68 wins and 92 losses. That is the record of the San Francisco 49ers from the start of the 2000 season to the conclusion of the 2009-2010 season. The Golden State Warriors have a slightly worse record percentage-wise at 326-494 during that same span. The 49ers winning percentage in the last decade is .425.

The Warrior’s record is .398. Meanwhile, the Giants’ record during the last decade is 855-762. While they’re above .500, don’t be fooled by those numbers of their success. 55 percent of those victories came in the first half of the last decade, specifically from the 2000-2004 season where they won at least 90 games each season.

They went 473-335 during that span. Don’t forget that they were led by Barry Bonds and Jeff Kent, and while they made it to the 2002 World Series, they ultimately failed to win the franchise’s first championship since moving West from New York in heartbreak fashion, after once leading 3-2 in the best-of-seven series. The latter half of the decade, they went 382-427, where they were clinging to the idea that Noah Lowry (remember that guy?) could to be their future ace. The San Jose Sharks were the lone bright spot of Bay Area Sports.

Throughout the last decade they were consistently winners, and even until today they’re considered contenders for the Stanley Cup. But alas, those days of mediocrity seem to be over. With the sports landscape in the Bay Area changing to more prosperous terms, let’s take a look at the teams that are bringing back a sports renaissance to the Bay. This is the first part of a new sports
series. Check back next issue for theThe Catch, the touchdown pass from Joe Montana to Dwight Clark to beat the Dallas Cowboys in the N.F.C. Championship game in 1982, spurred a run of greatness for the 49ers. The 49ers would go on to win 5 Super Bowls in 12 years and establish itself as one of the premier franchises in the N.F.L. As storied as the 49ers are, they haven’t won a Super Bowl in 18 years. After their victory in the 1995 Super Bowl, they were successful until 2002.

In 2003, it started going downhill. The 49ers finished 7-9, missed the playoffs and let mercurial wideout Terrell Owens and quarterback Jeff Garcia go. The 49ers would go on to miss the playoffs for the next seven years. After the 2010-2011 season, it seemed like the 49ers would go into rebuilding mode. They finished 6-10; Coach Mike Singletary was fired before the last game, and they were
looking for a permanent General Manager. Quarterback Alex Smith was a free agent, and neither he or the 49ers expected to renew his contract.

On January 4th, 2011, interim G.M. Trent Baalke was promoted to permanent G.M. Shortly after, Jim Harbaugh was hired as head coach. And ever since, the 49ers have made back-to-back trips to the N.F.C. title game and are now in the midst of Super Bowl week. The 49ers are bringing back the winning football of the old 49ers team. Led by coach Harbaugh, it seems like the start of a proud, new 49ers run of greatness.