New Orleans/Indy in Finals
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Now with Indianapolis playing New Orleans in the upcoming NFL title game here is a list of the "Finals History" of teams from these two relatively small markets. This includes appearances by teams from those towns in the Finals of the 4 major sports: NFL/MLB/NBA/NHL plus the leagues that have merged with the current leagues (AAFC/AFL/ABA/WHL):
New Orleans:
1968 New Orleans Bucs lost ABA Finals to the Pittsburgh Pipers
2009 New Orleans Saints to play Indianpolis Colts in the Super Bowl
Indianapolis:
1969 Indianapolis Pacers lost the ABA Finals to the Oakland Oaks
1970 Pacers won the ABA title over the Los Angeles Stars
1972 Pacers won the ABA title over the New York Nets
1973 Pacers won the ABA title over the Kentucky Colonels
1975 Pacers lost the ABA Finals to the Kentucky Colonels
2000 Pacers lost the NBA Finals to the Los Angeles Lakers
2006 Indianopolis Colts won the NFL title over the Chicago Bears
2009 Colts to meet the New Orleans Saints in the Super Bowl
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Wow... Louisiana makes Ohio look like TitleTown
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Zombo said:
The Bucs got hosed by the Refs.Zombo
The series did end up Pittsburgh winning 4 games to 3. Here were the series results:
1968 ABA Championship:
Pittsburgh Pipers (54-24) vs. New Orleans Buccaneers (48-30)
April 18 At Pittsburgh 120, New Orleans 112
April 20 New Orleans 109, at Pittsburgh 100
April 24 At New Orleans 109, Pittsburgh 101
April 25 Pittsburgh 106, at New Orleans 105 (OT)
April 27 New Orleans 111, at Pittsburgh 108
May 1 Pittsburgh 118, at New Orleans 112
May 4 At Pittsburgh 122, New Orleans 113
Pipers won Championship, 4-3
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The Saints are trying to break "The Curse of the Vietnam War (or some such curse)" in that ALL of the following teams which were created through expansion in the various major leagues in that era have NEVER won a title in their leagues:
Created in 1966: Atlanta Falcons
Created in 1967: Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Saints
Created in 1968: Cincinnati Bengals, Phoenix Suns
Created in 1969: Washington Nationals (as Montreal Expos), San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers
Created in 1970: Cleveland Cavaliers, LA Clippers (as Buffalo Braves), Vancouver Canucks, Buffalo Sabres
Created in 1972: Utah Jazz (in New Orleans), Washington Capitols
Now, there may in fact have been a few teams created during this era that have won a title: Dolphins, KC Royals, but I believe the vast majority have never won.
Perhaps there is a better name for it than the "Vietnam War Curse", but since that was the time when all these teams came about, that is the best I could come up with. You can try your hand at a name.
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The Saints are trying to break "The Curse of the Vietnam War (or some such curse)" in that ALL of the following teams which were created through expansion in the various major leagues in that era have NEVER won a title in their leagues:
Created in 1966: Atlanta Falcons
Created in 1967: Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Saints
Created in 1968: Cincinnati Bengals, Phoenix Suns
Created in 1969: Washington Nationals (as Montreal Expos), San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers
Created in 1970: Cleveland Cavaliers, LA Clippers (as Buffalo Braves), Vancouver Canucks, Buffalo Sabres
Created in 1972: Utah Jazz (in New Orleans), Washington Capitols
Now, there may in fact have been a few teams created during this era that have won a title: Dolphins, KC Royals, but I believe the vast majority have never won.
Perhaps there is a better name for it than the "Vietnam War Curse", but since that was the time when all these teams came about, that is the best I could come up with. You can try your hand at a name.
The Saints are trying to break "The Curse of the Vietnam War (or some such curse)" in that ALL of the following teams which were created through expansion in the various major leagues in that era have NEVER won a title in their leagues:
Created in 1966: Atlanta Falcons
Created in 1967: Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Saints
Created in 1968: Cincinnati Bengals, Phoenix Suns
Created in 1969: Washington Nationals (as Montreal Expos), San Diego Padres, Milwaukee Brewers
Created in 1970: Cleveland Cavaliers, LA Clippers (as Buffalo Braves), Vancouver Canucks, Buffalo Sabres
Created in 1972: Utah Jazz (in New Orleans), Washington Capitols
Now, there may in fact have been a few teams created during this era that have won a title: Dolphins, KC Royals, but I believe the vast majority have never won.
Perhaps there is a better name for it than the "Vietnam War Curse", but since that was the time when all these teams came about, that is the best I could come up with. You can try your hand at a name.
If teams won there is no curse. KC and Dolphins.
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Upon Further Review, perhaps that "Curse of the Vietnam War" on sports franchises isn't so much of a curse as I thought, seeing as how the following teams that were created between 1965 and 1973 HAVE won a title since their creation (year of origin in parentheses):
Miami Dolphins (1968)
Kansas City Royals (1969)
Chicago Bulls (1967)
Houston Rockets (1968)
Indiana Pacers (1968) (ABA title only)
Milwaukee Bucks (1969)
New York/NJ Nets (1968) (ABA)
Seattle Supersonics (1968)
Portland Trailblazers (1971)
San Antoino Spurs (1968)
Calgary Flames (1973)
Dallas Stars (1968)
Philadelphia Flyers (1968)
Pittsburgh Penguins (1968)
That is 14 teams winning titles that originated in that era compared to 16 teams that have never won, so I guess it is pretty even.
What it does demonstrate is the massive amount of expansion that occurred over the course of only about 8 years in the major sports in that era. Consider that there are now 123 franchises in existance in the 4 major sports (including the inactive Seattle Supersonics. From 1965 to 1973, 30 of those teams were created, or nearly one quarter of all major league franchises in existence today.
If we were to expand that " expansion era" by just a few years, numerous other franchises would be added to the list. If we take the era from 1960 to 1976, these additional major league franchises were created in those 16 years:
Islanders
NJ Devils
Bills
Cowboys
Broncos
Chiefs
Vikings
Patriots
Jets
Raiders
Chargers
Seahawks
Buccaneers
Titans
Astros
Angels
Mets
Mariners
Rangers
Blue Jays
Wizards
That is at least another 21 teams, meaning that 51 of the current 123 franchises were created in that 16 year period from 1960 to 1976.
I calculate that in the 35 years since 1976 there have been 29 new franchises that have come into existance in the various sports.
So, perhaps instead of a curse, perhaps it is merely "odds" that all those teams created in those few years have not won titles. After all, now, only one team per year can win a title.
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Consider this:
In 1959, the NBA consisted of 8 teams only: The Celtics, Knicks, Warriors(Phil.), Hawks(St. Louis), Lakers(Minn.), Pistons, 76ers(Syr. Nationals), and Kings (Rochester Royals). Today there are 30 teams. Almost 4 times as many.
In 1959 the NFL consisted of 10 teams: Giants, Eagles, Browns, Steelers, Cardinals, Colts, Bears, 49ers, Packers, and Rams.
Now, there are 32 teams. Over 3 times as many.
In 1959 the NHL consisted of 6 teams: Canadiennes, Maple Leafs, Blackhawks, RedWings, Bruins, and Rangers. Now there are 30 teams. Five times as many.
Only MLB hasn't expanded as vastly. In 1959 there were 16 baseball teams: Dodgers, Braves, Giants, Pirates, Cubs, Reds, Cards, Phillies, White Sox, Indians, Yankees, Tigers, Orioles, As, Senators(now Twins). Now there 30 teams. Less than half again as many.
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Zombo said:
I think you missed a few. Redskins, Lions ...Zombo
Yea, I guess I did. I guess I need to go back to kindergarten to learn how to count. OK, there were 12 teams in 1959, there are now 32. Still about triple.
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