Biggest Sports Disappointment?

[Spider1964]

other dissapointments:
various dutch fails in cycling.
WC 98' semis NED vs BRA
Eagles V sydney afl grand final
fail to qualify in 2002 wc. we were up against portigal 2-0 in the 86th minute... they drew with us and as a result ireland took our spot. so very devestating.

I know there are more which I just cannot think of...

As a Carlton supporter getting dragged along to the Lake Oval to watch South Melbourne through the 70's... the only highlight was the trip home. But my old man and two brothers were happy to watch their team play. The old fella passed away 6 months prior to the Swans winning an AFL flag for the first time in eons... Many tears shed in the stands that day.

 

[Swabian Lass]

Ullrich losing the 2003 Tour, he was close to that 2nd Tour victory, but the rainy, slippery roads did him in as he usually doesn't perform as well in bad weather.

Yes, he was going so well and then the rain (and let's face it, not checking the course out beforehand) did for him.

That coupled with Op Puerto and the Ullrich/Basso clash that never took place. Two of my favourite riders.

Ulle remains my favourite rider actually. I know that he's not exactly whiter than white, but I don't care. There was always something very human about him, especially when set against the machine that was LA.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

The sale of the Minnesota North Stars to Dallas in 93'. I've tried to be a Wild fan, but I can't, I just can't do it anymore.

And being in Denver now doesn't exactly help my hockey mind either, the Avalanche are terrible.

 

[Cobblestoned]

The freshest one is, having 3 very good shots for yellow jersey (Klöden, Martin, Gerdemann) before the teamtimetrial - and all missing out.

 

[liftman]

Have you forgotten the 1954 American League Pennant for the Tribe?
Who could forget the great starting rotation of Early Wynn, Bob Feller, Bob Lemon and Mike Garcia? Luke Easter, Al Rosen, Bobby Avila, Jim Higgins, et.al.?
Have you forgotten the 1964 NFL championship for the Browns, led by the great Frank Ryan?

Even my dad was only alive for one of those!
Maybe one reason I like cycling is that I don't have much attachment to any one rider. I just like the spectacle.

 

[ramjambunath]

South Africa in 2003 Cricket World Cup, there was so much bravado surrounding the team and incessant comparisons were made to the '95 Rugby Union team. They were clearly the second best team around that time but could not get past the first round after a last match tie when they misread the scoreboard.

 

[Amsterhammer]

Losing the 06 FA Cup final to the Scousers after twice being ahead.

 

[Anonymous]

Losing the 06 FA Cup final to the Scousers after twice being ahead.

If you are talking just on field dissapointments this would be right up there for me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQmO3S2eLPE
losing the league 2 minutes into injury time, was completely heartbreaking

For those of you who dont follow soccer, Arsenal spent much of the season top of the league before liverpool made up the gap and went top. Going into the final game of the season, Liverpool at home to Arsenal and all they had to do was avoid losing by 2 goals and they would be champions. Arsenal went one up, and then deap into injury time, scored the second goal that made them champions at anfield.

Probably the most dramatic finish to a league championship ever.

 

[Anonymous]

If you are talking just on field dissapointments this would be right up there for me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQmO3S2eLPE
losing the league 2 minutes into injury time, was completely heartbreaking

For those of you who dont follow soccer, Arsenal spent much of the season top of the league before liverpool made up the gap and went top. Going into the final game of the season, Liverpool at home to Arsenal and all they had to do was avoid losing by 2 goals and they would be champions. Arsenal went one up, and then deap into injury time, scored the second goal that made them champions at anfield.

Probably the most dramatic finish to a league championship ever.

That day Macca can't

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

1. Bolt running a high cadence 9.58 in Berlin 2009.

The disapointment is that pipo buy this crap.

2. Italian pro soccer. It seems that all games are fixed since forever.

3. Greedy owners and players in the NFL/MLB/NBA.

 

[Maxiton]

I thought this was an interesting topic I've discussed with friends, so I thought I would share it here. What were some of the biggest sports disappointments to you? I guess the question could be three ways.

• First, as a fan, the time your team or favorite athlete lost that left you the most empty.

Cadel Evans, 2008 Tour de France. I was really four-square behind Evans that year. He looked to be the strongest and like a good bet for the win despite a weak team and even weaker team management. And, more to the point, it had seemed for a long time that his talent wasn't fully developed or supported, but that finally and despite everything, his time had come. Carlos Sastre proved to be a deserving winner, however, when as we know he turned in an exceptional TT performance and won the Tour by 58 seconds. Still, it wasn't the outcome I'd envisioned.

• Second, as a fan as well, the biggest let down, even if you weren't a fan of that particular team/athlete.

The fight where Mike Tyson bit Evander Holyfield's ears, thereby forfeiting the fight, his career, and the reputation he had as an athlete.

I was in someone's living room at the time with about twenty other guys, watching the fight live. Most of us had been rooting for Tyson but after the first bite, the room went silent. You could actually feel the air let out of the room as all support went Holyfield's way. Most of us thought the fight should have been stopped right then, but when it was allowed to continue and Tyson bit him again, it was really beyond belief. A sad day for boxing, for Tyson, for Holyfield, and for fans.

• Third, a personal story, from your own sports experience.

I'm dating myself here, but I remember when I was maybe five or six years old, in the 1960s, one of the three broadcast networks at the time used to run European movies for kids on TV every Saturday. (I think they were probably dubbed rather than subtitled, because I doubt my reading skills were that good at that age.) These were probably movies for kids in Europe, too. Many of them featured bicycle racing themes. The terrain of the cities and towns and the idea of racing these fantastic bicycles through them in a peloton was so far removed from my existence it might as well have been on another planet. I loved riding my own bike, but it was nothing like this.

So my personal disappointment is only in retrospect: that cycle sport didn't exist in the U.S. at that time, and was never an option.

 

[Ragerod]

• First, as a fan, the time your team or favorite athlete lost that left you the most empty.

After winning the League Cup (our first proper trophy) we got ourselves involved in the relegation battle and going into the penultimate game of the season we needed to show the fighting spirit that had contributed to our victory against Arsenal but there was nothing. I didn't expect a result and all I wanted was the players to show some resilience and desire, proving that they cared about staying up but none was forthcoming.

...and England versus Algeria in the World Cup, just a gutless performance.

• Second, as a fan as well, the biggest let down, even if you weren't a fan of that particular team/athlete.

2008/9 Champions League semi-final second leg resulting in a 1-1 draw between Barcelona and Chelsea. The worst officiating I have ever had the displeasure to witness at a sporting event, professional or amateur.

...and seeing the Giants beat the Patriots in that Super Bowl. I'm not a fan of either team but I was expecting Brady to emulate the perfect season, to end the career versus the rings debate but it wasn't to be.

• Third, a personal story, from your own sports experience.

Getting sent off in an U16s football match. I've been sent off since and its been justified but on that occasion it was incredibly harsh and I was gutted.

 

[boomcie]

1. Justine Henin losing Wimbledon 2006 against Amelie Mauresmo and thereby missing the opportunity to win every big tournament in tennis.

2. Frank Vandenbroucke not winning the WC in Verona in 1999, finishing seventh with a broken wrist.

 

[Kvinto]

The Final of 1999 Roland Garros. Andriy Medvedev vs. Andre Agassi. After first two sets Medvedev was destroying Agassi 6-1, 6-2 but then the f***** rain began and the players went for a break. Can't remember for how long it has lasted but when the the game was resumed the things turned upside down: 4-6, 3-6, 4-6 and Agassi completed his career Grand Slam

 

[leftover pie]

• First, as a fan, the time your team or favorite athlete lost that left you the most empty.

Growing up in Australia I have supported the Western Bulldogs for the last 30 years, they've yet to make the Grand Final in my lifetime.

Instead I have watched them lose the preliminary final (like a semi-final) in the following years:

1985
1997 (lost by 2 points after taking a 5 goal lead into the last quarter)
1998
2008
2009
2010

as far as "the most empty", it really just gets worse every time.

• Second, as a fan as well, the biggest let down, even if you weren't a fan of that particular team/athlete.

can't really think of an answer to this.

• Third, a personal story, from your own sports experience.

i can think of at least 2 separate games of school footy which we were close to winning but didn't for one reason or another, i find it weird that i can still remember the close games that we lost so much more vividly than the games that we won, even when we had amazing unlikely come-from-behind type victories.

and yeah thanks a bunch for this thread, nothing better than thinking about and spending a few minutes compiling a list of sporting frustrations UGH!

 

[magoo34]

Todd Marinovich

Did you say Todd Marijuanavich?

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

...and seeing the Giants beat the Patriots in that Super Bowl. I'm not a fan of either team but I was expecting Brady to emulate the perfect season, to end the career versus the rings debate but it wasn't to be.

I think that one has popped up a few times. As I said before, I think if they played 10 times, the Patriots may have won 9 of those games. But on that day the Giants did win, lucky catch, missed interception and all, and you have to admit it was an exciting game.

I'm reminded of a NFL game from when I was a boy. I think the 1981 AFC Championship. The Browns were on their way to beating the Raiders, and Brian Sipe somehow threw an interception in the last seconds that drained their entire season away.

...and yeah thanks a bunch for this thread, nothing better than thinking about and spending a few minutes compiling a list of sporting frustrations UGH!

You could join us in the politics forum and get really frustrated.

 

[leftover pie]

speaking of the NFL. . . . .any bills fans here?

Remember Scott Norwood?

as maxwell smart used to say "missed it by THAT much"

 

[Avoriaz]

If you are talking just on field dissapointments this would be right up there for me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQmO3S2eLPE
losing the league 2 minutes into injury time, was completely heartbreaking

For those of you who dont follow soccer, Arsenal spent much of the season top of the league before liverpool made up the gap and went top. Going into the final game of the season, Liverpool at home to Arsenal and all they had to do was avoid losing by 2 goals and they would be champions. Arsenal went one up, and then deap into injury time, scored the second goal that made them champions at anfield.

Probably the most dramatic finish to a league championship ever.

And then Liverpool bought the scorer to ensure he didn't do it again

 

[flyor64]

• First, as a fan, the time your team or favorite athlete lost that left you the most empty.

Pretty much every world series the Red Sox lost or didn't quite make it in to until they finally broke the curse in 2004. Being a bosox fan since I could understand sports, it was a long run for me. It makes me feel a sort of a sad kinship for Cubs fans.

• Second, as a fan as well, the biggest let down, even if you weren't a fan of that particular team/athlete.

Super Bowl XX. Bears - Pats...kind of a fairy tale season for us Pats fans. The game was a blow out, Da bears dominated us...45ish to 10 if I recall. Can't fault da bears...they played great football, but as a kid this loss hung with me a long time.

• Third, a personal story, from your own sports experience.

Getting cut during the final cut for my HS baseball team. It was gutwrenching and I can still remember the coach's face, expression, and roughly what he said when he cut me. I felt betrayed because throughout tryouts and warm-up games he kept at me, all the usual "keep up the hustle; good work ethic" type stuff, and while I understand it now as a coaching technique, when I was 15 I actually thought he was "there" for me...hard to explain in written words on a forum.

 

[sportzchick]

• First, as a fan, the time your team or favorite athlete lost that left you the most empty.

Ive got 3
Cadel's 2 narrow losses at the Tour
Australia vs Italy WC- we were cheated out of that...im aussie with italian background and wanted to disow my herritage
Adelaide United vs Melbourne Victory A Leauge Grand Finals

• Second, as a fan as well, the biggest let down, even if you weren't a fan of that particular team/athlete.

Cant think of one yet...

 

[patterson_hood]

• Linford Christie caught doping. He was a hero of mine and I felt really let down.

• The downfall of Leeds United. Greed and poor managment came close to destroying on of the great football clubs.

• Two stories but both kind of intertwine-

I took up kayaking and competed in a half-marathon. Without really trying I came second in my age group. I should have put the effort in and stopped doing other sports but I also played rugby and wanted to stick at that. The next year one of the guys I beat went to the junior world championships and realistically it could easily have been me.

Secondly I made the North of England Schools cross-country team coming from a school with no athletics background or coaching. This time I passed up the opportunity to play rugby in the Cheshire Cup, although our team weren't very good. I think my dad was very disappointed about this but he's never said it, I'm sure he knew I could have been a good runner and that giving up my place to play on a rugby team with a lot of people who didn't put the effort in was a bad mistake.

In hindsight I should have stuck with either kayaking or running, I was always good at rugby but never really had the build while I was perfect for kayaking and middle distance running.

 

[LeakyBoat]

• The downfall of Leeds United. Greed and poor managment came close to destroying on of the great football clubs.

Leeds not going out of business (with the added bonus of Ken Bates being kicked out of football) is among my greatest sporting disappointments.

 

[auscyclefan94]

I thought this was an interesting topic I've discussed with friends, so I thought I would share it here. What were some of the biggest sports disappointments to you? I guess the question could be three ways.

• First, as a fan, the time your team or favorite athlete lost that left you the most empty.

• Second, as a fan as well, the biggest let down, even if you weren't a fan of that particular team/athlete.

• Third, a personal story, from your own sports experience.

- Cadel missing out on the victory in 2008 to Sastre. I was just guttered after that. He had a lot of troubles off the bike and had to fight through a lot on the bike with little support.

A 2nd to that would of been Hewitt losing the Aus Open final to Safin.

-Lance Armstrong. I only really came to acknowledge he was a doper and I think myself like so many would of liked his victories been pure but the lies and manipulation cut really deep.

- Can't think of my own experience - never have been that good at any sport but did it because I enjoyed it.

 

[The Hitch]

Andy Roddick losing the Wimbledon final despite winning more points and as many games as Federer.

Everyone expected Federer to dance through it but Roddick shockingly broke Federer for the first set then held 4 set points in the second including one where Federer was off court and he just had to put a usually simple backhand volley in but missed. Roddick cracked and lost the tie break despite having been the better player and lost the tie break of the next set.

Somehow he managed to outplay Federer in the 4th set as well and break him AGAIN.

This took it to the 5th set where Federer had the huge advantage of serving first meaning break points are not match points.

Roddick who had had a far tougher route to the final finnaly cracked from fatigue and lost his serve in the 30th game of the set.

He had not had his serve broken until that very last game of the match. 5 hours and 38 succesful holds but Roddick was just unlucky. For once the better player lost, and Roddick would have to retire with just 1 grand slam. The best player ever to only win 1.