Apr 13, 2015; Boston, MA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady hold up the Vince Lombardi Trophy during opening ceremonies for the Boston Red Sox home opener against the Washington Nationals at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Boston’s professional sports teams have enjoyed an unprecedented decade and a half of success. Since the turn of the millennium, nine championship trophies have come to Beantown, spanning the four major sports. Curses have been lifted and dynasties have been established. The NBA’s proudest franchise added to its banner record and one of the NHL’s Original Six ended a 39-year drought.
These titles have been varied in their dominance. The following is an attempt to rank these teams based on that criteria, taking into account regular season performance, a variety of team statistics, and each playoff run. Every Boston fan has their favorite championship season, and it can be for any number of reasons. This list is not about favorites, however. It’s about the best.
Next: No. 9 - Bleeding Black And Gold Once Again
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2010-11 Boston Bruins
This Bruins team wasn’t particularly dominant in the regular season. They finished third in the Eastern Conference, behind the Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers. Goalie Tim Thomas did have a stellar season, however, as the Bruins finished 3rd in the entire league in goals against, at 195.
Things did not start smoothly in the playoffs, as Boston dropped two straight games at home to open round one against the 6th seed Montreal Canadians. They managed to bounce back and win the series in seven games, with Thomas making 34 saves in the decisive game. In round two they throttled the 2nd seed Philadelphia Flyers, outscoring them 20-7 in a four game sweep.
In the Eastern Conference Finals and Stanley Cup the Bruins once again had to gut out seven game series, with Thomas once again coming up heroic. He shut out the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 1-0 game seven victory to advance to the Stanley Cup. There the Bruins faced the Vancouver Canucks, the best team in the league all season by a wide margin. A back and forth series came down to a game seven in Vancouver. Thomas made 37 saves in a 4-0 victory on his way to the Conn Smythe Trophy. The Bruins themselves hoisted the Cup for the first time in 39 years.
Next: No. 8 - This One Was All About Beantown
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2013 Boston Red Sox
Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
This team will forever be remembered in association with the term ‘Boston Strong.’ Following the tragedy of the Boston Marathon Bombing on April 15, 2013, the Red Sox returned to Fenway on April 20th with the 35,000 plus fans in the park still in shock. They responded with a rousing pregame ceremony in which David Ortiz famously declared, “This is our f***ing city.” The Red Sox also won the game to improve to 12-4.
They finished the season 97-65, tied with the St. Louis Cardinals for the best record in baseball. In the playoffs they took care of the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 and followed that up with a 4-2 series win over the Detroit Tigers. Facing the Cardinals in the World Series, Ortiz turned in one of the greatest performances in postseason history. Over the course of six games, Big Papi batted .688 with two home runs and six RBIs. He led the Red Sox to three straight victories after they fell behind 2-1 and collected his third title overall.
Making good on a season-long pact, this team helped an entire city in its healing process. They went from last place in the division in 2012 to the AL East title under first year manager John Farrell. After two title closeouts on the road, they won their first World Series at Fenway Park in 95 years, a fitting end to a season that was so much about the city of Boston itself.
Next: No. 7 - No, We Will Not Be Waiting Another 86 Years
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2007 Boston Red Sox
With the famous Curse of the Bambino a thing of the past, this Red Sox team had significantly less pressure on them than the champions of 2004. They led the division from April 18th on and finished the season with 96 wins, tied with the Cleveland Indians for the best record in the MLB. After starting the season 36-15, they went 60-51 the rest of the way as they cruised into the playoffs.
As they did in ’04, Boston swept the Angels 3-0 in the opening round. In the ALCS they faced the Cleveland Indians and promptly dropped three straight after winning game one. Facing a 3-1 deficit, the Red Sox offense exploded for 30 runs in the next three games, resulting in three straight beatdowns and a trip to the World Series.
There they faced the cinderella Colorado Rockies, winners of 21 of their last 22 games, including a 7-0 record in the playoffs. The Red Sox quickly put an end to any title hopes, however, with World Series sweep. In the process they set an MLB record by outscoring their opponents in the playoffs 99-46.
Next: No. 6 - Third Times A Charm For Number Four
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2014-15 New England Patriots
Feb 1, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick reacts after an interception in the closing seconds of the game against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
This is the team that shook a gorilla off the franchise’s back. After Tom Brady started his career 3-0 in Super Bowls, the Patriots suffered two devastating losses in the title game, both at the hands of the New York Giants. The first, in 2008, left New England 18-1, one miraculous helmet catch by David Tyree separating them from the greatest season in NFL history.
Then somehow, in 2012, the Patriots found themselves facing the Giants yet again, with an improbable chance at revenge. Instead they fell for a second time, dropping Brady to 3-2 in Super Bowls. Many worried that he’d never get another shot, that a career that started so strong would end with bitter disappointment.
Three years later, however, Brady led his team back to the Super Bowl for a sixth time to face the defending champion Seattle Seahawks. After a solid 12-4 regular season, the Patriots slugged it out with the Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round and then annihilated the Indianapolis Colts 45-7 in the AFC Championship.
That game has become infamous in the aftermath of Deflategate, but it takes nothing away from the Super Bowl victory. The Patriots put up 28 points against one of the greatest defenses in history and held on to beat Seattle 28-24. Brady got his fourth ring, finally matching his boyhood idol Joe Montana.
Next: No. 5 - World, Meet Mr. Brady
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2001-02 New England Patriots
The season that berthed a dynasty really began on September 23rd, 2001, when New York Jets linebacker Mo Lewis obliterated Patriots’ franchise quarterback Drew Bledsoe, clearing the way for a little known 24-year-old named Tom Brady, drafted the year before with the 199th pick. New England lost the game 10-3, with Brady throwing 5 for 10 for 46 yards, but an era of greatness was officially underway.
This Patriots team is often remembered as a cinderella story, 14-point Super Bowl underdogs to the mighty St. Louis Rams, with an unknown quarterback at the helm, but following an 0-2 start Brady went 14-3 as a starter, including nine straight wins to end the year. The Patriots had a balanced offense, with Antowain Smith rushing for 1157 yards and 12 touchdowns, and a strong defense as well. They finished sixth in the league in both points scored and points allowed.
Their march to the first Super Bowl in franchise history was undeniably improbable, but this was a very strong team from Brady’s first start on. Four titles later, this is the season that started it all. This team wasn’t as dominant as some of the juggernauts of later years, but they were certainly formidable.
Next: No. 4 - Four Score And Six No More
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2004 Boston Red Sox
No one can deny this team’s legendary status. They came back from a 3-0 deficit against the hated New York Yankees and crushed the St. Louis Cardinals to win their first World Series in 86 years, a drought so long, fans in Boston had considered the team cursed. These Red Sox are beloved, but were they dominant?
In a lot of ways the answer is yes. The team finished 98-64, the third best record in the league overall, but good for only second in the AL East behind the 101-win Yankees. They did lead the MLB in runs with 949, however, nearly 100 more than their closest competition. The pitching duo of Pedro Martinez and Curt Schilling combined to go 37-15, striking out 430 batters between them. Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz both topped 40 home runs and the whole team led the league in OPS at .832.
They went on an absolute tear in the last quarter of the season, winning 20 of 22 games from August 16th to September 8th. Entering the playoffs as the Wild Card, they swept the Anaheim Angels 3-0 to set up a showdown with New York. After decades upon decades of heartache, the Red Sox became the first team in MLB history to comeback from the 3-0 series deficit. A World Series title seemed like a foregone conclusion after that, even against the 105-win Cardinals. They took care of business in a four game sweep, bringing a title to Beantown many long-suffering fans thought they’d never see.
Next: No. 3 - We May Have Something Here
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2003-04 New England Patriots
This team survived a handful of close games in both the regular season and playoffs, relying on a dominant defense to compile a truly impressive record. After starting the season 2-2 they ripped off 15 straight wins on their way to Super Bowl title number two for the franchise. The aforementioned defense led the league in points allowed, giving up just 14.9 per game, propping up an offense that finished 12th overall in scoring.
With home field throughout the playoffs, the Patriots took down the 5th seed Tennessee Titans 17-14 in the divisional round before beating the Indianapolis Colts 24-14 in the AFC Championship. In the Super Bowl they dealt with another nail-biter, beating the Carolina Panthers 32-29 on a 41-yard field goal by Adam Vinatieri with four seconds left. Brady collected his second Super Bowl MVP, passing for 354 yards and 3 touchdowns, and solidified his status as one of the games greats.
Next: No. 2 - Bring Out The Stogies
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2007-08 Boston Celtics
This Celtics team absolutely dominated the regular season, bulldozing the rest of the league on their way to a 29-3 start. They finished with 66 wins, third most in franchise history, and seven more than than their closest competition. Kevin Garnett, in his first year with the team, led a ferocious defense that held opponents to 90.3 points per game. He won Defensive Player of the Year for his efforts and also made First Team All-NBA.
Things got trickier for Boston in the playoffs. The 8th seed Atlanta Hawks forced a seven game series in the first round and the Cleveland Cavaliers did the same in the second. Game seven against the Cavs proved to be epic, with Paul Pierce and LeBron James engaging in a shootout from start to finish. James finished with 45 points, Pierce right behind him with 41, and the Celtics won the game 97-92 to advance to the Conference Finals. Despite being pushed to the limit in two straight series, they improved to 8-0 at home, building on a 35-6 regular season record at TD Garden.
In the Eastern Conference Finals and NBA Finals the Celtics faced the next two best teams in the league in terms of record, the 59-win Detroit Pistons and the 57-win Los Angeles Lakers. They took care of both in six games. Playing in front of the Boston crowd in game six of the Finals, the Celtics dismantled L.A. 131-92, bringing the team its first championship in 22 years and 17th banner overall.
Next: No. 1 - Let's Talk Dynasty
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2004-05 New England Patriots
Possessors of a 15-game winning streak and the title of defending champs, the Patriots began the 2004 season with a giant target their collective back. Still they started the year with six straight victories, bringing their streak to 21 games and setting an NFL record in the process. They fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers 34-20, but then won 8 of their last 9 games to once again complete the regular season 14-2.
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They finished fourth in the league in points scored, at 27.3, and second in points allowed, at 16.2. In the divisional round of the playoffs, the defense locked down Peyton Manning, who threw for 49 touchdowns that year, and the Patriots beat the Indianapolis Colts 20-3. Next they headed to Heinz Field to try and avenge their loss to the 16-1 Steelers. Against Pittsburgh’s first place defense, New England rung up 41 points, winning by two touchdowns.
In the Super Bowl they faced the NFC’s finest team, the 15-3 Philadelphia Eagles. Seven point favorites as they had been a year ago, the Patriots once again prevailed by 3, winning 24-21. They became the first team to repeat as champs since John Elway led the Denver Broncos to two straight titles in 1998 and ’99 to close out his career.
Although they finished with the same 17-2 record they had the year before, this Patriots team did it in more dominant fashion. They beat stiff competition handily to make it to the Super Bowl and, unlike the year before, they had to go on the road for the AFC Championship. They answered the call at every turn, with excellent play on both sides of the ball. In a group of nine truly special teams, they’re the finest Boston’s last decade and a half has to offer.
Next: Why Tom Brady's Suspension is a Good Thing for the Patriots