Welcome to Chump City

 

Congratulations to the New Jersey/New York Gotham FC, our new, local, pro sports champion!

I have to admit that I have never seen a single Gotham game, but I am proud to report that the team won the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) championship in San Diego on Saturday.  

The Gotham—including star Midge Purce, right—were a feisty bunch, coming back from a last-place finish in the league in 2022, taking the final playoff spot this year, then winning a heart-stopping final (at least I am told), 2-1, over something called OL Reign. And that despite seeing their most famous player go down with an injury three minutes in, and their goalkeeper ejected in extra time.

According to Wiki, the Gotham have played in two professional women's leagues, not to mention three different names, four home fields, and six different kits, including one that looks like test patterns on your old TV. Good on 'em. They are plucky survivors, and worthy of our New York fandom (even if they actually play in Harrison, New Jersey.)

Close enough. We're looking for any champion we can get these days in the City of Champs Chumps. Just to follow up on El Duque's sad post and quantify it a little, here are our local heroes, and what will be the number of years—come 2024—that it has been since they brought home the bacon:

—3 years since New York City FC won the MLS Cup.

—12 years since the New York Football Giants won a Super Bowl.

—15 years since your New York Yankees won a World Series.

—21 years since the New Jersey Devils won a Stanley Cup.

—27 years since the New York Liberty won a WNBA championship (which is to say, never).

—28 years since the New York Red Bulls won an MLS Cup (which is to say, never).

—30 years since the New York Rangers won a Stanley Cup (and only 1 in 84 years).

—38 years since the New York Mets won a World Series.

—41 years since the New York Islanders won a Stanley Cup.

—47 years since the Brooklyn Nets won an NBA championship (which is to say never. Nets did win the last ABA championship, in 1976).

—51 years since the New York Knickerbockers won an NBA championship.

—55 years since the New York Jets won a Super Bowl.

Futility, thy name is New York. And it's only going to get worse.