A Question of Signifigance

by Ryan

While I've been on vacation Jon has done a good job with our newest "Insignificant" series. However, I had a question for him that we still haven't been able to answer.

Do we include the Braves?



This is a question I struggle with often. I am not old enough to remember the Braves when they played in Buffalo. My knowledge of the team goes as far as this: Bob McAdoo played for them, ownership swapped with the Celtics, and they moved to San Diego, which later moved to LA. That's about it.

Considering they were before our time, we are always weary of talking about them due to our generational ignorance. We do know they never even made the Finals, had limited postseason experience, and weren't exactly a great product. However, the very fact that they were an NBA team does give them a boost over many of the teams we've featured here.

So here's the question once again: should they be included in the poll?

My personal opinion is still no. Even though they did not last long in Buffalo, the team does still exist, which is more than we can say for most of the other four selections. However, my interpretation of "significant" is not in its existence, but the impact they had on the sports scene and overall culture. When you look at it like that, I think you have to conclude that the Braves do matter.

How many McAdoo throwback jerseys do you see around town these days? Perhaps not too many. However, put on some music videos and I bet within ten minutes you will see a Braves 59/50. The resurgence in retro culture has brought the Braves along with it, and even if the kids don't know what it is, it's still pretty cool to see.

How many Blizzard players made the cover of Sports Illustrated, or were beating out players like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for MVP races. The Braves were an important part of the sports world while they existed in Buffalo, and they were significant on a local and national scale. However, their tenure here was brief, and they did leave supposedly because of a lack of support.

So now I ask you this: should the Braves be included on the list? We have four teams that can certainly be considered insignificant, should the Braves even be included in the argument?