Losses that stay with you for life.

As the crow flies I live less than 60 miles away from the Philadelphia sports complex where the stadiums and arena's for all the major sports teams of that metropolis play. Being as such, I have many a friend who are fans of those particular teams, and who of course are currently devastated by the Phillies quick demise in this years playoffs.

As a passionate sports fan of all things Pittsburgh, I can relate. So in response here's my list of Pittsburgh sports losses that will stay with me for life.


Feel free to add your own, no matter what teams you support.

5

Pitt Panthers blow National Championship to Lions 1981

Sherrill expected 1981 to be somewhat of a rebuilding year, but the team exceeded expectations. Quarterback Dan Marino, receiver Julius Dawkins, and linebacker Sal Sunseri wound up with All-American honors, and the #1-ranked team headed into the home contest against Penn State with a Sugar Bowl battle with Georgia already secure. The undefeated Panthers had won seventeen straight, fifteen in a row at home, and 31 of their past 32 games. But a win over Penn State—a win that could even the all-time series at 39-39-3—would be of supreme importance. Sherrill, celebrating his 38th birthday on this November 28th game day, hoped his boys would give him a present for the ages.

The Game

With snow flurries falling and near-freezing temperatures, junior quarterback Dan Marino said in the pre-game that this was the “most important game in most of our lives,” and he came out playing like it. He electrified the sell-out crowd (3,000 extra seats were brought in to Pitt Stadium) with two long TD passes to Dwight Collins in the first quarter and started the game 10 for 11 passing. The Pitt defense held Penn State to two 3-and-outs to start the game held the Lions to minus 1 yard of total yardage in the opening quarter.

On the first play of 2nd quarter, Marino went for the jugular. Heaving a fifty-yard bomb towards the end zone, Marino overshot his receiver but CB Roger Jackson dragged a foot in the end zone as he hauled in an over-the-shoulder interception. The very next play PSU got their first 1st down of game, and eighty yards later, PSU was on the board with a two-yard TD run by Mike Meade. The momentum had swung, but no one realized then how wildly.

Pitt drove down to the Penn State 30, and on 3rd and long, Marino went for Dawkins in the end zone. Roger Jackson delivered a perfectly timed hit (one from which medical assistance would be needed to help Dawkins) that knocked the ball out of Dawkins’ hands and into Mark Robinson’s.

The Lions caught a break on Pitt’s next punt as they laid out the punter, with no penalty called. With less than five minutes remaining, PSU then passed their way down the field (including a perfect bomb to Kenny Jackson) and then let the QB run his way into the end zone on an 8-yard sneak.

The cold day and hard hitting made the ball hard to hang on to, as each team would lose a fumble once more before the half (4 turnovers for Pitt, 2 for PSU in the first). After Pitt dominated the first quarter, Penn State evened things up in the second quarter, 14-14. No one could have predicted that one team would utterly destroy the other in the second half.

If Roger Jackson’s interception touchback ignited PSU in the second quarter, brother Kenny’s 42-yard catch-and-run touchdown on Penn State’s opening drive of the second half may have been the match that sparked the second half inferno.

Blackledge dropped a perfect lob into Jackson’s arms at the 12-yard line. Pitt’s Ray Lao sprinted to make up ground, only to watch Jackson turn his back, plant his right foot an inch from the sideline, and pirouette towards the middle of the field. Pursuing defenders were unable to slow their momentum, and Jackson crossed the grain to the middle of the field for a touchdown.

A few minutes later, Jackson wouldn’t have to work so hard to help his team take a 28-14 lead. Blown coverage by Pitt gave Blackledge-to-Jackson another TD, this time a wide-open 45-yard reception. To close the 3rd quarter, Brian Franco nailed a field goal, which was set up by a 45-yard reception by TE Mike McCloskey. The Lions started the second half with another drive resulting in a Franco field goal to secure at 34-14 lead.

Penn State proceeded to run down the deflated Panthers’ throats. Curt Warner nearly crossed the goal line on a nine-yard rush, but he fumbled it forward. As the ball bounced around the end zone, PSU guard Sean Farrell finally fell on it to give PSU a 41-14 lead.

LB Matt Bradley (younger brother of PSU assistant Tom) also intercepted Marino and Mark Robinson would grab his second pick of the day, a 90-yard pick-6 return. Marino, after a flawless first quarter, seemed to come unglued after his first interception. Second-teamers would play the closing minutes of this shocking 48-14 Penn State upset.

The Rest of the Story

For Pittsburgh, Marino finished fourth in Heisman voting but got some revenge against Georgia for beating Pitt in the polls in 1980. Marino hit TE John Brown in final minute to beat #2 Georgia in Sugar Bowl, denying Georgia any chance at a back-to-back championship run and lessening the bitter taste of the Penn State loss.

Pitt had just three players drafted off 1981 team and seemed poised for a championship run in 1982. Penn State would play a role in denying that team as well, beating Pitt in State College 19-10. If Pitt had won, then their matchup with the Eric Dickerson and Craig James’ SMU team in the Cotton Bowl (which Pittsburgh ended up losing 7-3) would have been touted as the national title game rather than PSU’s Sugar Bowl game against Georgia.

4

Best ever Penguin team (92-93) goes down in flames to Islanders



The Penguins won the Cup in 1991 and again in 1992 by being good enough in the regular season and brilliant in the playoffs. But they entered the 1993 playoffs looking for a three-peat after tearing up the League during the 80-game schedule, capping off a franchise-record 119-point performance by setting an NHL record with a 17-game winning streak.


After slogging past New Jersey in seven games in the opening round, the Penguins figured to have little trouble with the New York Islanders in the Patrick Division Finals – especially because the Isles would be without their best player, star center Pierre Turgeon, due to an injury sustained in the clincher against Washington in the previous round.
But as often happens in cases like this, someone forgot to tell the Isles they had no chance to win. They won the opener 3-2 in Pittsburgh, rallied for a series-tying 6-5 win in Game 4, then scored three times in the third period of Game 6 for a 7-5 win that sent the series back to Pittsburgh for Game 7.

The teams were tied 1-1 after two periods, but goals by David Volek and Benoit Hogue gave the Islanders a 3-1 lead with less than five minutes to go. However, the Penguins showed why they were two-time defending champs – Ron Francis made it a one-goal game with 3:47 remaining, and Rick Tocchet forced overtime by scoring with exactly 60 seconds to play.

Blowing a two-goal lead in the final minutes of a Game 7 didn't deter the Islanders, who had always been one of the NHL's most successful teams in overtime – and sure enough, they weren't fazed by having to deal with the Penguins or their fans. Just over five minutes into the extra period, Volek, a journeyman forward, beat Tom Barrasso with a wrister on a 2-on-1 break to give New York a stunning 4-3 victory and end the Penguins' hopes for a dynasty.

"David Volek didn't play much in that game," then-Isles forward Tom Fitzgerald said years later, "but I'll never forget him going down the side and blasting a slap shot past Barrasso.

"We were like, 'Oh my God, we just did this!' I've always thought that the 1993 Penguins were the best team in my 17 NHL years not to win the Stanley Cup."

3

72 Pirates, wild pitch away from a World Series

They were three outs from a second straight World Series appearance.

They were three outs and four World Series wins away from the makings of a dynasty.


Perhaps the franchise's greatest team ever suffered Pittsburgh professional baseball's most difficult loss ever.

"It was shocking," said Stush Carrozza, a long-time Pirates fan and season-ticket holder. "They were three outs away with the best reliever on the mound. It took a number of years for me to shake it off."

The 1972 Pirates were on the verge of something big, something special.

But the 3-2 lead they held going to the bottom of the ninth inning was quickly wiped away when Johnny Bench hit an opposite field home run on a 1-2 pitch off reliable closer Dave Giusti to tie the game.

The blast shook Giusti and he yielded consecutive hits to Tony Perez and Dennis Menke as he couldn't regain his composure or focus.

Pirates' Manager Bill Virdon had turned to Giusti after lefty Ramon Hernandez recorded the final two outs of the eighth inning. With three right-handed hitters due and Giusti being the closer, Virdon's choice was practically automatic.

What wasn't natural was having to remove Giusti from a game. But Virdon sensed Giusti was rattled and the Pirates had no margin for error. He summoned Bob Moose, who made 30 starts and relieved just once, which resulted in a save, during the regular season.

Reds' Manager Sparky Anderson sent George Foster into run for Perez.

Moose got Cesar Geronimo to fly out to Clemente in deep right field, allowing Foster to tag and move to third. Darrell Chaney popped to shortstop Gene Alley for the second out. It was down to Moose and pinch-hitter Hal McRae.

On a 1-1 pitch, Moose threw a slider. It was wide and bounced away from Sanguillen who tried to backhand the ball. He couldn't and Foster raced home to give Cincinnati an unthinkable victory.

"I think about it when someone brings it up," Hebner said. "It's not a good way to go home. I didn't watch the World Series. It just was an ugly way to lose."

Giusti said the loss was "devastating" for him.

"It's the kind of thing you never forget," said Giusti, who makes his home in Upper St. Clair. "I was the goat that day.

"I was in the dugout when Moose threw the wild pitch. I saw the whole thing. It was not a good time for me. I think it was such a heartbreak because we thought we had a better team."

More Than Defeat

While the loss denied the Pirates an opportunity to win consecutive World Series championships and a chance at putting together a string of titles, it opened the door for the Reds to become a great team eventually known as the Big Red Machine ? and certainly the Athletics, who went on to win the 1972 World Series and three straight to become known as one of baseball's dynasty teams.

It also cost the 1972 Pirates a chance at claiming the tag as the franchise's best team ever. To a man, the members of the '72 team think that squad was better than the team that defeated Baltimore four games-to-three in the 1971 World Series.

"I think we had better depth and the big difference was we were pretty confident coming into the '72 season," said pitcher Nellie Briles. "We were a team that stayed together and had a chance to go back to the Series. There wasn't any doubt in anyone's mind that we were heading back.

That's why the National League Championship Series loss to the Cincinnati Reds in 1972 was as devastating as a defeat can be. And nearly 30 years after Bob Moose uncorked the wild pitch that sunk the Pirates, and opened the door to greatness for the Reds and Oakland Athletics, the loss still stings those who were part of it and those who witnessed it.

2

Pirates Lose to the Braves in the 1992 National League Championship Series


1985 was rock-bottom for the team. Not only were they having one of their worst seasons on the field (104 losses), but they were doing so with washed-up has-beens like Steve Kemp and Joggin George Hendrick. Several Pirates were also losers off the field and were implicated in the infamous baseball drug trials in September of that year. There were even rumors that the team would relocate to Denver.

It was a horrible time to be a Pirates' fan.

However, in 1986, things started to change. The charismatic Syd Thrift was brought in as the new general manager and one of his first duties was to hire the then unknown Jim Leyland to be the new field manager.

Thrift immediately started to revamp the Pirates system by adding young players like Sid Bream, RJ Reynolds, Bobby Bonilla and Doug Drabek to the ranks, and along with future superstar Barry Bonds, the fans at least had some hope for the future. Leyland brought a new energy to the clubhouse and even though the team would, yet again, finish in last place in '86, it was becoming quite obvious that Jim Leyland was no loser.

Just before the '87 season, Thrift dealt away popular catcher Tony Pena to the St. Louis Cardinals for outfielder Andy Van Slyke, catcher Mike Lavalliere, and pitcher Mike Dunne. The trade immediately started to pay dividends as Van Slyke and Lavalliere became part of a young and exciting ballclub. Despite the influx of promising young talent, the Pirates were still mired in last place in the late summer of '87 before calling a players only meeting in-which they set a goal of winning 25 of their last 38 games.

The team immediately got hot and even exceeded their mark by winning 27 of 38 down the stretch and finished 80-82 and in 4th place in the National League East.

There was great optimism for the team in 1988 and they didn't disappoint, finishing second in the division behind their long time rivals, the New York Mets. The day they officially clinched 2nd place, believe it or not, there was a wild celebration in the clubhouse complete with the now famous Jim Leyland "tears of joy".

Because of injuries, the club suffered a setback in 1989, finishing a disappointing fifth place in the division. But by 1990 the Pittsburgh Pirates had arrived. The team would fight with the Mets tooth-and-nail all season long and down the stretch. Finally, in Busch Stadium on September 30th, the Pirates clinched their first NL East title since 1979 behind a masterful pitching performance by Cy Young Award Winner Doug Drabek,.

Seeing the Pirates celebrate that day in St. Louis is a moment I will never forget.

Pittsburgh came up short to the Cincinnati Reds in a hard-fought NLCS, but there was still much hope for the future. This team hadn't even hit its stride.

The Pirates proved to be even better in 1991, winning the NL East by a whopping 14 games. At the start of that year's playoffs, the team was the consensus favorite to go all the way. Unfortunately, they came up against another young team in the NLCS -- the surprising Atlanta Braves. Atlanta had gone from worst to first in the NL West in '91.

Despite holding a 3-2 series lead with the last two-games at Three Rivers Stadium, the Pirates didn't score a single run in either Games 6 or 7. For the second year in a row, they had to watch another team celebrate the National League pennant, this time on their own field.

The Pirates were two-time NL East winners, but weren't expected to have the same kind of success in 1992. All-Star Bobby Bonilla left as a free agent to sign with the hated Mets, and 20-game winner John Smiley was shipped off to the Minnesota Twins in Spring Training. But the team wasn't done. 1992 was again magical. Behind Barry Bonds, Doug Drabek, and Andy Van Slyke, the Pirates won the NL East for a third year in a row.

The Braves won the NL West again and, this time, were considered huge favorites over the Pirates in the NLCS. I was attending the Art Institute of Pittsburgh in the Fall of '92, and like a lot of times in my youth, I could hardly concentrate on school because of sports. I had postseason fever. I just knew that the team would turn the tables on the Braves this time.

Things didn't start off so well for the Buccos. They lost the first two games in Atlanta by scores of 5-1 and 13-5 and the only thing even remotely memorable about Game 2 was seeing KDKA reporter Harold Hayes standing out on the sidewalk, part of a crowd watching the contest on a TV through a department store window .

The series looked like a complete mismatch. The experts were now predicting a sweep.

Game 3 would be back at Three Rivers Stadium and the afternoon of the game, I was walking to my bus stop in Downtown Pittsburgh when a kid wearing a Pirates hat was knocked over by a bike-messenger while crossing the street. Everyone was okay, but talk about a bad omen.

The Pirates were very vulnerable at this point, and even the fans were coming under criticism because a few thousand seats were empty for Game 7 of the previous year's NLCS. The people mocking the Pirates fans the most were the Braves broadcast crew. I never really did like the Braves announcers. They were pretty pathetic in the mid-to-late 80's when the Braves were a laughing-stock, but now that their team won a couple of division titles, they thought Atlanta was baseball-central. Three Rivers Stadium was huge, especially for baseball, and the city of Pittsburgh was relatively small. Needless to say, filling nearly 60,000 seats at Three Rivers was much tougher than filling 45,000 down in Atlanta.

Karma would prove to be a __________ years later when Braves fans would come under the same criticism for lack of fan support in the postseason.

But I digress.

Back to '92. The Pirates fans were challenged and they came out in full-force. Three Rivers stadium wasn't this loud since the days of Brashaw-to-Swann. There wasn't an empty seat in the house and the air was simply electric.

The only thing that stood in the way of the Braves taking total control of the series was rookie knuckle-ball sensation Tim Wakefield. Wakefield went 8-1 for the Pirates after being called up mid-season, and was now a key member of their starting rotation come playoff time. Wakefield proved to be masterful on this night, but the Pirates offense was once again stifled. Former Pirate Sid Bream opened up the scoring with a home run, but catcher Don Slaught answered with one of his own. I was watching the game with my brother and we both went nuts when Slaught went deep. The Pirates scratched and clawed their way to a 3-2 win with Wakefield going the distance and getting Bream to pop up on the in-field for the final out.

I don't think I was ever as pumped up and excited for the Pirates as I was that night.

The next night, the Braves did take control of the series with John Smoltz not only pitching a great game, but also getting a couple of timely hits. The Pirates offense, led by 1990 and 1992 NL mvp Barry Bonds, could do very little. In fact, Bonds, Van Slyke, and Bonilla ('90 and '91) were mostly non-factors when it came to crunch-time in the postseason. Up to that point, Bonds hadn't even had a postseason extra-base in his entire career. It was so bad that after Game 4, KDKA's Bob Pompeani quipped: "The way Bonds is going right now, he couldn't hit water if he fell out of a boat."

It looked like the Pirates were going down in five games, especially with Steve Avery on the mound for the Braves. Avery was the MVP of the previous year's NLCS and with as putrid as the Pirates' offense was, everyone feared that Three Rivers would again be the host of another Braves' National League championship celebration.

However, things would be different on this night. The Pirates knocked out Avery in the first inning, scoring four runs. Bob Walk pitched a complete game three-hitter and the Pirates won easily, 7-1. Bonds even ended his extra-base hit drought with a double.

It was on this night that I had decided that the stars were aligned for Pittsburgh. Clearly fate was on the side of the Buccos. You see, Bob Walk, the veteran right-hander, was summoned to start Game 5 even though he was moved to the bullpen for the series. It was a very similar scenario to the 1979 World Series when veteran Jim Rooker was chosen to pitch for the Pirates in Game 5 at Three Rivers stadium with the team facing elimination. Rooker kept the Pirates in the game and they eventually pulled away. What was the score of that game? 7-1! The Pirates were going to have to win Games 6 and 7 on the road just like they had to do in '79.

I could not wait for Game 6. Tim Wakefield started for Pittsburgh and, once again, proved to be masterful. The Pirates offense continued its hot-streak and chased another Braves pitcher from the game early. This time it was Tom Glavine who was gone after the Pirates put up an 8-spot in the 2nd. Bonds started the inning off with his first and only homerun in the postseason as a member of the Pirates. Jay Bell finished the inning off with a three-run shot and the Pirates were in total control, 8-0, and would go on to win 13-4 as Wakefield pitched his second complete game of the series. Funny story: After Bell hit his three-run shot, I grabbed a foam basketball and threw it at my sister who was just walking into the room. Why did I do that? Just being a jerk, I guess. The playoffs bring out the stupid in us all, right?

I was now more confident than ever that the Pirates would win the series. Sitting in class at the Art Institute that day, I fantasized about the Buccos finally shedding the label of "postseason choke artists" and celebrating an NL crown that night at Atlanta Fulton County Stadium.

The game was in the responsible hands of Doug Drabek, who almost always came through in the big games. Atlanta countered with the right-handed Smoltz. With this particular matchup, many wondered if Leyland would go with his normal platoon lineup against right-handers that consisted of Orlando Merced, Cecil Espy, and Mike Lavalliere. Or would he instead stick with his usual lineup against left-handers, one that consisted of Gary Redus, Lloyd Mcclendon, and Don Slaught -- the lineup, mind you, that was red-hot and responsible for the biggest outbursts of the series. In-fact, Mcclendon owned Braves pitching pretty much his entire career. However, Leyland stuck with his season-long plan and started his normal platoon line-up that he used against right-handers.

I thought that if the Pirates could get off to a fast start, the Braves and their fans would be deflated. Pittsburgh did load the bases in the first inning, but could only score one-run on an Orlando Merced sacrifice fly. For whatever reason, I had a tough time watching this game. Right after the first inning, I left my grandparents house and walked the streets near my house only occasionally checking in to get an update. The Pirates didn't do much more on offense, but the Braves did nothing and Pittsburgh took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the 9th inning.

By this time, I was back at my grandparents watching the game with my uncle and grandfather. I remember watching the commercials and thinking that in just a few minutes, I would get to see the Pirates clinch the NL pennant. I'll never forget that moment, and those feelings, as long as I live.

Terry Pendleton started the 9th for the Braves with a double. I must confess, I chickened out and left. I couldn't watch. I went over my mom's and waited about ten minutes before turning her tv to the game. I was stunned to see that the bases were loaded with nobody out. What I missed was an error by the spectacular, gold-glove second baseman Jose "Chico" Lind and a walk to Sid Bream. Drabek was removed from the game and replaced by Stan Belinda, their side-winding closer.

Belinda got one out on a Ron Gant sacrifice fly to make it 2-1, but walked Damon Berryhill in a controversial at-bat. Randy Marsh had replaced an ill John Mcsherry behind the plate earlier in the game and looked to be squeezing Belinda with a narrow strike zone.

Belinda got Brian Hunter to pop out and now it was down to the little used Francisco Cabrera. Unfortunately, Cabrera smacked a 2-1 pitch into left-center field and Sid Bream, of all people, beat Barry Bonds' throw to the plate, and in the process, demolished the collective heart of the city of Pittsburgh with the series clinching run.

Being the wuss that I can sometimes be in crucial sports moments, I turned the television off after the Berryhill walk and missed the heartbreaking moment. Instead, after waiting a few minutes, I turned the radio on to the voice of Lanny Frattare sadly announcing that the Atlanta Braves were once again National League champions.

I started to cry. I remember going downstairs to the living room and saying to my mom, "I can't function. It's horrible."

I went back over my grandparents and was beside myself. My uncle overheard me emotionally say, "They're never going to win again!" He made fun of me for years.

I wasn't the only one brought to tears. KDKA anchorwoman, the late Patti Burns, had mascara smeared all over her face, a sure sign that she was crying her eyes out right before she had to go on the air that evening.

When I woke up the next day, it was the most depressed I had and have ever been the day after a disappointing loss. It felt like someone died, and I'm not just saying that for effect. That's literally how I felt. Riding the bus to the Art Institute that morning, you could hear a pin drop. That same vibe permeated all of downtown -- it was like people were in mourning.

I'll give you number one tomorrow, anyone care to guess what it is?

By the way, the links are provided if you click the title of the post. I'm not a plagiarist. :lol:

What should have been the 3 peat 1976 Super Bowl winning Pittsburgh Steelers. The Defense of the decade, perhaps of all time, with 5 shut outs in 9 games. 2 Backs rush for 1000 yds each and both get injured for the playoffs. It was heartbreaking to see them come back from a 1-4 start to finish at 10-4 and not be able to field a healthy back field for the playoffs.

Still have the picture in my head of Harris on the sidelines, wincing in pain, just wishing he could play in the playoff game against the Raiders.

Don't know if that matches yours Zu, but that is certainly mine.

Roberto Clemente.

Super Bowl XXX. The one Count mentioned is right up there for me too - that was the first season I started following football.

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Originally Posted by Count Steeler

What should have been the 3 peat 1976 Super Bowl winning Pittsburgh Steelers. The Defense of the decade, perhaps of all time, with 5 shut outs in 9 games. 2 Backs rush for 1000 yds each and both get injured for the playoffs. It was heartbreaking to see them come back from a 1-4 start to finish at 10-4 and not be able to field a healthy back field for the playoffs.

Still have the picture in my head of Harris on the sidelines, wincing in pain, just wishing he could play in the playoff game against the Raiders.

Don't know if that matches yours Zu, but that is certainly mine.

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It's way up there, but not quite mine.

It's a toss-up for me between the '92 Pirates and '93 Penguins. Sid Fucking Bream vs. David Fucking Volek. I was probably more in shock over the Pens losing, because that was not only the best Penguins team ever, but one of the best teams, period, to ever play the game. I thought there was no way in hell the Islanders would ever beat the Pens in that series, and boy was I wrong. I'm sure the NHL brass was heartbroken too, because they ruined a chance at Mario vs. Gretzky for the Stanley Cup. Instead, Montreal ends up beating Gretzky's Kings in the Final that season. Even though the Pirates losing had much more significance since we're still waiting for their next winning season, I still say the Pens losing that year will stick with me for the rest of my life.

94 AFCC game against San Diego. Still mad about that one. Alfred Pupunu. Pleeeeeeaze.

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Originally Posted by X-Terminator

It's a toss-up for me between the '92 Pirates and '93 Penguins. Sid Fucking Bream vs. David Fucking Volek. I was probably more in shock over the Pens losing, because that was not only the best Penguins team ever, but one of the best teams, period, to ever play the game. I thought there was no way in hell the Islanders would ever beat the Pens in that series, and boy was I wrong. I'm sure the NHL brass was heartbroken too, because they ruined a chance at Mario vs. Gretzky for the Stanley Cup. Instead, Montreal ends up beating Gretzky's Kings in the Final that season. Even though the Pirates losing had much more significance since we're still waiting for their next winning season, I still say the Pens losing that year will stick with me for the rest of my life.

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There is still some major bitterness in Toronto over Gretzky getting to the 93 cup final. He had an obvious high sticking penalty in overtime that the refs did not call and he ended up scoring or setting up the winning goal on that shift. We were looking forward to a Toronto Montreal Cup Final. (Toronto was in the Western Division back then.)

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Originally Posted by tube517

94 AFCC game against San Diego. Still mad about that one. Alfred Pupunu. Pleeeeeeaze.

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Stan Freakin' Humphries. :doh:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by X-Terminator

It's a toss-up for me between the '92 Pirates and '93 Penguins. Sid Fucking Bream vs. David Fucking Volek. I was probably more in shock over the Pens losing, because that was not only the best Penguins team ever, but one of the best teams, period, to ever play the game. I thought there was no way in hell the Islanders would ever beat the Pens in that series, and boy was I wrong. I'm sure the NHL brass was heartbroken too, because they ruined a chance at Mario vs. Gretzky for the Stanley Cup. Instead, Montreal ends up beating Gretzky's Kings in the Final that season. Even though the Pirates losing had much more significance since we're still waiting for their next winning season, I still say the Pens losing that year will stick with me for the rest of my life.

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I'm in no way suggesting the fix was in, but that was a terribly officiated series. The Pens were absolutely lethal on the power play, but the refs refused to give the Pens a two man advantage that series even though many were deserved. It was so evident that the Islanders took liberties on the p.k. like I've never seen before or have since. I can't remember exactly how many shorties they scored that series, probably only two, but they were huge game changing goals, and in actuality instead of ending up in the Penguins net the result should have been a two man advantage for the Pens. Basically they assaulted our point men with impunity all series. Probably if anything it was just that the refs like all of us thought the Penguins were a cinch, so on some subconscious level they refused to make things too easy for them. Just my theory? :noidea:

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Originally Posted by tube517

94 AFCC game against San Diego. Still mad about that one. Alfred Pupunu. Pleeeeeeaze.

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Ding ding ding! That's the chart topper for me too!

1

94 Steelers blow double digit 4th quarter lead to Chargers in AFC title game

The reaction of Pittsburgh's three most quotable players said it all about the Steelers' emotions after their 17-13 loss to San Diego at Three Rivers Stadium on Sunday.

Cornerback Tim McKyer was so devastated after getting beat deep on San Diego's winning touchdown pass that he needed four security guards to help him off the field five minutes after the game.

Linebacker Kevin Greene was so upset that he greeted reporters in the locker room still dressed in full uniform from a crawl position and tearfully shouted at them: "You . . . get out of my face."

Linebacker Greg Lloyd was so shocked that he sat alone on a bench in the Steelers' weight room looking down at the ground without talking for 20 minutes before joining his teammates in the locker room.

So what happened to the Steelers' "One for the Thumb Super Bowl Run?"

Overconfidence. Plain and simple.

Throughout the week, the Steelers and their fans acted like Sunday's AFC championship game was only a quick stop on the way to Super Bowl XXIX in Miami.

Instead of worrying about the Chargers, the Steelers appeared more interested in acquiring additional Super Bowl tickets and making a Super Bowl rap video. Defensive end Ray Seals even said that if the Steelers played up to their abilities, the Chargers would not score.

For most of the first three quarters, the Steelers played like a team that had a reason to be overconfident as they dominated the Chargers. At one point, the Steelers had outgained the Chargers, 279 yards to 49, and had held the ball for 25:33 compared to San Diego's 8:50.

Pittsburgh's problem was that it only had a 13-3 lead to show for it.

"We were able to drive the ball all the way down into their red-zone area, but we weren't getting any touchdowns," quarterback Neil O'Donnell said. "Not getting into the end zone really hurt us."

What really added to the Steelers' woes was the fact that their domination was not coming from their running game, which had carried them throughout the season and helped them hold leads in the second half.

Against San Diego, Pittsburgh decided to pass more and rushed for only 66 yards.

"When a team brings up their safeties and plays an eight- or nine-man front, it's tough to run the ball," said Pittsburgh tackle John Jackson. "That's why we had to start passing the ball so much."

In easily his best game as a pro, O'Donnell completed 32 of 54 passes for 349 yards and a touchdown. But his passing wasn't able to keep the Chargers' offense off the field long enough when it counted.

With Natrone Means gaining 69 yards in 20 carries, San Diego quarterback Stan Humphries was able to catch the Steelers off-guard with play-action passes.
Humphries' first big completion came with 8:03 to play in the third quarter, when he faked a handoff to Means and passed to wide-open tight end Alfred Pupunu for a 43-yard touchdown to cut the Steelers' lead to 13-10.

"We dropped coverage on that play and they just caught us with a good run fake," Steeler safety Carnell Lake said. "We knew that Humphries is a good play-action quarterback who likes to throw deep. What they did was execute a play that we hadn't seen before to perfection."

Had the Steelers been able to get their running attack clicking, they would have had a better chance of preventing Humphries from making his second big completion of the game with 5:13 to play.

After converting on only one of eight third-down plays, the Chargers capitalized on two in a row during their game-winning drive, with the clincher being Humphries completing a perfectly thrown 43-yard touchdown pass to Tony Martin, who got behind McKyer on a deep post pattern.

After recording the best record during the regular season to have home-field advantage during the AFC playoffs, the Steelers still had a chance and 61,545 supportive fans behind them.

With the ball at his 17-yard line, O'Donnell led the Steelers on a 10-play drive before having his fourth-and-goal pass to Barry Foster knocked down by the Chargers' Dennis Gibson in the end zone with 1:08 to play.

"We were three yards away and we couldn't get it done," said linebacker Chad Brown. "Most times, we are going to make that play. We had it right there in front of us but we fell short."

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Originally Posted by fansince'76

Stan Freakin' Humphries. :doh:

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More like Tim freakin' McKyer! :doh:

The 92 Pirates was it for me, after that game I sat frozen in shock in the chair I was in for at least a half hour, cried a bit and was generally depressed for a week or two after it. Was all excited leading up the ninth inning thinking that the World Series was going to open up in Pittsburgh that coming Saturday night.

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Originally Posted by vader29

The 92 Pirates was it for me, after that game I sat frozen in shock in the chair I was in for at least a half hour, cried a bit and was generally depressed for a week or two after it. Was all excited leading up the ninth inning thinking that the World Series was going to open up in Pittsburgh that coming Saturday night.

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I punched a hole in my door and broke my hand moments after Sid Bream crossed the plate. :frusty:

Not one of my brighter moments! :doh:

I'm surprised no one's brought up the 2001 AFC championship game. (6th on my list) Kordell Stewart and special teams cost us a trip to the Super Bowl! :horror:

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Originally Posted by tube517

94 AFCC game against San Diego. Still mad about that one. Alfred Pupunu. Pleeeeeeaze.

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this one sticks with me big time we should have walked all over them and to have it end the way it did UGH!! Plus as a blackhawks fan the 92 stanley cup finals for me was a bad bad series since we played well in the 1st game , but ended up choking and being sweeped in 4. it was my first cup finals as a hawks fan and was the last finals for chicago stadium i still miss that place. (it smelled like a hockey rink).

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Originally Posted by zulater

I'm surprised no one's brought up the 2001 AFC championship game. (6th on my list) Kordell Stewart and special teams cost us a trip to the Super Bowl! :horror:

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Any important game that Kordell started for the Steelers I had already chalked up to a loss, so the 2001 AFC Championship game was no surprise to me.

I do have to agree with the '94 AFC championship game. I remember just staring at the TV in disbelief as the Chargers went running around Three Rivers celebrating.

The '92 Pirates was a heartbreaking loss also. If I remember right the Pirates were ahead in that game. I was listening to it at my HS job (the illustrious 5 star restaurant called The Brighton Hot Dog Shoppe) in New Brighton and my boss cut me loose. I ran home to catch the final two innings and wouldn't you know it, I caught just enough to watch them lose.

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Originally Posted by SCSTILLER

Any important game that Kordell started for the Steelers I had already chalked up to a loss, so the 2001 AFC Championship game was no surprise to me.

I do have to agree with the '94 AFC championship game. I remember just staring at the TV in disbelief as the Chargers went running around Three Rivers celebrating.

The '92 Pirates was a heartbreaking loss also. If I remember right the Pirates were ahead in that game. I was listening to it at my HS job (the illustrious 5 star restaurant called The Brighton Hot Dog Shoppe) in New Brighton and my boss cut me loose. I ran home to catch the final two innings and wouldn't you know it, I caught just enough to watch them lose.

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So you were the jinx!

:wink02:

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Originally Posted by zulater

So you were the jinx!

:wink02:

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Damn, you found me!

Many of the above. The two World Series losses for the Tribe were devastating for me. The Braves one I could sort of accept as the Braves were such a perennial powerhouse, but losing to the Marlins was unacceptable. The Indians were superior in every way and just blew it...

Ohio States loss to Florida. Sorry, but that OSU teams was loaded top-to-bottom. They were heavily favored for a reason. Tressel was simply out coached from the first whistle to the last.

I'm young so not as much to choose from as some of you guys.

The main ones that stick out to me are Duke losses to UCONN in the NCAA tournament. 1999 Final and 2004 Final Four. 99 because I was 10 and Duke was 37-1 going into the title game. The thought of them losing that game did not even enter my mind. Really. When they lost I was crushed. 2004 I thought Duke and UCONN were evenly matched but Duke was up by about 7 with 4 minutes left. The refs totally switched up how they were calling fouls at that point. We could not touch Emeka Okafor with out them calling a foul. All of our big guys fouled out and UCONN came back to win. Our shooting in the last 4 minutes sucked too....

I wasn't following the Steelers heavily at that age so the 01 and 04 AFCC games don't sting me as much as the Duke losses I mentioned.

If the Cardinals don't win these next 2 games the 2011 World Series may be a bad memory for me. They have had too magical of a run to lose now. Of course we have been shooting ourselves in the foot all series long, so....

So does our most recent loss to the Broncos make it on the list? I'm putting it top 10 for sure, but I can't displace any of the top 5.

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Originally Posted by zulater

So does our most recent loss to the Broncos make it on the list? I'm putting it top 10 for sure, but I can't displace any of the top 5.

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I know for some here it does but I had low expectations even if they did win. I'm certainly not happy they lost but this was nowhere near the 2008 or even the 2010 team.

I'll never forget the 2002 playoff game between the Steelers and Titans...... Ill never forget how it ended. Another one was not actually losing the game, but being kicked out of the playoffs by the Ravens in 2009. As bad as a year that was, we still had a chance to make it if the Ravens lost. We beat the Dolphins, but the Ravens beat the Raiders.... One more for the Steelers were when they lost to the Broncos in 1997..... I hated John Elway with a burning passion, even at the age of 7...