Your most painful sports moments

[tee1441]

Denver nuggets losing to the Lakers in the 09 Western Conference Finals

AFC South standings 2007:

Colts (13-3)

Jaguars (11-5)

Titans (10-6)

Texans (8-8)

Houston were the only team from the AFC South to not make the playoffs.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

1.

2. The 2000 Syracuse tournament loss to Michigan State. Not many people remember than team, but it was scary good with Etan Thomas, Jason Hart, and Preston Shumpert. The team started out 19-0 and was ranked as high as fourth in the country before losing their first game to Seton Hall (I say this only because it's one of the clearest sports memories I have. The team was rolling in the tournament before meeting Michigan State in the Sweet Sixteen. They were actually up by 14 at one point, but couldn't keep up with the Spartans and lost 75-58. The only consolation is that Michigan State won the tournament that year, but I thought Syracuse was good enough to win it all back then (and it only took three years for them to get there.)

3.

4. Ghana's loss in the 2010 World Cup. I was really pulling for them.

5. Every other Syracuse loss in the NCAA Tournament.

[tee1441]

Another one

Super Bowl XLIII: I was rooting heavily for Arizona because I wanted Kurt Warner to win another ring and Larry Fitz to get his first. But Santonio Holmes with a great catch to win the game for Pittsburgh.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

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.

I'm a big Bills fan now, but even though I'm from Western New York, I didn't care about the team until the Flutie years. I grew up a Giants fan (so Super Bowl XXV weirdly doesn't bother me much as a current Bills fan) and switched to the Jets when Parcells took over the team.

So my biggest heartbreak as a Jets fan was the 1998 conference finals loss to the Broncos. The Jets (and Vinny Testaverde) came out of nowhere that year to finish with a 12-4 record and it really felt like anything could happen with that team. Didn't, but they had a good group of guys (Chrebet, Testaverde, Keyshawn, Curtis Martin, and so on).

[OnWis97]

1. The Minnesota North Stars move to Dallas.

2. The Vikings NFC title game loss, Jan 2010 to the Saints...so many mistakes after clearly beating them on both lines...and what appears to be a winnable Super Bowl.

3. Vikings NFC title game loss, Jan 1999 to the Falcons. Game in hand...missed field goal. (Though probably would have lost that super bowl).

Those are the big ones. Ironically, the NFL is not that high on my list of sports (behind MLB, College Football, College hooops), but the Vikes are really the only team to flirt with greatness and keep coming up short. others (in no particular order):

• Wisconsin losing back to back on long-bomb TD passes, October, 2011.
  
• Wisconsin ousted by mid-major teams in 4 of last 5 NCAA tourneys (particuarly Cornell)
  
• Wisconsin laying an egg in the 2009 NCAA Hockey title game...not even showing up.
  
• North Stars getting blown out 8-0 in Pittsburgh's game 6 clincher, 1991
  
• Vikings January 1988 NFC title game loss...not a great team, but it was so close (failed to convert on 4th down inside the 10)
  
• My first painful loss, which I barely remember: 1984 Twins in the hunt to win the weak AL Central. Up 10 zip at Cleveland, blow the lead to lose 11-10...it was deflating and they ended up .500.
  

[GriffinM6]

Most have happened within the past 2 years.

1-2011 April-May Florida Marlins,Pittsburgh Pirates, Atlanta Braves, Texas Ranngers.

Marlins-We were in first place for the wild card in the first 2 months, 2nd place in the NL East behind the Phillies of course. All they had to do was keep a steady pace for the remainder of the season. Of course, as a Marlins fan, things collapse at the wrong moment. We went 2-28 in June, and it all fell apart after that.

Pirates- First Place in June, then you have a huge lsoing streak, and then collapse, and have your 19th straight losing season.

Braves- Bullshi t. The Cards don't make the playoffs and Rangers win the World Series.

Rangers- How do you blow a 2 run lead 2 innings in a row, and then lose that game, and lose the next game? That's well as my current signature says, "Abso-freaking-lutely Ridiculous!!!!

2- Super Bowl XLV- Steelers have 4 turnovers, but sport a comeback in the 4th quarter. Why throw it to Mike Wallace, you have veterans like Hines Ward Antwoon Randle El. Then you hear it from all your gay ass friends at school who wanted the Packers to win shove the angst of defeat in your face the next 3 days.

3-2005 AFC Championship Game- You go 15-1 in the regular season, and well lose to the Patriots, who just do flat out awesome in Super Bowls.

4- 2011 NFC Divisional Game- Falcons beat the Packers with a game winning field goal in week 10. Then they go in thinking they're fat cats, and their defense blows up, and Green Bay just ass rapes them.

5- Bosie vs. Nevada 2010- Missing the first field goal, after the play of Titus Young's college career. Then, blowing it in overtime, just terrible.

[infrared41]

Where do you want me to begin?

[RyanMcD29]

Most have happened within the past 2 years.

1-2011 April-May Florida Marlins,Pittsburgh Pirates, Atlanta Braves, Texas Ranngers.

Marlins-We were in first place for the wild card in the first 2 months, 2nd place in the NL East behind the Phillies of course. All they had to do was keep a steady pace for the remainder of the season. Of course, as a Marlins fan, things collapse at the wrong moment. We went 2-28 in June, and it all fell apart after that.

Pirates- First Place in June, then you have a huge lsoing streak, and then collapse, and have your 19th straight losing season.

Braves- Bullshi t. The Cards don't make the playoffs and Rangers win the World Series.

Rangers- How do you blow a 2 run lead 2 innings in a row, and then lose that game, and lose the next game? That's well as my current signature says, "Abso-freaking-lutely Ridiculous!!!!

2- Super Bowl XLV- Steelers have 4 turnovers, but sport a comeback in the 4th quarter. Why throw it to Mike Wallace, you have veterans like Hines Ward Antwoon Randle El. Then you hear it from all your gay ass friends at school who wanted the Packers to win shove the angst of defeat in your face the next 3 days.

3-2005 AFC Championship Game- You go 15-1 in the regular season, and well lose to the Patriots, who just do flat out awesome in Super Bowls.

4- 2011 NFC Divisional Game- Falcons beat the Packers with a game winning field goal in week 10. Then they go in thinking they're fat cats, and their defense blows up, and Green Bay just ass rapes them.

5- Bosie vs. Nevada 2010- Missing the first field goal, after the play of Titus Young's college career. Then, blowing it in overtime, just terrible.

[cmm]

1. Mets losing 2000 World Series to Yankees. Why didn't you run it out, Timo Perez? You cost your team the Series.

2. Mets losing 1999 NLCS to Braves. They could have been the first team to come back down 3-0. Instead, Kenny Rogers walks in the winning run to end a wild game 6 and the series.

3. Giants lose 2002 Wild Card game to 49ers. They blow a 24-point lead, and the officials take away their chance to salvage a win on the last play by not calling pass interference on a botched FG attempt. The NFL admitted their mistake the next day but it was too late.

4. Giants lose 1997 Wild Card game to Vikings. The blow a 9-point lead in 90 seconds.

The Mets have had their share of painful moments since then (2006 NLCS, 2007 and 2008 chokes) but I've mellowed out over the years and they don't bother me as much.

[See Red]

The three that stand out to me the most, in no particular order...

2003 American League Championship Series. Aaron ing Boone.

George Mason upsetting UConn in the 2006 Elite Eight. That UConn team was stacked but really didn't show up to play in that tournament. That team also would've had Andrew Bynum if the rule requiring players to be one year removed from High School was implemented a year sooner.

1996 AFC Divisional Playoffs -- Jaguars 30, Broncos 27. I was young, but I remember Natrone Means running all over the Broncos and the newspaper the next day read "Orange Crushed."

But what I love most about sports is that those three moments made the 2004 ALCS, this last years NCAA Tournament, and the '97 and '98 NFL Playoffs so much better.

[the_fan]

HERE IT IS.

It was Game Six of the Championship series. My team is leading the series 3-2. It is the Top of the 9th, and we came into it down by SIX. It appeared for sure a game Seven at home would be neccesary (well we all played at the same field, but still...). However we then start to rally. First a lead-off triple. It's now 9-3, runner on third, no out. Then an off-the-wall double. 9-4, runner on second, no out. Then the incredible happens: A HOME RUN! 9-6, no outs, no one on base. Clearly rattled, the pitcher walks the next two guys, the second being me. 9-6, no outs, runners on first and second. An infield pop-up occurs. 9-6, one out, runners on first and second. Then the guy on second steals third! 9-6, one out, runners on first and third. However there is then a strikeout. 9-6, two outs, runners on first and third. Then a short double is hit, I reach third, other guy home, 9-7, two outs, runners on third and second! Then...it happened. I'll tell you guys the rest tommorow.

[GO2HELL]

I'm posting this on my phone, so if there are any image ups I'll fix it tomorrow. Sorry in advance.

1.

Watching my Canucks, who I have been watching religiously with my dad for every year since my birth, choke away game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals on home ice, along with the burning of my hometown afterwards, on my :censored:ing birthday.

2.

To rub more salt in the wound that is 2011 in sports for me, 3 days later my roller hockey team lost the championship game against the dirtiest, cheapest, most undeserving scumbags of my inline league. To make it even worse for me, I had the perfect chance to tie the game in the final 30 seconds, but I pulled a Bill Buckner as the puck hopped over my stick and went through my legs. The other team capatalized on my blunder and scored on our empty net afterwards. That was our 3rd straight year losing in the final game, we are the Buffalo Bills of roller hockey.

3.

Other than the 2011 team, I consider the 2002/03 and 2003/04 Canucks (basically the same team) to be the best in franchise history. And seeing the former Canuck, Martin Gelinas eliminate the canucks in overtime, in game 7, on home ice. That was painful. Put any half decent goalie in net other than Cloutier, Skudra, and Auld, and the Canucks are cup champs.

4.

Joffrey Lupol beating the caps in game 7 in '08. That was a crazy series in which the caps really deserved to win after playing mediocre hockey for the previous 7 years. That non-call by the ref that caused Sami Kapanen to score still pisses me off.

[Breakwood]

October 29 2009.

Toronto FC travels to New Jersey to face league worst Red Bull New York. A win would put Toronto into the playoffs for the first time. From the first kick, Toronto didn't even show up. New York bossed the game and ran out 5-0 winners. To date that is still the closest Toronto has come to the playoffs.

[tBBP]

3.) 1999 NFC Championship

How it SHOULD'VE went down: Buccaneers get first down on great diving catch from Bert Emanuel (that was a GOOD CATCH, dammit), Bucs proceed to batter the Rams with the A-Train, run down the clock, Shaun King becomes the first rookie QB to lead his team to a Super Bowl berth.

How it ACTUALLY went down: Refs rule Emanuel's catch incomplete--never mind the fact he controlled the ball the entire way to the gro--anyway, Kurt Warner then proceeds to lead his offense back down the field, finishing off with a strike and over-the-shoulder catch by Ricky Freaking Prohl. Touchdown. 11-6. Rams proceed to complete their miracle worst-to-first run to the Super Bowl. "Bert Emanuel" rule is created in the off-season.

2.) 38-35

That was the final overtime score of a Monday night tilt between the Colts and Buccaneers back in the 2003 season. But that doesn't tell the whole story...

...For the first three quarters, and actually for much of he fourth, the Bucs had the Colts on lock, and actually managed to muster an offensive "outburst" in the process, resulting in 35 points on the board.

And then came the last five minutes of regulation.

I wanna say the score was like 35-14 at that point. Not that it mattered, because Peyton Manning then proceeded to go to WORK, while the Buccaneer defense just cataclysmically imploded. I remember watching the last five minutes of that quarter thinking to myself, after each TD Peyton threw, "I know this ain't happening...I KNOW THIS AIN'T HAPPENING...I KNOW THIS S*** AIN'T F***1NG HAPPENING!!! And then it happened...he got the Colts to overtime, where they won it with a field goal. Still to this day one of the worst fourth-quarter collapses in league history. (Coincidentally enough, and at the time only to rub more salt in Buc Nation's wounds, former Buc HC Tony Dungy was on the other sideline. Talk about adding insult to injury.)

But this one takes the cake here...

1.) 1996 Sugar Bowl/National Championship

This one was surely "Sugar Sweet"...for all the wrong reasons. To recap: just a month prior, then-#3 Florida State defeated Florida in the annual intrastate grudge match, and took both the Gators' undefeated season and #1 ranking from them in the process. The Seminoles proceeded to win out, securing their spot in the 'ship, held in the Sugar Bowl that postseason. As fate would have it, their opponent for that game? None other than those putrid Gators. (Now true, every state has super-bitter intrastate rivalries, and this one was no different, but I believe the '96 Sugar Bowl was the first and only time intrastate archrivals squared off in a 'ship game, which only added more fuel to the fire.) Then the game happened, wherein Danny Wuerffel, Ike Hilliard, and Jacquez Green proceeded to tear one off in the collective arse of the Seminoles' defense, while the Gator defense completely held FSU's offense in check. The game really wasn't even a contest, as Florida went on to win it--and it still stings to even type this--52-17.

It was bad enough watching my Seminoles get gashed and thrashed the way they did, even worse watching Steve F'in Spurrier hoist up that crystal ball...but the absolute worst part was the headlines in the newspapers the following morning, which also made its way onto a bunch of T-shirts just a few days later: "SUGAR SWEET REVENGE". (And now you know why I quoted that earlier.) Oh you know I and every other Seminole fan caught it after that, had it throwed all off in our faces at every turn. To avenge a loss to your most hated archest of rivals in a freaking national championship game...that just sucked the worst.

[mania]

Game 6. Nothing comes close. Nothing will likely ever come close.

[Saintsfan]

Going to see Southampton (my favourite team) play away at Watford (my local team) and seeing them go down to a proper drubbing. I think the score was something like 5-2, and that was flattering. Not good.

As for personal injuries, dislocating my kneecap playing soccer. Ouch.

[DCDuck]

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.

Ouch.

In high school a friend of mine broke two toes after taking a foul tip off his foot.

[Still MIGHTY]

Anaheim Ducks

- While losing Game 7 of the 2003 Finals hurt, what made it all the more worse was Paul Kariya's quick about-face from "Every time I dream of winning a Stanley Cup, it's in a Mighty Ducks uniform" to Turning down the Ducks large contract for a markedly smaller one from Colorado for a "better chance at a Cup." That stung. It stung real bad.

- 2009 Western Semifinals vs Detroit: The Ducks were HOT going into the playoffs as the #8 seed and knocked out the #1 Sharks in the first all-California battle since Seals/Kings in the 70s. Then came their perennial playoff rival, the Red Wings. It was a tough, hard, competitive back and forth. 5 games decided by one goal Detroit 3-2, Anaheim 4-3 in 3OT, Anaheim 2-1, Detroit 6-3, Detroit 4-1, Anaheim 2-1. Then Game 7 back in Detroit. Detroit 1-0, 2-0, 2-1, 3-1, 3-2, 3-3. Then with exactly 3 minutes left, Daniel Cleary got his stick on a rebound in the crease and PUSHED Jonas Hiller's pad back behind the goal line (which is ILLEGAL) and the puck crossed over. The Joe went nuts. I was a Ducks watch party at the local pizza/sports bar, and I (and the entire place) had been so into the game cheering, booing, etc. I sat the rest of the game with my Ducks playoff towel over my mouth, slumped back into my chair, staring mindlessly at the screen. There was time, but I knew they weren't winning. I knew if they won they could've beaten Chicago. They could've beaten Pittsburgh. They could've had a second Stanley Cup. That just plain old sucked. I wasn't the most personable of people over the next few days.

LA Angels of Anaheim

- 2004, 2007, 2008 AL Division Series against the Boston Red Sox... 2004 - Games 1 and 2 weren't close. Game 3 in 2004 was probably the most painful of the three series. Boston took an early lead, the Halos had a 5-run 7th to tie, then in the 10th innning, Jarrod Washburn came in on relief of K-Rod and promptly gave up a series-losing home run to David Ortiz that sailed high and over the Green Monster and probably hasn't landed yet... 2007 wasn't even close. Just made me more frustrated and angry than pained... 2008 - All four games were close. The Angels got their first win of the three series with a 12th inning winner in Game 3. That momentum didn't mean a thing in Game 4 as the Sox finished off the Halos with another walk-off series winner... (Luckily, this was all followed up the next year with one of the sweetest moments as the Angels played the Sox again, and this time it was the Angels sweeping the Sox and finishing it off with a 9th inning rally against Papelbon... But that was all followed up with...)

- 2009 ALCS vs New York - Of any of the years since the 2002 World Series, 2009 was set up to be the Angels best chance to get back there and possibly win. And while it was a six game series, Game 2 was the most painful and pivotal to me. The game went into the 11th inning where the Angels got a one-run lead, then Brian Fuentes came in to close it out and go back to Anaheim tied 1-1. But Fuentes made one of the dumbest pitches I've ever seen and hung a high curveball to A-Rod who destroyed it to right field to tie the game, kill the Angels momentum, and the Yanks eventually won the game. The Angels got their own walk-off in the next game from the perennially maligned Jeff Mathis, and the Series did end up at 3-2 before the Yanks won in 6, but I think that Game 2 meant so much. Instead of being down 0-2, it'd be 1-1 with 3 games at home to either win or take their own 3-2 lead, and the Angels needed to at least win all the game CC wasn't pitching. CC was in Game 1, NYY won, Game 4, NYY won, and he was lined up for Game 7. It was just a huge missed opportunity and it was felicitated by Fuentes, who was already a huge object of scorn for Angels fans. It sucked

- Also to note, I want to include the 1995 California Angels collapse to Seattle. I was only 5 when it happened, so I honestly don't remember it at all, but I've heard enough about it to know how much that moment for the Angels sucked. And it was in my lifetime, and kind of indirectly led to the numerous more years of suck that came before 2002.

Indianapolis Colts

- Go ahead and pick any of the recent playoff losses outside of the Super Bowl XLI win. The Patriots losses sucked. The Chargers losses really sucked. But the one that was the most painful of the playoff losses to me is the 2005 game against Pittsburgh. Colts trailed 21-10 in the 4th, and pulled it to 21-18 late in the game. The Steelers were driving to put the game away and Bettis fumbled on the goalline, Nick Harper picked it up and was almost clear until Roethlisberger tackled him by a shoelace at the 40. The Colts still lined up for a chance to tie on a field goal and go to OT, but the Colts "idiot, liquored-up kicker" Mike Vanderjagt shanked the 46-yard attempt wide-right and sent the Colts home.

- Super Bowl XLIV... I really have nothing against the Saints, it's just the way it went down was too crazy. The 2nd half onside kickoff. Peyton's game-icing INT. It was a game the Colts should have won outside of those two plays. So close, but so far.

- In the regular season, there are two Patriots losses that stick out, both in Indy. One at the beginning of the rivalry where the Pats won on a game-ending, fourth-down, goalline stand, and the other when both were 12-0 or something like that and had probably the most awesome regular season game I can remember, but the Colts ended up on the wrong side. And a couple of the late season, perfect season-ending losses stick out too. Against the Chargers in Indy in 2007, and the Jets game two years ago when Caldwell let Curtis Painter try to ride it out with no intention of the perfect season. Dumb.

Los Angeles Lakers

- 2003 Western Semifinals vs San Antonio. Game 5, almost over coming the 24-point deficit only to have Horry's shot just rim in and out... Ugh...

- 2004 NBA Finals vs Detroit... The complete and utter dismantling of the all-star team the Lakers created with Kobe, Shaq, Malone, Payton. The Pistons made the Lakers look so horrible. And this series of course led to the complete fallout of the team. The Phil-Kobe feud, the Kobe-Shaq feud, the Shaq trade, all of that stemmed from here.

- 2008 NBA Finals vs Boston, specifically Games 4 and 6. Game 4 in LA, the Lakers had a 24 point lead in the 3rd quarter. It looked like they were going to tie up the series, and probably win Game 5 in LA and get another title and beat the Celtics. Except they completely collapsed, and the Celtics stole the game. LA won Game 5 still, but needed to win both in Boston, but that just wasn't happening in Game 6. The Lakers got utterly demolished in that game. Even when the Celtics were up pretty big, they just kept shooting, and shooting, and shooting, and the baskets just kept falling, while the Lakers couldn't hit a damn thing. 130-92... UGH

Other

- The other game I want to mention is the 2006 Rose Bowl. The greatest college football game of all time, in my opinion. Despite now being a Sun Devil, growing up in SoCal, my dream was to go to USC and while I was starting to really look at colleges, USC was on its great run so I naturally was a huge fan and got really into those teams. And while I can look back now (and even during the game) and say that this is one of the best, if not the best, college football game ever, at the time, did it ever suck. The two things that will always stick out in that game are the Reggie Bush fumble and then of course the Vince Young run. The Bush thing was unexpected and completely stupid, while when Young lined up on that 4th down, I already knew that this game was over. I knew what was happening. I knew it when he lined up for the two point conversion. Awesome, but sucky at the same time.

[Rockstar Matt]

3. January 6th, 2006. Dallas Cowboys vs. Seattle Seahawks, Wild-Card Playoffs.

We had that game. It was ours. We were about to kick the go-ahead field-goal to take a 23-21 lead and win our first playoff game in 10 years (and the first time I have seen my Cowboys win a playoff game).

I like what Buc did, so I'm using it too.

What SHOULD have happened: Cowboys kick the field-goal, take the lead and hold on for their first playoff win in 10 years.

What ACTUALLY happened: We know. Romo mishandled the hold, then almost made into the end-zone but got tackled just short of the first-down and the end-zone.

2. June 12th, 2008. Los Angeles Lakers vs. Boston Celtics, Game 4 of the NBA Finals.

Our first series against the hated Celtics since 1987. As we all know, the Lakers were outplayed in almost every game. Had we won Game 4, the Lakers would have held a 3-2 series going into Boston. Up 22 points to the Celtics, about to tie the series up at 2-2 and we blow it. We lost to the Celtics, and a chance at a 3-peat. had we not blown our lead in Game 4, Phil would have ritired at the end of 2010, instead of 2011. He would have gone out on top, after his fourth 3-peat.

1. January 13th, 2008. New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys, Divisional Round.

The 2007 season was our year. 13-3, the best record in the NFC. All of the chips were alligned to go to the Super Bowl. And we faced the Giants. A team we had beaten twice previously. The worst play was the 3rd and long where Romo threw a pass to Crayton who had nothing but green in front of him. He might score on that play, but for sure moves the ball into scoring position. Instead he drops hit, we punt. The Giants end up winning 21-17. That was the worst loss.

[BLUELANDbeliever]

Please folks, just don't:

http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-thrashers/thrashers-are-on-their-963324.html