The Greatest (Almost) Plays of All Time

Close, but no cigar.

It's a saying that is often used when something, somewhere, almost happens but ends up coming just a little bit short.

And in sports, it's a saying that can be used a hell of a lot because of plays that nearly go one way but fall by the wayside because of some circumstance.

Since every sports is just a game of inches, here are some of the closest calls that we've ever seen—so sorry to those fans whose memories are shaken by seeing these again.

Honorable Mention: Gordon Bombay (Almost) Wins It for the Hawks

I know that it wasn't a real circumstance—instead, just a scene from one of the best sports movies of all time, The Mighty Ducks—but when future Minnesota Miracle Man Gordon Bombay hit the post during his pee-wee hockey league title, it was just devastating.

It not only lost the game for his Hawks, but the pain from the miss stuck with him and was a major storyline throughout the three films in the trilogy.

There have been plenty of kids in real life who have definitely experienced this bad-luck feeling before from a sport.

Armando Galarraga (Almost) No-Hits the Cleveland Indians

OK, so this wasn't necessarily a great play that almost happened, but it was a great individual performance that nearly occurred.

With just one out to go in his quest for a perfect game, former Detroit Tigers pitcher Armando Galarraga found himself racing to first base with the ball being tossed to him.

What happened next is just heartbreaking—for two men, in fact.

As Galarraga's foot touched the bag, the opposing runner seemed to be just a half-step behind him, ending the game with the pitcher completing a perfect game.

Unfortunately, umpire Jim Joyce didn't see it that way, as he called the runner safe, extending the game and losing the rare feat for Galarraga in the process—which led to death threats for the man in blue.

Stevie Johnson (Almost) Catches the Game-Winner

All I can say is thank goodness this wasn't a playoff game or in the Super Bowl, otherwise there's no telling what Stevie Johnson would have done.

As it stands, while playing for the Buffalo Bills, the wide receiver dropped a sure touchdown pass in overtime that would have sealed the game for his Bills over the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers.

Alas, it wasn't meant to be, as the Bills eventually lost to the Steelers back in 2010, with Johnson taking to the interwebs to play the blame game, saying that God prevented him from making the catch.

There are excuses, and then there's what Johnson said.

Either way, it was a classic case of being too close to victory.

Tony Tarasco (Almost) Catches Derek Jeter's Fly Ball

With apologies to all of the Baltimore Orioles fans out there, I just had to include this close call that, who knows, could have changed the fortunes of two franchises in the years that followed.

As we all probably know, now-former New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter had a flair for the dramatic—especially in the postseason.

And in the 1996 American League Championship Series against the Orioles, Jeter got a little help from 12-year-old Yanks fan Jeffrey Maier, who set the stage for one of the most disputed calls in sports history.

With the O's leading New York in Game 1 of the series, Baltimore right fielder Tony Tarasco was camped under Jeter's fly ball, all but ready to make the catch—that is, until Maier reached out and snatched it from him.

The homer tied the game before the Bronx Bombers won in the 11th inning, leaving everyone who either loves the Orioles or hates the Yankees thinking, "oh, what if...?"

Notre Dame (Almost) Upsets Florida State

This one might have just happened a month or so ago, but it was one that Notre Dame Fighting Irish fans are still probably thinking about—an unlucky, and rare, offensive pass interference call.

With the Golden Domers rolling into Tallahassee to take on the No. 1-ranked and defending national champion Florida State Seminoles, the then No. 5-ranked Irish had upset on their minds.

It's too bad that, after scoring the, presumed, game-winning touchdown with just 13 seconds left, the refs threw some questionable laundry on the turf to call it back, flipping the momentum back to FSU and putting Notre Dame in a tough situation to try and duplicate the drama.

After backing up 15 yards from the penalty, Irish quarterback Everett Golson was picked off in the end zone and the Seminoles ran out the clock, ending a dramatic upset bid and extending the Noles' winning streak to 23 games—which has since climbed to 28.

Jackie Smith (Almost) Ties Super Bowl XVII

Even if stranded in a desert with no one else around you, Hall of Fame tight end Jackie Smith couldn't have been more wide-open than he was in the end zone of Super Bowl XVII against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Yet, somehow, he dropped the potential game-winning catch.

With the Dallas Cowboys driving and on the Steelers 10-yard line, Dallas quarterback Roger Staubach saw the open Smith waiting for the ball to be delivered to him, throwing a strike that the guy would have caught nine out of 10 times—it's just the one time he didn't came in the biggest game of his life.

As the ball hit Smith literally between the numbers, it popped out, fell to the ground and was the difference in the game, as Pittsburgh went on to win 35-31.

Fred Snodgrass (Almost) Helps Clinch the World Series

There probably aren't too many casual sports fans who know the name Fred Snodgrass—and it's probably because most of us weren't around back in 1912—but make no mistake, the guy had one defining play in his baseball career that forever stuck with him.

Playing in three-straight World Series with the New York Giants from 1911-13, Snodgrass' best chance at actually winning a ring came during the 1912 season, when his Giants took the Boston Red Sox to eight games to decide the championship—since Game 2 was called to darkness while tied at 11 apiece.

Standing just three outs away from a championship in the 10th inning, Snodgrass dropped a fly ball that, all things considered, was pretty routine, with the batter making it to second base on the error and, also, representing the tying run. 

The Red Sox eventually scored that runner and one more on a sacrifice fly, securing the World Series in the first season of Fenway Park's existence.

Asante Samuel (Almost) Seals a Perfect Season

Want to know one of the reasons why sports are so great? Just one play can make a major difference in winning and losing.

You probably don't have to tell that to former New England Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel, though, as he is well aware of the consequences of missing a golden opportunity.

With his Pats leading the underdog New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII with just 1:20 left in their quest to become the first-ever 19-0 NFL team, Samuel let an Eli Manning pass slip right through his hands, falling to the turf in what became nothing more than an incomplete pass.

What happened next is almost unthinkable, as Manning avoided a sack and tossed a prayer up to David Tyree, who hauled in the catch by pinning the ball against his helmet, turning in the most memorable play in Super Bowl history.

The G-Men scored the winning points a few plays later, leaving Samuel—and his teammates—wondering what could have been.

Miami (Almost) Wins the National Championship

Coming into the 2002 college football national title game against the Ohio State Buckeyes, the Miami Hurricanes were riding a 34-game win streak and were in position to defend their national title from a season prior.

And just as I showed you earlier with Notre Dame and Florida State, the refs cost one team a victory.

With the Bucks set up for a 4th-and-3 situation from the Hurricanes' 5-yard line, OSU quarterback Craig Krenzel threw a ball up to receiver Chris Gamble, who was standing in the end zone hoping to tie the game in the first overtime.

The pass fell incomplete, leaving Ohio State players sprawled out on the turf and Miami players into a frenzy.

Wait one minute, though.

A super late flag came in from the back judge, saying that Miami defender Glenn Sharpe had interfered with Gamble while he tried to make the catch, giving Ohio State new life—which it took advantage of by scoring a few plays later and, eventually, winning the national title in the following overtime.

To this day, even players on both sides who suited up in the game refute the call amongst one another.

Marcelo Balboa (Almost) Has a World Cup Goal for the Ages

This one might not be as dramatic as some of the other plays on this list, but when former U.S. defender Marcelo Balboa attempted a bicycle kick against Colombia in the 1994 World Cup, it was something that fans of the red, white and blue hadn't seen too often.

It was surprising enough that the U.S. was leading the then No. 2-ranked Colombians 2-0 in a group stage match, but when Balboa's bike nearly found the upper 90 for what would have been one of the prettiest World Cup goals ever, it was jaw-dropping.

As it stands, the ball seemed to just nip the post and go wide, but USA still held on to win, 2-1, on its home turf.

Boston Red Sox (Almost) End the Curse of the Bambino

It was supposed to be the end of the Curse of the Bambino, but the mishandled roller by former Boston Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner turned into a tragedy for the franchise and the player—as he received death threats for the mishap.

After surrendering the lead earlier in the inning, the Sox still had one out to go to head to another frame, with a routine grounder coming right to Buckner during Game 6 of the 1986 World Series.

Unfortunately, the ball took one extra, in-between hop, catching the guy off-guard and skipping right through his legs, which allowed the winning run to score from second base for the New York Mets.

The Sox ended up losing the series in Game 7.

Sure, the play wouldn't have won a championship for Boston—as some commonly think—but it would have extended Game 6 and, who knows, may have led to their first title since 1918, at the time.

Butler (Almost) Wins the Men's National Championship

Although there are many sports references to David versus Goliath, the analogy was pretty accurate leading up to the 2010 national championship game between the Duke Blue Devils and the Butler Bulldogs.

Duke had blue-chip recruits, the national titles, a Hall of Fame coach and the swagger of a past champion.

Butler had, well, a famous gym who was used in the movie Hoosiers, good tradition and a roster of overachievers who played together with a chip on their shoulder.

So, while it wouldn't have been the biggest upset in college hoops history, when Butler's Gordon Hayward's desperation, half-court three-pointer nearly banked off the glass and in for the win, the game would have been one of the biggest surprises—and best endings—in NCAA tournament history.

As it stands, though, the game is remembered for a valiant effort from an underdog who was this close to coming out victoriously yet left the court as runners-up.

Tennessee Titans (Almost) Ties Super Bowl XXXIV

I've shown a few other instances of close calls coming in Super Bowls, but not one that fell just inches from a potential, game-tying touchdown.

With the St. Louis Rams clinging to a 23-16 lead over the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV with just six seconds left, Titans quarterback Steve McNair found a slanting Kevin Dyson across the middle, hitting him in stride for what appeared to be the tying score.

With Dyson hauling in the catch at the Rams 5-yard line, linebacker Mike Jones lunged at him, taking him to the turf as the lasting seconds tick away, with Dyson trying his best effort to stretch the ball across the goal line to no avail.

The game clock hits triple zeroes, leaving the Titans just inches short of a potential overtime bid, giving St. Louis players a reason to celebrate.