We mentioned this in our Bengals preview on Deadspin but we feel that this deserves its own post: over the last 18 seasons, the entirety of Mike Brown's tenure as Bengals Owner/General Manager, the Bengals have the worst winning percentage of all 4 major sports. From 1991 through the first 3 games of 2008 the Bengals record has been 97-178, for a winning percentage of .352. Compare these numbers to every other league and the Bengals are the worst among every other team in all 4 major sports over the same period.
The Arizona Cardinals, starting off 2-1, have boosted their winning percentage to .356 (98-177) since the 1991 season. The Cardinals plight is eeriely similar to the Bengals, with longtime owner Bill Bidwell and family owning the franchise since its time in Chicago in the 1950s.
WDR will continue to track the Bengals and Cardinals this season to see if the Browns or Bidwells will get to hoist the "Washington Generals Cup" at the end of the season. We'll see where Krusty the Clown puts his money.
Let's compare the Bengals and Cardinals to a few others sports teams whose fans have also had a tough run of it for the last 17 seasons.
Los Angeles Clippers
Record (91/92 - 07/08): 508-854
Winning Percentage: .372
As this story on ESPN.com points out (ranking the Clippers the worst professional sports fanchise, just ahead of the #2 worst Bengals), with the first overall draft picks in 1989 and 1998, the Clippers took Danny Manning and Michael Olowokandi. The Spurs, on the other hand, had the top pick in 1987 and '97 and came away with David Robinson and Tim Duncan." The Clip Show is the oldest NBA franchise to have never made it to the NBA Finals.
Pittsburgh Pirates
Record (1992-2008): 1198-1482
Winning Percentage: .447
The Pirates lost the NLCS in 1992 to the Braves and it has been downhill since, about to finish the season under .500 for the 16th straight season.
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