There have been a lot of incredible moments in sports, but there are also some that never came to be. Players have won championships while others have been robbed of one. Here’s a look at some sports moments we would change if we could go back in time.
Bill Buckner blows it for Boston
Regarded as the biggest error in MLB history, Buckner immediately became enemy number one in the city of Boston after a ground-ball squeaked through his legs to force game seven during the 1986 World Series. Boston would later go on to lose the series The franchise had not won a championship since 1918, so it was understandable why fans were upset. Luckily for the former first-basemen, the play became a distant memory after the Red Sox captured their long awaited title in 2004.
(Focus On Sport)
Wide right! Scott Norwood misses Super Bowl-winning field goal
Good for former New York Giants quarterback Jeff Hostetler for coming in for Phil Sims and leading his team to Super Bowl XXV. Still, this was a game that should have gone to the Bills. As we’ve seen this season in the NFL, it’s easier than it looks to miss a field goal. But we would change this one because Buffalo would go on to lose the next three Super Bowls. The Bills are still one of the NFL’s few teams that have not captured a Lombardi trophy.
(Icon Sportswire)
The outcome of game seven of the 2003 Stanley Cup final
Can you recall a more magical Stanley Cup run than Anaheim’s in 2003? Calgary’s in 2004 and Edmonton’s in 2006 were also special, but it was hard to not cheer for the Mighty Ducks when they took on the New Jersey Devils in the finals. There was not a particular moment that we would have changed, but a different outcome would have been nice. Wouldn’t it have been great to see Paul Kariya hoist the Stanley Cup over his head?
(Dave Sandford/Getty Images)
Gordon Hayward misses half-court game-winning shot for Butler
Speaking of magical runs, Butler had a memorable one of their own during the 2010 March Madness tournament. With seconds left on the clock, current Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward pulled up from half-court and narrowly missed a buzzer-beater to win the tournament. Villanova’s Kris Jenkin’s most recent stunner was something special, but Hayward’s shot would have made for a greater story considering they were huge underdogs in their game. If the shot had gone in, it likely would have been remembered as the greatest shot in NCAA history.
Saskatchewan Roughriders too many men on the field
Ouch. Imagine being on the field, thinking you’ve won the championship, and then you see a bunch of red flags everywhere. Then, you lose the game on the next play. That was the exact situation that every Saskatchewan Roughriders player experienced during the 2009 Grey Cup, after the team was penalized for having too many men on the field. It’s incredible how a simple miscommunication can cost a team a title.
