ESPN's Top 25 teams of last 25 years

ESPN just aired their episode revealing who they considered the top 25 teams of the past 25 years in college and professional sports:

25. 1992 Cowboys
24. 82-83 Sixers
23. 1983 Iowa
22. 1986 Mets
21. 1992 Dream Team

20. 86-87 Lakers
19. 81-82 Islanders
18. 94 Niners
17. 89-90 UNL Rebels
16. 79 Steelers

15. 85-86 Celtics
14. 1991 Miami football
13. 1982 UNC Basketball
12. 2001 Miami football
11. 1984 Niners

10. 1995 Nebraska football
9. 1989 Niners
8. 91-92 Duke basketball
7. 1980 US hockey team
6. 97-98 Tennessee Lady Vols

5. 1985 Bears
4. 2001-02 Womens Huskies
3. 1983-84 Oilers
2. 1995-96 Bulls
1. 1998 Yankees

Those who know ESPN knew there wouldn't be many hockey teams included on the list, but I still expected the 91-92 Pens to be between 15th and 25th on the list anyway. At least they put a Oilers team high on the list....I was certain that they weren't going to include any hockey team in the top 5 when I saw they put a freaking women's basketball team at the #6 spot as they were counting down the list.

The 95-96 Bulls set records far more outstanding than the 98 Yankees. They had the best basketball player of all-time at the height of his NBA career, and their record was one that only the 76-77 Habs could compare to in professional sports. It's too bad ESPN has a fetish for the Yankees.

One more note: ESPN's going to be putting the worst 25 teams in the past 25 years on next week, which should be interesting. Obviously the Senators and Sharks expansion year were locks for the list, and probably even locks for being included in the 10 worst ever.

Don't agree with that list :shakehead It's just awfull !

The only bones to pick I have is...why are their college's mixed in with Professional sports?...everyone knows its tougher to win a 4 out of 7 or 3 out of 5 series rather than a single elimination tournament or "Championship Game"

and the 1980 Olympic Team...what was the score they got drubbed by the Russians in the pre-Olympic Tournament 10-0?

The list wasn't done by ESPN.

ESPN picked 50 teams, and the results were voted by the fans.

Do you know where we could find a list of the 50 teams they had avaliable?

95-96 Bulls >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 98 Yankees


I don't know if anyone realizes how big of a feat winning 70 games was.

and the 1980 Olympic Team...what was the score they got drubbed by the Russians in the pre-Olympic Tournament 10-0?

Who won the Gold medal? Ahem, thank you case closed. Beating the USSR alone gets them inclusion in any top tens of this sort. Who gives a crap if the score was 50-0. When the score counted, I think it was 4-3 USA!!! :yo:

95-96 Bulls >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 98 Yankees


I don't know if anyone realizes how big of a feat winning 70 games was.
oh please the yankees won a 114 games and went 11-2 in the postseason. no team in baseball was ever as dominant. (well this years yankees team is having a little fun right now) :)

no team in baseball was ever as dominant.

They had no competition. The Padres? Please!

They had no competition. The Padres? Please!
oh and the bulls did?

look what they did to the padres. look what they did to every team that year.

maybe you can root for the yankees you might see a championship in your lifetime

The 1995-96 Bulls aren't the best team ever. They racked up wins vs an expansion depleated NBA and any of the 80's dynasties would have ripped through them.

Didn't that Bulls team beat a Seattle team that won 64 games?

95-96 Supersonics > 98 Padres

The only bones to pick I have is...why are their college's mixed in with Professional sports?...everyone knows its tougher to win a 4 out of 7 or 3 out of 5 series rather than a single elimination tournament or "Championship Game"

and the 1980 Olympic Team...what was the score they got drubbed by the Russians in the pre-Olympic Tournament 10-0?

I disagree about college teams. It is much more difficult for the best college BB team to win the NCAA tourney than for the best NBA team to beat 4 teams 4 times in 7 tries. The cream always rises to the top in the NBA because while anything can happen on a given day in a given game, it's unlikely to happen 4 times in a 7 game series. The Pistons are not the exception, they demonstrate the rule. The best team almost always wins.

The same is true of the NFL vs college football. Getting there is more difficult for the college football team. If you have one bad game, it can ruin your season. Just look at last year. USC lost to Cal! And nobody would argue that they weren't a great team.

Some pretty darn good teams got ****ed.

Especially the 2000 Ravens. :shakehead:

One more note: ESPN's going to be putting the worst 25 teams in the past 25 years on next week, which should be interesting. Obviously the Senators and Sharks expansion year were locks for the list, and probably even locks for being included in the 10 worst ever.

#1 Worst... 1976 Bucs
Top 10... 99-00 Lightning (3rd of 4 50 loss seasons)

#1 Worst... 1976 Bucs
Top 10... 99-00 Lightning (3rd of 4 50 loss seasons)

The Sharks and Sens teams of 1992-93 were god freaking awful

The Sharks and Sens teams of 1992-93 were god freaking awful


So were the other teams in the 70's who loved to lose. The 74 (or 75) Caps went like 7-68-3 or something and I one of the early 70's Sixers teams went 9-73

They had no competition. The Padres? Please!
The Indians gave them a little trouble in the ALCS.

Didn't that Bulls team beat a Seattle team that won 64 games?

95-96 Supersonics > 98 Padres
98 Indians > 95/96 Sonics
98 Braves > 95/96 sonics
98 Padres beat 98 Braves

Also, the Padres won 98 games, that's pretty good.

As far as worst teams go, I think the 2003 Tigers have already won. I mean they lost 119 games, it really doesnt get a whole lot worse.

98 Indians > 95/96 Sonics
98 Braves > 95/96 sonics
98 Padres beat 98 Braves

Also, the Padres won 98 games, that's pretty good.

98 wins for a World Series team isn't that good. The benchmark for a good World Series team is 100 wins. 60 wins for an NBA team is an accomplishment.

I'm no Bulls fan by any stretch, but they beat a team with 2 bona fide superstars in their primes (Payton and Kemp).

Who was so great on the 98 Padres besides an aging Tony Gwynn?

Some pretty darn good teams got ****ed.

Especially the 2000 Ravens. :shakehead:

You're kidding, right?

The 2000 Ravens had one of the best defenses ever to be sure, but they are not one of the top teams of all time. Their offense, while it didn't have to be spectacular, was mediocre at best.

2000 Ravens in the top 25 teams of all time? :thumbd:

The offense was not only mediocre, but the 2000 Ravens arguably had the worst offense and in particular the worst QB of any team to win the Super Bowl thus far.

I wouldn't go so far as to say worst offense. They did have Jamal Lewis after all.

As far as worst teams go, I think the 2003 Tigers have already won. I mean they lost 119 games, it really doesnt get a whole lot worse.


Remember the '62 Mets? :)

what about the undefeated Dolphins of the early 70's...aren't they the only NFL team to go unbeaten???

what about the undefeated Dolphins of the early 70's...aren't they the only NFL team to go unbeaten???

Yes, and that was more than 25 years ago.

The Sharks and Sens teams of 1992-93 were god freaking awful

Some of those Nords teams were terrible ... didn't they only win like 14 games one year? And that was with Sakic.

Yes, and that was more than 25 years ago.

If you look at it,the dolphins 72 team was overrated.They had a lot of close games and a lot of those games were against sub .500 teams.That isn't even a top 10 all-time NFL team IMO.

Oh, I definitely agree....and their preformance in the playoffs that year proved that.

The 79 Steelers, as well as at least 2 Niners teams were clearly better.

ESPN's Top 25 teams of last 25 years?

Jeez, talk about comparing apples and oranges....and pears and plums and kiwis and kumquats and....................

Yes, and that was more than 25 years ago.

good point

The 1995-96 Bulls aren't the best team ever. They racked up wins vs an expansion depleated NBA and any of the 80's dynasties would have ripped through them.

Really, I would have to dispute that. Contrary to some opinions, this team was not just a one man team. They had Scottie Pippen who a year earlier was an MVP candidate and one of the best defensive players of all-time. Add in arguably the best rebounder of all-time and great agitator Denis Rodman. They also had Tony Kukoc a dead aim shooter who would create all kinds of matchup problems for those teams of the 80s. And I haven't even gotten to Jordan yet. The Greatest player of all time.

You might be able to say that some of those teams from the 80s could have beaten the Bulls, but to say that those other teams could have ripped through the Bulls is just plain ignorant.

what about the undefeated Dolphins of the early 70's...aren't they the only NFL team to go unbeaten???

Heh, I don't think there are a lot of people who may know this, but the Dolphins are NOT the only NFL team to go undefeated, they are the only team to go 17-0.


There was a Chicago Bears team back in the infancy of the NFL, that went 11-0.

Heh, I don't think there are a lot of people who may know this, but the Dolphins are NOT the only NFL team to go undefeated, they are the only team to go 17-0.


There was a Chicago Bears team back in the infancy of the NFL, that went 11-0.

No I didn't know....I'm surprised that someone else hasn't gone undefeated since.

No I didn't know....I'm surprised that someone else hasn't gone undefeated since.

I'm not, look how long it took to get to the 72 team.

The 1995-96 Bulls aren't the best team ever. They racked up wins vs an expansion depleated NBA and any of the 80's dynasties would have ripped through them.
I don't know if you're defending the Yankees or just throwing out an argument against the Bulls but the exact same thing could be said about the Yanks. '98 was the year that the Devil Rays and the Diamondbacks came into the league, allowing the Yanks to play against an expansion depleted MLB.

I don't agree with the list either. Stuart Scott mentioned just before the #1 was announced that it was all about the TEAM. What he failed to mention was their astronomical salaries that made the TEAM possible.

BTW, anyone seen the Top 25 "Headlines" show yet? Any hockey news in there, like the 1988 Gretzky trade, NYR's first cup in 54 years or the McSorley-Brashear incident?

Remember the '62 Mets? :)

Those '62 Mets were an expansion team, they had an excuse, last year's Tigs just ****ing sucked. At least this year they're doing a lot better. :)

Out of the last 25 years, the 2003 Tigers would have to be in the Top 5 of 25 worst teams, they were just awful.

98 wins for a World Series team isn't that good. The benchmark for a good World Series team is 100 wins. 60 wins for an NBA team is an accomplishment.

I'm no Bulls fan by any stretch, but they beat a team with 2 bona fide superstars in their primes (Payton and Kemp).

Who was so great on the 98 Padres besides an aging Tony Gwynn?
Kevin Brown, Sterling Hitchcock, Greg Vaughn, Ken Camminiti, Andy Ashby, Trevor Hoffman. All of those players were, in their primes.

Edit: forgot Steve Finley and Wally Joyner. But then again, I guess all they had was an aging Tony Gwynn right?

Those '62 Mets were an expansion team, they had an excuse, last year's Tigs just ****ing sucked. At least this year they're doing a lot better. :)

Out of the last 25 years, the 2003 Tigers would have to be in the Top 5 of 25 worst teams, they were just awful.

Hell any of the last 5 years the Tigers had ****ing sucked

at least they have some hope for the future with youth {bonderman & such]

BTW, anyone seen the Top 25 "Headlines" show yet? Any hockey news in there, like the 1988 Gretzky trade, NYR's first cup in 54 years or the McSorley-Brashear incident?

They've only shown 25 through 21 as far as I've seen, and no hockey headlines yet.

They already heavily implied the Gretzky trade is near the top by the looks of the commercials they've had for the program.

Really, I would have to dispute that. Contrary to some opinions, this team was not just a one man team. They had Scottie Pippen who a year earlier was an MVP candidate and one of the best defensive players of all-time. Add in arguably the best rebounder of all-time and great agitator Denis Rodman. They also had Tony Kukoc a dead aim shooter who would create all kinds of matchup problems for those teams of the 80s. And I haven't even gotten to Jordan yet. The Greatest player of all time.

You might be able to say that some of those teams from the 80s could have beaten the Bulls, but to say that those other teams could have ripped through the Bulls is just plain ignorant.
All players who have fell off a cliff productionwise once Jordan left then NBA. The Bulls never had anybody good at the point and the post presence on both sides (I'd take Malone, Parrish or Bird anyday) during those series was laughable, that bench was always a joke (better than the dead weight the Lakers have been carrying around lately,) and Krause was an inept GM and would have been no match for Auerbach or West.

ESPN has just gotten so hypecentric lately, witness the LeBron News Network and "Oh here's the Hockey scores," "Air" Jordan epitomizes that.

Welp, ESPN just revealed who the fans voted as the worst teams of the past 25 years in college and professional sports:

25. 82-83 Houston Rockets
24. 1989 Dallas Cowboys
23. 2000 Duke basketball
22. 1990 New England Patriots
21. 85-86 Vancouver Grizzlies

20. 2001 U of Houston football
19. 1996 NY Jets
18. 1980 New Orleans Saints
17. 81-82 Cleveland Cavaliers
16. 2002 Tampa Bay Devil Rays

15. 1997 Rutgers football
14. 92-93 Dallas Mavericks
13. 1988 Kansas State football
12. 99-00 LA Clippers
11. 92-93 Ottawa Senators

10. 1988 Baltimore Orioles
9. 96 Detroit Tigers
8. 91-92 Prarie View basketball
7. 1998 Florida Marlins
6. 92-93 San Jose Sharks

5. 97-98 Denver Nuggets
4. 86-87 LA Clippers
3. 1985 Columbia football
2. 1981 Northwestern football
1. 1991 Prarie View football

Learning just how bad the 91 PV team was (all kinds of highlights including a 92-0 loss), they probably deserved the #1 spot....but how the 2003 Detroit Tigers got completely left out is beyond me.

this is bologne! the 86 celts better than the 87 lakers? please...

Hard to believe there isn't a single Cincinati Bengals team on that list.

Welp, ESPN just revealed who the fans voted as the worst teams of the past 25 years in college and professional sports:

25. 82-83 Houston Rockets
24. 1989 Dallas Cowboys
23. 2000 Duke basketball
22. 1990 New England Patriots
21. 85-86 Vancouver Grizzlies

20. 2001 U of Houston football
19. 1996 NY Jets
18. 1980 New Orleans Saints
17. 81-82 Cleveland Cavaliers
16. 2002 Tampa Bay Devil Rays

15. 1997 Rutgers football
14. 92-93 Dallas Mavericks
13. 1988 Kansas State football
12. 99-00 LA Clippers
11. 92-93 Ottawa Senators

10. 1988 Baltimore Orioles
9. 96 Detroit Tigers
8. 91-92 Prarie View basketball
7. 1998 Florida Marlins
6. 92-93 San Jose Sharks

5. 97-98 Denver Nuggets
4. 86-87 LA Clippers
3. 1985 Columbia football
2. 1981 Northwestern football
1. 1991 Prarie View football

Learning just how bad the 91 PV team was (all kinds of highlights including a 92-0 loss), they probably deserved the #1 spot....but how the 2003 Detroit Tigers got completely left out is beyond me.

This Prarie View school must have really sucked! I have never heard of them before, but to make the list twice for the same year for different sports would kill your school spirit.

23. 1983 Iowa

Huh? Who the hell are they? Wrestling? :dunno:

Huh? Who the hell are they? Wrestling? :dunno:

yea, 1983--Iowa set a Big Ten record with nine league champs, compiled a 17-1 dual record and won a sixth consecutive NCAA crown. Iowa had nine all-Americans, a tournament record, and four NCAA champs.

yea, 1983--Iowa set a Big Ten record with nine league champs, compiled a 17-1 dual record and won a sixth consecutive NCAA crown. Iowa had nine all-Americans, a tournament record, and four NCAA champs.
and 3 Olympians

yea, 1983--Iowa set a Big Ten record with nine league champs, compiled a 17-1 dual record and won a sixth consecutive NCAA crown. Iowa had nine all-Americans, a tournament record, and four NCAA champs.
But weren't they some unbelievable dynasty though? Shouldn't the whole run be included, instead of just 1983?

....Uh, considering the whole point is these are supposed to be individual teams, no.

....Uh, considering the whole point is these are supposed to be individual teams, no.
Ah. Ya know what? I just looked at the list quickly and saw ranges of years and just assumed they were for various eras, and not that a season covered 2 calender years.

If thats the case, then the list is even more ridiculous.

Wait, why does that make the list more ridiculous?

Wait, why does that make the list more ridiculous?
Well, take the Bulls for instance. They fielded one of the greatest dynasties in modern sports history, such that the 95-96 team that went 72-10 warrants being ranked the 2nd best individual season. But none of their other 5 championship teams warrant a spot? The 96-97 team went 69-13 for instance.

Well, take the Bulls for instance. They fielded one of the greatest dynasties in modern sports history, such that the 95-96 team that went 72-10 warrants being ranked the 2nd best individual season. But none of their other 5 championship teams warrant a spot? The 96-97 team went 69-13 for instance.

Of the teams that were dynasties they tried to pick the best single season of the dynasty.

81-82 Isles
83-84 Oilers
1998 Yankees

etc. etc.

Of the teams that were dynasties they tried to pick the best single season of the dynasty.

81-82 Isles
83-84 Oilers
1998 Yankees

etc. etc.
Thanks. Well, just when you think the list can't get anymore ridiculous ...