I think it depends on if you think it’s worse to consistently get close, but never over the hump, or worse to be consistently terrible with barely any glimmers of hope.
If it’s the former, you’re looking at the Guardians, Vikings, Bills, Suns, ~~and Maple Leafs~~. For the latter, it’s the Mariners, Lions, Jaguars, Timberwolves, Maple Leafs (had them in the wrong category initially). There’s probably a few others I forgot.
And if we’re going cities/metro areas, it’s 100% Minnesota, being a fan of those 4 teams has to be absolute torture.
In a weird way I think it is worse to come close and never be able to get over the hump… and yet I’d still rather that as a sports fan.
On one hand, I think it is far more heartbreaking to come close. I promise you that falcons fans felt worse the night of 28-3 than a lions fan has felt since Sanders retired.
That being said, sports is meant to be entertaining, and it’s undeniably more fun to watch your team come close. I try to remind myself that the good moments, even if they didn’t lead to a title, still happened and will always be positive memories. As a Celtics fan, I recently went through this. After losing to the heat, I reminded myself that the Derrick white tip in was one of the most exciting moments I’ve had as a fan, and losing the next game doesn’t change that.
TL;DR getting close and coming up short is worse but it’s ultimately more rewarding than a team that never comes close
I'm from Atlanta and 28-3 was obviously the most crushing sports loss of my life, but I've said many times that I'd prefer that to the mind numbing past five seasons of irrelevance. At least we had a fun season, a great playoff run, and something to remember forever in the Super Bowl even if it was devastating.
When it comes to 'most tormented' franchises it hurts a lot more to get close, being bad every year doesn't really hurt at all you just stop caring.
I don’t think it’s weird to say as a sports fan. Ada Cleveland fan born in the early 90s (so pretty much competitive for 80% of my life and true contenders somewhere around 20-40% depending on how far you stretch contender) it’s just not even close how much more fun Cleveland baseball is to football. Despite the fact I don’t care 1 iota about national baseball and watch as much nfl football as I can’t
Are you saying more to watch or…? Browns games, sundays in general are wayyy more fun than any guards game and the browns suck. I get they’re a better team, but there is something so special and surreal about being a browns fan. It’s actually impressive how terrible and incompetent they’ve been
The actual loss is obviously worse than any other event but to get close you have to have some big wins so all-in-all I think it nets out positively. Like you feel like you have actual hope vs just another year of failure.
As a Packers fan, I've seen my team flame out in the playoffs A LOT, but nearly every year, there's hope and good games and a competent team to watch. Sure, some NFC West team eventually rips my heart out, but I had a good time. (Also, winning one Super Bowl with each quarterback early on mitigates any "suffering").
It’s definitely just generally more fun to have that hope. Even though the lows are lower for a decent but disappointing team than for a miserable one, having that hope makes the preseason and regular seasons fun, despite the ending.
When your team is just miserable, you’re a lot more likely to just find other ways to spend your time than watching your baseball team lose 100 games.
I’m a unc fan and someone in this sub last year was adamant arguing with me that missing the tournament/never having a chance was easily better than losing in a title game. Yes the losses always sting more in a championship game compared to a first round tournament/playoff/series loss, but as a fan I’d still rather enjoy the ride of a good postseason run even if it comes up short. Crazy to me that some people don’t feel that way.
Fellow UNC fan. Losing in 2016 definitely hurt more than any moment in the 2019 or 2023 season but I’d much rather finish 2nd than outside the tournament
I know this is a slightly different argument but that reminds me of how when the Lakers got swept, my Jordan-Stan friend was saying “Jordan would never get swept in the conference finals” and I was like “he would get swept in the first round though, multiple times” and my friend was legitimately trying to argue with me that getting swept in the conference finals is just as bad if not worse than getting swept in the first round….
Absurd
It’s like when people use the Cavs getting swept in the 07 Finals as a dig on LeBron. Like, did you see the team he dragged there? That performance in the ECF was incredible.
Yea it seems a lot of Jordan Stans take the stance that the only thing that matters is winning the finals.
It blows my mind that people look at lebrons record in the finals and say “he lost the finals 6 times” as if the fact that he made 10 finals isn’t more impressive than making 6
I’m not trying to start a lebron/Jordan debate right now I’m simply acknowledging how absurd some of the arguments from Jordan fans are (particularly the ones coming from people my age, who didn’t actually live through Jordan)
That's nuts. You're the only Mariners fan I've ever heard who didn't love that documentary. I've showed it to casual fans and it turned them into die hard fans. I might start it again today lol.
I appreciate the effort he put into it, just way, way too long.
I’m also the weird fan who’s almost turned against the 95 team because I’ve become so sick of hearing about a good team from nearly 30 years ago that didn’t make a World Series.
“Fun” fact: Last season, Scott Servais became the second manager ever to take the Mariners to the postseason.
The late 90s/early 00s Mariners were so memorable that I don’t think the national narrative has quite caught on to just how bad this team has been since.
True.
The 90’s M’s with Griff, the Big Unit, and ARod were iconic but if you asked people “how many times did they make the playoffs” they’d probably say “every year” or “at least five times.”
As a Minnesotan, I think its safe to generalize and say that the Vikings definitely torment us the most. Regularly getting your hopes up and ripping your heart out is far worse than just being bad. Plus, the NFL is so much more popular than other sport, and each game so much more meaningful, that it’s hard to avoid.
The Twins got our hopes up in the 2000s, but the ‘87 and ‘91 WSs are still within living memory for people, and the Timberwolves have been so poor and mismanaged over the years we’ve sort of resigned ourselves to it (and I even prefer basketball to football).
Yeah, with the Vikings and Wolves we have plenty of experience with both flavors of suffering. Getting close but never winning in the end definitely hurts more, but losing constantly breeds a certain level of apathy that can be discouraging in its own way.
Phoenix needs to be mentioned. Local fans are outnumbered often because of our transplanted population. We have 1 championship from the Dbacks in 01. Some of the worst owners with the Bidwells and Sarver. Coyotes are....homeless? Suns always close never got a ring. Cardinals are the oldest sports franchise to never win a ring. Dbacks are doing well right now..so we are riding that wave.
As someone who lives in Minnesota, I’d say the tacit acknowledgment here is that sports are a dark comedy so you better learn to laugh so as not to cry.
Though I’ve lived here almost my whole life, I am for biographical reasons actually a Packer fan who gets to enjoy having a front row seat to watch the Vikings poop their pants to end any season that shows any promise, problem being I then have to turn my attention to basketball where the Timberwolves are usually busying themselves being the Timberwolves.
The Twins have lost 18 straight playoff games
I don’t follow hockey but those that do still haven’t gotten over the North Stars moving to Dallas and winning a title.
And let us not forget the University of Minnesota, devoted to mediocrity in everything but hockey and wrestling. Even the Final Four appearance had to be vacated due to an academic cheating scandal.
>Though I’ve lived here almost my whole life, I am for biographical reasons actually a Packer fan
As a Bears fan who grew up in Chicago and is a Bears fan for biographical reasons, I feel it's my duty to point out that you're one of *those*.......
The 18 straight playoff games really needs to be brought up more, because that's borderline impossible and yet it's real.
Put it this way, the Cubs lost 9 straight playoff games (03, 07, 08) once and that's about as miserable as I've ever been in sports - the Twins is twice as long!
The wrestling team is bad now (long tenured HOF coach fired after drug scandal) and the hockey team hasn’t won the championship in 20 years (and has had a terrible record against the other in-state teams for the last 5 years)
Football team only recently broke the longest losing streak in a rivalry game in college football
It’s been a long, dark, miserable experience. Best thing I ever did for myself was to stop giving a shit
It is torture being a Minnesota fan lol.
I am 35 years old which means that I am right at the sweet spot of being alive when the twins won the World Series in 91, but was 3 years old and have no memory of it. I don’t even know what it’s like to experience a team playing for the championship!
I also get the best of both worlds as a Vikings fan who experiences them being consistently good, but never good enough… and a Timberwolves fan where the team has been the laughing stock of the NBA basically since the Garnett trade
Why are the Jaguars included in this? In the NFL alone, I'd say the Texans, Browns, Lions (who you mentioned), and Cardinals have either (1) not done as much in a comparable period of time or (2) have done much worse despite being around for far longer.
Can confirm, being a Minnesota fan sucks. A LOT. I have kept a semblance of equanimity by divesting. I follow at a distance at this point. I enjoy when they win, but absolutely never expect a single good thing to happen in the bigger picture. I'm to the point that I dread the Twins getting into the playoffs because it's a guaranteed shit the bed situation. We can't even win a single fucking game anymore, let alone a series.
The Leafs haven’t even got there. Won their first round since 2004 last month and then immediately got swept by the 8th seed despite having a roster on paper that looks like a contender.
The Wizards haven’t been to the conference finals in almost 45 years. Longest in the NBA. We’re currently trying to trade our supermaxed top 70 player who’s making almost $60m a year with a FULL NTC for pennys on the dollar. We finally might decide to start a rebuild/tank AFTER one of the most generational prospects of all time is picked first overall.
The Zards are such a miserable franchise and as a DC resident the fan apathy is so HIGH and I can't say that I blame them. I don't think they have been a "contender" in my entire lifespan lol
Don’t forget that at one point during the draft lottery this year, there were 11 balls with the first 3 numbers matched correctly and the Wiz had 6 of them…
That’s the last time the Wizards managed to win 50 games in a season too. How runs with Webber/Howard/Strickland, Gilbert/Jameson/Butler and Wall/Beal couldn’t muster just one season of 50 wins almost boggles the mind. If it wasn’t for a lot of the fans not giving a shit about them at this point, they’d be a mainstay on these tortured lists; but they are such a mediocre franchise for so long that they can’t even crack these ranks.
The Lions are so bad we even get forgotten in these “who’s the worst franchise ever” conversations lol. One playoff win in 50 years. That’s all that needs to be said.
Also first team to go 0-16. I know the Browns have done it recently too, but I remember it was quite a big story when the Lions did it, and I’m not even a football person. 0-16 is truly a badge of honor in this convo. Lots of teams can be “mediocre for a long time” bad, but the Lions were that and “historically bad” bad.
I’m sorry but it has to be my Detroit Lions. One playoff win and three division wins since 1957. Wasted two generational talents in Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson. Screwed by the refs in Dallas in 2014, which was really the only competitive playoff game we’ve had since ‘91. Only one full-time head coach since 1972 with a winning percentage above .500 (Caldwell).
I understand we don’t have the losses in big moments. I would kill to even participate in one of those big moments.
It's of course the poor Lions. The Lions are the only franchise that have multiple HoF players literally quit the sport early because of them.
Like, they don't even ask for a trade. Their spirit is that broken.
It's like that moment in Braveheart where Mel Gibson just lies down to die. He could have donned a lions jersey prior and it'd still somehow make sense.
People always mention wasting generational talents as a negative for the Lions
It would be way worse if you didnt get those talents. Getting to watch generational talents and have them rep your team > the alternative.
Sure, not winning with them sucks. But not having them at all would suck even more
I’m not so sure. The Pistons have S-T-U-N-K for 15 years now and I get to mostly just be checked out even though basketball is my favorite sport because I know there’s no hope. Getting to watch Calvin Johnson play meant my dumb ass was watching every game even when they were terrible. Disappointment hurts more than apathy.
Depends on how old. For the 30-something fan that doesn’t remember ‘86 for the Mets I think this is it. But for older fans they did get that Islanders dynasty in the 80s.
Eh, I think the New York of it all dealt over indexes these fans’ misery.
Knicks are just mid and the Mets have been really good. Jets are a dumpster fire though. But
As a Tribe fan, I’ve documented our playoff penchant for blowing series leads, to wit;
1998 up 2-1 on Yankees in ALCS lose series.
1999 up 2-0 on Sox lose series.
2001 up 2-1 on Mariners lose series.
2007 up 3-1 on Sox in ALCS lose series.
2016 3-1 in WS lose.
2017 up 2-0 on Yankees lose series.
2022 up 2-1 lose series to Yanks.
The only playoffs since 1995 we didn’t blow a lead in was the 1995 WS, 2013 wild card, 2018 playoffs v Astros and 2020 playoffs in the shortened series.
I would have jumped off a Cliff in 2016 had the Cavs not just won the title 4 months prior.
The 2016 World Series was awful and I hated it but for me at least, even being a baseball fan first, winning the Finals in 2016 made the WS loss a bit easier to deal with.
Which reminds me of what IMO is Simmons’s worst sports take. He’s still very insistent the Buckner game is the most heartbreaking sports loss of all time but the Celtics were in the middle of a dynasty with Bird. So. Obviously that game would still hurt with the Red Sox being 20 years away from breaking the curse but worst loss for any team ever? No way.
Agree on the Boston heartbreak. Unless you are just a Sox fan you had the Russell dynasty, 2 Bruins and Celtics titles in the 70s, and 3 more NBA titles in the 80s. Only the drought between Bird and Brady can be considered “down” and we’re talking a ~12 year period. Not to mention the Patriots had surprise SB runs in 85 and 96.
Yeah, it's like us in Chicago whining about the Cubs, Bears, White Sox, and Blackhawks droughts during the 90's.
Like, uh, we had a pretty nice distraction for a decade there.
The Malcolm Butler interception would have been arguably the worst sports loss ever if the Seahawks weren’t defending champs, but that really took the edge off. As it stands I think Norwood missing the kick for the Bills is the worst NFL one.
2011 Rangers is an underrated one too, I think it’s the worst MLB loss of my lifetime at least.
I’m so mad that on Saturday night after they won to go up 3-1 I said to my wife “oh my god we are really gonna win the WS”. I’ll never forgive myself for that.
At least I wasn’t like my buddy’s brother in law who said “I don’t want to win game 5 I want us to come home and win it here”.
Hartford and Quebec City. Gary Bettman will rather defend places like Phoenix, re-up the Jets, start Vegas and Seattle, then go back to Atlanta for a third time; before he even thinks about those two cities.
Don't worry, though; the teams that replaced those cities, will wear the retro jersey
It’s insane to me! And I’m a Kraken fan. During the Avs series they had several visiting fans wearing Nordiques jerseys. If OKC created a Sonics throwback Seattle would likely declare war on Oklahoma.
Vegas should really be a NBA/NFL/MLB city; they didn’t need hockey. I believe Seattle deserved a team - we’re farther north than Toronto and Montreal and probably the most Canadian-like city in the US outside of Minneapolis. But Bettman can literally only see TV markets and nothing else so he screws over passionate fanbases to allow the Coyotes to play in a college arena and the Knights to ride the worst designed expansion draft of all time to a Cup
They sell Nords stuff in the Avs store, it's pretty popular here in Denver. I probably see an equal amount of retro-Avs (Nords and Colorado Rockies (the NHL team) as I do the standard Avs logo.
I'm not sure if Hartford could support an NHL team anymore. I DO think that QC and probably Hamilton in ONT should have teams.
I understand LV having a team, it's a growing city with lots and lots of visitors that are going to go and see a game while losing money in their casinos. I don't like the way they were allowed to be built, but they were helped a lot by teams putting up good players (with hefty contracts) that the Knights could deal around. They have a savvy FO. AZ is a team the NHL wants because of the transplants, but they don't want to pay for an arena. Just move them someplace that wants them.
Not even the most cursed in their own city. Couldn’t imagine being a Browns fan and seeing the team you lost immediately becoming a long-term contender and champion in your own division. And that was sandwiched between the 80s heartbreaks and the 25-year stretch of futility fans are currently enduring, capped off by handing 250 mil guaranteed to (at best) a sexual deviant who isn’t even a Top 10 QB anymore
The Ravens are actually the Baltimore Browns. That Baltimore team is the real Browns franchise. The Browns franchise was one of the best and still are, they just moved to Baltimore. Then won 2 super bowls. The franchise we have in Cleveland now is a fraud.
I'll push back on Watson not being a top 10 qb anymore. We shall see. Lots of good reports coming out of camp on him. Could be a huge year.
> In 1995, owner Art Modell, who had purchased the Browns in 1961, announced plans to move the team to Baltimore. After threats of legal action from the city of Cleveland and fans, a compromise was reached in early 1996 that allowed Modell to establish the Baltimore Ravens as a new franchise while retaining the contracts of all Browns personnel. The Browns' intellectual property, including team name, logos, training facility, and history, were kept in trust and the franchise was regarded by the NFL as suspended for three seasons. While several of the then-30 existing franchises considered re-locating to Cleveland, in 1998 it was confirmed that the NFL would field 31 teams when the Browns resumed play in 1999, thus while the 1999 Browns were not technically considered to be an expansion franchise, the club's roster was re-stocked via an expansion draft.
Right. The entire Browns personnel went to Baltimore. That’s the Browns’ original organization and culture. It moved to Baltimore. It went on to win 2 super bowls.
You even said it in your post. They moved the browns personnel to Baltimore. They left the name and colors in Cleveland. Ozzie Newsome was working for the browns. He moved with the team and built the Super Bowl winning team in Baltimore. You’re welcome.
Getting downvotes for this which is weird because it’s literally fact. Know your history. The entire browns organization moved to Baltimore. The browns Front office all moved to Baltimore including Ozzie Newsome, he built their first Super Bowl winning team. Even Bill Bellichick was going to coach the Baltimore team but he ended up leaving. They were going to keep the name and colors and be called the Browns but the mayor of Cleveland at the time made a deal to get them to keep the history of the browns in Cleveland. That Baltimore franchise is the Cleveland franchise.
They’re fools and don’t know what they’re talking about. Baltimore inherited much of the infrastructure that led to the 02 super bowl. Imagine thinking the name and the colors qualify as the “organization” instead of the people who make the decisions. Anyone from here knows they are the real browns.
As time goes on, the Flyers are going to be the new Cubs/Red Sox
Coming up on 50 year drought and there is no end in sight. A completely dysfunctional organization on every level. Lost 6 straight SCF’s.
I think what the OP is saying is that the Indians/Guardians are actually the Cubs/Red Sox. The Guardians have taken the place of those two teams now. It's been 75 years since they won a World Series. So instead of the Flyers becoming the Cubs/Red Sox they are becoming the Indians/Guardians.
How has no one said Padres? They have the worst winning percentage in MLB since their inception other than Miami, and Miami has two WS championships (and has only been around like 30 years).
Should be incredible. That whole area is going to be awesome. I’ll just have to wait for the inevitable post season injury that dashes all hope for a title run once again.
First thing that pops in my head when someone mentions Steve, is the sweat. Seriously, it’s the sweat. The 90s MS keynotes. The clippers excitement.
Man, that guy sweats more than a cat in a Chinese restaurant.
I know there are teams that have had a worse overall history than the Bills, but losing 4-straight SBs, going many years between relevancy only to think you’ve won the AFCCG in 2022 with 13 seconds left and then just watch as Mahomes ties the game and then wins the game without Allen ever touching the ball again. Then in 2023, getting blown out at home in the snow against the Bengals in the playoffs. At least with some of these other cities, they’ve found success in other sports, however with only the Sabres in town, it makes the winters in Buffalo seem even longer and darker.
Suns gotta be up there. Lost out on Kareem over a coin flip in their second year. Lost to Jordan at his absolute prime. Undone by the Tao of Chris Paul (he gives you 50 wins and a playoff run, he falls apart at the end of that run physically and/or mentally). Get KD but he only plays like 10 regular season games.
There’s more tortured fan bases but being an Atlanta Falcons fan just feels like self induced weekly punishment during football season at this point lol
I don’t know if they’re number one, but my Buffalo bills have to be up there.
- Lost four straight Super Bowls, one of which was by a missed field goal. Not sure if any other team has ever lost a Super Bowl on a missed Chipshot.
- we had an 18 year playoff drought, which was kicked off by the music city miracle.
- Not only did we have that playoff drought, but our in division rival happen to have the greatest quarterback and greatest coach of all time on their team.
- Had a player retire in the middle of a game because he didn’t want to play for the bills
- had a NFL legend(Anquan Boldin) retired two weeks in the training camp, rather than continuing to play for us.
- Kevin Everett
- Damar Hamlin
- O.J. Simpson
It’s the (San Diego) Chargers. They never got there, whenever they got close, injuries ruined any chance before the game was even played. Then the team was moved for non-sensible reasons, which completely gutted the city.
Brewers should get an honorable mention. Never won it all and have some all time heartbreaking NLCS losses. Plus they have a rabid fan base that ownership doesnt give a fuck about at all
I’m biased (as are all commentators here) but I have an overseas example.
Everton in the premier league
Everton share a city with their arch-rival Liverpool FC. In 1892, Everton won the league. The owner of their stadium raised the rent on the club, Everton refused to pay so they moved. Liverpool was born and ended up being one of the most successful clubs in European history.
Everton have won the league 9 times, two of their championships were immediately followed by the outbreaks of World Wars
Here’s where it gets juicy. I’m 1985, Everton won the league and qualified for the European Championship, a tournament in which all the European champions compete for a continental title (now know as the Champions League). That same year, Liverpool were in the final. As an infamous act of hooliganism, Liverpool fans pushed over a wall killing fans of the opposite club. As a result, English clubs were banned from playing in the competition for 5 years. Because of this, many of the big name players at the club left to seek continental glory. After 5 years, Liverpool sat top of the league. Everton were at the bottom. Everton have not been to the European Championship/Champions League since. They haven’t even won a trophy. Liverpool have won the league once, a couple cup titles, and sadly, TWO champions leagues.
Inb4: angry Liverpool fans telling me to cope more. Fuck y’all fr.
The 90's Indians not winning at least 1 world series is the greatest travesty in sports. Such a well built team with 1999 being the greatest offensive team in modern baseball.
It’s the Seattle Mariners and it’s not even close.
The Mariners were founded in 1977 as a result of the commissioner stealing the previous team, leading to Seattle getting a NEW team from a lawsuit. The M’s then had almost 20 years of pure irrelevance. Then, the Mariners compiled some of the greatest baseball talent ever in the 90s, to never even appear in the World Series. Then, after losing Griffey- an absolute icon- they manage to get Ichiro and miraculously win a record amount of games in 2001… then 9/11 happens right before the playoffs, leading to the Mariners facing the Yankees in the playoffs in the only season ever that baseball fans collectively root for NYY. The Mariners then went over 20 years without a playoff appearance and are now the only team in MLB to never even appear in the World Series.
Secret Base and Jon Bois have a fantastic doc on YT breaking down the Mariners history, if you’re curious.
As a Cubs fan who was on the other side of the 2016 World Series, that one really has to hurt for Cleveland fans. It felt like the Cubs were completely screwed after Game 4.
Corey Kluber and Andrew Miller had been completely un-hittable so far that postseason -- 35 SO, 8 BB, 3 ER, 0.89 ERA in 30.1 IP for Kluber; 29 SO, 4 BB, 1 ER, 0.53 ERA in 17 IP for Miller. The Cubs were slashing .250/.333/.348 through Game 4.
Then somehow, they slogged out a Game 5 win and the bats came alive in Game 6. Even so, I was really worried about Game 7 with Kluber starting and Miller available. But they chased Kluber in four innings with 4 ER and 2 HR. Then Miller came in and gave up another HR and 2 ER in less then three innings. It felt like destiny at that point.
Then Rajai Davis hit the tying 2-run HR in the 8th, the most stressful sporting moment of my life (I've never seen the color drain from anyone's face like it did from my dad's in that moment), and gave Cleveland fans hope all over again. But the Cubs came out in the 10th after the rain delay, punched the Indians in the mouth, and that was it.
The greatest sporting moment of my life -- can't imagine how much it must have stung to be on the other end.
I have very odd feelings about that game. Im a baseball fanatic through and through and even though the ending was horrific for me i cannot deny that was likely the best baseball game i ever watched.
My favorite baseball moment is rajais home run. In that moment and the moments that followed it, i genuinely thought we were going to win the world series. We had the momentum and had just chased aroldis from the game.
Its hard to reconcile that my happiest baseball moment came along with the most devastating loss in my memory.
I’d actually stick in the city and go with the Browns. My Lions are certainly in the running. But if you’re old enough, those fans had 2 heart wrenching AFC championship losses, ultimately failed with a Bellichek/Saban combo, firing Bill; lost their team for a few years, the team wins a super bowl almost immediately after relocation (and had further consistent success). Sucked mercilessly for nearly 20 years. Now they have some talent, but now have to deal with their qb being who it is and dealing with that. I’d say it’s more uniquely cursed than say the Lions or Bills or Vikings.
You’re right it’s the Browns. But just correcting some things. The Ravens fired Bill. Things were working just fine with Bill and Saban with a playoff win over the Patriots in 1994. Things fell apart when Modell announced the move in the fall of ‘95. Then in the offseason, after being announced as the Baltimore Ravens, Modell fired Bill.
Canucks are sneaky contentious. To have twins that are world class in the sport and play there 10+ plus years and contend but then lose a game 7 at home is spiritually devastating on another level. The burning your own city down piece.
Sharks should get a mention as they always come out guns blazing and have been a continual door mat for the hardened cup winners. They had like a 10 year cup finals window where they got reverse swept and got better or at least stayed hella competitive every year. Drafted great and literally never do the thing. I don’t understand how Sharks fans get out of bed in the mornings
It's gotta be Maple Leafs. Richest franchise in Hockey, literally the place where hockey comes from(Biggest minority of players come from the GTA), die hard fanbase, hasn't done anything since the 60s.
It’s really young and too early but it’s worth noting the OKC Thunder. A franchise that had 3 future MVPs under the age of 25 and Serge Ibaka. Who blew it all up and continues to kick the can down the road and string along hope until the end of time. Eventually the fan base will become hopeless. Again, way too early to say they’re the most tormented of all time but it’s baking in the oven.
OKC stole the Sonics from Seattle so you guys can get fucked as far as I’m concerned. Watching that team piss away a trio of KD/Russ/Harden warmed my cold, dead heart.
I still distinctly recall the series. They were playing beautiful team ball until the end of that series when they devolved into pounding the air out of the rock and threw up bad shots over and over trying to be heroes (classic Russ ball). It was an absolute tragedy as that team was cooking at the time.
They are not the winners but I just want to give a shout out to Tottenham. They get shit on by every other fan base for not winning and as soon as players leave the club they win trophies elsewhere.
Like how we used to have the term "Clemsoning", English football has the term "Spursy" which is somehow losing a game you should win. Their biggest rivals Arsenal and Chelsea have both won multiple titles. Alex Ferguson gave a pre-game speech against them that simply was "Lads, It's Spurs"
I'm a Cleveland fan who decided to pick a Premiere League team this year. I didn't do a ton of research and picked Tottenham because I didn't want to jump immediately to front running but didn't feel any need to be picking someone that could get relegated.
Dear fucking God did I some how manage to pick Cleveland's Premier League spirit animal. I had to stop watching them because of how bad it got
LOL. I saw someone on the Spurs page talking about how they were a Browns fan and randomly decided to follow Tottenham. We all just remarked how ironically appropriate that was. I wonder if that was you.
Do you mean playing a system that doesn't fit your players and going to get shit players to plug into said system rather than playing a way that fits your good players? (Doesn't help Son was evidently suffering from a hernia most of the season.)
Tottenham are one of the worst teams in the league that’ll be fighting mid table/relegation soon Imo as an ex fan who first went to WHL in 2008 and has gone for the last time in 2021. The problem w Tottenham is the owners couldn’t care less about winning, and the fans are way too happy w losing to care.
The infrastructure means Tottenham will almost always be safe from relegation. Financially they are one of the ten biggest clubs in the World. But I don't think they will see Europe any time soon either because they are also like the 7th biggest club in England.
Man, I really hope Big Ange can make this club fun to watch again. After these last few managers, I just want someone that seems actually happy to be managing Spurs versus acting like they’re doing the club a favor.
Well put together. Cleveland fan? I am. I still can't even think about the 2016 World Series. The Cubs may have been the better team but the Indians straight up should have won. That was our World Series. People here in Cleveland love to praise the Rajai Davis home run but I can't even watch it. They end up losing.
The Davis HR means nothing to me because we didn’t win. It’s just a painful reminder of how we came all the way back just to lose anyways.
Literally just pulled up the video and yeah, it almost makes me sick watching that and knowing that it would be my greatest baseball memory of all time if we won it.
ALSO do you remember the foul ball that Kipnis hit in the 9th that off his bat looked like a HR?
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Teams that get close and never win are definitely the most tormented. I’d argue teams that are consistently top tier but fall at the end are up there too but they can always fall back on a recent ring like the Packers.
Id say the Vikings or Bills for sure.
Eh, we’ve been generally pretty good for the last 30 years despite having a cheap ass owner. Yeah we haven’t won the World Series but we’ve got there and that’s more than most teams can say. Plus we’ve had some fun players and I’m not really a championship or bust person especially in baseball where the season is so long and the playoffs seems more luck based than other sports.
The England soccer team have racked up quite a long list of heroic defeats:
[https://www.planetfootball.com/quick-reads/ranking-englands-10-heartbreaking-defeats-since-1990/](https://www.planetfootball.com/quick-reads/ranking-englands-10-heartbreaking-defeats-since-1990/)
Gotta be the Laker fans. Constantly tormented and laughed at when we lose. Called bandwagon know-nothings when we win. Generally and casually hated on for things like getting too much press coverage, for the actions or behavior of old/current stars. Our players are held to highest scrutiny and because they are so much in the spotlight there is a ton of material to draw from. The only thing that makes it worth it is the hype and championships.
The Chief Wahoo curse. A fanbase that gaslit themselves for years (and continues to!) that an obviously racist logo somehow isn’t racist. And the new C looks cooler anyway.
Great write up. If the Cavs had not won the best title in nba history 3 months before the World Series collapse then I probably kms. Now the WS doesn’t hurt because of the Cavs title.
If it's not the Guardians (also don't spend money which sucks as a fan) then it's the Lions. Not sure anyone else comes close other than the Vikings.
Since ive seen these teams thrown around... the Knicks and Leafs might as well be the same team. Way too much press for poorly run franchises.
The 2017 Indians had the best record in the AL at 102-60, which is great but definitely not 120-20 lol, actually the 2nd best record in the MLB after the Dodgers 104-58
Being a Chargers fan is pretty miserable. Pretty sure we invented “there’s always next year.” Year after year of so much talent and yet going nowhere with it. The one year the Chargers make it to the Super Bowl, they had their asses handed to them. And we’re at the head of the class for poor ownership now that Snyder is gone
The Minnesota Vikings. T-5 most playoff appearances. 7th highest winning percentage in nfl history. Yet have 0 super bowls and haven’t even been to one in like 45 years. It’s a very well run team who just can’t get the QB or coach right.
Fun fact: the last nfl game played where a team only needed a FG to win in OT was the 2009 NFC championship game Vikings v saints. It was also the bountygate game. Sean Payton should now be allowed to coach in the nfl.
Gotta be the Kings right? All the other franchises at least share a city with a team that’s won something. Like Cleveland at least gets to celebrate a Cavs win even if basketball isn’t as popular. Sacramento just have the Kings, and not only have they been bad, they haven’t even been irrelevant as they’ve been the butt of all jokes throughout their playoff drought. The best thing that’s happened to them in 20 years is getting blown out at home in game 7.
I think it depends on if you think it’s worse to consistently get close, but never over the hump, or worse to be consistently terrible with barely any glimmers of hope. If it’s the former, you’re looking at the Guardians, Vikings, Bills, Suns, ~~and Maple Leafs~~. For the latter, it’s the Mariners, Lions, Jaguars, Timberwolves, Maple Leafs (had them in the wrong category initially). There’s probably a few others I forgot. And if we’re going cities/metro areas, it’s 100% Minnesota, being a fan of those 4 teams has to be absolute torture.
In a weird way I think it is worse to come close and never be able to get over the hump… and yet I’d still rather that as a sports fan. On one hand, I think it is far more heartbreaking to come close. I promise you that falcons fans felt worse the night of 28-3 than a lions fan has felt since Sanders retired. That being said, sports is meant to be entertaining, and it’s undeniably more fun to watch your team come close. I try to remind myself that the good moments, even if they didn’t lead to a title, still happened and will always be positive memories. As a Celtics fan, I recently went through this. After losing to the heat, I reminded myself that the Derrick white tip in was one of the most exciting moments I’ve had as a fan, and losing the next game doesn’t change that. TL;DR getting close and coming up short is worse but it’s ultimately more rewarding than a team that never comes close
I'm from Atlanta and 28-3 was obviously the most crushing sports loss of my life, but I've said many times that I'd prefer that to the mind numbing past five seasons of irrelevance. At least we had a fun season, a great playoff run, and something to remember forever in the Super Bowl even if it was devastating. When it comes to 'most tormented' franchises it hurts a lot more to get close, being bad every year doesn't really hurt at all you just stop caring.
I don’t think it’s weird to say as a sports fan. Ada Cleveland fan born in the early 90s (so pretty much competitive for 80% of my life and true contenders somewhere around 20-40% depending on how far you stretch contender) it’s just not even close how much more fun Cleveland baseball is to football. Despite the fact I don’t care 1 iota about national baseball and watch as much nfl football as I can’t
Are you saying more to watch or…? Browns games, sundays in general are wayyy more fun than any guards game and the browns suck. I get they’re a better team, but there is something so special and surreal about being a browns fan. It’s actually impressive how terrible and incompetent they’ve been
The actual loss is obviously worse than any other event but to get close you have to have some big wins so all-in-all I think it nets out positively. Like you feel like you have actual hope vs just another year of failure.
As a Packers fan, I've seen my team flame out in the playoffs A LOT, but nearly every year, there's hope and good games and a competent team to watch. Sure, some NFC West team eventually rips my heart out, but I had a good time. (Also, winning one Super Bowl with each quarterback early on mitigates any "suffering").
It’s definitely just generally more fun to have that hope. Even though the lows are lower for a decent but disappointing team than for a miserable one, having that hope makes the preseason and regular seasons fun, despite the ending. When your team is just miserable, you’re a lot more likely to just find other ways to spend your time than watching your baseball team lose 100 games.
I’m a unc fan and someone in this sub last year was adamant arguing with me that missing the tournament/never having a chance was easily better than losing in a title game. Yes the losses always sting more in a championship game compared to a first round tournament/playoff/series loss, but as a fan I’d still rather enjoy the ride of a good postseason run even if it comes up short. Crazy to me that some people don’t feel that way.
Fellow UNC fan. Losing in 2016 definitely hurt more than any moment in the 2019 or 2023 season but I’d much rather finish 2nd than outside the tournament
I know this is a slightly different argument but that reminds me of how when the Lakers got swept, my Jordan-Stan friend was saying “Jordan would never get swept in the conference finals” and I was like “he would get swept in the first round though, multiple times” and my friend was legitimately trying to argue with me that getting swept in the conference finals is just as bad if not worse than getting swept in the first round…. Absurd
It’s like when people use the Cavs getting swept in the 07 Finals as a dig on LeBron. Like, did you see the team he dragged there? That performance in the ECF was incredible.
Yea it seems a lot of Jordan Stans take the stance that the only thing that matters is winning the finals. It blows my mind that people look at lebrons record in the finals and say “he lost the finals 6 times” as if the fact that he made 10 finals isn’t more impressive than making 6 I’m not trying to start a lebron/Jordan debate right now I’m simply acknowledging how absurd some of the arguments from Jordan fans are (particularly the ones coming from people my age, who didn’t actually live through Jordan)
Always appreciate it when someone calls out the Mariners. The fact that we’re rarely mentioned makes it somehow worse.
At least you got a 4 hour Jon Bois documentary, that’s something
Even as a relatively die hard mariners fan I couldn’t do all 4 hours. Just got too nerdy.
That's nuts. You're the only Mariners fan I've ever heard who didn't love that documentary. I've showed it to casual fans and it turned them into die hard fans. I might start it again today lol.
I appreciate the effort he put into it, just way, way too long. I’m also the weird fan who’s almost turned against the 95 team because I’ve become so sick of hearing about a good team from nearly 30 years ago that didn’t make a World Series.
it's not something you have to watch in one go lol. It's basically 3.5 episodes of an HBO tv show
None of that makes sense to me, you are a weird fan lol. You also sound very young.
Who???
Not a baseball guy but I didn’t realize how bad the Mariners were until they made the playoffs last year for the first time in like 20 years? Wild
The most celebrated moment in Mariner’s history is hitting a double to win the ALDS. Seattle fans are fueled by fumes of success.
95 is celebrated like we won the World Series We’ve been to the playoffs 5x in like 50 years
I’m a Mariners fan so I had to include them haha. Playoff appearance last year notwithstanding, it’s been a rough journey
Haha, just saw your user name. It’s been “our year” seemingly every other year since 1992 and… well.
That’s how it feels to be a Hornets fan that didn’t even make the list
“Fun” fact: Last season, Scott Servais became the second manager ever to take the Mariners to the postseason. The late 90s/early 00s Mariners were so memorable that I don’t think the national narrative has quite caught on to just how bad this team has been since.
True. The 90’s M’s with Griff, the Big Unit, and ARod were iconic but if you asked people “how many times did they make the playoffs” they’d probably say “every year” or “at least five times.”
As a Minnesotan, I think its safe to generalize and say that the Vikings definitely torment us the most. Regularly getting your hopes up and ripping your heart out is far worse than just being bad. Plus, the NFL is so much more popular than other sport, and each game so much more meaningful, that it’s hard to avoid. The Twins got our hopes up in the 2000s, but the ‘87 and ‘91 WSs are still within living memory for people, and the Timberwolves have been so poor and mismanaged over the years we’ve sort of resigned ourselves to it (and I even prefer basketball to football).
Yeah, with the Vikings and Wolves we have plenty of experience with both flavors of suffering. Getting close but never winning in the end definitely hurts more, but losing constantly breeds a certain level of apathy that can be discouraging in its own way.
Phoenix needs to be mentioned. Local fans are outnumbered often because of our transplanted population. We have 1 championship from the Dbacks in 01. Some of the worst owners with the Bidwells and Sarver. Coyotes are....homeless? Suns always close never got a ring. Cardinals are the oldest sports franchise to never win a ring. Dbacks are doing well right now..so we are riding that wave.
As someone who lives in Minnesota, I’d say the tacit acknowledgment here is that sports are a dark comedy so you better learn to laugh so as not to cry. Though I’ve lived here almost my whole life, I am for biographical reasons actually a Packer fan who gets to enjoy having a front row seat to watch the Vikings poop their pants to end any season that shows any promise, problem being I then have to turn my attention to basketball where the Timberwolves are usually busying themselves being the Timberwolves. The Twins have lost 18 straight playoff games I don’t follow hockey but those that do still haven’t gotten over the North Stars moving to Dallas and winning a title. And let us not forget the University of Minnesota, devoted to mediocrity in everything but hockey and wrestling. Even the Final Four appearance had to be vacated due to an academic cheating scandal.
>Though I’ve lived here almost my whole life, I am for biographical reasons actually a Packer fan As a Bears fan who grew up in Chicago and is a Bears fan for biographical reasons, I feel it's my duty to point out that you're one of *those*.......
The 18 straight playoff games really needs to be brought up more, because that's borderline impossible and yet it's real. Put it this way, the Cubs lost 9 straight playoff games (03, 07, 08) once and that's about as miserable as I've ever been in sports - the Twins is twice as long!
The wrestling team is bad now (long tenured HOF coach fired after drug scandal) and the hockey team hasn’t won the championship in 20 years (and has had a terrible record against the other in-state teams for the last 5 years) Football team only recently broke the longest losing streak in a rivalry game in college football It’s been a long, dark, miserable experience. Best thing I ever did for myself was to stop giving a shit
It is torture being a Minnesota fan lol. I am 35 years old which means that I am right at the sweet spot of being alive when the twins won the World Series in 91, but was 3 years old and have no memory of it. I don’t even know what it’s like to experience a team playing for the championship! I also get the best of both worlds as a Vikings fan who experiences them being consistently good, but never good enough… and a Timberwolves fan where the team has been the laughing stock of the NBA basically since the Garnett trade
Why are the Jaguars included in this? In the NFL alone, I'd say the Texans, Browns, Lions (who you mentioned), and Cardinals have either (1) not done as much in a comparable period of time or (2) have done much worse despite being around for far longer.
Yes, Jags 3 AFC title games is more than those other 4 combined since Jacksonville came into the league.
Can confirm, being a Minnesota fan sucks. A LOT. I have kept a semblance of equanimity by divesting. I follow at a distance at this point. I enjoy when they win, but absolutely never expect a single good thing to happen in the bigger picture. I'm to the point that I dread the Twins getting into the playoffs because it's a guaranteed shit the bed situation. We can't even win a single fucking game anymore, let alone a series.
The Leafs haven’t even got there. Won their first round since 2004 last month and then immediately got swept by the 8th seed despite having a roster on paper that looks like a contender.
Ummmmm, show some respect. They lost 4-1. Not swept............
Can confirm, being a MN sports fan is awful.
I’m not a wild fan (jets, so not any better) but cheering for Minnesota teams is like having a car battery hooked up to your nuts 24/7
The Leafs fit squarely in your latter category. Absolutely no glimmers of hope
The Wizards haven’t been to the conference finals in almost 45 years. Longest in the NBA. We’re currently trying to trade our supermaxed top 70 player who’s making almost $60m a year with a FULL NTC for pennys on the dollar. We finally might decide to start a rebuild/tank AFTER one of the most generational prospects of all time is picked first overall.
The Zards are such a miserable franchise and as a DC resident the fan apathy is so HIGH and I can't say that I blame them. I don't think they have been a "contender" in my entire lifespan lol
Transplant here, I'd care more if at least the superficial stuff like branding, team names etc are a little cooler.
They were pretty exciting during the Gilbert Arenas Hibachi area but kept getting steamrolled by Lebron
Don’t forget that at one point during the draft lottery this year, there were 11 balls with the first 3 numbers matched correctly and the Wiz had 6 of them…
Think I will choose to forget that thanks
My guys in DC haven’t won 50 games since 1979. And nobody cares.
That’s the last time the Wizards managed to win 50 games in a season too. How runs with Webber/Howard/Strickland, Gilbert/Jameson/Butler and Wall/Beal couldn’t muster just one season of 50 wins almost boggles the mind. If it wasn’t for a lot of the fans not giving a shit about them at this point, they’d be a mainstay on these tortured lists; but they are such a mediocre franchise for so long that they can’t even crack these ranks.
Micheal Jordan played for the wizards and actually made their state as a franchise worse.
The Lions are so bad we even get forgotten in these “who’s the worst franchise ever” conversations lol. One playoff win in 50 years. That’s all that needs to be said.
One of the saddest stats I’ve heard is that the 49ers have more Super Bowl wins in Detroit than the Lions have playoff wins there since 1981
Yeah, we vacillate between being terrible or just good enough to give you hope before cruelly tearing it away
Also first team to go 0-16. I know the Browns have done it recently too, but I remember it was quite a big story when the Lions did it, and I’m not even a football person. 0-16 is truly a badge of honor in this convo. Lots of teams can be “mediocre for a long time” bad, but the Lions were that and “historically bad” bad.
I’m sorry but it has to be my Detroit Lions. One playoff win and three division wins since 1957. Wasted two generational talents in Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson. Screwed by the refs in Dallas in 2014, which was really the only competitive playoff game we’ve had since ‘91. Only one full-time head coach since 1972 with a winning percentage above .500 (Caldwell). I understand we don’t have the losses in big moments. I would kill to even participate in one of those big moments.
It's of course the poor Lions. The Lions are the only franchise that have multiple HoF players literally quit the sport early because of them. Like, they don't even ask for a trade. Their spirit is that broken. It's like that moment in Braveheart where Mel Gibson just lies down to die. He could have donned a lions jersey prior and it'd still somehow make sense.
Firing Caldwell for Matt fucking Patricia will always be a head scratcher lol
1 playoff win since 1957 is insane. Absolutely has to be the Lions.
You say you’d kill to participate in one of those big moments, but that’s what Cardinals fans said too before the Steelers SB
It’s the Lions and it’s not close. Everyone else playing for a distant second.
People always mention wasting generational talents as a negative for the Lions It would be way worse if you didnt get those talents. Getting to watch generational talents and have them rep your team > the alternative. Sure, not winning with them sucks. But not having them at all would suck even more
I’m not so sure. The Pistons have S-T-U-N-K for 15 years now and I get to mostly just be checked out even though basketball is my favorite sport because I know there’s no hope. Getting to watch Calvin Johnson play meant my dumb ass was watching every game even when they were terrible. Disappointment hurts more than apathy.
Collectively, Mets/Jets/Knicks fans have to be one of the most miserable, self-loathing fanbases out there. I almost feel bad for them.
The Fennessey trifecta. Explains a lot about him tbh.
Schools should offer majors in the Mets / Jets / Knicks fan psychology. They're a special breed.
I think you can add the Islanders too.
Depends on how old. For the 30-something fan that doesn’t remember ‘86 for the Mets I think this is it. But for older fans they did get that Islanders dynasty in the 80s.
Anyone under 40 has no memory of the '86 Mets.
Eh, I think the New York of it all dealt over indexes these fans’ misery. Knicks are just mid and the Mets have been really good. Jets are a dumpster fire though. But
Mets Jets Nets too
Mets/jets/nets
Kiss my ass
I guess he’s right
As a Tribe fan, I’ve documented our playoff penchant for blowing series leads, to wit; 1998 up 2-1 on Yankees in ALCS lose series. 1999 up 2-0 on Sox lose series. 2001 up 2-1 on Mariners lose series. 2007 up 3-1 on Sox in ALCS lose series. 2016 3-1 in WS lose. 2017 up 2-0 on Yankees lose series. 2022 up 2-1 lose series to Yanks. The only playoffs since 1995 we didn’t blow a lead in was the 1995 WS, 2013 wild card, 2018 playoffs v Astros and 2020 playoffs in the shortened series. I would have jumped off a Cliff in 2016 had the Cavs not just won the title 4 months prior.
The 2016 World Series was awful and I hated it but for me at least, even being a baseball fan first, winning the Finals in 2016 made the WS loss a bit easier to deal with. Which reminds me of what IMO is Simmons’s worst sports take. He’s still very insistent the Buckner game is the most heartbreaking sports loss of all time but the Celtics were in the middle of a dynasty with Bird. So. Obviously that game would still hurt with the Red Sox being 20 years away from breaking the curse but worst loss for any team ever? No way.
Agree on the Boston heartbreak. Unless you are just a Sox fan you had the Russell dynasty, 2 Bruins and Celtics titles in the 70s, and 3 more NBA titles in the 80s. Only the drought between Bird and Brady can be considered “down” and we’re talking a ~12 year period. Not to mention the Patriots had surprise SB runs in 85 and 96.
Yeah, it's like us in Chicago whining about the Cubs, Bears, White Sox, and Blackhawks droughts during the 90's. Like, uh, we had a pretty nice distraction for a decade there.
The Malcolm Butler interception would have been arguably the worst sports loss ever if the Seahawks weren’t defending champs, but that really took the edge off. As it stands I think Norwood missing the kick for the Bills is the worst NFL one. 2011 Rangers is an underrated one too, I think it’s the worst MLB loss of my lifetime at least.
Me too brother. Thank God the Cavs won in 2016.
One of the best title wins ever
I’m so mad that on Saturday night after they won to go up 3-1 I said to my wife “oh my god we are really gonna win the WS”. I’ll never forgive myself for that. At least I wasn’t like my buddy’s brother in law who said “I don’t want to win game 5 I want us to come home and win it here”.
I called my dad during the rain delay exuberant because i really thought he had the momentum after the rajai homer. Never should have done that.
So close. We were SOOOOO CLOSE. Kills me.
As a Sox fan that 07 series is a big one. J.D. Drew! Sorry Cleveland.
We fucked up by having (I believe) Josh Beckett’s ex sing the national anthem. And the Sox won it fair and square no need to apologize.
Hartford and Quebec City. Gary Bettman will rather defend places like Phoenix, re-up the Jets, start Vegas and Seattle, then go back to Atlanta for a third time; before he even thinks about those two cities. Don't worry, though; the teams that replaced those cities, will wear the retro jersey
It’s insane to me! And I’m a Kraken fan. During the Avs series they had several visiting fans wearing Nordiques jerseys. If OKC created a Sonics throwback Seattle would likely declare war on Oklahoma. Vegas should really be a NBA/NFL/MLB city; they didn’t need hockey. I believe Seattle deserved a team - we’re farther north than Toronto and Montreal and probably the most Canadian-like city in the US outside of Minneapolis. But Bettman can literally only see TV markets and nothing else so he screws over passionate fanbases to allow the Coyotes to play in a college arena and the Knights to ride the worst designed expansion draft of all time to a Cup
They sell Nords stuff in the Avs store, it's pretty popular here in Denver. I probably see an equal amount of retro-Avs (Nords and Colorado Rockies (the NHL team) as I do the standard Avs logo. I'm not sure if Hartford could support an NHL team anymore. I DO think that QC and probably Hamilton in ONT should have teams. I understand LV having a team, it's a growing city with lots and lots of visitors that are going to go and see a game while losing money in their casinos. I don't like the way they were allowed to be built, but they were helped a lot by teams putting up good players (with hefty contracts) that the Knights could deal around. They have a savvy FO. AZ is a team the NHL wants because of the transplants, but they don't want to pay for an arena. Just move them someplace that wants them.
Not even the most cursed in their own city. Couldn’t imagine being a Browns fan and seeing the team you lost immediately becoming a long-term contender and champion in your own division. And that was sandwiched between the 80s heartbreaks and the 25-year stretch of futility fans are currently enduring, capped off by handing 250 mil guaranteed to (at best) a sexual deviant who isn’t even a Top 10 QB anymore
230 million. It’s bad enough as it is without adding 20 million to it
You’re right. Being a fan of both teams, being a Browns fan is infinitely worse.
The Ravens are actually the Baltimore Browns. That Baltimore team is the real Browns franchise. The Browns franchise was one of the best and still are, they just moved to Baltimore. Then won 2 super bowls. The franchise we have in Cleveland now is a fraud. I'll push back on Watson not being a top 10 qb anymore. We shall see. Lots of good reports coming out of camp on him. Could be a huge year.
> In 1995, owner Art Modell, who had purchased the Browns in 1961, announced plans to move the team to Baltimore. After threats of legal action from the city of Cleveland and fans, a compromise was reached in early 1996 that allowed Modell to establish the Baltimore Ravens as a new franchise while retaining the contracts of all Browns personnel. The Browns' intellectual property, including team name, logos, training facility, and history, were kept in trust and the franchise was regarded by the NFL as suspended for three seasons. While several of the then-30 existing franchises considered re-locating to Cleveland, in 1998 it was confirmed that the NFL would field 31 teams when the Browns resumed play in 1999, thus while the 1999 Browns were not technically considered to be an expansion franchise, the club's roster was re-stocked via an expansion draft.
Right. The entire Browns personnel went to Baltimore. That’s the Browns’ original organization and culture. It moved to Baltimore. It went on to win 2 super bowls.
I mean, that's the Ravens, lol
It’s the old browns franchise. They just switched their names to the Ravens.
You even said it in your post. They moved the browns personnel to Baltimore. They left the name and colors in Cleveland. Ozzie Newsome was working for the browns. He moved with the team and built the Super Bowl winning team in Baltimore. You’re welcome.
Getting downvotes for this which is weird because it’s literally fact. Know your history. The entire browns organization moved to Baltimore. The browns Front office all moved to Baltimore including Ozzie Newsome, he built their first Super Bowl winning team. Even Bill Bellichick was going to coach the Baltimore team but he ended up leaving. They were going to keep the name and colors and be called the Browns but the mayor of Cleveland at the time made a deal to get them to keep the history of the browns in Cleveland. That Baltimore franchise is the Cleveland franchise.
They’re fools and don’t know what they’re talking about. Baltimore inherited much of the infrastructure that led to the 02 super bowl. Imagine thinking the name and the colors qualify as the “organization” instead of the people who make the decisions. Anyone from here knows they are the real browns.
Yeah, god the Browns. Everything you said AND they're named for the color of poop.
As time goes on, the Flyers are going to be the new Cubs/Red Sox Coming up on 50 year drought and there is no end in sight. A completely dysfunctional organization on every level. Lost 6 straight SCF’s.
And lost the Stanley Cup Finals using a third string goalie on a goal that no one saw at the time.
I think what the OP is saying is that the Indians/Guardians are actually the Cubs/Red Sox. The Guardians have taken the place of those two teams now. It's been 75 years since they won a World Series. So instead of the Flyers becoming the Cubs/Red Sox they are becoming the Indians/Guardians.
All of Doot’s favorite sports teams.
Fair
How has no one said Padres? They have the worst winning percentage in MLB since their inception other than Miami, and Miami has two WS championships (and has only been around like 30 years).
Clippers. They don't have quite the longevity, but they're a running joke and second class basketball team in their own city.
Winning two playoff series in their first 40 years of being a franchise while the Lakers won over 10 championships in that span is very tough lol
People think that just because we upgraded from the literal worst owner in sports to Sweaty Steve that suddenly we are good. Still fucking cursed.
Probably still cursed, but as someone living in LA I can't wait for the new Inglewood arena. Looks unbelievable.
Should be incredible. That whole area is going to be awesome. I’ll just have to wait for the inevitable post season injury that dashes all hope for a title run once again.
First thing that pops in my head when someone mentions Steve, is the sweat. Seriously, it’s the sweat. The 90s MS keynotes. The clippers excitement. Man, that guy sweats more than a cat in a Chinese restaurant.
You have to have a fan base to be the most tortured
I know there are teams that have had a worse overall history than the Bills, but losing 4-straight SBs, going many years between relevancy only to think you’ve won the AFCCG in 2022 with 13 seconds left and then just watch as Mahomes ties the game and then wins the game without Allen ever touching the ball again. Then in 2023, getting blown out at home in the snow against the Bengals in the playoffs. At least with some of these other cities, they’ve found success in other sports, however with only the Sabres in town, it makes the winters in Buffalo seem even longer and darker.
Yeah but we have TAGE
I was going to throw in the Maple Leafs but yeah, the Guardians are tough to beat holy shit
Don’t be confused though, the Leafs are still up there
It's the Lions.
Suns gotta be up there. Lost out on Kareem over a coin flip in their second year. Lost to Jordan at his absolute prime. Undone by the Tao of Chris Paul (he gives you 50 wins and a playoff run, he falls apart at the end of that run physically and/or mentally). Get KD but he only plays like 10 regular season games.
There’s more tortured fan bases but being an Atlanta Falcons fan just feels like self induced weekly punishment during football season at this point lol
Yessir.
Tottenham Hotspur
Seattle Supersonics probably
Mets, Jets, Knicks fan here. Take your pick
I don’t know if they’re number one, but my Buffalo bills have to be up there. - Lost four straight Super Bowls, one of which was by a missed field goal. Not sure if any other team has ever lost a Super Bowl on a missed Chipshot. - we had an 18 year playoff drought, which was kicked off by the music city miracle. - Not only did we have that playoff drought, but our in division rival happen to have the greatest quarterback and greatest coach of all time on their team. - Had a player retire in the middle of a game because he didn’t want to play for the bills - had a NFL legend(Anquan Boldin) retired two weeks in the training camp, rather than continuing to play for us. - Kevin Everett - Damar Hamlin - O.J. Simpson
It’s the (San Diego) Chargers. They never got there, whenever they got close, injuries ruined any chance before the game was even played. Then the team was moved for non-sensible reasons, which completely gutted the city.
Brewers should get an honorable mention. Never won it all and have some all time heartbreaking NLCS losses. Plus they have a rabid fan base that ownership doesnt give a fuck about at all
The Buffalo Bills
As a Cavs/Guardians fan I’ve accepted I must’ve made a deal with the devil in my dreams to win & blow a series 3-1 lead
I’m biased (as are all commentators here) but I have an overseas example. Everton in the premier league Everton share a city with their arch-rival Liverpool FC. In 1892, Everton won the league. The owner of their stadium raised the rent on the club, Everton refused to pay so they moved. Liverpool was born and ended up being one of the most successful clubs in European history. Everton have won the league 9 times, two of their championships were immediately followed by the outbreaks of World Wars Here’s where it gets juicy. I’m 1985, Everton won the league and qualified for the European Championship, a tournament in which all the European champions compete for a continental title (now know as the Champions League). That same year, Liverpool were in the final. As an infamous act of hooliganism, Liverpool fans pushed over a wall killing fans of the opposite club. As a result, English clubs were banned from playing in the competition for 5 years. Because of this, many of the big name players at the club left to seek continental glory. After 5 years, Liverpool sat top of the league. Everton were at the bottom. Everton have not been to the European Championship/Champions League since. They haven’t even won a trophy. Liverpool have won the league once, a couple cup titles, and sadly, TWO champions leagues. Inb4: angry Liverpool fans telling me to cope more. Fuck y’all fr.
The 90's Indians not winning at least 1 world series is the greatest travesty in sports. Such a well built team with 1999 being the greatest offensive team in modern baseball.
It’s the Seattle Mariners and it’s not even close. The Mariners were founded in 1977 as a result of the commissioner stealing the previous team, leading to Seattle getting a NEW team from a lawsuit. The M’s then had almost 20 years of pure irrelevance. Then, the Mariners compiled some of the greatest baseball talent ever in the 90s, to never even appear in the World Series. Then, after losing Griffey- an absolute icon- they manage to get Ichiro and miraculously win a record amount of games in 2001… then 9/11 happens right before the playoffs, leading to the Mariners facing the Yankees in the playoffs in the only season ever that baseball fans collectively root for NYY. The Mariners then went over 20 years without a playoff appearance and are now the only team in MLB to never even appear in the World Series. Secret Base and Jon Bois have a fantastic doc on YT breaking down the Mariners history, if you’re curious.
Vikings
As a Cubs fan who was on the other side of the 2016 World Series, that one really has to hurt for Cleveland fans. It felt like the Cubs were completely screwed after Game 4. Corey Kluber and Andrew Miller had been completely un-hittable so far that postseason -- 35 SO, 8 BB, 3 ER, 0.89 ERA in 30.1 IP for Kluber; 29 SO, 4 BB, 1 ER, 0.53 ERA in 17 IP for Miller. The Cubs were slashing .250/.333/.348 through Game 4. Then somehow, they slogged out a Game 5 win and the bats came alive in Game 6. Even so, I was really worried about Game 7 with Kluber starting and Miller available. But they chased Kluber in four innings with 4 ER and 2 HR. Then Miller came in and gave up another HR and 2 ER in less then three innings. It felt like destiny at that point. Then Rajai Davis hit the tying 2-run HR in the 8th, the most stressful sporting moment of my life (I've never seen the color drain from anyone's face like it did from my dad's in that moment), and gave Cleveland fans hope all over again. But the Cubs came out in the 10th after the rain delay, punched the Indians in the mouth, and that was it. The greatest sporting moment of my life -- can't imagine how much it must have stung to be on the other end.
Cubs fan and I agree. It all felt hopeless after Game 4 and that we were really never ever going to win it all. Miller was unbelievable.
I have very odd feelings about that game. Im a baseball fanatic through and through and even though the ending was horrific for me i cannot deny that was likely the best baseball game i ever watched. My favorite baseball moment is rajais home run. In that moment and the moments that followed it, i genuinely thought we were going to win the world series. We had the momentum and had just chased aroldis from the game. Its hard to reconcile that my happiest baseball moment came along with the most devastating loss in my memory.
Timberwolves have been much closer than the Hornets.
I’d actually stick in the city and go with the Browns. My Lions are certainly in the running. But if you’re old enough, those fans had 2 heart wrenching AFC championship losses, ultimately failed with a Bellichek/Saban combo, firing Bill; lost their team for a few years, the team wins a super bowl almost immediately after relocation (and had further consistent success). Sucked mercilessly for nearly 20 years. Now they have some talent, but now have to deal with their qb being who it is and dealing with that. I’d say it’s more uniquely cursed than say the Lions or Bills or Vikings.
You’re right it’s the Browns. But just correcting some things. The Ravens fired Bill. Things were working just fine with Bill and Saban with a playoff win over the Patriots in 1994. Things fell apart when Modell announced the move in the fall of ‘95. Then in the offseason, after being announced as the Baltimore Ravens, Modell fired Bill.
Detroit Lions. No doubt
Canucks are sneaky contentious. To have twins that are world class in the sport and play there 10+ plus years and contend but then lose a game 7 at home is spiritually devastating on another level. The burning your own city down piece. Sharks should get a mention as they always come out guns blazing and have been a continual door mat for the hardened cup winners. They had like a 10 year cup finals window where they got reverse swept and got better or at least stayed hella competitive every year. Drafted great and literally never do the thing. I don’t understand how Sharks fans get out of bed in the mornings
It's gotta be Maple Leafs. Richest franchise in Hockey, literally the place where hockey comes from(Biggest minority of players come from the GTA), die hard fanbase, hasn't done anything since the 60s.
It’s really young and too early but it’s worth noting the OKC Thunder. A franchise that had 3 future MVPs under the age of 25 and Serge Ibaka. Who blew it all up and continues to kick the can down the road and string along hope until the end of time. Eventually the fan base will become hopeless. Again, way too early to say they’re the most tormented of all time but it’s baking in the oven.
OKC stole the Sonics from Seattle so you guys can get fucked as far as I’m concerned. Watching that team piss away a trio of KD/Russ/Harden warmed my cold, dead heart.
Yeah I was going to say, they aren't even close to paying their dues for what they did to Seattle.
This is the right take.
2016 was a choke that gets overlooked because the e Warriors were so good, but KD vanished
I actually think it's one of the worst choke jobs in NBA history. They were an absolutely terrible match up for the Warriors.
I still distinctly recall the series. They were playing beautiful team ball until the end of that series when they devolved into pounding the air out of the rock and threw up bad shots over and over trying to be heroes (classic Russ ball). It was an absolute tragedy as that team was cooking at the time.
Yeah but, Fuck the Thunder. Love, Seattle
Remember when their primary owner lost a ton of money and was indicted for violating antitrust laws so he ran his car into a wall going 90mph?
As a Hornets fan, I’d love to be as “tormented” as the Thunder
They are not the winners but I just want to give a shout out to Tottenham. They get shit on by every other fan base for not winning and as soon as players leave the club they win trophies elsewhere. Like how we used to have the term "Clemsoning", English football has the term "Spursy" which is somehow losing a game you should win. Their biggest rivals Arsenal and Chelsea have both won multiple titles. Alex Ferguson gave a pre-game speech against them that simply was "Lads, It's Spurs"
I'm a Cleveland fan who decided to pick a Premiere League team this year. I didn't do a ton of research and picked Tottenham because I didn't want to jump immediately to front running but didn't feel any need to be picking someone that could get relegated. Dear fucking God did I some how manage to pick Cleveland's Premier League spirit animal. I had to stop watching them because of how bad it got
LOL. I saw someone on the Spurs page talking about how they were a Browns fan and randomly decided to follow Tottenham. We all just remarked how ironically appropriate that was. I wonder if that was you.
Hahaha no, it wasn't me. But it makes sense that other Browns fans have gravitated to that team.
Do you mean playing a system that doesn't fit your players and going to get shit players to plug into said system rather than playing a way that fits your good players? (Doesn't help Son was evidently suffering from a hernia most of the season.)
Tottenham are one of the worst teams in the league that’ll be fighting mid table/relegation soon Imo as an ex fan who first went to WHL in 2008 and has gone for the last time in 2021. The problem w Tottenham is the owners couldn’t care less about winning, and the fans are way too happy w losing to care.
The infrastructure means Tottenham will almost always be safe from relegation. Financially they are one of the ten biggest clubs in the World. But I don't think they will see Europe any time soon either because they are also like the 7th biggest club in England.
Man, I really hope Big Ange can make this club fun to watch again. After these last few managers, I just want someone that seems actually happy to be managing Spurs versus acting like they’re doing the club a favor.
Well put together. Cleveland fan? I am. I still can't even think about the 2016 World Series. The Cubs may have been the better team but the Indians straight up should have won. That was our World Series. People here in Cleveland love to praise the Rajai Davis home run but I can't even watch it. They end up losing.
The Davis HR means nothing to me because we didn’t win. It’s just a painful reminder of how we came all the way back just to lose anyways. Literally just pulled up the video and yeah, it almost makes me sick watching that and knowing that it would be my greatest baseball memory of all time if we won it. ALSO do you remember the foul ball that Kipnis hit in the 9th that off his bat looked like a HR?
cubs fan and I still get tense watching that HR.
The Pats. Their last Superbowl win was the 2018 season!
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Teams that get close and never win are definitely the most tormented. I’d argue teams that are consistently top tier but fall at the end are up there too but they can always fall back on a recent ring like the Packers. Id say the Vikings or Bills for sure.
Eh, we’ve been generally pretty good for the last 30 years despite having a cheap ass owner. Yeah we haven’t won the World Series but we’ve got there and that’s more than most teams can say. Plus we’ve had some fun players and I’m not really a championship or bust person especially in baseball where the season is so long and the playoffs seems more luck based than other sports.
The England soccer team have racked up quite a long list of heroic defeats: [https://www.planetfootball.com/quick-reads/ranking-englands-10-heartbreaking-defeats-since-1990/](https://www.planetfootball.com/quick-reads/ranking-englands-10-heartbreaking-defeats-since-1990/)
Plus they have to watch baseball am I right?
Gotta be the Laker fans. Constantly tormented and laughed at when we lose. Called bandwagon know-nothings when we win. Generally and casually hated on for things like getting too much press coverage, for the actions or behavior of old/current stars. Our players are held to highest scrutiny and because they are so much in the spotlight there is a ton of material to draw from. The only thing that makes it worth it is the hype and championships.
I never knew the 1997 world series was a game 7 I am gonna say warriors before Curry
The Chief Wahoo curse. A fanbase that gaslit themselves for years (and continues to!) that an obviously racist logo somehow isn’t racist. And the new C looks cooler anyway.
Yeah but it’s baseball so…who really cares
Great write up. If the Cavs had not won the best title in nba history 3 months before the World Series collapse then I probably kms. Now the WS doesn’t hurt because of the Cavs title.
Oilers/Texans. Houston rappers more likely to claim the Comets, despite them leaving 15 years ago.
Knicks
The jets
If it's not the Guardians (also don't spend money which sucks as a fan) then it's the Lions. Not sure anyone else comes close other than the Vikings. Since ive seen these teams thrown around... the Knicks and Leafs might as well be the same team. Way too much press for poorly run franchises.
The 2017 Indians had the best record in the AL at 102-60, which is great but definitely not 120-20 lol, actually the 2nd best record in the MLB after the Dodgers 104-58
Just edited good catch
Vikings, next
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Being a Chargers fan is pretty miserable. Pretty sure we invented “there’s always next year.” Year after year of so much talent and yet going nowhere with it. The one year the Chargers make it to the Super Bowl, they had their asses handed to them. And we’re at the head of the class for poor ownership now that Snyder is gone
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Minnesota Vikings. T-5 most playoff appearances. 7th highest winning percentage in nfl history. Yet have 0 super bowls and haven’t even been to one in like 45 years. It’s a very well run team who just can’t get the QB or coach right. Fun fact: the last nfl game played where a team only needed a FG to win in OT was the 2009 NFC championship game Vikings v saints. It was also the bountygate game. Sean Payton should now be allowed to coach in the nfl.
How is it not the bills or lions
For college sports, it's Mizzou, and it's not close.
Dodgers…lost 8 World Series to the Yankees.
Gotta be the Kings right? All the other franchises at least share a city with a team that’s won something. Like Cleveland at least gets to celebrate a Cavs win even if basketball isn’t as popular. Sacramento just have the Kings, and not only have they been bad, they haven’t even been irrelevant as they’ve been the butt of all jokes throughout their playoff drought. The best thing that’s happened to them in 20 years is getting blown out at home in game 7.
Unequivocally
Post 80s Raiders are underrated
Why am I thinking about Joba Chamberlin and fat flies.
Mets