The Final Score

1. Mets
Years without a title: 22
Most agonizing moments: The 2007 Collapse . . . The 2008 Collapse . . . Carlos Beltran looking at strike three to end 2006 NLCS . . . Mike Scioscia's homer off Dwight Gooden in '88 NLCS . . . Yankees celebrating '00 title at Shea.
Names that make fans cringe: Yadier Molina, Aaron Heilman, Chipper Jones.
Memo to fans: Doesn't it seem as if the Mets will forever be paying back the baseball gods for Game 6 of the 1986 World Series? What in the name of Bill Buckner will it take for this team to stop bringing their fans such agony?

2. Islanders
Years without a title: 25
Most agonizing moments: When John Spano gained control . . . Any time Mike Milbury announced a trade, fired a coach, hired a coach, etc . . . When they changed their logo to the Gorton's fisherman lookalike ... Signing Alexei Yashin to a 10-year deal in 2001, then buying him out in 2007 at more than $2 million per year.
Names that make fans cringe: Darcy Tucker, Dale Hunter.
Memo to fans: Your team plays in the worst arena perhaps in all of professional sports. Each year your team has one of the lowest payrolls in the NHL and plays in front of the smallest home crowds. Yes, that makes your team hard to root for.

3. Knicks
Years without a title: 35
Most agonizing moments: When they hired Isiah Thomas . . . Any time Patrick Ewing guaranteed a playoff victory, which always meant it wasn't going to happen ... All the dirty laundry aired during the Anucha Browne Sanders trial . . . When they hired Isiah Thomas (it was that bad) . . . Watching Stephon Marbury's YouTube video.
Names that make fans cringe: Michael Jordan, Charles Smith, Frederic Weis.
Memo to fans: This once-proud organization is trying to clean up from the mess left by Thomas, and it's going to take a while. A year ago they might have topped this list, but their new regime seems headed in the right direction.

4. Jets
Years without a title: 39
Most agonizing moments: Rich Kotite's tenure as head coach . . . When Bill Belichick resigned as the "HC of NYJ" . . . Losing the 1998 AFC title game . . . When Vinny Testaverde tore his Achilles in the 1999 season opener ... Doug Brien missing two field goals in 2005 playoff game in Pittsburgh . . . Dan Marino's fake spike play in '94.
Names that make fans cringe: Neil O'Donnell, Richard Todd, Browning Nagle.
Memo to fans: Brett Favre has changed the entire culture of being a Jets fan, at least for the time being. Maybe in the end they'll still disappoint their fans as they usually do, but with No. 4 running the show, they're an easier team to root for.

5. Nets
Years without a title: 32 (if you count their ABA title)
Most agonizing moments: Their best player, Drazen Petrovic, dying in a car crash after his most promising season ... John Starks breaking Kenny Anderson's wrist in 1993 . . . Yinka Dare's pursuit of his first career assist ... Watching Jayson Williams shoot free throws ... Losing to a beatable Spurs team in '03 NBA Finals.
Names that make fans cringe: Butch Beard, Shawn Bradley, Benoit Benjamin.
Memo to fans: Why are they so hard to root for? Because even when they put together a highly entertaining fast-break, dunk-a-minute team led by Jason Kidd, nobody showed. So something's wrong. Plus their future home is in doubt.

6. Devils
Years without a title: 5
Most agonizing moments: Celebrating their recent Stanley Cup championships by having to march around the Meadowlands parking lot ... Failing to sell out many of their playoff games . . . Losing to the Rangers in the '94 Eastern Conference finals . . . Watching Sean Avery humiliate goaltender Martin Brodeur last year.
Names that make fans cringe: Matteau! Matteau! Matteau!
Memo to fans: Truthfully, the Nets and Devils should be higher on this list, but there is such apathy involved with both teams that it's not even worth it. As the Devils proved, you can win multiple championships and still remain irrelevant.

7. Red Bulls
Years without a title: 12
Most agonizing moments: Nicola Caricola marked the first home game in team history by mistakenly scoring on his own goal, which fans refer to as "Curse of Caricola" . . . Made MLS semifinals only once in 12 seasons . . . Have gone through a carousal of coaches, 10 in 12 years, including Bruce Arena for a year.
Names that make fans cringe: Sergio Galvan Rey, Roberto Donadoni, Claudio Reyna
Memo to fans: Identity always has been an issue with this franchise. First it was New York / New Jersey MetroStars, then just the MetroStars and now it's the New York Red Bulls. Some diehard fans haven't fully accepted the name change. Regardless, the reason that makes them hard to root for is they never have competed for a title.

8. Rangers
Years without a title: 14
Most agonizing moments: Hearing the 1940 chant year after year . . .The day Mark Messier left as a free agent in 1997 . . . Losing to Pittsburgh in 1992 after winning the President's Trophy . . . When Brian Leetch broke his ankle by slipping on ice while exiting a NYC cab in 1993.
Names that make fans cringe: Denis Potvin, Theo Fleury, Bryan Trottier, Brian Skrudland.
Memo to fans: Before 1994 came along, the Rangers easily would have topped this list as the hardest to root for. But finally winning the Stanley Cup changed the culture, and since the lockout they've been a consistent contender.

9. Liberty
Years without a title: 12.
Most agonizing moments: Losing in the WNBA Finals in 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2002 . . . Watching injuries severely limit Rebecca Lobo's effectiveness ... Trading fan favorite Becky Hammon in 2007.
Names that make fans cringe: Cynthia Cooper, Lisa Leslie.
Memo to fans: It used to be the Liberty always was a contender but never a champion. That doesn't make it a very easy team to root for. But now the Liberty has a roster filled with youth and potential, and based on its Eastern Conference finals showing this year, things are looking up.

10. Yankees
Years without a title: 8
Most agonizing moments: In the 2004 ALCS, becoming the first team in baseball history to blow a three-games-to-none lead, and having it come at the hands of the Red Sox. And then watching the Red Sox win their first world championship in 86 years. Yeah, that would classify as agonizing.
Names that make fans cringe: Kevin Brown, Dave Roberts, David Ortiz, Ken Phelps.
Memo to fans: No, things haven't exactly worked out for the Yankees recently. They're coming off their first season without getting to the playoffs since 1993. But it's not that hard to root for them, because they have money and they're not afraid to spend it.

11. Giants
Years without a title: 0
Most agonizing moments: Receiving the personal seat license news . . . Getting blown away by the Baltimore Ravens in Super Bowl XXXV . . . Coughing up a 38-14 second-half lead to the 49ers in 2003 playoff game . . . Blowing a nine-point lead in a 23-22 loss to Minnesota in 1997 playoff game ... Listening to Tiki Barber rip Tom Coughlin over and over and over . . . Anything that happened during the 1991 and 1992 regular seasons.
Names that make fans cringe: Ray Handley, Dave Brown, Ron Dayne.
Memo to fans: Giants fans have had their share of heartache moments, but coming off one of the biggest - and definitely most exciting - Super Bowl upsets in history has bought this team a whole lot of rope. It's going to take a lot before we feel bad for the Giants in the wake of what Eli Manning, David Tyree and company did in beating New England.

12. Ducks
Years without a title: 4
Most agonizing moments: When Jose Offerman charged the mound last year and swung his bat at the pitcher . . . Any day that John Rocker wore their uniform . . . Failing to win the title eight out of nine years despite fielding competitive teams and always leading league in attendance.
Names that make fans cringe: No one comes to mind, unless Quacker Jack has a nemesis we don't know about.
Memo to fans: Why are the Ducks the best team to root for? Because even though they disappoint in the postseason, most people don't go to see baseball. They go for the minor-league experience. Win or lose, who knows, because who cares!