North American Pro Sports "Hall of Fame"
To put the Giants win in perspective:
Here is the complete list of teams with a negative point differential in the regular season;
1. US Major Pro Outdoor Football (135 seasons)
2011 Giants (-6 points) 9-7 regular season (.563 winning percentage)
Note: Yes it´s the only champ of 135 to have a negative point differential. Only one team had a worse regular season winning percentage: The 1997-Barcelona Dragons going 5-5 (.500) but with +27 point differential.
2. NBA/ABA Basketball (74 seasons)
No champion had a negative point differential during the regular season.
Note: Only 2 teams had the same or worse winning percentage as the 2011-NYG:
1977-Washington Bulls (+76, 44-38 = .537)
1971-Indiana Pacers (+ 221, 47-37 = .560)
3. US Major Pro Baseball Leagues since 1871 (156 seasons)
Only the 1987 Minnesota Twins had a negative differential (- 20 runs) 85-77 regular season (.525).
Note: Just 9 teams had the same or worse winning percentage:
The mentioned Twins and...
2011 SL Cardinals (+ 70, 90-72 = .556)
2006 SL Cardinals (+ 19, 83-78 = .516)
2003 Florida Marlins (+ 59, 91-71 = .562)
2000 NY Yankees (+ 57, 87-74 = .540)
1990 Cincinnati Reds (+ 96, 91-71 = .562)
1985 KC Royals (+ 48, 91-71 = .562)
1980 Phil. Phillies (+ 89, 91-71 = .562)
1974 Oakland A´s (+ 138, 90-72 = .556)
4. NHL/WHA Hockey (100 seasons)
4 teams with a negative differential:
1966 Toronto Maple Leafs (- 7, 32-27-11 = .536)
1948 Toronto Maple Leafs (- 14, 22-25-13 = .475)
1937 Chicago Black Hawks (- 42, 14-25-9 = .385)
1917 Toronto Arenas (- 1, 13-9 = .591)
Note: Hockey in total is worse than the 2011-NFL-Season (actually the regular seasons are almost meaningless), since 22 of 100 champs had the same or a worse winning percentage than the 2011-NYG. Most recently the 2010-Boston Bruins (+ 51, 46-36 = .561)
5. CFL football modern era (since 1954, 58 seasons)
4 teams had a negative point differential:
2000 BC Lions (- 16, 8-10 = .444)
1989 Saskatchewan (- 20, 9-9 = .500)
1988 Winnipeg (- 51, 9-9 = .500)
1970 Montreal (- 33, 7-6-1 = .536)
Note: 6 teams had same or worse percentage than the NYG. Next to the above mentioned...
2001 Calgary (+ 2, 8-10 = .444)
1986 Hamilton (+ 39, 9-8-1 = .528)
Too many undeserved lucky winners. We are better off with the NFL (except 2011).
6. Major Pro Outdoor Soccer (34 seasons)
Surprise, surprise: Only two champs were outscored during the regular season
2005 LA Galaxy (- 1, 13-13-6 = .500)
1970 Rochester Lancers (- 4, 9-9-6 = .500)
But a total 7 of 34 champs had worse or same percentage as the 2011-NYG.
The two mentioned plus...
2009 Real Salt Lake (+ 8, 11-12-7 = .483)
2006 Houston Dynamo (+ 4, 11-8-13 = .547)
2004 DC United (+ 1, 11-10-9 = .517)
1996 DC United (+ 6, 16-16 = .500)
1984 Chicago Sting (+ 1, 13-11 = .542)
The bottom line is: The 2011 NY Giants are one of just 12 teams (from 557 major champions) who were outscored during the regular season. They join an "elite group" of 2,15 percent. That means only 2 champs in 100 years are outscored!
It looks a little bit better when looking at the regular season record. 48 teams (8,6 % of all teams) had the same or worse winning percentage. That means less than every 10 years a champ with a .563 or less record wins championships. If we take out the National Luck League (NHL/WHA), it looks worse. Just 26 of 457 (5,7 %) teams had the same or worse record than the NYG. That´s approx. 1 out of 20 champions.
I finally can announce the 2011 NYG as the 2nd worst pro american football champion ever. They are the Maple Leafs of the NFL (we shall not forget their upset wins vs. wayyy superior teams in 1934 and 2007). And with just 9 wins during the regular season, those Giants join an "Exclusive 9% club" of the least winning teams. Nothing to be proud of, no need to brag around.