Steve J. Rogers 0 Report post Posted February 21, 2005 Just did a column for InsidePulse.com where I listed my top 5 disgraces in sports history, check out the link in my sig for further commentary but basically in no particular order I went with: The cancellation of the entire 2004-2005 NHL season The 1919 Black Sox The MLB Color Line Murder of 11 Israeli athletes, Munich 1972 Baseball not playing the World Series in 1994 Great topic to think about Steve Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
starvenger 0 Report post Posted February 21, 2005 I'm thinking that Ben Johnson might be bigger than the NHL, but that's because of the high profile of the Olympics, and the fact that there are still some ramifications from it today. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fökai 0 Report post Posted February 21, 2005 Too lazy to post my reasons (maybe I'll edit them in), but here are the choices nonetheless. Although I understood the title of the topic, I felt that I had to inject my opinion into the deliberation process, especially since I was too young to understand the magnitude of these events. 5th: Kerrigan/Harding. 4th: Major League Baseball cancels the remainder of the 1994 season. 3rd: Danny Almonte's real age revealed. 2nd: Munich Olympics, 1972 (very chilling to go back and relive the tragedy through a sports DVD I own; the feature covered the tragedy quite extensively, complete with archived footage they got from ABC during the standoff). 1st: Pacers/Pistons, 2004 (The first time I have ever been ashamed to call myself a fan of a hobby that I so thoroughly enjoy. This fight has been argued ad nauseum in this forum, so I'll leave it to the posts I made at that time.) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TheDevilAndGodAreRagingInsideMe 0 Report post Posted February 21, 2005 Pete Rose > NHL Cancelled Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vern Gagne 0 Report post Posted February 21, 2005 No order 1972 Olympics 1919 Black Sox MLB Color Barrier 1994 Word Series cancelled The Demise of the SWC. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest sek69 Report post Posted February 21, 2005 I think if even half of the allegations end up true, the steroid mess in baseball would have to be in the top #5. You have all these hallowed records being smashed by guys more juiced up than the Ultimate Warrior. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vern Gagne 0 Report post Posted February 21, 2005 The rampant cocaine use in the NBA during the 70's. Without Magic and Bird, who knows what would of happened to the NBA. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
brighty 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2005 1972 Israeli Olympic athletes massacred Ben Johnson being kicked out of the Olympics for using drugs Diego Maradona being kicked out of the World Cup for using drugs Ayrton Senna's admission of deliberately driving Alain Prost off the road to win the F1 World Championship in 1990 Arsenal players attacking Sir Alex Ferguson in the tunnel after Manchester United ended their 49 match unbeaten run. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
iggymcfly 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2005 1. Definitely has to be the Black Sox. They didn't just cancel a season. They fixed the World Series like it was wrestling. 2. Steroids in baseball. They're using illegal drugs to rewrite the record books. It's not just Jose Canseco and Jason Giambi. It's not even just Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds. I think Ken Griffey Jr. might be the only player in the league who's hit over 50 HRs in th last few years without steroids. 3. Munich Olympics. Much more culturally significant than something like a fight in a basketball game. However, at least it was an outside influence instead of a conspiracy within the sport. 4. 1994 strike cancelling the World Series. The players intentionally waited until they'd played over 100 games to strike so that they could hold the owner's hostage, and cancelled the World Series due to completely unnecessary labor demands. 5. College football players dying until Teddy Roosevelt made them clean up the game. It's a long time ago, but it's still hard to imagine a major sport where double digits of people died each year. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2005 4. 1994 strike cancelling the World Series. The players intentionally waited until they'd played over 100 games to strike so that they could hold the owner's hostage, and cancelled the World Series due to completely unnecessary labor demands. Unnecessary? The owners were demanding a hard salary cap in the face of the best year of attendance in MLB history. The next year, a federal court found the owners had not bargained in good faith, and imposed the old system until an agreement was hammered out. Not surprisingly, the players had no problem going back to work. Anyway, here's my top five... 1. The Black Sox Scandal, 1919. 2. Munich Olympics, 1972. 3. MLB color barrier, 1879-1947 4. MLB cancels postseason, 1994 5. MLB Collusion, 1985-87. The Phillies sent Steve Jeltz out to shortstop for four years because of a stupid attempt to break the players' union. That they made no effort to improve themselves is inexcusable. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
razazteca 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2005 NBA In the 70s when Kermit beat up Rudy Tomjanavich. Latrell Sprewell choking his coach PJ Carlismo. Pistons vs Pacers brawl. 0.02 seconds Lakers CHEAT-2-WIN playoff game. The 1999 short season. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2005 As for those listing Pacers/Pistons (not you Raz, I know you just did NBA), does anyone still remember the Riddick Bowe/Andrew Golota brawl? That was much, much worse. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
razazteca 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2005 Fan-man fight or was that a Tyson event? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2005 Fan-man was Holyfield/Bowe II. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianChris 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2005 1. Uday Hussein's Iraqi Olympic regime 2. Munich Olympics 3. Black Sox 4. Si Hun Park d. Roy Jones, Jr. at Seoul Olympics 5. Holyfield/Tyson II (the ear fight) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Damaramu 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2005 Aside from Fan-Man and the ear incident are there any boxing disgraces? I'll take you way back. How about Firpo knocking Dempsey out of the ring only to have the sports writers push Dempsey back in and the ref totally ignore it? I mean come on.....the media just saved the guys title. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanadianChris 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2005 The long count in the Tunney/Dempsey fight comes to mind, as does pretty much anything Don King's ever done. Also, the Jones debacle in 1988 that I already mentioned...Jones absolutely destroyed his opponent, only to get shafted by the hometown judges. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2005 I'll take you way back. How about Firpo knocking Dempsey out of the ring only to have the sports writers push Dempsey back in and the ref totally ignore it? I mean come on.....the media just saved the guys title. Dempsey still got to his feet in time. It was hardly a disgraceful moment, particularly since Firpo didn't seem to think it was an outrage. The long count in the Tunney/Dempsey fight comes to mind Controversial maybe, but certainly not disgraceful. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dogbert 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2005 Why not the NHL of 2004-05? Certainly the first cancellation of a season due to a labour dispute is very disgraceful. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2005 Why not the NHL of 2004-05? Certainly the first cancellation of a season due to a labour dispute is very disgraceful. It could rank, but we need to see what comes out of it before placing the work stoppage in historical context. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Damaramu 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2005 I'll take you way back. How about Firpo knocking Dempsey out of the ring only to have the sports writers push Dempsey back in and the ref totally ignore it? I mean come on.....the media just saved the guys title. Dempsey still got to his feet in time. It was hardly a disgraceful moment, particularly since Firpo didn't seem to think it was an outrage. The long count in the Tunney/Dempsey fight comes to mind Controversial maybe, but certainly not disgraceful. Well Firpo and Dempsey were of the same mold. Neither man complained. Dempsey could've bitched forever after the fight second fight with Tunney but he just congratulated him. If an injustice was done to either then they wouldn't complain. Though I do seem to remember Firpo saying something about it back in Argentina. He was also complaining that Dempsey was landing blows below his waist. Even if he would've made it to his feet he was assisted. And according to the rules he should've been DQ'd if he was helped to his feet. Plus he doesn't even remember going through the ropes or any of the rest of the fight. Before the next round began he asked Kearns "What round was I knocked out in?" So I'm not so sure he would've been able to make it up and get in the ring. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Ghost of bps21 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2005 I remember that Bowe/Golota brawl. It was wild to watch live. Then the one corerman had to be stretchered out through the chaos. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cabbageboy 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2005 I don't exactly see the 72 Munich murders as a disgrace per se. A serious tragedy and terrorist act yes, but not sports disgrace. #1 has to be 1919 Black Sox. Biggest disgrace ever, they fixed the World Series for crying out loud. The rest I dunno exactly but the recent steroid stuff and the 94 strike would also make the list. I guess hockey too if anyone really cared, heh. I actually wouldn't include the MLB color barrier since that was just the way the country was back then, and it was eventually rectified. Anyone know how many black players pro football and basketball had back then? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Damaramu 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2005 Who were the two sportswriters or ex-ballplayers can't remember which one that knew there was a fix going on at the time of the game? I seem to remember everyone was going on about what was wrong with the Sox and these two were up in the press box just circled some names on a score card looked at one another and nodded. I thought that was some pretty cool intuition. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Red Baron 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2005 Holyfield vs Lewis I: The Draw. Ben Johnson steroid bust. 1972 Munich 2002 Salt Lake Games (and how they got it). David Peltier and Jamie Sale get snubbed at 2002 Olympics. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Vitamin X Report post Posted February 22, 2005 0.02 seconds Lakers CHEAT-2-WIN playoff game. Oh what the fuck EVER. And it was 0.04 second(s?), by the way. FISH SWISH~ That ball is long gone, my friend. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Agent of Oblivion Report post Posted February 22, 2005 Jones getting ripped off at the 88 olympics was a real bad one. Years after the fact, the judges were interviewed about it. One of them said he actually felt the opposite about the fight. He thought that Jones had won so convincingly that the other judges would have certainly ruled the fight in his favor, yet he deliberately voted against the man he thought won as not to embarass the home nation. What a bunch of horseshit. The Golota/Bowe brawl was a masterpiece, because everyone was in on it. Fighters, corners, the crowd, security, the production crew, George Foreman defending Jim Lampley and Larry Merchant in the announcer's booth, Jim Gray getting shoved around and mistreated in the tunnel, looking really nervous as these gigantic guys in the entourages are looking for asses to kick...that was a party, not a debacle. One of Bowe's guys tagged Golota, and the the Foul Pole got this look in his eye like he was ready to murder, while his seconds dragged him out of the riot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vern Gagne 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2005 Who were the two sportswriters or ex-ballplayers can't remember which one that knew there was a fix going on at the time of the game? I seem to remember everyone was going on about what was wrong with the Sox and these two were up in the press box just circled some names on a score card looked at one another and nodded. I thought that was some pretty cool intuition. They where suspicious because the line changed so dramatically before the Series started. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EVIL~! alkeiper 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2005 Well Firpo and Dempsey were of the same mold. Neither man complained. Dempsey could've bitched forever after the fight second fight with Tunney but he just congratulated him. If an injustice was done to either then they wouldn't complain. Though I do seem to remember Firpo saying something about it back in Argentina. He was also complaining that Dempsey was landing blows below his waist. Even if he would've made it to his feet he was assisted. And according to the rules he should've been DQ'd if he was helped to his feet. Plus he doesn't even remember going through the ropes or any of the rest of the fight. Before the next round began he asked Kearns "What round was I knocked out in?" So I'm not so sure he would've been able to make it up and get in the ring. I have never seen the full fight film. It does seem to me that although Dempsey was pushed back into the ring, he did reach his feet on his own. And besides, that fight was a wild fight to begin with. Rules were looser back then, and it was that fight that prompted boxing officials to insititute the neutral corner rule that played such a critical role in the Dempsey-Tunney fight. I actually wouldn't include the MLB color barrier since that was just the way the country was back then, and it was eventually rectified. Anyone know how many black players pro football and basketball had back then? The way the country was back then was a disgrace in its own right, so I'd certainly include it. Who were the two sportswriters or ex-ballplayers can't remember which one that knew there was a fix going on at the time of the game? I seem to remember everyone was going on about what was wrong with the Sox and these two were up in the press box just circled some names on a score card looked at one another and nodded. I thought that was some pretty cool intuition. Hugh Fullerton and Christy Mathewson. Fullerton was suspicious of the line changing dramatically before the Series, and asked Mathewson to watch and see if there was any suspicious play during the Series. Mathewson found dozens of examples. And just to add another one although its not top five: Jeffrey Maier. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ripper 0 Report post Posted February 22, 2005 0.02 seconds Lakers CHEAT-2-WIN playoff game. Oh what the fuck EVER. And it was 0.04 second(s?), by the way. FISH SWISH~ That ball is long gone, my friend. I won't call this a disgrace because it was one of the great finishes in basketball history. But still...the clock started late. It was impossible. The biggest disgrace would be the Lakers/Kings game 6 with the most blatant one sideded officiating I have ever seen in my life, and I have watched alot of basketball. That really did disgust me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
