10 Greatest Losses

So last night's tough defeat for Vikings fans got me thinking about my life and the 10 toughest sports losses I've personally endured. What the heck... let's make a list. Keep in mind these are professional losses I've experienced as a fan...

10. 1984 NLCS Cubs vs. Padres --- My first sports memory also doubles as the angriest I've ever seen my dad. 1B Leon Durham lets a ground ball go between his legs in the 7th inning of the deciding game, Cubs lose 5-3, my dad slams his fist down on the counter, walks out of the house and does not return for some time. It scared me at the time... and made me a Cubs fan for life.

9. 1991 Orange Bowl Notre Dame vs. Coloardo --- My favorite college football player of all-time is The Rocket, Notre Dame's Raghib Ismail. With Notre Dame down 10-9, he capped off an electric college career with a silly 92-yard punt return for a TD with 43 seconds left. Exultation and exhiliration. For five seconds. A bogus clipping penalty ruined it all. The Rocket deserved better.

8. 1998 Super Bowl XXXII Packers vs. Broncos --- Going into the game there may been overconfidence... and it grew even further when the Pack marched down the field on the opening possession and put up 6 after Favre floated a perfect one to Freeman. The rest of the game was jagged, the Packers seemed out of sync, Elway did that weird helicopter landing on the famous run late in the game.... and.... this may sound familiar... Favre's last pass of the season was a horrible one. This was maybe the biggest, "Wow I can't BELIEVE they lost" game. I was that sure they were going to win. Maybe it's because we watched the game at Bal's house.....

7. 2001 NCAA National Semifinal --- Maryland vs. Duke ----- We drove straight through back from Vegas and arrived just in time for tipoff. My favorite team vs. my least favorite.... and the Terps bolted to a 22-point first half lead. Only to have it all come crashing down, one possession at a time. I felt like at Christmas morning I woke up and my parents told me to go to school. What once was so wondeful turned into a nightmare. It was just Duke's year. One year later the Terps would win the whole fricking thing and have their Juan Shining Moment.

6. 2010 Wild Card Playoff Packers vs. Cardinals ---- Flying down to Arizona to go this games was on a whim, and sure worth it. The despondent vibe early gave way to the incredulous rush late. I've never gone from bottom to top like that in my memory. The missed field goal. The coin flip win. Jennings breaking free. Rising from my seat. The ball soaring in the sky. Raising my arms in the air. Greatest game ever......

Incomplete. Penalty. Fumble. Game Over. Loud Arizona fans. Life sucks again.....

5. 2002 NBA Western Conference Finals Kings vs. Lakers ---- One of the greatest playoff series of all-time. I loved everything about the Kings and hated everything about the Lakers. Liakos and I lived and died with that Kings team. Horry's 3 to win Game 4 for the Lakers was a heartstopper. Game 6 was the biggest ref shitshow I've ever seen... and I've seen a ton. Then the brutal OT loss at Arco in Game 7, with Peja and Christie both botching huge 3s and Webber disappearing late. I'll never be convinced the better team one.

4. 2008 NFC Championship Game -- Packers vs. Giants. The official end of the cold weather myth. We thought Favre was a cold weather master but he was throwing ducks all game. Yet still after Lawrence Tynes missed a field goal at the end of regulation (after which I engaged in a three way jump, hug, shriekfest with Sarah and Maggie), the Packers won the coin toss and visions of the Super Bowl were dancing. Then the WTF pass left Favre's hand. There was no joy in St. Louis Park.

3. 2008 NLDS Cubs vs. Dodgers --- I blogged about this one heavily when it went to down... so excited going in and so devastated going out. I've never seen the weight of expectations affect a team like that. I called in to work after the game 2 loss since I knew the person who showed up

that day would not have benefited the company one bit. I was stupid enough to honestly think that was the year. As Cub fans, if we don't know better by now, we never will. I still believe it will happen one day. I just don't know for sure anymore.

2. 1993 NCAA National Championship --- Michigan vs. North Carolina. There's so much more than just the timeout. There's the insane comeback they made against UCLA in the 2nd round, when I realized I was more nervous than I had ever been watching a game in my life, where King tipped in Rose's miss to end it. There's the flawless game they played against the favorite Kentucky in the National Semis, winning without making a 3 over 45 minutes. Sticking it in my dad's face after that game as he guaranteed Kentucky would win. There's Rose and Webber, two of my favorite sports dudes ever. Then there was the finality of it all. The ending was all kinds of wrong. It haunts me to this day.

1. 2003 NLCS Cubs vs. Marlins ---- The last time I cried after a sporting event. I stumbled around the streets of Eau Claire in my socks. I lay in the driveway, looking up at the stars for what seemed like hours. I was unemployed for four months following. There were so many things about the 8th inning of game 6 that turned out badly.... I watched the game on ESPN classic earlier this month and was blown away all over again. Then KWood hit the incredible homer in Game 7 and it was possible once again. But no. The long goodbye instead. I'm not sure I'll ever be the same when it comes to sports.