Thursday, April 17, 2008

San Diego: Fifth Most Miserable Sports City


Forbes magazine calls San Diego the fifth most miserable sports city in its most recent issue.

Do you agree?

Here’s what Forbes had to say:

5. San Diego, Calif.
Teams: Chargers (NFL-AFL), Padres (MLB), Rockets (NBA), Clippers (NBA)
Title round record: 1-7
Semifinal round record: 3-3
Total seasons/early playoff-round exits (or baseball 2nd place): 87/10
Total seasons/championships: 87/1
Years since last title: 45
Teams lost: 2 (Rockets, Clippers)
San Diego teams have actually fared pretty well during early rounds of post-season play, though the Chargers' 1963 American Football League crown was the only time the city took it all. Last season's late meltdown by the Padres stands alongside the Chargers' 1982 American Football Conference championship "ice bowl" loss to Cincinnati as the town's biggest disappointments.

Hate to admit it, but Forbes makes some very good points.

This city’s only “major” championship ever was won by the Chargers with stars by such names as Tobin Rote, Keith Lincoln and Paul Lowe. You haven’t seen anything to equal it with current “stars” such as LaDainian Tomlinson, Antonio Gates and Shawne Merriman.

Yes, San Diego did lose the Rockets to Houston (too bad) and the Clippers to Los Angeles (very good!)

The Padres are 1-8 all-time in the World Series, while the Chargers are 0-1 in the Super Bowl. Combined that’s a winning ratio of 10 percent.

Maybe Forbes is onto something, after all.

Forbes 10 Most Miserable Sports Cities

1. Atlanta
2. Seattle
3. Buffalo
4. Phoenix
5. San Diego
6. Houston
7. Denver
8. Cleveland
9. Philadelphia
10. Minneapolis-St. Paul

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

It does seem as if San Diego teams have a tough time winning the big one but they should get some credit for getting to the big one. Teams in several cities would love to have played in as many World Series as the Padres have. And what would current Cleveland Browns fans; to name one team; give to get a sniff of the Super Bowl.