perfect season
The phrase Perfect season refers to any sports season in which a team remains undefeated and untied. While easier in the shorter collegiate seasons (NCAA football has an undefeated team almost annually), it remains virtually impossible in any of the professional sports.
1972 Miami Dolphins
In the National Football League, a "Perfect Season" has only been accomplished by the 1972 Miami Dolphins, who had an undefeated campaign led by coach Don Shula and notable teammates Bob Griese, Earl Morrall and Larry Csonka (among many others). This team went 17-0-0 and won Super Bowl VII. It is not true, however, as is often falsely reported, that the team gathers to drink champagne on the day the final undefeated NFL team loses. Shula denied this urban legend in an interview with ESPN.com's Gene Wojciechowski.[1]
Close to perfect
Serious challenges to the 1972 Dolphins status as the only perfect team in (NFL) history have come from the 1998 Broncos[2] and the 2005 Colts[3] with both teams having won their first 13 games before losing their next two, noting that back in 1972, NFL teams played 14 regular season games. Also, two teams had regular seasons of 15-1, and won out through the playoffs, finishing with 18-1 overall records; the San Francisco 49ers (1984) and the Chicago Bears (1985). The Pittsburgh Steelers also went 15-1 in 2004, but lost in the AFC Championship Game to the New England Patriots. The 1998 Minnesota Vikings also had a record of 15-1, before falling to the Atlanta Falcons in the 1999 NFC Championship.
Also, prior to the modern era of the NFL (which began with the AFL-NFL merger in 1970), the Chicago Bears twice had perfect regular seasons (1934 and 1942), only to lose in the Championship game.[4]
To this day, the "perfect season" stands as a classic example of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts, with the Dolphin defense having even been branded with the nickname "No-Name Defense" in mockery of its lack of star power. The '72 Dolphins used that nickname with pride[5].
Other major professional sports league
In the other major sports league (Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, and National Hockey League) it is practically impossible to get a perfect season due to their long regular season (162 games for MLB, 82 games for both the NBA and NHL) and their best-of playoff format in which a team must gain a certain number of victories in order to advance. In other words, a team may lose a single game in a playoff round but keep playing. Also, for other sports leagues for individuals, such as the PGA or NASCAR, this would amount to winning every tournament, all season long.
The 1995-96 Chicago Bulls are considered to have had what is closest to the perfect NBA season. With a 72-10 record and a winning percentage of .878, they had the best record in the history of the league.
References
- ^ [1]"Shoes ... The Jaw ... by any name, Shula still the king," by Gene Wojciechowski, ESPN.com, Feb. 1, 2007
- ^ [2]Accessed Jan 16, 2007
- ^ [3]Accessed Jan 16, 2007
- ^ History of NFL Champions
- ^ .Twice in history the Dolphins stopped a perfect season for the Chicago Bears (1985 and 2006) both years the Bears were in the Super Bowl[4]Accessed Jan 16, 2007
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Miami Dolphins
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