I thought we could take a look at other teams who were billed as the team that could win it all and in the end disappointed by either not winning or even going to a championship or falling so far to not even make the postseason. Anything that was disappointing and/or failing to meet expectations qualifies.

10.2011 Philadelphia Eagles
The so-called Dream Team, named by back-up quarterback Vince Young was merely just that,a dream. The Eagles of 2011 were loaded with talent following the lockout. Many,myself included, thought they were Super Bowl material and would be such an unstoppable team. They got off to a bad start at 1-4 and many wondered if head coach Andy Reid would keep his job. The team would win four straight games to finish 8-8 and second place in the NFC East,but would miss the playoffs. The team finished 4-12 in 2012 and Reid was fired.

9. 2001 Seattle Mariners
The Mariners won 116 games in 2001 and had not only the MVP of the league, but also the rookie of the year and a Gold Glove outfielder on their team…and it was the same guy. Ichiro burst on the scene and helped the Mariners in a big way. Then they lost to the Yankees in the ALCS in five games and things have not been the same for Emerald City baseball ever since. Ichiro, Mike Cameron,and Edgar Martinez are all gone and so has winning in Seattle. The Mariners have had four winning seasons since their magical 2001 year,but none of them resulting in a trip to the postseason and many wonder if the M’s can ever get it together.

8.2008-09 San Jose Sharks
There’s a very big reason as to why the Sharks are on this list and that’s because there have been many times during their recent history where they’ve been called the best team in hockey, yet they’ve failed to deliver on getting to the Finald period let alone the Stanley Cup to the Bay Area. The 2008-09 season was the prime example of their unfortunate legacy as they scored 117 points during the regular season en route to the President’s Trophy and then get their asses kicked by the Anaheim Ducks in the first round of the playoffs in six games.

Yes,it is tougher in the playoffs because anyone can beat anyone, but when you’re as good as the Sharks were that season,you should be winning the Stanley Cup. They didn’t and until they change that one day,this is their legacy so far as a franchise.

7. 2004 USA Men’s Basketball
With a poor showing in the 2002 FIBA World Championships (sixth place), Team USA hoped to change that in the 2004 Athens games by showing that the USA was still the best when it came to basketball. It turns out the rest of the world had caught up to the USA as the young superstar roster (with Dwyane Wade,LeBron James,and Carmelo Anthony) lost to Puerto Rico,Lithuania,and Argentina. While they did win the bronze medal, it was considered a failure as they did not win gold,which was expected. In 2008,they did!

6. 2007 Miami Dolphins
You’re probably wondering why they’re on this list and I will explain why. This team was supposed to go 0-16. They were a very bad team that year and all of us were hoping that they would go 0-16 and in my view they were as bad as the Detroit Lions of 2008, a team that did go 0-16.
If it wasn’t for Greg Camarillo scoring a game winning touchdown against the Ravens that season,they would’ve done it. It sucked that they didn’t, it would have been sweet if they did!

5.2003-04 Los Angeles Lakers
Okay,so you’ve added Karl Malone and Gary Payton to a line-up that includes Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, that will get you another championship,right? Welp, thanks for playing!

The 2003-04 Lakers were supposed to be the team that would win the championship outright that year. The only problem is someone forgot to tell that to the Detroit Pistons. The Lakers were the top seed in the West with 56 wins while the Pistons won only 54. None of this mattered when the two teams met in the NBA Finals where the Pistons dominated the Lakers in five games.

We have another Laker team higher on this list,though.

4.2004 New York Yankees
Coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Florida Marlins in the World Series the previous year,the Yankees were looking to get back to and possibly win the World Series. In 2004 it was looking like it would definitely happen, especially since they had their foot on the throats of the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS leading 3-0, a lead that they would choke away as the Red Sox won four straight games to advance and later win the World Series. It is by far one of, if not the greatest, choke jobs in history.
The Yankees would not get to the World Series again until 2009 where they beat the Phillies.

3. 2012-13 Los Angeles Lakers
Just like the 2003-04 team, the Lakers had a star studded line-up featuring Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Dwight Howard,and Steve Nash that many people thought could win a championship. It did not happen whatsoever. Things started out bad in Tinseltown as a 1-4 start prompted the firing of head coach Mike Brown. Then, as everyone thought Phil Jackson (including Jackson himself) was coming back, the team turned to Mike D’Antoni instead to try and turn the team around.

With the core four barely ever on the court, complete with injuries to Nash and Bryant, and add in Howard’s non-stop drama, the Lakers failed to meet expectations. Also happening was the passing of Dr. Jerry Buss, the team’s longtime owner. They did make the playoffs as the seventh seed in the West, but were swept by the Spurs. Questions now concerning the Lakers are if Howard will stay and how much longer Bryant can/will play.

2. 2001-02 Sacramento Kings
This hurts to add to the list because the Kings really should have won the NBA Championship in 2002. They did almost everything right that year to get there. They won 61 games and were the top seed in the Western Conference heading into the Conference Finals with the Lakers. The Kings led the series 3-2 heading into Game 6 where three NBA officials truly decided the outcome of the game as the Lakers got 27 free throws in the fourth quarter alone thanks to questionable foul calls against the Kings (How the hell does Mike Bibby foul Kobe Bryant with his nose?). The series was forced to a Game 7 in Sacramento where the Kings couldn’t make their free throws down their stretch as the Lakers took the game and the series going on to win the NBA Championship.

This was the most talented the Kings were and have been during their time in Sacramento and they should’ve won the championship. It was disappointing to see them come up empty handed.

1.2007 New England Patriots
The New England Patriots had a stellar group of players on their 2007 roster. The second week of the season saw the team accused of filming the Jets’ sideline for defensive signals during the Patriots/Jets Week 1 match-up, an incident that many people need to get over, by the way. The incident didn’t seem to plague the Patriots as they kept winning every game of the regular season and finished it 16-0.

They then won their two playoff games against Jacksonville and San Diego,respectively. Then in Super Bowl XLII the New York Giants put on a big defensive effort against the Patriots which was the key to their 17-14 win, putting an end to New England’s bid for perfection.

It is a year I want to forget, it makes me not like Eli Manning at all, it makes me upset that he beat them again in Super Bowl XLVI and if these two teams ever play in the Super Bowl again, I already know who will win because the Patriots do not know how to beat the Giants.