Miami Heat and the 10 Most Over-Hyped Teams of the 2000s
Seventy-two wins.
That's how high the hype has been since LeBron James and Chris Bosh took their talents to South Beach to join up with Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat.
Only one team in NBA history has won 72 games, and that was the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls who went on to beat the Seattle Supersonics in the NBA Finals.
The 2010-11 Miami Heat have been one of the most hyped teams in the history of all sports, especially the 2000s.
In order for the Heat to win 72 games, they would have to go 63-6 in their final 69 games after starting the season 7-4.
I think it is safe to say that the Heat won't win 72 games any time in the near future.
But the Miami Heat hype got me thinking, what other teams have been over-hyped in the 2000s?
For the purpose of this slideshow I am only looking at teams in the NFL, NBA and MLB in the 2000s because there are entirely too many teams in history and in college sports that could make this list.
Also, feel free to add your own teams in the comments section because I guarantee there are teams out there that I might have missed in route to making this list.
10. 2008 Cleveland Indians
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You may wonder why I chose a picture of C.C. Sabathia in a Yankees uniform to represent the Indians slide, let me explain.
The 2008 Cleveland Indians were the most hyped team going into that season.
They shocked Major League Baseball by advancing to the American League Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox in 2007.
They were one game away from going to the World Series in which they would have probably beaten the Colorado Rockies.
Because of their shocking performance and the return of every key player from that roster, the Indians were the trendy pick to go to the World Series in 2008 and win it all.
Instead, as Clevelanders know too well, things didn't really go as planned.
The team finished 81-81 and in third place in the AL Central.
And to make matters worse, the poor performance of the team in the first half of the season led to the trade of C.C. Sabathia, the face of the franchise.
The 2008 season was supposed to be the beginning of something beautiful in Cleveland, the return of the 1990s glory days.
Instead the Indians have lost 90 games or more in two consecutive seasons, and have become the laughing-stock of Major League Baseball.
Ouch.
9. 2006 San Diego Chargers
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Poor Marty Schottenheimer.
How does someone go 14-2 in the regular season and get fired?
When your team is hyped to win it all and then blows a lead in the divisional round of the playoffs, that's how.
The 2006 Chargers were coming off a 9-7 season in 2005, and returning an outstanding defense led by rookie of the year Shawn Merrimen.
Not to mention they had one of the leagues most potent offensive trios in Philip Rivers, Antonio Gates and LaDainian Tomlinson.
The regular season Chargers did not disappoint the hype.
They only lost two games, both by 3 points and only scored under 20 points in a game once in the entire season.
This team was built for the long-run and supposed to win the Super Bowl that season.
Enter the New England Patriots.
The Bill Belichick led team stepped in and did what nobody had done during the regular season.
Beat the Chargers in San Diego.
After the season was over, the Chargers fired the coach who led them to 14 wins.
Too much hype?
I think so.
8. 2009 Philadelphia Eagles
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Pictures can speak a thousand words when it comes to remembering old seasons.
Donovan McNabb in a Redskins uniform can tell you exactly how previous seasons went for the Philadelphia Eagles.
None more disappointing than the 2009 season for the Eagles.
After surprising the NFL and making it to the NFC Championship game after a 9-6-1 season in 2008, the 2009 version was supposed to be MUCH better.
The team added play-maker Jeremy Maclin in the draft, and the offensive attack was supposed to be more potent than ever.
The regular season was up and down for the team, with expectations around 12-14 wins, the Eagles ended with an 11-5 record and a wild card playoff birth.
But hey, the 9-6-1 team from a year ago made it, so why shouldn't this team?
Instead they lost their opening round playoff game to its division rival: The Dallas Cowboys.
Two years later, McNabb is no longer an Eagle and Michael Vick is electrifying the league every time he steps on the field.
Funny how things work out.
7. 2008 Cleveland Browns
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Colt McCoy may be the new poster boy quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, but if history is any indication of the future: his tenure may not last long in Cleveland.
Nobody knows that better than Derek Anderson and the 2008 Cleveland Browns team.
This was supposed to be the year the Browns and the city of Cleveland broke through!
In 2007 the Browns were one of the most potent offenses in the NFL, shocking the world with the likes of Derek Anderson, Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow's record setting seasons.
The Browns finished at 10-6 and were the trendy pick to win the AFC North and be in store for a long playoff run in 2008.
I mean, when you return Pro Bowl players at your skill positions, it normally is a lock.
But Cleveland is, well Cleveland.
And not only did the whole Derek Anderson project not pan out (see Anderson, Derek of the Arizona Cardinals), but the Browns didn't even come close to their projections.
The 2008 Browns finished the season 4-12 and saw their head coach and front office dismissed at the end of the season.
6. 2007 New England Patriots
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Alright, so I had a tough time with this one.
When you go 16-0 in the regular season you are supposed to win the Super Bowl.
Which means that when you lose in the Super Bowl to the underdog New York Giants, you should probably be known as a pretty over-hyped team.
But let me explain.
This team went 16-0!
Nobody in the world expected the team, before the season, to run the table on the regular season and go undefeated.
Which is why I couldn't do it the Patriots.
I couldn't put them any higher because of how well the team did perform.
They just couldn't get it done thanks to the desperation throw and catch by the Giants.
Sorry fans, I know you will argue with me over this.
5. 2010 Dallas Cowboys
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Alright, so really the Dallas Cowboys of every season could be put in this spot.
But in this case, the 2010 team is really special.
In case you didn't know by now, that super-stadium in Dallas is playing host to the Super Bowl this season.
And Jerry Jones' Boys were supposed to be leading the NFC in that game.
Yes, a home Super Bowl game has been the trendy pick all off-season for this 2010 Cowboys team.
Instead, thanks to injuries and poor play on the field, the Cowboys are currently 2-7.
Wade Phillips has finally been fired, and the Cowboys look more like a team bound for rebuilding than a Championship caliber one.
I can't wait to see what the offseason brings for this team.
4. 2006-07 Dallas Mavericks
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Sixty-seven wins in the regular season.
No. 1 seed in the playoffs.
This team was supposed to win it all.
They had the depth, the stars, everything it takes to win an NBA Championship.
And then they ran into the energizer bunny that wouldn't quit.
The No. 8 seed Golden State Warriors.
We all remember the crowds, the spectacle, and the 4-2 win by the Warriors, knocking out one of the most hyped teams in NBA playoff history.
There was no way the Mavericks were supposed to get run off the court by the speedy, shoot first Warriors.
But that's exactly what happened, and the Mavericks haven't been the same ever since.
Maybe they can find their way back to the NBA Finals this season.
Maybe...
3. 2008-10 Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James
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His talents are now in South Beach.
His former team is rebuilding under new coach Byron Scott.
But who can forget the choke job that LeBron James and the Cavaliers put up in those two seasons?
They were supposed to be the new dynasty in the east, winning over 60 games in two consecutive seasons.
LeBron James was the savior, the man who was finally going to bring a championship to the city of Cleveland.
Witness this, Chosen One that, it was Cleveland's turn.
But the LeBron and company just didn't have enough.
The 2008-09 season saw their dominate season come to an end in the Eastern Conference Finals against Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic.
Cleveland got destroyed by Howard in the post, and the Cavaliers found themselves watching the Magic lose to the Lakers in the NBA Finals.
The 2009-10 season was supposed to be different.
The Cavaliers addressed their problems with the Magic by adding Shaq to handle Dwight Howard in the post.
Many people in Cleveland were opposed to adding Shaq to the mix, but what LeBron wanted...LeBron got.
The regular season was much of the same.
Sixty wins, dominating performances, etc.
But LeBron and the Cavaliers forgot that in order to face the Magic, you still have to beat the Celtics.
And that's exactly what they couldn't do in the second round.
We all know about LeBron's performance being called into question, so I won't get into that.
These Cavaliers were supposed to win it all, LeBron was supposed to stay.
That worked out real well.
2. 2003-04 Los Angeles Lakers
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Kobe Bryant...check.
Shaquille O'Neal...check.
Gary Payton...check.
Karl Malone...check.
This team wasn't supposed to lose to anyone.
I mean, how do you have a starting line-up that features four guys who will be in the Hall of Fame together one day and not win an NBA Championship?
But that's exactly what these Lakers did, and it wasn't even close.
The fab four got smoked in the NBA Finals by the anti-Lakers.
The team ball and no stars of the Detroit Pistons.
The Lakers did win 56 games in the regular season, and looked pretty good early on.
But the team concept of the Pistons was too much for the Lakers to handle, and so the super-team of that season did not win.
I'm sure that season bothers Kobe, but his last two NBA Finals trophies probably make up for the loss.
1. 2004 New York Yankees
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I mean really, did you expect any other team at the top of this list?
When a team wins 90 games in the regular season and dominates the league, they are supposed to win the World Series.
When a team wins 101 games in the regular season and is winning the American League Championship series 3-0 after a 19-8 spanking: it should be over.
But the hype got to the Yankees.
And the Cinderella Red Sox did what NOBODY in history had ever done.
Come back from a 3-0 deficit in a seven game series.
We all know what happened from there.
The Red Sox went on to break the curse of the Great Bambino and win the World Series.
And the 2004 New York Yankees and their 3-0 lead were the goats that let them get there.
Since then the Yankees have rebounded and won the World Series.
But nothing will sting more than knowing they allowed their rivals to become rejuvenated and a force in baseball again.
