# Most embarassing sports play you've seen **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 2, 2011, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarassing-sports-play-youve-seen/601595 "2011-11-02T05:59:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Invisible\_Chimp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarassing-sports-play-youve-seen/601595/41 "2011-11-02T16:33:34Z")
[LeBron James](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oafKuJvOwHA) is the only one who seems to know you only get one free throw if you’re fouled on a made shot. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarassing-sports-play-youve-seen/601595/42 "2011-11-02T17:14:04Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > For who knows what reason my son and his friends are avid ice hockey fans… Because they are clearly awesome people. I always get a good laugh at [this goal on Vesa Toskala](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meFICJYORvA). Not that Carey Price’s["Bill Bucknered’ goal was much better.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ADADV0HkJs) (Habs went on to win that game 2-1). The difference is that Price is actually a good goalie. Toskala…not so much! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarassing-sports-play-youve-seen/601595/43 "2011-11-02T17:25:05Z")
> [@MOIDALIZE](#): > > Chris Webber’s timeout. Good one. Bonus point for the fact it dogged him practically throughout his entire pro career too. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarassing-sports-play-youve-seen/601595/44 "2011-11-02T17:30:07Z")
> [@D\_Odds](#): > > There’s the [Larry Czonka fumble](http://goo.gl/jQ8LE), recovered by Herman Edwards. Eagle fans call that the Miracle of the Meadowlands, but as a Giant fan, it was anything but a miracle. I saw that on TV. Wasn’t really Zonk’s fault (or Joe Pisarcik’s), as the offensive coordinator Bob Gibson (not the HoF pitcher) insisted on the handoff and not a kneel-down. Neither Zonk or Joe wanted anything to do with the play, but halfheartedly went ahead with it anyway, and Murphy’s Law took over from there. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarassing-sports-play-youve-seen/601595/45 "2011-11-02T17:43:15Z")
[http://network.yardbarker.com/soccer/article\_external/japan\_defender\_nets\_a\_58m\_header/7801762?linksrc=mb\_main\_col\_8](http://network.yardbarker.com/soccer/article_external/japan_defender_nets_a_58m_header/7801762?linksrc=mb_main_col_8) This one is fun. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarassing-sports-play-youve-seen/601595/46 "2011-11-02T17:51:39Z")
> [@robardin](#): > > Getting thrown out trying to steal 2nd base with two outs in the bottom of the 9th inning… In Game 7 of the World Series… With your team down by only one run (you represent the tying run) and your team’s _cleanup batter at bat_. I never knew about that interesting piece of history. Thanks for posting it. ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarassing-sports-play-youve-seen/601595/47 "2011-11-02T18:00:37Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > I never knew about that interesting piece of history. Thanks for posting it. Yeah, if it were any other player that would totally have been a career defining Charlie Brown moment. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarassing-sports-play-youve-seen/601595/48 "2011-11-02T18:16:09Z")
Oh, and how could I have forgotten this one? Relevant info for NFL fans who don’t know the CFL: The Grey Cup is Canada’s Superbowl. Both teams field 12 players a side instead of 11 in a regular lineup. Saskatchewan Roughrider fans call themselves “The Thirteenth Man” for their undying love and support of their team. The game took place out West, in Calgary, making the crowd basically a Roughriders home crowd. Now, on with the show… [The Thirteenth Man.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77L3gNDCUnw) ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarassing-sports-play-youve-seen/601595/49 "2011-11-02T18:17:31Z")
> [@Trom](#): > > Not making contact, as in missing the ball, is a risk. Not making contact because you decide not to try to make contact… I have never heard of that. You’re saying there are times when the batter _purposefully_ will avoid contact? > > When I watch the video, I see pretty much the scenario you describe. The pitch is a ball, and he pulls back having forgotten the squeeze was called. Well, there are balls, and there are balls. That was a good foot low and outside, nearly in the dirt. The odds of making contact are miniscule–I can understand why a batter would decide not to add a strike to the effectively already failed squeeze play. On the other hand, if a pitch that bad means the suicide squeeze is going to fail, I don’t know why you’d ever call a suicide squeeze against a Rangers pitcher. (sting) ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarassing-sports-play-youve-seen/601595/50 "2011-11-02T18:23:05Z")
The absolutely worst one I’ve ever seen was a few years back at the Round Rock Express (Minor Leagues) , near Austin. A simple pop fly, almost directly to the pitcher. He was directly under it, just waiting for it to fall into his glove… when he got slammed from behind by not just one, but \*two \*outfielders. All three fell down, and the ball bounced off of the pileup. The batter made it to first. ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarassing-sports-play-youve-seen/601595/51 "2011-11-02T18:30:43Z")
Sticking with baseball, and a major-league team at that, the Royals have had a series of comically bad plays over the last decade. I think my favorite was Kerry Robinson climbing the wall to steal a home run only for the ball to bounce on the warning track in front of him for a ground-rule double. They also had a good one where two outfielders starting jogging off and the end of an inning (well, it would have been) only to have the ball drop behind and between them both. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarassing-sports-play-youve-seen/601595/52 "2011-11-02T18:51:51Z")
Chris Childs, Toronto Raptors, 2002. With the Raptors down by 3 and just seconds left in the last game of the first round of the playoffs, Childs, the point guard, was carrying the ball on Toronto’s last chance. His teammates fanned out, trying to get room to take a three-point shot to save the season. Halfway down the court, Childs suddenly just heaved the ball up towards the rafters. It bounced away, and the game ended, while his teammates stared at him in amazement. The annoucers were completely silent. It was as if Childs was throwing the game. Afterwards, asked why he’d suddenly given up, Childs admitted that he thought the Raptors were losing by 4, not 3. He didn’t know they had a chance to tie it. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarassing-sports-play-youve-seen/601595/53 "2011-11-02T19:14:52Z")
1970 or thereabouts, Cleveland Indians vs. Oakland A’s in an otherwise forgettable baseball game. The play I remember: an Oakland batter pops the ball up, and it’s caught for an out. What makes it noteworthy is who caught the ball – Bobby Hofman, who was coaching third base for the A’s. What a time for the old utility infielder to flash back to his playing days… ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarassing-sports-play-youve-seen/601595/54 "2011-11-02T19:28:09Z")
I remember back in the 70’s Baylor was driving on TCU and down 34 - 28 had reached the 4 yard line with 22 seconds left. Out of time outs and with no receiver immediately open, Quarterback Neal Jeffries intentionally threw the ball out of bounds to stop the clock. But it wasn’t 3rd down like he thought. It was 4th. ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarassing-sports-play-youve-seen/601595/55 "2011-11-02T22:18:03Z")
Last year there was an LSU-Tennessee football game where LSU needed a touchdown on the last play of the game to win. They were very close to the goal line, but the center snapped the ball over the quarterback’s head, resulting in lost yardage and the end of the game. However, Tennessee had not just 12 but 13 players on the field (it may even have been 14). The game can’t end on a penalty by the defense, so LSU got one more play and scored the touchdown. ---
**Author:** ![Intelligently\_Designed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intelligently_designed/32/20957_2.png) [@Intelligently\_Designed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intelligently_Designed)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarassing-sports-play-youve-seen/601595/56 "2011-11-02T22:35:53Z")
[Steve Smith](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmuXdR77xSY&feature=related) may have kept the Oilers from winning five straight Stanley Cups. (at 1:12 of the video) [DeSean Jackson](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIWWrdDNBRU&feature=grec_index), as previously mentioned. [Merkle’s Boner](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merkle%27s_Boner). The Bruins have [too many men on the ice](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o5YkiRuTC4). How about conceding an [infield triple](http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=17599161)? (Actually, it was scored as a single with the runner going to third on fielder’s indifference.) And of course, [Jim Joyce](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxLJhRk_2EE&feature=related) and Armando Galarraga. ---
**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarassing-sports-play-youve-seen/601595/57 "2011-11-02T23:09:00Z")
> [@Intelligently\_Designed](#): > > How about conceding an [infield triple](http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=17599161)? (Actually, it was scored as a single with the runner going to third on fielder’s indifference.) Holy crap. Oakland’s manager should have stopped play and made the team run laps after that. Here’s a pretty amusing recount of a Clippers loss to the Cavaliers a couple seasons back, after they blew a 19 point lead with just under 11 minutes to go. The Clippers were down by 2 with 6 seconds to play and had possession: > [@](#): > > My section is arguing about which terrible play the Clips will run here to save the game. The possibilities are limitless. Maybe they won’t top the play in which Baron Davis had to run a half-court lap in seven seconds just to hoist a fallaway 3 with two guys on him, but there’s a CHANCE they might top it, and that’s why our hearts are racing. These are the moments when I wouldn’t trade my Clips tickets for anything. I’m not even kidding. > > Well, Dunleavy just upped the ante – he just put in ice-cold 3-point specialist Steve Novak, who hasn’t played all half. This is a Dunleavy crunch-time staple: How can I get the coldest guy on my bench involved in the biggest play of the game? So far, so good. It’s like watching the Bizarro Auerbach in action. > > So, Gordon is inbounding the ball from the left hashmark near midcourt. Thornton, Novak and Randolph are stacked at the top of the key. Baron is under the basket. Thornton cuts through to the left corner. One Mississippi. Obviously, he’s not getting the ball. Baron starts moving up toward the top of the key, only the Cavs know he’s getting the ball – (two Mississippi) – so they block his way. Everything is congested. The fans start panicking. Three Mississippi. Baron accelerates past the 3-point line, only LeBron sees him and jumps in the way so he can’t get the ball. This is an awesome play. Four Mississippi. Gordon finally passes to Randolph, who takes two dribbles and … > > (Oh no.) > > Picks up his dribble and … > > (Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!) > > Launches a 28-foot 3-pointer with a hand in his face. His third air-balled 3 of the night. Actually, it was more than an air ball – it almost killed the ball boy. > > Cavs ball, 1.8 seconds left. > > The fans are in disbelief. Randolph’s teammates are in disbelief. Dunleavy is making a face that my friend Sal later describes as “A face I have never seen a human being make before.” What ensued in the next 20 seconds could best be described like this: Imagine being trapped in one of those big hospital elevators with eight other people. One of them pulls his pants down and just starts going to the bathroom – not No. 1 but No. 2. At that specific moment, the doors open for the next floor. How fast would everyone else in the elevator flee for the door? Lightning-fast, right? Like, Usain Bolt-level fast, right? That was the entire stadium after Z-Bo’s air ball. He basically took a dump on the 3-point line. > **[The Sports Guy Bill Simmons: Cavaliers-Clippers debacle sums up the...](https://www.espn.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons%2F090311&sportCat=nba)** > > After watching the Clippers blow a 19-point fourth-quarter lead to the Cavs, the Sports Guy was outraged -- but not one bit surprised. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarassing-sports-play-youve-seen/601595/58 "2011-11-02T23:33:57Z")
More the end of a play, but in the late 80s a baseball player slid into second, then stood up and, completely forgetting where he was, dropped trou to get the dirt out of his pants. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarassing-sports-play-youve-seen/601595/59 "2011-11-02T23:51:40Z")
I was at the 1984 Mavericks-Lakers conference final game where Derek Harper dribbled out the clock thinking the Mavs were up a point (video [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-_h-_yNAjI&feature=related), check it out at 4:00). I still clearly recall wandering out of Reunion after the loss wondering what the fuck had just happened. Oh, my other memory from that heinous game: there’s dead silence as the teams file off, and Abdul-Jabbar cups his ear with one hand as if to say “gee, where’s all that noise now?” Then someone poured a beer on his head when he reached the players’ exit. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2011, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarassing-sports-play-youve-seen/601595/60 "2011-11-02T23:57:50Z")
> [@Drain\_Bead](#): > > More the end of a play, but in the late 80s a baseball player slid into second, then stood up and, completely forgetting where he was, dropped trou to get the dirt out of his pants. [That’d be Steve Lyons.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhWEqWHllQA) Not only did I know that off the top of my head, if you type “Steve Lyons” into google, “Steve Lyons pants” is the second recommended result. As a postscript to the Ryan-Ventura fight: Ryan is now the principal owner/president/CEO of the Rangers and Ventura was recently named manager of the White Sox. I don’t think they’re going to have a rematch the next time the ChiSox play the Rangers, but it’s going to be on everybody’s mind, so I’m excited about the possibilities. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarassing-sports-play-youve-seen/601595.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-embarassing-sports-play-youve-seen/601595.md?page=4)