Miami Heat and the 25 Worst Underachievers of All Time

The Miami Heat already deserve a spot among the 25 worst underachievers all time. We know this because we went ahead and made the list.

Indeed, as much as we love winners, and even losers to a certain extent, I don't think any of us sports fans can truly abide those who don't win as much as they should.

This list is a tribute to the 25 teams and people who did that better than anyone.

25. 2010-2011 Miami Heat

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MIAMI - SEPTEMBER 27: (L-R) LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh of the Miami Heat pose for photos during media day at the Bank United Center on September 27, 2010 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Marc Serota/Getty Images)

Had you going, didn't I?

But let's be fair, it's too early to tell with this team. That's why they're at the bottom.

In any case, it was supposed to be LeBron's Kingdom, Wade's House, and Bosh's Pit.

So far, it's been a train wreck.

The Heat are just 5-4 nine games into a season in which they were supposed to win as many as 70 games. They're already underachieving in a big way, and the Big Three just don't look like they know how to play with each other.

24. Dan O'Brien and Dave Johnson

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16 May 1992: Dan O''Brien (L) and Dave Johnson (R) converse during the Modesto Relays in Modesto, California. Mandatory Credit: Tim DeFrisco /Allsport

Decathletes Dan and Dave were a pretty big deal back in 1992, and were the subject of a much-publicized advertising campaign by Reebok leading up the 1992 Summer Olympics.

These two were supposed to be the next big thing, and were going to be the main reason to watch. The commercials started during Super Bowl XXVI, and each of them stressed the same message:

"Who will be the world's greatest athlete – Dan or Dave? To be settled in Barcelona."

There was just one problem: Dan O'Brien failed to qualify.

Reebok modified the commercials to feature Dan cheering Dave on.

Facepalm.

23. 2006 San Diego Chargers

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SAN DIEGO - DECEMBER 31: Running back LaDainian Tomlinson #21 of the San Diego Chargers carries the ball against the Arizona Cardinals on December 31, 2006 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The Chargers won 27-20 to insure home field advanta

If I may speak freely, I thought that the 2006 San Diego Chargers were the best football team I had ever seen at the time.

Indeed, they finished the season 14-2, they had the best offense in the game, and were seventh in scoring defense. They sent an NFL-best 11 players to the Pro Bowl, including the great LaDainian Tomlinson.

Tomlinson rushed for more than 1,800 yards that season, and scored an NFL-record 31 touchdowns.

They also had Philip Rivers and Antonio Gates doing work for them.

But they lost at home to the Patriots in their first playoff game. It was something of a letdown for a lot of people.

22. 1999-2006 Oakland A's

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FREMONT, CA - NOVEMBER 14: Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane during a press conference announcing the building of a new ballpark in Fremont, California, on land owned by Cisco Systems, at their headquarters on November 14, 2006 in San Jose, C

The A's were the darlings of the baseball landscape in the early part of the millennium, as Billy Beane and his funky new ideas were responsible for launching a revolution that changed the way every franchise is run.

Beane himself was the subject of one of the best baseball books in years in Michael Lewis' Moneyball, which is now being made into a film starring Brad Pitt.

You would think that, somewhere along the line, there would have been some legitimate success in there. But in eight seasons between 1999 and 2006, the A's never even made it to the World Series, and lost in the ALDS in four straight years from 2000-2003.

21. 2003-2004 Los Angeles Lakers

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AUBURN HILLS, MI - JUNE 15: Kobe Bryant #8 of the Los Angeles Lakers is helped up off the floor by teammate Shaquille O'Neal #34 (R) and a referee (L) after being fouled by the Detroit Pistons in the forth quarter of game five of the 2004 NBA Finals on J

When the Lakers went out and added Karl Malone and Gary Payton to a team that already had Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal and Derek Fisher, the general consensus was that they were going to be a juggernaut.

Well, they weren't a juggernaut exactly. They finished third in the Western Conference. But they did make it the the NBA Finals, and were heavy favorites over the upstart Detroit Pistons.

They lost in five games, and it was the unofficial end of the Lakers dynasty of the early 2000s.

20. Mike Tyson

When Tyson rose to power in the late 80s, he was the baddest motherlover the boxing world had seen since Muhammad Ali. He was the youngest man ever to hold a heavyweight title, and other boxers were actually afraid to face him.

But then he got knocked out by Buster Douglas in 1990 to lose his heavyweight title. Not too long after that came his first defeat to Evander Holyfield, and had his license revoked for a year after he tried to bite Holyfield's ear off in their rematch.

Most recently, he's turned to acting. You might have seen him in a little-known movie called The Hangover.

19. Andy Roddick

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PARIS - NOVEMBER 12: Andy Roddick of USA during his quarter-final defeat against Robin Soderling of Sweden during Day Six of the ATP Masters Series Paris at the Palais Omnisports on November 12, 2010 in Paris, France. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Ima

The man with the fastest serve in tennis was supposed to be the next great American tennis player after Pete Sampras.

While Roddick has had his success here and there, he just has never lived up to the billing, especially not after winning the 2003 US Open early in his career.

Although I have to admit, watching that ridiculous match with Roger Federer in the 2009 Wimbledon final was pretty awesome.

18. 2001 Seattle Mariners

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BRONX, NY - OCTOBER 22: Leftfielder Ichiro Suzuki #51 of the Seattle Mariners looks on from his position against the New York Yankees during game five of the American League Championship Series on October 22, 2001 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, New York

The Mariners won 116 games in 2001, setting an American League record and tying the Major League record set by the 1906 Cubs. Ichiro was the MVP and the Rookie of the Year, and easily became an international superstar.

Nevertheless, they just never seemed like they were actually all that good. They ended up losing to the Yankees in five game in the ALCS.

17. 1954 Cleveland Indians

The 1954 Cleveland Indians won a then-American League record 111 games, finishing eight games ahead of the New York Yankees and their 103 wins.

They had players like Al Rosen, Larry Doby, Early Wynn and Bob Lemon, and they were heavily favored going into the World Series against the New York Giants.

The Giants swept them in four games, one of which involved a little thing called "The Catch" from a player named Willie Mays.

16. Tiger Woods 2009-2010

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MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 12: Tiger Woods of the USA looks dejected after missing a putt during day two of the Australian Masters at The Victoria Golf Club on November 12, 2010 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Following an injury and some personal issues that you might have heard about, Tiger made a comeback from an eight-month layoff in 2009 in what was called "one of the most anticipated returns in sports" by the Associated Press.

He hasn't won a Major since, and no longer occupies golf's No. 1 ranking.

Maybe he needed more time.

15. Dan Marino

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4 Nov 1990: Quarterback Dan Marino of the Miami Dolphins looks to pass the ball during a game against the Arizona Cardinals at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. The Dolphins won the game, 23-3. Mandatory Credit: Scott Halleran /Allsport

The Dolphins drafted Marino in the first round of the 1983 NFL draft, and he would go on to play until 1999 with the team. He was the game's best quarterback during his career, setting numerous records in the process.

He played in two Super Bowls within the first couple years of his career, but failed to win either won of them. After losing the second in 1984, he never went again.

14. Kyle Petty

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MARTINSVILLE, VA - MARCH 28: Kyle Petty, driver of the #45 Marathon American Spirit Motor Oil Dodge, stands on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Goody's Cool Orange 500 at Martinsville Speedway on March 28, 2008 in Martinsville,

This list wouldn't be complete without at least one NASCAR driver, and I think Kyle Petty does the trick.

Kyle Petty competed in 829 races in his 30-year career. And how many did he win.

Eight.

Eight freakin' races in 30 years. And among those 829 races, he finished in the top 10 just 173 times.

By comparison, his father Richard Petty won an even 200 races in just about 1,200 career races. That's a slightly better percentage. In fact, it's a record.

Like father, not like son, I guess.

13. Patrick Ewing

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1990-1991: Center Patrick Ewing of the New York Knicks goes up for two during a game against the Golden State Warriors at the Oakland Coliseum Arena in Oakland, California. Mandatory Credit: Otto Greule Jr. /Allsport

The Knicks selected Patrick Ewing with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1985 NBA draft, hoping that the Georgetown star would lead them to a championship or two down the road.

Ewing's career lasted until 2002, and he was one of the game's biggest stars in that time period. But he never won a championship, and only went to two NBA Finals.

12. John Daly

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ST ANDREWS, SCOTLAND - JULY 15: John Daly of the USA on the 15th hole during the first round of the 139th Open Championship on the Old Course, St Andrews on July 15, 2010 in St Andrews, Scotland. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

John Daly sure can drive the ball far, no doubt about that.

He just can't really do anything else, and he's perhaps more famous for being a drunken mess and pisses off everyone who wants him to take his craft seriously.

Add it all up, and you have a guy who has just 19 wins in his 13-year career, and one who hasn't won a Major since 1995.

11. 1988 Oakland A's

Man, I'm picking on the A's, aren't I. Their fault for deserving it, I guess.

The A's won 104 games in 1988. They had sluggers like Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco knocking the ball out of the ballpark, and they had Dennis Eckersley slamming the door in the ninth.

They were heavy favorites heading into the World Series against the Dodgers. But then came Kirk Gibson's miracle home run, and the A's were swept in four straight.

Talk about a bummer.

10. 1988-1996 Los Angeles Kings

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INGLEWOOD, CA - 1990: Wayne Gretzky #99 of the Los Angeles Kings skates during a game in 1990 at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California. Wayne Gretzky played for the Kings from 1988 - 1996. (Photo by Mike Powell/Getty Images)

The story goes that Wayne Gretzky heard he was going to be traded just a few hours after he and the Edmonton Oilers had won the Stanley Cup in 1988.

Well, he was, to the Los Angeles Kings, ending his Edmonton career that saw him win eight consecutive MVP awards and four Stanley Cups.

He and the Kings never won a single Stanley Cup, and Gretzky himself would win just one more MVP.

9. Atlanta Braves Under Bobby Cox

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ATLANTA - OCTOBER 11: Manager Bobby Cox #6 of the Atlanta Braves waves to the crowd after the Braves were defeated by the San Francisco Giants 3-2 during Game Four of the NLDS of the 2010 MLB Playoffs on October 11, 2010 at Turner Field in Atlanta, Geor

Bobby was a great manager, and we'll miss him dearly now that he's gone from the game. But his career isn't as great as people make it out to be.

Bobby Cox's second stint with the Braves last from 1990 all the way to the end of the 2010 season. He guided his teams to the playoffs in 15 of those seasons, including 14 straight division titles in his first 15 seasons at the helm (take away the 1994 strike season).

Yet the Braves won only five pennants and one World Series. In other words, they disappointed more than they achieved.

8. Washington Capitals 1982-1996

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Undated: Two linesmen break up a fight inside the net during a game between the Los Angeles Kings and the Washington Capitals. Mandatory Credit: Rick Stewart /Allsport

The Washington Capitals made the playoffs every season from 1982 to 1996, and didn't win a single Stanley Cup.

In fact, they didn't even get to play for one in all that time.

Need I say more?

7. Michigan Football In The 1970s

The Michigan Wolverines were regulars in major bowl games under Bo Schembechler in the 1970s, playing in five Rose Bowls and one Orange Bowl.

Yeah, they were regulars alright. They just weren't winners. They didn't win a single Bowl game between 1970 and 1979.

So where exactly did "Those Who Stay Will Be Champions" come from again?

6. The Fab Five

The Fab Five were a core group of freshman that was called "the greatest class ever recruited."

They were freshman phenoms Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson. And they were the biggest thing college basketball had seen in years.

The Fab Five took Michigan to the title game twice in a row in 1992-1993, and they lost both times. The first loss was to Duke in 1992, and the loss to North Carolina in 1993 is perhaps most well-known for Webber's infamous timeout call.

After they left the school, the program was punished for a scandal that involved money laundering and illegal gambling.

Well done.

5. Every English National Team Since 1966

Here in America, we tend to think of the English as a land that is chock-full of soccer super studs who get together every four years and are major players in the World Cup.

Well, while I suppose that this is not too far from how they fancy themselves, the fact is that it's just not true.

The English have just one World Cup win to their credit, and their best finish since 1966 was a fourth-place finish in 1990.

4. Notre Dame Football 1993-Present

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24 NOV 2001: Notre Dame head coach Bob Davie watches his team in the first half against Stanford at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto, California. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Scott Halleran/ALLSPORT

Behind Lou Holtz, the Irish won the Sugar Bowl in 1992.

That was their last major Bowl win.

Since then, the Irish have gone through Bob Davie, Tyrone Willingham, and Charlie Weis. And Brian Kelly is already in hot water in his first season.

Nowadays, Notre Dame is known more as a beacon of hopelessness as they are for being one of the most decorated college football program in history.

3. Germany In 1936 Berlin Olympics

The "master race" was supposed to dominate the 1936 Berlin Olympics according to Adolf Hitler.

While the Germans did indeed win more medals than any country that year, 89 to be exact, the games are instead remembered for the dominance of Jesse Owens, who won four gold medals.

To use a phrase that I coined myself: the rest is history.

2. 1990-1993 Buffalo Bills

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13 SEP 1994: BUFFALO BILLS QUARTERBACK JIM KELLY ON THE SIDELINES DURING THE BILLS 34-31 WIN OVER THE SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS AT CANDLESTICK PARK IN SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA. Mandatory Credit: Otto Greule/ALLSPORT

The Bills went 49-15 in four seasons between 1990 and 1993, and went to the Super Bowl each year.

They lost in all four of those Super Bowl appearances.

Epic fail.

1. 1980 USSR Hockey Team

The 1980 USSR hockey team was supposed to be the dominant force in the 1980 Winter Olympics. The Soviet team had won gold every year since 1964, and had outscored American teams 28-7 since being upset in 1960.

They got beat in the medal-round by an American squad that had only had one previous Olympic ice hockey participant and a bunch of college kids on it.

So congratulations, 1980 USSR hockey team! At least you're No. 1 at something.