So I've succumbed to my disease. I am addicted to Top "whatever" lists. Take any subject, anything and put it into a top 5 or a top 10 format, and I will read it. So without further ado, here's the first installment of The Sports Riot!'s Top 5 list.
Top 5 Worst Championship Games
Playoffs in all sports usually outshine the regular season. And it is almost always the case when it’s a winner take all situation for a championship. Game 7’s are usually the most drama, and the best watch. But every once in a while, you get a real stinker. Monday’s 63-52 UCONN championship victory over Butler got me to thinking about the worst that I have ever seen, and thus kicking off our weekly Top 5 segment. This year’s championship game definitely cracks the top 15, but not the top 5; we have some real crap in here.
5) 1985 World Series Game 7 – Royals 11 Cardinals 0 -One night after being jobbed by first base umpire Don Denkinger, who blew an obvious out call at first base, the cards just didn’t seem to have the heart to continue. In the bottom of the 9th of Game 6, Jorge Orta of the Royals hit a routine bouncer up the first base line, rookie Todd Worrell was covering when the flip from Jack Clark was there in plenty of time, beating Jorge Orta by a step and a half. However, Denkinger called him safe, and the bottom of the 9th unfolded, resulting in Orta scoring the game winner, and forcing the awful Game 7. Some say Denkinger was subconsciously making up for a bad call at 2nd base earlier in the game that was nearly as bad, but not quite as timely.
4) Super Bowl XX – Bears 46 Patriots 10
-This game was over before it started. First off, 1986 was a huge year for me in terms of sports. There were a lot of first memories for me. The 1985 World Series was the first time I remember watching a whole series with interest. The 1986 World Series was when I was galvanized as a Mets fan. I remember struggling with every pitch with my dad during that epic series. And this Super Bowl sticks out as well. There were some obvious things, the Super Bowl Shuffle, Jim McMahon’s white headband, and the Fridge pounding in TD’s. This I believe was the first appearance of the Bud Bowl during the Super Bowl broadcast. I will need to confirm that, but I remember it. The most memorable thing about this game though was me, a 9 year old with very little experience or football knowledge, asking my father what those children in the red jerseys were doing on the field with the Bears before the game started. He told me it was the New England Patriots. I knew at the tender age of 9 what was about to happen to the old Red, White, and Blue on that day. It was very bad, very bad.
3) 1996 Fiesta Bowl – Nebraska 62 Florida 24 -Perhaps the last lawful appearance by Lawrence Philips and the last football appearance of Tommie Frazer. Tommie Frazer had one of the most memorable plays in this game when he took a routine looking option 11 yards, and turned it into a 25 yard gain by carrying half the Gator D on his back. This game over by the half when the Huskers put up 29 points in the 2nd quarter thus ending any shot Wuerfel and the Gators may have had.
2) 1990 NCAA National Championship Game UNLV 103 Duke 73 -Now as bad a night as Butler had on Monday, they only lost by 11. The Coach K led team was decimated by the Runnin’ Rebs and Tark the Shark. A few notes from this one. First off, the Rebs were the first and only team to ever to drop 100 points in the championship game. 30 points is the largest margin of victory for a final and it came against an institution like Coach K’s Blue Devils. Let’s also not forget that this was a Laettner/Hurley team, this team was no slouch. The other reason this game is so memorable, and terrible is that it marks Brent Musburger’s long run as the voice of college sports on CBS. One of the staples of my childhood was Brent Musburger on New Year’s Day, Brent Musburger in the NFL today studio before Sunday’s Giants game. And that memory was extinguished for a little while after this particular game, because the day following this debacle, Brent Musburger was fired by CBS.
1) Super Bowl XXVII Cowboys 52 Bills 17 and Super Bowl XXIV 49ers 55 Broncos 10
-This one is a toss-up for many reasons. The niners annihilated the Broncos by 45, whereas the ‘boys only won by 35. But the Cowboys forced 9 turnovers, which is a SB record. The niners were up 27-3 at the half, where the Bills were only trailing 28-10. And if you recall, the Bills were a much better team than those Denver teams, or so we thought. So I guess maybe those 7 points could determine whether or not the casual fan is still tuning in. I’m obviously splitting hairs here, both of these games were embarrassments, and basically over by the half thus making them the most uninteresting, and boring Super Bowls to date. Unless you’re a Cowboys or a 49ers fan, Ant I know you were glued. Honorable Mentions – 2009 Ncaa Women’s Champ game UCONN defeated Louisville by 22,
-2006 Ncaa Men’s Champ Game Florida over UCLA by 16, it wasn’t that close
-1987 Stanley Cup Final Game 7 Oilers 3 Flyers 1 – I know the score looks close, but the Oilers took the lead early in the 1st, and out shot the Flyers 25-8 in the final 2 periods. Flyer goalie Ron Hextall became 1 of 4 players in the 100+ year history of the finals to win the Conn Smythe trophy (Playoff MVP) and lose the series.
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