Biggest Choke in Sports History

G'town-Nova = not a choke....a fluke. Nove played an insane game.

Houston-NC St. = not a choke...a fluke. Charles' dunk off an airball was a 1 in a 1,000 happening.

Oilers-Bills = total fucking choking dogs!

 

One that never gets mentioned:

1979 San Diego Chargers, with home field throughout the playoffs, in a divisional game against an Oilers team without Campbell and Pastorini.

Houston wins 17-14 as Fouts throws four interceptions to Vernon Perry.

San Diego beat that year's Super Bowl participants, the Steelers and Rams, by a combined 75-17 during the regular season.

 

For your viewing pleasure


For a team sport, I'd say Yankees-Sox '04 is the biggest choke. For individual performance, I stand by Tyson v. Douglas.

 

That pass was low and behind Jackie Smith. Not to mention the fact that the Steelers wouldn't have played such a loose prevent defense if the Cowboys had been four points closer. That play gets far too much attention. Always has.

 

I'd forgotten all about that one, namely because my team was, for once, on the winning side of things.

Of course, what about the 86 Red Sox against the Mets?

Or the 1980 Astros against the Phils?

 

The Randy White fumble on the kickoff return and the controversial Swann-Barnes pass interference play were far more damaging.

 

Agreed. That was a very shaky call, though you have to remember that was the first year of the new rules to open up the passing game and the officials were still learning what to do with contact down the field.

And White should have dropped to the ground immediately once he got that ball, especially with an injured hand.

 

Even though I don't remember anything from October of 2004, the Yankees definitely choked the worst.
But, contrary to what spnited is saying, I think you can classify what the Mavericks did as a choke job, you just have to look at the entire body of work, rather than just the one series. The Mavs won 67 regular season games and then were knocked out in six games to a No. 8 seed.
Hasn't a No. 8 only beaten a No. 1 one other time? Nuggets over Sonics?
Both the Yankees and Mavericks had monumental choke jobs, just the Yankees did it in a series and the Mavericks choked away one of the greatest regular seasons ever.

 

Except it wasn't a Championship Series. Otherwise Chaminade over UVa and Ralph Sampson gets traction.

Georgetown didn't choke, they got beat, they got out played and out coached.

 

Angola, I think it would be more appropriate to classify the 2006-07 Mavs as an upset as opposed to a choke. In the strictest sporting definition, a choke is when you have a game or series locked up, then blow it. Or you have a chance for a sure thing (i.e., layup, open-net shot, etc.) and blow it.

An 8 beating a 1 is a major upset, but the choke would have been for the Mavs to have a lead, then lose it.

Under those guidelines, it's why we consider the Miracle on Ice an upset as opposed to a choke by the Russians.

 

North Carolina in last year's college world series.
North Carolina against Tennessee in this year's NCAA women's Final Four
North Carolina against Georgetown in this year's NCAA men's Elite eight
North Carolina against Maryland in last year's women's Final Four
North Carolain against Baylor in the women's Elite Eight two years ago
North Carolina against Weber State a few year's ago in the men's tournament
North Carolina against Utah in the men's Final Four a few years back.......


Starting to see a pattern?

 

I was in Tokyo when that Tyson Douglas fight came off. Most people in Tokyo were regarding it as a kind of exhibition; they were stunned when Douglas won. Me too. But that was a one and done event.

Last night's discussion (Chuck's NBA thread) still holds:

Quote from: Songbird on Today at 12:45:22 AM
Quote from: FishHack76 on Today at 12:43:51 AM
Quote from: JackyJackBN on Today at 12:43:00 AM

Many in Seattle are pulling for Golden State in hopes that they will erase the memory of the worst first-round collapse in playoff history. That train seems to be coming out of the tunnel just about now...

"I hear the train a-comin'. It's comin' round the bend ..."

Is it the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe?

The Balboa Bullet to Colon.