Best teams that DIDN't win their championship

[Saintsfan]

The Brazil 1982 team was something else. Got done over by an odd format and an inspired Italian striker.

In the EPL, I'd give a vote to the Newcastle United team of 1995-96. They blew a double digit point lead and got caught by Manchester United. Not much in the way of defense, but just an awesome team going forward.

[Jahgee]

Some Nascar ones

2003 Ryan Newman (Winston Cup) Damn he won 1/3 of the poles and 1/4 of the races that year

2007 Jeff Gordon (Winston Nextel Cup) Curse you Jimmie Johnson

[WJMorris3]

Soccerwise, we could include the 2001-02 Bayer Leverkusen squad, which was about as heartbreakingly close to being any form of champion. Had a five point lead with three matchdays to go and got pipped by Dortmund, then proceeded to lose the German Cup final to Schalke and the Champions League final to Real Madrid.

[DustDevil61]

Yea, I keep hearing from my brother that the 1996 Broncos team that lost to Jacksonville was one of the best not to win a championship.

I myself don't remember much about that. We do both agree that the 1997-98 Utah Jazz were one of the best to not win an NBA title; they may have had the best team (Stockton/Malone, Bryon "Don't Call Me 'Byron'" Russel, Jeff Hornacek, and who could forget the Big Dawg, Antione Carr?), but the Bulls had Micheal Jordan (and Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman).

Other than that, I would say that a good candidate, if they haven't been mentioned before, were the 2006-07 Mavericks. They had the best record in the league, and they showed a lot of promise, and yet they didn't even get out of the first round.

Another team that bears mentioning were the early 1990s Buffalo Bills. Say what you will about winning it all, but it's quite a feat to make it to 4 consecutive Super Bowls.

[srj34]

2006 San Antonio Spurs, 63-19. Finished one game back of the best record (64-18 Detroit Pistons) and certainly would have beaten Phoenix in the WCF and Miami in the NBA Finals.

Instead, the Spurs took a three-point lead on a Manu Ginobili three with under a minute left in game seven of their second-round series against Dallas. Manu giveth and he taketh away, however. He fouled Dirk Nowitzki as Dirk rolled to the hole for an easy lay-in, and Dirk converted the and-one.

The game went to overtime, when the Mavericks played an awesome five minutes to win the rare road game seven. In my opinion, the Ginobili foul kept the Spurs from a three-peat.

Contrary to some Spurs fans beliefs, the Derek Fisher 0.4 play did not prevent the Spurs from winning a title in 2004. Even if the Spurs had somehow advanced past the Lakers and TWolves (remember when they were good), I don't think the Spurs beat Detroit that year. That Spurs team was not so good at the three point line.

[ltjets21]

The fab 5 and the 2010 jets.

[charger77]

The fab 5 and the 2010 jets.

Was the Fab 5 that great or just an interesting story?

I'd go with the Undefeated Patriots over the 2010 Jets.

[ltjets21]

The fab 5 and the 2010 jets.

Was the Fab 5 that great or just an interesting story?

I'd go with the Undefeated Patriots over the 2010 Jets.

The Fab 5 seemed like a really good team from the documentary and yes the undefeated pats were better than the 2010 Jets but I am listing good teams that didn't win it all.

[NJTank]

The Fab Five went to the finals twice and broke up for year three. They were a real good team, but the best NCAA Team not to win the tournament was Phi Slamma Jamma in Houston.

[cameroncrazie07]

2007 Dallas Cowboys, I'm not saying that they should've won it all, but they could have at least won a playoff game. That year I expected a super bowl appearance as they were easily the best team in the NFC. There was no way that Giants team should have beat them.

[Lights Out]

the best NCAA Team not to win the tournament was Phi Slamma Jamma in Houston. the 1991 UNLV Runnin' Rebels.

Fixed. They went undefeated in the regular season but sickeningly lost to Duke and Coach K in the tourney.

[cameroncrazie07]

the best NCAA Team not to win the tournament was Phi Slamma Jamma in Houston. the 1991 UNLV Runnin' Rebels.

Fixed. They went undefeated in the regular season but sickeningly lost to Duke and Coach K in the tourney.

Remember it like it was yesterday. Nah just kidding it was 4 years before I was born. But I've seen highlights of that team and they did look dominant.

Also on the topic of NCCA Basketball, I'd say last year's Kentucky team.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

the best NCAA Team not to win the tournament was Phi Slamma Jamma in Houston. the 1991 UNLV Runnin' Rebels.

Fixed. They went undefeated in the regular season but sickeningly lost to Duke and Coach K in the tourney.

Why was it sickening?

[HedleyLamarr]

the best NCAA Team not to win the tournament was Phi Slamma Jamma in Houston. the 1991 UNLV Runnin' Rebels.

Fixed. They went undefeated in the regular season but sickeningly lost to Duke and Coach K in the tourney.

Why was it sickening?

Because Duke is located in the Eastern Time Zone...

[infrared41]

2002 Miami Canes football (they shouldn't even be on this list but alas they are thanks to refs!)

2005 Steelers

2007 Patriots

If the mighty Canes were as -ing great back then as everyone said they were then why was that game ever even close?

[infrared41]

The fab 5 and the 2010 jets.

Was the Fab 5 that great or just an interesting story?

I'd go with the Undefeated Patriots over the 2010 Jets.

They went all the way to the NCAA Championship game as freshman. Then they got there again the following season. They must have had something going for them in the talent department.

[Camden Crazy]

NFL

2007 New England Patriots

2001 St. Louis Rams

1998 Minnesota Vikings

MLB

1969 Baltimore Orioles

1971 Baltimore Orioles

1994 Montreal Expos

2001 New York Yankees

1995 Seattle Mariners

1997 Cleveland Indians

NBA

1995-96 Seattle Sonics

2003-04 Los Angeles Lakers

1994-95 Orlando Magic

College Football

2009 Florida

2010 Alabama

2006 USC

2001 Oregon

College Basketball

1991 UNLV

1993 Michigan

1999 Duke

2008 Memphis

2007 Ohio State

[knnhrvy16]

Hmmm...

Some quick teams off the top of my head would probably be (in no particular ranking or order):

- 2001-02 Sacramento Kings

- Probably any Celtics team that lost to the Lakers in the 80's, and vice-versa

- 1996-97 and 1997-98 Utah Jazz (not be a homer, but those teams were incredible. D*mn Michael Jordan...)

- 1993-94 and 1995-96 Seattle SuperSonics

- 1996-97 Houston Rockets

Here's one that doesn't get talked about a whole lot: the 1997-98 Pacers. If I'm not mistaken, Pacers.com held a vote and the result was that the 1997-98 team took thier "greatest Pacer team" title, even ahead of the 2000 Eastern Conference Champion team. I mean, this team took the Bulls to seven games in the '98 ECF. That's saying alot.

[Drakonius26]

NBA: 2002 Sacramento Kings. This one's easily, as this series had as much legitimacy as the 2000 United States Presidential Election and Professional Wrestling. "The Fix" ruined not just that teams chances at winning their first championship, since they were the Rochester Royals, but also helped make the causal and small-market fans of the NBA assume something that Timmy help confirm later, that the whole series was a sham. I'm not going to feed the conspiracy nuts, by saying the Lakers only win titles because they're "Los Angeles" or that they've won all of them on the free-throw line, but damn, Game 6 and 7 stunk to high heaven.

MLB: 2001 Seattle Mariners. I'm not a huge baseball fan, but I remember this team, because if for nothing else they won 116 games during the regular season. It was hard to turn on the television and not hear something about them, and being like another Seattle team that I'll include later on this list, it's a shame that they couldn't finish their run with a title for the Emerald City.

NFL: 2005 Seattle Seahawks. Regardless of the fact that I'm a fan of the Patriots, they had won three Super Bowls prior, and were simply outplayed by a better overall team in the New York Giants. There wasn't a truly bad call, and I've seen the Youtube videos of a "clock fix" that some Patriot fans claim happened. I remember the game, and not once was I screaming, "they're fixing the game!!!" The Seahawks on the other hand, got screwed out of an opportunity to win a title. The pro-Steeler Lombardi Trophy featurettes during the game didn't help matters either, and coupled with ticky-tack fouls, phantom touchdowns, this game just made you feel dirty all over. Some old-school fans will say that Super Bowl V between the Baltimore Colts and Dallas Cowboys, was the Blunder Bowl... no, Super Bowl XL should be aptly named this.

NHL: 2007 Buffalo Sabres. The last NHL team to truly be considered the league's version of the "1998 Minnesota Vikings." They had everything, a great goaltender, great talent (Chris Drury, Daniel Briere, Thomas Vanek, just to name a few), and had won a President's Trophy while steam-rolling their opponents in the regular season. Suddenly, they began to look mortal against the Islanders, Rangers, and finally were done in by a hot Ottawa Senators team. A Detroit Red Wings/Anaheim Ducks vs. Buffalo Sabres would've been one hell of the Stanley Cup Final to watch. Too bad it didn't happen.

Honorable Mentions:

NBA: 1994 New York Knicks, 1996 Seattle Supersonics, 1998 Utah Jazz, 2000 Portland Trail Blazers, 2005 Phoenix Suns.

MLB: 1986 California Angels, 1991 Atlanta Braves, 1994 Montreal Expos, 1995 Cleveland Indians, 1996 Baltimore Orioles.

NFL: 1980 San Diego Chargers, 1984 Miami Dolphins, 1988 Cincinnati Bengals, 1997 Green Bay Packers, 1998 Minnesota Vikings, 1999 Tennessee Titans, 2001 St. Louis Rams, 2007 New England Patriots.

NHL: 1971 Boston Bruins, 1980 Philadelphia Flyers, 1986 Edmonton Oilers, 1993 Pittsburgh Penguins, 1996 Detroit Red Wings.

[TrueYankee26]

the best NCAA Team not to win the tournament was Phi Slamma Jamma in Houston. the 1991 UNLV Runnin' Rebels.

Fixed. They went undefeated in the regular season but sickeningly lost to Duke and Coach K in the tourney.

Why was it sickening?

Because Duke is located in the Eastern Time Zone...

Actually it's because Duke did it, if it was someone else I wouldn't mind at all.