Sports Moments That 10 Recent Championship Contenders Regret
There's a fine—often microscopic—line between sports glory and heartbreak.
One play. One misstep. One poor decision. That's all it takes to derail an entire season of success, which culminated in years of dedication and preparation.
Bad luck and/or pure randomness sometimes makes the difference. Did Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant catch the ball in the 2014 NFC Divisional Round playoff game against the Green Bay Packers? The fact that nobody knows for sure illuminates the minuscule divide of champions from those lost in history after missing the mark.
Every sports fan has sour memories of moments that ruined a title hunt. In fact, every reader could probably fill this list sticking solely to a favorite franchises. (Take it from a New York Mets fan who left out plenty of source material.)
These moments in particular still give fans nightmares. Imagine how much worse it feels for a player and/or coach at the center of one of these infamous instances.
Honorable Mentions
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Tony Romo's Botched Extra-Point Snap
Tony Romo's first season as the Dallas Cowboys' starting quarterback ended in anguish. Forced to pull double-duty as the team's holder, he mishandled the snap of a close field-goal attempt that would have given Dallas a victory over the Seattle Seahawks in the 2006 Wild Card Round.
Cincinnati Bengals Lose Their Composure
Playing without quarterback Andy Dalton, the Cincinnati Bengals rallied from a 15-0 deficit in last year's first-round playoff bout against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Before the Bengals could beat their bitter rivals, defensive players Vontaze Burfict and Adam Jones each committed foolish 15-yard penalties during the final series.
The infractions embarrassed the league and put Pittsburgh in field-goal range to prevail. Cincinnati has now gone five straight years with a first-round playoff loss.
Zach Britton Watches AL Wild Card Game
When playing a winner-take-all playoff game, it should go without using that the team should use its best players.
Baltimore Orioles manager Buck Showalter tried a different approach. Closer Zach Britton, who allowed four earned runs all season, watched as six other relievers pitched in an 11-inning loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.
Showalter, whose revered reputation took a major hit, should regret the inexcusable blunder.
Dusty Baker Mismanages Mark Prior
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Yes, this is the same 2003 National League Championship Series Game 6 in which Steve Bartman interfered with a foul ball and became a convenient scapegoat for a century of misery. No, he is not to blame for the Chicago Cubs' eighth-inning implosion.
Boasting a 3-0 lead, the Cubs were five outs away from winning their first NL pennant since 1945. Pitcher Mark Prior should have tipped his cap to the Wrigley Field crowd after seven scoreless innings, but manager Dusty Baker stayed with the 23-year-old starter.
According to Baseball-Reference.com, Prior allowed a .344/.425/.500 opposing slash line that season when facing someone for the fourth time in a start. Nevertheless, Baker let him face the top of the Florida Marlins' batting order once more. The youngster unraveled as his pitch count ballooned to 119.
Baker left Prior to roast until the Marlins erased the three-run deficit. Reliever Kyle Farnsworth allowed two inherited baserunners to score before he and Mike Remlinger let three more batters cross home.
The Cubs lost Game 7 when Kerry Wood—whom Baker also routinely overworked—relinquished seven runs. Both taxed aces later suffered numerous career-derailing injuries.
Bartman became Chicago's top enemy for possibly preventing the Cubs from recording one out. Baker, who caused the collapse and decay of two young studs, remained their skipper for three more years. He now manages the Washington Nationals.
New England Patriots Super Bowl Drops
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Only a couple catches have stopped the New England Patriots from winning six Lombardi Trophies during the Tom Brady-Bill Belichick era.
Many fans will immediately conjure images of Mario Manningham tip-toeing the sideline and David Tyree using his helmet to secure a no-look heave from quarterback Eli Manning. The New York Giants poked two holes in a dynasty with spectacular plays, but the Patriots also damaged their own cause.
Vying for a perfect campaign in 2007, they nearly sent Big Blue packing before Manning could escape a certain sack to find Tyree. Cornerback Asante Samuel had his hands on a game-ending interception, but it slipped through his fingertips.
Four years later, New England brandished a 17-15 lead with four minutes remaining when Wes Welker dropped what would have been a huge reception from Brady, his quarterback. The catch would have allotted the Patriots a fresh set of downs in field-goal range for kicker Stephen Gostkowski.
Instead, they punted ticks later, giving Manning 3:53 to orchestrate a game-winning drive.
Of course, opponents can complete the same exercise to display how close they came to overcoming New England. Coach Belichick and Co. recently fell on the favorable end of one memorable Super Bowl moment mentioned later.
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Brett Favre Gunslings an Interception
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Quarterback Brett Favre improbably enjoyed a career year at age 40, leading the Minnesota Vikings to a 12-4 record in 2009 with a personal-best 7.9 yards per pass attempt and 68.4 completion percentage. Because of his brilliant revival, the Vikings came painfully close to reaching their first Super Bowl since the 1974 season.
Because of the gunslinger's daredevil style, the Vikings fell short.
In a tightly contested NFC Championship Game against the New Orleans Saints, Minnesota had the ball at the 38-yard line late in the fourth quarter. On third-and-long with the game tied at 28, the recently inducted Hall of Famer needed a quick strike to give Ryan Longwell a manageable field-goal attempt. The kicker had made 26 of 28 tries during the season, including both from 50 yards or more.
Favre instead scrambled to his right and fired a cross-body throw to the middle of the field. Saints cornerback Tracy Porter cut off wide receiver Sidney Rice to snag the interception. The legendary quarterback never threw another postseason pass, as New Orleans won the overtime coin toss and scored the game-winning field goal. (This was the season before the NFL changed its overtime rules.)
He could have checked down or scrambled for a few yards to give Longwell a chance. Instead, Favre's bold choice proved costly. But before putting all the blame on him, the Vikings previously lost five crucial yards for having 12 men on the field.
Boston Bruins Blow 3-0 Series and Game 7 Lead
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The Boston Bruins led the Philadelphia Flyers three games to none in 2010's Eastern Conference semifinal. What could go wrong?
Where to begin? With a chance to sweep, Boston lost Game 4 in overtime. Two more losses followed to force a Game 7, during which the Bruins bounced back to gain an early 3-0 lead.
Once again, they watched a 3-0 advantage evaporate. The Flyers scored late in the opening period and twice more in the second to tie things up.
Despite whiffing on three series-clinching attempts, Boston still stood on equal footing with the Flyers. Tie series. Tie game. The Bruins could derail all that perceived momentum with one late goal.
Perhaps sensing how horribly they were performing at even strength, they got caught with too many men on the ice. Simon Gagne capitalized by scoring Philadelphia's only shot of the ensuing power play.
After pulling off the third 3-0 series comeback in Stanley Cup playoff history, the Flyers beat the Montreal Canadiens to advance to the Stanley Cup Final.
Don't waste too many tears on the Bruins, who overcame heartbreak to hoist the iconic championship trophy the following year. Still, what if they avoided a preventable penalty or succeeded in any one of four tries to close out the series?
Washington Nationals Shut Down Stephen Strasburg
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Injuries are inevitable and mostly unavoidable. Many contenders have suffered because of short-handed rosters, so they're purposelessly left off this list.
This case is different, as the Washington Nationals decided not to play a healthy Stephen Strasburg during the 2012 postseason.
The prized pitcher missed nearly all of 2011 after undergoing Tommy John surgery in late 2010. Aiming to preserve the young ace, the Nationals shut him down weeks before the playoffs with 159.1 innings accrued.
The Nationals won an MLB-high 98 games that season, and Strasburg (3.16 ERA, 197 strikeouts) played a massive role. In their first winning season and playoff appearance since moving to the nation's capital in 2005, the NL East champions had a chance to win it all.
General manager Mike Rizzo instead gambled on his squad triumphing without the top hurler. The Nationals lost the National League Division Series to the St. Louis Cardinals. They allowed 32 runs during five games, concluding with Game 5's 9-7 loss during which the bullpen imploded.
The Nationals have since made the playoffs twice, but they're not the annual October fixture Rizzo likely anticipated when sitting Strasburg. Unavailable this year, he has made one career postseason start.
San Antonio Spurs Surrender Chris Bosh Rebound, Ray Allen Three
7 of 11The San Antonio Spurs have only once exited the NBA Finals without the Larry O'Brien Trophy. Their typical greatness made 2013's defeat all the more staggering.
Up 95-92 over the Miami Heat in Game 6, the Spurs needed one stop to win their fifth championship since welcoming head coach Gregg Popovich and power forward Tim Duncan aboard. The NBA began preparing the on-court title ceremony, bringing out the yellow rope to block fans from the court.
The Spurs got their stop, but Chris Bosh kept Miami alive with a clutch offensive rebound.
After tracking down LeBron James' missed three-point try, Bosh found Ray Allen, who backpedaled behind the line to drain a game-tying bomb from long range. Miami etched out a 103-100 overtime win and finished the job behind 37 Game 7 points from James.
ESPN.com's Kevin Pelton declared Game 6 the greatest game in NBA Finals history.
San Antonio could have avoided this captivating calamity by intentionally fouling. It's a common-sense strategy few teams utilize, but a team trailing by three cannot tie the game when shooting two free throws.
Easing the burn of watching a title slip away, the Spurs bounced back to go 62-20 in 2013-14 and annihilate the Heat in a Finals rematch. The Golden State Warriors can only hope a similar redemption blueprint also changes their narrative.
Alabama Allows Iron Bowl "Kick Six" Return
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Like everyone watching, Nick Saban likely figured the 2013 Iron Bowl was headed to overtime. Since kicker Cade Foster missed his previous two attempts, Alabama's head coach sent replacement Adam Griffith out to attempt a 57-yard-field goal. It would have marked the freshman's second make of the year after drilling a 20-yarder over a month earlier.
But hey, what's the harm in trying? As any coach would, Saban fought for an extra second on the previous play running back T. J. Yeldon's run out of bounds to the Auburn 39, as the officials originally signaled the end of regulation. The review complied, giving the Tide one last improbable opportunity to wrap up the game against Auburn.
Disaster ensued when Griffith's kick landed into the arms of Chris Davis. Against Alabama's not-so-nimble unit assembled to prevent a block, he traveled the field's full distance for a 109-yard touchdown as time expired.
"First time I have ever lost a game that way, first time I have ever seen a game lost that way," Saban said, per USA Today's Dan Wolken. "We had the wind behind us, but we still should have covered it. The game should not have ended that way."
The spectacular ending cost the top-ranked Crimson Tide a place in the SEC- and national-title games. Taking their spot, the Tigers topped Missouri to seize the conference before losing to Florida State 34-31 for the BCS championship.
Something as indiscriminate as a replay official deciding a player stepped out of bounds one second earlier altered the course of college football history.
Seattle Seahawks Goal-Line Pass
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The benefit of hindsight allowed everyone to sit back and relentlessly mock the Seattle Seahawks. But was the idea horrible or just the execution?
In the closing seconds of Super Bowl XLIX, the NFC champions stood one yard away from scoring a game-winning touchdown. With everyone—except New England, apparently—expecting a handoff to running back Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll dialed up a pass instead.
If Russell Wilson fires a touchdown pass, Carroll is a genius. Imagine how everyone would have reacted to head coach Sean Peyton opening the second half of Super Bowl XLIV with an onside kick if the Indianapolis Colts recovered instead of his New Orleans Saints.
The Seahawks had no such luck, as Malcolm Butler cemented a Pats win with an interception. This was a highly improbable outcome; Wilson has thrown picks on 1.98 percent of his passes, including the playoffs.
If it's an incomplete pass or a penalty, Seattle has two more downs at its disposal. Whether he scores or not, this never becomes a discussion if Lynch receives the rock on the following play.
Besides, a Lynch goal-line run also wasn't a sure thing. According to ESPN Stats & Info, he converted just one of five runs at the 1-yard line into touchdowns that season, with a 45 percent success rate over his career.
So no, it wasn't the "worst play call in Super Bowl history" like the ensuing headlines suggested. It was still, however, a painfully untimely turnover that cost Seattle a championship.
Holly Holm Loses to Miesha Tate Before Ronda Rousey Rematch
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Holly Holm pulled off one the grandest upsets in UFC history. After dominating the promotion's biggest headliner, Ronda Rousey, Holm should have skyrocketed to massive fame and fortune as the new star.
Her victory, of course, also set the tables for a upcoming rematch against Rousey, a mainstream star who won her first dozen UFC fights in convincing fashion. Anyone could sell that marquee meeting.
Holm, against UFC President Dana White's wishes, instead took on Miesha Tate. In addition to losing her newly won bantamweight championship, the 34-year-old also missed out on a monumental payday with Rousey.
After watching her submit to Tate during UFC 196 in Las Vegas, White could not hide his disgust. In an interview on ESPN's Russillo & Kanell, per ESPN.com's Brett Okamoto, he criticized Holm's manager, Lenny Fresquez.
"It's one of those things. I feel bad about it. I feel bad for Holly. I don't know if Holly really knows what she lost. I think she has so much faith in the people that surround her,” White said. “Holly, that's your life. You should be in that meeting. Don't leave it to these people.”
Although a poor financial move, she shouldn't be blamed too harshly for placing her priorities elsewhere. As she told Yahoo Sports' Dave Doyle before fighting Tate, she didn't want to "fight for money or for fame."
“This is the next opportunity,” Holm said. “My mind doesn’t function like, ‘If I wait for this, it will be more money.’ That’s just not how my brain functions. There’s never a dollar sign in my mind when I’m thinking about my fighting career. I want the passion.”
The decision to fight Tate in itself is not the problem. Who knows how long the champion would have had to wait for Rousey, who has still not stopped into the octagon since her stunning defeat? It's losing that sunk a major moment for Holm's rising star.
Draymond Green's Suspension
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Here's a little-known fact nobody on the Internet remembers: The Golden State Warriors held a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals this year. They did not earn a fourth win to capture their second consecutive championship.
They dropped the first of three straight losses to the Cleveland Cavaliers without Draymond Green, who received his fourth flagrant foul of the postseason for striking LeBron James in the groin. While the automatic one-game suspension wasn't the only reason Golden State crumbled, his Game 5 absence didn't help.
Without Green, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson combined to score 62 points in Game 5's 112-97 loss. Everyone besides the Splash Brothers shot 27.7 percent (13-of-47) from the floor and 17.6 percent (3-of-14) from behind the arc.
The Warriors had two more chances to seal the deal, including a Game 7 inside Oracle Arena. Green demonstrated his immense value during that defeat with 32 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists. He had missed all 10 three-point attempts in three prior games before hitting six during the winner-take-all bout.
"Insofar as there can be unanimity regarding the unknown, the Warriors believe this: The 2016 title would have been theirs if not for Green's Game 5 suspension," ESPN's Ethan Sherwood Strauss wrote in a damning feature of the polarizing forward.
The Warriors will never truly know what would have happened if Green played Game 5, and that uncertainty will likely forever haunt everyone involved.
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