Are the Knicks the closest sports comparison to the Leafs?

[Stephen]

I think recently we most resemble the Philadelphia 76ers.

 

[Sens With Benefits]

It's all about expectations. When you say they suck, in what context? This year they were fine as a blue collar team that made the playoffs. No one thought they'd win anything.

They have a good culture and if they continue to progress and make some good moves, have a chance to do something in 2-3 years.

The media was very fair to them too. This is not the Isiah Thomas era Knicks.

historically I mean. They had a good year this year and hopefully they keep forward with that. But I’m pretty sure they haven’t made the playoffs in several years previous.

 

[Roo Returns]

historically I mean. They had a good year this year and hopefully they keep forward with that. But I’m pretty sure they haven’t made the playoffs in several years previous.

LOL nice user name.

Yeah they were mess from around 2000 to 2020 with a few years sprinkled in between when they had Stoudamire/Lin/Anthony/Kidd.

 

[Ridge1982]

The closest college sports comparison to them is the Georgia Football Bulldogs. They have the resources, money, a rabid fanbase, and aren’t far from the NYC of the South. To make matters worse, their little brother Georgia Tech has a more recent national championship.

 

[GordieHoweHatTrick]

The Leafs absolutely get hyped up like the Cowboys. That part of the proclamation is correct.

Knicks however did make the NBA finals in '94 and '99. Which is something the Leafs can't match either.

The Knicks have also been out of the first round more recently than the Leafs have.

Meh, the Leafs were 1 game away from the finals in '93. They also made the Conf. finals in '94, '99 & '02. Seems like both the Knicks and Leafs most recent successes date back to around the same time period.

 

[Ridge1982]

The Chicago Cubs are very similar, but the Leafs aren't quite that bad yet. It's hard to believe that they went 108 years without a championship, the Leafs are at 54, so they're only half way there.

Not really. The Cubs were only relevant 11 times until 2016.

 

[Steven1562]

Leafs have no comparable. They are their own disaster. At least the Knicks made a few runs to the finals in the 90's. They came oh so close in 1994. If John Starks doesn't go 0-11 from 3 they probably win that title. Also had a run in the 1999 season. Leafs haven't even been back to the finals since 1967! Closest we have been is a couple of conference finals runs.

 

[CupHolders]

For me Leafs = English National Football/Soccer Team.

There should be so much more hardware for a wealthy first world soccer historic country... but their last tournament success was 1966, the summer before the Leafs last cup. Like the Leafs, never any shortage of coverage though.

 

[HisIceness]

The lakers live in your head rent free

So because I used the Lakers as a reference that means they live "rent free in my head".

 

[Maestro84]

For me Leafs = English National Football/Soccer Team.

There should be so much more hardware for a wealthy first world soccer historic country... but there last tournament success was 1966, the summer before the Leafs last cup. Like the Leafs, never any shortage of coverage though.

The Englihs National Football Team is another Leafs comparison. They've never even made the finals at the WC or Euro Cup since the 60s if I'm not mistaken.

Not to mention they both chant things similar to "it's coming home" when referring to the WC trophy and Stanley Cup lol

 

[WarriorofTime]

The Englihs National Football Team is another Leafs comparison. They've never even made the finals at the WC or Euro Cup since the 60s if I'm not mistaken.

Not to mention they both chant things similar to "it's coming home" when referring to the WC trophy and Stanley Cup lol

This may be England's best chance at the upcoming Euros. They are arguably co-favorites with France.

 

[Mickey Marner]

For me Leafs = English National Football/Soccer Team.

There should be so much more hardware for a wealthy first world soccer historic country... but their last tournament success was 1966, the summer before the Leafs last cup. Like the Leafs, never any shortage of coverage though.

This might be my favourite comparison so far. The coverage, the hype, the drought, the embarassments etc. It all fits.

 

[Voight]

I saw the thread about Stephen A Smith saying the Leafs are the Cowboys of the NHL but when you look at the numbers, even the Cowboys haven't dug that low. They last won a title in 1995 (much closer to the present than the Leafs last cup) and they won a playoff game in 2018.

The New York Knicks are probably my pick for a Leafs comparison. So much history, the biggest market in their respective leagues, loyal but annoying fanbase, media puts an immense amount of pressure on players, every sought after UFA is rumored to sign there until they don't, been abysmal for most of our lifetimes, and the rest of the league clowns them for entertainment.

Knicks last title was in 1973 (6 years after Leafs) and they've won one playoff series since 2000 (even less than the Leafs in this time span). Both had their best seasons in recent memory this year just to be kicked out in round one. They also wasted the prime years of stars like Sundin and Ewing in the 90s/early 00s

Managements have also taken a ton of criticism. Dubas is seen as a softy who bends over to players, agents and other league-wide executives, while Dolan is universally viewed as the worst owner in sports. In the 80s, Ballard was also seen as the worst owner in sports

A little misleading; Leafs at least have made the playoffs consistently the last 4 years before this one. Yes, this was their best year overall w/ the division title but they've been a playoff team for a while now vs the Knicks who just made it after years of futility and multiple attempts at rebuilding.

 

[KingDeathMetal]

No, the Knicks have actually been out of the first round once since 2012.

And it's a bad comparison because the Knicks, since their post-Carmelo rebuild, have not drafted or acquired a major talent on the level of Matthews, Marner, and/or Tavares.

If the Knicks had drafted Embiid and Simmons, then signed Bradley Beal, and continued to get bounced in the first round after blowing major leads, then they'd be the Leafs.

The Knicks instead turned a bottom 5 roster into a 4 seed. The Leafs are not overachievers.

 

[dogbazinho]

Cowboys IMO

 

[snipes]

I was actually discussing this with one of my sons right after the game seven loss. I started to equate the Leafs to the Yankees (I see both as the center of their sports universes and with the biggest fanbases, etc.). My son actually brought up the Knicks comparison since both have had long stretches of futility. Great post OP. Definitely a good comparison. Hopefully there are better times ahead for both franchises. At some point, you have to remember that there are children rooting for all these teams and sports should be fun to follow for all of them at times.

Leafs belong nowhere in the same sentence as a team with a winning tradition of excellence like the Yankees.

Knicks definitely more apt comparison. Or the Cowboys of the last 20-25 or so years post Super Bowls of the 90s.

 

[Canada is best bro]

Leafs are a combo of the Knicks success with Cowboys fans.

Just the absolute worst combination.

One thing I must add though. TSN and Sportsnet should learn from Stephen A Smith vs the Cowboys and dump on the leafs as much as they can and at any possibility. The ratings would be higher than only pandering to leafs fans because there are more of us. Simple hey?

 

[Canada is best bro]

I think recently we most resemble the Philadelphia 76ers.

In what way? Leafs won their division twice since the 1930’s, the 76ers won 12 since the 1950’s.

2017-2019 they won their first round playoff series, not to mention this year they did as well and are still playing, leafs haven’t done a damn thing since 2004.

I can go on and on but the 76ers are a dynasty compared to the leafs in recent history.

 

[JianYang]

I remember a thread in the football forum similar to this. I think the leafs were kind of like the Chicago cubs up until they broke though a few years ago. A couple big franchises with a vast history, but pretty mediocre existences overall, but they never seemed to have issues filling their venues year after year.

This would be a cool thread to extend to other teams.

Montreal Canadiens reminded me alot of liverpool FC until klopp brought the premiership back for them. They even shared the same owner for a while.

 

[Nucker101]

They were a few years ago, but now they're a perennial playoff team which the Knicks are not. Cowboys comparison makes more sense. Both have haters simply because of the media attention they get despite no geographical/divisional rivalry with some of those fanbases. Both have had good teams that people either think have underachieved or have been overhyped.