After Henrik Lundqvist and his Rangers bowed out in Game 7, the question of where his legacy fits in among New York athletes is ongoing.
By Robby Sabo
It’s one word that carries more weight than just about anything in the sports world. It’s a word that defines many.
Individuals play sports for many reasons.
For one, they’re competitive. They’ll be damned if anyone else gets a leg up and will fight and work to make sure perception doesn’t flow in that direction.
Then, when an athlete ascends on the highest stage, legacy comes into play. Now, more than ever, winning a championship is a necessary piece of one’s legacy.
Back during much simpler times, the masses understood that championships were won and lost with teams. Individuals were phenomenal to watch, but teams received the glory.
Then came Michael Jordan.
The NBA and their attention to superstars have completely flipped the sports world around in this regard. No NBA star can lift his legacy if championships are not collected, and the entire goal for the LeBron James’ and Kobe Bryant’s of the world is to rise that legacy as close to MJ as humanly possible.
Unfortunately, this has trickled down to other sports. Throw in the factor of social media, SportsCenter and the rest of the mass media these athletes endure these days and we have an equation that leads to a ridiculous amount of pressure.
It’s just simple nowadays.
The regular season is an afterthought in our world. What defines the greats is what they do during the postseason – when pressure is high and the entire world is watching.
Here are the Top 5 New York City athletes who never captured a championship:
[mc4wp_form id=”11262″]5. Curtis Martin
When Bill Parcells was hired by Leon Hess in 1997 to resurrect his New York Jets, perhaps no greater gift was granted by the Big Tuna than landing running back Curtis Martin.
While a hefty compensation price tag was sent to the New England Patriots for Martin’s signing, the stud running back quickly allowed Jets fans to forget about the loss of draft picks.
In 1998, Martin rushed for 1,287 yards and eight touchdowns for a Jets team who finished 12-4 and found there way to the AFC Championship game against John Elway’s Denver Broncos.
Despite cracking the playoffs three more times with the Jets (2001, 2002, 2004), Martin could never get to that elusive Super Bowl like he did in 1996 with the Pats.
4. Mike Piazza
Late during the 2001 season, New York Mets catcher Mike Piazza hit a home run that most New Yorker’s still cry over today.
In the first game since 9/11, Piazza went deep against the Atlanta Braves to cap off an extraordinary night.
The closest Piazza came to winning a World Series title came in 2000. There, his Mets lost in five-games to Derek Jeter and the New York Yankees dynasty.
3. Don Mattingly
Speaking of home runs, never has Yankee Stadium been so loud when Don Mattingly hit his first, and only playoff home run in 1995.
If this list happened to be “most beloved,” then Mattingly would surely finish first, despite the fact the captain only made the postseason once.
While he’ll never make the Hall of Fame, Mattingly can hang his hat on the fact no Yankee legend will forever be remembered as fondly.
2. Henrik Lundqvist
Let’s face it, the reason for this sudden list is purely due to the fact that Henrik Lundqvist and the New York Rangers flopped in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals last night.
Despite the DNA of the Rangers remaining strong, they couldn’t knock off Ryan Callahan and the Bolts.
Now, Lundqvist is a 33-year old, future Hall of Fame goaltender who is still waiting for his shot to truly compete for the Stanley Cup.
1. Patrick Ewing
Tops on our list is none other than New York Knicks legend Patrick Ewing.
His inclusion must be a frustrating one for Knicks fans. First off, he played in an era where Michael Jordan did most of his damage. Secondly, never did the Knicks have that true No. 2 superstar to play alongside Ewing.
The city fell in love with guys like John Starks, Charles Oakley and Anthony Mason, but they could never get over that hump.
Game 6 of the 1994 NBA Finals against the Houston Rockets will forever haunt Ewing and Knicks fans, especially considering the current state of the organization.