Rankings: Worst Sports Cities

Forbes.com released their list of the most miserable sports cities this week, featuring Seattle and Atlanta at first and second, respectively. I've decided to release my own rankings for the cities that I believe are the worst sports cities. It is a little different than Forbes' in that I am considering not just misery inflicted upon a city, but also how the fans have responded. So, here is my list of the worst U.S. sports cities:

1. Cleveland - Cleveland has always been known to be a suffering sports city. Lebron leaving the Cavs and joining Miami solified Cleveland as number one to me. The Cavs were very unlucky with him on the team, but at least they were competitive and had a big following. As far as their other teams, the Browns are at the bottom tier of NFL sucess, and the Indians are miserable, failing to draw large amounts of fans. The last time any team in the city had a championship was 46 years ago. Clearly, the city of Cleveland suffers. At least they have the Buckeyes.

2. Seattle - Seattle is a newer addition to this list: within the last 5-10 years. Their sports teams have taken downturns. The Seahawks made the playoffs AND won a game in the playoffs last year, possibly keeping them from number one, but there's no hiding that Seattle is one miserable town. The Mariners are no longer competitive in baseball, and the Sonics left Seattle for a city formerly off the sports market: Oklahoma City. Seattle is just behind Cleveland because the city has a championship in the ladt 40 years: the Sonics won it about 30 years ago.

3. Buffalo - Buffalo has two sports teams, niether of which have ever won championships in their respective leagues. That fact speaks for itself. The Bills won the AFL championship in 1965, the last championship the city saw. Still, their teams hold strong fanbases and do not suffer to the level that Cleveland and Seattle do. The city of Buffalo has one thing Cleveland and Seattle do not appear to have: hope.

4. San Diego - San Diego has the longest drought of any city: 47 years. The Chargers and Padres haven't won a championship since 1963. The reason I don't think of San Diego in the light that I do of Cleveland and Seattle is because their teams have made frequent playoff appearances in the last 10 years and have had their share of thrilling moments. Without question, though, SD belongs on this list because of its' lack of championships.

5. Tampa - Tampa is a very sad city in terms of sports. The Bucs are the only NFL team ever to go 0-16 in one season, and despite having a Super Bowl in the last decade, had none before that. The Rays also have had their share of depression, being know for a long time as the MLB's worst, until they made a small comeback a few years ago. Tampa's hockey team has had limited sucess as well. Despit bad history, recent thrills keep Tampa from being in the top three. Nonethless, they get number five.