By Lang Whitaker, SI.com
My favorite basketball team is the Atlanta Hawks. I realize this puts me in the minority for basketball fans but I understand why: The last time the Hawks won an NBA championship was 1958 -- 50 years ago. Still, I persevere. But yes, being a fan of the Hawks is torture, much like it must be for Mets fan today. Even though the Mets won the World Series in 1986, they've missed the playoffs in each of the last two seasons by losing to the Marlins at home in the final game of the regular season. That's gotta be tough for a Mets fan to swallow (though as a Braves fan, I absolutely love it). Here are my top five teams with the most tortured fans.
1. Chicago Cubs: It's impressive enough that the franchise has been around since 1902, but at this point it's just laughable that the Cubs haven't won a World Series in 99 years. And yet, they still believe.
2. Los Angeles Clippers: Founded in Buffalo in 1970, the Clips are approaching their 40th anniversary and have still yet to win even a division title. Hang in there, Clipper Darrell.
3. Arizona Cardinals: Whenever a franchise is really struggling, many owners thing moving to a new city is a good idea, perhaps to shake the players from their malaise or, more likely, to find more cash from fans who aren't yet disenfranchised. Since winning an NFL title in 1947, the Cardinals have played in Chicago, St. Louis and, now, Phoenix. They still haven't won another title, though.
4. Boston Bruins: Even though they're one of the NHL's Original Six and they have a great arena and fanbase, the Bruins haven't celebrated with the Stanley Cup since 1972. Hey, at least every other team in Boston is a winner.
5. Pittsburgh Pirates: The Pirates used to be good ... in the '70s. But since losing a heartbreaker to my Braves in the bottom of the ninth in Game 7 of the 1992 NLCS, the Pirates have yet to have even a winning season.
Which team has the most tortured fanbase? Let us know below ...
Lang Whitaker is the executive editor of SLAM magazine and writes daily at SLAMonline.com.
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Dude, the Cubs franchise has been around since 1876. They just weren't called the Cubs until 1902. And as bad as not winning a World Series in 100 years is, what really blows my mind is that they haven't won the pennant since WWII, even after such marvelously imploding close-calls.
DJSparks
Chicago , IL
Total Comments (18)
So let me get this straight...if you are a fan of a team and there doing bad..should we not believe and get excited when they had a good season? I mean how stupid are these **** writers.
Does to many drugs
Total Comments (3902)
Completely agree with Cubs, Clippers, and Pirates. Bruins fans get no sympathy, though, because 1972's not far enough away, and because most of them have got to be either Red Sox or Pats fans too. Cards? Whatever.
Scoot the Pirates up a notch, put the Bills in 3rd (because we still like to remind people that we did win the AFL in the two seasons before Super Bowls started... which is pretty lame if you ask me) and throw in the Cleveland Browns at 5-- sure, they won a whole bunch of titles about 60 years ago, but since then?
Was Buf., Now Was.
Washington , DC
Total Comments (86)
How many of these teams are ever expected to do well? If the team is never expected to do well, how are their fans tortured?
This i the best list you can develop? Here's a starter for a real list - Browns. They support their team. Thir team disappoints again and again. They lose the franchise despite having 1 of the largest fan bases in the sport. They get a franchise. I think they are the only 1 of the originals without a Superbowl appearance.
Prove It
Frellin Cold In, AK
Total Comments (4920)
Do the Clippers really have fans that are like - "Clippers Til I Die, Forever" type people? I somehow doubt it. If they are tortured its only because they so mistakenly chose to root for a team that has never been any good ever. So are they tortured, or just a little "mentally challenged"?
THUG is on Vacation
Total Comments (3402)
What about the Lions? They haven't won anything since the mid 50s (before the Bills won their titles). And William Clay Ford is still the owner (Millen wasn't the only problem & his dismissal was not a solution, just a step in the right direction. Unfortunately, Ford's next step will probably be the wrong direction.
mijoll
Portage, MI
Total Comments (9)
The Texas Rangers...........
Nickb23 - Holland…
Arlington , TX
Total Comments (6797)
I got Clippers season tickets one year.... the year they drafted Danny Manning as their savior.... the tickets were cheap and the Clips looked like they might have a good team. Manning even started out well.... but if memory serves me he had a seaon ending injury before game 10..... I remember showing up about 10 minutes late for a game and they were already down 27-0!!!! Needless to say, I never again even paid attention to the Clips, much less got tickets to a game..... I now live in Atlanta and the Hawks are very similar.... one could look at this team on paper and be optimistic.... but they're the Hawks..... always remember that..... Hawks fans are either very loyal or very stupid....
Sir Robin (again)
Camelot, UK
Total Comments (11174)
How about any fan in Philly? And really, is there such thing as a Clippers fan?
rugbyrowe
Fort Drum , NY
Total Comments (66)
The team that has never been to the big show, The Saints should be in the top 5 mix. The Saints has been around since 1966. So 42 years of subpar seasons.
domepatrol
Total Comments (384)
Also, A place they play in that has seen so many Super Bowls, but yet the team hasn't seen one.
domepatrol
Total Comments (384)
Any just why arn't Leafs fans on this list?
FoosBall
Total Comments (3165)
What about any fan of any team from the city of Cleveland? They came close in the '90's with the tribe in the world series. The Cavs lost in the NBA Finals in 2007, and we can only guess what will happen with the Browns, but a Super Bowl title looks dismal for them right now...
YankBoyStons
Columbus , OH
Total Comments (2)
What about a fan of any of the teams from Cleveland? The tribe came close in the 90's, the Cavs lost in 4 to the Spurs in '07, and it isn't looking like the Browns will be reaching the Super Bowl anytime soon!
YankBoyStons
Columbus , OH
Total Comments (2)
Three letters: TML. The Toronto Maple Leafs have not only failed in winning a Cup since 1967, they are constantly the butt of jokes, have suffered through the eras of Harold Ballard and John Ferguson Jr., and have little to no hope for the future.
Redwing19: taking a…
Ottawa, ON
Total Comments (32911)
I really don't think the Bruin fans are all that tortured. I am one and feel just fine. What do you want the Bruins to do, win a title the same year as the Red Sox and Celtics? Two out of four ain't all that bad. You put the Bruins here and not the Bills? What sounds worse, not winning a title since 1972, or going to 4 Super Bowls and losing 4 straight times?
JAubin
Swansea, MA
Total Comments (1425)
Northern Torture
Toronto Maple Leaf fans are the most tortured. No Cup since 1967, while we watch franchises in Tampa, Anaheim and Carolina win!! Meanwhile---tickets are the most expensive in the NHL, our key hammer to be competitive is removed (namely the cap) and now Leaf fans subsidize other winning teams! Now--add to this that we have rebuilt (again) and the curse of Dave Keon lives on!
North of 45
Total Comments (3)
No FALCONS?!?!?! Are you mental
cmelton22
Snellville , GA
Total Comments (97)
I would have to say that the fans of the St. Louis Blues are up there. They've been around for 42 years and have never won the Stanley cup. What makes it torture is that they went to the playoffs 28 years in a row and could never do anything with it.
redsox_7379
Saint Peters , MO
Total Comments (1)
New York Knicks fans have it pretty bad. Oakland Raiders fans have it rough and they pray for the day when OWNERS can get fired. And personally, as a New Orleans Saints fan, I've endured some rough seasos, but thankfully we're competitive now. As far as the 5 teams this article mentions, the Cubs are cursed, the Clippers are cheap, the Cardinals are run worse than the raiders, the Bruins should just go away, and the Pirates are MLB's version of the Raiders
QuietStorm12
Baton Rouge , LA
Total Comments (490)
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