122 Franchises Ranked Bottom to Top:

[FreshFish]

Re: 122 Franchises Ranked Bottom to Top:

55 Minnesota Vikings
56 Indianapolis Colts
...
121 Seattle Mariners
122 Los Angeles Clippers

Thank you!

[joecct]

56. Indianapolis Colts

(a.k.a. Baltimore Colts)

Why? A franchise with a lot of the NFL’s greatest moments but now they don’t have a lot of Luck.

The Good. 3 NFL Championships (1958, 1959, 1968), 2 Super Bowls (V, XLI). The 1958 Championship helped start the modern beginnings of pro football.

The Bad. Brutal to watch from the late 1970’s to the late 1980’s. Occaissonally capable of a stinker of a season, they were winless in the strike shortened 1982 season, went 1-15 in 1991 and 2-14 in 2011.

The Ugly. In 1972, an unusual swap was made. Colts owner Carole Rosenbloom and Rams owner Bob Irsay bought swapped teams. Rosenbloom threated to leave Baltimore, Irsay was willing to negotiate improvments to Memorial Stadium who housed both the Colts and baseball’s Orioles. The State of Maryland and the City of Baltimore refused to provide any taxpayer money for a new stadium for the Colts. Irsay started to negotiate with several cities for the Colts to move. Despite, Irsay claiming that the Colts would stay in Baltimore, it came down to Indianapolis or Phoenix. Indianapolis was already building a new domed stadium, while Phoenix offered Arizona State’s Sun Devil Stadium. On March 27, 1984 the State of Maryland passed legislation allowing the City of Baltimore to seize the Colts via eminent domain. Maryland’s actions led Phoenix to withdraw. On March 29th, 15 moving vans headed to Indianapolis in different directions to avoid detection from the Maryland State Police.

Where they play. Lucas Oil Stadium, a stadium that demands changing after three months or 3,000 miles.

Owner: Jim Irsay, named Vice President and General Manager one month after the relocation, assumed control when his father had a stroke in 1995 and fully won all legal battles to assume control in 1997. Was suspended for six games when involved in a drug fueled car crash in 2013.

Coach: Currently vacant, Chuck Pagano was fired after the 2017 season ended.

Top Current Players: Andrew Luck and T.Y. Hilton

Hall of Famers: Raymond Berry, Eric Dickerson, Marshall Faulk, Gino Marchetti, Jim Parker, Johnny Unitas, Art Donovan, Marvin Harrison, John Mackey, Lenny Moore.

Up Next: The Minnesota Vikings

And a Marching Band.

[CommAvHusky]

Re: 122 Franchises Ranked Bottom to Top:

58. Carolina Hurricanes

(a.k.a. Hartford Whalers)

Why? One of four WHA teams that merged with the NHL in 1979, the Whalers/Hurricanes have mostly been an under the radar mediocre franchise.

The Good. Won the 2006 Stanley Cup, 2 Eastern Conference Championships (2002), made the Eastern Conference Finals in 2009. The Whalers won the Adams Division in 1987.

The Bad. The Whalers only got out of the first round once (1986), have failed to make the playoffs since making the Eastern Conference Finals in 2009.

The Ugly. The Whalers played in the NHL’s smallest market hedged between the New York and Boston markets. Owner Peter Karmanos bought the Whalers in 1994 and decided to bail Hartford three years later. Normally, an owner already had a site to relocate to, however, Karmanos decided to leave Hartford but hadn’t figured out where to move to. Where to? Raleigh, North Carolina. OK, great is there a hockey arena there? Largest one only holds 5,000 fans. For the first two years, the newly minted Hurricanes played in Greensboro 80 minutes away.

Where they play. PNC Arena, originally the Raleigh Entertainment & Sports Arena, currently used by the Hurricanes and North Carolina State Basketball.

Owner: Peter Karmanos, Jr. Originally from Detroit and made his fortune in computer software. Still a wanted man in Connecticut

Coach: Bill Peters, currently in his fourth season coaching the Hurricanes, replacing Kirk Muller (******* Kirk Muller)

Top Current Players: Teuvo Teravainen, Sebastien Aho, Cam Ward

Hall of Famers: Ron Francis who also happens to be the General Manager. And yes, Gordie Howe and Bobby Hull had cups of coffee with the Whalers.
Up Next: The Minnesota Vikings

New Owner, Tom Dundon https://www.nhl.com/news/carolina-hu...et/c-294897848

[joecct]

New Owner, Tom Dundon https://www.nhl.com/news/carolina-hu...et/c-294897848

Dun don dun dun?

[CommAvHusky]

Re: 122 Franchises Ranked Bottom to Top:

55. Los Angeles Kings

Why? Although recently crowned, this team has largely been the kings of nothing for decades.

The Good. 2 Stanley Cups (2012, 2014), 3 Western Conference Championships (1993), became the first 8 seed to win the Cup in 2012. Their 1982 ousting of the Edmonton Oilers in the first round is considered one of biggest upsets in Stanley Cup playoff history.

The Bad. Prior to 1993 the Kings never got past the second round, frequently missed the playoffs in the 1980s when it almost impossible to do so. After the 1993, only got past the first round once before their 2012 Cup win.

The Ugly. The Kings were reborn when they rebranded and acquired Wayne Gretzky in 1988. New Owner Bruce McNall turned the Kings into a contender overnight. However, his overspending led to bankruptcy in 1995, to a point where they couldn’t meet payroll.

Where they play. Staples Center, where they share with the Lakers and Clippers, opened in 1999 replaced The Great Western Forum at Inglewood.

Owner: Philip Anschutz, owns a drilling company, the Kings, and the Coachella Music Festival

Coach: John Stevens, currently in his first season coaching the Kings. Is the father of John and Nolan Stevens. John, Jr. graduated from Northeastern and is with the Islanders. Nolan, is currently a senior at Northeastern.

Top Current Players: Anze Kopitar, Dustin Brown, and Jonathan Quick

Hall of Famers: Rob Blake, Marcel Dionne, Wayne Gretzky, Luc Robitaille, Rogie Vachon

Up Next: The Minnesota Vikings

[CommAvHusky]

Re: 122 Franchises Ranked Bottom to Top:

54. Chicago Cubs

Why? Everybody’s favorite loveable losers, but now that they won a World Series in 2016, are they losers? Are they loveable?

The Good. 11 National League Pennants, 3 World Series Titles (1907, 1908, 2016), 1906 team went 116-36.

The Bad. What is worse not winning the World Series for 108 years or not winning the pennant for 71 years?

The Ugly. There is enough ugly to fill ten franchises. Curse of the Billy Goat, College of Coaches, trading Lou Brock, Fall of ’69, Leon Durham pulling a Buckner, and last but not least Steve Bartman.

Where they play. Wrigley Field, The Friendly Confines, and last ballpark to have lights. The Wrigley Family owned the Cubs until 1981.

Owner: The Ricketts Family bought the Cubs from The Tribune Company in 2009.

Manager: Joe Maddon, Maddon served with the Angels in several compacities for 30 seasons. He is more known for managing the Tampa Bay Rays from 2006-2014, and finished his third season with the Cubs.

Top Current Players: Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo, and Jake Arrieta

Hall of Famers: Cap Anson, Ernie Banks, Three Finger Brown, Frank Chance, Kiki Cuyler, Johnny Evers, Gabby Hartnett, Billy Herman, Ferguson Jenkins, King Kelly, Ryne Sandberg, Ron Santo, Joe Tinker, Billy Williams, and Hack Wilson

Up Next: The Minnesota Vikings

[CommAvHusky]

Re: 122 Franchises Ranked Bottom to Top:

53. Chicago White Sox

Why? If we are going to cover the north side, we might as well cover the south side right away. The White Sox always seemed to be the “other” baseball team in Chicago.

The Good. 3 World Series Championship (1906, 1917, 2005) and 6 American League Pennants.

The Bad. The Black Sox Scandal plagued the franchise for decades. In 1919, it is believed that eight members of the White Sox threw the World Series. Suspicious activity was noted as large amounts of bets were on the underdog Cincinnati team. Although nobody was convicted, six players were banned for life. From 1920-2004, the White Sox only won the pennant once (1959).

The Ugly. That one game in 1976 were they wore shorts. As mentioned the White Sox are considered Chicago’s second team. While Boston, Philadelphia and St. Louis were transitioning from two teams to one, the White Sox tried to bolt Chicago several times from the 1960’s to the 1980’s. Bud Selig almost bought the team in the 1960’s to move them to Milwaukee. They almost moved to Tampa in the late 1980’s but an eleventh hour deal on a new stadium kept the Sox in Chicago.

Where they play. Guaranteed Rate Field. Seriously? It is more known as U.S. Cellular Field or even before then the “New” Comiskey Park.

Owner: Jerry Reinsdorf, owns both the White Sox and Bulls, has owned the Sox since 1981. Considered a hardline anti-labor owner who was a major force in the 1994-95 strike.

Manager: Rick Renteria, journeyman ballplayer who managed the Cubs for the 2014 season, and finished his first year as manager of the White Sox.

Top Current Players: Jose Abreu, Avisail Garcia, and Melky Cabrera

Hall of Famers: Luis Aparicio, Luke Appling, Eddie Collins, Nellie Fox, Ted Lyons, Frank Thomas

Up Next: The Minnesota Vikings

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

Re: 122 Franchises Ranked Bottom to Top:

53. Chicago White Sox
54. Chicago Cubs

At least we beat the Cubs in something this year.

[CommAvHusky]

Re: 122 Franchises Ranked Bottom to Top:

52. Utah Jazz

(a.k.a. New Orleans Jazz)

Why? I imagine a parallel universe where a basketball league will have the semifinals include the Miami Eskimos, Los Angeles Colonials, New York Farmers, and the Utah Jazz.

The Good. Stockton to Malone from 1985 to 2003. Two Western Conference Championships (1997 and 1998). 20 consecutive years in the playoffs.

The Bad. In New Orleans, traded for aging Laker star Gail Goodrich for a draft pick. That draft pick turned out to be Magic Johnson. Missed playoffs in its first nine seasons (all five in New Orleans, four in Utah). With the Stockton to Malone era, while getting to the playoffs was not a problem, succeeding was always a problem.

The Ugly. The Jazz were terrible in New Orleans but were popular, however a lack of corporate and league support hurt the franchise at a time where the NBA was not as prominent as it is today. Also the area was highly taxed and the Jazz had to go on the road for month due to Mardi Gras. The team moved to Salt Lake City in 1979, even though there is no jazz culture in Utah, the organization decided to keep the name and the Mardi Gras colors.

Where they play. Vivant Smart Home Arena, more known as the Delta Center which broke ground in 1991 replacing the Salt Palace. Name was changed to Salt Lake Ice Center for the 2002 Winter Olympics

Owner: Gail Miller, assumed control of the Jazz in 2009 after her husband Larry died, this also includes a chain of car dealerships, movie theatres and most of Utah sports.

Coach: Quin Snyder, a career assistant who spent long stretches as an assistant coach at Duke and head coach at the University of Missouri. Coached in Russia for one season.

Top Current Players: Rudy Gobert, Ricky Rubio, and Donovan Mitchell

Hall of Famers: Pete Maravich, Adrian Dantley, Karl Malone, John Stockton

Up Next: The Minnesota Vikings

[Ralph Baer]

Re: 122 Franchises Ranked Bottom to Top:

52. Utah Jazz

(a.k.a. New Orleans Jazz)

Why? I imagine a parallel universe where a basketball league will have the semifinals include the Miami Eskimos, Los Angeles Colonials, New York Farmers, and the Utah Jazz.

Are the North Dakota Trees in that league too?

[JF_Gophers]

Are the North Dakota Trees in that league too?

Their nickname is singular, Tree.

[CommAvHusky]

Re: 122 Franchises Ranked Bottom to Top:

Are the North Dakota Trees in that league too?

Sure, why not.

[Kepler]

Re: 122 Franchises Ranked Bottom to Top:

New York Farmers

NY ranks 3rd in the nation in milk production and is a top-ten national producer of apples, grapes, onions, sweet corn, tomatoes, and maple syrup. It is second in apples, third in corn silage, fourth in tart cherries, seventh in strawberries, and tenth in potatoes.

Don't be That Flyover Guy.

[Russell Jaslow]

Re: 122 Franchises Ranked Bottom to Top:

NY ranks 3rd in the nation in milk production and is a top-ten national producer of apples, grapes, onions, sweet corn, tomatoes, and maple syrup. It is second in apples, third in corn silage, fourth in tart cherries, seventh in strawberries, and tenth in potatoes.

Don't be That Flyover Guy.

Look at CommAvHusky's listed location. Right in the heart of rural Upstate NY. I'm shocked that he did that considering he should know better.

[Kepler]

Re: 122 Franchises Ranked Bottom to Top:

Look at CommAvHusky's listed location. Right in the heart of rural Upstate NY. I'm shocked that he did that considering he should know better.

Yeah, I know. I expect it from prairie staters who think all of NY is the West Village, but he should know better.