yave1964 Posted May 20, 2015 Posted May 20, 2015 Looking back at the worst moments in a fans favorite franchise is kind of like passing a car crash, you still gotta look. Sometimes it is fun looking back and laughing at the futility. I started following the Wings in the early/mid seventies as a youth, sadly just a few years after the retirement of Gordie Howe. My first hero in the game was the above pictured Danny Grant who scored 50 goals in my first year really paying attention to the game and then he fell apart physically and was out of the game in a few years. God were they awful, the Dead Things sobriquet fit so well, the only year in a ten year period between 74 and 83 that they made the postseason was 1978, they were still under .500 but with 78 points they were 10 points or more better than any other year in that time. Just awful hockey. Drafting had a lot to do with it. We drafted in the top 5 nearly every year and swung and missed with alarming regularity. A chimp with a dart aimed at a board could have done a better job than the Wings, Fred Williams, Bill Lochead, Terry Richardson, Pierre Guite were all first rounders that bombed. And when we did draft well, guys like Foligno Craven or Mark Osborne invariably we screwed up a trade and donated them elsewhere. Murray craven to the Flyers for the ghost of Sittler. Foligno and McCourt to the Sabres for a broke down Danny Gare. Mark Osborne to the Rangers.Reed Larson and Johnny OGrodnick were the only two competent players we drafted and held onto in that era, both fun to watch. But we went and signed veterans such as Brad Park and Gilles Gilbert who were at the end of their rope.The Wings were over .500 (before I became aware of them) and did not reach such lofty heights again until 1987, a 15 year record of futility. I stuck by my boys, always have and always will and feel I have earned the right to proudly call myself a real fan, and not a fair weather fan. Believe me, when I first started following the Wings, it not only rained, it poured. Anyone else? What do you remember about your favorite teams worst year or era?
mojo1917 Posted May 20, 2015 Posted May 20, 2015 For the Flyers is was the Pre Lindros/ Post Poulin years. the bridge years between Clarke's first run where he was into it and Russ Farwell who... i dunno couldn't seem to build a team around the best player he traded for because he ****ed himself over in that trade.... for the Orioles it was 1998 thru 2011 where they had about 5 major league players on the roster in 12 years...poor Nick Markakis
ruxpin Posted May 20, 2015 Posted May 20, 2015 Yeah, for the Flyers it's easily 1989-1993. Seemingly it started with Paul Holmgren as head coach and Jay Snider at the reigns. Absurd trades like Poulin for Linesman and Brian Propp for...I don't remember. It was just a disaster of a time period. The Flyers are actually probably in their second worst period, started by Paul Holmgren as general manager (see any connection???).
ScottM Posted May 20, 2015 Posted May 20, 2015 The beginning... I know all expansion teams tend to be bad, but we weren't bad... We were BAAAAAAAAAD. We were .250 or worse in the first four seasons. It improved pretty quickly after that, but wow were those seasons rough.
Bertmega Posted May 20, 2015 Posted May 20, 2015 Flyers: 89-93 and 2012- present (hopefully optimistic, but dreadfully realistic)Eagles: 1994-2000 and 2012-13Phillies: 1994-2006, 2012-present
jammer2 Posted May 20, 2015 Posted May 20, 2015 @yave1964 In this politically correct world, should there not be an inverted option....for the Leafs? How can you expect them to narrow down the choices....there are just to many options...much easier if the Leaf fans can list the "one" good team in a quagmire of crap.
ruxpin Posted May 20, 2015 Posted May 20, 2015 @yave1964 In this politically correct world, should there not be an inverted option....for the Leafs? How can you expect them to narrow down the choices....there are just to many options...much easier if the Leaf fans can list the "one" good team in a quagmire of crap. Leafs are easy. 1968-present
ScottM Posted May 20, 2015 Posted May 20, 2015 @jammer2 It's simple for Leafs fans. It's the entire post-expansion era. Lol
JagerMeister Posted May 21, 2015 Posted May 21, 2015 Leafs are easy. 1968-presentColombus Blue Jackets. since the start of their creation....
ruxpin Posted May 21, 2015 Posted May 21, 2015 Colombus Blue Jackets. since the start of their creation....I've heard the Buckeyes are big there, so at least there's that.
JackStraw Posted May 21, 2015 Posted May 21, 2015 Worst era for Philadelphia pro sports in general, the late '60s - early '70s. The Flyers really weren't good yet, and they were probably the best of the bunch. The '72 Phillies threatened to break the 1962 Mets record for futility, and they probably would have if Steve Carlton hadn't somehow gone 27-10. But the '73 76ers were not to be denied, they did set an NBA record for sucking, going 9-73 for an all time low winning percentage of .110. And the Eagles, don't even ask about the Eagles... where do you think the phrase "boo birds" comes from. It was a rough time to be a sports fan in Philadelphia.
yave1964 Posted May 21, 2015 Author Posted May 21, 2015 Colombus Blue Jackets. since the start of their creation....Actually the Jackets have done very well in the postseason, Carter and Gaborik with the Kings, Brassard, Moore and Nash among others with the Rangers, it goes on and on.......
flyercanuck Posted May 21, 2015 Posted May 21, 2015 @yave1964 A healthy Columbus is going to be a pretty damn good team next season. The pre-Lindros team for me. There was a couple of pieces, but most of it was blah and they traded the soul of the team away. At least the team we have now has some very good talent and a bright future where we're presently lacking.
jammer2 Posted May 22, 2015 Posted May 22, 2015 And the Eagles, don't even ask about the Eagles... where do you think the phrase "boo birds" comes from. It was a rough time to be a sports fan in Philadelphia. I don't think it's an era....but living through the Brad Gobel time...and the many, many other bums who graced the uniform before McNabb got there and Cunningham retired .....downright sickening.
Poulin20 Posted May 22, 2015 Posted May 22, 2015 Yeah, for the Flyers it's easily 1989-1993. Seemingly it started with Paul Holmgren as head coach and Jay Snider at the reigns. Absurd trades like Poulin for Linesman and Brian Propp for...I don't remember. It was just a disaster of a time period. The Flyers are actually probably in their second worst period, started by Paul Holmgren as general manager (see any connection???).+1 to everything said here. BTW the Propp trade netted a 2nd rounder (what an insult to the Propper)
yave1964 Posted May 22, 2015 Author Posted May 22, 2015 @Poulin20Good answers all around on this. God I do not know how I managed to fall in love with hockey. My Grandfather was originaly from Detroit and we went to the old Olympic stadium three or four times and I grew up listening to the games on WJR waaay before ESPN and every game being on television. Hockey translates incredibly well to radio and the Wings announcers at the time were amazing which helped. But back then 16 out of 21 teams made the playoffs and the Wings still missed almost every year and then bombed it at the draft. It was like watching a car slide downhill on ice every year, you knew the inevitable crash was coming. Sometimes they got it out of the way early with a 10 game winless streak to start the year so you didn't kid yourself that they were going to do anything, other times they looked like they were in it but they would collapse with two double digit losing streaks after the all star break. Or we would sign Rogie Vachon only to lose Dale McCourt as compensation who refused to report to the Kings creating a court mess.......That was the hockey I started with. Looking back I chuckle now, but boy, it sure wasn't funny at the time.
92WickedHockey Posted May 31, 2015 Posted May 31, 2015 Leafs are easy. 1968-present Haha funny.. but all jokes aside the Leafs had some pretty good teams in the early 00's they went to the conference semi finals in 2000 and 2001 and then made it to conference final in 2002. Then of course there is the 1993 super controversial missed called by Kerry Fraser after Gretzky high sticked Gilmour in game 7 when they were leading the game 3-2 of the Campbell Conference Final against the Kings. The 1993 Maple Leafs even started the season with a 10 game winning streak, it was a great team and I genuinely believe if they would have beaten the Habs in the final that year. Basically the Leafs have had their chances, they came close many times. The worst season would have to be the 2014-2015 season.
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted May 31, 2015 Posted May 31, 2015 For the Bolts, it would definitely have to be the "joke years" of the late 90's, early 2000's. I mean, ownership (Bill Davidson, then Len Barrie/Oren Koules after him) treated the franchise as an afterthought, players on the roster behaved like they were just there for the paycheck, and marketing for the team was practically non existent. Those garbage years eventually led to the Bolts drafting guys like VLC, Brad Richards and Steven Stamkos (as well as Calgary dumping that "nobody" MSL on us...hehe), but still, if the management would have stayed the same, even THOSE players would have been ruined or seen playing elsewhere before their time. Those dark late 90's / early 2000's are eras I hope the Bolts NEVER see again.... at least, not to the disgusting degree they were back then, as I realize every franchise will go through peaks n valleys.
ruxpin Posted May 31, 2015 Posted May 31, 2015 Haha funny.. but all jokes aside the Leafs had some pretty good teams in the early 00's they went to the conference semi finals in 2000 and 2001 and then made it to conference final in 2002. Then of course there is the 1993 super controversial missed called by Kerry Fraser after Gretzky high sticked Gilmour in game 7 when they were leading the game 3-2 of the Campbell Conference Final against the Kings. The 1993 Maple Leafs even started the season with a 10 game winning streak, it was a great team and I genuinely believe if they would have beaten the Habs in the final that year. Basically the Leafs have had their chances, they came close many times.The worst season would have to be the 2014-2015 season. Yeah, it was mostly said to be funny. You're of course right that there were the great years you mention. But kidding aside, it's easier to refer to the whole as an era, exceptions not withstanding.
jammer2 Posted June 1, 2015 Posted June 1, 2015 Weighing in late here, but honestly, I'd have to say the late 80's early 90's team was by far the worst time in our history. The original expansion team rough as well, but pure expansion teams, they are *supposed* to suck! Plus, the way it was set up, the new expansion division made the playoffs right off the hop. Think about it, in 48 years, the Flyers have only missed the playoffs 10 times, BUT 5 of those 10 times came back....to back, to back, to back, to back....and UNHEARD of 5 consecutive times missing the playoffs!!! That just does not happen in Flyerland!! Most defiantly, the darkest times we have ever experienced as a fan base. Hard to believe the team had come SO VERY close to knocking off one of the most powerful dynasties of all time (really, it took a Juri Kurri goal late in the 3rd period of Game #7 to knock us out!) to utter and complete crap just 2 seasons later.....the fall from grace was swift and unforgiving!!
ruxpin Posted June 1, 2015 Posted June 1, 2015 the fall from grace was swift and unforgiving Jay Snider's fault!! Fixed it.
WordsOfWisdom Posted June 23, 2015 Posted June 23, 2015 @jammer2 It's simple for Leafs fans. It's the entire post-expansion era. Lol It's easier to list the years when the Leafs were good. In my lifetime that would be: 1993, 1994, 1999, and 2002. Everything else has been one big steaming DOOKIE.
TropicalFruitGirl26 Posted June 23, 2015 Posted June 23, 2015 It's easier to list the years when the Leafs were good. In my lifetime that would be: 1993, 1994, 1999, and 2002. Everything else has been one big steaming DOOKIE. Hey, HEY, now....Careful...us Americans LOVE to sue for copyright infringement....
WordsOfWisdom Posted June 23, 2015 Posted June 23, 2015 Hey, HEY, now....Careful...us Americans LOVE to sue for copyright infringement.... Hey now, hey now.... don't dream it's over.Hey now, hey now.... when the world comes in. Shameless music reference.
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