Houston Oilers lead Buffalo Bills 38 - 3 at halftime, AFC playoff game.
The best Oilers team ever. Had it all, great QB, awesome running game, a defense that could pulverize a medium sized planet. This was the year Houston would win the Superbowl.
Can always count on me to bring in the horse racing references.
Ruffian in The Great Match Race of 1976.
And…
Similar, but IMO worse (as it happened in the homestretch, less than 100 yards from the wire, in full view of the fans): Go For Wand in the 1990 Breeder’s Cup Distaff. Whereas Ruffian broke down on the backstretch but managed to stay on her legs, Go For Wand’s shattered leg sent her somersaulting across the track.
I’ve never been much of a fan of Australia’s victory in this World Cup because I thought South Africa were robbed. With the dramatic finish everyone forgot the runout of Elworthy by McGrath in the 49th over. After a ludicrous number of replays the third umpire was suddenly able to decide that McGrath had deflected the ball onto the stumps without touching them. I doubt that a decision like that would hold up nowadays in light of other decisions where the benefit of the doubt has been applied. If he had been given not out (as he should) the score would have been 8/206 at the start of the last over and Klusener’s two 4s would have won the game.
And poor old Allan Donald wouldn’t have to remember that runout 'til the day he dies.