The Most Dominant Under-the-Radar Sports Teams of the Last Decade

It's funny. If you watch any amount of ESPN or any other sports outlet, you will begin to think that there are only a few teams in existence. 

The media goes to great lengths to ballyhoo the teams with star power. All we are ever treated to are the Yankees, Red Sox, Lakers and Cowboys. But there are a great wealth of fantastic teams that rarely get any publication. 

Here are the best teams in the past decade no one is talking about.  

15. Los Angeles Galaxy

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CARSON, CA - NOVEMBER 13: Captain Landon Donovan #10 of the Los Angeles Galaxy hoists the MLS Western Conference Trophy in front of his teammates after the Galaxy won their MLS Western Conference Championship match against the Houston Dynamo 2-0 at The H

There is indeed soccer being played professionally in the United States. Arguably the best team in the MLS the past decade has been the Galaxy. 

They have done a fine job bookending the decade with successful seasons. The latter part has seen them rise to an All-Star caliber club that touts the services of Landon Donovan, David Beckham and Edson Buddle. 

MLS Cup: 2002, 2005

MLS Supporter's Shield: 2002, 2010

MLS Western Conference

• Winners (Regular Season): 2001, 2002, 2009, 2010
• Winners (Playoffs): 2001, 2002, 2005, 2009

14. San Diego Chargers

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SAN DIEGO, CA - JANUARY 3: Fullback Mike Tolbert #35 and running back Michael Bennett #29 of the San Diego Chargers celebrate Tolbert's game-winning touchdown catch for the Chargers 23-20 win over the Washington Redskins during their NFL Game on January

The Chargers are a good news, bad news sort of team. Every season in the 2000s you had the feeling they could go all the way. They did well for the majority of the decade, but always had to play catch up after slow starts to the season. 

This season epitomized the Chargers lot in life. They dominated all of football. They boasted the best stats in both offense and defense yet still failed to make the postseason. That is what lackluster dominance looks like. 

Division Winners:  2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009

Playoff Appearances: 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009

13. Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves may not tout a great deal of hardware or trophies for the decade. But they are still one of the most dominant teams. Every MLB fan knows that come September, the Braves would either be winners of their division or, at the very least, in the hunt. 

It seems almost out of place when the Braves fail to make the postseason. That feeling felt by all baseball fans illustrates what kind of performance we have come to expect from this team. 

AL Pennants: 2002

Division Titles: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005

Wild Card Berth: 2010

12. Michigan State Men's Basketball

Anytime March Madness nears, you can be sure to hear about Duke and North Carolina ad nauseum. But Michigan State has been a consistent force in the greatest tournament on earth. 

Every season, they can be expected to make a legitimate run into the finals. 

NCAA Champs: 2000

NCAA Runner-up: 2009

Final Four: 2000, 2001, 2005, 2009, 2010

Elite Eight: 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2010

Sweet 16: 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010

11. Los Angeles Angels

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ANAHEIM, CA - SEPTEMBER 10: Bobby Abreu #53 of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim celebrates his game winning homerun with his teammates for a 4-3 win over the Seattle Mariners during the 14th inning at Angel Stadium on September 10, 2010 in Anaheim, Cali

The Angels got the monkey off their back in 2002 by winning a dramatic World Series. Although they have failed to duplicate that feat, they remain a perennial American League power. 

Their success has come as a callback to earlier iterations of baseball. The Angels like to hit, bunt, steal and play defense. It is a formula that has served them well these past 10 seasons. 

World Series Titles: 2002

AL Pennants: 2002

Division Titles: 2004, 2005, 2009, 2008

Wild Card Berth: 2002

10. Boston Celtics

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BOSTON - MAY 28: Head coach Doc Rivers of the Boston Celtics celebrates after the Celtics won 96-84 against the Orlando Magic in Game Six of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2010 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden on May 28, 2010 in Boston, Massachusetts.

This past decade was largely ruled by two teams, the Lakers and the Spurs. If there is one other team that made their mark it is the Boston Celtics. 

They completely transformed the NBA landscape by forming a team around three All-Stars. Now it seems like the en vogue thing to do. Before Kevin Garnett's injury this season, the Celtics were by far the best in the East. 

Championships: 2008

Conference Titles: 2008, 2010

Division Title: 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010

9. LSU Football

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

BATON ROUGE, LA - NOVEMBER 20: Mike the Tiger and the cheerleaders of the Louisiana State University Tigers cheer before facing the Ole Miss Rebels at Tiger Stadium on November 20, 2010 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

It seems all we heard throughout the 2000s was USC. If you were like me and lived in Los Angeles during that magnificent run, you would have thought the Trojans invented the game. Well, the fact is other teams had two national titles in the past decade. 

That includes the LSU Tigers. They could very well be one of the best college football teams of the decade, but all we ever want to talk about is the Trojans. 

National Titles: 2003, 2007

Bowl Games Since 2000: 11

Record Since 2000: 109-33

8. Indianapolis Colts

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OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 26: Peyton Manning #18 of the Indianapolis Colts looks on against the Oakland Raiders during an NFL game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on December 26, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

The Colts barely made it into the playoffs this season. It is their ninth consecutive season in the playoffs. In a sport's world where teams come and go from prominence, the Colts have figured out how to be consistent. 

It is truly a special treat for Colts fans to know that their team will most assuredly be represented in January. There are not many teams that can say the same. 

Super Bowl Champions: 2006

AFC Champions: 2006, 2009

Division Winners: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010

Playoff Appearances: 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

7. Philadelphia Phillies

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PHILADELPHIA - OCTOBER 06: Roy Halladay #34 of the Philadelphia Phillies is mobbed by teammates after pitching a no-hitter and the win in Game 1 of the NLDS against the Cincinnati Reds at Citizens Bank Park on October 6, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvani

The Phillies have not received too much credit because their success has largely been at the tail end of the decade. 

But there is no doubt that they have been one of the best National League teams in the past five years. They consistently tout a lineup that could best any of a number of American League teams, with or without a designated hitter. 

World Series Titles: 2008

NL Pennants: 2008, 2009

Division Titles: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

The 2010s look to be the Phillies decade to lose. They now have a dominant rotation to go along with their sluggers. 

6. Washington Capitals

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

PITTSBURGH, PA - JANUARY 01: The Washington Capitals celebrate their 3-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins during the 2011 NHL Bridgestone Winter Classic at Heinz Field on January 1, 2011 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Imag

The Washington Capitals are a team that complete kills it during the regular season. They are consistently a thorn in the sides of all NHL teams during the regular season. 

The sad part for Capitals fans is that this team is not built for the playoffs. They have flamed out in every season in which they have gone to the playoffs recently. It seems Alex Ovechkin is good, just not good enough to get the job done. 

President's Trophy: 2009-10

Division Championships: 2000–01, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10

5. Chelsea F.C.

Clive Mason/Getty Images

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 09: John Terry of Chelsea celebrates with wife Toni and his children as they win the title after the Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and Wigan Athletic at Stamford Bridge on May 9, 2010 in London, England. Chelsea won

When it comes to world football. Chelsea FC sometimes get lost in the mix. Manchester United is by far the most popular team in England. You can then make a case for Liverpool and Arsenal having more cache to their name. 

Then you venture outside of Britain and find that Barcelona and Real Madrid are even bigger draws. But the listed accolades show that Chelsea has been a force in all forms of soccer for the past decade. 

Awards

• First Division/Premier League^[70]
  • Winners: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10
  • Runners-up: 2003–04, 2006–07, 2007–08

• FA Cup
  • Winners: 2008–09, 2009–10
  • Runners-up: 2001–02

• Football League Cup
  • Winners: 2006–07
  • Runners-up: 2007–08

• FA Charity Shield/FA Community Shield^[71]
  • Winners: 2000, 2005, 2009
  • Runners-up: 2006, 2007, 2010

• UEFA Champions League
  • Runners-up: 2007–08

• UEFA Super Cup
  • Winners: 1998

4. Pittsburgh Penguins

Jamie Sabau/Getty Images

PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 20: Arron Asham #45 of the Pittsburgh Penguins congratulates goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury #29 of the Pittsburgh Penguins after a 6-1 win over the Phoenix Coyotes as Kris Letang #58 of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Sidney Crosby #8

The NHL is either blessed or cursed with a great amount of parity. It seems that every season there are two new teams pitted against each other in the Stanley Cup. 

The Penguins have had the honor of being the most successful team in the second half of the aughts. They have been to the Cup twice, winning the big prize in 2009. It also helps that they have arguably the best player in hockey right now in Sidney Crosby. 

Stanley Cup: 2008-2009

Conference Championships: 2007-2008, 2008-2009

Division Championships: 2007-2008

3. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers have always been regarded as a great defensive team. But their overall prowess suffers from the constant touting of the New England Patriots. 

The fact is that the Patriots have three Super Bowls and started the decade off strongly. But you cannot dismiss that the Steelers are the second most dominant NFL in the past few years. 

Super Bowl Champions: 2005, 2008

AFC Champions: 2005, 2008

Division Winners: 2001, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2010

They will once again try and get to a rematch with the Patriots and prove they are the better team in this year's playoffs. 

2. St. Louis Cardinals

Maybe it's because they reside in the middle of the country. Maybe it's because they cannot compete with the glitz and glamour of the bigger cities. Either way, the St. Louis Cardinals of the past decade have been phenomenal. 

It is at the very least comforting to know that they have a strong fan base that gives them their due respect. 

World Series Titles: 2006

NL Pennants: 2004, 2006

Division Titles: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009

Wild Card Berths: 2001

As you can see, there was literally no competition for the Cardinals out of the Central division. They also happen to boast the best player in baseball, Albert Pujols. 

1. San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs are a boring team. At least that is what many fans and pundits try and sell us every year. The fact is that they are a consistent team. They are a team that plays the right way. They also happen to be a team without many issues. 

A team like that does not undergo the soap opera drama that teams like the Lakers do. That hurts them in the eyes of media coverage. 

Championships: 2003, 2005, 2007

Conference Titles: 2003, 2005, 2007

Division Title: 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009

No team was more dominant than the Spurs in the 2000s other than the Lakers. That needs to be shouted in the sports world a little more often.