The Old Guard vs. the New Breed II

[SWC75]

2014 OG: 74 NB: 48 Historical: OG: 3,960 points, 37 victories and 16 rings NB: 3,122 points, 18 victories and 12 rings

The Nets again finished second but it wasn’t to the Knicks. Brooklyn was 44-38, better than 15 teams but not the Raptor, who won the division. The Knick sagged to 37-45, better than 13 teams. The Nets beat the Raptors in seven games in the first round but got rolled by the Heat in five in the quarters. For 18 points.

The NHL realigned and the New York area teams were now part of an 8 team ‘Metropolitan’ Division. The Rangers were second to the Penquins with a 45-31-6 (96) record, better than 18 teams. The Devils had a respectable record of 35-29-18 – yes, 18 ties! For 88 points but that only got them 6th place, better than 9 teams. The Islanders were last with a not-that-bad record of 34-37-11 (79). They were better than 4 teams. Only the Rangers made the playoffs but they went all the way to the Stanley Cup finals, beating the Flyers and Penquins in seven games each and the Canadiens in six before losing to the Kings in five. That’s 33 points for the Rangers vs. 13 for the Devils/Islanders. OG: 46 NB: 31

The Yankees and Mets spun their wheels but at different levels. They Yankees finished 84-78, a dozen games behind the Red Sox but better than 18 teams. The Mets were 79-83, 17 games behind the Braves and better than 13 teams. Neither made the playoffs. OG: 64 NB: 44.

The Giants and Jets were in the same boat with the baseball teams: couch potatoes watching the playoffs. The Giants were 6-10, better than 7 teams. The Jets managed to be worse at 4-12, better than 4 teams. Final score: Old Guard 74 New Breed 48, the Old Guard’s fourth straight win.

 

[SWC75]

2015 NB: 100 OG: 72 Historical: OG: 4,032 points, 37 victories and 16 rings NB: 3,222 points, 19 victories and 12 rings

The Nets slipped to 38-44, better than 10 teams but the Knicks fell off a cliff to 17-65, losing a ridiculous tanking battle with the Minnesota Timberwolves, (16-66) but beating out the 76ers, (18-64). The Sixers got Jahlil Okafor, the Knicks Kristaps Porzingis and the Wolves Karl-Anthony Towns. The Nets didn’t make the playoffs so it was NB: 10 OG: 1

The Rangers had one of their best teams with a 53-22-7 (113) record, the best in the 30 team NHL, winning the 8 team Metro by 12 points over the resurgent Islanders, (47-28-7, 101) and Washington Capitols while the devils sank to 32-36-14, 78 and 7th place. They were better than 29, 21 and 5 teams. The Islanders went down to the Capitals in seven games in the first round. The Rangers beat the Penquins and the Capitals, (also seven games), before losing to the Lightning in still another seven gamer in the conference finals. That’s 43 points for the Rangers vs. 27 for the Islanders/Devils. OG: 44 NB: 37

The Yankees finished 6 games behind the Blue Jays at 87-75 but better than 21 teams. They lost the Wild Card game to the Astros for 22 points. But the Mets wiped the tears from their eyes to win the 5 team NL East with a 90-72 record, better than 23 teams. Then they beat the Dodgers in 5 games and swept the Cubs before losing the World Series in 6 games to the Royals. That’s 42 points. NB: 79 OG: 65.

The Giants couldn’t overcome that in a good year and they didn’t have one. They and the Jets were a mirror image: the Jets going 10-6, better than 21 teams and the Giants 6-10, better than 7 teams. The Jets finished second to the Patriots and didn’t get the wild card, so the final score was: New Breed: 100 Old Guard: 72. The Old Man went over the 4,000 point mark but Junior 2 was wondering again….

 

[SWC75]

2016 OG: 67 NB: 62 Historical: OG: 4,099 points, 38 victories and 16 rings NB: 3,284 points, 19 victories and 12 rings

The Knicks improved to 32-50, better than 6 teams while the Nets tanked to 21-61, better than 2. Neither made the playoffs.

The Rangers had a strong follow up with 46-27-9 (101) better than 21 teams. The Islanders were right behind them with 45-27-10 (100), better than 20 teams but in the powerful Metro Division, those were good only for third and fourth. The Devils had a winning record at 38-36-8 (84) but finished 7th, better than 10 teams. In the playoffs, the Rangers went down to the Penquns but the Islanders topped the Florida Panthers before losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning in the quarters. That’s 31-24 for the New Breed, putting them ahead 37-26 coming out of the spring.

The Yankees stumbled to an 84-78 record, better than 15 teams while the Mets were slightly better at 87-75, better than 19. The Mets made the wild card game but lost it to the Giants. That’s 20-15 and overall, NB: 57 OG: 41.

The Giants and Jets were mirror images again, but they switched mirrors, the Giants going 11-5, better than 25 teams while the Jets fell to 5-11, better than 5. The Giants didn’t win their division but they made the playoffs, only to be crushed by the Packers 13-38 in the Wild Card game. The Old Guard pulled ahead at the finish: 67 to 62 for the New Breed. Junior 2 had no idea where to jump.

 

[SWC75]

2017 OG: 52 NB: 23 Historical: OG: 4,151 points, 39 victories and 16 rings NB: 3,307 points, 19 victories and 12 rings

The Knicks languished are 31-51, better than 5 teams, while the Nets vanished at 20-62, the worst record in the NBA. Neither made the playoffs.

The Rangers were a strong 48-28-6 (102), better than 21 teams but in the Metro division, (probably the best in sports at this time), that was good for only 4th. The Islanders were 5th at 41-29-12 (94), better than 12 teams. The Devils were at the bottom, (where else for a Devil?), with 28-40-14 (70), better than 2 teams. The Rangers made the playoffs but the Islanders, (and of course the Devils) did not. The Rangers beat the Canadiens in the first round but lost to the Senators in the second. OG: 29 NB: 14

The Yankees started to percolate again at 91-71, two games worse than the Red Sox but better than 22 teams. The Mets sagged to 70-92, better than 5 teams. OG: 51 NB: 19.

The Jets and Giants were both terrible. The Jets were less bad at 5-11, better than 4 teams but still in last place. The Giants were 3-13, better only than the 0-16 Browns. Football glory was a distant memory but Dad was full of them as he smoked another victory cigar, 52-23, (the least combined points in 26 years).

 

[SWC75]

2018 OG: 49 NB: 44 Historical: OG: 4,200 points, 40 victories and 16 rings NB: 3,351 points, 19 victories and 12 rings

The Knicks and the Nets were nice and cozy at the bottom of the Atlantic Division standings: 29-53 and 28-54. The Nets were better than 7 teams and the Knicks were better than the Nets. They had each other over to watch the playoffs on TV.

The Islanders and Rangers just as cozy at the bottom of their Metropolitan Division: 35-37-10 (80) and 34-39-9 (77). The Rangers were better than 7 teams and the Islanders better than 9. The Devils improved to 44-29-9 (97) but that was only good for 5th, better than 16 teams. They did make the playoffs but went down in the first round to Tampa Bay in five games. NB: 33 OG: 15.

They Yankees, powered by some new stars, including massive Aaron Judge, came roaring back to prominence, going 100-62, better than 27 teams. But they finished 8 games behind on the great teams ever, the 2018 Red Sox, who went 108-54 plus 11-3 in the playoffs. It was baseball’s best team since the 1998 Yankees. The Yanks won the Wild Card game but lost the quarterfinal series to the Sox in four games for 30 points. The Mets were the Mets, 77-85, better than 10 teams. OG: 45 NB: 43.

The Jets and Giants were again terrible, going 4-12 and 5-11, both in last place. The Jets were better than 1 team, the Giants better than 4, (there were three 4-12 teams). The Old Man wasn’t getting any younger, but he wasn’t getting any sadder, either, having won another year, his 40th, 49-44.

 

[SWC75]

2019 NB: 74 OG: 47 Historical: OG: 4,247 points, 40 victories and 16 rings NB: 3,425 points, 20 victories and 12 rings

The Nets and Knicks weren’t so cozy anymore. The Nets improved to 42-40, better than 15 teams while the Knicks tanked again, going 17-65, the worst record in the NBA.

The Islanders sudden rose from under the waves to finish second at 48-27-7 (103), better than 26 teams. The Rangers and Devils disappeared under those same waves, finishing 7th and 8th, with the Rangers going 32-36-14 (78), better than 5 teams and 31-41-10 (72), better than 2 teams, respectively. The islanders swept the Penquins in the first round but got swept by the Carolina Hurricanes in the quarters. The New Breed was in command coming out of the spring, 46-5.

The Yankees reclaimed the 5 team AL East with a 103-59 record while the Red Sox couldn’t find the previous year’s magic, falling to 84-78 with largely the same team. Amazingly the Yanks had only the third best record in baseball as the Astros won 107 games and the Dodgers 106. The Twins won 101 games. So who won it all? The Washington Nationals, a wild card team that had won 93 games. The Yankees beat the Twins but lost in the ALCS to Houston. Still they had a haul of 39 points. The Mets went 86-76, better than 18 teams but failed to make the playoffs. The New Breed clung to a 64-44 lead.

The Jets and Giants were still losers, the Jets going 7-9, better than 10 teams, and the Giants 4-12, better than 3 teams. The New Breed had their 20th victory, 74-47.

 

[SWC75]

2020 NB: 53, OG: 52 Historical: OG: 4,299 points, 40 victories and 16 rings NB: 3,478 points, 21 victories and 12 rings

Covid-19 invaded the sports world just as it invaded every other world. The Juniors all got vaccinated and eventually persuaded GrandPop to, despite what he was hearing on Fox News. The NBA suspended their season in March but picked it up, after much negotiation, in August and decided their championship in October, 377 days after the first preseason game, back in September of 2019. The irregular standings, (teams played from 64-72 teams), show the Nets at 35-37, better than 17 teams and Knicks at 21-45, better than 6 teams. The nets got swept by the Raptors in the first round. NB: 18 OG: 6.

The NHL did the same thing, except they finished up on September 28. The Islanders, Rangers and Devils finished 6th, 7th and 8th in an 8-team division. The Isles were 35-23-10 (80), better than 16 teams. The Rangers were 37-28-5 (79), better than 14 and the Devils were 28-29-12 (68), better than 5. An expanded playoff set-up had a ‘qualifying round’, which in a 30-team league produced no points, (30 points to the champion, 15 to the runner up, 7 to semi-final losers, 3 to quarter-final losers, 1 to first round and cut that in half and round down and you get zero. The Rangers lost to the Hurricanes in that round and got no additional points. The Islanders beat the Panthers, Capitals and Flyers before losing in the semis to eventual champion Lightning. That gets them 7 additional points. NB: 46 OG: 20

Baseball, after protracted negotiations went with a 60-game season, also with expanded playoffs. The Yankees went 33-27, better than 20 teams but not the Rays at 40-20. The Mets never got anything going and finished 26-34, better than 6 teams. The Yankees beat the Indians in the first round but lost to the Rays in the quarters. NB: 52 OG: 43.

The NFL played their full season, uninterrupted, (they did cancel pre-season games). The Jets lost their first 13 games and wound up 2-14, better than just 1 team, (they seemed to be tanking but the jaguars did it better). The Giants lost their first 5 games and 7 of their first 8 but couldn’t keep up with the Jets’ pace so they decided to win a few games and wound up 6-10, better than 9 teams. The New Breed pulled it out 53-52!. Junior 2 wasn’t sure if that was enough of a bandwagon to jump on.

 

[SWC75]

2021 So far: New Breed 68 Old Guard 55

The NBA played a 72-game regular season and the Nets, with Kevin Durant, were suddenly one of the best teams, finishing 48-24, better than 27 teams. The Knicks were also much improved 41-31, better than 18 teams. Unfortunately, neither was better than the 76ers, who won the division. The Knicks went down in five games to the Hawks in the first round. Meanwhile the Nets were beating the Celtics in five before losing in seven to the eventual champions Bucks in the quarters. NB: 30 OG: 19.
The NHL played a 56-game season. The Islanders were 32-17-7 (71), better than 19 teams but only fourth in the Metro Division. The Rangers were 5th at 27-23-6 (60), better than 14 teams. The Devils were 7th, 19-30-7 (45), better than 2 teams. Only the Islanders made the playoffs, beating the Penquins and Bruins in six games before again losing to the eventual champion Lightning in the conference finals. NB: 58 OG: 33

The Yankees finished 92-70, tied for second in the AL East, better than 22 teams. My Mets fell to 77-85, better than 10 teams. So as I write this, the score is New Breed: 68, Old Guard 55

Meanwhile GrandPop is glad that, over the years, he stuck with the good, solid 'Old Guard' teams he grew up with. After all, he’s won 40 of the 61 seasons and 16 championship rings to 12 for Junior. But Junior is glad he joined the New Breed. Even if he has fewer wins and fewer championships, he enjoyed them just as much, which means that each win meant more to him. Junior Squared feels clever because he jumped ship every time the tide turned and wound up with more points than either his Grandfather or his Dad. Junior Cubed thinks he was the cleverest of all: he rooted for all the New York area teams and thus got all the points.

1960: The Old Guard, (OG): 46 The New Breed (NB): 9 Historical Total: OG 46 points and 1 victory NB 9 points.
1961 OG: 76 NB: 9 History: OG: 122 points, 2 victories and 1 ring NB: 18 points
1962 OG: 82 NB: 6 Historical: OG: 204 points, 3 victories and 2 rings NB: 24 points
1963 OG: 70 NB: 6 Historical: OG: 274 points, 4 victories and 2 rings NB: 30 points
1964 OG: 40 NB: 6 Historical: OG: 314 points, 5 victories and 2 rings NB: 36 points
1965 OG: 19 NB: 7 Historical: OG: 333 points, 6 victories and 2 rings NB: 43 points
1966 NB: 9 OG: 3 Historical: OG: 336 points, 6 victories and 2 rings NB: 52 points with 1 victory.
1967 OG: 23 NB: 15 Historical: OG: 359 points, 7 victories and 2 rings NB: 67 points with 1 victory.
1968 NB: 62 OG: 42 Historical: OG: 401 points, 7 victories and 2 rings NB: 129 points, 2 victories and 1 ring.
1969 NB: 78 OG: 42 Historical: OG: 443 points, 7 victories and 2 rings NB: 207 points, 3 victories and 2 rings.
1970 OG: 90 NB: 26 Historical: OG: 533 points, 8 victories and 3 rings NB: 233 points, 3 victories and 2 rings.
1971 OG: 57 NB: 33 Historical: OG: 590 points, 9 victories and 3 rings NB: 266 points, 3 victories and 2 rings.
1972 OG: 70 NB: 46 Historical: OG: 660 points, 10 victories and 3 rings NB: 312 points, 3 victories and 2 rings.
1973 OG: 80 NB: 39 Historical: OG: 740 points, 11 victories and 4 rings NB: 351 points, 3 victories and 2 rings.
1974 OG: 68 NB: 53 Historical: OG: 808 points, 12 victories and 4 rings NB: 404 points, 3 victories and 3 rings.
1975 NB: 58 OG: 56 Historical: OG: 864 points, 12 victories and 4 rings NB: 462 points, 4 victories and 3 rings.
1976 NB: 73 OG: 59 Historical: OG: 923 points, 12 victories and 4 rings NB: 535 points, 5 victories and 4 rings.
1977 OG: 79 NB: 34 Historical: OG: 1,002 points, 13 victories and 5 rings NB: 569 points, 5 victories and 4 rings.
1978 OG: 84 NB: 43 Historical: OG: 1,086 points, 14 victories and 6 rings NB: 612 points, 5 victories and 4 rings.
1979 OG: 54 NB: 50 Historical: OG: 1,140 points, 15 victories and 6 rings NB: 662 points, 5 victories and 4 rings.
1980 OG: 64 NB: 46 Historical: OG: 1,208 points, 16 victories and 6 rings NB: 708 points, 5 victories and 5 rings.
1981 OG: 85 NB: 70 Historical: OG: 1,289 points, 17 victories and 6 rings NB: 778 points, 5 victories and 6 rings.
1982 NB: 87 OG: 39 Historical: OG: 1,328 points, 17 victories and 6 rings NB: 865 points, 6 victories and 7 rings.
1983 NB: 60 OG: 50 Historical: OG: 1,378 points, 17 victories and 6 rings NB: 925 points, 7 victories and 8 rings.
1984 NB: 85 OG: 75 Historical: OG: 1,453 points, 17 victories and 6 rings NB: 1,010 points, 8 victories and 8 rings.
1985 NB: 74 OG: 49 Historical: OG: 1,502 points, 17 victories and 6 rings NB: 1,084 points, 9 victories and 8 rings.
1986 NB: 106 OG: 91 Historical: OG: 1,593 points, 17 victories and 7 rings NB: 1,190 points, 10 victories and 9 rings.
1987 NB: 44 OG: 36 Historical: OG: 1,629 points, 17 victories and 7 rings NB: 1,234 points, 11 victories and 9 rings.
1988 NB: 87 OG: 52 Historical: OG: 1,681 points, 17 victories and 7 rings NB: 1,321 points, 12 victories and 9 rings.
1989 OG: 81 NB: 27 Historical: OG: 1,762 points, 18 victories and 7 rings NB: 1,348 points, 12 victories and 9 rings.
1990 OG: 92 NB: 44 Historical: OG: 1,854 points, 19 victories and 8 rings NB: 1,392 points, 12 victories and 9 rings.
1991 OG: 39 NB: 30 Historical: OG: 1,893 points, 20 victories and 8 rings NB: 1,422 points, 12 victories and 9 rings.
1992 OG: 66 NB: 39 Historical: OG: 1,959 points, 21 victories and 8 rings NB: 1,461 points, 12 victories and 9 rings.
1993 OG: 89 NB: 53 Historical: OG: 2,048 points, 22 victories and 8 rings NB: 1,514 points, 12 victories and 9 rings.
1994 OG: 144 NB: 77 Historical: OG: 2,192 points, 23 victories and 9 rings NB: 1,591 points, 12 victories and 10 rings.
1995 OG: 65 NB: 60 Historical: OG: 2,257 points, 24 victories and 9 rings NB: 1,651 points, 12 victories and 10 rings.
1996 OG: 104 NB: 27 Historical: OG: 2,361 points, 25 victories and 10 rings NB: 1,678 points, 12 victories and 10 rings.
1997 OG: 102 NB: 73 Historical: OG: 2,463 points, 26 victories and 10 rings NB: 1,751 points, 12 victories and 10 rings.
1998 OG: 98 NB: 96 Historical: OG: 2,561 points, 27 victories and 11 rings NB: 1,847 points, 12 victories and 10 rings.
1999 OG: 107 NB: 75 Historical: OG: 2,668 points, 28 victories and 12 rings NB: 1,922 points, 12 victories and 10 rings.
2000 OG: 131 NB: 114 Historical: OG: 2,799 points, 29 victories and 13 rings NB: 2,036 points, 12 victories and 11 rings.
2001 NB: 87 OG: 84 Historical: OG: 2,883 points, 29 victories and 13 rings NB: 2,123 points, 13 victories and 11 rings.
2002 NB: 119 OG: 75 Historical: OG: 2,958 points, 29 victories and 13 rings NB: 2,242 points, 14 victories and 11 rings.
2003 NB: 131 OG: 65 Historical: OG: 3,023 points, 29 victories and 13 rings NB: 2,373 points, 15 victories and 12 rings
2004 NB: 100 OG: 65 Historical: OG: 3,088 points, 29 victories and 13 rings NB: 2,473 points, 16 victories and 12 rings
2005 OG: 65 NB: 32 Historical: OG: 3,153 points, 30 victories and 13 rings NB: 2,505 points, 16 victories and 12 rings
2006 NB: 131 OG: 73 Historical: OG: 3,226 points, 30 victories and 13 rings NB: 2,636 points, 17 victories and 12 rings
2007 OG: 107 NB: 63 Historical: OG: 3,333 points, 31 victories and 14 rings NB: 2,699 points, 17 victories and 12 rings
2008 OG: 90 NB: 76 Historical: OG: 3,423 points, 32 victories and 14 rings NB: 2,775 points, 17 victories and 12 rings
2009 OG: 103 NB: 67 Historical: OG: 3,526 points, 33 victories and 15 rings NB: 2,842 points, 17 victories and 12 rings
2010 NB: 71 OG: 68 Historical: OG: 3,594 points, 33 victories and 15 rings NB: 2,913 points, 18 victories and 12 rings
2011 OG: 117 NB: 37 Historical: OG: 3,711 points, 34 victories and 16 rings NB: 2,950 points, 18 victories and 12 rings
2012 OG: 106 NB: 60 Historical: OG: 3,817 points, 35 victories and 16 rings NB: 3,010 points, 18 victories and 12 rings
2013 OG: 69 NB: 64 Historical: OG: 3,886 points, 36 victories and 16 rings NB: 3,074 points, 18 victories and 12 rings
2014 OG: 74 NB: 48 Historical: OG: 3,960 points, 37 victories and 16 rings NB: 3,122 points, 18 victories and 12 rings
2015 NB: 100 OG: 72 Historical: OG: 4,032 points, 37 victories and 16 rings NB: 3,222 points, 19 victories and 12 rings
2016 OG: 67 NB: 62 Historical: OG: 4,099 points, 38 victories and 16 rings NB: 3,284 points, 19 victories and 12 rings
2017 OG: 52 NB: 23 Historical: OG: 4,151 points, 39 victories and 16 rings NB: 3,307 points, 19 victories and 12 rings
2018 OG: 49 NB: 44 Historical: OG: 4,200 points, 40 victories and 16 rings NB: 3,351 points, 19 victories and 12 rings
2019 NB: 74 OG: 47 Historical: OG: 4,247 points, 40 victories and 16 rings NB: 3,425 points, 20 victories and 12 rings
2020 NB: 53, OG: 52 Historical: OG: 4,299 points, 40 victories and 16 rings NB: 3,478 points, 21 victories and 12 rings

The Rings:

Old Guard (16)
1961 Yankees
1962 Yankees
1970 Knicks
1973 Knicks
1977 Yankees
1978 Yankees
1986 Giants
1990 Giants
1994 Rangers
1996 Yankees
1998 Yankees
1999 Yankees
2000 Yankees
2007 Giants
2009 Yankees
2011 Giants

New Breed (12)
1968 Jets
1969 Mets
1974 Nets
1976 Nets
1980 Islanders
1981 Islanders
1982 Islanders
1983 Islanders
1986 Mets
1995 Devils
2000 Devils
2003 Devils

 

[ScrabbCuse]

This has been a fantastic read! Really enjoyed each post which gave hints of nostalgia for seasons past. If you ever write a book, put me down for a signed copy.