Start spreading the boos: NY sports in trouble

Bleacher Report

New York City is the greatest city in the world and its sports teams, in addition to the franchises that play in New Jersey, are also expected to be the best. History says that professional sports in the NY/NJ area have been the most successful ever as far as winning games and championships. However, nowadays it is a different story.

Both New York baseball teams, the Yankees and Mets, once again failed to play a single game in October this season. For the Bombers, it was the second straight season, which in recent memory, has been unheard-of. The Mets have not reached the playoffs since 2006 and are again waiting until next year in a ballpark where they have to keep moving in the fences because the offense is so inept.

Football has not done the area any better, and may have even made things worse, and that might even be an understatement.

The Giants’ loss at home to the Colts on Monday by a score of 40-20 puts them at 3-5 on the season. Meanwhile, the Jets lost their eighth straight game on Sunday to the Chiefs, and have an abysmal 1-8 record, with their only win coming in a Sept. 7 game on opening week of the season against the Raiders. With a combined record of 4-13, it does not look like we will see any New York football teams in the playoffs for the third-consecutive season.

This is why New York has so many sports teams, right? Now the basketball teams will be able to make a run at the playoffs, save the city and give us hope. If rebuilding, not playing good defense and a veteran team that cannot stay healthy is your idea of hope, then by all means celebrate. However, even if the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets do make the playoffs, do not expect them to get very far with the likes of Cleveland, Chicago, Miami and Washington standing in their way in an improved-Eastern Conference.

Our last hope for the playoffs may rest on the ice. The New York Rangers, New Jersey Devils and the New York Islanders have all started the season strong and sit atop the Metropolitan division. They all look poised to make a run to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, while the Rangers look to defend their Eastern Conference title after falling in five games last June to the Kings in the Stanley Cup Finals. The blue shirts though, still have some major concerns going forward. Free agent acquisition and veteran defenseman Dan Boyle remains out with broken hand and Ryan McDonagh will join Boyle on the injured reserve after suffering a separated shoulder that will keep him out for three to four weeks. The Devils and Islanders are both having promising starts to the season, but struggled down the stretch last season, keeping the two clubs out of the post-season.

Every New York sports fan has to be thinking: “How can this be happening?” Well, when names like Geno Smith, Michael Vick, the Wilpons, John Idzik, Rex Ryan, Kevin Long, Andre Williams, J. R. Smith and James Dolan are expected to be responsible for building organizations, teams and winning games it is not as shocking as it had once seemed.

New York fans may not see a team in the playoffs again until April for the second straight year. With the highest of high expectations from fans in this area, that is unacceptable.

Fans of New York sports teams are the best in the world. They will never give up on these teams completely, but if the product on the field, court or ice isn’t up to par, the fans will not show up. If there are no playoff appearances that may be an even bigger problem. The expectation is not only to make the playoffs, but to win and win the championship every single year. None of these teams are even close. Imagine how New York fans are feeling right now. Here is a hint: it’s not pretty.

Sean Saint Jacques can reach via email sean.saintjacques@student.shu.edu or on Twitter @SSaintj7.