# Greatest sports team you've ever seen? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [April 15, 2012, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-team-youve-ever-seen/618808 "2012-04-15T01:36:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2012, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-team-youve-ever-seen/618808/21 "2012-04-15T23:29:38Z")
Bah, I laugh at your flash-in-the-pan teams that shine for a season or two. The [All Blacks](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_blacks)have a winning record against all other teams and a win percentage of 76.96% in internationals since 1903. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-team-youve-ever-seen/618808/22 "2012-04-16T00:38:59Z")
I saw the Lakers in 1971-1972 during their 33 game win streak. Christ, the nose bleed seats at the Forum were really far away. No matter. Thanks dad, it was awesome! ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-team-youve-ever-seen/618808/23 "2012-04-16T01:20:59Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > The Gretzky Oilers are a great choice. > > For hockey, > > I will also add the early 90’s Penguins, with Mario Lemieux , Jaromir Jagr and a number of other great players. They won only two cups in a row. The second cup in 92 was won with 11 straight playoff wins, a record that I think still stands. But their third season of chasing the cup may have been their best team. They finished the season with what I believe is still an NHL record 17 straight wins. Unfortunately, they crapped out in the playoffs, and that streak and season are largely forgotten. A shame really, since the team was a juggernaut. If you’ll recall, that was also the year that Mario was diagnosed with cancer, and was sitting out a lot of games. (Yes, the team was more than just him, but it definitely took its toll) He also had so many other problems – mostly with his back, as well as atrial fibrillation throughout his entire career. I truly believe if he had been fully healthy, the Pens could have become a dynasty, and that Mario would have accomplished a hell of alot more. (And many others have said so) And of course, I’m going to go along with the early 90s Pens, not so much because I’m biased (which of course I am), but because that’s the first time I really remember paying attention to sports. The Steelers big days were back before for I was born (their last Super Bowl had been won when I was just a baby). The city was just going nuts. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-team-youve-ever-seen/618808/24 "2012-04-16T03:25:32Z")
> [@lisiate](#): > > Bah, I laugh at your flash-in-the-pan teams that shine for a season or two. The [All Blacks](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_blacks)have a winning record against all other teams and a win percentage of 76.96% in internationals since 1903. That’s hardly a team in the same sense that others have been talking about. It certainly is an impressive record though. ---
**Author:** ![Mixolydian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Mixolydian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mixolydian)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-team-youve-ever-seen/618808/25 "2012-04-16T04:20:02Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > The Gretzky Oilers are a great choice. > > For hockey, > > I will also add the early 90’s Penguins, with Mario Lemieux , Jaromir Jagr and a number of other great players. They won only two cups in a row. The second cup in 92 was won with 11 straight playoff wins, a record that I think still stands. But their third season of chasing the cup may have been their best team. They finished the season with what I believe is still an NHL record 17 straight wins. Unfortunately, they crapped out in the playoffs, and that streak and season are largely forgotten. A shame really, since the team was a juggernaut. > > The 80’s Islanders with Trottier, Bossy, Morrow, et al, They were the dynasty before the Oiler teams. Islander fan here who saw the rise through the dynasty..they were better than the Oilers that came after, but the '77 Canadiens were the best NHL hockey team I ever saw. The Soviet Red Army team wasn’t too bad either. > [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > For Football, The Steelers of the 70’s are my personal choice as the best team I personally saw. The 4 Lombardi’s in 6 years was impressive enough, but the very best team was the 1976 Steelers. Those were the days of the 14 game seasons, and the Steelers started 1-4, and Bradshaw was out for the remainder of the regular season with a neck injury. The defense had to carry the team with a rookie QB, and they did, willing 9 straight games to finish 10-4. The defense had 5 shutouts during that stretch, and were amazing to watch. > > The defense in particular was fantastic, and in my opinion the best single season defensive performance of all time. In the last nine games of the season, they gave up a total of 28 points. They made it to the AFC Championship game, but lost to the Oakland raiders. They finally couldn’t overcome the injuries suffered during the season, as Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier both missed the 76 championship game. It would have been great if the Steelers would have won that game and the super bowl that season, as that would have been their 3rd in a row. If that happened, that team would have gone down as one for the ages, and arguably the single best team of all time. > For Baseball, I’m going to go with the early 1970’s Oakland A’s. Three World Series wins in a row. They are followed closely by the 70’s Big Red Machine. > > Even though the Yankees strung together 4 WS wins in a row in the late 90’s, early 00’s, I’d put them behind these other two teams. > > Finally, the 1984 Tigers started 35-5 and never were challenged the entire season. They won the WS also, completing the single best season I have ever seen. All good calls…I’d have a tough time arguing any of these. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-team-youve-ever-seen/618808/26 "2012-04-16T05:09:46Z")
I haven’t seen many world-beaters in person. The only two I can think of offhand would be the 1994 Brazil World Cup team that beat the U.S. 1-0 (and that wasn’t even one of their more dominating sides, though they did end up winning it all.) and the 1994 San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers really have to share the stage though with the Dallas Cowboys of that era, for being two of the finest football teams ever. Ridiculous, the amount of talent on both of those teams. Didn’t watch them live, and not to pile onto 1994, but the Nebraska Cornhuskers of that year (though really, the next.) probably have to be considered in the running for finest college football team of all time. 1995-96 was just silly. They trailed for only part of one game during the entire regular season, though Florida did have them down early in the Fiesta Bowl, before eventually losing 62-24. Amazing talent. ---
**Author:** ![mkecane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9e8a1a/32.png) [@mkecane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mkecane)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-team-youve-ever-seen/618808/27 "2012-04-16T14:18:06Z")
In person, the two best teams are probably the '89 Oakland As and the 2002 Miami Hurricanes. The As seemed unstoppable, at least in the AL, for their 3 years at the top. I have to think that if Gibson didn’t get his homer in the '88 WS, the As would have gone on to win (I remember them as being shellshocked and never recovering), and then just running into a buzzsaw Reds team in '90. The 2002 Canes were defending champions and in the midst of a 34 game winning streak. It wasn’t their best team by any means, but probably their 2nd best non-championship team. Other good/great teams I’ve seen: '94 Nebraska Cornhuskers, '92 Blue Jays, '02 Anaheim Angels (spring training), '02 San Francisco Giants. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-team-youve-ever-seen/618808/28 "2012-04-16T14:34:03Z")
It would have to be the championship Lakers teams in the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons. I don’t think I’ve ever gone to a baseball game with the eventual World Series champions (not all that surprising, considering most of the games I’ve gone to have been at Wrigley Field). For college football, the 1996 Florida Gators were the best I’ve seen in person. For college basketball, it’s either the 2005-06 Gators or maybe a couple of the Kentucky teams from a decade before. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-team-youve-ever-seen/618808/29 "2012-04-16T18:56:49Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > The 1998 Yankees were essentially invincible, without any doubt the best baseball team I have ever seen. They were without a doubt the most thoroughly excellent baseball team, top to bottom, I’ve ever witnessed. For the “in person” category, that has to be the team for me. On the last weekend of the season I saw them break the American League record for wins by beating the Rays. The record lasted all of three years, but the Yankees won the Series that year and the 116-win Mariners didn’t. > [@John\_DiFool](#): > > Assume TV is sufficient, guys. Speaking of invincible, then, the '95-'96 Bulls. They were just absurdly good. I remember people were downright confused when they went up 3-0 on Seattle in the finals and then actually _lost two games_ before wrapping it up. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-team-youve-ever-seen/618808/30 "2012-04-16T19:14:33Z")
1992 Univ. of Alabama football would probably be at the top of my list. I was on the support staff for the team as a graduate student and was at every game. That defense was absolutely dominant. Their complete destruction of Miami in the Sugar Bowl was magical to watch, especially after almost no one gave them a chance to win and hearing all the shit-talking by Miami players leading up to the game. The 2009 and 2011 National Championship teams under Nick Saban have to be in there too, but I had more personal involvement in 1992 than I do now. ---
**Author:** ![mkecane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9e8a1a/32.png) [@mkecane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mkecane)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-team-youve-ever-seen/618808/31 "2012-04-16T19:58:00Z")
Jay Barker, Derrick Lassick, and David Palmer…fuck. Those twerps had no business near a title! But yeah, that Bama D was damn good. I missed the post about tv being sufficient. In that case, I second the suggestion of the '95/96 Bulls. I think they were 39-2 at home that season. There was just no way that any team was going to beat a Michael Jordan team 4 times out of 7. I’m still amazed that the Blazers and Sonics managed 2 wins in '92 and '96. If there were ever a time to say the NBA rigged things to keep things interesting for tv, it had to be those Finals series. “Come on, Mike, let us get 6 games on tv. Please!” I think MJ at that time was the dictionary definition of simply willing a team to victory. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-team-youve-ever-seen/618808/32 "2012-04-16T20:05:28Z")
> [@mkecane](#): > > I think they were 39-2 at home that season. They were. And I just noticed they won the Central Division by _20 games_. > [@](#): > > I think MJ at that time was the dictionary definition of simply willing a team to victory. You’re underestimating the team, I think. The starting five had Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman, and they had Kukoc and Kerr coming off the bench. If you want willing a team to victory, there’s The Flu Game the next season. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2012, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-team-youve-ever-seen/618808/33 "2012-04-16T20:27:13Z")
> [@Mixolydian](#): > > Islander fan here who saw the rise through the dynasty..they were better than the Oilers that came after, but the '77 Canadiens were the best NHL hockey team I ever saw. Here’s a statistic for you: In 2011-2012, the average NHL team scored about 2.6 goals per game. In 1976-1977, the Montreal Canadiens scored 2.7 goals per game… more than the other team. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-team-youve-ever-seen/618808/34 "2012-04-17T03:00:04Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-team-youve-ever-seen/618808/35 "2012-04-17T04:35:16Z")
I think it’s got to be the '95-'96 Bulls. There was never a point in the season where there was any doubt that they were going to win the championship. The only question was whether or not they were going to break the record for most wins. I think honorable mention has to go to the '92 US Olympic basketball team (AKA The Dream Team). That tournament was something that I’m pretty sure none of us will ever see again. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-team-youve-ever-seen/618808/36 "2012-04-17T04:41:19Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > I think it’s got to be the '95-'96 Bulls. There was never a point in the season where there was any doubt that they were going to win the championship. The only question was whether or not they were going to break the record for most wins. And they did, by 3 games. The gap between 1st and 2nd for teams with the most NBA wins is bigger than the gap between 2nd and 10th. The Bulls from 1995-97 were amazing, especially considering the level of talent in the NBA at the time. After setting the record for most wins in 96, they tied for 2nd most wins in 97. > [@](#): > > I think honorable mention has to go to the '92 US Olympic basketball team (AKA The Dream Team). That tournament was something that I’m pretty sure none of us will ever see again. This is what I came here to mention. ---
**Author:** ![TheBoltEater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheBoltEater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheBoltEater)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-team-youve-ever-seen/618808/37 "2012-04-17T19:35:56Z")
The 1991 UNLV Runnin’ Rebels. Larry Johnson, Stacey Augmon, Greg Anthony and the boys who won the national championship the year earlier - beating Duke by _30_ in the title game - came back the next year and went undefeated to the Final Four, where they lost to Christian Laettner’s Duke team by 2. That ended a 45 game winning streak for the Rebels. And I saw them up close and personal in the cozy confines of the 5,000 seat Bren Events Center at UC Irvine. ---
**Author:** ![Molesworth\_2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9dc877/32.png) [@Molesworth\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Molesworth_2)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-team-youve-ever-seen/618808/38 "2012-04-17T20:51:59Z")
In person, the best thing I ever saw was the Argentinian soccer team of '93. IIRC, they had been beaten 5-0 by Colombia in the qualifiers. So they brought back Maradona, and he knocked us (Australia) out of the World Cup Qualifiers. I arrived late to the match in Sydney, but apparently his warm up was something to behold. Spinning the ball back to himself from a dozen yards or so, and then lofting it up onto his shoulder and stuff like that. He stole the ball on the wing and then crossed it into Abel Balbo for an amazing header. /watched Johan Cruyff play for the Washington Diplomats every week during the '80 NASL season as well, the highlight being a packed out RFK stadium when the Dips played the NY Cosmos in a game that went to extra time //still a bit peeved that that '94 Argentinian team got knocked out of the World Cup. They were playing 3 up front, Balbo, Batistuta, and Maradona. They were a beautiful team to watch, and then Maradona got suspended for ephedrine. I don’t care about ephedrine. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-team-youve-ever-seen/618808/39 "2012-04-17T21:17:48Z")
The 2007 Patriots. Not only did they go 16-0 in the regular season, they beat their opponents by an _average_ of twenty points (37-17) during the season. The Giants were slightly better on Superbowl Sunday, but the Patriots dominated the season like no team ever had. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2012, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-team-youve-ever-seen/618808/40 "2012-04-17T21:58:12Z")
Bush/Lienart era USC Trojans. Fun while it lasted… Prost/Lauda McLaren F1 was a pretty good team. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-team-youve-ever-seen/618808.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-team-youve-ever-seen/618808.md?page=3)