Are the 1980-1984 Islanders the most underated dynasty in sports?

[Matt in the Hat]

What do you think?

[Bill-DC]

No. The University of North Carolina Women's soccer team is perhaps the most underrated dynasty in all sports.

I did some checking on the Carolina web site and got these bits of info:

18 National Championships. 5 of those teams were unbeaten and untied. North Carolina has won 17 of the 22 NCAA titles contested since 1982. (They won an AIAW title in '81). 559-25-15 since 1979.

More from their site:

Women's soccer on the collegiate level has changed remarkably since 1993. There were only 16 teams in the 1993 tournament while 64 teams compete now, meaning teams must win two more games to win the championship in this day and age. In 1993, women's soccer was at the start of its vast expansion of the past decade with 131 varsity teams at the NCAA Division I level. This year, there were 294 teams competing at the Division I level.

The biggest change over the past 10 years has been the expansion of the game among the power conferences of Division I with the Southeastern Conference, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12 and Pac 10 schools all sponsoring the sport with full scholarship allotments. Good players have more college choices and while North Carolina has continued to play at a remarkably high level, parity has become more and more a part of the game. Witness that from 1995 through 2002 a total of 24 matches were played in the NCAA semifinal and championship game rounds and 19 had been decided by one goal and the other five by only two goals.

I think at one point they won something like 12 or 13 titles in a row. Someone correct me if I am wrong on that.

Hey, I love hockey and am not really a women's soccer fan. I definitely can't stand the Tar Heels, but this is remarkable achievement in my opinion. Props to them.

[Fkesoccer]

Do the Islanders recruit the best players in the nation every year? No.

Do the Islanders have such little competition every year? (such as undefeated season and the only tough opponent they play is in the Final Four Semis and Finals? No.

Quick!
Pick the Bossy-era Islanders or the Gretzky-era Kings?

Thought so.

[afgrijselijkheid]

Originally posted by Fkesoccer
Quick!
Pick the Bossy-era Islanders or the Gretzky-era Kings?

Thought so.


i hope you meant the gretzky era oilers... the kings made one final appearance and lost

as for the question... are the 80-84 isles underrated... i didnt thinks so - they are held in pretty high regard, maybe behid only those 80´s oilers and the 60 and 70œ habs - hell i can name almost every player from those isles teams from memory

[Bill-DC]

Originally posted by Fkesoccer
Do the Islanders recruit the best players in the nation every year? No.

Do the Islanders have such little competition every year? (such as undefeated season and the only tough opponent they play is in the Final Four Semis and Finals? No.

Quick!
Pick the Bossy-era Islanders or the Gretzky-era Kings?

Thought so.


I see your point but every year Carolina had to replace departing seniors, thus the need to recruit and recruit well to stay on top.

I also see your point about competition but that's changed in the 1990's as more schools fielded teams.

I can't believe this life long Terp fan is going to bat for something related to the University of North Carolina, but what they have done is pretty remarkable in my opinion.

I also think what the Atlanta Braves have done is pretty impressive, ten straight division titles. Their lack of World Series wins hurts them and you can't mention them as a dynasty because of that. Still have to give them props for being in the hunt every year.

[afgrijselijkheid]

Originally posted by Bill-DC
I also think what the Atlanta Braves have done is pretty impressive, ten straight division titles. Their lack of World Series wins hurts them and you can't mention them as a dynasty because of that. Still have to give them props for being in the hunt every year.


actually... i view the braves as a MASSIVE failure - i mean only one WS with the teams they've had for the past 12 years? pathetic

[Glenwood Lane United]

Originally posted by bluedaddy19
actually... i view the braves as a MASSIVE failure - i mean only one WS with the teams they've had for the past 12 years? pathetic

Well, I don't think I'd call the Braves pathetic....

Back on topic....out of the teams in the big 5 sports that have won three or more titles, i can't think of a team that gets less recognition then the Islanders. I think part of that has to do with the fact that there were almost no NHL national telecasts in the early 1980's. If I'm not mistaken, the Isles beat the Oilers 1-0 in game 1 of one of those series'. I tried to get that game on tv and/or radio, and couldn't.

Back off topic....the Hawks/Canucks semi in one of those years is the closest the NHL has ever come to "Slapshot".

[Bill-DC]

Originally posted by Glenwood Lane United
out of the teams in the big 5 sports that have won three or more titles, i can't think of a team that gets less recognition then the Islanders. I think part of that has to do with the fact that there were almost no NHL national telecasts in the early 1980's.

Excellent point. I think the last year the league was on network tv was '80 when they won their first Cup against the Flyers. Gretzky and the Oliers got a lot of pub from '84-'88 and the Isles were kinda cast aside.