After the post the other day about five athletes to see in their prime, I got to thinking about what teams might be interesting to revisit for an entire season.
It's a tougher task than I thought it might be - sure, there are plenty of great teams throughout history, but how to differentiate between them? It's a matter of taste, of course, but which teams would I most like to go back and see?
Maybe this is a bit of a copout, but I decided that the best way to do it would be to divide teams up into four categories - championship and non-championship, New York and elsewhere. I could add the time component of in my lifetime/not in my lifetime, but I'll just let it go at that.
As with the list of athletes, these are just teams I'd like to see compete for the entirety of these seasons. This is a question where there is no wrong answer.
NON-NEW YORK, NON-CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS
5. 2001 Seattle Mariners
A record 116 wins with Ichiro destroying the league in his first season here. I don't think I appreciated it enough at the time.
4. 1919/1920 Chicago White Sox
I want to see for myself just how talented they were and how they were losing on purpose.
3. 1992-93 Los Angeles Kings
Wayne Gretzky makes hockey a big deal in southern California with a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals.
2. 1981 San Diego Chargers
Air Coryell at its finest, capped by the unbelievable playoff game in Miami and the Freezer Bowl in Cincinnati.
1. 1994 Montreal Expos
Could've been a championship team, but we'll never know.
NEW YORK NON-CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS
5. 1962 or 1973 Mets
Either Amazin'-ly bad or the "Ya Gotta Believe" crew... I think it would depend on my mood.
4. 1978-79 Rangers
As good a chance as they ever had during the 54-year Stanley Cup drought in a playoff season marked by some legendarily bad officiating.
3. 1926 Yankees
Lou Gehrig becomes a star and Babe Ruth is caught stealing to end the World Series.
2. 1958 Giants
A classic team with Charlie Conerly and a great defense that came up on the wrong end of a classic game against Unitas, Ameche and the Colts for the title.
1. 1951 Giants & Dodgers
The greatest comeback/collapse of all time, finishing with the three-game playoff and Bobby Thomson's homer. All to then go lose to the Yankees.
NON-NEW YORK CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS
5. 1972-73 UCLA Bruins
The seventh straight championship team under John Wooden, featuring Bill Walton at his best, scoring 44 points in the title game.
4. 1941-42 Toronto Maple Leafs
The only hockey team ever to come back from a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven championship series.
3. 1972 Miami Dolphins
The only undefeated team of the Super Bowl era.
2. 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team
You know what you never see any video of? The game against Finland that actually gave the Americans the gold medal.
1. 1914 Boston Braves
The "Miracle Braves" were 10 games under .500 in July, then won 61 of their last 77 games before sweeping the Philadelphia A's in the World Series.
NEW YORK CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS
5. 1977 Cosmos
Even with Pele, Beckenbauer and Chinaglia, they were a second-place team in the regular season. Still, there's never been that level of talent on an American soccer team. Barely edges out Dr. J and the 1974-75 Nets.
4. 1969 Mets
For Seaver's near perfect game as much as the incredible World Series against the heavily-favored Orioles.
3. 1961 Yankees
Maris, Mantle and a very underrated pitching staff.
2. 1969-70 Knicks
I may never actually see the Knicks win a championship, and the Willis Reed moment had to be something else.
1. 1927 Yankees
The greatest lineup ever assembled.
I thought about putting this year's Giants, the '98 Yankees, '94 Rangers, '86 Mets and '86 Giants on the last list, but decided to go with teams all from before I was born. I already had a chance to see these teams and enjoy them. But if I did break out a separate category for teams in my lifetime, those would probably be the five - I don't know in what order.
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