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How good are we? Better than ALL of you!

Well its lovely to be back. Back from where you may ask (or not, but this is my column)? Back from being generally lazy over the past few weeks and not really wanting to do anything other than drink and play rugby which I think is fair enough as its summer time here and that’s how we roll. 

 
One other thing I have been doing is listening to a South Florida sports show to wile away the hours at work, and the general topic they touch on at least 50 times a day is how good the new Heat squad is going to be. Respected former NBA coach and current TV analyst, Jeff Van Gundy has come out and said that he believes they can go better than Michael Jordan’s 1995-1996 Bulls 72-10 record, also beat the 71-72 Lakers33 straight wins record AND not lose consecutive games all season. This all seems a little far fetched to me as there are many variables associated with an 82 game season despite how good your roster is. 

It did get me thinking though, in my 26 years on the planet, who are the most dominant teams that i can remember watching? im discounting anything up until my 10th year on this fine planet as my mindwas a little preoccupied with such things as finger painting, GI Joe’s andNinja Turtles. So this leaves us with 1994 onwards, eliminating such teams as the 1987 ABs as i was 3 and really had zero idea what was going on, the 1992 Dream Team and the 1985 Illinois State University Jump Rope Team, all epically dominant teams but sadly not allowed to participate. 

The teams on my list have to have dominated to the extent that any year they dont win the applicable title or the main record they obtain breaks, it ends the term of said dominance. For example; between 1998 and 2008 the Crusaders went to 9 Super 12/14 finals and won 7 of them, BUT only won consecutive titles from 1998-2000 and 2005-2006, thus my reasoning to take the 1998-2000 team in my list. 

To the list!!!! 

Chicago Bulls 1995-1998: 

Should we play with one hand tied behind our backs or two?

Superman, Batman and Rodman. MJ, Pippen and Rodman. The 2nd three-peat. A team for the ages. The greatest player ever accompanied by the best wing-mansince Goose, with one of the more extravagant identities of the time on the side playing lock down defense and grabbing numerous boards while wearing a wedding dress and body slamming people in WCW, all coached by the Zen master, Phill Jackson. 

 
After MJ sent his famous ‘Im back’ fax in 1994, it was clear he was on a mission. Two words never sent so much fear through a league of professionals. Compare that fax to LeBums ‘Decision’ and ‘Im taking my talents to South Beach’ comment and you see why MJ was feared and respected and LBJ is ridiculed and questioned. 

 
This team went on to tear the heart out of the NBA withthe most dominant year in NBA history, 72-10 in 95-96, which could have been better if not for a couple of one point losses in the last few games, follow that with a 69-13 androundit off with a 62-20. Add to this the 3 NBA titles, Jordans 3 Finals MVPs and the 95-96 & 97-98 Overall MVPs, not to mention his 3 scoring titles over the term and you are money. 

 
Best ever? The Lakers teams of the 80s and the Celtics Dynasty teams of the 50s-60s and the Bird years will also argue this point. To me 95-96 set a precedent that wont be beat. We can return to this arguement in June 2011 to see how Mr Wade and his cronies have feared. 

All Blacks 1996-1997: 

Compare this? Get fucked!

The team EVERY rugby fan my age or older should be able to name off the top of their head from number 1 through 15 and include legends like Jon Preston who saved our bacon at the endof the second test in SA. The team was STACKED! Cullen, Bunce, Fitzy, Zinny, Wilson, Kronfeld, the list goes on. 

 
This team emerged from the ashes of the heartbreaking and gut wrenching (literally for everyone except Zinny who preffered McDs to Suzys special) loss in the 1995 WC. 

 
The boys were on a mission, going through 96 and97 with only one loss and one draw. Winning back to back undefeated Tri-Nations and Bledisloe titles. The only loss coming in the 4th test against SA in SA in 96 after they had already clinched the first series victory for us in the deep south. The draw? Against Englandin England, at the end of 97 and a precursor to what can only be described as the worst ABs team i have seen in 1998, but we wont go there. 

 
Best ABs team ever? A debate that will never be settled considering the sheer weight of history involving the team, but definitley in that conversation. 

Crusaders 1998-2000: 

The heart and soul of the south! Chur brother!

The dawn of the most dominant non-test team since the 1980s Auckland sides. Boasting a contingent of All Blacks including Merthens and Marshall, one of the best 9-10 combos to ever grace those jerseys, Norm Maxwell, Mark Hammett and Marika Vunibakato name some of the stars, this team was to be reckoned with. Coached by current AB coach Wayne Smith they knocked off the two time defending champion Blues in the final for the first of 7 overall titles, and the beginning of the only three-peat in Super Rugby History. 

 
Since this time The Crusaders have built a legacy, missing the playoffs only once since the 2000 victory, funnily enough being 2001, and continue to set the bench mark for Super rugby.
Best ever? Their undefeated team of 2002 would be hard pressed to overlook but the loss to the Brumbies in the 03 final means they miss out in my criteria.
Just for shits and giggles check out the Crusaders Century Team: 

15 Leon MacDonald Fullback
14 Norm Berryman Right-wing
13 Daryl Gibson Centre
12 Aaron Mauger Secondfive eighth
11 Caleb Ralph Left wing
10 Daniel Carter First five eighth
9 Justin Marshall Half-back
8 Scott Robertson Number eight
7 Richie McCaw Openside flanker
6 Todd Blackadder (Captain) Blindside flanker
5 Norm Maxwell Lock
4 Chris Jack Lock
3 Greg Somerville Tighthead prop
2 Mark Hammett Hooker
1 Greg Feek Loosehead prop
16 Corey Flynn Hooker
17 Richard Loe Loosehead prop
18 Brad Thorn Lock
19 Reuben Thorne Blindside flanker
20 Mark Robinson Half-back
21 Andrew MehrtensFirst five eighth
22 Marika Vunibaka Right-wing 

Kinda scary yea? 

Australian Test Cricket team 1999-2001: 

Tubby Taylor's Facebook photo

16 straight test wins. Waugh brothers, Ponting, Warne, McGrath, Healy, Slater, Taylor. Legends all of them, with victories over Zimbabwae, Pakistan, India, New Zealand and The West Indies . 

 
The only thing that stopped them? Possibly one of the greatest test performances ever witnessed, dodgy umpiring begone, the Indian come back from a follow on to beat the Aussies in the Sub Continent was epic and possibly never to be repeated. How does this help this Australian teams cause as one of the greatest? India had to pull out possibly the best batting turnaround in the history of cricket and then bowled there balls off (like the pun?) to beat these guys! A once in 100 years performance was needed to knock over this juggernaut of a cricket team. No better compliment to an amazing team than an amazing feat to beat them. 

Ferrari F1 Team 1999-2004: 

Schu couldn't get this one out of first and still won!

In the words of a more knowledgeable source of F1 info than me: 

 
‘Six straight constructors championships, never to be repeated.’ 

 
Now you may believe this is down to the fact they had one Michael Schumacher driving for them and setting records in his sleep, and you’d be right. Mr Schu took home the Drivers Championship from 2000-2004 which did help the cause no doubt. 

 
Not my most detailed piece but have to share the love! 

Queensland State of Origin 2006-2010: 

Tina Turner wrote a song about these guys.

First team EVER to win 5 straight State of Origins! Coached by Mel Maninga, one of the pinnacles of Australian league, lead on the field by Darren Lockyer, the man with the voice like a chainsaw and the game of a Greek Hero, in my mind the best player in the past 10 years. Add in names like Hodges, Slater, Price, Civonceva, Smith and you have a whoswho of the best Australian players coming primarily out of the Maroons. The formerly feared Blues who had put the Queensland team to the sword in the mid 90s has been well and truly decimated over the past 5 years as the record lies at 11-4 to the Cane Toads. the 2010 team was named the best origin team ever after wrapping up its first ever series sweep over the Cockroaches while NSW’s team was named worst NSW team ever.
QUUUUUUEEEEEENNNNNNSSSSSLLLLLAAAAAANNNNNDDDDEEEERRRR!!!! 

So that’s my 6 cents as it would be. Plenty of other teams out there that could qualify as well but I only work for 7 hours a day so it makes it tough! 

Honourable mentions include: Man U 1998/99-2000/01 & 2006/07-2008/09, Chelsea 2004-2005, Lakers 2000-2002, Broncos 1992-1993, Southen Sting Netball (1999-2004), Aussie cricket test team (2005-2006), Easts Cricket Club (2001-present), Spanish Football Team (2008-2010).

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