Forbes: Seattle is America's most miserable sports city...again

[Upton]

Since big-time pro sports came to Seattle in 1967, the opportunities for championships have been fairly plentiful. The NBA Sonics made the playoffs 22 times before leaving town in 2008, a run that included six trips to the Western Conference finals and three to the NBA finals. Football's Seahawks have made it to the postseason 11 times since their 1976 birth, reaching the conference championship game twice and the Super Bowl in 2006. And the Mariners, an American League expansion team in 1977, managed to reach the American League Championship Series three times between 1995 and 2001.

But through a cumulative 111 seasons and 37 playoff appearances, Seattle boasts only one champion: the 1979 Sonics of Gus Williams, Jack Sikma and Dennis Johnson. The list of playoff busts includes some real gut-wrenchers: The 1978 Sonics blew a championship by dropping a Game 7 at home to Washington in the finals, while the top-seeded 1994 club lost a first-round series to the eighth-seeded Denver Nuggets. And the 2001 Mariners went down in the playoffs to the Yankees after posting a 116-46 record during the regular season. Add it all up, and Seattle's history lands it at the top of our list of the Most Miserable Sports Cities.

1. Seattle
2. Atlanta
3. Phoenix
4. Buffalo
5. San Diego
6. Houston
7. Kansas City
8. Cleveland
9. Denver
10.Cincinnati

http://www.forbes.com/2011/02/28/seattle-atlanta-phoenix-business-sports-miserable-sports-cities.html

I believe that's 3 straight years of Seattle topping the most miserable list. Interesting to see Denver, San Diego and Phoenix there as well. Notice there's not a Bay Area city in sight...

[TZ]

1. This is a stupid stupid list

I'm not sure how Cleveland can't be the top choice or top three. Plus DC went almost 3 weeks WITHOUT ANY PROFESSIONAL SPORTS FRANCHISE WINNING in December..how does that not qualify them to be on this, wtf, three superbowls twenty years ago doesn't count for the fact that its been pretty pathetic since.

[Upton]

3. I'm not sure what the deal is with DC..

I mean, they were #7 on the list last year:

No. 7 Washington, D.C.

Teams: Redskins, Nationals, Senators (I), Senators (II), Capitals, Wizards
Championship round losses: 11
Semifinal round losses: 2
Total seasons/championships: 225/7
Years since last title: 19
Teams lost: Senators (I), Senators (/i)

Thank goodness for the Redskins' periodic success--Washington's basketball, baseball and hockey teams have scored just two championships over 147 cumulative seasons, the last one in 1978.

http://www.forbes.com/2010/05/12/seattle-atlanta-phoenix-buffalo-business-sports-miserable-sports-cities_slide_8.html

[TZ]

11. "Redskins periodic success" . Er what?

:crazy: Yeah, they were great under Joe Gibbs, but thats like the Cleveland Browns bragging that they were one of the most successful pre SuperBowl Era teams, really not that relevant...

[travelingtypist]

2. At least Seattle has more than one team that doesn't win.

Portland -- 180 miles south -- has the Jail Gangstas, with their one trophy from 1977 and two championship losses against Detroit and the 2000 Western Conference Finals Game 7 4th quarter disaster against the Lakers that marked the last time I cared about them, thank you, Rasheed Wallace.

[Upton]

5. Portland aren't the Jail Blazers anymore..

heck that's a good 5 years ago at least. Things have changed.

And they didn't lose to the Pistons twice in the finals...in one of those appearances they were beaten by the Bulls..

You know, they might have won something by now, or at the very least be a top contender in the West, if they had just selected Kevin Durant instead of Greg Oden..

[travelingtypist]

6. Then there was the unceremonious dumping of their broadcasting icon.

Bill Schonley for the homer-homey home clown -- that was a horrible call -- Brian Wheeler. I never forgave them for that.

You're right about the loss to the Bulls.

Oden is as big of a drafting bust as them taking Sam Bowie -- broken leg man -- over Michael Jordan in the '84 draft.

Still, for a city of this size, we should have more than one professional team. That way I wouldn't have to be a fan of the pathetic Seattle Mariners.

[JonLP24]

7. Portland Timbers

will be starting the 2011 season in MLS.

[travelingtypist]

9. MLS?

I don't understand soccer. Nobody who's a fan of soccer has ever been able to explain it to me.

MLB. NFL. NBA.

[HuckleB]

22. The Timbers Army may be small, but they are LOUD!

They make more noise than whole stadiums do in sports with much bigger attendance, and have been doing so for minor league soccer for years.

[HuckleB]

21. That's seven/eight years ago.

Only a bizarre rash of injuries has kept the Blazers from becoming a serious NBA championship challenger since then...

[travelingtypist]

24. If they do manage to be that challenger, I will be an unabashed bandwagon jumper.

Until then, they're dead to me.

[HuckleB]

27. Boring.

[travelingtypist]

33. Insulting.

Did you not get your cookie this morning?

[HuckleB]

43. Awwwwww.

I'm sorry. :sarcasm:

[travelingtypist]

46. No, you just didn't get your cookie.

And you're taking it out on me.

Don't worry, I can take it.

:loveya:

[JonLP24]

47. Blazers got a solid team this year

Not sure how far they will go because the West is super-decked this year but I recall they weren't an easy team for the Suns to defeat last year in the playoffs when Phoenix made it to the WCF. Plus Portland is only a few games back from a #4 seed.

The Suns are currently at a #9 seed and out of Portland, Memphis, and New Orleans. I think New Orleans has the best shot of falling out even though the Suns only trail Memphis by 1/2 a game.

[HuckleB]

23. Seattle does like to subsidize a lot of expensive losers, doesn't it?

:rofl:

[ProfessorGAC]

39. They Lost In The Finals To The Bulls Once, Too

No?
GAC

[travelingtypist]

40. That was already clarified in the further discussion,

yes.

[ProfessorGAC]

41. Sorry. Didn't See That

But, they at least got somewhere Atlanta or New Jersey or Dallas has never been. (And a few others.)

So, the fans of the northwest teams has some pegs on which to hang their coat.

[travelingtypist]

42. My point was at least Atlanta has the Braves, who used to win constantly.

One World Series, but in the playoffs constantly. The Falcons have been to the Super Bowl at least once. That's three teams in that one city. And I think the Dallas Cowboys have more than one championship to remember. The Mavs have been to the finals at least once. Two teams, one city, some winning involved.

We have one team -- the jail gangstas -- with one trophy from 1977. Not seeing any pegs here.

[JonLP24]

4. The list doesn't measure by sheer futility

That is a big misunderstanding every time this list gets posted. They prefer near misses such as the Buffalo Bills. That can explain why Phoenix, with Cardinals losing in the Super Bowl or the Suns in the Western Conference Finals last season. They made the playoffs plenty in the last two decades with one Finals loss and several instances, falling up short in the conference finals. They score points based on how late they lose giving weight to the highest rounds.

Seattle leads the list because they lost an NBA team with all the seasons in professional sports where they came up short. 1 title.

I'm not saying Phoenix should be higher than many other cities. Just trying to explain the formula and what it gives weight too. Cleveland would probably win if it was just sheer futility. I will say I'm pretty miserable as sports fan, because I root for the Rockies. None of my teams won a championship in my lifetime. The Diamondbacks winning does make the Phoenix ranking interesting, but I'm not a fan.

[TZ]

8. Yeah but the Suns and the Rockies too are competitive!

In DC, the only team thats been even close to successful is the Caps and they constantly come up short in the playoffs. Upton's posting clip from last years statement about the "periodic successes of the Redskins" really shows me that whomever is doing this list from Forbes does NOT really follow sports....."periodic successes of the Reskins"....:rofl:

[JonLP24]

10. That is what I'm saying

The list rates success without championships. If you're team is losing in the playoffs every year you get more points than not making the playoffs. I'm not saying I agree with the formula, just trying to explain what it is. :)

[TZ]

13. okay makes sense

I actually think you guys have a better sports scene out there right now, than here. Here's what should tell you about here...The team most people are excited about here? The Nats......

[JonLP24]

15. Bryce Harper made his first appearence in MLB yesterday

Struck out twice after he came in on a pinch hit against the Mets, a game they ended up winning. He got his first hit today.

I was following him because I drafted him (fantasy baseball) but I'm dumping him for a pitcher(I'm already taking a chance on Mike Leake to win a starting pitching job in Cincy). Harper is expected to start the season in minor leagues but the coaches are aiming to get him a hit a game for the rest of spring training. His progress is the biggest news from the Nats games in his last two games. 1-4 hitting so far.

[TZ]

16. Yeah ESPN has been all over Harper's debut.

Trying to say he's a disappointment because he struck out twice yesterday...:eyes: Harper will produce..eventually. Even though this is Spring Training this is still a step up in pitching talent from the Arizona Fall League where he did well. He's probably not a good fantasy choice for this year. Like Strasburg I think 2012 is going to be big for Harper.

[Kingofalldems]

30. Does fantasy baseball include minor leaguers?

Harper will most liklely start in A ball---Hagerstown Suns.

[JonLP24]

31. I guess Yahoo does

It has players that are right on the edge of starting the season in MLB or minor leagues. I had no idea before I drafted him as far as his status, he has highly rated for a round 14 pick and he can be slotted into catcher. I know the Nationals are trying to mold him into an outfielder but I picked him because the system gave me an option to slot him as catcher in case my starter isn't working out.

[Upton]

12. Lets see what they say about Phoenix..

No. 3 Phoenix

Teams: Cardinals, Diamondbacks, Suns, Coyotes
Championship round record: 1-3
Semifinal round record: 4-8
Total Seasons/championships: 92/1
Last title: 2001

Perennial pretenders: The Suns have reached the NBA's Western Conference Finals nine times since 1976 without bringing home the hardware.

Hmm..one title in 92 seasons...not a pretty picture. You have good reason to be miserable.

[thelordofhell]

18. If they add our WNBA and Arena Football franchises to the mix

Then the story would be different. But listen, I'll take perenial playoffs as opposed to no playoffs any time of the year. This poll is stupid.

[HuckleB]

45. Well, the Cardinals and Diamondbacks are now in the no playoff option.

As for the Coyotes, doesn't everyone make the playoffs in the NHL? Yeah, and it's not much different in the NBA.

[Auggie]

14. "Cleveland fans feel snubbed every year at not being at the top of this list...

as if they own a monopoly on sports misery."

Bullshit.

[Jack Rabbit]

17. Well, if any one wants to question this . . .

Forbes is also the same rag that calls Fidel Castro one of the world's wealthiest men by assigning to his personal wealth all assets of the Cuban state.

I guess Barack Obama is even wealthier because he "owns" all those nuclear weapons.

[thatsrightimirish]

19. It was before the NHL

But Seattle has won a Stanley Cup

[HuckleB]

20. Speaking of the Bay Area... how does Oakland fail to make the list?

:shrug:

Raiders, A's, Warriors...?

Ouch.

[Auggie]

25. A's won the World Series in '89,

and three-in-a-row in the early 70s. Raiders won Super Bowl XV. That's probably enough to keep Oakland out of the top ten.

[HuckleB]

26. So current status is not a consideration.

Interesting.

[Auggie]

28. I think they take into account the number of playoff appearences as well

which accounts for Cleveland's lower ranking. As frustrating as it is to be a fan, the Cavs and baseball club have made it deep into the playoffs within the last 4 years -- though I still think Cleveland should be higher.

[JonLP24]

29. I think the biggest thing is they count all those titles

with Otto Graham and Jim Brown as equal as recent titles or as any title in history. My thinking was despite Phoenix has had a long history of not winning anything in the 4 sports they have listed (basketball, football, hockey, baseball), the DBacks title would drop us a few spots but it just counts as one title while Cleveland has 7 total.

Perhaps more recent titles should be given more weight than old titles where many fans may not remember or weren't alive?

[Auggie]

32. Totally agree

[HuckleB]

44. I don't know.

There are plenty of miserable sports cities around. I mean Milwaukee is about as miserable as it gets (Brewers and Bucks), but it didn't break the top ten. What if they combined Nashville and Memphis (Titans and Grizzlies). There are a lot of us suffering out here! I mean I'm so used to it, that I truly did not understand what was happening when the Packers won the Super Bowl.

[Jack Rabbit]

34. That's true, but . . .

When the A's took three world championships in a row, few people in the Bay Area knew about it. You practically had to live in the shadow of the Coliseum to know there was a baseball team there.

During those three years, the A's had the distinction of being the last American League champions who played baseball (1972).

[El Supremo]

35. Hey! Denver won a soccer championship last year.

Or was it lacrosse?

[JonLP24]

37. Soccer

Colorado Rapids

[HughBeaumont]

36. Idiots.

I'm not posting the long essay I usually do as to why this list is bullshit. No other city comes CLOSE to Cleveland on this one. It's not even a CONTEST. You don't have the most consecutive non-titled seasons in the modern era for three sports. You don't have the heartbreak that rivals Shakespeare in tragedy. You don't have the drafts that come with a Looney-Tunes soundtrack. You don't have the Keystone Kop owners and GMs. You don't have the most miserable schlep-rock bad luck known to mankind. You don't know what PAIN IS.

Atlanta beat the Indians for it's only sports title.

The Diamondbacks beat the Billionaire's Row Yankees in the World Series, bitch.

The Rockets won 2 NBA titles in the 1990s.

Kansas City won a WS in 1985.

Don't even get me STARTED on Denver.

What about the WS winning Reds?

I'm going to end with a hard reality check: the way Basebusiness, Basketbusiness and Footbusiness are nowadays . . . it's not likely The City that Never Wins will be shaking this moniker anytime soon.

Fuck off, Forbes.

[Auggie]

38. +1

Glad to see you HughBeaumont

:hi:

[thatsrightimirish]

48. I don't think Atlanta should be ranked #2

The Braves won the NL East for TEN STRAIGHT YEARS! Let's compare that to Kansas City.