NYC Rankings: Elite Sports NY presents the five most beloved non-championship teams in New York sports history.
By Robby Sabo
Those are the descriptions fans of the New York Rangers are feeling right now after witnessing their team put up a goose-egg in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
There will be no more putting the 16 Stanley Cup puzzle pieces together. There will be no more “I believe” mantras. There will be no more Rangers right there by your side as you come home from work and kick your feet up on that couch for the night.
The party is officially and sadly over.
For Henrik Lunqvist – who’ll turn 34 next season – he’ll have to wait at least one more year for the chance to get to the promised land.
It’s interesting though. Although some will argue the window of championship opportunity for this team is closing, the level for which fans love them remains extremely high.
When considering the current landscape of New York sports, there’s no doubt about it. These Rangers are the most beloved group in the Big Apple by a wide margin.
Can they compare to some of the championship teams of years past, such as the Derek Jeter Yankees of the 1990s? Of course not.
It brings up a fascinating question nonetheless: who are the most beloved non-championship teams in New York City sports history?
We begin with No. 5:
[mc4wp_form id=”11262″]5. Don Mattingly’s Yankees
Coming in to start the list is a team that, to be honest, wasn’t the most popular. A better description might be frustrating.
Other candidates included Jason Kidd’s New Jersey Nets, the 1992-93 New York Islanders, the Sack-Exchange New York Jets, and the 1979 New York Rangers.
Nevertheless, Don Mattingly’s New York Yankees take the No. 5 spot.
The sole reason? Well, because Mattingly was that popular among Yankee fans.
Not only could this team never win a title, they only made the postseason once in this era (1995). Guys like Ricky Henderson and Dave Winfield always allowed George Steinbrenner’s team to generate back-page publicity, but the lack of pitching always prevented them from winning the AL East crown.
4. Bill Parcells’ Jets
It sure was a short era for the Bill Parcells’ New York Jets, but it was wildly successful.
Coming off of two Rich Kotite seasons, with an overall record of 4-28, Jets fans could hardly contain their enthusiasm when Leon Hess announced to the world that he lured the Big Tuna in.
Not only did Parcells fix the Jets – starting with a shocking 9-7 record in 1997 – he built a foundation that has carried over to this very day.
1998 was the season Vinny Testaverde, Wayne Chrebet, Keyshawn Johnson and Curtis Martin almost broke through. Finishing 12-4, the Jets held a 10-0 third-quarter lead on the defending champion, John Elway led Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game before they infamously let it slip away.
A 1999 Testaverde achilles tear might have been the only thing separating this team from their first Super Bowl since Joe “Willie” Namath.
3. Mike Piazza’s Mets
One World Series appearance in 2000, and a quick fade shortly thereafter.
The New York Mets during Mike Piazza’s time as leader was an era of enjoyment for fans of the Amazin’s, yet they could never fully get over that hump.
Perhaps they were just unlucky. I mean, after all, they did wind up facing one of the better dynasties in baseball over the last few decades.
Regardless, manager Bobby Valentine set the tone for this rag-tag group of individuals. Even Mets fans would relent that their skill level wasn’t as high as we initially thought.
It was their fire, shown by Al Leiter; heart, provided by Turk Wendell; and overall wizardry around the diamond, showcased by Rey Ordonez which allowed them to flourish to a 94-68 record and the NL East crown in 2000.
Although they only made the postseason during one other campaign (1999), the Mets captured three playoff series victories in the Piazza era.
2. Henrik Lundqvist’s Rangers
Well, we opened up this story speaking about them, and it’s safe to say the idea behind these words are solely due to the beloved squad not breaking through as of yet.
Stanley Cup Championship aside, many New York Rangers fans already feel that this day and age is the golden era of Rangers hockey.
The team still has a young core. Glen Sather made sure of it since the 2004 NHL Lockout.
Goaltender, and face of the franchise, Henrik Lundqvist, has already established himself as one of the top Rangers in history.
What makes this squad more beloved than most, however, is the notion that each guy is so easy to root for. Derek Stepan, Chris Kreider, Ryan McDonagh, Dan Girardi – they all seem to be solid character guys who anybody would be comfortable to hang out with on a Friday night at the local pub.
Only one Stanley Cup separates them from immortality in the eyes of New York City.
1. Patrick Ewing’s Knicks
The only team that could safely say they’ve enjoyed a more popular reign without a title than these current Rangers are the New York Knicks of the 1990s.
When Pat Riley came to town, we all thought Showtime from Hollywood was coming east to the Atlantic. Instead, what we received was a squad that fit the personality of the Big Apple better than anything we’ve ever witnessed.
Rugged, underdog types like John Starks, Charles Oakley, Ron Harper and Anthony Mason teamed with Patrick Ewing to create one of the top defensive squad in NBA history.
If it hadn’t been for a certain guy who wore No. 23 for the Chicago Bulls, the Knicks could’ve escaped the decade with at least one title, if not two.
Sure, they did come one great quarter of ball away from winning the 1994 NBA Finals against the Houston Rockets; and they also shocked the world with Ewing on the Bench in 1999; but their best team came in 1992-93 when Michael Jordan was still ruling the world.
More like joy and happiness. No more Rags! YES! YES! YES!