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Worst Sports Endings

Johnny AbruzzoJohnny Abruzzo Posts: 11,408
edited January 2011 in All Encompassing Trip
Joe Posnanski (a great writer) posted a list of his 32 Worst Sports Endings. Here it is: http://joeposnanski.si.com/2010/12/23/the-agony-of-defeat/

Of course, I think he left out some really "bad" ones. Here are some of mine (heavily biased towards my teams' many tragedies):

General Sports:
1926 World Series: Babe Ruth caught stealing to end Game 7
1941 World Series: Mickey Owen strike out passed ball keeps Yanks alive in Game 4
SB XXV: Scott Norwood missed FG

My Teams:
2002 College Football National Championship: McGahee blows knee into smithereens, Ohio St. gets new life after ridiculous pass interference call, noted criminal Maurice Clarett scores winning TD in OT
2002 NFC Championship: Ronde Barber shuts the door on The Vet. Conductor on the R6 train solemnly announces the score: TB 27, Phi 10
2010 NHL Eastern Conf Semifinals: Bruins complete collapse by blowing 3-0 lead in Game 7 after blowing 3-0 lead in series. (obviously I was thrilled with this, but it had to be terrible for a Bruins fan)
2010 Stanley Cup Final Game 6: After a stirring Flyers 3rd period comeback, Jeff Carter blows open net, then Leighton allows terrible Cup-winning goal in OT.
2006 NLCS/2010 NLCS: Carlos Beltran/Ryan Howard look at strike 3 to end it
Spectrum 10/27/09; New Orleans JazzFest 5/1/10; Made in America 9/2/12; WF Center 10/21/13; WF Center 10/22/13; Baltimore 10/27/13;
WF Center 4/28/16; WF Center 4/29/16; Fenway Park 8/7/16; Fenway Park 9/2/18; Asbury Park 9/18/21; Camden 9/14/22;
Las Vegas 5/16/24; Las Vegas 5/18/24; WF Center 9/7/24; WF Center 9/9/24; Baltimore Arena 9/12/24

Tres Mtns - TLA 3/23/11; EV - Tower Theatre 6/25/11; Temple of the Dog - Tower Theatre 11/5/16
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Comments

  • Black DiamondBlack Diamond Posts: 25,107
    This one...
    I was 12 and at the game...

    3. The Miracle at the Meadowlands (1978)

    You certainly know what happened. The Giants had intercepted a pass that put the game away in the final minute. They led 17-12. On first down, the Giants ran the ball. On second down, quarterback Joe Pisarcik kneeled on it. The Eagles were out of timeouts, there was nothing they could do but watch the clock drain away. The Giants had only to run one more play. You know the game was over because on television they were going through the credits — “We thank our producer, Bob Rowe, our director, Jim Silman, and our CBS crew…” As a kid I always hated when they did that. I never wanted the games to end.

    The Giants offensive coordinator, Bob Gibson — yes, Bob Gibson — called a running play for convoluted reasons that even 30-plus years later don’t quite add up. Apparently, he was worried that if Pisarcik tried to kneel again, the Eagles would try to rough up the Giants offensive linemen, start a fight, which could cause injury or (worse) stop the clock and give the Eagles the ball back. He called the safest running play in his playbook, 65-Power Up. The idea was simply to turn, hand the ball to fullback Larry Czonka, and end this crazy game.

    Pisarcik took the snap, seemed to have trouble handling it, turned to hand it off to Czonka, and, well, you know what happened. Czonka kind of collided with the ball, it bounced free, and it then bounced up right into the arms of Herm Edwards, who scooped it up and ran for the game-winning touchdown. So many things had to happen, not the least of which was the ball popping right up to Edwards — had he simply fallen on the ball, the Giants probably still would have won.

    The next day, Bob Gibson was fired. He opened a bait shop in Florida. He has never spoken publicly about the play.
    GoiMTvP.gif
  • BinauralJamBinauralJam Posts: 14,158
    That Chris Webber game, i remember the assistant coach just dropped his clip board, you could just see the "FUCK" moment on his face before the ref even blew the whistle.
  • 8181 Posts: 58,276
    BinauralJam wrote:
    That Chris Webber game, i remember the assistant coach just dropped his clip board, you could just see the "FUCK" moment on his face before the ref even blew the whistle.


    how did that not make the list.

    i still call time out every time i see him on tv. :lol:
    81 is now off the air

    Off_Air.jpg
  • CAVSTARR313CAVSTARR313 Posts: 8,756
    BinauralJam wrote:
    That Chris Webber game, i remember the assistant coach just dropped his clip board, you could just see the "FUCK" moment on his face before the ref even blew the whistle.
    It was just painful.. I am just positive that had I been outside at that moment, I would have heard the light roar of the whole state yelling fuck!! Or the Jim Joyce call, or C. Johnson's non TD against the Bears weak 1, or... It is a long list in my state!!!
    None are more hopelessly enslaved than those who falsely believe that they are free.
    Abrn Hlls '98 - Clarkston 2 '03 - Grd Rpds '06 - Abrn Hlls '06 - Clvd '10 - PJ20 - Berlin 1+2 '12 - Wrigley '13 - Pitt '13- buff '13- Philly 1+2 '13 - Seattle '13
  • LloydXmasLloydXmas Posts: 7,539
    Great article. Thanks for the post
  • Indian SummerIndian Summer Posts: 2,296
    BinauralJam wrote:
    That Chris Webber game, i remember the assistant coach just dropped his clip board, you could just see the "FUCK" moment on his face before the ref even blew the whistle.


    Wow....I can still see it vividly. I felt bad for him, I I don't even like Michigan.
    "It's all happening"
  • 8181 Posts: 58,276
    Indian Summer wrote:
    BinauralJam wrote:
    That Chris Webber game, i remember the assistant coach just dropped his clip board, you could just see the "FUCK" moment on his face before the ref even blew the whistle.


    Wow....I can still see it vividly. I felt bad for him, I I don't even like Michigan.


    it was awesome. i hate MI and i hated the fab five.
    81 is now off the air

    Off_Air.jpg
  • kasedougkasedoug Posts: 2,935
    Most poetic ending ever: ARod looking at strike 3 to send the Rangers to their first ever World Series this past year.

    My personal sports fandom worst: every Dodgers season ending since 1988.
  • rollingsrollings Posts: 7,124
    Wild Thing
    Phillies
    1993
  • Johnny AbruzzoJohnny Abruzzo Posts: 11,408
    Half Full wrote:
    Wild Thing
    Phillies
    1993

    I agree, but it had the spectacular-ness of a great ending for the winning team, not so much a collapse for the losing team.
    Spectrum 10/27/09; New Orleans JazzFest 5/1/10; Made in America 9/2/12; WF Center 10/21/13; WF Center 10/22/13; Baltimore 10/27/13;
    WF Center 4/28/16; WF Center 4/29/16; Fenway Park 8/7/16; Fenway Park 9/2/18; Asbury Park 9/18/21; Camden 9/14/22;
    Las Vegas 5/16/24; Las Vegas 5/18/24; WF Center 9/7/24; WF Center 9/9/24; Baltimore Arena 9/12/24

    Tres Mtns - TLA 3/23/11; EV - Tower Theatre 6/25/11; Temple of the Dog - Tower Theatre 11/5/16
  • dankinddankind Posts: 20,837
    Bucky "Fucking" Dent and Aaron "Fucking" Boone.
    I SAW PEARL JAM
  • Black DiamondBlack Diamond Posts: 25,107
    dankind wrote:
    Bucky "Fucking" Dent and Aaron "Fucking" Boone.
    Not Bill "f#cking" Buckner? :mrgreen:
    GoiMTvP.gif
  • neilybabes86neilybabes86 Posts: 16,057
    Black Diamond wrote:
    dankind wrote:
    Bucky "Fucking" Dent and Aaron "Fucking" Boone.
    Not Bill "f#cking" Buckner? :mrgreen:

    as much as i hate the sox..that team deserved a title

    man they had some horrible losses :lol:
    i post on the board of a band that doesn't exsist anymore .......i need my head examined.......
  • dankinddankind Posts: 20,837
    Black Diamond wrote:
    dankind wrote:
    Bucky "Fucking" Dent and Aaron "Fucking" Boone.
    Not Bill "f#cking" Buckner? :mrgreen:

    That wasn't yet an ending if you remember, and after 2004/2007, Buckner has received a pardon from Red Sox Nation.
    I SAW PEARL JAM
  • keeponrockinkeeponrockin Posts: 7,446
    What about the Yankees collapse in 2004?
    Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
  • WobbieWobbie Posts: 29,962
    Game 6, 2002 World Series. the fucking rally monkey. my steroid team losing to another steroid team.

    this year went a long way towards healing that wound. :mrgreen:
    If I had known then what I know now...

    Vegas 93, Vegas 98, Vegas 00 (10 year show), Vegas 03, Vegas 06
    VIC 07
    EV LA1 08
    Seattle1 09, Seattle2 09, Salt Lake 09, LA4 09
    Columbus 10
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    St. Paul 14, Denver 14
    Philly I & II, 16
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  • g under pg under p Posts: 18,183
    dankind wrote:
    Black Diamond wrote:
    dankind wrote:
    Bucky "Fucking" Dent and Aaron "Fucking" Boone.
    Not Bill "f#cking" Buckner? :mrgreen:

    That wasn't yet an ending if you remember, and after 2004/2007, Buckner has received a pardon from Red Sox Nation.

    I totally agree but I didn't blame him anyway. It was a team effort and a team loss and the RS STILL had a chance to win it all, but it wasn't to be. However, when that play happened I believe I went into a mini cardiac arrest. A PAIN went straight from my neck to my heart and I couldn't breathe. I saw stars then the play was over and I came back to health, it was scary i was alone watching that nightmare.

    Peace
    *We CAN bomb the World to pieces, but we CAN'T bomb it into PEACE*...Michael Franti

    *MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
    .....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti

    *The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)


  • cowboypjfancowboypjfan Posts: 2,453
    81 wrote:
    Indian Summer wrote:
    BinauralJam wrote:
    That Chris Webber game, i remember the assistant coach just dropped his clip board, you could just see the "FUCK" moment on his face before the ref even blew the whistle.


    Wow....I can still see it vividly. I felt bad for him, I I don't even like Michigan.


    it was awesome. i hate MI and i hated the fab five.

    #22 - The second part of Dean Smith's championships...
  • DewieCoxDewieCox Posts: 11,425
    BinauralJam wrote:
    That Chris Webber game, i remember the assistant coach just dropped his clip board, you could just see the "FUCK" moment on his face before the ref even blew the whistle.

    And that was after he travelled after takin the in bound. You knew as soon as he got the ball it wasn't gonna end well.
  • g under pg under p Posts: 18,183
    DewieCox wrote:
    BinauralJam wrote:
    That Chris Webber game, i remember the assistant coach just dropped his clip board, you could just see the "FUCK" moment on his face before the ref even blew the whistle.

    And that was after he travelled after takin the in bound. You knew as soon as he got the ball it wasn't gonna end well.

    Neither did his career in the NBA. He made a boatload of money but he was never a power player in the league. Only one of the Fab Five is left in the NBA and playing rather well.

    Peace
    *We CAN bomb the World to pieces, but we CAN'T bomb it into PEACE*...Michael Franti

    *MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
    .....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti

    *The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)


  • 8181 Posts: 58,276
    g under p wrote:
    DewieCox wrote:
    BinauralJam wrote:
    That Chris Webber game, i remember the assistant coach just dropped his clip board, you could just see the "FUCK" moment on his face before the ref even blew the whistle.

    And that was after he travelled after takin the in bound. You knew as soon as he got the ball it wasn't gonna end well.

    Neither did his career in the NBA. He made a boatload of money but he was never a power player in the league. Only one of the Fab Five is left in the NBA and playing rather well.

    Peace

    Howard sitting on the bench? :lol:

    Webber didn't have a bad nba career, it was just deflated a little by injuries.
    81 is now off the air

    Off_Air.jpg
  • chimechime Posts: 7,838
    World Cup 2010 Ghana v Uruguay
    So are we strangers now? Like rock and roll and the radio?
  • g under pg under p Posts: 18,183
    81 wrote:
    g under p wrote:
    BinauralJam wrote:
    That Chris Webber game, i remember the assistant coach just dropped his clip board, you could just see the "FUCK" moment on his face before the ref even blew the whistle.

    Neither did his career in the NBA. He made a boatload of money but he was never a power player in the league. Only one of the Fab Five is left in the NBA and playing rather well.

    Peace

    Howard sitting on the bench? :lol:

    Webber didn't have a bad nba career, it was just deflated a little by injuries.

    He's playing well in his bench role, what else do you want a what 38 to do? True his knees were very gimpy, I saw it too many times watching the Wizards play.

    Peace
    *We CAN bomb the World to pieces, but we CAN'T bomb it into PEACE*...Michael Franti

    *MUSIC IS the expression of EMOTION.....and that POLITICS IS merely the DECOY of PERCEPTION*
    .....song_Music & Politics....Michael Franti

    *The scientists of today think deeply instead of clearly. One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite INSANE*....Nikola Tesla(a man who shaped our world of electricity with his futuristic inventions)


  • dcfaithfuldcfaithful Posts: 13,076
    As if his career wasn't bad enough....

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  • nyypj10nyypj10 Posts: 33
    I'm a HUGE Yankee Fan (hence the nyy in my username) and they're the only thing that rivals my passion for Pearl Jam and I know no non Yankee Fan is gonna be feeling sorry for me or any other Yankee Fans but I'd have to say Game 7 of the 2001 World Series and Game 7 of the 2004 ALCS. Sorry to disappoint you Red Sox Nation but Game 7 of the 2001 World Series will always be the most bitter defeat of my Yankee Fandom life. With everything going on at the time with 9/11 and the way the Yanks came back from being down 0-2 in the Series only to take a 3-2 Series lead and ultimately be 2 outs away from a 4th straight Championship. Brutal. 2004 was definitely a tough pill to swallow but I'm a believer that with everything that went on with the Yankees / Red Sox rivalry leading up to 2004 that if Boston was ever gonna win a World Series it had to be by something crazy like like being the first (and only) Team to come back from an 0-3 hole. Very painful to believe that actually happened but I swear if I could have one of them back I'd take Game 7 of the 2001 World Series every time.
  • 8181 Posts: 58,276
    g under p wrote:
    He's playing well in his bench role, what else do you want a what 38 to do? True his knees were very gimpy, I saw it too many times watching the Wizards play.

    Peace

    for him, retire. :lol:
    81 is now off the air

    Off_Air.jpg
  • SPEEDY MCCREADYSPEEDY MCCREADY Posts: 25,468
    worst sports ending.....

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OWz8xXNWKU
    Take me piece by piece.....
    Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
  • SPEEDY MCCREADYSPEEDY MCCREADY Posts: 25,468
    another bad sports ending....

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wn7htgE-Tjc
    Take me piece by piece.....
    Till there aint nothing left worth taking away from me.....
  • xavier mcdanielxavier mcdaniel Posts: 9,241
    this was pretty horrible at least in new york - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnoZPsJCs64
    Reading 2004
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  • 8181 Posts: 58,276
    xavier mcdaniel wrote:
    this was pretty horrible at least in new york - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JnoZPsJCs64

    Charles smith just got stuffed again
    81 is now off the air

    Off_Air.jpg
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