Best teams to never win a championship (last 50 years)

SI wrote a great piece about that game vs. NC State several years ago. I have a VCR tape of a big portion of that game somewhere. I believe I remember watching it live, but I was 10. Amazing game.

 

Always wondered WTH that group didn't win it. Keith Smart did them in once, though.

 

I figured that wasn't the batting order. Just wanted to go around the diamond.

But anyway, Sorrento had an OPS+ of 116 which was fifth on that team, something that says more about the lineup than anything. His 25 homers were tied for third, and that was in just 104 games.

Maybe he just seemed meh because he wasn't a big name, but apparently he wasn't.

That was a damn good team.

 

The great thing about "team" sports, unlike golf or boxing or tennis, is that it all comes down to the "team." Of course, it helps if you have a bunch of stars, or even superstars, but that's no guarantee of success. It's probably an overused term, but team chemistry -- or lack of same -- can be a major factor. For whatever reason, the 2001 Mariners had inordinate chemistry; they fit hand-in-glove, no matter the lineup Lou Piniella wrote out. Wait, that probably undersells the terrific job Lou did devising so man different lineups throughout the season. The lone "superstar" on that team turned out to be Ichiro, though that was his rookie year and nobody knew what to expect. He had stellar seasons and stats in Japan but there was no way to know how his talents would translate to the American game. A-Rod had just left town, Junior left at the previous midseason and, by then, Randy Johnson was long gone. The rest of the guys in that clubhouse just seemed determined to succeed without those 3 Hall of Fame talents.

Ichiro was MVP of the American League that season but Mark McLemore was MVP of the Mariners. I think he played he played every position except the battery, giving Lou amazing flexibility on his lineup card.

The "team" (every single man) played the game the most of us had been taught: Work the count to get your pitch or draw a walk ... Advance the runner, hit behind him whenever possible ... Hit the cut-off man ... Play solid defense behind your pitcher ... Yep, all the cliches, all the fundamentals. I don't think they lost mor than one or two 2-, 3- or 4-game series all year (if at all).

They were an absolute joy to follow, right up until they ran into the Yankees in the postseason.

 

I always thought the 2001 Mariner bullpen was what made that team special in the regular season. It was a five-inning game against them. The strikeout to walk ratio on Charlton, Arthur Rhodes, Jeff Nelson and Sasaki was just ludicrous. That starting staff was solid and the offense was good, but the bullpen put them over the top. It was ironic given the teams' downfall in the 1990s being the bullpen (Bobby Ayala and Heathcliff Slocumb!).

 

2007 Patriots and 1968 Colts were the first to come to mind for me. After doing some analysis, I might have to throw my hat in with the Colts.

Only two of their wins were by less than 10 points (and also had a loss). The Pats had 4 games settled by less than 10.

And the Colts were really only stopped by themselves. In their 17 games, they had 43 turnovers, a pretty staggering number for a dominant team like that. And in their 2 losses, they lost the turnover battle 5 to 1 in each. Pats finished their year with 19 turnovers.

 

Those turnovers would seem to contradict you going with the Colts.

If want a reason for the 2007 Patriots then here you go: They are the first team since 1884 in the four major sports (MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL) to begin a season with 18 straight wins.

 

Because they sucked at shooting free throws.

They were 11 of 20 in the title game.

In '90, they were eliminated in the Sweet 16 after shooting 8 of 20.

And I'm sure they're plenty of more examples.

 

Many, starting with the 1984 team.

 

That was the year Kenny Smith got hurt in Feburary and missed the NCAA tournament, but he was a freshman who was averaging only 9 points and 5 assists, and they still had Jordan, Perkins, and Brad Daugherty. And somehow lost to an Indiana team featuring no players who had significant NBA careers.

 

Incorrect. Kenny Smith did not miss the tourney in 84. He only missed 8 regular season games but was back in the starting lineup by tourney time. UNC was fully loaded for that IU upset.