Winning Streaks in Athletics Are No Common Feat

Streaks are very special in the world of sports. Long winning streaks don’t necessarily translate into championships, but they are fun to experience while they last. Sports have become a focal point in our culture, and winning streaks add another element to slip into casual conversations.

The Chicago Blackhawks defeated the Detroit Red Wings 2-1 in overtime Sunday afternoon to extend their point streak to a record 22 games.

According to ESPN, the Blackhawks have earned at least one point in 28 straight games dating back to a March 25, 2012 loss in regulation to Nashville, which ties for the second-longest streak in league history.

The highest ranked conference opponent the Blackhawks face over their next eight games is No. 4, so this historic streak could continue.

The Miami Heat also have a streak of their own going on right now. The Heat defeated the New York Knicks Sunday afternoon to extend their winning streak to a franchise record-tying 14 games.

LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh are nearing the form they were in during last year’s championship run. They now have their eyes on the Clippers streak, as they reeled off 17 consecutive wins earlier this season.

This storyline could get even more interesting if the two teams happened to meet in the NBA finals.

Though some streaks aren’t recent, they are impressive enough to recognize. UCLA reeled off 88 wins under John Wooden beginning in 1971 through 1974. Another impressive basketball streak was guided by Geno Auriemma as the Connecticut women recorded 90 wins in a row.

It is truly hard to comprehend how both of these teams were able to accomplish such streaks. These numbers seem like something more out of a video game rather than real life accomplishments.

The Boston Celtics winning eight world championships in a row from 1959-1966 catches many people’s attention. Brett Favre starting a record 297 consecutive games as a member of the Green Bay Packers and a late stint with the Minnesota Vikings is a tribute to his ability to stay healthy.

Cal Ripken’s 2,632 consecutive games played was also impressive. Favre and Ripken accomplished two streaks that are so hard due to the fact that injury always lurks.

If a person dug deep enough, streaks would continue to jump off the page. One I can’t go without mentioning is a few Michael Jordan put together.

He led the Chicago Bulls to six championships, both in series of three. The first series was from 1990-91 season through 1992-93 season, followed by the second from 1995-96 to 1997-98. A true basketball junkie could write a book on the accomplishments and streaks he put together, but these two are ones that are definitely worth noting.

Streaks are going to continually be built and broken by the next wave of athletes. Streaks continue to set bars that athletes can strive to attain. Competition is a huge part of sports, and these aspects of the game bring an extra dimension that is truly unique and special to the world of sports.

Zack Wheeler is a writer for the Arkansas Traveler. His column appears every Tuesday. Follow the sports section on Twitter @UATravSports.