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The ONE sporting event/moment you'll never forgive (1 Viewer)

Santonio Holmes.

I was at that Super Bowl with some buddies and thought this was finally the year for the Cardinals.

It’s been a long 58 years for this Lions and Cardinals fan…
 
Speaking of college football and Notre Dame, the 1990 Colorado "national title" is one of the bigger farces. Rocket Ismail's game-winning punt return called back on a pretty questionable clipping call in the Orange Bowl.

A young Major was actually at that game rooting on ND. We all thought they won and were going crazy. Such a great moment instantly dashed by a phantom call.
I was in junior high watching it at home with my dad, who was normally a stickler for us obeying a strict bedtime. Several times in the second half he said something to the effect of "you should go to bed", but never pushed it. Probably midway to the fourth quarter I could sense he had quietly acquiesced to me watching the duration. It also took us a few moments to realize it was getting called back.

I did get to see Ismail in person at the Meadowlands against Navy. So much fun to watch. A shame he didn't make it in the NFL.
 
I went to an umping clinic a few years ago. I was amazed at how hard it was drilled into you that you are in control and don't let anybody intimidate you or show you up. Take control early and put everyone in their place. Don't ever let a coach (this was mainly for LL/HS umpires) even mention the rule book when discussing a call. That was reason for automatic ejection. I was flabbergasted. I thought the point was to get the call correct. If a coach could show me a rule that I got wrong quickly I am all for that. I might learn something that I missed. But the tone was to never let any of that happen. After going through that I understood why the umps in our area were so confrontational. It was sad.

Exactly this. I can't believe that "knowing the rules better than the ump" is grounds for ejection. That's absolutely ridiculous. It shows exactly why the ego is the problem. The ego becomes more important than the game.

All the major leagues have gone along with this, too. I hate that I know the names of umpires in baseball and referees in football and basketball... they should be invisible. Their impact should be minimal, just keep the game going fairly. They should be interchangeable, I shouldn't be finding out "oh no, it's an Angel Hernandez game" and know it's going to be a farce before the first pitch is thrown.

My sincere hope is that the leagues quickly implement automatic calls by computers. Balls and strikes, tackles, etc. Get it all judged fairly and impartially and quickly and accurately. Get it right, quickly, and move on. In my dream world, baseball umpires and football referees become like the guys in Australian Rules Football, just there in t-shirts and ballcaps making quick calls and moving the game along, not inserting their own egos into every game.



Of course, moreover, it's this "I have the biggest ego here and I can't back down from a decision nor appear to be wrong" is seen in many, many more venues that pro sports leagues. I see it all the time in many places, and it always sucks and always makes it far worse, not better, of an experience for everyone else.
 
Super Bowl III, I threw a small TV out my upstairs bedroom window. I was 9. I got my arse handed to me by my mother.
That was the first time I ever cried at the end of a sporting event. I was 6. My father went to his grave swearing that game was fixed.
 
Exactly this. I can't believe that "knowing the rules better than the ump" is grounds for ejection. That's absolutely ridiculous. It shows exactly why the ego is the problem. The ego becomes more important than the game.
The only part I agreed with regarding the rule book discussion is that it has the potential to delay the game too much if the coach doesn't have the reference immediately ready. If the coach is going through the book to find something there is no place for that. You either have it exactly ready or you wait until between innings to look it up and then show me between innings and we can discuss and make sure it is right for the next time. Sucks for the short term if the call was wrong but it goes that way sometimes.

I have no issue with being shown I am wrong. I want to learn too and that is way to do it. I umped for a couple seasons and I never had any issue with the fans or coaches. It was for LL majors division and I would be upfront with both coaches going into the game. I told them my strikezone was going to be big. Nothing drags a youth baseball game down faster than a walk fest. Their batters better be ready to swing because if it was close its a strike. They all appreciated it and I never got any guff on balls/strikes. I was always smiling and never confrontational. If you don't start with a negative atmosphere it tends to stay positive for everyone. It's when the attitude starts even before the game that gets everyone riled up and makes for a bad game.
 
The U.S, men's hoops team getting absolutely robbed in the Munich Olympics was tough to take.
I thought about this a bit, but I was just a bit too young (8) to grasp what was happening and there was no one angry around me to help.
I was 10. So, pretty dumb - but even I knew at the time that it was garbage. The USSR team was really good, but the USA beat them like 7 different times in that game and there were multiple resets that made no sense.
 
I was in Vegas in 1999 during the 1st weekend of the NCAAA basketball tournament and the Evander Holyfield/Lennox Lewis heavyweight fight was going on. Awesome. Buddy and me both put $50 on Holyfield to win by decision. We watched the fight at one of the casinos, it went the distance and it clear that Lewis won. Buddy and me leave the watch room to get in the line for the taxi line early. 5 minutes later, all hell broke loose. Found out that the bout ended in a draw. You have the bet the draw to collect. All Lewis bettors by decision lost, and I think Lewis by decision was 4-1. Vegas made a killing on that fight. I thought there could really have been a riot in Vegas.

No way that fight was a draw. Lewis won. Never will bet on boxing ever again, so fixed. Doesn't bother me to the extent since I bet on Holyfield and it was obvious he had lost. But I felt really bad for the Lewis by decision bettors.
 
No one said it had to be a professional sporting event. I have two stories with similar outcomes,and both involved the same group of kids. One of our sons played football, and the team was tied in the last few minutes in the state championship game. All they needed to do was burn clock and get some points to win. They moved the ball with relative ease down the field and got inside the 10 yard line, mostly running the football. With about 20 seconds left, we called a swing pass to the RB out of the backfield, but the defensive end got his paws up and deflected the pass. That changed the trajectory of the ball, which landed behind the RB. The problem was, the refs missed the deflection and didn't blow the whistle. The ball just lay on the field, and a defender picked it up and jogged 90 yards for the winning TD. The refs ruled it as a lateral and therefore a fumble, even though it was clearly a forward pass . . . except none of the refs saw that part.

The same team made it to the HS state championship again two years later. In a similar situation, they had the ball 4th and goal with seconds left at the 8 yard line. The QB rolled out and hit a WR along the sideline in the end zone for what should have been the game winning TD. The receiver caught the ball, took one step, then another step, and then ran out of bounds. All he need was one foot in for the reception. The team went crazy, the announcer called it a TD as time expired, and all the kids were elated. Not so fast. A ref ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FIELD huddled the officiating crew and said he saw the receiver bobble the ball, and he claimed the WR never had full possession before he got a foot down in bounds. He was the senior official, the other refs deferred to him, and the play was called incomplete. The play happened right in front of the stands, and people had clear video of it. There was no bobble, and the kid was in bounds with plenty to scare. The sideline ref and the back judge were both right there on the play. But the guy 50 yards away with an obstructed view saw a bobble. Game over, you lose . . . again.
 
No one said it had to be a professional sporting event. I have two stories with similar outcomes,and both involved the same group of kids. One of our sons played football, and the team was tied in the last few minutes in the state championship game. All they needed to do was burn clock and get some points to win. They moved the ball with relative ease down the field and got inside the 10 yard line, mostly running the football. With about 20 seconds left, we called a swing pass to the RB out of the backfield, but the defensive end got his paws up and deflected the pass. That changed the trajectory of the ball, which landed behind the RB. The problem was, the refs missed the deflection and didn't blow the whistle. The ball just lay on the field, and a defender picked it up and jogged 90 yards for the winning TD. The refs ruled it as a lateral and therefore a fumble, even though it was clearly a forward pass . . . except none of the refs saw that part.

The same team made it to the HS state championship again two years later. In a similar situation, they had the ball 4th and goal with seconds left at the 8 yard line. The QB rolled out and hit a WR along the sideline in the end zone for what should have been the game winning TD. The receiver caught the ball, took one step, then another step, and then ran out of bounds. All he need was one foot in for the reception. The team went crazy, the announcer called it a TD as time expired, and all the kids were elated. Not so fast. A ref ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FIELD huddled the officiating crew and said he saw the receiver bobble the ball, and he claimed the WR never had full possession before he got a foot down in bounds. He was the senior official, the other refs deferred to him, and the play was called incomplete. The play happened right in front of the stands, and people had clear video of it. There was no bobble, and the kid was in bounds with plenty to scare. The sideline ref and the back judge were both right there on the play. But the guy 50 yards away with an obstructed view saw a bobble. Game over, you lose . . . again.
People often ask about my distain for refs. Being these kids and having these calls made so poorly and obviously incorrectly is amazing. Esp when the call is made by someone no where near the play or in a bad position and is guessing.

7 year old B Mav playing in the Final of the County Cup youth soccer tourney. Teammate hits him in the chest with the ball while trying to clear it defensively, ref who's behind him, calls handball and awards a PK. Lose the game, don't get a trophy or birth to state cup. Scarred for life.

All the major leagues have gone along with this, too. I hate that I know the names of umpires in baseball and referees in football and basketball... they should be invisible. Their impact should be minimal, just keep the game going fairly. They should be interchangeable, I shouldn't be finding out "oh no, it's an Angel Hernandez game" and know it's going to be a farce before the first pitch is thrown.
So much this!!! People in the soccer threads know to me Angel Hernandez = Michael Oliver, with Anthony Taylor making a case as well. Its crazy how relieved I am when I do not know the ref by name.
 
Christain Laettner’s shot to beat Kentucky in the Elite 8. I still hate that SOB.

The 1992 NCAA tournament was highlighted by a game between #1 seed Duke and #2 seed Kentucky in the east regional final to determine a spot in the Final Four. With 2.1 seconds remaining in overtime, defending national champion Duke trailed 103–102. Grant Hill threw a pass three-quarters of the length of the court to Christian Laettner, who faked right, dribbled once, turned, and hit a jumper as time expired for the 104–103 win. In 2004 Sports Illustrated deemed it the greatest college basketball game of all time,[1] and ESPN included it as number 17 on its list of top 100 sports moments of the past 25 years (see ESPN25). It is ranked number one on the list of the greatest NCAA tournament games of all time compiled by USA Today in 2002.[2]
 
I went to an umping clinic a few years ago. I was amazed at how hard it was drilled into you that you are in control and don't let anybody intimidate you or show you up. Take control early and put everyone in their place. Don't ever let a coach (this was mainly for LL/HS umpires) even mention the rule book when discussing a call. That was reason for automatic ejection. I was flabbergasted. I thought the point was to get the call correct. If a coach could show me a rule that I got wrong quickly I am all for that. I might learn something that I missed. But the tone was to never let any of that happen. After going through that I understood why the umps in our area were so confrontational. It was sad.

Exactly this. I can't believe that "knowing the rules better than the ump" is grounds for ejection. That's absolutely ridiculous. It shows exactly why the ego is the problem. The ego becomes more important than the game.

All the major leagues have gone along with this, too. I hate that I know the names of umpires in baseball and referees in football and basketball... they should be invisible. Their impact should be minimal, just keep the game going fairly. They should be interchangeable, I shouldn't be finding out "oh no, it's an Angel Hernandez game" and know it's going to be a farce before the first pitch is thrown.

My sincere hope is that the leagues quickly implement automatic calls by computers. Balls and strikes, tackles, etc. Get it all judged fairly and impartially and quickly and accurately. Get it right, quickly, and move on. In my dream world, baseball umpires and football referees become like the guys in Australian Rules Football, just there in t-shirts and ballcaps making quick calls and moving the game along, not inserting their own egos into every game.



Of course, moreover, it's this "I have the biggest ego here and I can't back down from a decision nor appear to be wrong" is seen in many, many more venues that pro sports leagues. I see it all the time in many places, and it always sucks and always makes it far worse, not better, of an experience for everyone else.


I think about this more and more every day. It's just so common to see... someone in authority makes a decision, those affected by the decision generally think it's a bad one, but, the person who made it decides to dig in their heels because being in control is more important than being right. And, once again, it always sucks and always makes it far worse, not better, of an experience for everyone else.
 
The U.S, men's hoops team getting absolutely robbed in the Munich Olympics was tough to take.

Just ran across this thread, and this was my first thought. Surprised it took until page 4 for anyone to mention it.

As a Chargers fan, the move to LA comes to mined, but it isn't necessarily a "sporting event." Obviously, the Chargers still have the McCree fumble, as has been mentioned multiple times.
 
Jan 10, 1982
NFC Championship Game
Candlestick Park - San Francisco, CA

Still the most painful sports moment of my life. Most commonly known as “The Catch”. I was a 12 year old boy and already a die hard and faithful Cowboys fan. Joe Montana to Dwight Clark will forever cause me mental anguish and a moment that will forever haunt me.
 
As a NC State fan:
  • Cannot forgive NC State leadership at the time for forcing Jim Valvano out over trivial issues
  • Cannot forgive Tom O'Brien for choosing 2 seasons of Mike Glennon over Russell Wilson's senior season
  • Cannot forgive NCAA/CWS for forcing State to forfeit its final CWS game due to COVID protocol
 
I was at the first chiefs vs. 49ers superbowl.. the tyreek hill catch didn't win the game.. or even complete the comeback.. but something about that catch told me we were good. But ultimately Damien Williams TD to clinch was incredible.

IN baseball it was Eric Hosmer's slide in game 5 of the 2015 series in game 5.. i knew we had it then.
 
Fantom foul call on Rumeal Robinson putting him on the line for the game winning free throws in OT allowing the Michigan Wolverines to end the Seton Hall Pirates surprising run to the National Championship game. What a BS call.
 
But ultimately Damien Williams TD to clinch was incredible.
When we were watching the game, at that stage of the game I think the niners still had time outs and the Chiefs were up 24-10. So theoretically if the Chiefs end of kicking a field goal there, they are up 7 but San Fran has time to come down and possibly tie the game.

And as we know as Chiefs fans, that nut kick is always around the corner and expected.

When Williams broke free I looked at my kids and said "we just won the super bowl" literally with tears in my eyes. And we all jumped up and just started yelling and screaming.

Hell, I'm tearing up right now typing this as I remember that night.

:lol:
 
I was at the first chiefs vs. 49ers superbowl.. the tyreek hill catch didn't win the game.. or even complete the comeback.. but something about that catch told me we were good. But ultimately Damien Williams TD to clinch was incredible.

IN baseball it was Eric Hosmer's slide in game 5 of the 2015 series in game 5.. i knew we had it then.
You are in the wrong thread happy man
 
2004 ALCS Game 7.

I knew this lawyer whose firm had season tickets on the 1st base side. He was a Mets fan, he didn't really care, but was going to games. I saw him after game 3, and he asked if I thought it was going to be a sweep. I told him Sox would win the next three. My reasoning was that the most heart-breaking outcome was the most likely for a Sox fan. He said if the Sox won the next three, he would give me his ticket to game 7.

He met up with me after game 6, (I had to kind of play it off that I was really that confident the Sox were gonna actually win three straight), and gave me his ticket. Few buddies (Sox and Yankee fans) took the Yankee Clipper up to the game, which was a ferry with a bar on it, that would pick people up at different spots in Manhattan, and do round trip to the old Yankee Stadium.

My friends were elsewhere in the stadium, and by the 4th inning, I was the only person sitting in my row, as Yanks fans were clearing out. By the 7th inning, there were absolutely more Sox fans there than Yankee fans. I ended up sitting with the nearest Sox fans I could find.

The game ends, and I was making my way over to 3rd base where my friends were, and we saw the Sox players coming back out of the dugout, and we ran down there (security had mailed it in), and Bill Mueller and Derek Lowe sprayed champagne on us. We were crying.

We had to run back to the ferry, I mean sprint, because it leaves 30 min after the last out, give or take. Then we had to silently ride the ferry back down to 34th St, smelling of cheap champagne, on this morgue ferry, so we didn't get tossed overboard by Yankee fans.

We get down to 34th St, Yanks fans ditch us, and we head to this Boston sports bar on the Upper West Side. Some TV station from Boston, was doing a remote from the bar, and I got a bunch of voicemails, OMG, I CAN SEE YOU ON TV!!!! YOU'RE IN THE BACKGROUND!!!!

I barely remember that World Series. It was a formality. Foulke got the last out, and my grandpa was crying on the phone. That's all I remember
 
Len Bias. Had no connection to him, his team, but still gutted about how he went.
I saw him play his last game at March Madness at Long Beach Arena. I was amazed how he was double teamed all game and still got shots of easily. SO sad.
Don't know why I missed these posts before, though I know I've shared my 'connection' to Len Bias in other threads.

Len Bias was 2 grades ahead of me and went to a 'rival' HS. My best friend at the time had grown up near him and knew of him. Our schools faced each other in the season opener of my sophomore year (I was in the last 9th grade class to go through junior high, so my first year of HS was my sophomore year. anyway...) and my friend insisted we go because he knew Lenny was a phenom. I can't say I remember too much from that game, but our schools faced off in the state championship game, where our best player (Vernon Butler, Navy, senior year overlapped with David Robinson's freshman year) got off a half-court buzzer beater 'over' Lenny for the win.

Because I grew up within walking distance of Cole Field House, I followed Maryland basketball my whole life, and the Bias years were the most special to me because I was so close in age. My dad broke the news of Lenny's death to me, and I was so numb I couldn't even cry. It was definitely the first time I ever felt like my heart had been ripped from my chest. Needless to say, it was worse than watching the USSR get three chances to beat the USA in the '72 Olympics as well as Buck Williams getting undercut vs. Duke.

Not trying to put it on the same level as Lenny's death, but the other tragedy of that event was his teammate Keith Gatlin walking away from the game for almost 3 years, which certainly (and I base this, among other things, on how foolish he made future NBA 'star' Kenny Smith look on this play en route to handing the Tar Heels their first-ever loss at the Dean Dome. Keith had a year of eligibility left and based on his size (6'5"), his quickness, court vision and amazing ball handling, I will never not believe he would have been a lottery pick had he played the next year.
 
Len Bias. Had no connection to him, his team, but still gutted about how he went.
I saw him play his last game at March Madness at Long Beach Arena. I was amazed how he was double teamed all game and still got shots of easily. SO sad.
Don't know why I missed these posts before, though I know I've shared my 'connection' to Len Bias in other threads.

Len Bias was 2 grades ahead of me and went to a 'rival' HS. My best friend at the time had grown up near him and knew of him. Our schools faced each other in the season opener of my sophomore year (I was in the last 9th grade class to go through junior high, so my first year of HS was my sophomore year. anyway...) and my friend insisted we go because he knew Lenny was a phenom. I can't say I remember too much from that game, but our schools faced off in the state championship game, where our best player (Vernon Butler, Navy, senior year overlapped with David Robinson's freshman year) got off a half-court buzzer beater 'over' Lenny for the win.

Because I grew up within walking distance of Cole Field House, I followed Maryland basketball my whole life, and the Bias years were the most special to me because I was so close in age. My dad broke the news of Lenny's death to me, and I was so numb I couldn't even cry. It was definitely the first time I ever felt like my heart had been ripped from my chest. Needless to say, it was worse than watching the USSR get three chances to beat the USA in the '72 Olympics as well as Buck Williams getting undercut vs. Duke.

Not trying to put it on the same level as Lenny's death, but the other tragedy of that event was his teammate Keith Gatlin walking away from the game for almost 3 years, which certainly (and I base this, among other things, on how foolish he made future NBA 'star' Kenny Smith look on this play en route to handing the Tar Heels their first-ever loss at the Dean Dome. Keith had a year of eligibility left and based on his size (6'5"), his quickness, court vision and amazing ball handling, I will never not believe he would have been a lottery pick had he played the next year.

Thank you for sharing. That was a cool story.
 
Roy Jones Jr. 1988 Olympics

Most obvious, blatant inside job ever.

BTW, I saw an article on this and the South Korean opponent (who, by all accounts, was not part of this corruption) retired after the Olympics due to the shame of this. They effed him over, too.
 
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