Loser City? Not my NY.

Hoss’ well written and well researched “Loser City” post brings up a lot of good points but I have to take issue with the main premise.

If we define a season solely by championships then sure, we're Loser City. So is pretty much every other city as well.

For me, and believe me I want championships, it comes down to this… If I am going to watch a game do I have a reasonable expectation that they can win?  Not, “that they will win”  but that they can, or perhaps a better word is should, win .

I basically root for three NY teams. In order of importance they are the Yankees, the Giants, and the Knicks. 

If I’m in the mood I will watch a Ranger game but I didn’t play hockey, schoolyard or otherwise, like I did with the other three sports and so my connection isn’t as deep to the game and the team.  

I do not root against ANY NY team unless they are playing the above. If the Mets can win the Series I say great! Why shouldn’t my friends have some joy?

But this isn’t about winning it all. This is about what being losers means.

Last year our much maligned (by us) Yankees went 94-68, won the division, made it to the World Series and then got blown out. 

Could they have done things to be better? Cough. Fire Boone. Dump Cashman. Cough.  Absolutely.  But were the 2024 Yankees a losing team? Nope. Not even close.

The 2023-24 NY Rangers went 55-23-4. Best record in the NHL. President’s Cup. Flamed out in the Eastern Conference Finals. Disappointing? Yes. Losers? No. This year they had issues.

The Knicks just went from perpetual irrelevance to giving us four years of solid, incrementally better basketball under Tibs. Is he stubborn when it comes to subbing? Oh yeah. 

Is KAT one of the worst defensive players in the paint I have ever seen. Double oh yeah. 

Does Brunson play hero ball too much? You betcha. But are the 50-win Eastern Conference Finals making 2024-5 New York Knicks losers? Not even close.

I watched a lot of Knicks games. Aside from the ones against Boston, who they beat BTW 4-2 to make the ECFs, I never sat down with the idea that there was no way they would/could win.

That feeling of, there is no way they can win, is saved for the NY Giants. They are a bad team. Pretty much all the time. Their only saving grace is a 17-game schedule and that I only have to suffer once a week.

I have to say, for some inexplicable reason, and despite a horrific schedule, I have hope that they will at least be more competitive this year. The defense looks good. (On paper) Such is fandom.

The bottom line is, while league sports only has one champion it doesn’t make every other team losers, except the Jets. They are losers. At least the Giants won four Super Bowls in my lifetime. I hope they get it together as well.

As to New York Being Loser City? Not my NY.

My teams in 2024-5    

NY Yankees 94-68 + (35-22) =  129-90  AL Pennant. Currently first place in the AL East.

NY Knicks 50-32   2^nd in the East.  Lost the conference championship

NY Giants  Heh heh heh. OK 3-14... With an explanation!

Total 182-125

I’ll take it

P.S. The Mets are 36-22 this year and were 89-73 and lost in the NL Championship Series. So not losers either.

As Warren Zevon said before he died, “Enjoy every sandwich”

This is from Dante’s. Roast Beef, Lettuce, Tomato, Sweet Red Peppers, Mayo, Oil and Vinegar, a little salt and pepper.  It's a thing of beauty.