The 2018 Sports Misery Index: Worst Franchises to Root For, Ranked

Image via USA Today Sports/Aaron Doster

Winning seasons: 9

Playoff appearances: 5

Playoff series wins: 3

Championships: 1

Misery points: 65

The Reds would have been a lot higher on this list had their 1990 World Series championship not come just before the cutoff period. Without that season, they’d be No. 5 on this list.

Since the “Big Red Machine” days ended in the 1970s, the Reds have been perhaps the saddest thing about Cincinnati—save for Harambe’s death. They’ve had just three winning seasons in their last 17, and have not won a playoff series since 1995. And while this year’s team does have some talented players in Joey Votto, Billy Hamilton, and Luis Castillo, a playoff run is not expected.

Winning seasons: 8

Playoff appearances: 7

Playoff wins: 6

Championships: 0

Misery points: 65

Thanks to some home run first round picks like Robert Gallery, Fabian Washington, and, of course, JaMarcus Russell, the Raiders have been consistently awful since 2003. They’ve lost at least 10 games in 13 of the last 17 years, and have made the playoffs just one time since 2003. It looks like the team might finally be starting to get its act together with Derek Carr leading the way, but it’s still going to be hard for the Raiders to shake their well-earned Commitment to De-Excellence.

Winning seasons: 6

Playoff appearances: 4

Playoff wins: 3

Championships: 0

Misery points: 63

As the NFL’s youngest franchise, the Texans have spent much of their existence trying to get off of the ground—and now appear to have at least partially done so. Houston had just one winning season from its inaugural year in 2002 up until 2010, but have made four playoff appearances in the last seven seasons, and now have what could be the Texans’ first franchise quarterback in DeShaun Watson. However, hurdles still need to be climbed: The Texans have had just two 10-win seasons in 16 years, and are the only NFL team to have never made a conference championship game.

Winning seasons: 10

Playoff appearances: 7

Playoff wins: 5

Championships: 0

Misery points: 61

Despite a few sporadic playoff runs sprinkled here and there, the Bears have largely struggled since the end of the Mike Ditka days. Since “Da Coach” was fired after the 1992 season, Chicago has gone just 183-214, and made the playoffs only five times. The Bears’ current playoff drought of seven seasons is tied with the Jets for the third-longest in the NFL, behind just the Bucs and the Browns.

Winning seasons: 8

Playoff appearances: 4

Playoff series wins: 4

Championships: 0

Misery points: 60

While the O’s have been better in recent years, that improvement is not enough to make up for the past three decades of relative malaise. In addition to their 35-year World Series drought, the Orioles’ 14 consecutive losing seasons from 1998-2011 stands as the fifth-longest streak in MLB history. Since then, Baltimore has experienced some shattering postseason losses. The O’s could be in for even more misery if Manny Machado leaves as a free agent this offseason.

Winning seasons: 10

Playoff appearances: 10

Playoff series wins: 4

Championships: 0

Misery points: 59

From their establishment as the Vancouver Grizzlies in 1995 up until the start of the 2011 playoffs, the Grizzlies had never won a playoff game.

Not a playoff series. A playoff game.

The Grizzlies failed to win more than 23 games in any of their six years in Vancouver, and aside from a three-year stretch of playoff appearances in the mid-2000s, they continued to show that same awfulness in Memphis up until 2011. That year, they pulled off a surprising first-round upset against the Spurs, in what would be their first of seven consecutive playoff appearances. But hard times have once again dawned on the Grizzlies franchise, as they stand as the second-worst team in the NBA this year.

Winning seasons: 6

Playoff appearances: 5

Playoff wins: 6

Championships: 0

MIsery points: 57

The franchise that began as the Chicago Cardinals last won a championship in 1947—just four years after the NFL mandated helmets. At 70 seasons and counting, the Cardinals now hold the longest-running championship drought in North American professional sports, a drought that has spanned Chicago, St. Louis, and now Arizona.

Life has been tough for the Cardinals since that magical 1947 season; they made the playoffs just four times from 1949 through 2007—a 59-year stretch—and have relocated twice. Despite a few solid playoff runs over the past few years, including a near Super Bowl victory in 2008, Arizona still has a lot of ground to make up for with that 70-year championship drought.

They can thank Santonio Holmes for that.

Winning seasons: 9

Playoff appearances: 10

Playoff series wins: 4

Championships: 0

Misery points: 54.8

The past five seasons have been great for the Raptors: They’ve made the playoffs each year, made a run to the conference finals in 2016, and are the East’s No. 1 seed this year. There’s a good chance the Raptors will be off this list entirely by the end of this postseason.

Before that though, Toronto was a wasteman. The franchise had just five playoff appearances from its establishment in 1995-96 through 2012-13, and only one playoff series win. These days seem to be behind the Raptors though—all part of God’s Plan, as their most famous fan might say.

Winning seasons: 13

Playoff appearances: 4

Playoff series wins: 3

Championships: 0

Misery points: 53

With a 17-year-old playoff drought, the Mariners hold claim to the longest active playoff drought in major American professional sports. Seattle is also one of just two MLB teams that has never appeared in a World Series—making the Mariners one of baseball’s most miserable franchises.

Winning seasons: 11

Playoff appearances: 10

Playoff series wins: 4

Championships: 0

MIsery points: 50.6

So here’s the deal with the Hornets history: The current Charlotte Hornets team—formerly known as the Charlotte Bobcats—owns the history of the original Charlotte Hornets. The Pelicans, who moved from Charlotte to New Orleans in 2002 then morphed into the Pelicans in 2013, do not own the original Hornets’ history. This makes sense because…actually, it doesn’t.

Anyways, the Hornets have never made it to a conference final. They were good-but-not-great throughout most of the 90s and early 2000s, having made seven playoff appearances from 1993-2002. But since Charlotte basketball came back in the form of the Bobcats in 2004, the team has had just three playoff appearances—and has never made it out of the first round.

Winning seasons: 11

Playoff appearances: 12

Playoff series wins: 3

Championships: 0

Misery points: 47

The problem for the Nuggets has never been the regular season: Their recent regular-season history included ten consecutive playoff appearances from 2004-2013. Denver has also boasted Hall of Fame players Dikembe Mutombo, Carmelo Anthony (eventually), and Allen Iverson in the prime of their respective careers, and a Hall of Fame coach in George Karl.

The problem for the Nuggets has been the playoffs.

Outside of their 1994 victory over the Sonics as a No. 8 seed, the Nuggets’ only other playoff series wins since 1988 came in their 2009 run to the Western Conference Finals. During their 10-year playoff appearance streak, Denver had a 22-42 (.343) record in the playoffs, despite a 466-296 (.611) record in the regular season. Denver is known for being high (in altitude, of course), but the Nuggets’ playoff winning percentage is as low as it gets.

Winning seasons: 8

Playoff appearances: 9

Playoff series wins: 5

Championships: 0

Misery points: 46

Now that the Timberwolves have ended their drought, the Kings remain the only NBA franchise to not have made a single playoff appearance this decade. Sacramento also holds the league’s longest championship drought—their last came in 1951, when they were the Rochester Royals.

Since they last made the playoffs in 2006, the Kings have broken the .400 threshold just three times—never mind .500. Save for DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento has swung and missed on virtually all of its draft picks. And the rare event they do find a future NBA All-Star, like Isaiah Thomas or Hassan Whiteside, they don’t develop until after the Kings have already given them up for nothing.

Winning seasons: 9

Playoff appearances: 10

Playoff series wins: 4

Championships: 0

Misery points: 45

The Clippers may have been No. 1 on this list had it been made five years ago. From 1984, when they moved to L.A., up until 2011, they made the playoffs just four times, and won just one playoff series. And on top of that, who was their best player before Chris Paul and Blake Griffin? Elton Brand maybe? Danny Manning? Chris Kaman?

The Clippers were a non-factor in the NBA for almost 30 years, until they were gifted Chris Paul thanks to “basketball reasons.” But even since then, the Clippers still haven’t made a conference final—and likely won’t for a while now that Paul and Griffin are gone.

Winning seasons: 8

Playoff appearances: 4

Playoff series wins: 2

Championships: 0

Misery points: 44.8

In 1995, it looked like the Rockies might become baseball’s next great franchise: They became the fastest expansion team to ever make the postseason, which they did in their third year of play.

Since then, Colorado has made the playoffs just three times, and advanced past the first round just once. The altitude in Colorado makes for a unique, hitter-friendly playing conditions, which makes it almost impossible for the Rockies to develop a star pitcher: Ubaldo Jimenez’s 3.66 ERA with the Rockies is the best mark in franchise history, and he’s one of just two qualified pitchers in franchise history with an ERA under 4.00.

Winning seasons: 9

Playoff appearances: 9

Playoff series wins: 4

Championships: 0

Misery points: 43

The Wizards haven’t been a real championship contender since their last NBA Finals appearance in 1979. For years, they struggled to make the playoffs: From 1988-89 through 2012-13, Washington made the postseason just five times, and won only one playoff series.

Now, they’ve made it in four of the last five seasons. And like most Washington D.C. teams, they have made playoff losing an art form. Whether it’s the Nationals choking in the NLDS, or the Capitals and Wizards losing in the second round every year, you can always count on D.C. teams to disappoint in the playoffs. The Wizards have gotten bounced in the second round in each of their last three playoff appearances, and as the No. 8 seed this year, they’re facing an uphill battle to even get to the second round.

Winning seasons: 10

Playoff appearances: 9

Playoff wins: 1

Championships: 0

Misery points: 43

The Lions have been lucky enough to have the best running back (Barry Sanders) and receiver (Calvin Johnson) of their respective generations.

And both retired in part because they were sick of playing for the Lions.

This should tell you everything you need to know about the franchise. Detroit has won one playoff game since 1958, which came in 1991. Along with the Browns, they’re one of only two teams that have been around for the entirety of the Super Bowl era to have never appeared in the Big Game. And while they’re far better now than they were in the 00s, when they made genius top-10 draft selections like Joey Harrington, Charles Rogers, and Mike Williams, they will always be at least partially synonymous with their 0-16 finish in 2008. Who could forget Dan Orlovsky running out of the end zone for a safety?

Winning seasons: 9

Playoff appearances: 4

Playoff series wins: 2

Championships: 0

Misery points: 41

Outside of Tony Gwynn and Trevor Hoffman, most of the Padres’ recent history has been quite depressing. No matter what they do, they can’t seem to find a uniform that actually looks good. But that’s the least of their problems.

The Padres have still never won a World Series—they’ve been around since 1969. They also haven’t won a playoff series since 1998, or even made the playoffs since 2006. And they still suck even when they do make the playoffs: The 2005 Padres’ record of 82-80 marks the worst-ever record by an MLB playoff team. And for what it’s worth, they’re still the only team without a no-hitter.

Winning seasons: 8

Playoff appearances: 12

Playoff series wins: 2

Championships: 0

Misery points: 40

It’s been 17 years since the Bucks last won a playoff series—giving them the Association’s longest active series-win drought. Since then, the Bucks have made the playoffs eight times, but have never finished higher than the No. 6 seed.

In a star-driven league, the Bucks have been strapped for talent: Ray Allen and Giannis Antetokounmpo are the only true superstars the Bucks have developed over the last three decades. They’ll probably have to find some homegrown talent to surround Giannis with, since convincing free agents to go play in Milwaukee is hardly an easy sell.

Winning seasons: 6

Playoff appearances: 7

Playoff series wins: 1

Championships: 0

Misery points: 38.5

Since their franchise moved to New Orleans in 2002, the Pelicans have won just one playoff series, and have missed the playoffs altogether in six of their last eight seasons (not including this one). Despite having two legitimate superstars in Chris Paul and Anthony Davis while in New Orleans, the franchise has failed to adequately surround either player with the talent needed to make them a contender. Paul eventually requested a trade—could Davis be next?

Winning seasons: 8

Playoff appearances: 8

Playoff wins: 1

Championships: 0

Misery points: 38

The last time the Bengals won a playoff game, Home Alone was the No. 1 movie in America, Madonna was No. 1 on the music charts, and the original Nintendo was the only major video game console on the market.

Cincy was irrelevant for most of the 90s and early 2000s, but the Marvin Lewis era has made the team consistently relevant—and a consistent loser in the playoffs. Lewis’s 0-7 playoff record is one of the most incredible stats in modern NFL history, given that Bill Belichick is the only coach who has been with his team longer than Lewis.

Winning seasons: 6

Playoff appearances: 6

Playoff series wins: 1

Championships: 0

Misery points: 38

The Pirates have had just six winning seasons since 1990. From 1990-1992, skinny Barry Bonds led Pittsburgh to three straight NLCS losses—the last two of those came in Game 7 to the Braves. And from 2013-2015, the Pirates were back in the playoffs each year, only to lose in the NLDS each time.

Sandwiched in between those two three-year runs are 20 consecutive losing seasons — the longest such streak in baseball history. And it’s looking like the Pirates might have another one of those streaks in the cards again: With the trades of Andrew McCutchen and Gerrit Cole this offseason, it looks like the Pirates’ contention closed. So congrats, Pittsburgh: You underwent a 20-year rebuild for three good seasons.

Winning seasons: 8

Playoff appearances: 8

Playoff series wins: 2

Championships: 0

Misery points: 32

The Timberwolves have advanced past the first round of the playoffs just once in their 28-season existence: During their 2004 run to the Western Conference Finals. That’s it. The 2004 season was also the Wolves’ last in the playoffs—giving them the NBA’s longest active playoff drought.

Most of the franchise’s entire existence has been marred by losing. They made the playoffs every year from 1997-2004, but never made it before or after that. This lack of success can be attributed to stellar decision making by the team’s front office. Highlights include:

1.  Trading Ray Allen on draft day in 1996.

2. Signing Joe Smith to an illegal contract, for which the Timberwolves were docked five first-round picks.

3. Passing on Stephen Curry in the 2009 draft—twice.

Winning seasons: 13

Playoff appearances: 4

Playoff series wins: 0

Championships: 0

Misery points: 29

The Nationals have been one of baseball’s best teams since 2012, so it might be surprising to see them place this high on the list.

But for people who remember the Expos days—and for anyone who has watched the last few postseasons—this pick should come with little surprise.

From its first season in 1969 until 2011, the Expos/Nationals franchise made the playoffs just once: in the strike-interrupted 1981 season. This season also featured the Expos’ lone playoff series win. They might have made some noise in the 1994 playoffs; they were on pace for 105 wins when the players’ strike halted the season in mid-August. But it was not to be.

Since 1981, the Nats have made the postseason four times, and have failed to advance past the NLDS in each. For teams that have been as star-studded as the Nats have been in recent years to not win a single playoff series is unacceptable. One postseason win in 49 seasons makes for a pretty rough half-century. And Sports Illustrated predicted them to win it all this year, so that’s pretty much the kiss of death for them this year.

Winning seasons: 8

Playoff appearances: 2

Playoff series wins: 1

Championships: 0

Misery points: 24

The Brewers have spent the past half-century in baseball purgatory. They’re hardly ever the worst team in the league—they’ve lost 100 games just once in 49 seasons—but they’re almost never one of the best, either. Milwaukee has never won a championship, hasn’t been to a World Series since 1982, and has made the playoffs just twice since then. Their best player over the last quarter-century, Ryan Braun, steroid cheater and one of the most hated players in the game. So, yeah: not a lot of good has ever gone down for the Brewers.

Winning seasons: 3

Playoff appearances: 2

Playoff wins: 1

Championships: 0

Misery points: 16.8

You knew they’d be No. 1.

Chances are most of the people reading this story don’t remember the last time the Browns were consistently good in the late-80s. Since 1990, they’ve had just three winning seasons: In 1994, they went 11-5 with a coach named Belichick, and won a playoff game—their most recent one to date. In 2002, they went 9-7, and earned a Wild Card berth—their only playoff appearance since returning to the NFL. And in 2007, they went 10-6, but failed to make the playoffs.

That’s it. Just about everything else Browns-related has been awful.

Since coming back to the NFL in 1999, they’ve gone through 28 starting quarterbacks, nine head coaches, and nine general managers. The vast majority of their first-round picks have become busts. They traded out of draft picks that became Julio Jones and Carson Wentz, and got little in return for either. Even worse, the original Browns franchise has won two Super Bowls since relocating to Baltimore in 1996.

I could easily—very, very easily—go on and on about how awful the Browns have been, but I’ll end on a point of optimism: Things are finally starting to look up in Cleveland. They have two top-five picks and three second-rounders in the upcoming NFL Draft, and have bought on Tyrod Taylor and Jarvis Landry. Cleveland now has a chance to develop a true franchise quarterback, and to surround him with top-tier talent. They might even win a game next year!