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Who is the worst owner in professional sports? A tale of the tape

Who is the worst owner in professional sports? A tale of the tape
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Dan Snyder

Just before the turn of the century, two monsters of a new millennium were unleashed on the unsuspecting sporting communities of New York and Washington. Twenty years later, two franchises – the NBA Knicks and the NFL R*dsk*ns – have fallen from proud to pathetic, laying in waste in a rubble-filled puddle of dysfunction and defeat.

Today we bring you an overdue comparison of the presumptive worst owners in professional sports, the Knicks' James Dolan and the R*dsk*ns' Daniel Snyder:

Phoenix Suns v New York Knicks/James Dolan

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How They Got There. To his credit, the 55-year-old Snyder, a college dropout, is a self-made billionaire (perhaps forever tainting the terms "self-made" and "billionaire"), parlaying his Snyder Communications marketing company into buying the Redskins in 1999 for $800 million. Dolan, 64, climbed the ranks the old-fashioned way – he is the son of Cablevision founder Charles Dolan, and his dad handed him control of the Knicks in 1999.

Team Records. Under Dolan, the Knicks have the worst record in the NBA in the 21st century, winning exactly one playoff series (2013) and missing the postseason the past six years. Under Snyder, the R*dsk*ns are 142-190-1, with a grand total of two playoff victories (1999, 2005 seasons).

Coaches. Dolan has had 13 head coaches in 20 seasons, including Herb Williams twice; he fired David Fizdale this month. Snyder has only had nine coaches in 20 seasons; he fired Jay Gruden in October, asking him to report to the R*dsk*ns facility at 5 a.m. to be told of his dismissal. (At least he beat traffic.)

Front Office Boo-Boos. Dolan hired Isiah Thomas as team president and subsequently hired him as head coach. Snyder first had Vinny Cerrato running the team, followed by Bruce Allen. If Thomas, Cerrato and Allen ran Bed Bath & Beyond, there would be no bath or beyond.

Business Hiccups. Dolan reportedly lost $250 million for Cablevision when he bought the failing Wiz electronics chain, which ended up in liquidation. Snyder seized control of Six Flags, taking it into bankruptcy four years later. Apparently, integrated circuitry and theme parks ain't in these guys' wheelhouse.

Customer Relations: After a fan yelled at Dolan to "sell the team" following a home loss in March, Dolan banned him from Madison Square Garden for life; he has attempted to bar individuals several times from Knicks games. Snyder once banned fan signs from FedEx Field (largely to eliminate embarrassing, critical messages), once disallowed pedestrian traffic into FedEx Field (largely to prevent fans from parking at a nearby mall to avoid stadium parking fees) and sued season-ticket holders who back out of long-term contracts (largely to extract more money from the serfs).

Media Relations. Both virtually never grant interviews. As part of a long-running feud, Dolan barred the New York Daily News from a post-draft press conference in June, incurring a $50,000 NBA fine. Snyder once sued the Washington City Paper and writer Dave McKenna for the greatest Snyder article ever penned, "The Cranky R*dsk*ns Fan's Guide to Dan Snyder," before dropping the action in 2011.

Hobbies. Dolan is the frontman and guitarist for the blues-inspired rock band JD & The Straight Shot. Snyder is the owner of a $180 million superyacht that includes an IMAX theater, a basketball court and a helipad; it can accommodate several hundred passengers, coincidentally about the same number of people attending R*dsk*ns home games this season.

Temperament. They both have a bad temperament.

Conclusion: Who Is Worse? With cooperation from the Johns Hopkins Advanced Physics Laboratory and ESPN Stats & Info, we created a complex analytical model to deconstruct the two owners. And the results? Remarkably, the numbers indicate that, if Dolan and Snyder swapped franchises over the last two decades, the Knicks and the R*dsk*ns would still have the exact same records over that span.

Ask The Slouch

Q.Vanna White is currently pinch-hitting for the injured Pat Sajak. If you went on the D.L., who would peck away on the old Smith Corona? (Jack Drury; Cumberland, Md.)

A. Our one-month contingency calls for Toni to handle two columns, Shirley to handle one and Daisy – our 90-pound pit mix with a 25-word vocabulary – to handle the other.

Q.Does the Bureau of Engraving and Printing literally print money? (Dan Campos; Miami Beach, Fla.)

A. No. Scott Boras does.

Q.How can you explain the execrable Lane Kiffin getting his fifth head-coaching job? (Howard Freed; Mequon, Wis.)

A. I assume he interviews well.

Q.A la Le'Veon Bell, have you ever called in sick for work and then went bowling? (Tim Jones; Philadelphia)

A. No, but I opted to bowl on the second night of my second honeymoon, effectively ending the honeymoon.

Q.Are there any videos in the Patriots' "Do Your Job" series that AREN'T about cheating? (Mark Cohen; Gibsonia, Pa.)

A. Pay the man, Shirley.

You, too, can enter the $1.25 Ask The Slouch Cash Giveaway. Just email asktheslouch@aol.com and, if your question is used, you win $1.25 in cash!

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The Texans open the season against Matthew Stafford and the Rams. Composite Getty Image.

The Houston Texans enter the 2025 season with momentum, expectations, and no shortage of spotlight games. A 9.5-win total in Vegas reflects growing national respect—but also pressure to deliver.

Hot start, big stage
Houston opens with a tough but marquee road test in Los Angeles against the Rams before returning to NRG for a Monday Night Football showdown against the Buccaneers.

Division duels define the path
As always, the AFC South is crucial. Houston faces five division games from Week 3 to Week 13, including a big Jaguars rematch in Week 10. If Trevor Lawrence takes the leap, and his top targets Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter live up to the hype, Jacksonville could be Houston’s biggest in-division threat. Still, with win totals sitting at 7.5 for both the Colts and Jaguars (and 5.5 for the Titans), the Texans have a clear path to control the South.

Midseason grind, late-season edge
The Week 6 bye comes at a smart spot, especially with brutal road games on the horizon: at Seahawks (MNF), home for the 49ers, and a revenge date in Baltimore—all within Weeks 5–8. The stretch from Week 12 to Week 14 (Bills, at Colts, at Chiefs) could define the Texans’ playoff seeding—or whether they make it at all.

But there’s hope in the home stretch. Three of their last four games are at NRG, where Houston has played its best football. If the team’s still in the hunt, hosting the Cardinals, Raiders, and potentially playing for the division title in Week 18 vs. the Colts is a favorable setup.

Key questions ahead

  • Can Houston shake off last year’s road struggles? The trip to Kansas City, as well as cross-country flights to L.A., Seattle, and Baltimore, will test their resolve.
  • Will they flip the script against NFC teams? Houston struggled in interconference matchups in 2024, and the 49ers, Rams, and Seahawks aren’t soft spots.
  • Is C.J. Stroud ready for primetime pressure? Four national games—including two Mondays and a huge Sunday night at Arrowhead—give the Texans the stage. Now it’s about the performance.

Bottom Line:
The Texans’ 2025 schedule is packed with statement opportunities and divisional tests. There’s enough home cooking in December to fuel a playoff push—but Houston will have to prove it can handle the road, the spotlight, and the rising competition in its own backyard.

Offseason observations

The Texans made some calculated and intriguing moves this offseason, especially on offense. They added dynamic weapons in WRs Christian Kirk, Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins, along with RB Woody Marks, who profiles as the best receiving back in the draft—likely influenced by the Patriots’ historical use of third-down specialists like James White and Shane Vereen. OC Nick Caley, OL Coach Cole Popovich, and GM Nick Caserio all have a history with the Pats.

Protecting C.J. Stroud remains a clear priority too, as the Texans added OT Aireontae Ursery in the draft and created a true open competition on the offensive line through free agency, featuring a deep group.

One of the most notable moves recently was Higgins’ fully guaranteed four-year, $11.7 million deal—a rarity for non-first-rounders. That level of commitment from Caserio signals strong conviction in both Higgins’ talent and character. It also hints that Houston may have considered him with their original 25th overall pick before trading back. With Patriots alumni like Caley and Popovich now on staff, and Caserio pulling the strings, it’s clear the Texans are building a system that blends New England and Rams discipline with Houston’s new-wave of offensive firepower.

We have so much more to discuss. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!

*ChatGPT assisted.

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