By Brian Carr ('22)

Over the past sixteen years of my life, New York sports fans have only seen their home teams win three championships across the MLB, NFL and NBA. In comparison, the NFL’s New England Patriots alone captured 5 championships. 

So, why are New York sports teams stuck in a losing cycle? 

New York is one of the largest markets for entertainment and sports in the US and the entire world. Although it pains me, I am going to relive all of the painful memories of the past (and present) to see if there's any light at the end of the tunnel.

Another problematic NFL team is the New York Giants. In my lifetime, the Giants have been the most successful team, occupying 2 of the 3 championships back in 2007 and 2011. Unlike the rest of the New York teams, the Giants have found success against Boston, with both of their Super Bowl wins coming against the renowned Patriots. 

However, since 2011, the Giants have had only one playoff appearance and the worst overall record in the NFL since 2017. Their recent painstaking loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, blowing a 21-10 lead with 4 minutes to go, put an exclamation point on how rough times have been for the “Big Blue.” 

The MLB’s New York Yankees need no introduction. They have the most championships of any team in the history of professional sports. But how many have they had in my lifetime? Only one! 

Although I am not a Yankees fan, my peers have only experienced one of the twenty seven championships in their long history. The Yankees haven’t had a losing season since 1992, the longest active streak in the MLB. Recently, it appears the Yankees just can’t close out important games. Ever since the Red Sox’s curse of the Great Bambino was broken in 2004, they can’t seem to win the playoffs. Outside of the 2009 anomaly, they are constantly losing in Game 5 and Game 7 situations and just can’t take their game to the next level.

The New York Mets were mocked since their inception in 1962. The phrase “Mets gonna Met,” refers to their constant blowing of games. Ridiculous issues have haunted this franchise for many years, from Yoenis Cespedes getting knocked over by a boar on his ranch, to former Mets manager Mickey Callaway throwing fists because a reporter asked him a question he didn’t like. 

Although things have been terrible for the Mets, hopes have been rising with new multi-billionaire, Steve Cohen, taking over as the owner of the team. Hopefully, he will make big changes to help the Mets organization, as my sanity is on the line. 

The New York Knicks are an interesting case. They are one of the most popular sports franchises in the world. But it feels like the Knicks have been “rebuilding” for about 20 years and can’t seem to correct their mistakes. From their numerous head coaches, abhorrent signings such as Joakim Noah and Lamar Odom, to their terrible draft picks including Frank Ntilikina and Kevin Knox II, the Knicks don’t have a clear clue or plan. 

On the other side of New York, the Brooklyn Nets have a little bit more hope. Back in 2012, when the Nets rebranded, they made one of the worst trades in sports history. They traded away multiple first round picks for one year of an old Paul Pierce and two years of an old Kevin Garnett. This trade has set back the Nets for many years, but with the signings of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, it appears the tide will be turning in Brooklyn’s favor.

Despite the ups and downs of being a New York sports fan, we always come back and sell out stadiums. Desperate fans are waiting for the next big thrill and the slim chance that this year, their team may win the championship.