# The Greatest Team ever **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 6, 2003, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-team-ever/159408 "2003-03-06T03:17:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jono](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@jono](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jono)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-team-ever/159408/1 "2003-03-06T03:17:30Z")
Following on from recent threads. Who do you dopers think was the best team ie. From any sport, any time period some australian selections 1:St George Dragons:Won 11 premierships in a row from 1955-1966. 2:Australian Cricket team (present): Hold the record for most consecutive test victories, and have just broken record for most ODI consecutive victories. (Both of these were previosuly held by the mighty West Indians of the late 70’s and 80’s) 3:The Australian womens hockey team won lots didnt they? ---
**Author:** ![BigNik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/73ab20/32.png) [@BigNik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigNik)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-team-ever/159408/2 "2003-03-06T03:26:59Z")
While the Saints were great in their era, I’d think they’d struggle today. If you’re after a greatest team “ever”, you need to consider that the level of most sports has increased drastically over time. I’d be thinking Australia’s cricket team or Canada’s curlers. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-team-ever/159408/3 "2003-03-06T03:48:59Z")
For pro basketball the 1959-1969 Boston Celtics. 10 Championships in 11 years. For NCAA basketball the UCLA Bruins under John Wooden. 4 undefeated seasons, including two in a row. Finished the 1970s with a .910 winning percentage with a record of 273 wins and 27 losses. An 88 game winning streak from 1971-1974. 13 consecutive conference titles. Won 10 national titles in 12 years including 7 consecutive. For pro baseball the New York Yankees since 1920. In that time they have won 37 American League pennants and 26 MLB championships. In the 20th century they won 25% of all the championships. Since 1920 (when they won their first) they have won nearly 1/3 of all major league baseball championships. Bunch of bastards. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-team-ever/159408/4 "2003-03-06T03:51:59Z")
Well, in baseball, I’d pick: 1927-31 Philadelphia Athletics 1953 Brooklyn Dodgers 1927 New York Yankees ---
**Author:** ![jono](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@jono](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jono)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-team-ever/159408/5 "2003-03-06T04:09:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BigNik \* > \*\*While the Saints were great in their era, I’d think they’d struggle today. If you’re after a greatest team “ever”, you need to consider that the level of most sports has increased drastically over time. > \*\* sure sure… but i am really just looking at the dominance over the competition at the time. its too hard and recent-biased if you do it any other way… damni have to go to work… ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-team-ever/159408/6 "2003-03-06T04:30:32Z")
The Chicago Bulls, early to mid nineties, with Jordan. McLaren F1, late 80’s, with Ayrton Senna and Gerhard Berger driving the vastly superior Adrian Newey designed car. Ferrari F1, 1982, with Gilles Villeneuve and Didier Pironi driving. Sadly, a crash saw Villeneuve die at Zolder, and another one saw Pironi injured within inches of his life. This team was the greatest ever, potentially. The Dutch 1974 World Cup football team. I admit I’m biased, but soccer fans of many nations will agree with me that this was one of the best national sides ever. Brazilian 1958 World Cup team. A mere look at the line-up says it all. Pele’s first tournament, with other complete legends as Garincha and Didi on the squad as well. I’d give my left arm to have been present at the finals. And just because it’s true: the 1974 _German_ world cup team. While they didn’t deserve to beat us in the finals, they did - which is a quality in and of itself. Besides, it was a great team overall, with Beckenbauer as their outstanding captain. The 1995 line-up of Ajax Amsterdam, when they only lost a single match all year, winning the national championship, the Champions League (final vs. AC Milan, 1-0), the World Cup (vs. Gremio, after penalties), Dutch the league cup, and the Johan Cruyff cup. Stars of that team remain top players throughout the world today: Kluivert, Davids, and Seedorf come to mind. Others have since quit: Blind, Rijkaard. I’m sure I’ll think of more later on. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-team-ever/159408/7 "2003-03-06T05:04:41Z")
The Super Steelers of the mid-to-late 70’s. (1976 was arguably their best team, but they didn’t make the super bowl.) The Penguins of the early 90’s (with their 17 game winning streak to end the 1992 season). They’ve been downhill ever since. UCLA (already documented) Yankees (already documented) Celtics (already documented) ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-team-ever/159408/8 "2003-03-06T05:08:34Z")
'27 Yankees. 1976-1979 Montreal Canadiens - Best. Hockey. Team. Ever. The Celtics Dynasty of the 60s. **Neurotik,** the Yankees didn’t win their first World Series until 1923. The Indians won in 1920, and the Giants beat the Yankees in 1921 and 1922. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-team-ever/159408/9 "2003-03-06T05:21:06Z")
**RickJay** - I believe you mistyped “1964-1969 Montreal Canadiens”. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-team-ever/159408/10 "2003-03-06T13:43:38Z")
The Soviet Red Army Hockey Team at it’s peak. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-team-ever/159408/11 "2003-03-06T14:03:19Z")
I’d vote for the 1972-1973 **Radford High School Bobcats** of Radford, Virginia, who won back-to-back state championships in football in those years. The passing combination of quarterback Mike Mauck to wide receiver Bob Hayes, and the brilliant broken field running of halfback Dave Morton, were forever etched on this then 10 year old while watching them overcome all the odds in each tournament to beat each of their heavily favored opponents. And unlike the rest of you, I speak from experience. I saw every game they played. How many of you can say that about your picks? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-team-ever/159408/12 "2003-03-06T14:24:12Z")
No way, Karl. From 1964 to 1969 the Habs won the Stanley Cup four times in five years. The first two were in a 6-team league, and the second two were against a expansion team **that had just started play!** (In the first few years of expansion the six expansion teams were all in one division, guaranteeing one would make the Finals.) Interspersed in there, they lost to the bloody Maple Leafs. That’s in no way comparable to the 1976-1979 team, which won in four years in a row in a much larger league and didn’t have to beat up a first year expansion team to do it. The Canadiens of the late 70’s were an absolute machine. They had Guy Lafleur, Larry Robinson, Steve Shutt, Bob Gainey, Jacques Lemaire. Their third line could start for any other team. They had Ken Dryden in net, and Dryden might well have been the best who ever played. They were awesome. They were coached by Scotty Bowman, who proved his stuff in Detroit, too. I’ll take those Habs over any other Habs. Check out Montreal’s records in those years: 1975-1976: 58-11-11, 337 GF, 178 GA 1976-1977: 60-8-12 (!!!) 387 GF, 171 GA 1977-1978: 59-10-11, 359 GF, 183 GA 1978-1979: 52-17-11, 337 GF, 204 GA That’s TOTAL domination. Sixty wins? Holy crap. The 1964-1969 Habs never had comparable records. And the playoffs? Total, utter domination: 1975-1976: Swept Chicago 4-0, beat NY Islanders 4-1, swept Philadelphia 4-0 1976-1977: Swept St. Louis 4-0, beat NY Islanders 4-2, swept Boston 4-0 1977-1978: Beat Detroit 4-1, swept Toronto 4-0, beat Boston 4-2 1978-1979: Swept Toronto 4-0, beat Boston 4-2, beat NY Rangers 4-1 In four years, 12 playoff series, that’s a record of **48-9.** Amazing. Never taken to a seventh game. Taken to a sixth game only three times in 12 attempts. Domination. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-team-ever/159408/13 "2003-03-06T14:51:30Z")
1919 Chicago White Sox (AKA Black Sox) - Baseball (Like I need to say that) ---
**Author:** ![PatrickM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7feea3/32.png) [@PatrickM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickM)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-team-ever/159408/14 "2003-03-06T14:53:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RickJay \* > \*\*No way, Karl. From 1964 to 1969 the Habs won the Stanley Cup four times in five years. The first two were in a 6-team league, and the second two were against a expansion team **that had just started play!** (In the first few years of expansion the six expansion teams were all in one division, guaranteeing one would make the Finals.) > > \ > > The Canadiens of the late 70’s were an absolute machine. They had Guy Lafleur, Larry Robinson, Steve Shutt, Bob Gainey, Jacques Lemaire. Their third line could start for any other team. They had Ken Dryden in net, and Dryden might well have been the best who ever played. They were awesome. They were coached by Scotty Bowman, who proved his stuff in Detroit, too. I’ll take those Habs over any other Habs. > > Check out Montreal’s records in those years: > > 1975-1976: 58-11-11, 337 GF, 178 GA > 1976-1977: 60-8-12 (!!!) 387 GF, 171 GA > 1977-1978: 59-10-11, 359 GF, 183 GA > 1978-1979: 52-17-11, 337 GF, 204 GA > > That’s TOTAL domination. Sixty wins? Holy crap. The 1964-1969 Habs never had comparable records. And the playoffs? Total, utter domination: > > 1975-1976: Swept Chicago 4-0, beat NY Islanders 4-1, swept Philadelphia 4-0 > > 1976-1977: Swept St. Louis 4-0, beat NY Islanders 4-2, swept Boston 4-0 > > 1977-1978: Beat Detroit 4-1, swept Toronto 4-0, beat Boston 4-2 > > 1978-1979: Swept Toronto 4-0, beat Boston 4-2, beat NY Rangers 4-1 > > In four years, 12 playoff series, that’s a record of **48-9.** Amazing. Never taken to a seventh game. Taken to a sixth game only three times in 12 attempts. Domination. \*\* RickJay, it is unfair of you to hold it against the late 1960s era Habs that they beat up on expansion teams in the finals. As you point out, that was the way the league was designed, and it plainly isn’t the fault of the team that won the cup that they did so by defeating inferior competition. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-team-ever/159408/15 "2003-03-06T14:56:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RickJay \* > \*\ ***Neurotik,** the Yankees didn’t win their first World Series until 1923. The Indians won in 1920, and the Giants beat the Yankees in 1921 and 1922. \*\* Ack! How embarassing. I totally meant to write reached the World Series for the first time. And I got 1920 and 1921 mixed up. 1920 was getting the Babe, 1921 was first World Sereis appearance. I combined the two in my head for some reason. No excuse for that. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-team-ever/159408/16 "2003-03-06T14:58:39Z")
Oh yes, and if we are going to pick single season teams you can’t leave out the 1998 Yankees or the 2001 Lakers. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-team-ever/159408/17 "2003-03-06T15:38:24Z")
College football: Notre Dame 1946-49. 3 National Championships, 36 wins, 0 losses, 2 ties, 1 Heisman, 17 All-Americans. The second greatest college football team was Notre Dame’s second string during that same period. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-team-ever/159408/18 "2003-03-06T17:03:28Z")
UConn’s women’s basketball teams of the last decade or so deserve to be mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-team-ever/159408/19 "2003-03-06T19:47:27Z")
**PatrickM** makes a good point. However, I think it’s fair to give the Bowman Habs some sort of credit for playing in a larger league against good Finals competition. I’d be inclined to say the Blake Habs can’t be penalized for that, but even their regular season accomplishments simply aren’t as impressive. ---
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2003, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-team-ever/159408/20 "2003-03-06T20:09:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jono \* > \*\* > 2:Australian Cricket team (present): Hold the record for most consecutive test victories, and have just broken record for most ODI consecutive victories. \*\* A toss-up between the Australian team under _Mark Taylor_ and West Indies of the late 70s/early 80s. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-greatest-team-ever/159408.md?page=2)