The Four Most Dismal Teams in Professional Sports

Parity is a huge part of sports, it allows every team to believe they have a fighting chance to make their respective playoffs. Unfortunately there are just some teams who go on long stretches of very porous performance, and stink up the respective fields they are playing on.

You could even go as far to say that their are even cities who are cursed by bad sports luck (Seattle, anyone?). Here are my top three most dismal teams that lower the standards of the NBA, NFL, and MLB further then needed.

The Detroit Lions

They hold the honor for being the first 0-16 team in the history of the NFL. They have also finished a season 1-15, winning the last game. They lost all 24 road games in the 2001, 2002, 2003 seasons, thus becoming the first team to ever do that.

Right now, they have lost 23/24 games dating back to the 2007 season. They have not made the playoffs since 1999, and have never been to a Super Bowl.

I could not possibly imagine losing 16 games in a row (I'm sure its happened in the NBA, MLB, etc.) when they're spaced a week apart. It's just plainly unacceptable.

During the 2008 season they blew a 21-point lead over the Minnesota Vikings that would have at least kept them from attaining their infamy.

If you're a professional athlete, all of whom have a lot of pride, you should be able to line up, and compete with the guy across from you.

Detroit became the way they were largely because of Matt Millen, who made some of the dumbest football decisions I have ever seen.

They appear to be headed in the right direction with some of the purges, and additions made to the roster, including Veteran DT Grady Jackson, Pro Bowl LB Julian Peterson (via trade w/Seahawks), CB Phillip Buchanon, RB Maurice Morris, and WR Bryant Johnson. Maybe except for JP, these are modest additions, but for a rebuilding team these are the players you start to build a team around

Luckily, Detroit is also home of the Pistons, who have been to the Eastern Conference Finals for the last five years. The Red Wings, who have 17 straight playoff appearances, and won the Stanley Cup in the 2007-2008 season. And the Tigers, who went to the World Series in 2006.

The Los Angeles Clippers

I had to study for a fairly significant exam, and did not have time to add these guys in, sorry guys

The Clippers have one postseason appearence in the last 10 years, in that span they have 313-557 record in that span, and have one winning record in the last 17 seasons.  Even the Detroit Lions have fared better then these guys in recent years, (at least they win a game though)

They have let some of their key players walk over recent years for nothing: PF Elton Brand, SG Cory Maggette, PG Andre Miller, C Michael Olowokandi, SF Lamar Odom, among others

The Clippers are a team frequently devastated by injuries, although that alone is not the reason for their recent abysmal history. In the 2001-2002 season, they tallied a combined 293 men lost due to injury in the 82 game season, that averages out to 3.5 players out of each game.

The Clippers appear to be gearing for the future, aqcuiring 10 new players before this season. Some of the key additions include: PG Baron Davis, C MArcus Camby (via trade from Denver), G Ricky Davis, and G Jason Williams, a terrific three point shooter.

The New York Yankees

This will generate some discussion, I put them here because they become the first team with a $200 million+ payroll to miss the postseason... ever. I don't think there's even a team with a payroll that high. In my opinion if you spend upwards on $250 million on your team you should be in the postseason every year, no questions asked.

Even with injuries that does not matter to me because one player on your team, Alex Rodriguez, made more money then the entire Tampa Bay Rays, or Florida Marlins teams did, both have been to the World Series recently, The Rays in 2008, and the Marlins won it all in 2003, more recently then the Yankees have gotten a title.

With that kind of money spent, you should have enough depth to make the playoffs.

(The Yankees spent a combined $425 million on free agents SP CC Sabanthia, SP AJ Burnett, and 1B Mark Teixeira

The Seattle Mariners

The Mariners had suffered for too long under since fired GM Bill Bavasi. He was the orchestrator of some of the worst sports decisions I have ever seen. (much like Millen) They have one winning record since 2003, and have not made the playoffs since their historic 116-win season in 2001. They recently became the first team ever to lose 100 games with a $100 million+ payroll.

Under Bavasi, the Mariners practically gave away players to other teams. Here is a list of the notable trades:

SP Freddy Garcia to the Chicago White Sox for: CF Jeremy Reed, C Miguel Olivo, SS Mike Morse

Only Morse remains with the team, Garcia was in his prime and helped pitch the Sox to a title, none of the players acquired started regularly

SS Carlos Guillen To the Detroit Tigers for C Ramon Santiago

Guillen became a fixture in the Tigers starting lineup and helped them to a World Series appearance, Santiago has remained in the minors ever since.

RP Rafael Soriano to the Atlanta Braves for SP Horacio Ramirez

Soriano was one of the top lefty set-up men in the league, still is. Ramirez was oft-injured and lasted one season posting an ERA of over 7 in his one season with the Mariners.

SP Jamie Moyer To the Philadelphia Phillies for INF Tug Hullet.

Jamie Moyer helped the Phillies win the the World Series in 2008, Hulet has never cracked the MLB roster for the Mariners and was recently released by the club

2B Asdrubal Cabrera to the Cleveland Indians for 1B Eduardo Perez

Cabrera is the starting 2B for the Indians, Perez is out of baseball and played sparingly in his short Mariner tenure

Randy Winn to the San Fransisco Giants for Jesse Foppert and Yorvit Torrealba

Winn has been a starter for the Giants ever since the trade. Foppert has never cracked the roster, Torrealba left after one year and got a 3 year $10 million from the Colorado Rockies

CF Adam Jones, RP George Sherill, SP Chris Tillman, RP Tony Butler, and RP Cam Mikolio to the Baltimore Orioles for SP Erik Bedard

This trade was horrible in every aspect of the word. Sherrill's an All-Star reliever, who got 4 consecutive saves against the Mariners to open the season.

Jones is their starting CF who many project to be a perennial All-Star. Tillman and Butler were the two top pitching prospects in the farm system. Cam is projected to be a starting MR for his career.

Bedard went 6-4 in an injury plagued season, refuses to go over 100 pitches, and does not talk to the media, or the fans, and has been a cancer to the locker room

That's not even all of the trades, don't even get me started on the Free Agent busts...