Your teams biggest heartbreaking moment

[nl5xsk1 0]

I don't get how random regular season losses are being listed as "most heartbreaking moments" ... yeah, I get bummed when the Bruins lose, but there's no reason for me to start listing bad losses that in the grand scheme of things only meant losing one game.

[Slayer 0]

I don't recall Phil Simms having a cannon for an arm either, and Young certainly proved to be much better than Simms, so the outcome may have been the same, possibly worse for the Bills.

 

Though you prove a good point.

 

Simms was injured. Jeff Hostetler started for the Giants in the '90 postseason.

Even worse! And surely Seifert would have come up with a way to beat the Bills in the game.

Seifert has proven to be one of the most overrated coaches ever, IMO, riding Bill Walsh's players and playbook for most of his SF tenure

 

I suspect that Seifert would have tried to outgun Buffalo, which, as previous games had shown (see earlier playoff game vs. Miami) was not a smart idea. Parcells idea of ball control against them was, in essence, genius.

[Guest Vitamin X]

I don't recall Phil Simms having a cannon for an arm either, and Young certainly proved to be much better than Simms, so the outcome may have been the same, possibly worse for the Bills.

 

Though you prove a good point.

 

Simms was injured. Jeff Hostetler started for the Giants in the '90 postseason.

Even worse! And surely Seifert would have come up with a way to beat the Bills in the game.

Seifert has proven to be one of the most overrated coaches ever, IMO, riding Bill Walsh's players and playbook for most of his SF tenure

 

I suspect that Seifert would have tried to outgun Buffalo, which, as previous games had shown (see earlier playoff game vs. Miami) was not a smart idea. Parcells idea of ball control against them was, in essence, genius.

Wasn't Seifert the guy who led the Panthers to the 96 Championship game against the Pack? Oh wait no that was Capers..

 

Hmm well Seifert was able to win it all the following year, and I do think he knew how to use the 49ers. Besides, at the time (if I remember correctly) the Giants defense was their strength just like San Francisco's strength was their offense, so I think you're right that Seifert would have tried to outgun the Bills, hell that's what he probably tried to do against New York, but NY had the defense to stop them, and apparently the Bills.

 

Defense DOES win championships!

 

I don't get how random regular season losses are being listed as "most heartbreaking moments" ... yeah, I get bummed when the Bruins lose, but there's no reason for me to start listing bad losses that in the grand scheme of things only meant losing one game.

 

While I agree with you on that regular season losses shouldn't count as heartbreaking, it means a HELL of a lot more in football than in any other sport because the NFL only has a 17 game regular season schedule for each team as opposed to the insane amount in NBA, NHL, and ESPECIALLY fucking MLB. One reason why I dislike baseball so much is because of the amount of games, I can't even get interested in watching the games till after the All-Star break, sometimes only when it's close to playoff time.

 

Every game in the NFL is meaningful though, one silly little loss against a shitty team is a game you'll regret later in the season when that one game could've meant homefield advantage or even getting into the playoffs.

[JJMc 0]

I don't give a fuck if anyone's already said it, the '03 ALCS. It wasn't so much the Boone homer, because the writing was on the wall at that point. What pissed me off was that little blooper Posada hit off of Pedro.

 

The only other one in my lifetime was '86, but I was only a year old, so I don't count that.

[bob_barron 0]

Braves-

 

 

1993: Come all the way back to win the division and then only to lose to the Phillies is just not fair.

 

1996: Jim Leyritz.

 

1997- Livian Hernandez should be deportd. Take Eric Gregg with him too.

 

2000: Watching them get raped three games in a row by the Cardinals was surreal and very sad.

 

2003: This year's loss was hard to take just cause I knew it was the end of Maddux and I didn't want to see him go.

 

Knicks/Nets-

 

1993- Blowing a 2-0 lead to the Bulls and losing the next 4 was just very hard to take. Damn you Charles Smith.

 

Drazen Petrovic dying was also really shocking and very hard to take.

 

1994- I want nothing more then for someone to shoot John Starks in the head many times.

 

I'm not wishing death on him- I'm just saying.

 

1995- The finger roll of doom.

 

1997- I'm still in therapy over this one. Just complete bullshit plain and simple. This should've been the year.

 

2000- Ewing's trade which forever ended my alliegance to the Knicks.

 

2003- The Nets losing to the Spurs really sucked as they completely blew that 4th quarter lead. I actually believed they could win.

 

 

Leafs-

 

2003- Watching the Flyers rape the Leafs in Game 7 after the Leafs won a thrilling Game 6 was just not right.

 

2004- The Leafs score 2 goals late in the third, have all this momentum, get tons of chances and somehow lose the game. I had to take a long walk.

 

Canucks

 

1994- I cannot watch footage of this series without crying.

 

2002- Nicklas Lidstrom. Dan Cloutier. I think we all died a little that day.

 

2003- Up 2-0 in the third period in Game 7 Dan Cloutier again makes a name for himself.

 

2004- HOW DO YOU SCORE WITH 2 SECONDS LEFT AND MANAGE TO LOSE THE GAME??

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

Canucks.1994.The Finals.

 

need I say more?

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

While I agree with you on that regular season losses shouldn't count as heartbreaking, it means a HELL of a lot more in football than in any other sport because the NFL only has a 17 game regular season schedule for each team as opposed to the insane amount in NBA, NHL, and ESPECIALLY fucking MLB. One reason why I dislike baseball so much is because of the amount of games, I can't even get interested in watching the games till after the All-Star break, sometimes only when it's close to playoff time.

 

On the converse side, how can I get into football when 90% of its games fall conflict with my work schedule? Baseball is always there for six months. You don't have to watch every game. Its beautiful.

[Guest TheZsaszHorsemen]

SB XXV was one of the few times where the better team lost the game. Buffalo just moved the ball at will that entire game and Thurman should have won MVP --- even with the loss.

-=Mike

Not really, the Giants pretty much cut the balls off one of the best offenses I've ever seen play... ever.

[JHawk 0]

I'm not reading through four pages to see if these have been mentioned or not, but MillenniumMan has to have hit them by now, I'd think.

 

Cleveland Cavaliers: "The Shot". Michael Jordan hits a last second shot over Craig Ehlo to give the Bulls a series victory.

 

Cleveland Browns: "The Drive" and "The Fumble". 'nuff said.

 

Cleveland Indians: Game 7 of the 1997 World Series. Fuck Jose Mesa and his not being able to handle the pressure in the bottom of the 9th.

[Guest Flyboy]

Saints-Jaguars... need I say more?

[Guest MikeSC]

SB XXV was one of the few times where the better team lost the game. Buffalo just moved the ball at will that entire game and Thurman should have won MVP --- even with the loss.

          -=Mike

Not really, the Giants pretty much cut the balls off one of the best offenses I've ever seen play... ever.

They scored 19 points --- and held the ball roughly 19 minutes.

 

A point a minute --- definitely impressive.

 

And the Giants had to hold the ball forever (who would have thought that Hostetler getting a safety could have possibly won the game for them?) --- but when they had the ball, Buffalo could not even remotely be stopped. The numbers were far below normal for them --- but I doubt any team could have approached what the Bills did in that game.

 

Too bad that ceased to be the case the next 3 years. Oy.

-=Mike

[Slayer 0]

Too bad that ceased to be the case the next 3 years. Oy.

I think Buffalo suffered the same problem as the Rams did after losing the SB to NE.

 

Everyone knew the strategy for shutting them down, and their system seemed far less impressive after the fact.

[treble 0]

All the Leafs loses since the mid-90s kind of blend into one lifelong heartbreaking moment (thankfully I'm only 20). I was only 9, so I don't really remember anything about the '93 playoffs except Gilmour's wraparound against St. Louis in OT in the 2nd round. Having Kerry Fraser admit he blew the call against Gilmour in game 6 against LA kills, though, since right now I'd just be happy saying the Leafs have made the finals at least once in my life. Not being able to score against Carolina in the conference finals in '02, yet still pushing 3 games into OT only to lose them all is probably the biggest heartbreak in the past few years, especially since 2 of them were forced into OT by late Leafs goals.

 

I guess the Jays biggest heartbreaks have been in the '85 ALCS and blowing the division to the Tigers in '87 and I didn't have a clue what was going on then, so I guess for them I'd have to pick having a shot at the playoffs from '98 thru 2000 yet falling apart down the stretch and finishing in 3rd, again. The Expos losing the '81 NLCS probably woud have hurt had I been born yet, but right now, just looking back at the '94 strike and thinking about what could have been and looking at the state of the organiziation now kills me.

 

If I weren't so fickle about basketball, it would probably hurt more when Vince Carter missed that last second shot against the 76ers a few years back.

[NoCalMike 0]

One for the Redskins would be in the 1999 divisional playoffs against Tampa Bay.

 

The Skins elect to go for the field goal on 3rd down(smartly) in case of a botch, so they still have another shot on 4th down. So lo and behold they botch the snap on 3rd down, and get about five more yards tacked on to the distance. No big deal..........until they botch the snap AGAIN on 4th down........ARGH......I think the final score was 14 -13 or something.

 

Another one was against the Giants when they were tied, and the Skins were in FG range, when Westbrook, frustrated by a call, takes off his helmet and the SKins get pushed back 15 yds and out of field goal range, and the game ends in a tie.

 

How about leading Dallas 34-13 in 1999, and it was the 4th quarter, only to LOSE THE GAME 35-34 in OT.....

 

Shall I go on? Yeah it has been a rough decade for all of us Skins fans.

[Guest Mosaicv2]

every Sox fan always say the sixth game of the 86 World Series was the biggest heartbreaker... how about game seven... the Sox had a 3-0 lead comin the sixth or seventh... & then the Mets got a 6-3 lead... the next inning... the Sox threaten to tie, but were denied... the bottom of the inning comes... a two run homer comes out of nowhere to sink the Sox after that. The post game celebration the Mets had afterwards just makes any Sox fan want to cry... seriously... it does.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Cleveland Indians: Game 7 of the 1997 World Series. Fuck Jose Mesa and his not being able to handle the pressure in the bottom of the 9th.

 

It wasn't that Mesa couldn't handle the pressure. Its just that Mesa SUCKS.

[Guest MikeSC]

Too bad that ceased to be the case the next 3 years. Oy.

I think Buffalo suffered the same problem as the Rams did after losing the SB to NE.

 

Everyone knew the strategy for shutting them down, and their system seemed far less impressive after the fact.

I always choked it up to Thurman just having some serious trouble with handling SB pressure.

 

When he fumbled early in the 3rd quarter of SB XXVIII, you knew Dallas would have no problem the rest of the game.

-=Mike

[Guest Vitamin X]

While I agree with you on that regular season losses shouldn't count as heartbreaking, it means a HELL of a lot more in football than in any other sport because the NFL only has a 17 game regular season schedule for each team as opposed to the insane amount in NBA, NHL, and ESPECIALLY fucking MLB. One reason why I dislike baseball so much is because of the amount of games, I can't even get interested in watching the games till after the All-Star break, sometimes only when it's close to playoff time.

 

On the converse side, how can I get into football when 90% of its games fall conflict with my work schedule? Baseball is always there for six months. You don't have to watch every game. Its beautiful.

Most people as a majority don't work on Sundays. There are morning and afternoon games on top of that, plus the games on MNF. If I had to work on Sunday (and chances are if you do you work in retail or food service or I guess church) I would turn the TV on to the games or go someplace nearby where I can watch the game on my breaks. In any worse case, I just tape or TiVo (when I get it anyways) the games, watch them later on, or get the whole NFL recap on NFL Primetime since you get pretty much the story of the whole game on that show, as opposed to the small highlight clips you might get on Sportscenter.

 

Don't you think it's a little ridiculous that you can lose something like 50 games and still get into the playoffs in baseball? That makes so many games so meaningless. That means a team could just really not try on a few days because they've got a comfortable division lead and not care and still go in the playoffs and play hard there.

 

I don't know, I prefer a sport where every game actually means something, you can't take personal things into effect such as a work schedule because I'm referring to the whole of America which has Sundays off or finds a way to watch games.

[Guest OctoberBlood]

Uh, whoever says baseball games are meaningless (just because it's early in the season) is just simply retarded, or doesn't follow the sport (I guess yourself). Last years Astros will tell you every game counts. They missed the playoffs by 1 game. 1999 Reds will tell you every game counts. They missed the playoffs by 1 game (a tie breaker for the wild card, actually). Every game is important, and every game does count. Some people will go and say "Oh, it's just April" - because it is such a huge season. "It's a marathon, not a sprint". Just because you do poorly in one month, doesn't mean your season is over- you still have a chance. Baseball is so great because of the long season, and what develops over that long season. One of the reasons why I hate football is because it's so small. One game a week doesn't get me excited enough or hooked. I do like some football. Some games can be real good, and I do follow the Bengals, and have for many years, but I am not hooked, nor am I hardcore about it like I am baseball. Everyone differs.

[Guest Vitamin X]

Uh, whoever says baseball games are meaningless (just because it's early in the season) is just simply retarded, or doesn't follow the sport (I guess yourself). Last years Astros will tell you every game counts. They missed the playoffs by 1 game. 1999 Reds will tell you every game counts. They missed the playoffs by 1 game (a tie breaker for the wild card, actually). Every game is important, and every game does count. Some people will go and say "Oh, it's just April" - because it is such a huge season. "It's a marathon, not a sprint".

Hmmm, I guess I could see it that way. I just don't get the feeling of "Damn I NEED to go see the Marlins game", or getting that same feeling of DAMN WE LOST or YEAH WE WON I get with football because I know they can just win later on. This attitude especially is awesome with the NFL playoffs, since it's REALLY win or go home, as opposed to all the 7 game series in the other sports. Thus making all the games far more dramatic, and homefield advantage mean that much more.

 

Just because you do poorly in one month, doesn't mean your season is over- you still have a chance.

 

That gives validity to my statement about taking games off in baseball. You go 0-4 in a month in football, and lady luck will have to be on your side in order to make it into the playoffs.

 

Baseball is so great because of the long season, and what develops over that long season. One of the reasons why I hate football is because it's so small. One game a week doesn't get me excited enough or hooked.

 

So you need to be oversaturated with something in order to like it? I think all the hype and craziness leading up to a single game gets me excited as well as the repercussions of a win or loss.

 

I do like some football. Some games can be real good, and I do follow the Bengals, and have for many years, but I am not hooked, nor am I hardcore about it like I am baseball.

 

No wonder it's difficult for you to like football over baseball

Everyone differs.

 

Agreed.

[Guest OctoberBlood]

I just wanna say one thing to your reply:

This attitude especially is awesome with the NFL playoffs, since it's REALLY win or go home, as opposed to all the 7 game series in the other sports. Thus making all the games far more dramatic, and homefield advantage mean that much more.

In baseball, you have 5 starting pitchers. Those 5 starting pitchers gets you to the playoffs, not just one. In the NFL, you rely more on 1 QB. In baseball, you reply on 5 quarterbacks. Thus, in the playoffs, they have to be 7 game series for it to repersent the team play of baseball. If it was just our #1 vs. your #1, that isn't really what the whole season is about, and therefore, the playoffs would be badly repersenting the baseball. I love 7 game series.

[Guest Vitamin X]

I think it could be much more exciting if it was truly the best pitcher vs. best pitcher in baseball. Clemens vs. Martinez and whatnot.

 

The necessity for 5 pitchers is sprung out of the fact that the season is so long that they get tired and need backup. If the NFL had anything close to as many games, well I couldn't even imagine how deep the charts would need to be, since different players play offense and defense unlike baseball.

[Dogbert 0]

Montreal Canadiens:

 

Going on the late-season rally to end all late-season rallies in 1999-2000, coming within a point of the playoffs, only needing one point to clinch... and being beaten in Game 82 by the Sens on a breakaway goal where the scorer was about 6 strides offside.

[KingPK 0]

I don't want to speak for all Colts fans, but I would think that getting stuffed at the 1 four times at home against New England hurt a good deal, especially since the AFC title game would have been in Indy if they won, and that could have changed things a bit.

[Guest Vitamin X]

I think the Panthers could have beaten the Colts, though.

 

*shudder*

[Guest jpclemmons]

98' World Cup: David Beckham getting a red card that changed the face of the match when England had the lead, but eventually they lost in penalties against Argentina.

 

02' World Cup: David Seaman going off his line, allowing a Ronaldinho free kick into the goal in another heartbreaking loss where England had the lead.

 

Lucio scoring late against Man Utd to put Leverkusen in the champs league final.

 

Kobe Bryant's late airball in game 5 of the '97 playoffs.

 

Robert Horry's miss at the buzzer in the West semi-finals last year.

[Guest Redhawk]

Every game is important, and every game does count. Some people will go and say "Oh, it's just April" - because it is such a huge season.

Baseball players and managers don't even think every game is important. If they did, players wouldn't get "days off." Aside from Cal Ripken, every baseball superstar will just not play in some games -- obviously because the manager feels that that particular game isn't very important. If it were important, you'd want you star player out there, right? But baseball stars will sit out regular season games even when they're not injured. Does that happen in football? VERY rarely. The only time non-injured football stars sit out is maybe in the last game of the season, if the team already has a playoff spot locked up. But if Sammy Sosa just randomly sits out a game here and there, obviously Dusty Baker didn't think that game was so important, so why should I?

[CanadianChris 0]

98' World Cup: David Beckham getting a red card that changed the face of the match when England had the lead, but eventually they lost in penalties against Argentina.

 

02' World Cup: David Seaman going off his line, allowing a Ronaldinho free kick into the goal in another heartbreaking loss where England had the lead.

You'd put those over the Hand Of God?

 

Just wondering.

[Guest Crazy Dan]

Or how about Mardona faking a foul which ended up screwing the host Italy's team out of the World Cup Finals. Nothing says hearbreak like having the chance to go bonkers because your team might win the Cup on your home country, only to get it taken away by Mardona (who had a habit of doing that to teams). I am not clear on those details, but as I have noticed, Soccer players are notorious for over exagerating fouls. You know, a player gets bumped, he collapses to the ground, and acts like he has been shot in the gut and every other painful part of the body. The ref blows a foul, gives a yellow card, or worse a red. And five seconds later, that player makes a miraculous recovery. Well I think Mardona pulled one of those BS things, Italy got penalized, and it led to an Argentina goal, and ultimately the victory. And so the people of Italy I am pretty sure made Mardona their most hated man ever, right up their with Mussalini. Frotunately West Germany was able to beat Argentina that year, but I know that when the host country's team can play for the cup, it makes it that much more special, and makes the game that much more intense.

 

And so Mardona got away with the Hand of God to screw England (who I am sure were heartbroken over that lost) and he pulled a manuever that screwed over Italy on their home turf. Of course Kharma has a nasty way of pay back as Mardona as it turn out had a big cocaine problem and a big overeating problem, and now is in the hospital have to use a machine to help him stay alive. But it still doesn't change the fact that Mardona is responsible for two of the most heartbreaking World Cup losses.

 

The third might be Brazil, whose country loves soccer to no end, losing to the host French. When before that Cup began, most were wondering when the Tour de Lance, er, France began. France's national sport is cycling, and most could give a crap about soccer, well until France upset Brazil (the one time Sports Illustrated actually predicted the correct winner), and then it was party time. But I am sure Brazil was heartbroken to play so good up until the game that matter the most.

 

And of course who could forget Mexico's heartbreak of losing the the US in the last World Cup. Mainly since many in the US could care less about soccer, and I am pretty sure Mexicans love soccer, and take great happiness everytime they beat the US. But not this time.

[Adam 0]

Well I'm a supporter of Geelong in the Austrlain Football League, perhaps the most frustrating team in the whole damn league. kGrand Final Losses in 1989, 1992, 1994 and 1995 were enough to break my heart a few times over (I was only a little kid). Its the equivilent of a team making the Superbowl 4 times and losing each time, even though they were favourites at least twice.

 

Locally, North Hobart made their first Grand Final since I had been following them two years ago, came out, got a couple of goals down and played catch up all day. It was the most dissapointing thing I have ever seen, because they had chance to hit the lead so many times in the second half. But they made up for it when they blew everyone away with a 110-point victory in the Grand Final last year.