Well this week the Minnesota Wild clinched a playoff spot, and that makes it three straight years the Wild have qualified for the playoffs. There is a lot of buzz about this team heading into the playoffs, could this team potentially bring the Stanley Cup to the State of hockey? Minnesota has not seen a major championship since the Minnesota Twins won the World Series in 1991, that has been almost 24 years!

Minnesota sports fan have become a glass half empty type of fans. How can we blame them, when we see that the Minnesota Timberwolves haven't made the playoffs since Latrell Sprewell could actually feed his family, the Twins; well they are still in a era where losing 90 games is cool, and the Vikings, well at least they are never boring. But at least we have the Wild!

Has it gotten to the point where Minnesota fans have to root against Wisconsin to have any fun nowadays? Well this story will paint a grim picture for our sports teams. In this story I will tell you that, yup Minnesota fans are long, long, long over due for at least one championship maybe two...Here is a quick question, would this sports scene change if Minnesota went on a Boston run, where they have won four Super Bowls, three World Series and one NBA, and one Stanley Cup since 2000? Maybe, but who knows if that will ever happen.

SO here I go, In the wide world of sports in the United States, there are four major sports leagues. MLB, NBA, NFL, and NHL. If you are one of the cool cities and have four leagues you are royalty, and even if you have three you are somewhat cool. In this story I will give you some facts that speak to Minnesota fans about just how bad it is here.

Since the T-Wolves came into existence in the late 1980's Minnesota graduated from three sport league to the prestige four sport city, and I know the North Stars left in the 90's that is why I am included three sport cities with this article, and since 2000 Minnesota has once again become a four sport city, I know St Paul has the Wild while Minneapolis has the Vikings, Twins, and T-Wolves, but hey look at New York Cite they have a bunch load of teams spread out across a lot of cities.

Here is the list of the cities that have all four major sports leagues. Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Miami, Twin Cities, New York Cite, Philadelphia, Washington D.C, Phoenix. Out of those Cities can you quickly guess who was the last city to win a championship?.....times up, it is the Twins Cities.

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Boston-I already told you earlier, but their most recent championship came two months ago in the Super Bowl. Total number of championships since 1991-Nine

Chicago- Well we all know about the Cubs, but hey The White Sox won the World Series in 2005, the Bulls won six NBA championships in the 90's, the Bears, well they are the bears, but the Blackhawks won two Stanley Cups in the last handful of seasons. Number of championships since 1991-Nine

Dallas- The Cowboys won three Super Bowls in the 90's, Once the Stars left Minnesota they hoisted the Cup in Dallas, and the Mavericks won one championship, not to mention Dallas's sports teams have gone to the big dance a few times since 1991 and lost. Number of championships since 1991-Five

Denver- Who can forget John Elway going out on top with back-to-back Super Bowls in the late 90's? Or the Colorado Avalanche winning two Cups once they arrived in Denver. Number of championships since 1991-Four

Detroit- Detroit has had its fair share of heartache just with there city, but not their sports teams, well besides the Lions. However the Pistons won a NBA championships in the early 2000's, the Tigers have gotten close, and the Red Wings well they just keep on hoisting that Cup with a total of four times since 1991 and that brings Detroit's total number of championships to-Five

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Miami- Not one, not two, not three, not four, but Five championships since 1991, with the Heat winning three, and the Marlins shocking the World in 1997, and 2003.

New York City- With two NFL teams, two NHL teams, two MLB teams, and two NBA teams you would think they would just roll in the championships right? You betcha, the Yankees have won five World Series and the Rangers hoisted one Cup and the Giants have hoisted two Lombardi trophies in the 2000's bring NYC total to- Eight

Philadelphia- 76ers have been bad, the Flyers have been so-so, and the Eagles well they have at least been relevant, but it is the Phillies who in 2008 won the World Series, that only makes One championship since 1991.

San Francisco- The Giants have became the team to watch out for on even years, winning the World Series in 2010, 2012, and 2014, but who can forget Steve Young finally getting the monkey off his back in the mid-90's? Total number of championships since 1991-Four

Washington D.C- Anther team that joined the exclusive four sport league late once the Expos moved to town. Well D.C fans have something in common with Minnesota fans and that is it has been a long time since they last seen a championship which came in 1992 when the Redskins won the Super Bowl. Total-One

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Phoenix- This is a young city in regards to having all four sports leagues in it. The Diamondbacks came into existence in 1998, The Coyotes came to town in 1996 but with the Suns and the Cardinals they make up the last member of the four sport cities. Well with all four teams they only have One championship to claim which came in 2001 when the Diamondbacks upset the Yankees in the World Series.

You now have this knowledge of how bad it is in Minnesota, the Twins won the World Series roughly three months before the Redskins would one the Super Bowl, so that puts the Twins in last place, but how will the Twins stack up when you include the three sport league cities?

Houston- The Texans are a newish team, the Astros are rebuilding, but the Rockets won two NBA championships in the 90's, and yes it came when Michael Jordan was retired (somewhat). Total-Two

Atlanta- They were a four sport city but they lost the Thrashers just a few years ago. Besides that they have had some success, the Falcons shocked the World when they beat the Vikings in 1999, but lost to the Broncos in the Super Bowl, and the Braves who won 11 straight N.L East crowns but only have One World Series championship to their name, and the Hawks, well they might win the NBA Finals this season.

Tampa Bay- The Rays, and the Lighting are both somewhat new, and both have gotten to the big dance, but only one has won the championship which was the Lightning in 2004, but the Buccaneers won the Super Bowl in 2002, and that adds up to Two championships since 1991.

St Louis- The Rams might be leaving, but hey at least they have the Cardinals right? The Cardinals have won two World Series since 1991, and not to mention St Louis had the Greatest Show on Turf and won the Super Bowl in 1999. Total championships since 1991- Three

Pittsburgh- With the Steelers, Penguins and the Pirates, the city is just bleeding yellow and black, and with the Pens led by Sidney Crosby and the Steelers having Big Ben this city has seen its fair share of victory parades recently. Total number of championships since 1991-Three

Wisconsin- I will lump Green Bay with Milwaukee because the Packers used to play some games in Milwaukee. The Bucks have been mediocre recently, and the Brewers have been okay, but the Green Bay Packers who seem to always rub it in the Vikings faces won the Super Bowl in 2011, but who can forget Brett Favre leading the Packers to two Super Bowls in the 90's and winning one of them? Total-Two

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Cleveland- If you think Minnesota is bad go live in Cleveland. I am talking about being a sports fan. The Browns leave in 1995, and became the Baltimore Ravens and then they go on to win two Super Bowls! How about the Cavaliers? They get the home town kid in early 2000's and became a great team in the East and then LeBron James leaves and wins two championships in another city, but hey at least he came back home. However, if you dig deep, deep down you will find the Cleveland Indians winning the World Series in 1948, yup 1948, however the Indians did make it back to the World Series in the 90's but it has been 67 years since Cleveland had anything to celebrate. Total number of champions since 1991-Zero

If you add up all these cities together you get 19 cities, and only one, and I mean one city has had a longer championship drought then Minnesota, but Minnesota has not even been to either the World Series, the Super Bowl, The NBA Finals, or the Stanley Cup Finals since 1991 and all of the other 18 cities have at least gone to one of the championships. Minnesota is long over due to at least make it the championship but maybe Cleveland deserves it first. I guess there is a reason for Minnesota fans to be glass half empty, because Minnesota down right sucks when it comes to winning championships.

 

 

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