The Biggest Choke in Sports History...

[EasyEd]

Hey All,

Could be tomorrow night.

I'm no hockey fan but this kind of thing could be so epic even I'll be watching.

The Vancouver Canucks won the regular season trophy (Presidents Cup) with a tie for the most goals scored and the allowing of the fewest goals against in NHL history.

They are favored to win their first ever Stanley Cup in about 40 years of existence.

So what is the problem?

The Chicago Blackhawks! The Hawks have taken Vancouver out of the playoffs the last two years in a row. This year the Hawks are a shell of the team they were last year when they won the Stanley Cup due to salary cap problems. They are an 8th seed in the playoffs - just getting in.

So it's the first round of the playoffs - best of seven. The Canucks handily win 3 in a row. Then Chicago wins - OK no biggie a sweep wasn't expected. Then Chicago wins game 5 - WTF. Then game 6 overtime Chicago wins! Vancouver the highest scoring offense in the league - only 5 goals in 3 games - WTF and giving up 16 goals in the same stretch double WTF!! And now game 7 Tuesday night in Vancouver.

Is it possible that the number 1 team in the league - offence and defence - after going 3 games up in a best of 7 can lose again to the same now weakened team that ousted them the last 2 years?

People are remembering the Canuck loss in game 7 of the Stanley Cup in 94 to the Rangers. Here's the youtube ofthe riots in Vancouver after that loss.

2Il3UlV2ars

People are saying this would be the biggest choke in the history of sport. That the Canucks would be the laughing stock of the NHL.

The Canucks have built huge expectations around this team - the riots - if they lose - may dwarf 94 - either that or people will slink home and cry while the team quietly and quickly catches the next bus to Winnipeg.

Gut check time boys - what's your resume gonna say - tomorrow night in Vancouver we'll find out.

-Ed-

[Cazzie]

Maybe in the history of ice hockey Ed, but the biggest choke in sports history that I have ever witnessed occurred last year in Rookie League baseball right here in Danville.

So help me, in all my years of watching baseball from Little League through High School and College ball, I have never seen one player lose a ball game all by himself.

But last year, the Danville Braves enjoyed a six run lead (9-3) with the visiting team coming to bat in the top of the ninth. Manager brings in this relief pitcher (term used loosely) named Matthew Lewis.

Lewis proceeds to walk the first two batters. Men on first and second.

He next throws a wild pitch over the catcher's head, runners advance, men on second and third.

He then give up a hit in the gap between center and left scoring the two on second and third, but a good throw holds the batter to a single, runner on first.

Lewis next takes an easy double-play tapper back to the mound and proceeds to throw the ball over the covering shortstop's head. Men stranded at first and second, no outs, score now 9-5.

Lewis then walks the next batter, bases now loaded, no mound visit from the manager.

Lewis hits the next batter, forcing home a run, score 9-6.

The next batter up hits a routine infield fly, covered by the infield fly rule, second baseman catches it, one out.

Next batter up hits a grand slam home run, putting the visiting team up 10-9. Not one other ball player can account for any of the seven runs scored, but the pitcher. He does manage to walk one more batter , but gets out of the inning with out any more damage. Danville can not recover and loses 10-9. By far the worst performance I have ever seen from a baseball player, amateur or professional.

Caz

[pfflyers]

The Canucks have really gotten themselves into a nightmare scenario.

The Blackhawks have nothing to lose and could pull off one of the biggest upsets i hockey.

The pressure on those Canuck players must be unreal.

I remember when the Yankees came back from three games down to beat the Red Sox in the AL playoffs a while back. It seemed pretty unlikely, made the 'curse of the bambino' look like the real deal.

[Meshman]

I remember when the Yankees came back from three games down to beat the Red Sox in the AL playoffs a while back. It seemed pretty unlikely, made the 'curse of the bambino' look like the real deal.

Memory lapse? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_American_League_Championship_Series

Have to be careful of what the mind recalls when you get to be "our" age... :rolleyes:

[brad kaste]

Maybe in the history of ice hockey Ed, but the biggest choke in sports history that I have ever witnessed occurred last year in Rookie League baseball right here in Danville.

So help me, in all my years of watching baseball from Little League through High School and College ball, I have never seen one player lose a ball game all by himself.

But last year, the Danville Braves enjoyed a six run lead (9-3) with the visiting team coming to bat in the top of the ninth. Manager brings in this relief pitcher (term used loosely) named Matthew Lewis.

Lewis proceeds to walk the first two batters. Men on first and second.

He next throws a wild pitch over the catcher's head, runners advance, men on second and third.

He then give up a hit in the gap between center and left scoring the two on second and third, but a good throw holds the batter to a single, runner on first.

Lewis next takes an easy double-play tapper back to the mound and proceeds to throw the ball over the covering shortstop's head. Men stranded at first and second, no outs, score now 9-5.

Lewis then walks the next batter, bases now loaded, no mound visit from the manager.

Lewis hits the next batter, forcing home a run, score 9-6.

The next batter up hits a routine infield fly, covered by the infield fly rule, second baseman catches it, one out.

Next batter up hits a grand slam home run, putting the visiting team up 10-9. Not one other ball player can account for any of the seven runs scored, but the pitcher. He does manage to walk one more batter , but gets out of the inning with out any more damage. Danville can not recover and loses 10-9. By far the worst performance I have ever seen from a baseball player, amateur or professional.

Caz
Caz,....it begs the question,....why would the dufus manager allow this 'relief' pitcher stay in the game so long? To me,...he's the blame for the lost game.

[yank51]

Memory lapse? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_American_League_Championship_Series

Have to be careful of what the mind recalls when you get to be "our" age... :rolleyes:

Yeah, it was immediately obvious to me that he had "mistakenly" gotten that backwards and had intended to say the Red Sox came back from a 3-0 deficit to beat (thrash I'd say...) the Yankees in 2004....:icon_lol:

[Cazzie]

Caz,....it begs the question,....why would the dufus manager allow this 'relief' pitcher stay in the game so long? To me,...he's the blame for the lost game.

Higher up and he would have been gone after the hit the that scored two or the error. But this is Rookie League and often they are left in to suffer the consequences. Doesn't do much for the young man's confidence, but this is necessary to teach humility to some of these young cock roosters.

Caz

[Cazzie]

Memory lapse? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_American_League_Championship_Series

Have to be careful of what the mind recalls when you get to be "our" age... :rolleyes:

I like to forget about 2004. Not only did they comeback from three games down, but the BoSox swept possibly one of the best St. Louis Cardinal teams in decades in fourstraight games. My brother has always pulled for Boston, I have always pulled for the Cards. Yeppers, I'd like to forget 2004.

Caz

[aeronca1]

He He, since Bettman took control of the NHL, lotsa weird stuff happens on a regular basis.... (tongue very much in cheek...)

[Allen]

No choke. Van won in OT.