Depending on where your line is drawn for the "early start" threshold will make a difference in the outcome. For SMI (not including LES belt counties) I consider anything noteworthy before Dec 10th as qualifying.
List of good early starters (post-70s era glory days) = 89-90, 95-96, 00-01, 04-05, 08-09, 09-10, 13-14
Not all early starters are a death knell
"used to refer to the imminent destruction or failure of something"