2008 Banner Fantasy League Division Names

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Last year I named the Banner Fantasy division after three of the most un-successful head coaches ever to grace an NFL sideline. This year the Banner League expanded to fourteen teams and as a result shrunk to two divisions. I thought long and hard about new division names. I finally came up with the theme – greatest sports chokes of all time! First I developed the criteria:

1. Time – I focused only on the last 29 years – 1979 – 2007 (Yankee fan just about crapped his pants after reading that – “What how nice to not include 1978!”). Ok, for my beloved Yankee fan friends, I will go back a full 30 years to include a certain 1978 baseball season.
2. Significance of the event – More weight is given to championship games than the regular season.
3. History – Was the choke un-paralleled? If so, more weight given was added.
4. Opponent – A hated rival adds more weight.
5. Gag Factor – How apparent was the choke? How obvious was it that a team got tight and that affected their play?
6. Memory – Did this particular choke change the image or path of the choker?
7. Single season – In other words, no consideration was given to dynasty-type choke.

With that out of the way I began formulating my list. What I quickly found is there were so many deserving teams/individuals that it seemed un-fair to limit it to just two. Therefore, I decided to compile the top 10 chokes of all-time – with the top two being the division names and create an award for the remaining eight.

And away we go…..

First a list (no order) and small blurb about “gag-jobs” that finished just outside the top 10:

• 1990-91 UNLV Running Rebels – the last team to be undefeated in the final four; seemed destined to complete the first un-blemished season since 1976 (Indiana). They lost to Duke in the national semi-final, a team beat they clobbered by 30 points to win the 1990 championship.
  • Why they deserved to be a top 10? The “GAG Factor” was off the charts, with about 10 minutes left in a tight game they completely fell apart capped off by one of the worst closing game sequences I had ever seen.
  • Why they didn’t make the top 10? College basketball choking was and still is common place, so historical this scores low.
• 2001 St. Louis Rams – the second biggest favorite to lose a Super Bowl (Baltimore in SB III). The Rams lost only two games in 2001, New Orleans by three and to Tampa Bay by seven. In those two games they committed 14 combined turnovers, yet still had reasonable chances to win both games. They were dominant.
  • Why they deserved to be a top 10? They blew a chance at a being a dynasty. The loss changed the historical perspective of the Rams – as they are known more as a “one-year” wonder. They were on the biggest stage and lost as the second biggest Super Bowl favorite.
  • Why they didn’t make the top 10? Plain and simple the Pats cheated. In all reality, we will never know how much information the Patriots got from being present at the walk-thru, but it might have just been enough to tip the scales, throw in the arrogance of Mike Martz and my feeling is the better (and better prepared) team that day won.
• 1978 Boston Red Sox – Historically, everyone thinks this team blew a 14 game August lead. The reality is they were never up 14 games at any point in that season. Ten games was their biggest lead, nine games was their biggest August lead. The Red Sox had a 14 game lead on the Yankees on July 16^th, from that point the Sox played roughly .500 (37-35). The Yankees finished out 51-21(.708), playing .700 baseball for that length of time is rarified air.
  • Why they deserved to be a top 10? They blew a 14 game to their most hated rival. Compare this version to the 2007 Red Sox who had a similar lead and did not blow it. They win one game of the “Boston Massacre” and the Yankees crawl back to their rat infested stadium with their tails between their legs.
  • Why they didn’t make the top 10? The Yankees won the division by playing out of their mind. And this was still the regular season.
• 2006 New England Patriots – Blew a 21-3 second quarter lead in the AFC Championship game to the Colts.
  • Why they deserved to be a top 10? Historically, this was the largest blown lead in an NFL Conference Championship game history and to a hated rival.
  • Why they didn’t make the top 10? Quite honestly, that Pats team wasn’t good enough to choke. They picked up their wide receivers from Goodwill before the season, they had a wide receiver logging significant time at defensive back and their “nails” kicker was kicking for the opponent.
• 2005 Indianapolis Colts – Lost to Pittsburgh in the in the divisional playoff round after a regular season that saw them flirt with perfection. They had destroyed the Steelers 6 weeks earlier.
  • Why they deserved to be a top 10? They peaked the “GAG Factor” scale – from Manning’s questionable decision making in the 4^th quarter to Nick Harper choosing to break inside on the Bettis fumble recovery and directly into Roethlisberger, instead of outside to the end zone. The biggest individual choke of this game – Vanderjagt – whose field goal would have missed the Pacific Ocean from 10 yards off the shore.
  • Why they didn’t make the top 10? In the end, there are better choke jobs. Historically, I think everyone knew a team coached by Tony Dungy and quarterbacked by Peyton Manning would find a way to lose.
• 2007 New York Mets – The Amazin’s held seven game lead on September 12^th, but floundered to a 5-12 finish that left them on the outside of the playoff picture. The “Gag Gang” was led by Tom Glavine, who in his last three starts failed to more than 5 innings and had an ERA of 13.50. The Mets bullpen blew four saves and recorded five losses in the final 17 games.
  • Why they deserved to be a top 10? This was almost an un-paralleled collapse; the 1964 Phillies had a similar lead and blew it. They lost seven games in the last two weeks to cellar dwellers Washington and Florida.
  • Why they didn’t make the top 10? The Mets lead was trimmed to 1.5 games with 12 games left in the season after they lost five straight. They certainly collapsed, but they finished 5-7 and lost out by one game, not the type of choke job that a non-Mets fan will remember.
• 1999 British Open/Jean Van de Velde – Held a three shot lead heading to the 72^nd hole at the British Open Championship and then *poof* Van de Velde turns into a 28 handicapper. After recording a triple-bogey seven, Van de Velde loses in a three way playoff.
  • Why he deserved to be a top 10? Blowing a three stroke lead on one hole is common place for “average Joe” golfers, but not for a professional. Van de Velde clearly tighten up and made three terrible decisions on that hole, thus causing even the Queen’s Gag-o-Meter to explode.
  • Why he didn’t make the top 10? He hadn’t done anything to that point or since. As was the case with the 2006 Patriots, he simply wasn’t good enough to choke. That he maintained the lead for so long was a moral victory.
• 2006 US Open/Phil Mickelson – Held a two shot lead as late as the 16^th hole on Sunday and a one shot lead heading to the finishing 72^nd hole. He was on the verge of winning his third consecutive major. Double bogeyed the hole and lost by a stroke.
  • Why he deserved to be a top 10? Professional golfers do not double bogey holes where they need par to win. Phil is not just a professional; he is a top 5 player in the world and arguably the greatest left handed player in history.
  • Why he didn’t make the top 10? This wasn’t a choke – it was pure stupidity. Phil had scrambled, with amazing success, all day after a series of errant tee shots with his driver. The smart play was to hit a more reliable 3-wood and play for the par. Instead, “Tin Cup”, er, “Lefty” decides to hit driver and finds trouble left. That was Stupid mistake #1. Stupid mistake #2, came on his second shot – instead of playing a safe lay-up shot to wedge range, he attempts to get on green. His shot finds a tree and caroms back to virtually the same place. His third shot finds a difficult green-side bunker. He cannot get up and down.
• 2008 Memphis Tigers – The Tigers held a nine point lead with less than two minutes left in the championship game, but they failed to close out and eventually lost the game in overtime.
  • Why they deserved to be a top 10? The “gag factor” – missed free throws, stupid fouls and not fouling on the last regulation possession.
  • Why they didn’t make the top 10? Kansas had to be perfect in that last 1:52 and they were. Memphis ran out of gas, which is a viable excuse for choking.
• 1992 Dan O’Brien – Considered the favorite to win the 1992 Gold in the decathlon, O’Brien failed to qualify for the US Olympic team. O’Brien failed to post a height in the pole vault, fouling three times. His mistake – he voluntarily passed on attempts at several lower heights. After decided the height was right, he cracked the bar three times and received a big fat zero, which cost him a spot on the team.
  • Why he deserved to be a top 10? He was a favorite to win the Gold and did not make the team. He had the recorded the highest score decathlon history.
  • Why he didn’t make the top 10? There is a big difference between choking and abject stupidity. I understand not wanting to waste energy, but why not post something to CYA?
• 1988 Die Hard/Hans Gruber – Clearly a genius, Gruber had an elaborate plan to steal bearer bonds from the Nakatomi building in late 1988. That plan was foiled by the heroism of John McLane, a guest at the Nakatomi Christmas party.
  • Why he deserved to be a top 10? One guy (albeit a New York City detective), versus a band of 12, including at least seven mercenaries – how do you screw that up? Gruber never had a plan for McLane and then failed to adjust when it was apparent that McLane was a serious threat.
  • Why he didn’t make the top 10? Gruber biggest mistake was tactical – failing to secure all exits on the thirtieth floor – so he gets a pass. And his character flip to “Bill Clay”, when met by McLane, was epic enough to keep him out of the top 10 by itself.
• 1980 USSR Olympic Hockey Team – Lost 4-3 to the USA in the semi-finals and failed to win a gold medal for the first time in five Olympic games. In a pre-Olympic exhibition against the US, the Soviets scored early and often in a 10-3 rout. One week later, they came up small against literally a bunch of punk kids.
  • Why they deserved to be a top 10? You get big points for disgracing an entire nation. An off the charts “gag factor”, including hastily pulling a legendary goalie for a less-talented, un-prepared one after a last second first period goal that as much the defensemen’s fault as the goalies. That is the equivalent of pulling an ace pitcher in the first inning with Eric Gagne after he gives up a home run that bounces over the fence off Jose Canseco’s head. When the Americans gained the lead at 4-3 with a little over 10 minutes to play in the final period, panic and despair set in on the Russians. Coupled that with several poor decisions by the USSR coach and you have possible the biggest single game choke in history.
  • Why they didn’t make the top 10? Are you kidding? Suggesting that the signature moment in United States Olympic history was anything other than American heart, is a life threatening desicision.

     

  Others considered: 1968 Baltimore Colts (SB III), 1983 Nebraska Cornhuskers (Orange Bowl), 1986 Miami Hurricanes (Fiesta Bowl), 1985 Miami Dolphins (AFC Championship), 1993-94 Seattle Supersonics (1^st Round of playoffs), 1997-98 Miami Heat (1^st round of playoffs), 1986 California Angels (AL Championship Series), 1996 Atlanta Braves (1996 World Series) and 2005-06 Dallas Mavericks (2006 NBA Finals).

On to the top 10:

10. 1986 Boston Red Sox

Resume: The in the World Series- blew a 2 games to 0 lead (both games were on the road) and 3 games to 2 World Series lead; blew a 2-run, 2-out, 2-strike, bases empty lead in the bottom of the 10^th inning in a clinching game; blew a 3-0 6^th inning lead in the deciding game.

Key Moment: Everyone will point the Buckner play, but I believe this game was decided long before the Buckner gaffe. Red Sox ace pitcher, Bill Clemens, asked (allegedly) out of game six after the 7^th with a blister, leaving the game in the hands of Calvin Schiraldi. The Red Sox were nursing a 3-2 lead at the time, which was quickly erased in the 8^th by the Mets setting the stage for the dramatic 10^th. In fairness to William he had thrown 134 pitches, although he had no long, labor intensive inning and this was back in the day where pitchers were not coddled as soon as they hit the 100 pitch mark. Regardless, I cannot imagine Jack Morris or Dave Stewart coming out of that game.

Final Word: The choke resume suggests they should be higher than #10, perhaps the top of the hill, but that would be selling the 108 win New York Mets short. In addition, the Red Sox were the benefactors of the Angels choke in the ALCS, so they were living on borrowed time as it was.

 

AWARD: The 1986 Boston Red Sox award for “top performer bailing on the team when needed the most”, in honor of Billy Clemens mysterious exit in the 7^th inning of the possible clinching World Series game.

 

This award will go to the team whose stud or studs find a way to abandon a fantasy team in its time of most need.

 

9. 1992 Houston Oilers

    

Resume: Blew leads 28-3 (halftime) and 35-3 (third quarter) to Buffalo in the AFC divisional playoffs. The Bills had a prolific offense capable of coming back with Jim Kelly at the helm, check that Kelly was out for this game and Frank Reich was engineering the comeback. Yes, the Oilers blew a 32-point lead with 28 minutes to play to a backup quarterback.

Add the right mix of previous playoff failures, a coach (Jack “the” Pardee “is over”) who picture is used as the universal symbol for choking and the psyche of entire city (an Oiler fan told me after that game “I just went to sleep and did not wake up until the next afternoon”, yikes!) on the shoulders of a team and you have the recipe for a monumental choke.

Key Moment: The key moment where everyone thought a comeback was possible, and Houston knew it would happen, happened after the Bills made it 35-10. The Bills kicker, Steve Christie, recovered his onside kick. The Bills marched down and made the score 35-17 in a blip of time. From that point on Pardee coached and the Oilers played not to lose.

 

Final Word: This is all about the “gag factor”. The Oilers choke was enormous and they would be ranked much higher if not for the following: the game was just a divisional playoff game and in the grand scheme of everyone expected the Oilers to give it away.

 

AWARD: The 1992 Houston Oilers award for “I cannot believe Frank &%#$ing Reich engineered the greatest comeback in history to beat us”, in honor of the Frank Reich and his 28 minutes of fame.

 

This award will go to the team who plays against an unbelievable fantasy game and comes from nowhere and costs the team a key game.

 

8.1990-91 UNLV Running Rebels

Resume: The last team to be undefeated entering the final four, the buzz wasn’t about whether they would win the title but rather where they ranked historically; won all but two games by double digits; and seemed destined to complete the first un-blemished season since 1976 (Indiana). The Rebels lost to Duke in the National Semi-Final, a team they dispatched without breaking a sweat in the previous year’s championship game by 30 points.

Key Moment: Greg Anthony fouled out, for first time all season, late in the second half with the Rebels up 76-71. Without their floor general, the Rebels offense muddled disjointedly through the remainder of the game and they did not pick up the intensity on the defensive end. Duke rallied to take a 79-77 lead with 12 seconds remaining. When Larry Johnson’s off balance three pointer clanked hard off the back rim, UNLV had completed one of the biggest choke jobs in college basketball history.

    

Final Word: UNLV was un-accustomed to playing close games and it showed as the wheels came off at the end. Add to that the pressure of the undefeated season and Rebels spit the bit on this one.

AWARD: The 1990-91 UNLV Running Rebels award for “Whoops, we forgot about formulating a plan B!”

This award will go to the team that pins its hopes on a player or players without a contingency plan.

7.2003 Chicago Cubs

Resume: The 2003 Cubs seemed to have destiny on their side in an attempt to break a 95 year championship drought. They had won their division for the first time in fourteen years and won a playoff series for the first time since 1945. Unfortunately, “destiny” turned Jack Torrance evil on the Cubbies.

The Cubs held a 3-1 NL Championship Series lead over the Marlins; they blew games six and seven at home; they had Mark Prior and Kerry Wood lined up, on full rest, to pitch games six and seven; they were 5 outs away, with a 3-run lead, away from clinching the pennant in game six; they held a 5-3 5^th inning lead in game seven.

The Cubs pitching was lined up with Zambrano, Prior and Wood going in games five, six and seven. Prior and Wood were un-beaten and virtually un-hittable in the post-season. After getting shut down by post-season hero Josh Beckett in game five the Cubs returned to Wrigley poised to capture the NL pennant and march to the World Series. Game 6, Prior pitched a gem leading 3-0 with one out in the 8^th when disaster struck. When the carnage of the top of the 8^th was over the eight Marlins has crossed the plate. The Marlins pitchers retired six consecutive Cubs to close out the game and force a deciding game seven.

Key Moment: Everyone points to the “Bartman incident” as the reason the Cubs failed to close out game six. That is a grossly improper assignment of blame – as the reason the Cubs failed to close that game should rest squarely on the shoulders of Alex Gonzalez. Gonzalez should have received double the wrath of Bartman, yet somehow his error of a routine double play ball has been eternally lost in the minds of Cubs fans. The fact is the Bartman play was a low percentage play at best, whereas the Gonzalez play is made 99% of the time by little league shortstops.

 

Final Word: The Cubbies are notorious chokers and in 2003, despite their best efforts to put to rest that moniker, they found a way to gag away a likely World Series title (the Marlins destroyed the Yankees).

AWARD: The 2003 Chicago Cubs award for “Everyone blames Bartman when the real villain is Alex Gonzalez” in honor of the taylor-made double play ball that was muffed by Gonzalez.

 

This award will go to the team that has misplaced anger towards a player based on an individual game when another player tanked an entire season.

6.2006 US Open Colin Montgomerie

Resume: Anytime you are known as “the best player never to win a major”, your resume is full of choke jobs. For “Monty” none was worse than the implosion at the 2006 US Open. This “gag” job occurred on the 18^th hole and involved five shots. Monty’s drive on 18^th found the middle of the fairway and was a mere 172 yards away from the flag. Most, if not all, single digit handicappers would easily make par from that position. A par for Monty would have locked up his first major championship. Of course Monty gagged hard – he hit a poor approach shot leaving him left and in thick rough. Still with a chance for par, Monty chipped 30 feet past the hole. His par putt came up well short as a tournament official screamed “does any in the gallery know the Heimlich?”. Monty then missed his bogey putt that would have earned him a playoff.

Key Moment: Monty changed clubs for his approach shot on the 18^th. His shot came up short and the rest is history.

 

Final Word: Monty played an excellent 71 holes putting himself in position to win however the implosion on the 18^th earns him this position. He truly separated himself in “single hole” choke jobs of all-time.

AWARD: The 2006 US Open Colin Montgomerie award for “worst second guess decision of the year” in honor of the Monty’s club change on the 18^th fairway.

This award will go to the team that experiences the most costly individual player start or non-start of the year.

5.2007 New England Patriots

Resume: Lost the Super Bowl after winning 18 consecutive games; amassed nearly 20 points average margin of victory during the regular season; beaten by the Giants, a team they beat rather easily just five weeks earlier.

Key Moment: In the regular season – the Patriots insistence on going for the undefeated season after locking up division and home field; though they never acknowledged it publically they wanted the undefeated season. Had they lost a regular season game, I have little doubt they easily win the Super Bowl. However, they faced the mountain of additional pressure due to the undefeated season that in the end I believe it got the best of them.

 

In the Super Bowl – the Giants burned 9:59 on the opening drive of the game and while that possession netted only a field goal, it rattled the Pats and gave the Giants a load of confidence.

 

Final Word: The Patriots rolled arrogantly through the season, running up the score in nearly every game and playing every game as if it were the Super Bowl. It finally caught up with them in the Super Bowl, where the pressure of the undefeated season weighed heavily on them forcing them into un-characteristic (“choke”) play. Had they completly gagged away the game, this would have ranked in the top two. But the Patriots drove the length of the field late in the game to regain the lead and the Giants needed the “grab in Glendale” (Tyree’s amazing helmet catch).

AWARD: The 2007 New England Patriots award for “biggest letdown in the post-season after a flawless (or near flawless) regular season”.

This award will go to the team that rolls through the regular season but fails to close the deal in the post-season.

4.1998 Minnesota Vikings

Resume: Lost the NFC championship game to the Atlanta Falcons after finishing the regular season with just one loss; failed to make several plays in the NFC championship that they had made all year – for example, Moss dropped a long pass in overtime and Gary Anderson missed a game sealing field goal (38 yards) after making every field goal attempt in the regular season; blew a 20-7 halftime lead; allowed the Falcons to drive length of the field a touchdown to tie the game; three and out in overtime that gave the Falcons a chance.

Key Moment: Dennis Green opting to down the ball after the Falcons tied the game and play for overtime. The Vikings had one of the most explosive offenses in NFL history and they had the “when in doubt throw the bomb to Randy” play.

 

Final Word: This was the arguably the biggest choke in NFL history. The Vikings came into the game as a double digit favorite and held a lead throughout most of the game, both signs of thick piece of a porterhouse lodged in their throat.

AWARD: The 1998 Minnesota Vikings award for “poorest coaching decision of the year” in honor of Dennis Green choosing to down the ball late in the fourth.

This award will go to the team that makes a poor decision on a trade or draft pick.

3.2005-2006 Dallas Mavericks

Resume: Lost NBA finals to the huge underdog Miami Heat; blew a 2-0 series lead; blew a double digit lead in two of the four Finals losses including a 13 point lead with six minutes to play in game 3; only third team in NBA finals history to blow a 2-0 series lead.

Key Moment: The city of Dallas planning the championship parade after the first two games. It is one thing to privately plan a parade, but you never let it go public.

 

Final Word: This had every element of choking and if not for the strength of the top two this would have been sitting at the top. The 2005-06 Mavs really separated themselves as premiere chokers by losing to effectively a one man team (Dwyane Wade).

AWARD: The 2005-06 Dallas Mavericks award for “looking ahead to a result that never happens” in honor of the city of Dallas planning a championship parade after game two.

This award will go to the team that gets upset by a lesser team with a showdown looming on the horizon.

2.1996 Masters Greg Norman

Resume: Ranked #1 in the world and held a six shot lead after 54 holes and lost by 5 shots after a final round 78 (6 over par); poor play started at the first hole and continued throughout the round; first golfer in the history of golf to blow a lead of 6 shots or more in a major tournament.

Key Moment: The final round not getting rained out!

 

Why Norman is #2? – This choke took over fours and was not about one or two holes, this was an entire day of throat grabbing choking. In addition, Norman had played so well for 54 holes, everything pointed towards Norman slipping on the coveted green jacket.

After opening with a bogey on hole #1, Norman never looked comfortable. Norman shot a 2-over 38 on the front, but still maintained a two shot lead. On the 10^th Norman blew a chip 8 feet past the hole and missed the putt. Leading by a single stroke, the 11^th hole seemed to provide some return normalcy as Norman hit two perfect shots to leave a 10-foot putt for a tide turning birdie. True gag jobs always involve some bad luck, Norman’s putt on 11 lipped out. He then narrowly missed his three foot par putt and walked off the green in a tied for the lead.

The 12^th hole is effectively where Norman completed his historic choke – his tee shot found the water and four shots later Norman headed to the 13^th down two shots.

As if they were witnessing a famous celebrity being arrested and the surest sign of the catastrophic choke – no one wanted to make eye contact with Norman as he walked past on the 18^th hole.

The first division in the Banner Fantasy league will be named “NORMAN” in honor of Greg Norman’s surreal choke at the 1996 Masters.

1.2004 New York Yankees

Resume: First team in major sports history to blow 3-0 series lead.

Key Moment: Dave Roberts steal of second in the bottom of the 9^th in game 4 has to rank high, but when I really started to believe this choke was possibly was in game 5 when Tim Wakefield pitched 3 scoreless relief innings to get the win. That the Yankees couldn’t muster a run in three innings against a knuckle-baller without his normal catcher was unfathomably.

 

Why are the Yankees #1? – This is the MOAC (Mother Of All Chokes) that may be duplicated but never surpassed. Throw in the fact that it was to their hated rivals and a team, as the malapropistic Yogi Berra once told Bernie Williams – “don’t worry we’ve been beating these guys for 90 years”, that they absolutely owned.

The Yankees historical perception had been altered as a result of this choke. While they are still the “greatest franchise in the history of sports”, the internet age has reduced fans attention spans so much that few people care about anything outside their personal memories. In the mid to late 90s the Yankees had a heir of invincibility about them, now no team fears them and even Yankee fans question their beloved nine.

What else can be stated about this mammoth choke? Let’s look at the numbers – Yankee hitters in games 1-3 racked up 32 runs, in games 4-7 they could muster only 13 runs (and two of those came when game 7 was already ovah).

How about the Yankees top four hitters (Jeter, A-Rod, Sheffield and Matsui) in each game:

Game 1 – Game 4 (1-9 innings) – 30-71 (.423), 28 runs, 20 RBI

Game 4 (10 inning +) – Game 7 – 8-54 (.148), 1 run, 5 RBI

The top four stopped hitting or found it much more difficult hit when the chips were on line. And let’s not let Mariano Rivera off the hook – he blew saves in both games 4 and 5. The starting pitching was less than stellar – see Kevin Brown and Javier Vasquez.

Last but certainly not least where was Joe Torre and his “calming” influence? The greatest manager of all-time couldn’t muster one win out of those four games?

Yankees chose not to go the extra distance for their fans in New York. Life will go on, but this time the grapes are quite sour.”

The second division in the Banner Fantasy league will be named “YANKEE” in honor of the New York Yankees universal choke in the 2004 ALCS.

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