The 10 Most Overrated Teams in the History of Professional Sports

There are those teams out there that get all the hype, yet fail to capitalize when it's their time to shine.

Overrated teams are a fun topic to discuss because every sports fan has an argument about what is considered "overrated."

Without further adieu, I present to you my list of the 10 most overrated franchises in the history of professional sports.

10. Washington Capitals

The Capitals first entered the NHL in 1974, a year in which they finished 8-67-5. Granted it was their inaugural season, but they have done nothing since. They've won the Southeast Division the last four years running, and with Russian phenom Alexander Ovechkin leading the way in D.C., the Capitals have been set up to bring home championships.

Yet they have failed to do so every year since 1974. They entered the postseason as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference the last two years and have yet to escape the second round. Their only Stanley Cup Finals appearance came in 1998 when they lost to the Detroit Red Wings.

Blame it on Ovi if you'd like, but the Capitals are all bark and no bite.

9. San Diego Chargers

So much hype has surrounded the Chargers the last five years it's almost sickening.

It's the same story every season. They start out slow, then make a run for it towards the end of the season. But what have they shown for it?

They've been in the league for over 50 years now and have one single AFL Championship from 1963 to put on their resume.

They've only reached the Super Bowl once, and that was a thrashing to the San Francisco 49ers in 1995. Philip Rivers is supposed to be their savior, yet he's been shaky and whiny when it's come down to crunch time.

With A.J. Smith calling the shots in the "6-1-9," and talks of relocation underway, I'm sure it will be a while until the Bolts capture that championship glory they've been desperately waiting for.

8. San Jose Sharks

Now I would've put the Sharks higher on this list, but they don't have enough history for me to do so.

The Sharks have only been in existence since 1991, and did not have success early. But since 2003, when Ron Wilson was the man behind the bench, the Sharks have been one of the most elite teams in the NHL. Every season they put up astounding numbers, including a regular season point total of 117 points in 2009.

But much like the Washington Capitals, the Sharks have failed to bring any form of success to the postseason. They have yet to make a Stanley Cup Final despite all of their regular season success, and this past season was no different.

They thought that getting rid of Ron Wilson and bringing in Todd McLellan would be the resolution to sub-par postseason hockey in the bay area. But once again, they were wrong.

7. New York Knicks

Every team that plays in New York City knows it's under an insurmountable amount of pressure to win.

The Knicks were founded in 1946, and have only won two NBA Championships during that 65-year span. The "golden era" of Knick basketball during the early 1970's faded almost as fast as it came.

The Knicks succumbed to mediocrity after legendary coach William "Red" Holzman retired after the 1981-1982 season. Patrick Ewing was looked upon as a savior to New York basketball, but it was to no avail. Ewing could not bring home a championship during his playing career, and the Knicks have gone 38 years and counting since their last taste of championship glory.

Now the Amare Stoudemire-Carmelo Anthony era has begun in the Big Apple, and only time will tell if they can bring an NBA title back to New York City. One thing is for sure: Spike Lee, as well as the rest of New York, can't wait forever for another title.

6. Chicago White Sox

Now, seven pennants and three World Series titles may not be considered "overrated" to some, but when you've been in existence since 1894, these numbers should be beefed up just a bit.

The White Sox finally broke their World Series drought in 2005, their first since 1917.

The "Great War" was still taking place the last time these guys won their second World Series. They have the fifth-highest payroll in all of Major League Baseball, yet they are currently third in their own division.

Although Chicago is not as demanding of a market as New York, it does not excuse the White Sox for playing as mediocre as they have been since 2005.

Whether it be the "Comiskey Curse" or the "Eight Men Out" scandal of 1919,  the White Sox have been underachievers for far too long.

5. Boston Red Sox

Now how could I put the Red Sox on this list? They've won two World Series titles in seven years. They've captured 12 American League pennants, and have featured players like Ted Williams, Babe Ruth, Carl Yastrzemski and Manny Ramirez.

Though all these stats are true, let's not forget one thing: It took this team 86 years to win another World Series. Sure, the magnitude of their victory was felt throughout the country, but when a team is in the top- three in payroll every season, moments like this shouldn't be cherished every 86 years.

Much like the White Sox, the Red Sox disappointed for quite some time, and it took nearly an entire century for them to capture another championship.

In a business where money buys championships, it is no secret the Red Sox have underachieved during their tenure in Major League Baseball. Sure, they're winning now, but that does not diminish the amount of failure of past decades.

4. New York Mets

Since their entrance into Major League Baseball in 1962, the Mets have always played "little brother" to the evil empire that is the New York Yankees.

They have the league's seventh-highest payroll at $120 million, yet they haven't made the playoffs since their monumental collapse of 2007, the year they blew a 7.5 game lead with 17 games remaining to the Philadelphia Phillies.

Since then, the Mets have been an absolute mess. And being caught in the crossfire of the New York media does not help them at all. Though they receive hype before every season begins, the Mets only have two World Series to their name, one of which was a gift from Bill Buckner.

In a league where money buys championships, the Mets have underachieved like most teams with a high payroll.

Sure, they're not the Yankees, but they have the capability to make some noise in the National League. However, playing in the same division as the Atlanta Braves and the Philadelphia Phillies is going to make it difficult for the Mets to be relevant anytime soon.

I'm sure Fred Wilpon will find overpay for some high-profile player, misuse him, then let him flourish with some other team. It wouldn't be the first time.

3. Dallas Cowboys

Although they have five Super Bowl championships to their name, the Cowboys have been nothing short of a complete disappointment since their last title in 1995.

With egotistical owner Jerry Jones playing puppet master to his lame duck coaches, it's not much of a surprise why the Cowboys have been failures for over 15 years.

The Cowboys are on their sixth different head coach since their last Super Bowl title, and after much hype for the 2010 season, the Cowboys suffered arguably one of their worst and most embarrassing seasons in franchise history. 

They have one playoff win in 15 years, and quarterback Tony Romo has been in the news more for his celebrity girlfriends and his golfing than his quarterback play.

Sorry, Dallas. He's no Peyton Manning or Tom Brady. No matter how much you want him to be. And in a very tough NFC East, which is arguably the toughest division in all of football, it's going to be difficult for the Cowboys to make their mark on football greatness anytime soon.

2. Philadelphia Eagles

On paper, the Eagles have a pretty solid history. They have eight division titles since the NFL merger, and they made the NFC Conference title game every season from 2001 to 2004.

However, they've failed to capture a Super Bowl title, having lost to the Oakland Raiders in 1981 and the New England Patriots in 2005.

During the Donovan McNabb-era, Eagles fans expected Super Bowl or bust. And that's exactly what they got. Their fans and the media set the bar so incredibly high that McNabb was ran out of town despite leading the Eagles to four consecutive conference championship games.

Every year the pressure is laid on the Eagles to succeed, and every year they seem to disappoint. This season will be the ultimate test as backup quarterback Vince Young dubbed this year's Eagles squad a "dream team."

Funny. Those are strong words from a backup. I thought you actually needed to win before you were considered a "dream team."

1. Chicago Cubs

Yes, the north siders round off this list as the most overrated team in the history of professional sports.

Despite their history of losing, every year Cubs fans seem to think this year is their year. They've had a knack for losing for so long, generations have passed since their last World Series title 102 years ago.

Between the Babe calling his shot in the 1932 World Series, the Billy Goat or the "Bartman Ball," there are not enough ridiculous "curses" to explain why the Cubs just can't win it all.

Think about it. The Cubs haven't won a World Series since William Howard Taft was in office. During their drought they've only managed to capture seven National League Pennants.

That's nearly once every 13 seasons, yet for some reason people are fascinated with the Cubs.

They're called the "Lovable Losers" for a reason. Every year they say: "This is the year. This is the year the Cubbies win it all."

Really? Then why has this been the question surrounding the north side of Chicago for over 100 years? It's unfortunate that both Chicago-based baseball clubs made this list.

But hey, they would've stayed off of it if they had won something.