The one thing I realized when putting that list together is basically none of them featured my favorite teams, and I've been blessed to see my favorite teams play a lot of finals in this period. I mean, not as many as if I was a Boston-based fan, but I've still done well, so in that vein I'll do a quick interlude in the middle just ranking all the series that one of my favorite teams (Raiders, Colts/Manning Broncos, Astros, Spurs, Devils) took part, starting from teh most "lose" potential to the least "lose" potential - e.g. the ones where I didn't really care too much if my team lost.
Top-10 "Lose-Lose" Series
10.) 2006 NBA Finals - Heat over Mavericks
Quick reminder, all of these are from the perspective I had of the two teams at the time. I grew to love Dirk, and even Wade, but man that wasn't the case back in 2006. This was probably my first year as an out and out Spurs fan, and the Mavs stole that series against them. The Heat also weren't the most likable. Add to that the thousands of free throws Wade was gifted. A sneaky lose-lose one that I didn't think of off the jump.
9 & 8.) 2008 & 2009 Stanley Cup Finals - Penguins v Red Wings (1-1)
The only positive I can state is that at least each split their series, but the outcomes aren't supposed to matter here. The Red Wings were annoying in their boring, brilliance - something of a NHL version of the Patriots. Real ones know that comparison is perfect. The Penguins were annoying because of Crosby. It is so funny ranking these (and then looking ahead to my win-win) list and seeing how my opinions of all-time greats changes from annoyance early to loving respect later. Same happened with Crosby, but this was very much not the case at this point. This was probably my nadir has a hockey fan.
7.) 2012 NBA Finals - Heat over Thunder
This was the tail end of me hating LeBron and the Heatles. I grew up by the next year (see my "Acceptable Loss" column after they beat the Spurs. So - the Heat side is obvious. Why disliking the Thunder? Because they had the audacity to run the Spurs off the court winning four straight after being down 0-2, after the Sprus had won 20 straight games playing a brand of offense that was even better than the 2014 Spurs. That was a shock to the system, adn then I had to find myself I guess hoping LeBron won?
6.) 2018 NBA Finals - Warriors over Cavaliers
This was less so lose-lose on the actual matchup, but my interest in teh sport. No one wanted this fourth straight matchup. It got even worse when the Cavs blew game one. I like LeBron at this point, but I knew they had no shot. To be honest, this probably doesn't qualify because I would've been ecstatic had the Cavs won, but it was so obvious they had no shot (even more than the year earlier) which is why I kind of hated this one.
5.) Super Bowl XXXIX - Patriots over Eagles
It's hilarious how much my opinion of the Eagles changed in the thirteen years from this to the Foles upset, but it was probably due to being in middle school with a lot of Eagles fans, when my Raiders were flailing and my Colts got embarrassed by the Pats that I was faced with this dilemma. Either see classmates by happy (the worst!) or the Pats win again. Overtime I would come to begrudgingly respect the 2001-2004 Patriots (certainly more than the 2014-2018 ones) but at the time this was a horror show.
4.) 2018 World Series - Red Sox over Dodgers
You may say this reveals a lot about me, but all my top-4 feature at least one Boston team. But in a way that's somewhat obvious. Fuck that city being good at every sport during this time period. Anyway, you would think after I watched the Dodgers lose to my Astros in heartbreaking fashion a year earlier I would ahve a soft spot for them? Well, no - I didn't. Screw them (except for Kershaw). And this dumb-ass Red Sox team that bullshited their way in 108 wins and beating my Astros despite being outhit in the World Series. Out of any on this list, this is probably where there is still a big gap in outcomes, but yeah I wasn't happy this October.
3.) 2022 NBA Finals - Warriors over Celtics
I've never like the J&J Celtics - thso whole damn time, from them making the 2017-18 ECF's purely because the East was hot garbage, to this, to of course their win two years later. They won a watered down East made easier because Embiid broke his face against Miami (granted, they probably beat the 76ers anyway). Well, I couldn't really root hard against them because I was so damn annoyed the Warriors were back. We all thought we were done with them, and in a more macro sense, we were, as they resumed being playoff fodder a year later, but really they had to take advantage of one of the weakest West years, with a paper-thin #1 seed in Phoenix, a Nuggets team that lost Jamal Murray for the season, and the Grizzlies being their biggest competition of all things. I get mad just writing about this one knowing we were trapped in hell regardless the outcome. Of course, there are two even worse....
2.) 2013 World Series - Red Sox over Cardinals
Hard to top this, though of course one thing does. Combine a Red Sox team that decided to randomly win near 100 games and employ a whole lot of annoying as fuck people play a Cardinals team that was their true NL counterpart, and of course be the Cardinals. At this point, the Astros were in just year two of their AL existence, so I was definitely more committed to hating my NL Central rivals (still am, to be honest). What's more annoying is that despite the series being somewhat entertaining in a vaccuum (i.e. to a neutral), for me it was brutal because you had things like the Cardinals winning ona catchers interference, adn the Red Sox winning by random fucks hitting Grand Slams. Just all time nonsense on both sides.
1.) Super Bowl XLIX - Patriots over Seahawks
I can't even imagine what can top this, especially when you actually add the outcome on top of it. It's weird that the Butler INT wasn't some all time gut-punch play given my absolute hatred for the Patriots, and the fact that let them finally win another Super Bowl, but it is because I absolutely disliked the LOB Seahawks. I don't really know why (and truthfully, it isn't solely because they whooped Peyton the year earlier), especially given I've flocked quite naturally to every other great defense over the years, including last year's Seahawks. But the LOB never did it for me, and they absolutely stole the NFC Title Game, and they couldn't do the decency of beating Brady - even if I don't know how happy I would've been had they. Truthfully, I've never enjoyed a Super Bowl from start to finish less, and never been more indifferent to a world-changing play like the Butler pick. This was the perfect storm of hatred all around that will probably never be topped.
Ranking of Finals where one of My Teams was Involved Ranked from most "Lose" potential to Least
Tier I - I Cared A Lot
17.) 2003 Stanley Cup Final - Devils over Mighty Ducks
The 2003 Devils were probably the first team I followed with truly day to day passion and they rewarded me by going to the Cup Final, including a dramatic 7-game win in the ECF over a great Ottawa team. I would've been catatonic had they blown it to a mostly shit Ducks team apart from their goalie, especially had they lost Game 7. Crisis so much averted.
16.) Super Bowl XLI - Colts over Bears
It's funny because in isolation I liked that Bears team - great defense, and of course Devin Hester. But man, if the Colts lost the Super Bowl after slaying the Patriots dragon I would've cried myself to sleep for days. And man, after Hester ran back that kickoff and then Peyton threw a pick.... thankfully they figured their shit out.
15.) Super Bowl XLIV - Saints over Colts
Here's the weird thing, I loved the Saints story all year, but I've never followed a team more during a season than the 2009 Colts. My world would've been so much different had that Colts team won (probably hyperbole... their loss actually swore me off sports for a bit and resulted in way better grades the subsequent semester...). But my life as a football fan becomes way different if Peyton just wins ring #2 then and there.
14.) 2022 World Series - Astros over Phillies
This is the baseball version of the one above, but luckily the result worked out. That 2022 Astros team was awesome - 107 wins, clear best team in the sport. Of course, they lost with a similar pedigree in 2019. They also lost in 2021. They also still ahd the trashcan stuff. Had they lost again I don't know what I would've done, despite me really liking that Phillies team.
13.) 2013 NBA Finals - Heat over Spurs
Hey, it's the NBA version of the above (although I think my Heat appreciation was more due to this series than coming into it). The Spurs finally made it back to the finals and played three exquisite games in their wins, but the Heat just did that shit.
Tier II - I Slightly Cared
12.) Super Bowl XLVII - Seahawks over Broncos
Seeing Peyton have that season and make it back to the Super Bowl was a win. Sure, I would've obviously been way happier had he finished the job, but it was cool just seeing him healthy and doing it again and spanking the Pats in the title game. Also it helps probably that the game was basically over after one snap,
11.) 2014 NBA Finals - Spurs over Heat
The respect I gained for the Heat, and moreso Lebron, after 2013 paid off here. Yes, seeing the Spurs unleash those games was an all time sports memory, but had they lost again I wouldn't have been heartbroken. Sad, for sure, but truly I was content, especially after their fairly epic win over the Thunder.
10.) Super Bowl XXXVII - Buccaneers over Raiders
The first football team I followed week to week was the 2002 Raiders and they paid off that level of attention by making the Super Bowl. They then got spanked, but I think even then I had a great deal of respect for the Buccaneers and that defense and the way they undressed the Eagles a week earlier. If there was a team to beat my Raiders, I was kind of glad it was Philadelphia I guess.
9.) 2019 World Series - Nationals over Astros
It was heartbreaking to lose Game 7, especially the way they did, especially having to follow it on ESPN.com on a plane to Mumbai. In fact, the reason I was detached from actually watching it helps in this case, because had I been watching it probably hurts more - but I liked Washington and it was fun to see the Astros back in the series, win or lose. And i promise, the fact the sign stealing scandal broke a few weeks later has nothing to do with this,
8.) 2007 NBA Finals - Spurs over Cavaliers
I honestly don't know how to rank this one because I never expected for a second the Spurs would lose, and then they proceeded to sweep the Cavs. I guess in tehory had the Cavs somehow won I would've been devastated but that had a truly 0% chance of happening.
7.) 2001 Stanley Cup Finals - Avalanche over Devils
It's funny because the 2001 Devils were a juggernaut of their era if you go by regular season stats. They were also the defending champs. However, the Avalanche were also amazing and I was too young to have any reason to hate them. And they wildly outplayed the Devils in that series. And I remember liking the Ray Borque story, even if I had no real connection to his past. This is probably too long ago to really talk about with any real certainty, but whatever.
6.) 2005 World Series - White Sox over Astros
You know why I know this one didn't scar me? Because the Astros lost the closest sweep ever - losing on a walkoff, an 18-inning game, a 1-0 game, and another where they lost by two. But still, I didn't care because we beat the damn Cardinals, I saw Roy Oswalt win NLCS MVP and saw my team in a World Series and lost to a team I didn't have any ill will for. Bonus points 21-years later that the current Pope watched game 1 of the World Series from the damn stands.
Tier III - I Cared Way Less than you would Think
5.) 2005 NBA Finals - Spurs over Pistons
At this point I wasn't a fuill on Spurs fan, so I wondered about even ranking this one (see me not putting the 2003 Spurs on this), but I was, and I loved that defensive battle of a series. I liked Detroit, mostly for embarrassing the Lakers the year earlier. It was a series where I would've been fine with either outcome.
4.) 2017 World Series - Astros over Dodgers
I had a lot of respect for the Dodgers, and for Kershaw, at this point. I honestly would've been ok losing to them - respecting the 2017 Dodgers as a great team, as were my Astros. I would've felt this way had the Dodgers won Game 7 - because by that point I had least watched my team win two epics of all time in Game 2 and Game 5. That series was a net positive for me no matter the outcome.
3.) Super Bowl 50 - Broncos over Panthers
It's funny because coming in I knew, like we all did, it was probably Peyton's last game, but even if he won he wasnt going to get worldwide credit because he was shit by then. And man did I love those 2015 Panthers, one of my favorite single year teams to watch. In a very perverse way, I kind of wish the Panthers won - not really because I do still love the fact Peyton got his second ring, but man was that Panthers team cool.
2.) 2021 World Series - Braves over Astros
The 2021 Astros were not a great team like the 2017, 2019 and 2022 vintages. They were the best team in the AL though, and more importantly, they beat the REd Sox in the ALCS, avenging the 2018 loss, and more so by embarrassing them in games 4-5-6 to close it out. That was my World Series to some degree, as the Braves by this point were probably just better, and they showed it. I also have some Braves fans in my life that I love so that wasn't too bad.
1.) 2012 Stanley Cup Final - Kings over Devils
This is the one time I can truly say I didn't at all care if my team won or lost. We won already because we beat the Flyers (embarrassed them really) then beat the Rangers (more important than winning a Cup) and I saw a 40=year old Brodeur have one last amazing ride. I don't care that the Kings were a bit annoying and I found the story of an 8-seed winning the Cup a bit silly, I don't care. I don't even care despite the Devils losing games 1-2 in OT, and then having a terrible 5-min major called against them in Game 6, in which the Kings scored three goals. I don't care about any of that - I was just happy the Devils were there. If only I can have the same approach to all seasons involving my team.
