Worst Sports Franchises Ever

[Kirkendall]

Palm Beach wrote a piece about the worst sports franchises ever. The Bengals ranked 5th. Who do you guys think is the worst sports franchise ever? http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/conten...hises_0625.html

[tibor75]

As a franchise, the saints are worse than us. But we belong up there.

[Scottishbengal]

What about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers - The Tangerine Shirt Years ?

[Indycat]

If this question was asked prior to 1970, the Steelers would have topped the list followed closely by the Cowboys and 49er's. These "storied" franchises were abysmal.

It's amazing what a few good years can do to a franchises preceived value.

The Bengals shouldn't be on the list at all. Granted, we went through an awful decade after Paul Browns death but the Bengals went to 2 Super Bowls (which few teams have done) and made the playoffs in they're third year (which was faster than any expansion team before them).

[BengalszoneBilly]

Palm Beach wrote a piece about the worst sports franchises ever. The Bengals ranked 5th. Who do you guys think is the worst sports franchise ever? http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/conten...hises_0625.html

That article needs to be worded differently. In that context it should say Sports Franchises with the Worst Histories, because as things stand right now, in no way do the Bengals rate #5. Sorry. It's about just being CORRECT!

[redsfan2]

ESPN did one of their shows about the worst teams of the decade, and the Bengals didn't even make the list.

Yeah I'm positive ... because I watched the entire program waiting for them to be named #1. I was so _______ ( insert your favorite expletive delete ) relieved when they didn't.

[walshfan]

sWorst franchises in the last 20 years?

How about Clippers and Hawks in basketball, Cardinals and Bengals in football and the Brewers and Devil Rays in baseball?

[BengalNation1281]

The LA Clippers have to be No. 1, hands down. That is futility at its absolute finest.

In football, the Cardinals or Saints would be the worst. Neither team has ever accomplished anything, and both have had their chances and couldn't capitalize on them.

In baseball, Tampa Bay would be my choice. What else can I say? They just freakin' suck.

[cincy9275]

football browns and cardnals

baseball cubs and brewers

basketball clippers and hawks

[derekshank]

Palm Beach wrote a piece about the worst sports franchises ever.  The Bengals ranked 5th.  Who do you guys think is the worst sports franchise ever? http://www.palmbeachpost.com/sports/conten...hises_0625.html

That article needs to be worded differently. In that context it should say Sports Franchises with the Worst Histories, because as things stand right now, in no way do the Bengals rate #5. Sorry. It's about just being CORRECT!

Yeah. It either needs to be worst franchises in their history, or worst single season franchises. In either case, the Bengals don't belong in the top 25. In our short history we have been to 2 superbowls. Given our most recent decade of futility, it is easy to forget how successful the team was early in its existence.

As far as single seasons go, we were 2-14 the year before Marvin got here, but the very next year the Carolina Panthers were 1-15, and then was in the superbowl two years later. So despite very bad records, the team didn't have a "historically" bad single season. (if you want to say worst franchises of the 90's, we are certainly top 5).

The Arizona Cardinals have been more consistently bad throughout their existence, as have the Detroit Lions... and the Tampa Bay Bucs in their first year went 0-14. It takes skill to lose every single game. That has to be up there for worst single season.

Clippers are far and away #1. Their owner intentionally loses, because he knows he can still make money.

I can't say I agree with the Cubs pick. They haven't won a World series in 100 years, but the Red Sox hadn't won a series in almost 90, but they didn't belong on this list up until last year. THe Cubs have had some bad seasons, but some good ones also.

Brewers... maybe. Tampa Bay Devil Rays could be up there, but they haven't existed very long, so it's not very fair.

Anyway... I'm getting bored listening to myself ramble. The Bengals probably belong on some type of list like this, but it has to be well defined for it to work out.

[HoosierCat]

Just considering pro football franchises, the Cards are clearly the poster child for futility...

http://www.profootballhof.com/assets/history/W_L_2005.pdf

...a .414 all-time winning percentage, only 7 playoff appearances, and just 2 postseason wins, in a history that goes back to the 1920s. Yikes.

Saints are .407 lifetime with just 6 playoff appearance and a single playoff victory. The Bengals' .430 and 12 playoff appearances looks lofty in comparision.

The Falcons have compiled a pretty sucktastic history, too. .406 overall, just one more playoff appearance than the Bengals, and fewer total wins.

Bucs are .384 lifetime with 13 playoff appearances.

Overall, I'd have to rate the Cards, Saints, Falcs, and Bucs worse franchises than the Bengals.

[AMC]

You make it to two Super Bowl's you are automatically off ANY "Worst Franchise" list. The media and sports writers can be sucked in by cliche and peer-pressure.

The fact I still hear Bungles this and Bungles that makes me believe the media are not very creative and find it hard to change their minds on anything.

[schweinhart]

Media hacks make it worse but "The Worst Sports Franchise in History" is a jab you can expect when you tell a football fan from anywhere outside of Cincy that you follow the Bengals.

For example If you were at, say, Fed Ex Field last year and feeling the first-half pasting coming on that the Bengals were about to lay on the Deadskins, you could have introduced yourself as a Bengals fan to the D.C. fans by hollering "Roooooodeeeee" like you were out standing in the middle of a field all by your self.

Of course, you could have expected a greeting in return like "Who the f#ck yelled Rudi?" from some big, younger fella wearing a Lavar Arrington jersey, who stands up from his seat several seats down in the row below you and snarls in no mood for such an introduction judging by his team polluting the field, the hue of Deadskin red flushing his face, and the flask in his hand.

You might scowl back that you yelled it and your nefound buddy might spew back with disgust and disbelief, "A Bengals fan. The Bengals are The Worst Sports Franchise in History."

But that jab just don't come close to landing on anyone who knows or remembers anything about the Bengals when they always seemed poised to contend in the AFC Central at the outset of every year.

Rather than try to explain this, you might counter the jab with an uppercut like, "Not any more. Not since Marvin Lewis ditched the Skins to take over the Stripes."

Still, this might not be enough to sway your fellow football fan and he might keep on swinging with, "No. They're the worst ever. The Bengals suck."

No doubt the Bengals left a monument of suck in the wake of the 1990's, and it's no wonder that a younger generation only knows the Bengals as "The Bungles" or "The Laughinstock of the NFL" ot "The Worst Sports Franchise in History".

Mindful of this, you might duck the punch with, "They were the worst in the 90's but not any more."

Of course, there would be no point in trying to explain that the tradition of Bengals success that Paul Brown built over almost a quarter century was shattered virtually overnight after his death in 1991.

Also no point in noting just how bad it got from Paul Brown A.D. until Marvin took over when the Bengals recorded an abysmal 55-137 record for an unforgivable winning percentage of .286 over that wasteland of time.

"Not any more" should be enough.

But if you're not prone to pull punches, you might have come back with something like, "The Redskins are looking about the Bengals did back the. They sure could use Arrington out there."

Who knows? The air might clear quick. The Redskin fan could turn out to be a Steelers fan who like Arrington because he went to Penn State and who wanted to rattle on about Big Ben instead of Mark Brunnel.

Either way, you won the fight knowing that the Bengals are in no way "The Worst Sports Franchise in History".

And what's more, after watching Carson Palmer and the Bengals offense dismantle one o fthe NFL's better defenses in the first half, you'd know that the 90's are all but knocked out for good.

[alense]

Media hacks make it worse but "The Worst Sports Franchise in History" is a jab you can expect when you tell a football fan from anywhere outside of Cincy that you follow the Bengals.

I live in Florida and I can't agree with you more. I get so pissed off when people say this kind of sh#t. How many teams haven't even played in the big game? I hope we can shut everyone up this year and finally lose the "Bungals" name. We've nearly taken it out of Chris Bergman's vocabulary!

[AMC]

I'm in FLA too, and it's really nice in the bars when I walk in with my Bengals gear on and they can't say s*#t because the Bucs suck.

Talk about a fickle group of fans, Tampa Bay Bucs fans are pretty bad. How quickly they turned on Gruden....

That's what's good about Marvin. He's doing it slow and steady without sacrificing the salary cap. That makes him strong and less likely to get run out of town. The Bucs are a perfect example of how not to manage a team (even though they have a Super Bowl, which was Dungy's team anyway).

:player: :player: :player:

[Irish Bengal]

Detroit Lions

[BengalByTheBay]

For example If you were at, say, Fed Ex Field last year and feeling the first-half pasting coming on that the Bengals were about to lay on the Deadskins, you could have introduced yourself as a Bengals fan to the D.C. fans by hollering "Roooooodeeeee" like you were out standing in the middle of a field all by your self.

That was you Schwein?? I was at that game. Got some prime chatter after the game from one particularly lubed-up "fan" when he saw my jersey. He sort-of sputtered trying to think of a comeback to my "thanks for Lewis" and "scoreboard" remarks. After all, what's up with getting in somebody's face after your team pukes all over itself on its home field. At least they had the good sense to sit Brunell for good during the game.

I recall that ESPN "worst sports city" list last year. Didn't Cleveburg take high honors? Nonetheless, these lists are stupid and pointless. And I was impressed by the amount of research Mr. George put in there. BTW - making it to 2 superbowls is not a "flipside" -- it's a reason that your list is wrong, jackhole.

[schweinhart]

That was you Schwein??  I was at that game.  Got some prime chatter after the game from one particularly lubed-up "fan" when he saw my jersey.  He sort-of sputtered trying to think of a comeback to my "thanks for Lewis" and "scoreboard" remarks.  After all, what's up with getting in somebody's face after your team pukes all over itself on its home field.  At least they had the good sense to sit Brunell for good during the game.

Yeah, no shortage of lubed up chatter there at Fed Ex but I'd have to say where I was at there was some good talk too. Gotta feel for the real Redskins fans because they look like they're going nowehere fast. You know it's bad when they start chanting for Sonny Jurgenson to come in at QB

As impressive as that first half was by the Bengals, though, they just couldn't put the Skins away to the point that the outcome was in doubt right up to the Skins last play.

If the Bengals are to put this talk of worst franchise, laughingstock, and Bungles in the past for good, they would do well to tap into the killer instinct and start putting teams away in 2005.

[HairOnFire]

You guys need to get over the Bungles thing. The media, starting with the local southern Ohio press, invented and familiarized the Bungle tag, not ESPN. And I kid you not, the term Bungle was linked to the expansion Bengals even before that team had played their first AFL game. In fact, the first time I can remember hearing the term bungle was the very day the team name of Bengals was officially announced. I can even remember my dad laughing in response before saying something about how the Bengals should have seen that one coming and spent more time on a team name that couldn't be so easily mocked. I can also remember seeing the term bungle linked to the Bengals in newspaper in several articles written about a brand spankin' new team that wouldn't even play it's debut game for several months.

I'm not kidding.

Chris Berman is just the latest hack to glom onto the too-easy wordplay that is Bengals/bungles, and he won't be the last. It's just the natural way things like this play out in the heady world of sports journalism. When teams lose consistently it's just natural for the Bengals to become the bungles, the Redskins become the Deadskins, the Rams become the Lambs, the Steelers become the Squeelers or something equally stupid, and the city of Cleveland quite naturally becomes the home of well deserved jokes relating to the true color of poop....and what to do with said poop after it's pigment has been accurately determined.

The whole bungle thing? I'd say it's part of this teams heritage, and has been since day one.

[AMC]

You guys need to get over the Bungles thing. The media, starting with the local southern Ohio press, invented and familiarized the Bungle tag, not ESPN. And I kid you not, the term Bungle was linked to the expansion Bengals even before that team had played their first AFL game. In fact, the first time I can remember hearing the term bungle was the very day the team name of Bengals was officially announced. I can even remember my dad laughing in response before saying something about how the Bengals should have seen that one coming and spent more time on a team name that couldn't be so easily mocked. I can also remember seeing the term bungle linked to the Bengals in newspaper in several articles written about a brand spankin' new team that wouldn't even play it's debut game for several months.

I'm not kidding.

Chris Berman is just the latest hack to glom onto the too-easy wordplay that is Bengals/bungles, and he won't be the last. It's just the natural way things like this play out in the heady world of sports journalism. When teams lose consistently it's just natural for the Bengals to become the bungles, the Redskins become the Deadskins, the Rams become the Lambs, the Steelers become the Squeelers or something equally stupid, and the city of Cleveland quite naturally becomes the home of well deserved jokes relating to the true color of poop....and what to do with said poop after it's pigment has been accurately determined.

The whole bungle thing? I'd say it's part of this teams heritage, and has been since day one.

ESPN took it to the world. Darn national media.

[Jet23]

The Cardinals. I grew up a fan of Jim Hart, Mel Gray, Terry Metcalf, Dan Dierdorf (eeew), Tom Banks, JV Caine, Pat Tilley... You think Mike Brown is (was, I hope) bad, Bill Bidwell is the worst owner a franchise can have. The Cardinals left St. Louis, because they would rather have no team than his team. He has worn out his welcome in previsoulsy NFL starved Arizona as well.

[HairOnFire]

ESPN took it to the world. Darn national media.

No argument, ESPN turned the term bungle into a brand name that everyone can remember, but they couldn't have done that without some real help from the Bengals. And there's the rub. It's the losing that we really can't stand....not the silly name that comes along with it.

The tag bungle doesn't define this team anymore than the tag of crimeboys once identified the Cowboys. All we're talking about is something convenient and easy to remember that people can call a team when it's down.

As for which franchise is worst, the Bengals deserve their reputation, but as many have pointed out there are other NFL teams that have a greater claim to the most dubious honor. Best, it may take yars of winning to change the numbers on page but public perception about a teams image can change fairly quickly. All the Bengals have to do is change the script.

Cinderella story.

Lovable losers make good.

Swan song. Ugly ducklings no more.

Feel good story of the year.

A tiger changes it's stripes.

Fear the meek.

Up from the ashes.

Pigs flyy.

[derekshank]

public perception about a teams image can change fairly quickly.

Very true. How much did everyone make fun of the Chargers before the season started last year? Now... crickets. We respect them now, because of one solitary playoff berth. Let's get it done Bungles, I mean, Bengals!

[schweinhart]

Pigs flyy.

Watching for pigs on the wing in 2005. :player: