10 Sports Franchises That Need a Reboot
Reboot is a relatively new word, even if its meaning isn't.
Before computers became "personal" and practical enough to be both useful and small enough to fit on—and around—a desk, reboot could have easily been interpreted as the act of pulling one's boots back onto their feet.
Today, with our PCs, smartphones, tablets and any number of devices that are just computers by a different name, rebooting is a fact of life and applies to more than just a laptop or cable box.
The idea that something broken can be fixed merely by restarting it seems too simple, too low-tech. Yet, rebooting is so often the magic pixie dust that makes the wrong, right again.
So, it didn't take long for the word and concept to be applied to anything that could benefit from a metaphorical "reboot."
And, you can add sports franchises to the list of the reboot-worthy.
In sports, success and failure are not commodities distributed by need. Across the major pro leagues, many franchises have their share of ups and downs, while a few seem to have way more ups or downs.
Like a computer, some struggling sports franchises obviously can't be helped by a reboot; they reboot over and over, but the problems are way too complex and numerous. Others just need a season of renewal, a fresh start.
These are 10 sports franchises that need a reboot.
Oakland Raiders
1 of 10
Since the 1992-93 season, the Oakland Raiders have been a franchise running on the fumes of NFL history and three playoff appearances orchestrated by former coaches Jon Gruden and Bill Callahan.
Late owner and legendary NFL icon/innovator Al Davis was the Raiders, and the Raiders were Al Davis—before his death in 2011. The problem is that what was once considered an asset and a celebrated part of the team's identity seemed to tether the team to a past with little resemblance to the future.
The intimidating Silver and Black of John Madden, Jack Tatum, Bo Jackson and Charles Woodson eventually transformed into the dysfunctional mess of Lane Kiffin, JaMarcus Russell and Rolando McClain.
And since his passing, the franchise appears to still be operating as a tribute to Al Davis as his son Mark continues the recent history of staff turnover and questionable, costly personnel decisions.
The Raiders have the history, insanely devoted fans, league parity, and legacy of Al Davis to propel a resurrection of the storied franchise, but someone has to be willing to press CTRL + ALT + Delete.
Los Angeles Lakers
2 of 10
The Los Angeles Lakers don't deserve our sympathy. Far from it. The franchise's story is one of an embarrassment of riches: 16 championships, dating back to when the team was known as the Minneapolis Lakers, and a list of all-time great players—including Kareem Abdul-Jabaar, Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant.
But rebooting the Lakers is not a case of a franchise recovering from a catastrophic system failure, it's about making the necessary changes to position the team for the future as one wildly successful era comes to a close.
With Kobe Bryant, the Lakers dominated much of the first decade of the 21st century—winning five NBA championships and making the playoffs all but one season (2004-05). However, Kobe Bryant's health, contract and domineering presence—paired with curious and costly free agent moves (made worse by injuries)—threatens the team's long-time status as a flagship NBA franchise.
Philadelphia Phillies
3 of 10
Has a penultimate moment for a franchise ever seemed buried deeper in history than the Philadelphia Phillies' World Series win in 2008?
When the champagne corks were flying and the team celebrated it's World Series victory over the Tampa Bay Rays—only the franchise's second ever—the club seemed poised to be a factor moving forward. With a talented roster, including slugger Ryan Howard and a pitching staff featuring Brad Lidge and Series MVP Cole Hamels, the future seemed bright.
But the franchise finds itself amid a three-year playoff drought despite having the distinction of being the fourth-highest spender in MLB.
The nucleus of talent that made the 2008 season seem like the start of great things has largely underachieved, and player acquisitions like pitchers Roy Halladay, Jonathan Papelbon, Cliff Lee and A.J. Burnett produced nearly the same result as setting fire to a mountain of cash.
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Atlanta Falcons
4 of 10
Oh my. Where did it go all wrong for the Atlanta Falcons? Just two years ago, the Falcons were considered one of the top NFC teams. And before any games were played, potentially the class of the conference.
Under former coach Dan Reeves, the Falcons transformed from NFC bottom-dweller to Super Bowl contender over the second half of the 1990s. And after drafting the electric, undeniably talented Michael Vick in 1998, the Falcons seemed determined to prevent a slide back into the basement.
After the post-Vick reboot, new head coach Mike Smith was paired with new franchise quarterback Matt Ryan, and the team quickly rebounded—reaching the playoffs in 2010, 2011 and 2012.
But, since then, the wheels have fallen off. And after going 4-12 a year ago, the Falcons are off to a 2-6 start in 2014. With Matt Ryan under center and talented play-makers like Roddy White and Julio Jones still in their primes, the team seems only a reboot away from fixing many of its problems.
Milwaukee Bucks
5 of 10
The Milwaukee Bucks certainly haven't been the worst NBA franchise over the team's history. In fact, the Bucks have qualified for the postseason in seven of the last 14 years—something that on its surface portends a successful franchise.
Scratch past the surface, however, and a different story emerges. The Bucks failed to finish the season above .500 in three of the years they made the playoffs, and with issues surrounding the construction of a new arena, no one would be surprised if the team relocated.
Whether the reboot is a new arena or a new city, the Bucks are one of the least-exciting franchises in the NBA. And after only winning 15 games last season, the trajectory is not good.
Edmonton Oilers
6 of 10
The Edmonton Oilers suffer from one of the most confounding—and rare—problems a sports franchise can face: moving past the legacy of one of the greatest talents to ever play the sport.
For nearly two decades, the Chicago Bulls struggled to find their place after Michael Jordan's retirement and still haven't approached a fraction of the success from the Jordan Era. Until head coach John Harbaugh turned the San Francisco 49ers fortunes around (perhaps tenuously) the franchise was mediocre at best after Joe Montana and heir Steve Young retired.
For the Oilers, the trade of Wayne Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings created a wound from which the franchise has never fully healed.
Since falling to the Carolina Hurricanes in seven games in 2006 Stanley Cup Finals, the Oilers have failed to qualify for the postseason—a drought lasting eight years.
With some of the most passionate fans in hockey and one of the most exciting venues, the Oilers have the hardware and could certainly turns around if they rebooted and restored their franchise to mindset before the huge 'error' that was losing Wayne Gretzky.
Chicago Bears
7 of 10
For an entire generation of football fans, the 1985-86 Chicago Bears will forever be emblazoned in our memory; defining, in part, why we love the game.
Head coach Mike Ditka's team, led by Buddy Ryan's historically dominant defense, featured a collection of talent and personalities that few franchises will ever come close to duplicating in terms of sheer entertainment value.
The Bears' beatdown of the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX, highlighted by William "Refrigerator" Perry's amazing touchdown celebration, was an iconic moment that seemed to usher in the modern NFL era.
Since then, the team has slowly faded. Churning through mediocre season after mediocre season...and head coaches—a trend briefly bucked under former coach Lovie Smith, but ultimately his teams underachieved, too. Fueling this trend seems to be the same persistent problem of inconsistent, mistake-prone quarterback play.
The addition of cannon-armed Jay Cutler from the Denver Broncos in 2009 was supposed to be the missing piece—a kind of reboot. But, so far, injuries and ineffectiveness have neutralized the Cutler trade.
The 2014-15 season was one, like the last several seasons, of high expectations. And after week seven, the results already disappointing. And the same familiar questions about Cutler have emerged.
The Bears need to reboot the quarterback position and the franchise's inability to find an answer.
Arizona Diamondbacks
8 of 10
The Arizona Diamondbacks have failed to qualify for the postseason for three years in a row and—like most teams—are still looking for a game-changer like the great, mustached Randy Johnson who helped lead the team to a World Series victory in 2001.
When the club announced the hiring of Tony La Russa as their new Chief Baseball Officer in May, it was clear that the franchise intended to turn itself around.
La Russa has wasted little time with his own version of a reboot, firing manager Kirk Gibson in September.
Florida Panthers
9 of 10
History has shown that the NHL is a place where existing franchises can quickly turnaround their fortunes and new ones can find success in a relatively short amount of time.
The league's structure and rules governing trades and free-agent acquisitions give ambitious owners and GMs ample opportunity to remake rosters and develop new talent. And the Florida Panthers are a perfect example of what happens when a franchise doesn't find the right formula.
The Panthers entered the 1993-94 season as an expansion team, and with the exception of the high-water mark of losing to the Colorado Avalanche (a team built from the ashes of the Quebec Nordiques) in the 1996 Stanley Cup Final, the Panthers have three postseason appearances to show for it.
Meanwhile, their fellow 1993-94 expansion team, Anaheim Mighty Ducks, have a Stanley Cup and have been a regular playoff fixture with 10 appearances.
The Panthers are a hockey team best known for having fans who throw plastic rats on the ice and fans who aren't selling out the arena.
But it doesn't have to be this way, especially given the recent success of teams like the Minnesota Wild and Nashville Predators.
New York Jets
10 of 10
For much of the modern NFL era, the New York Jets were a bad team with a suffering, but lovably masochistic fan base.
Following the 1968 upset of the Colts in Super Bowl III—when Joe Namath "called his shot"—the Jets were a pinnacle of mediocrity interrupted by rare moments of success. Bad drafts, bad coaches, bad luck—these things were an accepted reality for Jets staff, players and fans.
Then in 1997, Bill Parcells was brought in to turn things around, and his mere presence completely transformed the perception of the team. In just his second season, Parcells' Jets went 12-4 before falling to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Denver Broncos.
And though the Jets have had many traditionally Jet-like moments—the Bill Belichick resignation press conference, Herm Edwards' poor clock management and...Brett Favre—the franchise has proven itself capable of being a contender.
Current coach Rex Ryan's early success has devolved into the depressing holding pattern the Jets are known for, but this team is not far removed from nearly winning the AFC—a feat that may have happened with a true franchise quarterback.
A new coaching staff that can build off of Ryan's solid defense—hurt by the loss of key personnel to injury—and a capable quarterback under center could be the reboot the franchise needs.
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