Worst seasons ever by a team

Everyone loves a winner. Fans embrace championships as though they actually had something to do with all that success. Players are lionized, parades are held, and entire cities bask in the reflected glow of achievement.

But what about the athletes who live on the other end of the spectrum? Losing in record-setting fashion makes history, too, even if hardly anyone involved cares to be remembered for it.

Sports Illustrated put together a list of “Worst Individual Seasons by a Team.” It’s a cringe-worthy collection, to say the least, but fans in cities that aren’t represented can console themselves through a bad year with the comforting thought of “Hey, it could have been worse.”

Here’s the infamous grouping:

– 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Lost ‘em all, and looked really bad doing it.

– 1916 Philadelphia Athletics: 36-117 pretty much says it all.

– 1989-98 Prairie View A&M football: 80 consecutive losses.

– 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers: 9-73.

– 1974-75 Washington Capitals: 8-67-5.

– 1962 New York Mets: A not-so-amazin’ 40-120.

– 1979-82 Northwestern Football: 34-game losing streak.

– 1990 New England Patriots: 1-15.

– 1992-93 Dallas Mavericks: 11-71.

– 1935 Boston Braves: 38-115.

– 1980-81 Winnipeg Jets: 9-57-14.

– 2001 Carolina Panthers: Lost last 15 games.

– 1952 Pittsburgh Pirates: 42-112.

– 1992-93 Ottawa Senators: Won 10 of 80 games.

To read more about these exercises in futility, and to see a slideshow, visit target="_blank">SI.com.
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