The Houston Sporting Scene: Fans Should Be Fed Up With the Mediocrity

I'm fed up.

All three of Houston's major sports teams—the Astros, Rockets and Texans—are at the bottom of their divisions.

Houston is the fourth largest city in the United States. We should be able to field winning franchises. Yet it seems like 50 years since we've sniffed greatness in any of our sports.

On top of that, the Rockets' championship seasons in the mid '90s are mostly due to Michael Jordan leaving the game in his prime to explore baseball.

How many championships do the larger cities each have since 1995?

I'll start with New York, the largest city in America. Since 1995, New York has seen its teams play in nine championships, winning six. The latest win came with the Yankees in 2009.

The Bronx Bombers make up the majority of New York's success, but the New York Giants shocked the world in 2008's Super Bowl against the New England Patriots. The other appearance came in 2000, when New York's baseball teams faced each other in the "Subway Series." New York is synonymous with winning.

Los Angeles, meanwhile, is home to two of the most storied franchises in all of sports, the Dodgers and the Lakers. While the Dodgers have been a sore subject of late, one can hardly say that about the Lakers.

Since 1995, the Lakers have appeared in seven NBA Finals, winning five of them. Don't count Kobe out for more championships in the near future, either. LA's other baseball team, the Angels, played in and won the 2002 World Series. Finally, the Anaheim Ducks have played in two NHL Stanley Cup Finals, winning the 'ship in 2006. That brings LA's championship count to seven since 1995. Touché, LA, touché.

This brings us to Chicago. Chicago is the only other city larger than our great city of Houston. Chicago's sporting teams have played in six championships, winning five of them since 1995.

The dominant Bulls played in three chamionships (winning all), the Astros played in the World Series in 2005, the Blackhawks won the Cup last year, and the Bears (led by future Texan Rex Grossman) played in the Super Bowl in 2007. 

And, as I stated before, we must thank a certain Bulls guard for sitting out two seasons in the prime of his career. The Rockets brought home the championships those two seasons; otherwise the Bulls would probably have won eight straight.

(On a side note, the White Sox championship was one of the lowest sporting moments of my life; I almost cried). 

Let's move on to historic Boston.

Boston's sports teams have been dominant in the 2000s. Since the Rockets swept the Magic, Boston's teams have played in nine championships, winning six of them. Five of these appearances have been by the New England Patriots, who have won three championships.

The Red Sox, supposedly cursed, rose to the occasion, playing in and winning two 'ships in 2004 and 2008. So much for that curse. And finally, the original NBA ''super-power,'' the Celtics, have played in two NBA Finals, winning one in 2008.

Honorable Mentions: Detroit, five championships (Red Wings 4, Pistons 1) and Miami, three (Heat 1, Marlins 2)

I apologize if reading that makes you depressed, Houston fans. But it should.

I would go as far as to say that our city has begun to accept mediocrity.

Do you even remember how much joy the Rockets brought to our city? Do you remember how the skyscrapers lit up with championship messages? How about in 2005, when the buildings donned the Astros' star proudly? We held our heads high during these great moments. It's time for that feeling to return.

The Texans bring us the most hope. However, they took a major step back in 2010 with a couple heartbreaking (some would say idiotic) losses that turned them into the laughing stock of the NFL.

With a few tweaks, the Texans have a shot to make the playoffs in a weakened South Division.

Our city needs that feeling again.

After all, wasn't it one of OUR coaches who said, "Don't ever underestimate the heart of a champion?"

Well, we're not, but I'm sure getting close.