Most Painful Sports Memory

[illwauk]

Oh yea... I almost forgot the 1995 NFC Championship game. Every official from that game deserves to be barred from officiating for life.

The conspiracy theorist in me wonders if, between the ref job against the Packers and Larry Woodson suddenly becoming Neil O'Donnell's favorite receiver in the Super Bowl, the NFL didn't owe a few "favors" to Jerry Jones that year.

[Swiss]

2003, when the Cubs lost the NLCS to the Marlins. I was upset for my cousin Frank (not his real name), because he has been a Cubs fan all his life, and I really wanted for HIM for the Cubs to at least MAKE IT to the World Series. Now it's 2007, and the Cubs won another division title...here we go again!!!

Regards,

Bill McD.

Hey, what will you do if there will be a World Series between Yankees and Cubs?

Another thing: I always hated Bucky F%@ing Dent (it's obvious that I'm a Red Sox fan) but after reading you, I forgive Dent.

[Yac12]

1984 the Cubs losing to the Padres after being up 2-0.

[Coast2CoastAM2006]

The milbury years. the only good thing that came out of that was the 1 1/2 year wonder of fisherman. (in fairness, the return to the modernized glory years uniforms was satisfactory enough to get over that.) which leads me to point number 2

The change to this years current uniforms. (interesting and kinda funny point on these. I was watching a little bit of an isles game, don't recall who they were playing because i only watched it for a few brief moments. Wife points out, "You watching a minor hockey league game?" I reply, "yeah its an isles game". she goes, "oh thats the isles? God oh mightly they look ugly. what the did they do to their uniforms. Now i see why you almost stopped being an isles fan. They look like a junior hockey team." I reply, "Like one for christmas?" She goes, " no! I rather have a rangers jersey than that ." )

Cowboys 97 to last year. (the cowboys kinda always have been I've followed loosely until parcells came which i followed full fledged. I generally followed Parcells coached teams. WHen he was with the Giants i was a fan of them; then when he went to New England i followed the Pats; then when he went to the Jets, I followed them. After he left the jets, I kinda took back up with the cowboys. Then Parcells came then the cowboys, they became my primary team again.)

Brewers this year. (though i will be fair, they were competitive this year. That does count for something. in past years, they were floor mats. I know it was too much to expect a playoff birth so it doesn't bother me since at the begining of the season, i gave up on them before opening day.)

[rvrdgsfn]

Mine was more for a local team, it was the Richmond Renegades run for the Kelly Cup back in 1998-99 season in the ECHL, game 7 was in Mississippi, the game went into 3 ot's game lasted til 1 AM, when one of our guys accidently kicked the puck into our own net. That was a real heartbreaker

[JH42XCC]

The 1996 World Cup was pretty hard to swallow, like the 1998 Olympics.

There was no World Cup in '96.

(Pardon the double post)

I'm pretty sure he means this.

The 1996 World Cup was pretty hard to swallow, like the 1998 Olympics.

There was no World Cup in '96.

(Pardon the double post)

he's talking about hockey.

you're slow.

Oh, yeah, so there WAS a World Cup of Hockey in '96.

[agentrygraphics]

Oh yea... I almost forgot the 1995 NFC Championship game. Every official from that game deserves to be barred from officiating for life.

The conspiracy theorist in me wonders if, between the ref job against the Packers and Larry Woodson suddenly becoming Neil O'Donnell's favorite receiver in the Super Bowl, the NFL didn't owe a few "favors" to Jerry Jones that year.

I agree...

The thing that haunts the Steelers fans of the world...is that when you watch that play from a wider angle...nobody was in that area other than Woodson. The Steeler receiver was 10-15 yards upfield from the play, and covered...O'Donnell fired a bullet pass when he should have lofted it up high to sail downfield if he were to hit the receiver. A bullet pass was made into open field...right to Woodson.

Oh well...as much as O'Donnell will be hated...he was better than Bubby Brister.

[Shroinke]

1. Summer 1998 - Jordan retires, everyone leaves except Krause.

Really? I think had the same pain the last time this thread came along, and I had the same reaction. Six championships in eight years is pretty good. Expecting that to last any longer than it did -- especially considering the greatest player of all time won all those titles and then retired -- seems like asking for quite a bit. And it also seems like you're far less appreciative of those six championships if Jordan's well deserved retirement is a painful memory for you. As a fan of your team, you got more than any fan has received since Boston Celtics of the 60's and UCLA of the 70's.

I don't want to tell someone else what they should feel, but considering what they accomplished, I don't think the Bulls' inevitable breakup belongs on anyone's list.

Yea, I completely agree with you about being more than rewarded by the greatest player and possibly some of the greatest teams in basketball history.

We all knew it would end sooner than later, but the way that it happened is what was so painful. Jordan retires, but then returns as a Wizard??!!!, then Krause goes all egotist "I didn't get enough credit for the titles, so I'll trade/sell everyone off and begin again, and again, and again". That was what was the painful part. The Bulls went straight from 3-peat x2 to #1 pick in a year. I challenge you to find a greater one year collapse in sports history. And all because some fat [insert favorite explitive] wanted the glory of a player/coach/owner rather than getting his kudos as GM. Thank god we got rid of him.

[STL FANATIC]

1. Super Bowl XXXVI, specifically the last second figgie.

1a. 2003-04 NFC Divisional Playoffs: Carolina @ St. Louis. That Steve Smith TD in double overtime is scorched on my retinas.

Oh man... I'm a season ticket holder, along with my grandpa, we were chasing the Rams and Pathers down the field while each team attempted to kick multiple field goals to win the game, and then BOOM! that touchdown... I saw it coming from the moment the ball dropped into Smith's hands. It WAS pretty painful.

All-in-all, it was a pretty exciting game. It probably took about 10 years off my life, all those hot dogs and moments where my heart stopped.

I got tickets from then special teams coach Bobby April (his daughter went to school with me). He got scapegoated for Martz's problems after that year, but his special teams were amazing in that game.

Wilkins was what? 2-3 yards on that potential GW FG from having the greatest kicking performance ever. The guy recovered his own onside kick later in the game.

And now he's in a slump this year with the rest of the team. I hope he breaks out, because he's better than that. So are the rest of the Rams players, but without a new coach it won't matter.

[BIGBAD]

joe germaine (who is a distant relative)

leading ohio state down the field in the final minute to beat Arizona State in the rose bowl

this happened after my buddy called me to congradulate me on the win after asu scored

ASU probably would have won the national title because florida state was beaten the next night

[B-Rich]

Most of mine relate to the Saints (no surprise there), but there are a few others:

6. LSU blows 21 pt. lead to Tennesseee and loses in overtime in first home game after Katrina, one that was moved to Monday Night.

5. Saints kicker Jon Carney misses THE EXTRA POINT after the River City Relay a few years ago.

4. LSU, surprise team of the 1987 NCAA tournament, loses a heartbreaker to Indiana in a game that would have taken them to the Final Four IN THE SUPERDOME. (infamous game where Bobby Knight was banging phones down on the scorer's table during a timeout and berating the refs, with no "T" called).

3. Saints blow huge lead (21 pts.) in Monday Night Football game against the Raiders, 1979 I believe.

2. Saints blow a 21 pt. lead--- and Bobby Hebert throws something like 4 interceptions-- to lose to the Philadelphia Eagles in playoof game from the 1992 season.

1. THE WORST-- 1983- final game of the season for the 8-7 Saints vs. the Los Angeles Rams. It's simple-- win and the Saints finish with their first winning season, and first playoff spot. Saints look good at first, then stupid mistakes (and Bum Phillips conservative style of play) come back to haunt us: Rams kicker Mike Lansford kicks a game-winning field goal as time expires... game over. I remember being so upset and angry after that game; we went out and played 'touch' football and I almost tore someone's head off....

[Discrim]

In no particular order:

the 2007 Notre Dame season...usually, I expect 11 guys in gold helmets playing like crap to be enrolled at Case High School, not the University of Notre Dame. The level of incompetence almost makes me pine for the days when Bob Davie's teams shot for mediocrity.

Wisconsin's 2001 loss to Michigan...or this is why returnmen shout at their gunners to get away, otherwise sleepwalking freshmen let the ball bounce off them and give Michigan new life.

2003 NLCS, Games 6 and 7

2005 and 2006 Stagg Bowls...as Tum Tum said, eat or get ate. we (UWW) been gettin ate two years in a row.

the Bears' collapse in Detroit just now

April 2002 aka The Great Collapse, which took the Bucks from a probable Central Div. title to out of the playoffs and staring at that doggy in the window (arf arf!)

personally, the 2000 Case-Horlick game...it'd rained all day before the game, but we led most of the way due to two picks returned for TDs. Horlick tried a 47-yarder with about a minute left, and a lucky ass bounce off the crossbar gave those bastards the 15-14 win. this would've been our only win...I think about that field goal often, as my hand was only inches away from blocking that kick my final game for Case wasn't so much painful as it was infuriating, as I'd started, got yanked in the middle of the first drive, then didn't get back in til early in the third...and in the middle of that drive, I got yanked again, this time for good and I knew it.

[BlueSky]

1. THE WORST-- 1983- final game of the season for the 8-7 Saints vs. the Los Angeles Rams. It's simple-- win and the Saints finish with their first winning season, and first playoff spot. Saints look good at first, then stupid mistakes (and Bum Phillips conservative style of play) come back to haunt us: Rams kicker Mike Lansford kicks a game-winning field goal as time expires... game over. I remember being so upset and angry after that game; we went out and played 'touch' football and I almost tore someone's head off....

This is mine too. I was at the game and when it ended, I - along with many, many others - just stood in disbelief at the railing in the Superdome's upper deck. I was literally drained and didn't say or do anything for almost half an hour, at which time I managed to drag myself to the car and drive home. I couldn't believe we'd been so very close only to lose again. I've never felt that horrible after a football game before or since. Later, I had this sad little daydream...it's the last play before the Rams kick the field goal. They ran a square out to the sideline and gained enough yards to make the FG viable. In my daydream, CB Johnnie Poe reads the play, picks off the pass, and races down the sideline for a TD. The fans would've blown the roof off the Superdome had that happened.

As a Saints fan, reading this thread reminded me of Billy Crystal and his buddies playing "best day ever, worst day ever" in City Slickers. His friend Phil says his wedding day was his best day ever. His worst? "Every day since is a tie." One of my first Saints games was in 1970 at Tulane Stadium when Tom Dempsey kicked his 63-yard FG to win the game. That might have been my best game ever, and while not every game since is the worst ever, there sure are a lot more bad ones than good.

[SgtCarp]

The Atlanta Braves last ever game on TBS this past Sunday. My Redskins had a bye week, so i watched the whole thing. Sad, really. All 15 years of my life had centered around Atlanta Braves baseball on TBS. I remember skipping meals as a little kid to watch the Braves, and learning all kinds of baseball terminology from Skip and Pete and Joe and Don, and hating the Mets, Phillies, and Marlins for all i'm worth, and watching the Jones Boys pound the ball all over the lot. I'm gonna miss it. I think Skip Caray was crying at the end of the game. Hell, I almost was too.

[dumbartonbass]

Albert Pujols off of Brad Lidge in Game 5 of the NLCS. Only moment in recent memory that, as an adult, made me want to cry. Now, every outing by Lidge invokes the same feeling.

[Drew22]

The Atlanta Braves last ever game on TBS this past Sunday. My Redskins had a bye week, so i watched the whole thing. Sad, really. All 15 years of my life had centered around Atlanta Braves baseball on TBS. I remember skipping meals as a little kid to watch the Braves, and learning all kinds of baseball terminology from Skip and Pete and Joe and Don, and hating the Mets, Phillies, and Marlins for all i'm worth, and watching the Jones Boys pound the ball all over the lot. I'm gonna miss it. I think Skip Caray was crying at the end of the game. Hell, I almost was too.

I feel the same way. We will still get the Braves game on our local TBS, but I think they are changing the announcers.

[PackerBadger]

(1) Super Bowl XXXII. A few months later, my aunt preceded the name "John Elway" with a verb I'd never heard her use before. (Hint: It rhymes with "puck.") Also sad because it was NBC's last NFL game with Dick Enberg as the announcer.

(2) Fourth and 26. My reaction made my kids cry. (Not my greatest parental moment.)

(3) Game 7, 1982 World Series. It took me a decade to get over my hatred of the Cardinals and their plasticball.

(4) The touchdown after Rice's fumble in 1999. (Which was two days after Wisconsin's unlikely 1999 Rose Bowl win. From the heights to the depths in 48 hours.)

(5) Madison La Follette vs. Madison Memorial, state boys basketball sectional semifinals, 1983. Which, technically, was a La Follette win. Memorial won the game 72-51, only to have to forfeit their entire season due to the use of an ineligible player.

(6) Ripon vs. Mayville, 2006 football Level 3 (state quarterfinal) game. I didn't feel that upset about the loss (came after two unlikely playoff wins), but I had to console my then-6-year-old, who was bawling his eyes out because his favorite Ripon player (the quarterback) was done playing football.

(7) 1984 Hall of Fame Bowl, Wisconsin vs. Kentucky. The only bowl game UW played when I was in college, and, as it turned out, their only bowl game until the 1994 Rose Bowl. Bucky blew a 10-0 halftime lead and lost on a blown field goal snap-turned-interception and a (bogus) roughing-the-punter call.

(8) The 2003 NLCS after the Steve Bartman Incident. A complete collapse of composure and professionalism by the Cubs.

(9) Indiana at Wisconsin, 1987 -- a Badger loss in triple OT on ESPN.

(10) Illinois at Wisconsin, 1986 -- the nation (that is, those who watched CNN Sports Tonight that night) got to see the Play of the Day, an Illinois buzzer-beater, with the tape scrolling forward just enough to see me say something similar to what is referenced in #1.

[Burkell007]

1998 Big 12 champ game Kansas St. VS Texas A&M in OT the refs botched a call when Sirr Parker steped out of bounce on the game winning run, if we won we would of WHOPPED tenn i know it, still gives me nightmares!!!!!

[illwauk]

Just to add to the Wisconsin high school memories...

Washington vs. Bradley Tech, 1996

We (Washington) are down 14-0 late in the fourth quarter when we score on a reverse that shook the entire Tech D out their shoes. We make the extra point to make it 14-7. The first play after the kickoff, the Tech QB hands the ball off to their worthless, scrub RB named Michael Bennett. But someone messed up their blocking assignment allowing the Washington rover (i.e. yours truly ) to make a b-line for Mikey B. Everything seemed to be going in slow motion at that point and I put my helmet right on the ball jarring it loose. One of my teammates recover and we end up with the ball inside the Tech 30.

On the very next play, our dumb ass center snaps the ball early and Tech recovers. Tech runs out the clock and we lose.

April 2002 aka The Great Collapse, which took the Bucks from a probable Central Div. title to out of the playoffs and staring at that doggy in the window (arf arf!)

I'd been pretty successful in putting that out of my mind... til now...

[tBBP]

I'm very amazed no one mentioned the "Tuck Rule" ruling yet.

Or maybe Raider Nation ain't got no reps up in here???

(I couldn't resist that. I really couldn't.)

*I'M STILL BURNING ABOUT THAT 1996 SUGAR BOWL...DASTARD GATORS!!! AAAAARRRRGGHHH!!!!*