Longest Droughts in Sports. The Hope and the Dread.

I took the pinnacle of every franchise’s success (A championship) and compared every team among the four major leagues, NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB. Then listed them all from Longest stretch to shortest without a Championship. By franchise I take into account every location that team was in, an example would be the Arizona Cardinals, who won their last championship 61 years ago, but have been in Arizona since the 1980’s but this is more about the franchise then the city. I also count the years in St. Louis and Chicago and whereever else. (In making this list I also assumed the Yankees *have* won the 2009 World Series although this does not change the list really, The Yankees and Phillies were no where near the bottom of this list … hhowever it does add a season to all MLB teams)

The List of Longest Championship Droughts

1.) Was their any doubt the CHICAGO CUBS. MLB 101 Seasons.
2.) Cleveland Indians. MLB 61 Seasons.
3.) Arizona Cardinals. NFL 61 Seasons.
4.) Sacramento Kings. NBA 58 Seasons.
5.) San Francisco Giants. MLB 55 Seasons.
6.) Atlanta Hawks. NBA 51 Seasons.
7.) Detroit Lions. NFL 51 Seasons.
8.) Texas Rangers. MLB. 48 Seasons.
9.) Chicago Blackhawks. NHL 48 Seasons.
10.) Philadelphia Eagles NFL 48 Seasons.

Of these ten teams. The Texas Rangers, and Detroit Lions have never made it to their respective championships (In NFL I am counting the Super Bowl as current respective championship, although they did win the NFL championship many many many years ago, that was the old format, they have NEVER been to the Superbowl.) The Sacramento Kings since they won it in Rochester 58 years ago have not made it to the finals in any city, and the Atlanta Hawks only appearances in the finals where while they were in St. Louis.
The Eagles, Cardinals (Super Bowl) Indians, Cubs, Giants (World Series) Blackhawks (Stanley Cup)have all have in their current location been to the finals of their respective league since their last championship.

Of these teams, they is not a lot of hope of the losing tradition. The Eagles are decent and have their chances this year and few next, the Hawks are good, but would have to get by the Lakers, Celtics, and Cavaliers. The Arizona Cardinals until Warner retires and Blackhawks with some young talent have outside shots, (but the B-hawks should run into a Redwing buzz saw, once someone starts it up.) On the flip side …

I started this list and updating it back in 2006, I once finished I made the same list how it would have look ten years prior. (This would place it right before the Wings won the Cup that year.) there is noticeable change.

10.) TIE Atlanta Hawks, NBA. Detroit Lions, NFL. 39 years

9.) Detroit Redwings. NHL. 41 years.   WON A STANLEY CUP

8.) San Francisco Giants. MLB. 43 years.

7.) Saint Louis Rams. NFL. 45 years.   WON THE SUPERBOWL

6.) Sacramento Kings. NBA. 46 years.

5.) Cleveland Indians. MLB. 48 years.

4.) Arizona Cardinals. NFL. 49 years.  FINALLY MADE A SUPER BOWL

3.) Boston Redsoxs. MLB. 78 years.   WON THE WORLD SERIES

2.) Chicago Whitesoxs. MLB. 79 years.  WON THE WORLD SERIES

1.) Chicago Cubs. MLB. 88 years.

Things do change for some but not for the others, the thing I think we will learn in the next few years after the Millen Era of Doom is ... Are we forever a Cub or King ... or are we wearing Sox?  Wow, only in sports talk would that make any sense.