Your most painful sports moments

[DustDevil61]

1. Spring and summer of 1995. Cleveland, Houston, Baltimore...all relocations can not top ours. We are the only city to lose two NFL teams IN THE SAME YEAR. The Raiders thing, well, Al Davis always cares about the cash and the Raider image. He could field them in Alaska for all he cares, so as long as the Raiders win there. But Georgia Frontierre; he was the Frank McCourt, Adolf Hitler, Satan of her time. She pulled the "Major League" script and gave herself a happy ending, while stomping on our hearts. Relocating to hometown St. Louis, then winning SB XXXIV and saying that relocation out of LA was the right move disgusted me and every other Angelino. Now it's likely we'll never get football in LA, as other fans hate us for trying to get one, and owners joke about us on late night TV. Thanks Georgia, hope you kiddle up to Fredddy Krueger in hell, you selfish a**hole.

Not to derail the thread, but I've been of the opinion for some time that if just one of the LA NFL teams' owners was a normal businessperson wanting to put a competitive team on the field as opposed to blaming the team's misfortunes on Mercury being in retrograde, LA would still have a team. The NFL will return to LA, and soon, despite recent setbacks. It sickens me when Frontiere's kids say that they don't like the way LA fans treated her; that's what happens when you (purposely) burn bridges with a market.

However, here are my most painful sports moments:

2003 Utah 2A High School Football Playoffs:

Kanab High's football program had much success in the 1970s and 1980s, winning 7 championships (1974, '76, '82, '85, '86, '87, and '95) to this time. However, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with a head coach that shall remain unnamed, Kanab's football program stunk, rarely getting into the playoffs. Said coach was ousted before my junior year (2002 season), and a new coach (last name's Hatch) with ties to the Northwest (was a scout for the Seahawks) came in with the wing-T playbook. Under him, the program turned around, but he left for Southern Virginia to coach there after the year. The current coach, Bucky Orton (yes, that's his name), kept the team on its upward swing, and Kanab made it to the playoffs for the second straight year. After a 9-1 regular season and beating South Summit (based in Kamas) in the first round, we played Juan Diego in the state semifinals.

Here's where the painful part comes in: Juan Diego is a large, private Catholic school based somewhere in Salt Lake, and had a much, much larger student body than your average 2A school (size was more like 4A or 5A), and were able to essentially recruit their players from all over the country, yet, by some rule I don't get, they had to play in 2A, until they were put with the big boys in 4A and 5A (where they should've been in the first place) after a few years in the lower classes. After they scored, we were never within 14 points of them, ultimately losing 36-52. That was the last football game I ever suited up for (but to be honest, I never was that good of a football player). Juan Diego eventually lost in the state championship to Manti, but I really don't get why that rule was in place.

Super Bowl XXXVIII:

Vinatieri strikes again, this time killing the Panther's closest shot at a championship to date. Also painful in that this is more well-known as the "wardrobe malfunction" Super Bowl, as everyone seems to remember that and not the actual game.

2004 World Series:

Red-hot Boston sweeps St. Louis to win their first title since 1918. (But the 2006 and 2011 titles have made up for it)

Jerry Sloan Retires:

I never thought I'd see the day, and how quickly it happened, as well.

But even Jerry's Retirement didn't live up to my most painful moment (just like knnhrvy16)

1998 NBA Finals:

The Utah Jazz had the best team in the NBA for the 1997-98 season, but the Chicago Bulls had Micheal-effing-Jordan and the next best team in the league behind him that year. Since then, the Jazz have only got a quick whiff of a Finals berth (in 2007, when they made it to the Western Conference Finals to lose to San Antionio 4-1) and haven't gotten any closer since.

It's doubly painful as the aging Jazz were the favorites to win the 1999 NBA finals (after Jordan effectively retired; he didn't do much for the Wizards in his second comeback), yet the 1998 Lockout took what was to be a full, 82-game 1998-99 season and turned it into a grueling 3-month, 50-game season. They played well through the season and beat Sacramento in the first round, but eventually ran out of gas against Portland in the 2nd round.

[the_fan]

Anyone wanna hear about my heartbreaking Little League misplay?

Anyone?

[RyanMcD29]

Alright most painful moments:

Personally for myself it was the 2009 Nassau County lacrosse playoffs first round. #11 Division (my team) vs. #6 Hewlett. We had a 2 goal lead with about 4 minutes left in the game. We botched up a man-up situation, then quickly let up two goals. We get the ball back after a great chase by our defense, but our clear got botched up, Hewlett recovers, and they end up scoring on a missed in-the-crease call with 4 seconds left. Most crushing defeat by far in my high school playing career, made even worse that it was my senior year and my last game ever as a student in any sport. Two ironies too...

1. A few days earlier, Cornell knocked out Princeton in the NCAA Tournament. Princeton had 2 Division alums on the team while Cornell had Player of the Year Max Seibald, who happened to play for Hewlett in high school.

2. A few days later, the school I ended up going to, Syracuse, tied up the National Championship against Cornell with 3 seconds left after a botched clear by Cornell, so things kinda went full circle at that point

As for pro and college sports:

Mets

Well, there's two for me. One of which would be the 2007 collapse. That team could've won it all had they not blown it down the stretch. And blow it down the stretch they did, alright. Talk about a collapse of epic proportions, plus it began the really annoying Phillie bandwagon by virtue of them making the playoffs. On the brighter side, the Red Sox and Braves both managed to put those demons to rest in a matter of an hour thanks to their collapses this September. The other would be the 9th inning of Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS. Between Heilman's terrible pitching and Beltran striking out looking, that was a crushing time as a Met fan. The rest of that Game 7, however, I have no problems looking back on.

Jets

Yes, the Jets are known for always having painful moments, but the most painful by far was the 2004 AFC Divisional Playoff Game vs. the Steelers. The Jets were leading in the 4th but Pittsburgh came back. However, the Jets had two opportunities to win the game in overtime (or one was at the end of the 4th and the other in OT, whatever). Both FG attempts by Scott Hall missed. Steelers end up winning the game. I think that was the only time I've ever cried over a sporting event.

Islanders

Well, considering the last time the Islanders have made it past the first round was when I was 2, my whole life's been misery with the Isles it seems like. The late 90s and any year not named 2002-04 or 2007 really sucked. I guess in terms of a single event, the 2002 Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 5 when Darcy Tucker took out Michael Peca. Of course Tucker went on to score later, and the Isles lost Peca for the rest of the series. Had he not been hurt, things could've been very different that Game 5 and later Game 7.

Syracuse

You gotta break up Syracuse into different sports. For football it's the entire G-Rob era. Might as well say from the 2004 Champs Sports Bowl on. That period put the Orange into the depths of college football. Basketball wise I may have to say either the 2005 First Round vs. Vermont or the 2010 Sweet 16 vs. Butler. The Vermont loss really hurt because the Orange were coming into the tournament with a head full of steam after winning the Big East and could've made a run. The Butler loss was painful too because it left a lot of questions of "What could've been", especially after A.O.'s injury in the Big East Tournament, plus the fact the Orange were a 1 seed for the first time in a long time. Lacrosse by far was the 2010 NCAA 1st Round losing to Army. That loss was completely out of left field, especially for a team that won back-to-back national titles. Army shouldn't have even been close in that game, but Syracuse completely let the game slide into their favor and the Black Knights ended up taking it in double OT.

[texfischer]

I cant number them, but near the top is this.

Then Max Talbot going to Philly, that one hurt.

[NJTank]

10. 1992 AFC Championship Game

9. 1985 NL East Race

8. 2001 Stanley Cup Finals

7. 1993 NBA Finals

6. 2003 NBA Finals

5. 2008 Mets September

4. 2000 World Series

3. 1985 AFC Championship Game

2. 1988 NLCS

1. 2007 Mets September

[rvrdgsfn]

Braves: 1996 World Series

Nope, not The Collapse. Jim Leyritz coming from whatever hole Jim Leyritz came from to breathe life into the nearly-dead-at-that-point Yankees. If the Braves had held on to win that game, you can almost guarantee that the Braves go back to back (they were in complete control of that series before that moment. Would've went up 3-1 if they held on), and the Yankee dynasty at least gets delayed by a couple of years. I don't really get mad about most of the Braves many playoff failures, but this is the one that always gets me.

I know what you mean Flame. I remember seeing most of the 95 squad back when they were in Richmond as a AAA affiliate, 95 was a magical year but 96 was just awful. Seeing guys you grew up playing just lose to the Yankees like that was painful & heartbreaking.

[Evil Doctor]

Anyone wanna hear about my heartbreaking Little League misplay?

Anyone?

You know, if we only posted stuff other people care about, this forum would only have 10 messages...

[knnhrvy16]

2003 Utah 2A High School Football Playoffs:

Kanab High's football program had much success in the 1970s and 1980s, winning 7 championships (1974, '76, '82, '85, '86, '87, and '95) to this time. However, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with a head coach that shall remain unnamed, Kanab's football program stunk, rarely getting into the playoffs. Said coach was ousted before my junior year (2002 season), and a new coach (last name's Hatch) with ties to the Northwest (was a scout for the Seahawks) came in with the wing-T playbook. Under him, the program turned around, but he left for Southern Virginia to coach there after the year. The current coach, Bucky Orton (yes, that's his name), kept the team on its upward swing, and Kanab made it to the playoffs for the second straight year. After a 9-1 regular season and beating South Summit (based in Kamas) in the first round, we played Juan Diego in the state semifinals.

Here's where the painful part comes in: Juan Diego is a large, private Catholic school based somewhere in Salt Lake, and had a much, much larger student body than your average 2A school (size was more like 4A or 5A), and were able to essentially recruit their players from all over the country, yet, by some rule I don't get, they had to play in 2A, until they were put with the big boys in 4A and 5A (where they should've been in the first place). After they scored, we were never within 14 points of them, ultimately losing 36-52. That was the last football game I ever suited up for (but to be honest, I never was that good of a football player). Juan Diego eventually lost in the state championship to Manti, but I really don't get why that rule was in place.

We had problems with Juan Diego, too. It pissed us all off that they were twice or, in some cases, even three times as big a school as the rest of the schools in 2A, yet for whatever reason never moved up into a higher class. They whooped us in everything. Hell, they whooped everyone.

[Don]

riverdogsfan said one of mine, with Jeffrey Mayer.

Too painful, we werent winning that series to begin with, but that was a turning point.

Sean Taylor. Nuff said.

Bondra getting traded to Ottawa. I dont cry, didnt at my wedding or when my kids were born. I cried when Bondra was traded. I saw him on TV crying and I cried. Im man enough to admit it.

Ugh.

Oh, the Caps collapse against the Habs after winning the Presidents Trophy.

Its hard being a DC sports fan...

[habsfan1]

Last year's first round playoff exit was a bummer, but nothing has topped this...

When the trade happened, it was so painful it blew away most of the anticipation I had for the next season. It was so bad that they could of been a riot, looking back at how devastated and engared Canadiens fans were. Today, Halak is in danger of losing his starter job to Brian Elliot. Oh how times have changed.......

[Norva]

As a Bucs fan, the 1999 NFC championship vs the Rams for sure.

Rays losing the Philly in 2008. So close yet so far...

Lightning coming so close against Boston last season in Conference finals

The Tampa Bay Storm losing ArenaBowl XII easily with AB XXIII next.

The USF Bulls every single season when we lay a huge egg and lose 3 straight conference games.

[The_Admiral]

1. The Alex Gonzalez error in the 2003 NLCS. Everyone else seems to blame something that happened around the same time which, unlike this error, didn't directly affect play. How strange!

2. James Loney grand slam, 2008 NLDS. Game 1 and yet I still knew it was going to be another sweep. Since that play, the Cubs have amassed a nine-game postseason losing streak, been sold to cash-poor ownership which has led to an organizational collapse so dire that they can't even afford the upkeep on their stadium anymore, and generally been embarrassing and depressing at all times.

3. The White Sox winning the World Series

4. The aforementioned Alex Burrows goal to win Canucks III after all. Just think: if Sharp scores on that power play and knocks them out early, there are no riots. And to think you mooks rooted "for Canada."

I dunno, that's all I really have, probably because my default setting as a sports fan is to be miserable and annoyed. Like, the Bears lost in the Super Bowl. Whatever. I didn't think they'd win, and the Colts were cool, so whatevs.

[winters in buffalo]

3. 1999 Stanley Cup Finals

2. Super Bowl XXV

1. 2006 Eastern Conference Finals

[Gothamite]

Now it's likely we'll never get football in LA, as other fans hate us for trying to get one, and owners joke about us on late night TV. Thanks Georgia, hope you kiddle up to Fredddy Krueger in hell, you selfish a**hole.

FWIW, not only do I think it's a virtual certainty that LA will have an NFL team in three years (what do "other fans" have to do with it?), but I'd lay money that the team you do get will be the LA Rams.

[TFoA]

Braves: 1996 World Series

Nope, not The Collapse. Jim Leyritz coming from whatever hole Jim Leyritz came from to breathe life into the nearly-dead-at-that-point Yankees. If the Braves had held on to win that game, you can almost guarantee that the Braves go back to back (they were in complete control of that series before that moment. Would've went up 3-1 if they held on), and the Yankee dynasty at least gets delayed by a couple of years. I don't really get mad about most of the Braves many playoff failures, but this is the one that always gets me.

I know what you mean Flame. I remember seeing most of the 95 squad back when they were in Richmond as a AAA affiliate, 95 was a magical year but 96 was just awful. Seeing guys you grew up playing just lose to the Yankees like that was painful & heartbreaking.

Huh, that's a new perspective. That really would be a gut punch to watch those guys come up like that & not reach their full potential.

It's funny, I can watch the 1991 World Series Game 7 with no problems at all (If a pitcher throws 10 shutout innings in the biggest freakin game of the year, you've got no choice but to tip your cap there...plus it was the Worst-to-First year, so it was a "just happy to be there" situation), and the 1992 World Series doesn't bother me because the Jays were clearly the better team that year...but that '96 World Series just irks me.

[rvrdgsfn]

riverdogsfan said one of mine, with Jeffrey Mayer.

Too painful, we werent winning that series to begin with, but that was a turning point.

Sean Taylor. Nuff said.

Bondra getting traded to Ottawa. I dont cry, didnt at my wedding or when my kids were born. I cried when Bondra was traded. I saw him on TV crying and I cried. Im man enough to admit it.

Ugh.

Oh, the Caps collapse against the Habs after winning the Presidents Trophy.

Its hard being a DC sports fan...

It truly is my friend, It truly is...

[Viper]

My bottom ten (events I witnessed in person in red):

• 10: Arsenal blowing 4-0 lead to Newcastle Utd in last 25 minutes (Mar 2011)
  
• 9: "OWENS! OWENS! OWENS! OWENS! HE CAUGHT IT! HE CAUGHT IT! HE CAUGHT IT! HE CAUGHT IT!" (Jan 1999)
  
• 8: Last five minutes of Super Bowl XXXII (Feb 1998)
  
• 7: Arsenal getting 8-2 beatdown at Old Trafford (Aug 2011)
  
• 6: Minnesota Swarm losing Apr 2010 game to Edmonton Rush in OT (Swarm had pulled goalie Nick Patterson, a somewhat common OT tactic in the NLL, but then one of their attackers turned the ball over to Brodie Merrill in the Swarm half of the rink, who promptly fired into the empty net before Patterson could get back in)
  
• 5: Brett Favre, in his final pass attempt as a Packer, throwing away the NFC Championship Game to the Giants at Lambeau (Jan 2008)
  
• 4: Arsenal goalie Wojciech Szczesny's epic blunder in 2011 Carling Cup final (Feb 2011), gifting Birmingham City the Cup and ushering in six months of pure Gooner hell, including #10 and culminating in #7 above
  
• 3: Going to Lambeau for Packers-Vikings playoff game, only to watch Packers' defense fold like a cheap suit (Jan 2005)
  
• 2: Fourth-and-26 (converted by the Eagles en route to tying, then beating the Packers in a Jan 2004 playoff game)
  
• 1: Minnesota North Stars move to Dallas (1993)
  

[JayJaxon]

I'm with you Flame...the '96 World Series hurts more than the rest. I would have taken the rest of the playoff losses but I wanted that one back.

[DEAD!]

Getting hit with a baseball on the nose in little league... Wait, that's not what we're going for?

[infrared41]

Getting hit with a baseball on the nose in little league... Wait, that's not what we're going for?

You think that was rough? I was catching and took a foul tip in the adam's apple. My throat felt like it had gravel in it for weeks.