What's new
By:
USCHO Fan Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • The USCHO Fan Forum has migrated to a new plaform, xenForo. Most of the function of the forum should work in familiar ways. Please note that you can switch between light and dark modes by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right of the main menu bar. We are hoping that this new platform will prove to be faster and more reliable. Please feel free to explore its features.

122 Franchises Ranked Bottom to Top:

Re: 122 Franchises Ranked Bottom to Top:

48. Atlanta Braves

(a.k.a. Milwaukee Braves, Boston Braves, Boston Bees)

Why? Very proud of their 14 straight National League Titles from 1991-2005, very quiet about how many of them turned into championships.

The Good. The Braves have one a World Series in all three cities they played. The Boston Braves in 1914, the Milwaukee Braves in 1957, and the Atlanta Braves in 1995. The ’14 Boston Braves were 15 games out on July 4th, came back to win the pennant and sweep Philadelphia in the World Series. The Milwaukee Braves never had a losing season. Presided over Hank Aaron’s record breaking 715th Home Run in 1974.

The Bad. Long stretches of futility in Boston and Atlanta. By 1935, the Braves had 11 100-loss seasons. By 1990, the Braves had 13 of 16 losing seasons, since they had their own tv station fans nationwide can see how empty Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium is.

The Ugly. Babe Ruth both started and finished his career in Boston. We all know spent a few years with the Red Sox before being sold to the Yankees. Ruth signed with the Braves in 1935, well past his prime. Although Ruth could still hit, he couldn’t run, couldn’t throw, couldn’t field. Slowly, he stopped hitting too. Ruth wanted to retire in May but owner Emil Fuchs persuaded to wait until he batted in all the National League ballparks. Ruth retired June 1st. when he realized that Fuchs would not make him manager. Fuchs was forced to sell the team because he couldn’t make the rent payments on Braves Field. The ’35 Braves went 38-115, the worst record in National League history (yes this includes the ’62 Mets). New management came in and renamed the team the Bees, and played as the Bees for five seasons.

Where they play. Sun Trust Park, the Braves played their first season here after only playing 21 seasons at Turner Park. The controversial planning and money raising issues led the Braves from moving from downtown Atlanta to suburban Cobb County.

Owner: Liberty Media led by chairman John C. Malone.

Manager: Brian Snitker, took over in May 2016 when the Braves fired Fredi Gonzalez

Top Current Players: Freddie Freeman is not a freeman in Atlanta, Julio Teheran feels like a hostage in Atlanta.

Hall of Famers: For Boston: John Clarkson, Hugh Duffy, Rabbit Maranville, Tommy McCarthy, Kid Nichols. For Milwaukee: Eddie Matthews and Warren Spahn. For Atlanta: Hank Aaron, Phil Niekro, Tom Glavine, John Smoltz.

Up Next: The Minnesota Vikings
 
Re: 122 Franchises Ranked Bottom to Top:

47. Oakland Athletics

(a.k.a. Philadelphia Athletics, Kansas City Athletics)

Why? You have to give to this franchise, they either deliver Grade A Baseball or resemble a AAA team

The Good. 9 World Series Championships, 5 in Philadelphia (1910, 1911, 1913, 1929, 1930, 4 in Oakland (1972, 1973, 1974, 1989). 15 American League Pennants.

The Bad. Tanking! You want to talk about how the 76ers and Marlins tanked in the modern era….they have nothing on the A’s. Connie Mack was a part-owner of the Philadelphia A’s, he would create talent and when he couldn’t afford the player he sold them. The A’s won the pennant in 1914, in 1916 the A’s went 36-117, the worst record in modern baseball history. Tanked again after winning three straight pennants (1929-1931) being largely irrelevant while still in Philadelphia. Mack stayed as A’s manager til 1950.
The Kansas City A’s never had a winning season.
When the free agency era started in 1976, Oakland A’s owner Charlie O. Finley sold his championship laden talent as soon as possible going from 87 wins in 1976 to 63 in 1977. While the A’s won three straight pennants from 1988-1990 the loss of talent was more subtle due to ownership changes.

The Ugly. The A’s were considered to be the first team in Philadelphia until the 1950’s with the ascendance of the Phillies and the A’s being irrelevant. The Mack family could no longer afford the team and sold it to Arnold Johnson in 1954, moving the team to Kansas City.
Charlie O. Finley became owner in 1960 and tried to moved the A’s right away but was blocked by the other American League owners. While a lease was renewed with Kansas City, Finley was approved the move the A’s to Oakland in 1968. Finley changed the color scheme to green and gold and replaced the elephant mascot with a mule. White cleats, paying players to grow facial hair. His divorce and his ex-wife not accepting part of the A’s as part of the settlement led to the new ownership in the 1980’s

Where they play. Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Opened in 1966, a dinosaur in that is the only building to still host a MLB and NFL team. Though it has had several corporate naming rights from 2004-2016, with the Raiders leaving for Las Vegas and the A’s expressed desire to move to another part of the Bay Area, no company wants to be associated with the building especially after reports of sewage pipe explosions in 2013. The Coliseum hosted Led Zeppelin’s last North American concert.

Owner: John J. Fisher and Lewis Wolff bought the A’s in 2005. President of Baseball Operations Billy Beane is famous for his moneyball/sabermetric approach to baseball. While they ever made a movie about it, it just keep the A’s tradition of doing anything to win on the cheap.

Manager: Bob Melvin, 2x Manager of the year finished his 7th season managing the A’s

Top Current Players: Khris Davis, Ryon Healy, and Sean Manaea

Hall of Famers: In Philadelphia, Frank “Home Run” Baker, Chief Bender, Connie Mack, Eddie Plank, Al Simmons, Rube Waddell, Jimmie Foxx
In Oakland, Dennis Eckersley, Rollie Fingers, Rickey Henderson, Reggie Jackson,

Up Next: The Minnesota Vikings
 
Re: 122 Franchises Ranked Bottom to Top:

CommAvHusky said:
47. Oakland Athletics
Hall of Famers: ... Reggie Jackson
Click to expand...


Interesting to see that name here...can one infer that the Hall of Fame player can be listed with more than one team? He didn't get the nickname "Mr. October" from playing in Oakland, that's for sure. :)
 
Re: 122 Franchises Ranked Bottom to Top:

PS it's been a fun read so far, I like your format. You've obviously put quite a bit of time, thought, and research into this. Thanks!
 
Re: 122 Franchises Ranked Bottom to Top:

FreshFish said:
Interesting to see that name here...can one infer that the Hall of Fame player can be listed with more than one team? He didn't get the nickname "Mr. October" from playing in Oakland, that's for sure. :)
Click to expand...

Reggie is officially in Cooperstown as a Yankee. However, he played long enough in Oakland to deserve mention.
 
CommAvHusky said:
Reggie is officially in Cooperstown as a Yankee. However, he played long enough in Oakland to deserve mention.
Click to expand...

He only played twice as long for the A's, won more World Series for the franchise, and played in more All-star games for the A's...yeah, definitely worth a mention. Jackson is one of a few different players who have the wrong hat on in Cooperstown.
 
Re: 122 Franchises Ranked Bottom to Top:

Fighting Sioux 23 said:
He only played twice as long for the A's, won more World Series for the franchise, and played in more All-star games for the A's...yeah, definitely worth a mention. Jackson is one of a few different players who have the wrong hat on in Cooperstown.
Click to expand...

Interesting situation, Jackson played with the A's before free agency was a thing. Yes, he won 3 titles but his greatest playoff moment came in Game 6 of the '77 WS with the Yankees. I'll include Jackson when the Yankees are posted but it should be noted that Jackson made major contributions to Oakland.
 
Re: 122 Franchises Ranked Bottom to Top:

Fighting Sioux 23 said:
He only played twice as long for the A's, won more World Series for the franchise, and played in more All-star games for the A's...yeah, definitely worth a mention. Jackson is one of a few different players who have the wrong hat on in Cooperstown.
Click to expand...

Jackson is an Oakland Athletic. He just happened to work on George's plantation later in his career.

But most importantly, Steve Chilcott did not have an inter-racial girlfriend.
 
Re: 122 Franchises Ranked Bottom to Top:

CommAvHusky said:
Reggie is officially in Cooperstown as a Yankee. However, he played long enough in Oakland to deserve mention.
Click to expand...

Totally agree on that part, hence the question of whether he could appear under more than one team. It seems reasonable to me that he could be listed twice....especially as you are in charge here!

While Roger Clemens may not ever make the Hall of Fame, based purely on his playing career (setting aside PED concerns) he also could be listed with more than one team.

Same with Randy Johnson, on both Mariners and Diamondbacks, or Ken Griffey Jr, on Mariners and Reds, and several others who performed at an elite level for a long period of time.
 
Last edited:
Re: 122 Franchises Ranked Bottom to Top:

It has always been my understanding that while the player can choose, the BBHOF has the final call. IIRC, Greg Maddux chose to go with no logo because he couldn't decide between the Braves and Cubs.
 
Re: 122 Franchises Ranked Bottom to Top:

46. Los Angeles Rams

(a.k.a. St. Louis Rams, Cleveland Rams)
Why? No team gets out of Dodge faster than the Rams, as they have relocated THREE TIMES, including two moves to Los Angeles.

The Good. Two NFL Championships 1945 in Cleveland and 1951 in Los Angeles. One Super Bowl in St. Louis and 3 NFC Championships. The one Super Bowl win came after 4-12 season and their starting quarterback tore his knee in the preseason. First Pro team to relocate to the West Coast.

The Bad. 48 year championship drought. Los Angeles had an 11 season playoff drought 1956-66, all but one season in the 1990’s. Just broke a 12 season playoff drought this year.

The Ugly. How do you leave Los Angeles in the first place?!? In 1980, Georgia Frontiere assumed control of the Rams after her husband Carole Rosenbloom died. The Rams that year moved from the 102,000 to Anaheim Stadium. The Rams moved mainly so that their games would not be blacked out at the smaller stadium. In the 1980’s the Rams got less attention in the Los Angeles area as the Raiders moved into the same stadium the Rams vacated. On top of that fans would flock to Lakers and Dodgers games. When Wayne Gretzky arrived to play for the Kings, the Rams in the early 1990’s had the same relevance as the Clippers. Frontiere blamed an outdated stadium and fan support, and wanted to move to St. Louis. This move was blocked by the NFL owners, Frontiere threatened a lawsuit. It was decided to let the Rams move and avoid litigation.

Where they play. Los Angeles Coliseum, this is the Rams temporary home until their new stadium gets built. The Coliseum hosted the 1932 and 1984 Olympics and will host in 2028. Still the home stadium of USC Football. For now, the oldest NFL Stadium built in 1921.

Owner: Stan Kroenke, a real estate mogul who married into the Walmart family. Was a minority owner when the Rams moved from Los Angele to St. Louis. Became majority owner in 2010 and moved the Rams back to Los Angeles after the 2015 season. Currently building a new stadium that will house the Rams and the Chargers.

Coach: Sean McVay, at 30 was hired as the youngest head coach in the NFL. After one season took the Rams from 4-12 to a division winning 11-5.

Top Current Players: Todd Gurley, Jared Goff, and Aaron Donald

Hall of Famers: Orlando Pace, Kevin Greene, Eric Dickerson, Marshall Faulk, Tom Fears, Elroy “Crazy Legs” Hirsch, Deacon Jones, Merlin Olsen, Jackie Slater, Norm Van Brocklin, Kurt Warner, Bob Waterfield, Jack Youngblood.

Up Next: The Minnesota Vikings
 
Re: 122 Franchises Ranked Bottom to Top:

CommAvHusky said:
It has always been my understanding that while the player can choose, the BBHOF has the final call. IIRC, Greg Maddux chose to go with no logo because he couldn't decide between the Braves and Cubs.
Click to expand...

BBHOF having a say I believe started when Wade Boggs signed a contract to finish out his career with Tampa Bay. The contract dictated that Boggs goes into the HHOF with a Tampa Bay cap. This, of course, riled up many as Boggs would only play one (?) season with Tampa winding down his career when he made his name of course mainly with Boston and then with the Yankees where he won a World Series.

So, the BBHOF stepped in to stop this sort of absurdity.
 
Re: 122 Franchises Ranked Bottom to Top:

45. New York Rangers

Why? Through thick and thin, New York Ranger fans will always insist on four quarters of hockey from their team.

The Good. Won the majority of their Stanley Cups before America got involved in World War II.

The Bad. 1 Stanley Cup in the last 77 seasons.

The Ugly. Fans still blame Denis Potvin for their incompetence. Why Potvin? When in reality its was the Rangers own fault.
In 1979, Potvin and Nilsson were locked into one of the better hockey rivalries as the glamorous urban Rangers were trying to hold off the emerging expansion team from the Long Island boondocks.
Potvin was the hard-hitting young defenseman with the Islanders, and Nilsson was the smooth center for the Rangers, one of those so-called “chicken Swedes” who were too mature and too skillful to be intimidated. Hard hits were part of the game.
“With about 1:20 left in the period, Rangers fans saw a sight to enrage them, when Potvin splattered Nilsson against the boards in the left corner,” Lawrie Mifflin, now an editor at The New York Times, wrote in The Daily News that night.
When Nilsson’s right skate caught in a crevice in the ice, the leg took the full weight of Potvin’s hit.
“He was always fair,” Nilsson added. “But the ice was never great in the Garden because they had basketball and other events. My foot got caught. It was a freak thing. The Ranger fans were so frustrated.”


Where they play. Madison Square Garden, already covered when discussing the Knicks. Before renovations in the mid-1990’s the top tier of the Garden had blue seats. So the cheapest and dumbest of Ranger fans were known as “blue seaters”, Blue-seaters always continue their traditions throwing their own feces and masterbating to portraits of longtime announcer Sam Rosen.

Owner: James Dolan, “Guitar Jimmy” is more hands off on the Rangers. Team President Glen Sather, is more known as the coach of the Edmonton Oilers during their dynasty in the 1980’s. In the early 1990’s Sather traded most of his aging talent to the Rangers to help for their Cup run in 1994. In return, Sather got a job for life with the Rangers.

Coach: Alain Vigneault, who replaced John Tortarella who replaced Alain Vigneault as coach in Vancouver.

Top Current Players: Henrik Lundqvist, future Queen of Sweden, Mats Suckarello, and Michael Grabher.

Hall of Famers: Andy Bathgate, Frank Boucher, Neil Coville, Bun Cook, Art Coulter, Phil Esposito, Eddie Giacomin, Harry Howell, Ching Johnson, Edgar Laprade, Brian Leetch, Mark Messier, Brad Park, Jean Ratelle, Chuck Rayner, and Gump Worsley

Up Next: The Minnesota Vikings
 
Re: 122 Franchises Ranked Bottom to Top:

Beat your wife, Potvin
Beat your wife!!!

Beat your wife , Potvin
Beat your wife!!!
 
Re: 122 Franchises Ranked Bottom to Top:

CommAvHusky said:
45. New York Rangers

Why? Through thick and thin, New York Ranger fans will always insist on four quarters of hockey from their team.

The Good. Won the majority of their Stanley Cups before America got involved in World War II.

The Bad. 1 Stanley Cup in the last 77 seasons.

The Ugly. Fans still blame Denis Potvin for their incompetence. Why Potvin? When in reality its was the Rangers own fault.
In 1979, Potvin and Nilsson were locked into one of the better hockey rivalries as the glamorous urban Rangers were trying to hold off the emerging expansion team from the Long Island boondocks.
Potvin was the hard-hitting young defenseman with the Islanders, and Nilsson was the smooth center for the Rangers, one of those so-called “chicken Swedes” who were too mature and too skillful to be intimidated. Hard hits were part of the game.
“With about 1:20 left in the period, Rangers fans saw a sight to enrage them, when Potvin splattered Nilsson against the boards in the left corner,” Lawrie Mifflin, now an editor at The New York Times, wrote in The Daily News that night.
When Nilsson’s right skate caught in a crevice in the ice, the leg took the full weight of Potvin’s hit.
“He was always fair,” Nilsson added. “But the ice was never great in the Garden because they had basketball and other events. My foot got caught. It was a freak thing. The Ranger fans were so frustrated.”


Where they play. Madison Square Garden, already covered when discussing the Knicks. Before renovations in the mid-1990’s the top tier of the Garden had blue seats. So the cheapest and dumbest of Ranger fans were known as “blue seaters”, Blue-seaters always continue their traditions throwing their own feces and masterbating to portraits of longtime announcer Sam Rosen.

Owner: James Dolan, “Guitar Jimmy” is more hands off on the Rangers. Team President Glen Sather, is more known as the coach of the Edmonton Oilers during their dynasty in the 1980’s. In the early 1990’s Sather traded most of his aging talent to the Rangers to help for their Cup run in 1994. In return, Sather got a job for life with the Rangers.

Coach: Alain Vigneault, who replaced John Tortarella who replaced Alain Vigneault as coach in Vancouver.

Top Current Players: Henrik Lundqvist, future Queen of Sweden, Mats Suckarello, and Michael Grabher.

Hall of Famers: Andy Bathgate, Frank Boucher, Neil Coville, Bun Cook, Art Coulter, Phil Esposito, Eddie Giacomin, Harry Howell, Ching Johnson, Edgar Laprade, Brian Leetch, Mark Messier, Brad Park, Jean Ratelle, Chuck Rayner, and Gump Worsley

Up Next: The Minnesota Vikings
Click to expand...
The Ugly Pt II.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ef1YVXM9IU
 
Re: 122 Franchises Ranked Bottom to Top:

CommAvHusky said:
45. New York Rangers

Why? Through thick and thin, New York Ranger fans will always insist on four quarters of hockey from their team.

The Good. Won the majority of their Stanley Cups before America got involved in World War II.

The Bad. 1 Stanley Cup in the last 77 seasons.

The Ugly. Fans still blame Denis Potvin for their incompetence. Why Potvin? When in reality its was the Rangers own fault.
In 1979, Potvin and Nilsson were locked into one of the better hockey rivalries as the glamorous urban Rangers were trying to hold off the emerging expansion team from the Long Island boondocks.
Potvin was the hard-hitting young defenseman with the Islanders, and Nilsson was the smooth center for the Rangers, one of those so-called “chicken Swedes” who were too mature and too skillful to be intimidated. Hard hits were part of the game.
“With about 1:20 left in the period, Rangers fans saw a sight to enrage them, when Potvin splattered Nilsson against the boards in the left corner,” Lawrie Mifflin, now an editor at The New York Times, wrote in The Daily News that night.
When Nilsson’s right skate caught in a crevice in the ice, the leg took the full weight of Potvin’s hit.
“He was always fair,” Nilsson added. “But the ice was never great in the Garden because they had basketball and other events. My foot got caught. It was a freak thing. The Ranger fans were so frustrated.”


Where they play. Madison Square Garden, already covered when discussing the Knicks. Before renovations in the mid-1990’s the top tier of the Garden had blue seats. So the cheapest and dumbest of Ranger fans were known as “blue seaters”, Blue-seaters always continue their traditions throwing their own feces and masterbating to portraits of longtime announcer Sam Rosen.

Owner: James Dolan, “Guitar Jimmy” is more hands off on the Rangers. Team President Glen Sather, is more known as the coach of the Edmonton Oilers during their dynasty in the 1980’s. In the early 1990’s Sather traded most of his aging talent to the Rangers to help for their Cup run in 1994. In return, Sather got a job for life with the Rangers.

Coach: Alain Vigneault, who replaced John Tortarella who replaced Alain Vigneault as coach in Vancouver.

Top Current Players: Henrik Lundqvist, future Queen of Sweden, Mats Suckarello, and Michael Grabher.

Hall of Famers: Andy Bathgate, Frank Boucher, Neil Coville, Bun Cook, Art Coulter, Phil Esposito, Eddie Giacomin, Harry Howell, Ching Johnson, Edgar Laprade, Brian Leetch, Mark Messier, Brad Park, Jean Ratelle, Chuck Rayner, and Gump Worsley

Up Next: The Minnesota Vikings
Click to expand...

Vancouver should have won.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top