What was your most heart breaking moment as a sports fan?

[Sgt Hulk 13,840]

#1. Nelly Cruz drop plays over and over. My father RIP was a bigger rangers fan than I passed a few years prior and I was ready to celebrate in his honor. It was our time. I legit shed a tear knowing it was over for us 

#2 Gideon dropped int.  God damn 

#3. Colt getting hurt in Bama. My 5 year old son looked me as the horror filled my eyes and sad dad that’s not good right?  11 years later we still haven’t recovered.  
 

#4 not a sports moment so to speak but as a father and someone who watched Kobe play in highschool the loss of Kobe shook my core to feel as a parent helpless in that moment trying to protect your little girl from harm and the world  still gets me 

[baboso 6,057]

 

[youdunnf'dup 2,147]

I will say this. I do take pleasure in knowing that the answer to this question for everyone associated with USC will always be “fucking Vince Young, man.”

[Jersey Man10 3,542]

2006 Loss to Ohio State
2006 Loss to Kansas State

The whole 2007 season

2008 Tech
2009 Title Game
2010 UCLA Game

I cried at all of these.

[Braff Zacklin 13,662]

3 minutes ago, Jersey Man10 said:

2006 Loss to Ohio State
2006 Loss to Kansas State

The whole 2007 season

2008 Tech
2009 Title Game
2010 UCLA Game

I cried at all of these.

[Coach pop a bitch 5,496]

.4 

[TheAuditor 1,040]

What's sad is the lack of recent heart-break in Longhorn Sports.  You've got to be good and you've got to be close to have something wrenched away.  Hard to get worked up losing OT at OU when you know more losses on the way.  Here's to some heart breakers in our near future.  

Edited February 14, 2021 by TheAuditor

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, Jersey Man10 said:

2006 Loss to Ohio State
2006 Loss to Kansas State

The whole 2007 season

2008 Tech
2009 Title Game
2010 UCLA Game

I cried at all of these.

never figured you for Dick Vermeil...

 

Maybe different for everyone, but try having a 3 point lead in basketball with :20 left and your squad allows the opponent to tie on a 3PA and then loses in OT in the National Championship game.  Didn't even remotely get emotional beyond, "Fuck they should have fouled."

[Mez2 4,025]

The Pujols game

[B00M 6,463]

I regret (wait, no ragrets) my behavior after the '07 K State loss but the '08 Tech loss was a gut punch and the '09 MNC Colt injury was clearly the worst. 

I was a diehard Orioles fan as a kid (Cal Ripken, Mike Mussina, Brady Anderson). This was the first truly controversial moment I witnessed as a fan and when the series ended it appeared to be the difference, so also heart breaking.

 

Edited February 14, 2021 by B00M

[OU Sucks 8,915]

2010-2020 Texas Football

[Knoxtnhorn 6,066]

4 hours ago, Okie State said:

Too many to count as an Oklahoma State alumus, but the 2011 Iowa State game will always stand out. It killed my love for college football. Never been the same since.
 

One of my teacher friends at school is the sister of Iowa State's QB from that game.  IIRC, I think he played because the regular starter got injured.  

[futureman 22,545]

3 hours ago, MAUFRAIS said:

nelly cruz

1 hour ago, Post Oak said:

2011 WS Game 6.  I'll never get over it.

nobody has ever been kicked in the nuts harder than lifelong rangers fans in 2011. and you are correct, we will never get over it. 

[po elvis 2,076]

They would all have happened when I was a kid. These days I get over games right after they happen.

I only really have two that I vividly remember hurt at a different level.

1. The Catch.

2. Plano losing to Highland Park in the playoffs 1980.

[Okie State 3,848]

One of my teacher friends at school is the sister of Iowa State's QB from that game.  IIRC, I think he played because the regular starter got injured.  

I tried to block out the details, but I do recall it being some kind of backup who we proceeded to make look like a Heisman candidate. We're good at that.

[Had Enough 2,088]

I don’t disagree, but having a national title on his resume adds so much to that resume. I think even the most biased Texas fan would agree with that. It’s why people talk about Tebow the way they do.

In my book, he's the most underrated player in college football history. He's still a face of the program, but he's not really perceived as an all time tier 1 great. He's next tier. I've said it before but his last two years he effectively left the field in every game with a lead. So even though he never won a championship, that is noteworthy and pretty much all you can ask of your QB. He was not surrounded by great talent. He was jobbed out of the Heisman as much as anyone. Stats, wins, importance to his team, great plays - he had it all in 2008. And his departure was not the only reason but us having a losing record the season after his departure does say a great deal. In 2009, he wasn't as good but no way in hell Ingram should have gotten the Heisman. McCoy pretty got little benefit of his great career in that vote.

[AnTiM 1,669]

removed

Edited February 14, 2021 by AnTiM

[Murfdogg21 4,425]

2008 Tech/Gideon and the Alabama national championship games hurt the worst as a Longhorn fan because we were the best team in the country both years and could’ve should’ve had two more titles. The 2001 Big12 CCG keeps getting mentioned, probably mostly by Simms haters, but as much as that game sucked we would have got anal plowed by Miami in the Rose Bowl had we won. We went into that day not expecting a shot at the MNC game, so the let down was only on a build up of a couple hours. 
 

2019 World Series was sickening as well, when half the Astros lineup seemed to forget how to hit with men on base and Cole was the only dependable arm; following a tremendous season that could be the Astros team for a long time. 

[AnTiM 1,669]

1 minute ago, AnTiM said:

Went looking for info on how far Lilly threw the helmet and found this quote by him:

"I have been told it went either 42 or 44 yards," he said recently. "Really, it happened without me knowing it. I just flung it.

"Some rookie from the Colts gave it back to me and said, 'Mr. Lilly, here's your helmet.' I said, 'That was a very poor example, and I'm sorry.' He said, 'I don't blame you.'

"I'll never forget that," Lilly said, laughing softly.

Bob Lilly-quite a guy

 

[Saint Tacky 1,621]

2019 Astros WS Game 7

1984 Cotton Bowl vs. Georgia

2011 National Championship vs. Alabama

1980 Astros NLCS Game 5

1986 Astros NLCS Game 6

"The Immaculate Reception" 

 

[956 Worldwide 34,772]

2 hours ago, TheBryMan81 said:

My RGV high school one is '07 Weslaco vs Los Fresnos. Not a typical rivalry, but met in the playoffs two years prior and for the district championship in the last regular season game the year prior, so had some recent history. '07/08 was my senior year at Weslaco and we were heavily predicted to win District. We're up 4 late in the game, 4th and 3 on our half of the field.  Instead of punting, we decide to go for it. Instead of giving the ball to the best playmaker in the valley, we fake it to him, QB keep gets stuffed. Ball goes over, LF scores with under a minute left and takes the District Championship with them. So many "if onlys" in that game.

Ouch. Don’t remember the game but Mishak Rivas should have had the ball anytime you wanted to win.

That 1995 Cardinals team did not recover from the San Benito loss. Went on to lose bi-district to La Joya in a 4-0 game. Easily the most unwatchable game I ever sat through.

Edited February 14, 2021 by 956 Worldwide

[youdunnf'dup 2,147]

8 minutes ago, Had Enough said:

2 hours ago, youdunnf said:

I don’t disagree, but having a national title on his resume adds so much to that resume. I think even the most biased Texas fan would agree with that. It’s why people talk about Tebow the way they do.

In my book, he's the most underrated player in college football history. He's still a face of the program, but he's not really perceived as an all time tier 1 great. He's next tier. I've said it before but his last two years he effectively left the field in every game with a lead. So even though he never won a championship, that is noteworthy and pretty much all you can ask of your QB. He was not surrounded by great talent. He was jobbed out of the Heisman as much as anyone. Stats, wins, importance to his team, great plays - he had it all in 2008. And his departure was not the only reason but us having a losing record the season after his departure does say a great deal. In 2009, he wasn't as good but no way in hell Ingram should have gotten the Heisman. McCoy pretty got little benefit of his great career in that vote.

I completely agree with the bolded part. Like, the single most underrated player. One Natty on his resume and he’s talked about in the same breath as Tebow IMO. 

[Knoxtnhorn 6,066]

2 hours ago, Sgt Hulk said:

#1. Nelly Cruz drop plays over and over. My father RIP was a bigger rangers fan than I passed a few years prior and I was ready to celebrate in his honor. It was our time. I legit shed a tear knowing it was over for us 

In a way, I'm really lucky that my love of my professional teams kind of waned while I was in TN (96-2016).  Since the Rangers or Mavs were never on, it was kind of hard to follow them at the same level I did when growing up in Richardson.  Had the Nelly Cruz drop happened while I was in high school, I would have had to be committed.  

In reading the Page 1er about the intramural game, I thought of one on a personal level.

In Knoxville, I played on a rec softball team.  Our company team was decent, but never great.  One year we make it to the "championship" game.  I was - by far - the star of the team.  Yes, I know it was rec but anyone that knows me know that nothing is ever casual when playing sports.  I was probably batting like .950.  The only time I ever got out was if I got under a ball and flew out.  Even if I f'd up and hit it on the ground, I was always too fast to throw out.

Anyway, bottom of the last inning.  Tie game.  One out.  I'm up with bases loaded.  All I have to do is hit the ball anywhere in the outfield.  Something I could do with my eyes closed.  In this league, the pitcher had to pitch the ball at a certain height or it was automatically called a ball.  This pitcher threw, what I thought was, a super flat pitch.  I stopped my swing, the ball hit the bat, and landed straight in the pitcher's glove.  He throws over to 3rd for a DP.  We lose in the next inning.  Stupid, but it still bothers me.

[tantric superman 4,667]

This thread makes me think I get over my team's misfortune pretty damn fast.  I generally get ragey  and WFT!!! for a day but by the next day I'm thinking I can't wait until revenge.

Will save "heartbroken" for dogs and unrequited first or second crushes.  

But the Colt injury v. Alabama -- makes some sense.

[RollLeft 5,045]

1984 TX v Georgia, cost us a national championship

1995 TX v ND F Ron Powlus 

2008 TX v Tech, cost us a national championship

2009 TX v Bama, cost us a national championship

 

 

[Had Enough 2,088]

I completely agree with the bolded part. Like, the single most underrated player. One Natty on his resume and he’s talked about in the same breath as Tebow IMO. 

Sorry I'm a moron for not making it clear that I'm with you. Yes, one national championship and his career is viewed very differently.

[bmbmd 1,027]

Lennay Kekua.  Then Colt. 

[Bill Lumbergh 7,186]

08 Crabtree catch.
08 switzer announcing bcs standings
09/10 Colt going down

It's interesting that we've sucked a lot more since these games, but much less heartache involved. When you know you suck, it's maddening, but not the same as losing when you know you were great.

Colt going down in the championship is probably the one that got me most. I told my wife when it happened that the game was over because Colt was the reason our team was great. A backup simply wasn't going to replace that.

Colt going down was hardest not because we were going to lose, but because it felt like he deserved the chance to play that game, win or lose. By all accounts Colt was the hardest worker on the team during those years. He wasn't as naturally talented as some, and had given everything for four years to get to that moment (even after arguably having the opportunity taken from him in 08). Of course I wanted to win, but I wanted him to have his shot on the biggest stage.

I still can't watch or think about that game much because it's one of those times when the universe seems unfair. The only thing that makes me feel a bit better is knowing the guy has a crazy hot wife and has made millions over a long career without taking a beating every week for it. Maybe that's karma or whatever balancing things out.

[Helobious 9,464]

5 hours ago, 956 Worldwide said:

1995 Harlingen High vs. San Benito

Played in San Benny and that game is the Valley’s most heated (not competitive) rivalry and y’all know that the RGV gets crowds.  At the time, Harlingen had not lost to SB in I believe 28 years. There had been some ties but not a loss. San Benito was never a sad—sack program, although HHS has always been the class program down there, there were plenty of years that the Greyhounds could and should have won, but they tripped on their own dicks.  And it meant so, so much to both towns, but especially to San Benito.
 

That year the Cardinals were clearly a better team and had already clinched the district. And they came out and just played flat. This was mid-90s Valley football, lots of I formation and a low score.  The whole game, on the visitor side, there was just a sense that they would figure something out. How could they not.  Maybe 2:00 left in the game, you could feel the unrest and whispers. Could it really be happening. On the other side—- strangely quiet, like their fans couldn’t quite believe what was going to happen.
 

It did. 15-9. When the SB crowd exploded, it was like nothing I’ve seen before or since. And I’ve been to Big XII and SEC rivalry games, all sorts of pro games, two Olympics, major international club and national futbol matches.  I have never seen a crowd explode like that. On the Harlingen side— it was just silence. People stayed, sang the alma mater, filed out in silence. No boos, no anger. Just utter disbelief. 
 

The rivalry is still a good one, Harlingen still wins a hell of a lot more than they lose against SB, but it’s never been the same.

I was too young to remember but I very well may have been at this game, our family went to a ton of HHS games. Mo Hunter (RIP) was on that team right? 

[utee94 15,862]

Colt's arm hanging limply at his side.

Craig Curry's muffed punt.

2008 UT-Tech game, almost all of it

 

 

 

[Bullneck 19,206]

Not much to add after all of this.  

[Helobious 9,464]

5 hours ago, TheBryMan81 said:

My RGV high school one is '07 Weslaco vs Los Fresnos. Not a typical rivalry, but met in the playoffs two years prior and for the district championship in the last regular season game the year prior, so had some recent history. '07/08 was my senior year at Weslaco and we were heavily predicted to win District. We're up 4 late in the game, 4th and 3 on our half of the field.  Instead of punting, we decide to go for it. Instead of giving the ball to the best playmaker in the valley, we fake it to him, QB keep gets stuffed. Ball goes over, LF scores with under a minute left and takes the District Championship with them. So many "if onlys" in that game.

 My cousin must’ve been in your grade or a grade below, said Mishak was dumb as a box of rocks. Teachers just let him pass anyway. He had unreal talent though, Madison was stout and he still shredded them. I hear he’s into coaching/speed training now. 

[TexArcher 38,067]

The National Championship game for 2009.  No one will ever convince me that we don't win that game by two touchdowns if Colt plays the whole thing.

The 2008 loss to Tech.  No one will ever convince me that we don't beat Florida by two touchdowns if Blake Gideon doesn't drop that pick, and/or we don't give up a huge kickoff return, and/or we double cover the best wide receiver in football.  I knew as we lost to Tech that we'd just lost a national championship.

The Astros losing the 2019 World Series.  Say what you want about the Astros, but I grew up in the Dome watching Nolan Ryan and Jose Cruz.  That was supposed to be two championships in three years and maybe the beginnings of a dynasty.  But we lost that World Series then the scandal from two years prior broke.  Ugh.

Route 66.  I was there.  I don't want to talk about it.

The two massive blowouts to ou early in Mack's tenure.  

This is weirdly cathartic.

Fuck ou.

 

[Guest]

Crabtree was doubled on the TD by Curtis Brown and ET.

Edited February 14, 2021 by slorch

[MirrOlure 14,840]

My very first one was Super Bowl XII. I was 12...after the game I found a neighborhood kid who played for the “Steelers” in our YMCA league just so I could punch him in the face.

But the “gut punch of a lifetime” will always (at least I hope I never see anything worse) be the Cotton Bowl loss after the ‘83 season. Absolutely devastated me. I literally boxed up all of my Longhorn gear...took it to my parents and declared “I’m done. Forever.”

Of course that lasted until the first day of school after New Year and I needed a sweatshirt. But still...my point was made

[TexArcher 38,067]

1 minute ago, slorch said:

Crabtree was doubled.

Uh, no, he wasn't.  A safety in zone arriving after the ball does is not a double team.

[CurlyDumps 4,484]

13 minutes ago, utee94 said:

Colt's arm hanging limply at his side.

2008 UT-Tech game, almost all of it

 

I had a pretty good view of that from my seat in the Rose Bowl. The image of him jogging off the field with that arm dangling is still so vivid in my mind. I knew he wasn't coming back.

2008 - I was watching at a friend's place in a living room full of longhorns. I had moved closer to the TV for the final drive. Everybody on the couch behind me thought Gideon caught it. But I saw it go through his arms.  It was like a scene out of a movie. Everyone is screaming and going crazy and couldn't hear me trying to say, "guys...no...he dropped it. He dropped it!"

[Guest]

10 minutes ago, TexArcher said:

Uh, no, he wasn't.  A safety in zone arriving after the ball does is not a double team.

OK.  not wanting to pick the scab, for sure.

FWIW, I'm with you on the last 2 years of the Astros. The 2019 one bothered me a lot, but 2020 would have been so nice to take out the bitchass Dodgers.

Edited February 14, 2021 by slorch

[Mileslong 4,728]

Curry muffed punt 1984 cotton bowl losing MNC



The catch




The drop

[Underdog 28,773]

'72 NLCS Game 5 - Bench hits opposite field tying HR in bottom of the ninth vs the Pirates, Reds go on to win on WP later that inning. 

'75 NCAAT Finals - UK loses to UCLA in Wooden's last game.  Those Seniors were the first group at UK I began to follow when they were Freshmen. 

Pretty much any and all Cowboys PO losses in the 70s with SB13 hurting the worst.

Most of my sports heartache was when I was a kid/younger adult.  

Edited February 15, 2021 by Underdog

[Chico_SA 521]

As a coach, I've probably spent more time second guessing and stressing over tiny moments in a loss for youth and high school soccer and water polo then I have for anything as a "fan".  Wish I could do better with that.

But I will always remember being crushed walking out of the Frank Erwin Center in 1981 when San Antonio John Marshall had just lost the State Basketball Championship to the Port Arthur Lincoln Bumblebees. I was 11. 

[Onboard 2.0 9,083]

11 minutes ago, Mileslong said:

Curry muffed punt 1984 cotton bowl losing MNC



The catch




The drop

The missed Jackie catch has been a repressed memory of mine for years. It almost ruined the poor guys life.  Thanks for the paper cut, "the catch", and then the lemon juice "the drop"....

[Beau Vine 54,429]

This thread makes me think I get over my team's misfortune pretty damn fast.  I generally get ragey  and WFT!!! for a day but by the next day I'm thinking I can't wait until revenge.
Will save "heartbroken" for dogs and unrequited first or second crushes.  

You're a goldfish.

[Guest]

Not many UH/ NCState mentions.   Were you fuckers alive?  If you rooted for UH or Phi Slamma Jamma and Guy Lewis... it was just devastating.

[MNLonghornFUKM 8,821]

Vikings in 98 and 09

The Crabtree catch because remember first dibs? I had like 3-400 bucks to go to the MNC that year, down the drain


Next year sucked but I was able to go to the game. Suh almost cockblocked that

[ztejas 43,537]

2 minutes ago, slorch said:

Not many UH/ NCState mentions.   Were you fuckers alive?  If you rooted for UH or Phi Slamma Jamma and Guy Lewis... it was just devastating.

Maybe because this isn't a fucking UH board?

[StruggleBus 3,922]

2013 nba finals game 6. My wife almost divorced me after I switched to moonshine post game.

Edited February 15, 2021 by StruggleBus
Fuck the Heat, fuck Ray Allen, fuck the Mavs, fuck Derek Fisher, and fuck Kawhi Leonard

[Guest]

1 minute ago, ztejas said:

Maybe because this isn't a fucking UH board?

Yeah...because I LOVE me some Houston Cougars...LOLz.  That period of time with Dream was different. 

[Beau Vine 54,429]

That time on Battle of the Network Stars when Robert Urich put Heather Thomas in the dunk tank, but he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, so her bathing suit stayed dry.

[orangecat92 306]

4 hours ago, AnTiM said:

 

When I was working for Luby's in El Paso in the late 1990s Bob Lilly came to the cafeteria - special guest for an organization - they had a meal, etc.  I walked up to him - apologized for asking the question - and then asked about the helmet throw.  He was not bitter at all, said he gets asked about it frequently.  He had no idea how far it went.   I had to ask since I was a little young to see it live. I was 7 in 1971.