The Most Underappreciated Sports Teams Right Now
We all know about teams like the Seattle Seahawks, New England Patriots, Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Yankees. But you know what? There are plenty of other teams who don't nearly get as much love from the media.
This is for those guys, because they've proven that, thanks to some solid play, they, too, should be mentioned as serious title contenders.
Sure, they may not have loads of superstars making up the roster or, in some cases, play in a big market, but they're every bit as capable of winning a championship. So here's to you, underappreciated teams, I see you.
Toronto Raptors
1 of 10
Winning no fewer than 48 games in either of the past two NBA seasons, the Toronto Raptors have put themselves in position to take a major step forward in 2015-16—and, trust me, it's not because of celebrity fan Drake.
The guy who can take a lot of the credit is point guard Kyle Lowry, who has become a blossoming star in the league thanks to his All-Star campaign last season.
Although the Raptors lost the league's Sixth Man of the Year, Lou Williams, in free agency, they still have a young nucleus who should continue to grow alongside each other, as DeMar DeRozan joins Lowry to make a duo that's more than capable of reaching the postseason and competing.
Buffalo Bills
2 of 10
I'm not one of those types that freaks out and reads into one game, so the inclusion of the Buffalo Bills on this list is more than just because of their impressive victory over the Indianapolis Colts to begin the 2015 NFL season.
In fact, it has a lot to do what the team did in 2014, when they finished 9-7 and, quietly, built one of the most lethal defensive lines in the league.
Anchored by defensive tackle Marcell Dareus and defensive end Mario Williams, the Bills positioned themselves as an up-and-coming team prior to this season beginning.
With the hiring of head coach Rex Ryan this offseason, though, they have made the statement that they're ready to end the longest current postseason-less streak in the NFL, relying on Ryan's leadership and experience to get them there.
Making a bold move to start Tyrod Taylor at quarterback and acquiring a playmaker in running back LeSean McCoy in the offseason, the Bills should be exciting this year while proving that they aren't the same old team fans have grown to know.
Houston Astros
3 of 10
To be honest, what the Houston Astros have been doing all season long is nothing short of spectacular given their low payroll, young players and, maybe more importantly, the expectations that those two other things carried before the season even started.
With 77 wins and challenging for a spot in the playoffs, the 'Stros have become eerily similar to last year's Kansas City Royals, who proved that a team doesn't need to spend hundreds of millions of bucks to compete for a World Series.
There's still a lot of season left to be played, so the fate of Houston is still up in the air, but with a mix of youngsters with experienced vets like Scott Kazmir and Carlos Gomez—who were both picked up at the trade deadline—the team has nothing to lose as it heads into the stretch run.
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Kansas City Chiefs
4 of 10
The Kansas City Chiefs have been doubted ever since they acquired former No. 1 overall pick Alex Smith to play quarterback, as many, including myself, believe the guy is limited in what he can do.
Shame on me, or anyone else, for doubting him, though.
While Smith has yet to lead the Chiefs further than the "just" a wild-card berth—which he did in his first season with the team in 2013—the franchise continues to build a solid roster around him that should give him plenty of opportunities to succeed.
A beast of a running back in Jamaal Charles helps, as do a go-to wideout in Jeremy Maclin and a rising star at tight end in Travis Kelce. And then, of course, there's the defense, which is as stout as any in the entire league.
With the knowledge and past success that head coach Andy Reid has had, the Chiefs are just as worthy to be considered Super Bowl contenders as anyone—they just don't get the attention that other teams seem to.
Michigan State Spartans Football
5 of 10
You know, as much as the Michigan State Spartans men's hoops team has failed to get as much credit as it probably deserves, the football team has been even worse.
Well, it's about time to take notice of Sparty.
And after the team recently defeated last year's national runners-up, the Oregon Ducks, in a prime-time game at home, the country might just start doing it, too.
Since head coach Mark Dantonio took over in East Lansing, Michigan State has averaged an impressive nine wins in his eight full seasons, has made a bowl game each year and culminated it all with the program's Rose Bowl victory to cap the 2013 season.
With a recruiting class that's currently ranked as the fifth-best in the nation for 2016 by Scout.com and a recent history of success, the Spartans should be considered a serious threat to win the national title this season—and that's something some may have doubted just a few weeks ago.
Atlanta Hawks
6 of 10
Look, the Atlanta Hawks had a historic season in 2014-15, taking the Eastern Conference by storm and winning 60 regular-season games.
Unfortunately, they got bounced by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals, ending a near-storybook campaign before they could have a shot at the NBA Finals.
Still, as disappointing and abruptly as the year ended for the Hawks, they have still become one of the most consistent teams in the NBA. In fact, other than the San Antonio Spurs, Atlanta has reached the playoffs in now eight straight years.
That might be a bit surprising to hear.
While the team might not have a true superstar or, presumably, be capable of duplicating last year's success, that doesn't mean that the Hawks haven't been very, very good. Some fans may just not have been aware until recently.
Anaheim Ducks
7 of 10
The Anaheim Ducks don't have the flashy city name like Los Angeles in front of it, but that doesn't mean that they aren't, arguably, just as good.
No, the Ducks don't have the two Stanley Cup titles in the past four years that the in-state rival Los Angeles Kings do, but they continue to put together a team that annually competes for championships, recently finishing the 2014-15 season tied for the most points in the Western Conference.
With playoff appearances in eight of the past 10 seasons—which includes a title in 2006-07—and coming off of a trip to the Western Conference Finals this past year, the Ducks are often overlooked for a team in a bigger market.
The stats speak for themselves, though, so they shouldn't be.
New York Mets
8 of 10
When looking at the current National League standings in MLB, you might be surprised to find the New York Mets sitting at 83-61, riding an eight-game winning streak and just 10 games away from clinching the NL East.
That's definitely not something many predicted prior to the 2015 season starting, as the Mets were looked at as a second-tier team that was lacking offense and the star power of in-city rival New York Yankees.
With the acquisition of outfielder Yoenis Cespedes, though—who is actually being debated as a league MVP candidate in his short time in New York—the entire vibe with the Metropolitans has changed, igniting a spark that has them thinking about a deep postseason run.
It's just too bad they aren't yet getting their due—and they play in the Big Apple, where everything gets too much attention. Unless you're the Mets, I guess.
Memphis Grizzlies
9 of 10
Remember all of the rumors before the 2014-15 season surrounding Memphis Grizzlies big man Marc Gasol and the "certainty" that he would be leaving the small-market squad for a bigger city? Yeah, the Spaniard wasted little time to squash those once free agency began this offseason, didn't he?
A lot of that has to do with the fact that Gasol knows how good he has it in Memphis, where he has All-Star teammates like Zach Randolph and Mike Conley Jr. playing alongside him to give the team a legit shot at winning an NBA title.
Sure, the Grizz play in the deeper and more difficult Western Conference, which makes their path to the NBA Finals a tough one, but in the past five years, they've averaged 49 victories during the regular season and have made the postseason each season, advancing to at least the second round three times.
Don't forget, either, one of those seasons included a 41-win campaign during the shortened NBA season in 2011-12, too.
It has been long overdue for Memphis to get some credit for that type of success.
Kansas City Royals
10 of 10
The Kansas City Royals may be getting more attention thanks to the seasons that they've put together these past two years, but they still aren't considered to be the favorites to come out of the American League again like they were in 2014.
With bigger names and bigger payrolls on other teams—namely the Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees and Texas Rangers—the Royals continue to be the little brother who doesn't get to speak much.
As unfortunate as that sounds, K.C. doesn't seem to mind it much, as it just continues marching along and winning games, leading the AL Central by nine games and carrying the majors' second-best record.
Who knows what the Royals' fate will wind up being, but as reigning AL champs with even more firepower this year, they should be considered extremely dangerous once playoff baseball starts.
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