Post by JoeBigBlue on Jan 27, 2019 9:06:33 GMT -5
www.northjersey.com/story/sports/2019/01/25/new-york-sports-championship-droughts-yankees-mets-giants-jets-devils-knicks-nets-rangers-islanders/2642705002/
Fifty years have passed since the New York Jets won their only Super Bowl.
It feels like a million years to their long-suffering fans.
Other New York-New Jersey franchises have lesser world championship droughts, but with the exception of the Yankees, none of them are keeping victory parade organizers in business.
Even the franchise with the most championships is in the midst of a down period, by its standards, having not won a World Series since 2009. This is not the 1990s anymore.
And this is what the creators of sports talk radio envisioned. The more misery the better.
Such is the life of a fan in an area where there are three hockey teams and two football, basketball and baseball teams. Tack on that sports betting is now legal in this state, and you have a whole host of reasons why New York fans agonize as much as they cheer.
Here’s a look at the last times these teams won, the heartbreak they've endured, and the chances they will be celebrating titles in the future (we dare not say "near future"):
When did the Giants last win the Super Bowl? 2012
The championship: For the second time in four seasons, Big Blue went to the Super Bowl and knocked off Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. The 21-17 victory over the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI produced the fourth Vince Lombardi Trophy in team history. The Giants’ pass rush of Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora and Jason Pierre-Paul, among others, stifled Brady. Eli Manning won his second Super Bowl MVP award. One of the best throws of Manning’s career – a 38-yarder to Mario Manningham along the left sideline – helped set up Ahmad Bradshaw’s game-winning touchdown run with 1:04 left.
Heartbreak since: The Giants took a run at a repeat the following season, but missed the playoffs. They’ve only been back to the postseason once since Super Bowl XLVI (2016), and they’ve witnessed the end of the Tom Coughlin era, and what turned out to be the Ben McAdoo error. Pat Shurmur then became the franchise’s third head coach in four seasons. The Giants are set to select in the Top 10 of the NFL Draft for the fourth time since 2015.
When can they win again? The Giants have young talent on the roster, beginning with star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and rookie sensation Saquon Barkley. The big question will be what comes next at quarterback, and how much more the team can get from 38-year-old Eli Manning. The Giants are improving, but they are likely two more strong offseasons before being able to consider themselves legitimate contenders.
When did the Yankees last win the World Series? 2009
The championship: After missing the postseason in 2008, breaking a 13-year playoff run that included six pennants and four world titles, the Yankees spent wildly on free agents CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and A.J. Burnett. They ultimately took down the defending world champion Phillies in the World Series, the one and only championship in the Joe Girardi era.
Heartbreak since: On three occasions (2010, 2012, 2017) the Yankees made it to the AL Championship Series, but watched the Rangers, Tigers and Astros advance to the World Series. The closest was in '17, when they took a 3-2 series lead, only to drop the final two at Houston. Last year, the Yankees won 100 games in Aaron Boone's maiden season but lost in the division series to the Red Sox.
When can they win again? Having finished eight games behind the eventual champion Red Sox in the AL East, the 2019 Yankees – featuring a potent lineup and potentially the game's best bullpen – are built to win now. With a talented, youthful dynamic and the resources to add key reinforcements at any time, the Yankees should be perennial contenders into the foreseeable future.
When did the Devils last win the Stanley Cup? 2003
The championship: Home-ice advantage played all the way through the Stanley Cup Final as the home teams won each of the seven games, with the Devils victorious over the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim at Continental Airlines Arena in Game 7. The series was a battle between Hall of Fame goalie Martin Brodeur and Jean-Sebastien Giguere, the latter of which was awarded the Conn Smythe Award despite coming out on the losing side. It was the final Stanley Cup win for Brodeur and three defensemen in front of him, Ken Daneyko, Scott Niedermayer and Scott Stevens.
Heartbreak since: The Devils reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2012 but fell to the upstart Los Angeles Kings in six games. Lou Lamoriello, the iron-fisted leader of the Devils’ front office since the 1980s, seemed to have lost his touch in the salary cap era, and new ownership decided to embark on a rebuild in 2015, hiring current general manager Ray Shero and head coach John Hynes.
When can they win again? The Devils reached the playoffs in 2018 but were quickly dropped in five games by the Tampa Bay Lightning. This season hasn’t exactly been a banner one. The team has been at or near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. While fans may think the team has regressed this season, it may have just overachieved last year. Patience is needed in a rebuild and New Jersey fans need to be patient while the team figures out its goaltending situation, gets deeper on the blue line and finds some scoring help for Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall.
When did the Rangers last win the Stanley Cup? 1994
The championship: The Rangers ended a 54-year drought in thrilling fashion, defeating the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 at Madison Square Garden. Defenseman Brian Leetch, whom Mark Messier would later refer to as “The greatest Ranger of all-time,” was named the first American-born Conn Smythe Award winner.
Heartbreak since: Twenty years after that Game 7 win, the Rangers suffered a Game 5 loss in Los Angeles when the Kings knocked off their second area team in three seasons to win the 2014 Stanley Cup. Henrik Lundqvist turned in a few all-world performances, singlehandedly keeping the Rangers in the series. A snow pile in Lundqvist’s net in Game 2 at the Garden briefly gave the Rangers hope, but ultimately the Kings’ physical, mobile defensemen and their depth up the middle proved to be too much to handle.
When can they win again? Much like the Devils, the Rangers are trying to get younger and faster, and do so by building from within. In coach David Quinn’s first season, the Rangers have hung around the middle of the Eastern Conference standings all season but unless they can make a run, they’ll miss the playoffs for the second straight year. They have some good young pieces, but the organization is preaching patience.
When did the Mets last win the World Series? 1986
The championship: The Mets' last championship will forever be remembered since it involves one of the most memorable plays in World Series history. In Game 6, Mookie Wilson hit a ground ball up the first-base line that went through Boston Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner's legs, allowing the winning run to score in a dramatic come-from-behind victory. The Mets then went on to win Game 7, immortalizing the likes of Keith Hernandez, Doc Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, Gary Carter and Ron Darling, among others.
Heartbreak since: The Mets have reached the World Series twice since that title, and both times blew ninth-inning leads in Game 1 en route to losing both series in five games. Armando Benitez could not hold a lead against the Yankees in 2000, and Jeurys Familia allowed a homer to Kansas City's Alex Gordon in 2015. The most heartbreaking loss, though, may have been in 2006 when a more talented Mets team lost to the St. Louis Cardinals at home in Game 7 of the NLCS. Carlos Beltran looking at strike three to end the series is a moment some fans have never forgiven him for.
When can they win again? The Mets are in win-now mode, although they don't have a team that can be considered a championship contender at the moment. They made some nice moves this offseason, but they still don't have a roster as strong as other teams such asthe Red Sox, Astros and Yankees. They've put themselves in a situation where their best chance at winning a title is in the next few years.
When did the Islanders last win the Stanley Cup? 1983
The championship: The Islanders swept the Edmonton Oilers to finish off a dynastic streak of four straight Stanley Cup titles. Mike Bossy scored his second Stanley Cup-winning goal, and it looked as though they would never lose. No team in the four North American professional sports leagues has since won four straight titles. The Yankees, Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers have all won three in a row since then, but the Islanders’ mark of four is still unmatched.
Heartbreak since: Wayne Gretzky and the Oilers got revenge the following season, and the Islanders have never been the same. Bossy retired a few years later and the roster turnover began. Management was turbulent, their draft picks didn’t pan out, and they made little noise in the playoffs other than in 1993 when they lost in the Eastern Conference Final to the Montreal Canadiens.
When can they win again? More doom and gloom was predicted for the Islanders this season when they lost star center John Tavares to his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs, but a contract dispute with the Washington Capitals brought them head coach Barry Trotz, fresh off his Stanley Cup win. Trotz has the Islanders at the top of the Metropolitan Division standings looking like the team to beat.
When did the Nets last win the NBA Finals? 1976 (ABA)
The championship: The Nets won two ABA championships in the 1970s, with the last one coming in 1976. They were the New York Nets then, and they defeated the Denver Nuggets in six games. The great Julius Erving averaged 37.7 points, 14.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game in the series.
Heartbreak since: Jason Kidd led a Nets resurgence in the early 2000s, but they would lose in the NBA Finals in 2002 to the Los Angeles Lakers and 2003 to the San Antonio Spurs. The Nets then lost in the conference semifinals three of the next four seasons. They lost again in the conference semifinals in 2014.
When can they win again? They may be getting closer. General manager Sean Marks and head coach Kenny Atkinson have done a remarkable job with the Nets, who are poised to make the playoffs this season. Do they have enough for a championship this year? Probably not. But if they continue to improve and perhaps add a star free agent this summer, they could be getting closer.
When did the Knicks last win the NBA Finals? 1973
The championship: The Knicks rocked the city the last time they won a title, with Walt Frazier, Dave DeBusschere and Bill Bradley the team’s leading scorers during the 1972-73 season. One year after losing to the Lakers in the Finals, the teams met again in 1973. The Knicks lost the first game of the series before reeling off four straight victories to take the title. Willis Reed was named the Finals MVP.
Heartbreak since: The Knicks twice knocked on the door of another title in the 1990s. They fell to the Houston Rockets in Game 7 of the 1994 Finals, and then lost to the Spurs in five games in 1999. The Knicks lost in the Eastern Conference Finals the following year, and then fell in the first round in 2001. Then the dark period began. They had a brief break from losing by making the playoffs for three straight years under Mike D’Antoni and Mike Woodson, and even made it to the Eastern Conference semifinals in 2013. But they haven’t come close since, piling up losing season after losing season.
When can they win again? That’s an excellent question. It certainly won’t be this year. Only time will tell if the Knicks’ current plan works and they build themselves back into a successful organization again. But a championship? There’s too much work to be done before that’s even part of the conversation. For now it remains a distant goal.
When did the Jets last win the Super Bowl? 1969
The championship: The Jets weren’t supposed to just lose to Johnny Unitas and the Colts in Super Bowl III, they were supposed to get crushed. But Joe Namath guaranteed victory and helped deliver it for the 18-point underdog Jets. They dominated the Colts on the way to a 16-7 win, which remains the biggest upset in the history of the Super Bowl.
Heartbreak since: The pain started almost immediately after the Super Bowl with an 11-season playoff drought (1970-80), the longest in franchise history. They’ve made it to four conference championship games, but they've always ended poorly. Richard Todd threw five interceptions against the Miami Dolphins (1982); they squandered a second-half lead, allowing 23 unanswered points to the Denver Broncos (1998); and the Mark Sanchez-led offense wasn’t good enough against the Indianapolis Colts (2009) and Pittsburgh Steelers (2010).
When can they win again? These are tough times for the Jets, who have missed the playoffs for eight straight seasons. But there is hope on the horizon. Sam Darnold seems to be the franchise quarterback they’ve been searching for all these years. There are some promising players on defense, led by Jamal Adams. The Jets hope they can become a playoff contender in 2019 with big money to spend in free agency and the No. 3 overall pick. If they make the right roster moves, and Darnold becomes a star, the Jets could contend for that elusive title in the next few years.
Fifty years have passed since the New York Jets won their only Super Bowl.
It feels like a million years to their long-suffering fans.
Other New York-New Jersey franchises have lesser world championship droughts, but with the exception of the Yankees, none of them are keeping victory parade organizers in business.
Even the franchise with the most championships is in the midst of a down period, by its standards, having not won a World Series since 2009. This is not the 1990s anymore.
And this is what the creators of sports talk radio envisioned. The more misery the better.
Such is the life of a fan in an area where there are three hockey teams and two football, basketball and baseball teams. Tack on that sports betting is now legal in this state, and you have a whole host of reasons why New York fans agonize as much as they cheer.
Here’s a look at the last times these teams won, the heartbreak they've endured, and the chances they will be celebrating titles in the future (we dare not say "near future"):
When did the Giants last win the Super Bowl? 2012
The championship: For the second time in four seasons, Big Blue went to the Super Bowl and knocked off Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. The 21-17 victory over the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI produced the fourth Vince Lombardi Trophy in team history. The Giants’ pass rush of Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora and Jason Pierre-Paul, among others, stifled Brady. Eli Manning won his second Super Bowl MVP award. One of the best throws of Manning’s career – a 38-yarder to Mario Manningham along the left sideline – helped set up Ahmad Bradshaw’s game-winning touchdown run with 1:04 left.
Heartbreak since: The Giants took a run at a repeat the following season, but missed the playoffs. They’ve only been back to the postseason once since Super Bowl XLVI (2016), and they’ve witnessed the end of the Tom Coughlin era, and what turned out to be the Ben McAdoo error. Pat Shurmur then became the franchise’s third head coach in four seasons. The Giants are set to select in the Top 10 of the NFL Draft for the fourth time since 2015.
When can they win again? The Giants have young talent on the roster, beginning with star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and rookie sensation Saquon Barkley. The big question will be what comes next at quarterback, and how much more the team can get from 38-year-old Eli Manning. The Giants are improving, but they are likely two more strong offseasons before being able to consider themselves legitimate contenders.
When did the Yankees last win the World Series? 2009
The championship: After missing the postseason in 2008, breaking a 13-year playoff run that included six pennants and four world titles, the Yankees spent wildly on free agents CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and A.J. Burnett. They ultimately took down the defending world champion Phillies in the World Series, the one and only championship in the Joe Girardi era.
Heartbreak since: On three occasions (2010, 2012, 2017) the Yankees made it to the AL Championship Series, but watched the Rangers, Tigers and Astros advance to the World Series. The closest was in '17, when they took a 3-2 series lead, only to drop the final two at Houston. Last year, the Yankees won 100 games in Aaron Boone's maiden season but lost in the division series to the Red Sox.
When can they win again? Having finished eight games behind the eventual champion Red Sox in the AL East, the 2019 Yankees – featuring a potent lineup and potentially the game's best bullpen – are built to win now. With a talented, youthful dynamic and the resources to add key reinforcements at any time, the Yankees should be perennial contenders into the foreseeable future.
When did the Devils last win the Stanley Cup? 2003
The championship: Home-ice advantage played all the way through the Stanley Cup Final as the home teams won each of the seven games, with the Devils victorious over the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim at Continental Airlines Arena in Game 7. The series was a battle between Hall of Fame goalie Martin Brodeur and Jean-Sebastien Giguere, the latter of which was awarded the Conn Smythe Award despite coming out on the losing side. It was the final Stanley Cup win for Brodeur and three defensemen in front of him, Ken Daneyko, Scott Niedermayer and Scott Stevens.
Heartbreak since: The Devils reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2012 but fell to the upstart Los Angeles Kings in six games. Lou Lamoriello, the iron-fisted leader of the Devils’ front office since the 1980s, seemed to have lost his touch in the salary cap era, and new ownership decided to embark on a rebuild in 2015, hiring current general manager Ray Shero and head coach John Hynes.
When can they win again? The Devils reached the playoffs in 2018 but were quickly dropped in five games by the Tampa Bay Lightning. This season hasn’t exactly been a banner one. The team has been at or near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. While fans may think the team has regressed this season, it may have just overachieved last year. Patience is needed in a rebuild and New Jersey fans need to be patient while the team figures out its goaltending situation, gets deeper on the blue line and finds some scoring help for Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall.
When did the Rangers last win the Stanley Cup? 1994
The championship: The Rangers ended a 54-year drought in thrilling fashion, defeating the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 at Madison Square Garden. Defenseman Brian Leetch, whom Mark Messier would later refer to as “The greatest Ranger of all-time,” was named the first American-born Conn Smythe Award winner.
Heartbreak since: Twenty years after that Game 7 win, the Rangers suffered a Game 5 loss in Los Angeles when the Kings knocked off their second area team in three seasons to win the 2014 Stanley Cup. Henrik Lundqvist turned in a few all-world performances, singlehandedly keeping the Rangers in the series. A snow pile in Lundqvist’s net in Game 2 at the Garden briefly gave the Rangers hope, but ultimately the Kings’ physical, mobile defensemen and their depth up the middle proved to be too much to handle.
When can they win again? Much like the Devils, the Rangers are trying to get younger and faster, and do so by building from within. In coach David Quinn’s first season, the Rangers have hung around the middle of the Eastern Conference standings all season but unless they can make a run, they’ll miss the playoffs for the second straight year. They have some good young pieces, but the organization is preaching patience.
When did the Mets last win the World Series? 1986
The championship: The Mets' last championship will forever be remembered since it involves one of the most memorable plays in World Series history. In Game 6, Mookie Wilson hit a ground ball up the first-base line that went through Boston Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner's legs, allowing the winning run to score in a dramatic come-from-behind victory. The Mets then went on to win Game 7, immortalizing the likes of Keith Hernandez, Doc Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, Gary Carter and Ron Darling, among others.
Heartbreak since: The Mets have reached the World Series twice since that title, and both times blew ninth-inning leads in Game 1 en route to losing both series in five games. Armando Benitez could not hold a lead against the Yankees in 2000, and Jeurys Familia allowed a homer to Kansas City's Alex Gordon in 2015. The most heartbreaking loss, though, may have been in 2006 when a more talented Mets team lost to the St. Louis Cardinals at home in Game 7 of the NLCS. Carlos Beltran looking at strike three to end the series is a moment some fans have never forgiven him for.
When can they win again? The Mets are in win-now mode, although they don't have a team that can be considered a championship contender at the moment. They made some nice moves this offseason, but they still don't have a roster as strong as other teams such asthe Red Sox, Astros and Yankees. They've put themselves in a situation where their best chance at winning a title is in the next few years.
When did the Islanders last win the Stanley Cup? 1983
The championship: The Islanders swept the Edmonton Oilers to finish off a dynastic streak of four straight Stanley Cup titles. Mike Bossy scored his second Stanley Cup-winning goal, and it looked as though they would never lose. No team in the four North American professional sports leagues has since won four straight titles. The Yankees, Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers have all won three in a row since then, but the Islanders’ mark of four is still unmatched.
Heartbreak since: Wayne Gretzky and the Oilers got revenge the following season, and the Islanders have never been the same. Bossy retired a few years later and the roster turnover began. Management was turbulent, their draft picks didn’t pan out, and they made little noise in the playoffs other than in 1993 when they lost in the Eastern Conference Final to the Montreal Canadiens.
When can they win again? More doom and gloom was predicted for the Islanders this season when they lost star center John Tavares to his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs, but a contract dispute with the Washington Capitals brought them head coach Barry Trotz, fresh off his Stanley Cup win. Trotz has the Islanders at the top of the Metropolitan Division standings looking like the team to beat.
When did the Nets last win the NBA Finals? 1976 (ABA)
The championship: The Nets won two ABA championships in the 1970s, with the last one coming in 1976. They were the New York Nets then, and they defeated the Denver Nuggets in six games. The great Julius Erving averaged 37.7 points, 14.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game in the series.
Heartbreak since: Jason Kidd led a Nets resurgence in the early 2000s, but they would lose in the NBA Finals in 2002 to the Los Angeles Lakers and 2003 to the San Antonio Spurs. The Nets then lost in the conference semifinals three of the next four seasons. They lost again in the conference semifinals in 2014.
When can they win again? They may be getting closer. General manager Sean Marks and head coach Kenny Atkinson have done a remarkable job with the Nets, who are poised to make the playoffs this season. Do they have enough for a championship this year? Probably not. But if they continue to improve and perhaps add a star free agent this summer, they could be getting closer.
When did the Knicks last win the NBA Finals? 1973
The championship: The Knicks rocked the city the last time they won a title, with Walt Frazier, Dave DeBusschere and Bill Bradley the team’s leading scorers during the 1972-73 season. One year after losing to the Lakers in the Finals, the teams met again in 1973. The Knicks lost the first game of the series before reeling off four straight victories to take the title. Willis Reed was named the Finals MVP.
Heartbreak since: The Knicks twice knocked on the door of another title in the 1990s. They fell to the Houston Rockets in Game 7 of the 1994 Finals, and then lost to the Spurs in five games in 1999. The Knicks lost in the Eastern Conference Finals the following year, and then fell in the first round in 2001. Then the dark period began. They had a brief break from losing by making the playoffs for three straight years under Mike D’Antoni and Mike Woodson, and even made it to the Eastern Conference semifinals in 2013. But they haven’t come close since, piling up losing season after losing season.
When can they win again? That’s an excellent question. It certainly won’t be this year. Only time will tell if the Knicks’ current plan works and they build themselves back into a successful organization again. But a championship? There’s too much work to be done before that’s even part of the conversation. For now it remains a distant goal.
When did the Jets last win the Super Bowl? 1969
The championship: The Jets weren’t supposed to just lose to Johnny Unitas and the Colts in Super Bowl III, they were supposed to get crushed. But Joe Namath guaranteed victory and helped deliver it for the 18-point underdog Jets. They dominated the Colts on the way to a 16-7 win, which remains the biggest upset in the history of the Super Bowl.
Heartbreak since: The pain started almost immediately after the Super Bowl with an 11-season playoff drought (1970-80), the longest in franchise history. They’ve made it to four conference championship games, but they've always ended poorly. Richard Todd threw five interceptions against the Miami Dolphins (1982); they squandered a second-half lead, allowing 23 unanswered points to the Denver Broncos (1998); and the Mark Sanchez-led offense wasn’t good enough against the Indianapolis Colts (2009) and Pittsburgh Steelers (2010).
When can they win again? These are tough times for the Jets, who have missed the playoffs for eight straight seasons. But there is hope on the horizon. Sam Darnold seems to be the franchise quarterback they’ve been searching for all these years. There are some promising players on defense, led by Jamal Adams. The Jets hope they can become a playoff contender in 2019 with big money to spend in free agency and the No. 3 overall pick. If they make the right roster moves, and Darnold becomes a star, the Jets could contend for that elusive title in the next few years.
