Board 8 > Are the lions the most pathetic sports franchise, since the beginning of the

(+) Yeah! (+)

Let's not forget the Fords bought the team the same day JFK was assassinated and have not once acted like they wanted to run a winning franchise and instead treat it like a plaything for each new generation of Fords to mess around with when they're bored from running an automobile business.

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I don't know how the Toronto Maple Leafs haven't been mentioned. No cup wins since 1967, constant playoff choking, no other team with that size fanbase and bank account is that bad for such an extended period

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They probably haven't been mentioned because they have won 13 Stanley Cups and been to an additional eight.

Edit: I forgot that we were doing from Super Bowl era, which only one of the Cup victories is from that era. I can't say that I am familiar with each NHL team's records or playof history, but since they have won a championship in the target area, that pretty much excludes them from consideration.
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The Browns because they are called the Browns and look like the Browns and are in Cleveland and also doing a lot of losing

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if we're going worst baseball team, it's probably the Padres

they have the worst regular season AND postseason winning percentage in baseball history for active franchises and have accomplished nothing of note aside from one World Series appearance in which they got swept by the Yankees

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LeonhartFour posted...

if we're going worst baseball team, it's probably the Padres

they have the worst regular season AND postseason winning percentage in baseball history for active franchises and have accomplished nothing of note aside from one World Series appearance in which they got swept by the Yankees

Hey, that's two World Series appearances, thank you very much!

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that's how nothing the Padres are!

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The Padres have more playoff appearances and WS appearances than the Mariners with a similar overall win pct (Mariners slightly higher), I don't think the Padres top the Mariners

The Mariners have had some of the most famous players in baseball over the last 30+ years

the Padres have had Tony Gwynn and not much else until Tatis

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LeonhartFour posted...

The Mariners have had some of the most famous players in baseball over the last 30+ years

the Padres have had Tony Gwynn and not much else until Tatis

If we were going to consider this then I'd have to elevate the Lions over the Cardinals for having Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson

Well, if relevance is a consideration (and I think it's a potential factor), then that's fair. The Lions have at least had players people care about. The Cardinals have had Larry Fitzgerald and a bunch of famous players past their prime (Emmitt Smith, Kurt Warner, Carson Palmer, etc.)

The Lions do have an 0-16 season though.

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NFL: Lions
NBA: Timberwolves now for sure
MLB: This has to be between Mariners/Padres/Brewers and I think I go Mariners here
NHL: I feel like you could name like 6 teams here and I would agree with you (But probably Coyotes)

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LeonhartFour posted...

The Mariners have had some of the most famous players in baseball over the last 30+ years

IMO having generational talent and still failing to reach any sort of success is more pathetic than just not having the talent. The Mariners are definitely the Lions of the MLB

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They did reach some success though! They tied the record for most single season wins in baseball history.

The Lions set the record in the other direction.


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KCF0107 posted...

They probably haven't been mentioned because they have won 13 Stanley Cups and been to an additional eight.

Edit: I forgot that we were doing from Super Bowl era, which only one of the Cup victories is from that era. I can't say that I am familiar with each NHL team's records or playof history, but since they have won a championship in the target area, that pretty much excludes them from consideration.

If you go from the 60's, in terms of expectations versus reality, I can't see how Toronto doesn't count as the most pathetic. Sure they were flat out better than some other teams, but the sheer unmeasurable disappointment they have generated as a franchise far outstrips the par for the course Lions


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ExThaNemesis posted...

Their best ever player retired early.

I was about to say "Jason Hanson was with us for 21 years" until I remembered we somehow used to had Barry Sanders lol

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Another good question would be what sports city overall has had the worst teams in the last 50+ years, limiting it to cities with at least two major sports franchises.

That would eliminate Detroit because of the Red Wings and Pistons. Could it still be Cleveland despite the Lebron years because their baseball and football teams have won nothing?

It could be San Diego since the Chargers were there most of the time, so they would still count.

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RaidenGarai posted...

It's definitiely the Lions. They're even more pathetic than my Brewers.

Excuse you? Four straight playoff runs, baby!


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Leonhart4 posted...

Another good question would be what sports city overall has had the worst teams in the last 50+ years, limiting it to cities with at least two major sports franchises.

That would eliminate Detroit because of the Red Wings and Pistons. Could it still be Cleveland despite the Lebron years because their baseball and football teams have won nothing?

It could be San Diego since the Chargers were there most of the time, so they would still count.

Yeah, Detroit is a great sports city overall. Pistons are one of not many teams to have a championship, and 3 at that. The Red Wings just came off one of the longest post season streaks in NHL history. The Tigers have been to a couple World Series since 2000. It's really just the Lions who are particularly awful in a spectacular way.

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Leonhart4 posted...

Another good question would be what sports city overall has had the worst teams in the last 50+ years, limiting it to cities with at least two major sports franchises.

That would eliminate Detroit because of the Red Wings and Pistons. Could it still be Cleveland despite the Lebron years because their baseball and football teams have won nothing?

It could be San Diego since the Chargers were there most of the time, so they would still count.

I think the one with 3+ teams is Cleveland but Buffalo is a great answer too

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I'd put Minneapolis in the conversation for most cursed sports city. The Twins did get two world series victories in 1987 and 1991, but that's it. The Twins have otherwise not been a successful franchise. The Vikings have been surprisingly good, but no championships and lots of failing in the playoffs. The Timberwolves and Wild are awful.

Leonhart4 posted...

Another good question would be what sports city overall has had the worst teams in the last 50+ years, limiting it to cities with at least two major sports franchises.

That would eliminate Detroit because of the Red Wings and Pistons. Could it still be Cleveland despite the Lebron years because their baseball and football teams have won nothing?

It could be San Diego since the Chargers were there most of the time, so they would still count.

Might be Phoenix, although most of the teams have only been there for around 30 years. We've established that the Cardinals are among the worst NFL franchises, and someone mentioned the Coyotes in the NHL. The Diamondbacks won the city's only title in 2001 but have been mostly mediocre since. The Suns are the lone biright spot, but just had a decade long playoff drought and are 0-3 in the finals.

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PrinceReva posted...

Yeah, Detroit is a great sports city overall. Pistons are one of not many teams to have a championship, and 3 at that. The Red Wings just came off one of the longest post season streaks in NHL history. The Tigers have been to a couple World Series since 2000. It's really just the Lions who are particularly awful in a spectacular way.

while true the last decade or so has been one of the worst stretches in detroit sports history for all 4 teams

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