Who's Hot and Who's Not in Sports: New York/New Jersey

When I started this series on sports regions, I had to start with SoCal, because, well, that's my neck of the woods. Plus it made sense to start with one of the largest sports areas in North America. When you think Western sports, you automatically think SoCal (mainly Los Angeles). When it comes to the East, New York is the nucleus, whether some like it or not. The facts are there. At least 8.5 million people in NYC, the most populous city in the US, as well as the largest metropolitan sports market in North America. In addition, the area has not one, not two, but actually four of the most popular arenas/stadiums in the continent.

Regarding this story, this will cover all of the teams in the New York area. All of them. Buffalo and New Jersey, too. Don't give me that "Devils aren't a NY team" jazz. The New York Giants haven't played in NYC in 50 years, and the New York Jets haven't played in NYC in 42 years. Plus MSG Network airs Devils games locally. Devils are in the NY family. Deal with it.

With that said, here goes:

NBA (Knicks and Nets)

The Knicks are definitely the top NBA team, and no, this is not recency bias talking. Though, the fact that they are the reigning, defending, undisputed NBA Champions further helps the Knicks maintain their already immense stranglehold. The Knicks are the top team in every way, shape and form. More star power, and I'm not just talking about the legends who have played for the Knicks over the decades--Walt "Clyde" Frazier, Patrick Ewing, John Starks, Jalen Brunson, just to name a few. They draw celebrity fans such as Adam Sandler, Timothee Chalamet, Mariska Hargitay, and of course, Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee.

The Nets aren't slouches, though. When they played in the ABA as the New York Nets, they won a pair of ABA Championships, but the luck just wasn't there in the NBA. The 1977 merger saw the Nets placed in New Jersey for 35 years before moving to Brooklyn in 2012, currently calling the Barclays Center their home. I still remember the Nets' back-to-back Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003, but the latter saw them swept by the Shaq and Kobe Lakers, while the former saw them defeated by the Spurs--who had the "Twin Towers" (David Robinson and Tim Duncan). Currently, the Nets are still in rebuilding mode, and it'll be a while before they get something good.

MLB (Yankees and Mets)

Do I really need to say it? It's clear who the big brother is in this thing--the one with 27 rings. The New York Yankees are baseball's final boss, and have been for at least a century. We traded for the Babe, we won our first pennant in 1921, our first championship in 1923, and never looked back. Since then, we've had players ranging from Gehrig to DiMaggio, to Reggie, to Jeter, and now to Judge. 41 World Series appearances, our last in 2024. 27 championships, our last in 2009.

Now, the Mets aren't slouches. They came in during a rare and brief period where the Yankees served as NY's lone baseball franchise after the Giants and Dodgers headed West. We all know their history. 120 losses in 1962. Seven years later: the Miracle Mets. Champions. They would only win once more after that, but they had their moments. Yankees/Mets was actually the World Series in 2000, but big brother in the Junior Circuit won it. Of course, things are pretty bleak right now. They literally have a billion dollars spent on two players (Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor), yet they are in extreme danger of missing the Postseason for the second straight year. Yikes!

NFL (Bills, Giants, and Jets)

The Buffalo Bills are clearly on top when it comes to NY football. I know they're the only one of the three who hasn't won a Super Bowl, but we are going by right now, not overall history. Yes, the Bills have shown for years that they are not a dependable team when it counts. Yes, we've seen Josh Allen curl up into a ball come playoff time. But at least the Bills have had the chances in the last near decade. The same cannot be said for the two teams who call MetLife Stadium home: the Giants and the Jets.

The Giants are the most prestigious of the three teams by far. Overall, they've won eight championships--four pre-SB NFL Championships and four Super Bowls (including Super Bowl XXV against the Bills). Only the Packers (13) and Bears (9) have more. The Jets are horrendously snakebit; they are now the sole owners of the longest current playoff drought in pro sports, having not made it since 2010, but even they have a championship. The Bills don't, but right now, they're the best team in the New York area.

NHL (Sabres, Devils, Islanders, and Rangers)

Four NHL teams in that NY area: in order, the New York Rangers are first, as they're one of the Original Six franchises and have been in play for a century. Next, the Buffalo Sabres, who debuted in 1970. Two years after that, the New York Islanders began play, and a decade later, the renamed Devils moved to New Jersey after six seasons playing in Denver as the Colorado Rockies. Despite the many many seasons of NHL hockey in the NY area, the Stanley Cups have not been plentiful. The Rangers are the least successful Original Six franchise with only four Stanley Cups. The Islanders have that same amount, and they won theirs consecutively. The Devils have hoisted Lord Stanley three times, but the Sabres are still looking for their first one; they are tied with the Vancouver Canucks for the longest wait for their first Stanley Cup.

Right now, the Sabres are the best of the four teams; a position they haven't been in for close to 30 years. Despite this, the Rangers are still #1 in NY because of the MSG prestige they still have. Yes, the Sabres ended their long-suffering playoff drought. Yes, they look like they could win the Cup. They haven't done it yet. Until they do, the Rangers are the primary team right now, but they really need to get their stuff together.

It's easy to see who rules NY sports. It's clearly the Yankees. At the current moment, it's the Yankees and Knicks carrying the area, but the Yankees are the emperors--have been for decades. Even during the 80s when the team was suffering, NY centered on the Yankees. I honestly don't see that changing anytime soon. Even if the Knicks build a dynasty off their current championship, it still would not knock the Yankees off the NY throne.

It's also easy to see who NY's black sheep is. Don't say the Mets, that's not fair. It's hard to keep up with the Yankees. NY's biggest embarrassment is definitely the Jets. There are so many reasons why Jets fans say that "J-E-T-S" stands for "Just end the season." No playoff appearances since 2010. Horrible losing seasons. An idiot racist owner. Only one championship and that was pre-merger. Nothing but embarrassment after embarrassment, year in, year out. And like it always does when it comes to the Jets, it will get worse before it gets better.

So what are your thoughts? Do you agree that the Yankees are NY's top team? How about the Jets being NY's black sheep? Feel free to post your thoughts in the comments section below!