligated to hate Boston sports (Lakers-Celtics thing), I felt so bad when the Pats lost SB XLVI. Especially when NBC showed Bob Kraft, heartbroken during the failed hail mary attempt. I wanted the Pats, of the two SB teams, to win it this time because of the death of Myra Kraft, all the Pats injuries overcome, Chad Ochocinco's shot at redemption, the team's resiliency during the playoffs. Four years ago, I cheered when the Giants won it all, but not this time; I considered the Giants evil.

So to "honor" this sadness, here's a list of deserving teams (in my opinion) which sadly failed to win it at the end:

NFL:

-2011 Pats (reasons above)

-2008 Cardinals (Warner's 2nd ring, Fitzgerald's niceness, Cards not winning since the 1940s)

-2006 Bears (Urlacher, Lovie Smith, Hester)

-1999 Titans (retrospect, McNair's death)

-1990 Bills (retrospect, because of the eventual SB losses)

-1979 Rams (for all the misery of the 1970s, their only title opportunity in Los Angeles)

MLB:

-2005 Astros (for all their franchise history, their two years of torture by the Cards)

-2003 Cubs and Red Sox (where do I begin...)

-2001 Yankees (9/11)

-1997 Indians (would have ended in 'Major League' fashion)

-1991 and 1996 Braves (close endings)

-1986 Angels (Donie Moore's suicide)

-1978 Dodgers (because I hate Reggie f**** Jackson)

NBA:

-2010 Celtics (tough one, but Garnett, Allen, Rondo, Pierce should have had two rings by now)

-any Steve Nash-led Suns team

-2005 Pistons (could have been Bad Boys II if they'd won Gm 7 of the Finals that year)

-2000 Pacers (for all the hell Reggie Miller went through)

-1993 Suns (Barkley's best chance to win one)

-1988 Pistons (guts and heart by a young team who couldn't close Gms 6 and 7 at the Forum)

-1984 Lakers (those losses in Gms 2 and 4 still f**** sting!!!)

-1969 Lakers (losing Gm 7 at home is horrible)

NHL:

-2009 Ducks (if they beat the Wings in Gm 7 in the West Semis, they could have had another cup, this time as underdogs)

-2009 Red Wings (Martin Hossa got tortured by swtiching SC teams at still lose)

-2003 Ducks (the Jiggy-led Ducks, got beat by Devils, Jiggy crying along with all of SoCal)

Add others if you want to.

[Cujo]

How were the 2011 Patriots "deserving"? IIRC, they had the league's worst ranked defense this year. Should've been underdogs in the Super Bowl, and showed why tonight.

Their 2007 team was more deserving*.

[Chawls]

NFL:

? 1998 Vikings

? 2005 Seahwks

? 2007 Patriots

MLB:

? 2010 AND 2011 Rangers

[Midway]

I don't think any team "deserves" anything unless they win their respective championship game.

[dfwabel]

If you are in the NFL or NCAA, there is "randomness" in a one game situation. In a series, the better team generally wins out to due an ability to match-up against their opponent. in single elimination tournaments at any level, the best overall team does not win, the last team does.

[Gothamite]

I don't think any team "deserves" anything unless they win their respective championship game.

Exactly - if you can't win the big games, you don't "deserve" anything. You're thinking more of "sentimental favorites who didn't win," but it's been a long time since the Patriots could be called "sentimental favorites" with a straight face.

Chad Ochocinco's shot at redemption,

See, now that's a good reason to be very, very glad that the Pats lost.

[karmew32]

2002 Sacramento Kings. Proved that sometimes you lose even when you play better throughout the series. The better team almost won that year.

[Cujo]

Chad Ochocinco's shot at redemption,

See, now that's a good reason to be very, very glad the Pats lost.

Ooh, thanks for that reminder!

+1 for Chad losing his final game. (Dude had planned a TD celebration for the Super Bowl. Pshhhh!)

[Lights Out]

2002 Sacramento Kings.

Opened this thread just to post that. That was a really good team that didn't get a fair shake.

[GO2HELL]

2010 Flyers

2009 Blackhawks

2009 Hurricanes

2006 Oilers

2003 Ducks

1994 Canucks

[dbadefense1990]

OK, to address some of the confusion here, I lean more in this post towards underdogs or teams achieving adversity. I don't lean towards woeful franchises who "stack" their teams and be favorites in their time of loss. Just like Gothatite said, this post is more for sentimental favorites.

[Gothamite]

But doesn't every championship team face and overcome adversity at some point? Kinda the nature of the beast.

And if you mean "underdog," this Pats team wouldn't qualify, since Vegas (and, by extension, the entire American gambling public) had the Patriots as the favorites.

I'm still trying to figure out how what you say is different than "sentimental favorite", except that you've specifically exempted sentimental favorites based on long-suffering fanbases.

[infrared41]

Even though I'm obligated to hate Boston sports (Lakers-Celtics thing), I felt so bad when the Pats lost SB XLVI. Especially when NBC showed Bob Kraft, heartbroken during the failed hail mary attempt. I wanted the Pats, of the two SB teams, to win it this time because of the death of Myra Kraft, all the Pats injuries overcome, Chad Ochocinco's shot at redemption, the team's resiliency during the playoffs. Four years ago, I cheered when the Giants won it all, but not this time; I considered the Giants evil.

So to "honor" this sadness, here's a list of deserving teams (in my opinion) which sadly failed to win it at the end:

NFL:

-2011 Pats (reasons above)

-2008 Cardinals (Warner's 2nd ring, Fitzgerald's niceness, Cards not winning since the 1940s)

-2006 Bears (Urlacher, Lovie Smith, Hester)

-1999 Titans (retrospect, McNair's death)

-1990 Bills (retrospect, because of the eventual SB losses)

-1979 Rams (for all the misery of the 1970s, their only title opportunity in Los Angeles)

MLB:

-2005 Astros (for all their franchise history, their two years of torture by the Cards)

-2003 Cubs and Red Sox (where do I begin...)

-2001 Yankees (9/11)

-1997 Indians (would have ended in 'Major League' fashion)

-1991 and 1996 Braves (close endings)

-1986 Angels (Donie Moore's suicide)

-1978 Dodgers (because I hate Reggie f**** Jackson)

NBA:

-2010 Celtics (tough one, but Garnett, Allen, Rondo, Pierce should have had two rings by now)

-any Steve Nash-led Suns team

-2005 Pistons (could have been Bad Boys II if they'd won Gm 7 of the Finals that year)

-2000 Pacers (for all the hell Reggie Miller went through)

-1993 Suns (Barkley's best chance to win one)

-1988 Pistons (guts and heart by a young team who couldn't close Gms 6 and 7 at the Forum)

-1984 Lakers (those losses in Gms 2 and 4 still f**** sting!!!)

-1969 Lakers (losing Gm 7 at home is horrible)

NHL:

-2009 Ducks (if they beat the Wings in Gm 7 in the West Semis, they could have had another cup, this time as underdogs)

-2009 Red Wings (Martin Hossa got tortured by swtiching SC teams at still lose)

-2003 Ducks (the Jiggy-led Ducks, got beat by Devils, Jiggy crying along with all of SoCal)

Add others if you want to.

Is there a losing team from 1975 forward that isn't on that list?

[NoHoJoe]

2011 Canucks

1982-83 Jets (SB XVII)

1984 Islanders

1994 and 1999 Knicks

1981 and 1994 Montreal Expos

[dbadefense1990]

Even though I'm obligated to hate Boston sports (Lakers-Celtics thing), I felt so bad when the Pats lost SB XLVI. Especially when NBC showed Bob Kraft, heartbroken during the failed hail mary attempt. I wanted the Pats, of the two SB teams, to win it this time because of the death of Myra Kraft, all the Pats injuries overcome, Chad Ochocinco's shot at redemption, the team's resiliency during the playoffs. Four years ago, I cheered when the Giants won it all, but not this time; I considered the Giants evil.

So to "honor" this sadness, here's a list of deserving teams (in my opinion) which sadly failed to win it at the end:

NFL:

-2011 Pats (reasons above)

-2008 Cardinals (Warner's 2nd ring, Fitzgerald's niceness, Cards not winning since the 1940s)

-2006 Bears (Urlacher, Lovie Smith, Hester)

-1999 Titans (retrospect, McNair's death)

-1990 Bills (retrospect, because of the eventual SB losses)

-1979 Rams (for all the misery of the 1970s, their only title opportunity in Los Angeles)

MLB:

-2005 Astros (for all their franchise history, their two years of torture by the Cards)

-2003 Cubs and Red Sox (where do I begin...)

-2001 Yankees (9/11)

-1997 Indians (would have ended in 'Major League' fashion)

-1991 and 1996 Braves (close endings)

-1986 Angels (Donie Moore's suicide)

-1978 Dodgers (because I hate Reggie f**** Jackson)

NBA:

-2010 Celtics (tough one, but Garnett, Allen, Rondo, Pierce should have had two rings by now)

-any Steve Nash-led Suns team

-2005 Pistons (could have been Bad Boys II if they'd won Gm 7 of the Finals that year)

-2000 Pacers (for all the hell Reggie Miller went through)

-1993 Suns (Barkley's best chance to win one)

-1988 Pistons (guts and heart by a young team who couldn't close Gms 6 and 7 at the Forum)

-1984 Lakers (those losses in Gms 2 and 4 still f**** sting!!!)

-1969 Lakers (losing Gm 7 at home is horrible)

NHL:

-2009 Ducks (if they beat the Wings in Gm 7 in the West Semis, they could have had another cup, this time as underdogs)

-2009 Red Wings (Martin Hossa got tortured by swtiching SC teams at still lose)

-2003 Ducks (the Jiggy-led Ducks, got beat by Devils, Jiggy crying along with all of SoCal)

Add others if you want to.

Is there a losing team from 1975 forward that isn't on that list?

I'm too young to remember anything pre-1970s. Feel free to add if you like.

[Kevin W.]

2002 Sacramento Kings.

Opened this thread just to post that. That was a really good team that didn't get a fair shake.

"Didn't get a fair shake" is putting it very lightly.

[infrared41]

I'm still trying to figure out how what you say is different than "sentimental favorite", except that you've specifically exempted sentimental favorites based on long-suffering fanbases.

I'm still trying to figure out how long he had that post saved before he finally found the "moment" he was looking for to post it. Who the hell can reel off that many teams off the top of their head?

[BBTV]

"achieving adversity"?

[BrySmalls]

No one.

[Unocal]

These Pats had more feel-good parts around them.

Agree with OP- I would have liked to see Kraft get a SB given what happened.

As it is, Antrel Rolle has a ring and Ed Reed doesn't. Who says life is fair?