Finally, Sacramento basketball fans will say, as the Kings secured their NBA playoff berth for the first time in 16 seasons on Wednesday.
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This outage was not only the longest in Silver Tour history, but also the largest active streak in the major North American professional leagues, including the NBA, National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer and the NFL.
Here are four organizations that have yet to complete their journey through the wilderness:
– New York Jets (NFL), 12 seasons
Few sports fans have suffered as much as loyal Jets fans. The Big Apple team has only appeared in the Super Bowl once, triumphing in 1968, and has won just six playoff games since 2000.
The past decade has been even more painful for the Jets, who have posted a negative record in the past seven seasons. Could the potential arrival of Aaron Rodgers signal the start of a new era in the team’s locker room at MetLife Stadium?
– Buffalo Sabers (NHL), 11 seasons
Speaking of fans who probably deserve better, those of the Sabers have never abandoned their favorite team despite years of misery. Since its last participation in the playoffs, in 2011, the New York formation has gone through an endless reconstruction. Jack Eichel’s 2015 draft selection heralded better days, but that chapter quickly turned into a nightmare.
Could the 2022-2023 season be the right one for the Sabres? With nine games to go, they are in the midst of an intense fight for a place among the teams drafted in the East. And who knows? They could win their first playoff game since… May 16, 2007.
– Los Angeles Angels (major baseball), 8 seasons
The dramatic conclusion of the last World Baseball Classic served as a reminder for major league baseball fans that it’s inconceivable that the Angels would enjoy so little success while relying on two of the best players on the planet, Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout. The American outfielder was from the last edition of the California team having played playoff games, in 2014, but the versatile Japanese never tasted action after the conclusion of the regular schedule. Wasted talent, you say?
The 2023 season could be the last chance for the Angels with this core, since Ohtani will be entitled to full autonomy at the end of the campaign and the richest teams in the circuit will line up to offer him the jackpot. The addition of Tyler Anderson, Gio Urshela and Hunter Renfroe shouldn’t hurt the Angels’ cause.
– Detroit Tigers (major baseball), 8 seasons
The Tigers still belonged to the elite of the major leagues in the early 2010s, but their defeat in the 2012 World Series seems to have left them with serious consequences. Since then, she has only won one playoff round in 10 seasons.
She has every reason to want to return to the elite of major league baseball in 2023, since her legend Miguel Cabrera will play his last career campaign. Will AJ Hinch’s core cast, completed by Javier Baez, Eduardo Rodriguez and Jonathan Schoop, be able to cause a surprise?
The Tigers are the 11th lowest spending team in the Manfred Tour and observers aren’t very optimistic about them.
Longest streaks without playoff appearance:
- New York Jets (12 seasons)
- Buffalo Sabers (11 seasons)
- Los Angeles Angels (8 seasons)
- Detroit Tigers (8 seasons)
- Denver Broncos (7 seasons)
- Pittsburgh Pirates (7 seasons)
- Kansas City Royals (7 seasons)
- Charlotte Hornets (6 seasons)
- Detroit Lions (6 seasons)
- Baltimore Orioles (6 seasons)
- Texas Rangers (6 seasons)
- Detroit Red Wings (6 seasons)
