With the Tampa Bay Rays making the leap from worst team in the league to World Series participant, they have moved off of the list of worst run organizations in sports. But there are plenty of bad organizations out there deserving of our attention. It's time to take a look at the Top 10 list no team president or general manager wants to be a part of-the Worst Run Organizations in Sports.

Not making the cut this year but worthy of a dishonorable mention are the Texas Rangers (.473 winning percentage since last playoff appearance in 1999), the Seattle Mariners (.481 winning percentage since last playoff appearance in 2001), and the Cincinnati Reds (.476 winning percentage since last playoff appearance in 1995).

10. Oakland Raiders
Last playoff appearance: 2003
Record since last playoff appearance: 21-65 (.244)
Organization's biggest failure: Insane owner

The Oakland Raiders advanced to Super Bowl XXXVII led by a team that head coach Jon Gruden helped build. Gruden went 38-26 during his tenure as Raiders' head coach, but owner Al Davis allowed Gruden out of the final year of his contract. So guess who beat the Raiders in that fateful Super Bowl? Jon Gruden's Tampa Bay Bucanneers. It's been all downhill since then for the Raiders, who did not capitalize on the two first round and two second round draft picks they received from the Bucs. Owner Al Davis has lost touch with reality, calling plays from his owner's box and replacing the defensive scheme the day before games. He's had 6 head coaches in 8 years and he's already fired one coach during this seemingly doomed season.

9. Baltimore Orioles
Last playoff appearance: 1997
Most wins in a season since last playoff appearance: 79 (1998)
Record since last playoff appearance: 791-989 (.444)
Organization's biggest failure: Wasting one of the best ballparks in baseball (along with countless millions of dollars)

The Baltimore Orioles rode the wave of the first-and arguably one of the best-new, retro baseball stadiums to back-to-back playoff appearances in 1996 and 1997. They haven't cracked the 80-win plateau since. And it's not for lack of money spent-it's just who the Orioles have spent money on that has been the problem. The Orioles routinely land in the top 10 in overall payroll, but big name (and money) flops such as Miguel Tejada and Albert Belle have set the organization back for years.

8. Pittsburgh Pirates
Last playoff appearance: 1992
Most wins in a season since last playoff appearance: 79 (1997)
Record since last playoff appearance: 1104-1419 (.438)
Organization's biggest failure: Stingy ownership

16 new baseball stadiums were built between 1992 and 2006. Of the 16 teams that play in those stadiums, 13 of them made the playoffs within six years of their new stadium's opening, and the Milwaukee Brewers almost made the playoffs this year. Only the Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates have failed to capitalize on the economic impact that a new stadium generally provides to baseball teams. The Pirates in many respects have gotten worse since PNC Park opened in 2001. They have won fewer than the 69 they won in 2000 five times in their new ballpark, and have yet to crack the 76-win plateau. While their cross-state rivals-the Phillies-play in this year's World Series, the Pirates get the short end of the stick in a three-team trade involving Manny Ramirez and Jason Bay (the Pirates ended up with four prospects, but none of the top prospects from either the Red Sox or Dodgers). The organization is stingy and could be bad for a long time.

7. The National Hockey League
Last time the general public cared: 2002
Highest rated Stanley Cup Finals of the last 14 years: 1997
Organization's biggest failure: Two words-Gary Bettman

Commissioner Gary Bettman has presided over the near-demise of the NHL. The lockout that canceled the entire 2004-05 season finally put a salary cap in place (10 years after Bettman first sought one) but the price the league paid might be too high. The games-including some Stanley Cup Finals telecasts-now appear on a network named Versus (formerly the Outdoor Life Network-and I did not make that up). Game 5 of last year's Finals (a thrilling triple overtime game between Detroit and Pittsburgh) garnered worse ratings than repeats of Bones, House, and everything on CBS. According to a 2005 Business Week article, 20 of the 30 NHL franchises lost money in 2004, and player salaries accounted for 75% of league revenues (vs. 64% in the NFL and 57% in the NBA). The league expanded ridiculously under Bettman, and now there are teams in non-hockey locales such as Nashville, Columbus, and San Jose, while the NHL has no presence in Quebec and Winnipeg.

6. New York Knicks
Last two playoff appearances: 2004, 2001
Most wins in a season since 2001: 39 (2004)
Record since 2001: 218-356 (.380)
Organization's biggest failure: Hiring, then "reassigning" Isaiah Thomas

The Knicks made the playoffs the year they hired Isaiah Thomas (2003-04)-but with a sub-.500 record (39-43). It never got any better. Not while Thomas was team president nor while he was their coach (after Thomas fired future Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown). Thomas made bad move after bad move in player personnel evaluations, and last season was found guilty of sexually harassing a former team employee. Even after all of Thomas' failures, he is still on the Knicks' payroll, but apparently has no duties and no authority. Until Thomas is off the books and the team shows some signs of life, they will remain in this top 10 of shame.

5. Arizona Cardinals
Last two playoff appearances: 1999, 1983
Record since last playoff appearance: 53-97 (.353)
Organization's biggest failure: Ummm...everything?

Since the Cardinals last made the playoffs, every other NFL team except for the Houston Texans (who entered the league in 2002) has made the playoffs at least once. The Cardinals' 9-7 record in 1998-99 matched the franchise's best record in 41 years. With just one more win this season-which would give them 5-they would equal or better their final season record from 13 of their previous 23 seasons. It's been a bad stretch for the Cardinals, who have had just one winning season since fleeing St. Louis in 1988. It could all change this season, but the Cardinals do not have a track record of success.

4. Kansas City Royals
Last playoff appearance: 1985
Most wins in a season since last playoff appearance: 92 (1989)
Record since last playoff appearance: 1667-1988 (.456)
Organization's biggest failure: Bad free agent decisions

Since 1996 the Kansas City Royals have averaged 68 wins. When the team won 83 games in 2003 they should have had a parade. If you look up mediocrity in the dictionary, you'll see the Royals' team photo. Four hours east in St. Louis, the Cardinals-who fell to the Royals in the 1985 World Series-have made the playoffs eight times since 1986, built a new stadium, and won a World Series. The Tampa Bay Rays proved this year that even small market teams can compete against the Yankees and the Red Sox-if they manage their organization correctly. The worst part of recent history for the Royals is that they actually have been players in the free agent market, but every signing turns into a disaster.

3. Los Angeles Clippers
Last two playoff appearances: 2006, 1997
Most ever wins in a season: 49 (1975)
Record since moving to Los Angeles (1985): 682-1254 (.352)
Organization's biggest failure: They are the anti-Lakers

The Los Angeles Clippers are one of the worst bad franchises of all time. Their best-ever season occurred 38 years ago.  They are based in Los Angeles, so there are no small market considerations. You'd think by osmosis alone they would learn how to be a better franchise from their cross-town rival. The Lakers have won 9 championships since moving to Los Angeles. The Clippers, meanwhile, have been to the playoffs just twice in 23 years in LA. Draft pick after draft pick is a bust for the Clippers (Michael Olowokandi anyone? How about Yaroslav Korolev?).

2. Cincinnati Bengals
Last two playoff appearances: 2006, 1991
Record since 1991: 97-182 (.348)
Organization's biggest failure: A history of incompetence and an organization in which the inmates are running the asylum

How many Bengals have been arrested in the last two years? I've lost count. Not only have the Bengals only had one playoff appearance in the last 17 years, but that season (2005) was the only one during that stretch in which the team finished above .500. That's a 17-year run of sheer incompetence, in a league in which parity allows for franchises to get better systematically. The 2008-09 seems destined to be among the worst of the bunch, as the team has started 0-7 and has lost quarterback Carson Palmer to injury.

1. Detroit Lions
Last playoff appearance: 2000
Record since last playoff appearance: 40-94 (.299)
Organization's biggest failure: The worst general manager in sports history ruled the roost until four weeks ago

When your general manager compiles a record of 31-84 in 8 years on the job and your fan base organizes multiple protests exhorting said general manager to be fired, you know the guy's done a bad job, right? The country is split practically down the middle on the current presidential candidates-who have decidedly different opinions on almost all topics-and yet you could not find one person in the Detroit area who could come to Matt Millen's defense. Three years ago. Detroit management finally dismissed Millen but it might be years before the organization recovers. And let's not forget that this is the same organization that forced one of the greatest players of all time-Barry Sanders-to retire rather than keep playing for the Lions. With a sub-.300 record since 2000 and an 0-6 start to this NFL season, the Detroit Lions top this year's list of the worst run organizations in sports.

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Week 8 NFL Picks

CAROLINA (-4) over Arizona
PHILADELPHIA (-9) over Atlanta
Buffalo (-1