Sports teams that have been historically unsuccessful
Charlotte Hornets (NBA): The only active team never to win even a division title. They also have never advanced past the second round of the playoffs.
Chicago Cubs (MLB): Called the Loveable Losers due to their World Series drought from 1908 to 2016.
New York Jets (NFL): Have not made the playoffs since 2011, when they lost the AFC Championship to the Pittsburgh Steelers. They have consistently been one of the worst run franchises in NFL history.
Los Angeles Clippers (NBA): Born in 1970, they have never been to the NBA finals
Washington Generals: Haven’t won a game since 1971.
Sports teams that have been historically unsuccessful
Charlotte Hornets (NBA): The only active team never to win even a division title. They also have never advanced past the second round of the playoffs.
Chicago Cubs (MLB): Called the Loveable Losers due to their World Series drought from 1908 to 2016.
New York Jets (NFL): Have not made the playoffs since 2011, when they lost the AFC Championship to the Pittsburgh Steelers. They have consistently been one of the worst run franchises in NFL history.
Los Angeles Clippers (NBA): Born in 1970, they have never been to the NBA finals
Washington Generals: Haven’t won a game since 1971.
Buffalo Bills (NFL): Have never won a Super Bowl, in spite of making it to the finals 4 times in a row in the 1990s. They haven’t been in the Super Bowl since 1993, 32 years ago.
Sports teams that have been historically unsuccessful
Charlotte Hornets (NBA): The only active team never to win even a division title. They also have never advanced past the second round of the playoffs.
Chicago Cubs (MLB): Called the Loveable Losers due to their World Series drought from 1908 to 2016.
New York Jets (NFL): Have not made the playoffs since 2011, when they lost the AFC Championship to the Pittsburgh Steelers. They have consistently been one of the worst run franchises in NFL history.
Los Angeles Clippers (NBA): Born in 1970, they have never been to the NBA finals
Washington Generals: Haven’t won a game since 1971.
Buffalo Bills (NFL): Have never won a Super Bowl, in spite of making it to the finals 4 times in a row in the 1990s. They haven’t been in the Super Bowl since 1993, 32 years ago.
Cleveland Browns (NFL): Have never made it to the Super Bowl, despite the fact that they’ve won four pre-merger NFL championships. Their last division win was in 1989 in the AFC Central, which doesn’t exist anymore. They were the second team to go 0-16, and it took them until 2020 to win their first playoff game since their 1999 reactivation.
Sports teams that have been historically unsuccessful
Charlotte Hornets (NBA): The only active team never to win even a division title. They also have never advanced past the second round of the playoffs.
Chicago Cubs (MLB): Called the Loveable Losers due to their World Series drought from 1908 to 2016.
New York Jets (NFL): Have not made the playoffs since 2011, when they lost the AFC Championship to the Pittsburgh Steelers. They have consistently been one of the worst run franchises in NFL history.
Los Angeles Clippers (NBA): Born in 1970, they have never been to the NBA finals
Washington Generals: Haven’t won a game since 1971.
Buffalo Bills (NFL): Have never won a Super Bowl, in spite of making it to the finals 4 times in a row in the 1990s. They haven’t been in the Super Bowl since 1993, 32 years ago.
Cleveland Browns (NFL): Have never made it to the Super Bowl, despite the fact that they’ve won four pre-merger NFL championships. Their last division win was in 1989 in the AFC Central, which doesn’t exist anymore. They were the second team to go 0-16, and it took them until 2020 to win their first playoff game since their 1999 reactivation.
Sacramento Kings: The team with the most losses in the NBA.
Sports teams that have been historically unsuccessful
Charlotte Hornets (NBA): The only active team never to win even a division title. They also have never advanced past the second round of the playoffs.
Chicago Cubs (MLB): Called the Loveable Losers due to their World Series drought from 1908 to 2016.
New York Jets (NFL): Have not made the playoffs since 2011, when they lost the AFC Championship to the Pittsburgh Steelers. They have consistently been one of the worst run franchises in NFL history.
Los Angeles Clippers (NBA): Born in 1970, they have never been to the NBA finals
Washington Generals: Haven’t won a game since 1971.
Buffalo Bills (NFL): Have never won a Super Bowl, in spite of making it to the finals 4 times in a row in the 1990s. They haven’t been in the Super Bowl since 1993, 32 years ago.
Cleveland Browns (NFL): Have never made it to the Super Bowl, despite the fact that they’ve won four pre-merger NFL championships. Their last division win was in 1989 in the AFC Central, which doesn’t exist anymore. They were the second team to go 0-16, and it took them until 2020 to win their first playoff game since their 1999 reactivation.
Sacramento Kings: The team with the most losses in the NBA.
Washington (DC) Wizards/Bullets: Since making two consecutive NBA Finals (1 win, 1 loss) the team has had just 17 post-season appearances, with just 5 wins, in 45 years.
Sports teams that have been historically unsuccessful
Charlotte Hornets (NBA): The only active team never to win even a division title. They also have never advanced past the second round of the playoffs.
Chicago Cubs (MLB): Called the Loveable Losers due to their World Series drought from 1908 to 2016.
New York Jets (NFL): Have not made the playoffs since 2011, when they lost the AFC Championship to the Pittsburgh Steelers. They have consistently been one of the worst run franchises in NFL history.
Los Angeles Clippers (NBA): Born in 1970, they have never been to the NBA finals
Washington Generals: Haven’t won a game since 1971.
Buffalo Bills (NFL): Have never won a Super Bowl, in spite of making it to the finals 4 times in a row in the 1990s. They haven’t been in the Super Bowl since 1993, 32 years ago.
Cleveland Browns (NFL): Have never made it to the Super Bowl, despite the fact that they’ve won four pre-merger NFL championships. Their last division win was in 1989 in the AFC Central, which doesn’t exist anymore. They were the second team to go 0-16, and it took them until 2020 to win their first playoff game since their 1999 reactivation.
Sacramento Kings: The team with the most losses in the NBA.
Washington (DC) Wizards/Bullets: Since making two consecutive NBA Finals (1 win, 1 loss) the team has had just 17 post-season appearances, with just 5 wins, in 45 years.
Seattle Mariners (MLB): The only active team never to make it to the World Series. They only this year made it to their first ALCS since 2001.
Charlotte Hornets (NBA): The only active team never to win even a division title. They also have never advanced past the second round of the playoffs.
Chicago Cubs (MLB): Called the Loveable Losers due to their World Series drought from 1908 to 2016.
New York Jets (NFL): Have not made the playoffs since 2011, when they lost the AFC Championship to the Pittsburgh Steelers. They have consistently been one of the worst run franchises in NFL history.
Los Angeles Clippers (NBA): Born in 1970, they have never been to the NBA finals
Washington Generals: Haven’t won a game since 1971.
Buffalo Bills (NFL): Have never won a Super Bowl, in spite of making it to the finals 4 times in a row in the 1990s. They haven’t been in the Super Bowl since 1993, 32 years ago.
Cleveland Browns (NFL): Have never made it to the Super Bowl, despite the fact that they’ve won four pre-merger NFL championships. Their last division win was in 1989 in the AFC Central, which doesn’t exist anymore. They were the second team to go 0-16, and it took them until 2020 to win their first playoff game since their 1999 reactivation.
Sacramento Kings: The team with the most losses in the NBA.
Washington (DC) Wizards/Bullets: Since making two consecutive NBA Finals (1 win, 1 loss) the team has had just 17 post-season appearances, with just 5 wins, in 45 years.
Seattle Mariners (MLB): The only active team never to make it to the World Series. They only this year made it to their first ALCS since 2001.
Detroit Lions (NFL): Have never been to the Super Bowl and, since their heyday in the ‘50s, have experienced long periods without postseason appearances. The team has been successful over the last few seasons, but competition in the NFC North is tougher this year, so there’s no guarantee of making the playoffs.
Sports teams that have been historically unsuccessful
Charlotte Hornets (NBA): The only active team never to win even a division title. They also have never advanced past the second round of the playoffs.
Chicago Cubs (MLB): Called the Loveable Losers due to their World Series drought from 1908 to 2016.
New York Jets (NFL): Have not made the playoffs since 2011, when they lost the AFC Championship to the Pittsburgh Steelers. They have consistently been one of the worst run franchises in NFL history.
Los Angeles Clippers (NBA): Born in 1970, they have never been to the NBA finals
Washington Generals: Haven’t won a game since 1971.
Buffalo Bills (NFL): Have never won a Super Bowl, in spite of making it to the finals 4 times in a row in the 1990s. They haven’t been in the Super Bowl since 1993, 32 years ago.
Cleveland Browns (NFL): Have never made it to the Super Bowl, despite the fact that they’ve won four pre-merger NFL championships. Their last division win was in 1989 in the AFC Central, which doesn’t exist anymore. They were the second team to go 0-16, and it took them until 2020 to win their first playoff game since their 1999 reactivation.
Sacramento Kings: The team with the most losses in the NBA.
Washington (DC) Wizards/Bullets: Since making two consecutive NBA Finals (1 win, 1 loss) the team has had just 17 post-season appearances, with just 5 wins, in 45 years.
Seattle Mariners (MLB): The only active team never to make it to the World Series. They only this year made it to their first ALCS since 2001.
Detroit Lions (NFL): Have never been to the Super Bowl and, since their heyday in the ‘50s, have experienced long periods without postseason appearances. The team has been successful over the last few seasons, but competition in the NFC North is tougher this year, so there’s no guarantee of making the playoffs.
Colorado Rockies (MLB): At the end of 2025, the Rockies have an all-time record of 2,364–2,818. This .456 winning percentage is the worst among active MLB franchise, and they have never won a championship. In the 2007 World Series, they were swept in 4 games.
Sports teams that have been historically unsuccessful
Charlotte Hornets (NBA): The only active team never to win even a division title. They also have never advanced past the second round of the playoffs.
Chicago Cubs (MLB): Called the Loveable Losers due to their World Series drought from 1908 to 2016.
New York Jets (NFL): Have not made the playoffs since 2011, when they lost the AFC Championship to the Pittsburgh Steelers. They have consistently been one of the worst run franchises in NFL history.
Los Angeles Clippers (NBA): Born in 1970, they have never been to the NBA finals
Washington Generals: Haven’t won a game since 1971.
Buffalo Bills (NFL): Have never won a Super Bowl, in spite of making it to the finals 4 times in a row in the 1990s. They haven’t been in the Super Bowl since 1993, 32 years ago.
Cleveland Browns (NFL): Have never made it to the Super Bowl, despite the fact that they’ve won four pre-merger NFL championships. Their last division win was in 1989 in the AFC Central, which doesn’t exist anymore. They were the second team to go 0-16, and it took them until 2020 to win their first playoff game since their 1999 reactivation.
Sacramento Kings: The team with the most losses in the NBA.
Washington (DC) Wizards/Bullets: Since making two consecutive NBA Finals (1 win, 1 loss) the team has had just 17 post-season appearances, with just 5 wins, in 45 years.
Seattle Mariners (MLB): The only active team never to make it to the World Series. They only this year made it to their first ALCS since 2001.
Detroit Lions (NFL): Have never been to the Super Bowl and, since their heyday in the ‘50s, have experienced long periods without postseason appearances. The team has been successful over the last few seasons, but competition in the NFC North is tougher this year, so there’s no guarantee of making the playoffs.
Colorado Rockies (MLB): At the end of 2025, the Rockies have an all-time record of 2,364–2,818. This .456 winning percentage is the worst among active MLB franchise, and they have never won a championship. In the 2007 World Series, they were swept in 4 games.
Arizona Coyotes: Worst record in the NHL over the past 25 years. They are so bad they don’t exist anymore.
Next up: In honor of the late, great US 1-cent piece:
People, places, things, and phrases containing the word ‘penny’
Fun fact about Lois Maxwell as Moneypenny: for all that she was British in the James Bond films, she was actually Canadian, from Toronto. She was a classmate of my Dad’s at high school in Toronto, and Dad knew her as a friend and classmate.