Worst Boston playoff loss since 2000

[LnGrrrR]

If we did this as an all time poll, 86 Sox would win this hands down. And I'm not old enough to remember collapses before 1980 or so, so I'm keeping this recent. Others can CROFL other Boston losses as desired.

[Jacob1983]

The Patriots choking against the Giants would have to be the ultimate chokejob on the list. They brought it on themselves. When you only care about making history and breaking records, you're just setting yourself up for failure. They wanted to go 19-0 so bad that it screwed them. They lost the one game that mattered the most. I would say that was probably one of the best Super Bowl games ever. Top 3.

[LnGrrrR]

Background on the games:

Pats/Giants: Obvious. 19-0 on the line, letting the shitty Manning brother drive the field in 3 minutes, fucking David Tyree

Celtics: Game 7 against hated rivals, up at half etc etc

Sox: Lost in extra innings to Yankees, local fave Wakefield gives up homer, Grady Little leaves Pedro in too long

Bruins: Lost a series in which they gave up a 3-0 series lead, lost game 7 after being up 3-0 in that game


Heck, I couldve put the Pats 14-2 loss to the Jets, the Red Sox historic collapse to miss the playoffs, and kept Boston fail within the last two years. But i couldn't leave out the SB loss, too iconic. In retrospect, the Sox/Bruins losses don't look as bad now since they won a title the year after, but people were pretty miserable at the time it happened.

[NewcastleKEG]

1. Pats
2. Red Sox
3. Bruins


2010 doesn't really apply considering the refs robbed them. They didn't have much of a part in the decision

[Giuseppe]

1. Pats
2. Red Sox
3. Bruins


2010 doesn't really apply considering the refs robbed them. They didn't have much of a part in the decision

Only pussies & assholes blame the officiating.

[Daddy_Of_All_Trolls]

I have seen a few of the Red Sox losses you missed. In 1967 World Series, Boston was down 3-1 in games, but won game 5 on the road to bring it back home, where they lost in 7. Cards pitching ace Bob Gibson won 3 games that series, including the finale. He was one of the greatest pitchers of all time, period. I believe he set a record the next year which still stands (?) with a 1.12 ERA. So, that was no disgrace. 1975 they ran into one of the greatest teams of all time, it's hard to find many better teams than those 1975-76 Cincinatti Reds. Anyway, aside from the drama of game 6 and Carlton Fisk's home run it is considered one of the best world series ever. Somewhere in the middle was a controversial home interferance play that was called, or not called, which I think affected the outcome. Dan Driessen was the batter, I think. You would have to research it to see what happened. Anyway, it looked as though Boston was going to win it,. Bill "Spaceman" Lee was given a 3-0 lead early in game 7, but he fell apart. Again, I don't remember everything, but somehow, a play was muffed; maybe a pick off play was botched, probably a dropped foul ball, and then Joe Morgan promptly hit a 2 run homer that could have been avoided. Reds finally tied it and won in 9th. Then in 1978 Boston had a huge lead in the standings but allowed the Yankees to catch up and Bucky Dent beat them with a home run in a one game playoff. 1986 makes you think of Bill Buckner, but the game was already tied when he made his error. Maybe Mets still win in a later inning.

All the above aside, 2004 had to more than make up for everything. No better way to script it than being down 3-0 to the Yankees and storming back. Much better than just beating them 4-0 to begin with.

The Patriots of 1976 had a 21-10 fourth quarter lead on the Oakland Raiders, but Ken "The Snake" Stabler led Oakland back for the win, and Raiders won their first Super Bowl that year. I remember the announcers say NE would be back, but it wasn't until last decade that really happened. Forget the 1986 Super Bowl, no team could beat those Bears.

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/197612180rai.htm

Stabler got his nickname for being clutch at game's end, I still don't know why he isn't in the hall of fame.

I think the worst Celtics playoff loss was 1982 vs. the Sixers. Boston had come from behind 3-1 the previous season against Dr. J. and crew and was expected to do it again. They had game 7 in the old garden, but Philadelphia played a great game. The "Beat LA" chant was born that day when the Boston faithful threw in the towel at the end:

ksoRtL3rcts

I don't think the Celtics would have beaten LA that year though, Bob McAdoo had come aboard, and he was unstoppable. Kareem, Magic, Wilkes, Cooper, and Nixon. Heck even Kurt Rambis was doing everything right.

2010 gets overblown. Boston was fortunate Perkins didn't play, Wallace scored points to keep it close. Also, Kobe was not 100%, if he has a normal game, Lakers win by 10+ points in a breeze. Also, the conspiracy theorists will claim game was rigged, but the Celtics were fouling all 4th quarter, their legs were shot and they could just move their arms. Watch the replays, Boston got away with a lot of fouls that weren't called. I have a post somewhere here documenting them all. Example, Wallace hooked Odom when Allen made his last 3 to bring it to 79-76. Also, Pierce touched the ball when Gasol was in the air and scored with 1:30, thus negating the non travelling call.

However, the greatest Boston loss has to be that Super Bowl vs. the Giants. 19 and uh-oh! I guess it's even worse because it happened against New York. That's Boston's main city rival, not Los Angeles.

[Giuseppe]

^Matzel, Matzel, good things.

[LnGrrrR]

Thanks for the read Daddy. I knew about the 76 series, and I didn't include the Bruins losses in 88/90 with Cam, Bourque et all since they were blowouts.

[Daddy_Of_All_Trolls]

Thanks for the read Daddy. I knew about the 76 series, and I didn't include the Bruins losses in 88/90 with Cam, Bourque et all since they were blowouts.
I did some research and found the home plate interference play. It was Tom Armbrister, not Dan Driessen. At the time, I was cheering for Boston as an AL fan and thought it was a bad call. Now, it seems clear cut no interference, the batter was just running and Fisk ran into him trying to get the ball. Replay follows.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Armbrister


Armbrister is probably best remembered for his involvement in a controversial play in the 1975 World Series (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/1975_World_Series). In the tenth inning of Game 3, with teammate César Gerónimo on base and nobody out, Amrbrister collided with Boston Red Sox (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Boston_Red_Sox) catcher Carlton Fisk (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Carlton_Fisk) while attempting to sacrifice bunt (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Sacrifice_bunt), leading to a wild throw by Fisk and his subsequent failure to get Gerónimo out; home plate umpire Larry Barnett (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Larry_Barnett) did not make the expected interference call on Armbrister, a decision which was harshly criticized after the Reds won the game 6-5.
In the film Fever Pitch (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Fever_Pitch_%282005_film%29), Ben Wrightman (Jimmy Fallon (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Jimmy_Fallon)) and his friends attempt to explain the "Curse of the Bambino (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Curse_of_the_Bambino)" to his new girlfriend, Lindsay Meeks (Drew Barrymore (http://www.spurstalk.com/wiki/Drew_Barrymore)). The Armbrister play is among the incidents mentioned.
vTErSR7LErE

I had the Joe Morgan home run story from game 7 wrong, it was Tony Perez who hit a blooper pitch. I did remember correctly the at bat might not have happened.

http://cincinnati.reds.mlb.com/cin/hof/article.jsp?ymd=20110131&content_id=16536934&vkey=news_cin&fext=.jsp&c_id=cin


The Reds were four outs away from winning the 1975 World Series when Boston rallied in the eighth inning to tie Game 6 on Bernie Carbo's home run. Boston won the emotional game with a dramatic 12th inning home run by Carlton Fisk. It looked to be a demoralizing defeat for the Big Red Machine, as Boston, playing at home before a joyful Fenway Park crowd, jumped out to a 3-0 lead in Game 7. In the top of the sixth inning the Reds rallied, with a leadoff single by Rose. Then with one out, Johnny Bench hit a grounder to shortstop. It should have been a double play, but Rose, digging hard, slid into second baseman Denny Doyle and forced a high throw to first. Rose was out, but Bench was safe.
Tony Perez now stepped in to face starter Bill Lee with two out. Lee, who had had some success throwing blooper pitches to the Reds sluggers, now tried to sneak another one by Tony, but Perez blasted it far over the left-field "monster" wall at Fenway and the Reds trailed by just one run.

[nevitt_&_smrek]

1. Pats
2. Red Sox
3. Bruins


2010 doesn't really apply considering the refs robbed them. They didn't have much of a part in the decision

Which absolutely applies to each of the six-cheats in the 90s. The opponents got jobbed each time.

[Greg Oden]

06 pats colts

rofl marlin jackson

[midnightpulp]

I voted for the '03 ALCS. Up 3 (or was it 4?) runs in the 7th against their hated rivals, on the brink of going to the World Series where they presumably would've been the favorite against the Marlins, before New York staged a rally and sent the game into extra innings where Aaron Boone broke the collective hearts of Red Sox Nation with a walk-off home run.

Sure, 18-1 was historic, but what no doubt soothed Patriots fans is the 3 Superbowls won in the last 7 years. In '03, the Curse of the Bambino and 86 years without a title still loomed over Boston.

[lefty]

Pats

[Daddy_Of_All_Trolls]

I voted for the '03 ALCS. Up 3 (or was it 4?) runs in the 7th against their hated rivals, on the brink of going to the World Series where they presumably would've been the favorite against the Marlins, before New York staged a rally and sent the game into extra innings where Aaron Boone broke the collective hearts of Red Sox Nation with a walk-off home run.

Sure, 18-1 was historic, but what no doubt soothed Patriots fans is the 3 Superbowls won in the last 7 years. In '03, the Curse of the Bambino and 86 years without a title still loomed over Boston.
I agree and disagree with your take here. It's true the 2003 was just another nail in the coffin, but 2004 totally redeemed everything every long suffering Red Sox fan endured. It's either the greatest comeback in pro sports history, or the greatest choke, and it happened against the city of Boston's number 1 sports rival. The Yankees have to be it, the curse was named after the Bambino after all, and the Yankees had never won a championship until the Babe joined them, and the Red Sox had (And stopped). I so remember the smack talk that flew from beligerent Yankees fans when the 2004 series was 3-0, and how they vanished from the internet oh so quickly. Now, Boston can forever smack Yankees fans around for that series. Besides, the Yankees should have won about 16 titles in a row now with the talent they have bought. Also, Stan Van Gundy has said one day, a team in the NBA will come back from down 0-3, but I can't see it topping what the Red Sox did. The real tragedy in 2003 is overlooked, the longer suffering Cubs almost got in the series and they could have beaten the dysfunctional Yankees. But the Marlins spoiled the party in the 9th inning of game 7 and became the team of destiny.

It's true Pats fans have those other 3 Super Bowl wins to savor, but the loss to the Giants would have solidified that Pats team as one of the greatest ever, and 19-0 would probably last everyone's lifetime as the greatest. Even if the Pats manage to go 19-0 before Brady leaves, it just won't be the same. And just as 2004 was Boston over New York, the piper had to be paid back, and New York had its revenge.

The hockey comebacks from down 0-3 don't seem that impressive in most minds. The Bruins ended a near 40 year drought right after losing a 3-0 lead, and I do believe this year, they beat New York.

Oddly, the Celtics loss in 2010 was the biggest 2nd half comeback in NBA finals history, but that gets overlooked in comparison to the other collapses.