Are the Red Wings the best run franchise in pro sports?

[burk48237]

Think about this for a second the Wings have"

Won 4 Stanley Cups in the last eleven years

Haven't missed the playoffs since 1991

Have won 6 Presidents trophies (best record) since 91

I can't think of any other major sports team that has stayed competitive for that long. You could honestly say the Wings have had a shot at the cup since 95. While granted, their are a lot of playoff teams in Pro Hockey, their are no more then the NBA. I can't think of any current NBA team that hasn't missed the playoffs since 91. As far as other major pro sports, The Patriots have won three titles in the last ten years. Same with the Yankees, But no one would say the Yankees or Patriots have been serious contenders for ten years in a row. The Lakers won three titles in that period, but haven't won since 02. You might be able to make an argument for the Lakers, if they win this year. My argument is no other current pro sports team has shown the ability to re-load the way the Red Wings management has. Am I missing something?

[Bad Brains]

I don't know about in all of pro sports, but in the NHL the Red Wings are the best organization. There isn't an organization that comes close.

I really wish they would drop the whole "Hockeytown" trademark though. That annoyed me since they day they started using is. It just sounds tacky and stupid. Plus the title is debatable. If teams like Toronto/Montreal/Boston/Chicago/New york had the same level of supurb ownership and consistancy, they could also claim that title.

I know there was some articles about how people in Pittsburg challanged the "Hockeytown" idea, but thats the same organization that almost went under....

[GregC]

Originally Posted by burk48237

Think about this for a second the Wings have"

Won 4 Stanley Cups in the last eleven years

Haven't missed the playoffs since 1991

Have won 6 Presidents trophies (best record) since 91

I can't think of any other major sports team that has stayed competitive for that long. You could honestly say the Wings have had a shot at the cup since 95. While granted, their are a lot of playoff teams in Pro Hockey, their are no more then the NBA. I can't think of any current NBA team that hasn't missed the playoffs since 91. As far as other major pro sports, The Patriots have won three titles in the last ten years. Same with the Yankees, But no one would say the Yankees or Patriots have been serious contenders for ten years in a row. The Lakers won three titles in that period, but haven't won since 02. You might be able to make an argument for the Lakers, if they win this year. My argument is no other current pro sports team has shown the ability to re-load the way the Red Wings management has. Am I missing something?

That's a really impressive record (I know little about hockey, never followed it). I'm surprised you didn't mention maybe the best competition for the Red Wings--the San Antonio Spurs. I don't have all the data at my fingertips (they're not my team), but they've won 4 titles since '99, and were certainly very competitive back into the mid-1990s with David Robinson (except for '96-'97, when he got hurt and they collapsed, thus allowing them to draft Tim Duncan). I think they made it to the Western Conference finals twice in the '90s prior to Duncan being drafted.

I can't really say which franchise has done a better job, but it'd make for an interesting comparison.

[MJ5150]

Originally Posted by Bad Brains

I know there was some articles about how people in Pittsburg challanged the "Hockeytown" idea, but thats the same organization that almost went under....

Serious? It must have been in jest. Pittsburgh is not a hockey town. The Pen's are soaring up the popularity scale right now because they are winning. But if you put a Pens game up against a Steeler game, it's Steelers everytime no matter the teams respective records.

It's a tough question you ask Burk. I assume you are referring to right now, and not all time. Ten years ago, I would have said the Yankees for sure. Ten years from now, it could be a totally different team.

-Mike

[marcray]

in all pro sports, as painful as it is for me to admit, I'm thinking it's Manchester United...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_United_F.C.

Since 1992 they've won the premiership 10 times, as well as the European Championship twice. Before that, thru my lifetime, even in the glory days of Liverpool and Nottingham Forrest, they've always been annoyingly competitive.

[Toasted]

No of course they're not. It's either Manchester United or Real Madrid.

[TheXym]

In the NHL, yes, hands down. In the US for all sports, I'd say they have a very strong case to make, though since I only follow the NHL closely, I'll leave the comparisons to other sports to those better able to do so objectively and accurately. In the world? The football clubs mentioned by our colleagues from across the Atlantic would be my guess.

[iamlowsound]

Man U for sure. For North American sports, Red Wings for sure. For all time? The 1960s-1970s Montreal Canadains, I don't know the numbers, but they won more Stanley Cups in that time than all the other teams combined, 5 straight in the 70s, all the league leaders, ect.

lowsound

[Mark Latimour]

Up there would have to be the Hawthorn Football Club in Australia during the 80's:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawthorn_Football_Club

Its a nortoriously tough competition to be consistently good at because of salary capping and the draft system and they managed 4 premierships and 7 grand finals in 10 years of the legue.

They are also not big girls who can't touch each other (soccer) or need padding in order to play the sport (NHL):

[burk48237]

Originally Posted by Mark Latimour

Up there would have to be the Hawthorn Football Club in Australia during the 80's:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawthorn_Football_Club

Its a nortoriously tough competition to be consistently good at because of salary capping and the draft system and they managed 4 premierships and 7 grand finals in 10 years of the legue.

They are also not big girls who can't touch each other (soccer) or need padding in order to play the sport (NHL):

Mark, I don't know what is meant by "ladder position" but as near as I can tell their last title was 1991? I guess I should have frammed my question "currently", obviously their have been teams in all sports from the past that were better run then the current Red Wings.

As far "needing padding" their not traveling at Ice Skating speeds or playing on a cold rock hard surface either. No sports participants can surpass the toughness of NHL Players.

[burk48237]

A question about Manchester United and English football in general. How are players acquired? Is their an Amateur draft? And is their a salary cap? I think for instance in baseball it is a lot easier for some teams to maintain a "dynasty" when their payrolls that are three and four times what their competition payrolls are.

[GregC]

Originally Posted by Toasted

No of course they're not. It's either Manchester United or Real Madrid.

Stop it, you're overwhelming us with evidence.

[Croox]

I'll probably get flamed for saying this but what about the patriots?
the past 10 years they've missed the playoffs 3 times, won 6 division titles, made the playoffs 7 times. and won three superbowls in the new era of salary caps and free agency, even loosing key players, the patriots have been able to function as a team and get it done and produce

[the_fonz]

Manchester United
YOU'RE EITHER A MANC OR A WANK!

[SuperDuck]

As far as hockey in the last 20 years or so, yes. The Red Wings have been ridiculously good and well-managed. I would be hesitant to spread that across all sports, but mostly because I don't know them as well as I know hockey.

[Mark Latimour]

Originally Posted by burk48237

Mark, I don't know what is meant by "ladder position" but as near as I can tell their last title was 1991? I guess I should have frammed my question "currently", obviously their have been teams in all sports from the past that were better run then the current Red Wings.

Ladder position means where they finish in the league table at the end of each year. Top 8 makes the "finals" but you really only count the Grand Final (last play off) for "form".

I was trying to help you out with this bit:

Originally Posted by burk48237

I can't think of any other major sports team that has stayed competitive for that long.

Although, another team that has had a longer dynasty at the top would be the Australian test cricket team (and they currently still are I believe).

As far "needing padding" their not traveling at Ice Skating speeds or playing on a cold rock hard surface either.

Two things which are negated by the use of padding (adding "crumple zones" to slow down impacts) which might, if you discount the other "girlie" qualities of padding, put them on an even playing field as terms as "toughness" with sports who don't wear padding (AFL, Rugby etc).

No sports participants can surpass the toughness of NHL Players.

Well, that's fairly subjective , but without thinking much about it I would say that professional boxing, ultimate fighting, hurling (basically Ice Hockey without padding) all far surpass the "toughness" when it comes to taking hits. In terms of physical endurance, Iron Man competitions and Tri-athlons would be right up there.

[Passinwind]

Originally Posted by burk48237

My argument is no other current pro sports team has shown the ability to re-load the way the Red Wings management has. Am I missing something?

Consider the Ferrari Formula One team. Six world championships since 2000, including five in a row for Michael Schumacher.

[burk48237]

Originally Posted by Passinwind

Consider the Ferrari Formula One team. Six world championships since 2000, including five in a row for Michael Schumacher.

Maybe I should rephrase the question.

To paraphrase Brad Johnson, "Are" is a descriptive of the present, the Bronx Bombers and the Steel Curtain don't qualify.

Which Pro Sports TEAM is CURRENTLY the best run? I still think you can make a strong argument for the Wings, although I'll admit I don't know much about the sport that the British mistakingly call football.

As far as Auto racing, Pro Bass fishing, Golf, Tennis, and Bowling. While I realize it may take a team of people to get Tiger ready for the open, and Jimmy Stewart ready and functioning for the Daytona 500. Only one player is operating on the field of play, same with boxing, wrestling, the WWE, and Ultimate fighting. So while their teams are important, they aren't team sports.

[Vic Winters]

[burk48237]

Originally Posted by GregC

That's a really impressive record (I know little about hockey, never followed it). I'm surprised you didn't mention maybe the best competition for the Red Wings--the San Antonio Spurs. I don't have all the data at my fingertips (they're not my team), but they've won 4 titles since '99, and were certainly very competitive back into the mid-1990s with David Robinson (except for '96-'97, when he got hurt and they collapsed, thus allowing them to draft Tim Duncan). I think they made it to the Western Conference finals twice in the '90s prior to Duncan being drafted.

I can't really say which franchise has done a better job, but it'd make for an interesting comparison.

Greg, They are definitely in the running. The biggest difference is the collapse during that injury year ALLOWED them to get to the next level. Basketball is a sport unlike any other, in the effects and impact of one player. And Duncan was a no brainer pick. The Wings on the other hand haven't picked higher the 24th in a 30 team league. That one failure season is a big strike against the Spurs. Also they have never even repeated a trip to the finals, much less a championship repeat. But like the wings they get points for thinking outside the box in the acquisition of Parker and Ginobli, much like the Wings innovation with Russian And Swedish players.