Top 10 Fixed Series, Seasons and/or Streaks
I don't believe in fairy tales, especially when they are being brought to me by multi-billion dollar corporations such as the NFL, NBA, ESPN/Disney, CBS, etc. And that's what this "Top 10" list basically consists of: Cinderella stories that are far too good to be true. I know. I'm cynical.
While it would be much more difficult to arrange and manipulate an entire season as opposed to a single contest, that doesn't mean it's impossible. Some of the best, most rewarding things in life are the ones you work the hardest to achieve. In the case of professional sports, these particular storylines were too important (read: valuable) to let go of too early.
10.
2017 Houston Astros.
The Astros weren't a bad team going into the season, but when Hurricane Harvey struck the area, the team (to use a cliche) took it to the next level. Suddenly #HoustonStrong, the Astros marched straight into the World Series where they faced the Dodgers in a crazy, home run laden seven game long World Series. Two of the Astros' four Series wins came courtesy of Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish (including Game 7), and the Astros' raised the franchise's first-ever championship banner.
9.
2011 NBA Finals: Miami Heat v. Dallas Mavericks.
My belief is that the Mavericks championship was a NBA gift to Dallas owner Mark Cuban (mainly to shut him up, especially ahead of the looming player lockout which occurred shortly thereafter). Two of the Mavericks four wins were ref'd by NBA "company man" Joey Crawford and another by Scott Foster (Tim Donaghy's referee "friend"). The Heat, led by the Big 3 -- LeBron James, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh -- would win the NBA title the following, lockout-shortened season.
8.
Ronda Rousey's UFC career.
Rousey was the first female fighter to be signed by Dana White's UFC. She fought six fights in the UFC (for a grand total of 1,077 seconds in the octagon) before losing her title to Holly Holm. She was a huge draw, featured on late night TV and perhaps the most recognizeable name/face the UFC had for her three years (eight fights total) in the league. Now, she's in the WWE. Maybe it was a lack of good competition, but most of her fights (UFC and elsewhere) ended fast -- very fast (three of her UFC wins were in :34, :14, & :16 seconds) -- like most fixed boxing matches do.
7.
2001 NBA Eastern Conference Finals: Milwaukee Bucks v. Philadelphia 76ers.
Both Bucks SG Ray Allen and their head coach George Karl publicly stated the NBA wanted to have the 76ers play the Lakers in the NBA in the Finals rather than the small-market Bucks. Need I say more? The refs certainly leaned the 76ers way, awarding them 66 more free throws over the seven game series (and Allen Iverson didn't play in Game 3). It also didn't help the Bucks cause when the NBA controverisally suspended Scott Williams for Game 7.
6.
Tim Tebow's 2011 season. Tebow started three uneventful games for the Broncos in 2010, but when he was unleashed in the 4th game of the 2011 season, he skyrocketed. Despite completing 46% of his passes while tossing 12 TDs against 6 INTs, Tebow became a massive sensation because the Broncos kept winning (somehow), going 7-1 in his first 8 games as starter. Making the playoffs at 8-8, Tebow led the Broncos to an overtime upset of the Steelers before being steamrolled by the Patriots. But the NFL (and ESPN, who slobbered over Tebow) could only cover-up his feeble passing talents for so long. Joining the Jets in 2012 as a RB/TE, Tebow only threw eight more passes before leaving the league at the end of the season.
5.
2001-2018 New England Patriots.
A "genius" coach that couldn't win as the Browns head coach? A unknown 6th round draft pick at QB? Spygate? Deflategate? And yet, the Patriots have won six Super Bowl and only missed the playoffs twice ('02 & '08) in the past 18 years. Plus, they own an ungodly .857 win percentage at home in Foxborough. Why? How? A combination of star power (Brady) and an owner (Robert Kraft) that possesses the media/money connections the other NFL owners love, and you've got a potent one-two punch that's been awarded gift after gift for nearly two decades.
4.
2013 Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox finished last in the AL East in 2012. They finished last in the AL East in 2014. But in 2013, the Boston Marathon bombing led David Ortiz to declare, "This is our f*cking city!" Rallied around the phrase "B Strong," the Red Sox posted the best record in the AL, ultimately winning the World Series (coincidentially at home -- the first time in Red Sox history). During the team's victory parade, they stopped to place the championship trophy and "617" memorial jersey at the marathon's finish line, a touching tribute that helped "heal" the city.
3.
2015-16 Leicester City Foxes.
There are miracles, then there was Leicester City winning its first-ever Premier League championship. Bookies had them at 5,000-1 prior to the season starting. Then Jamie Vardy starting scoring...and scoring...and scoring. Aided by a lot of help from other teams winning (and drawing) against Leicester City's top rivals at the time, the Foxes went from worst-to-first in a year's time. When Hollywood comes calling for a film version of a team's season (and a movie is in the works), you know something's suspect.
2.
2016 NBA Finals: Golden State Warriors v. Cleveland Cavaliers.
When LeBron James returned to Cleveland, everyone knew it was only a matter of time before "Believeland" got its title. Little did they know that it had to be forced into existence. And forced it was. The Warriors had to fight against Draymond Green's suspect suspension, Steph Curry fouling out(!), and a lot of LeBron inspired drama. Still, it took seven games for the Cavaliers to finally get their championship. As Curry's wife tweeted, "I’ve lost all respect sorry this is absolutely rigged for money…Or ratings [I'm] not sure which. I won’t be silent. Just saw it live sry."
1.
2017-18 Las Vegas Golden Knights. An expansion team playing in the Stanley Cup Finals? Who'd ever heard of such a thing? No one because it should've never happened. Yet, after investing $500 million to buy the franchise (NBC only pays the NHL $250 million a season for the league's broadcast rights), getting a gift of player selection in the expansion draft, and becoming #VegasStrong after the mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival, the Golden Knights were unstoppable. Why didn't they win it all? Because then the fledgling fanbase would have had nothing to look forward to. This was about building a franchise, and the near miss did more for the team than hoisting a championship banner would have.
