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Worst calls in sports history

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Glenn's Take

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1. Eric Gregg against the Braves versus the Marlins in the playoffs (I am not sure that this counts as I don't think it was a bad call. It is the one time in sports history that I every watched a game and thought an official was point shaving when the game was done.)
2. Fifth down for Missouri against Colorado.
3. Today for the Rams.
4. 1972 Olympic basketball finals. US versus Russia
5. Brett Hull scores the winning goal to win the Stanley Cup when he was clearly in the crease.

Dishonorable mention
Don Denkinger-Cardinals-Royals World Series
Roy Jones Jr in the Olympics (again, not sure corruption counts as bad)
Fail Mary (Packers-Seahawks)
Jets get a TD because the referee mistakes QB helmet for the ball crossing the goal line
Jeffery Maier interferes with ball that gives Derek Jeter a home run in the playoffs
Blowing the coin toss in the NFL for the Steelers
 
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Deeeefense

Deeeefense

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The mugging of the Saints receiver clearly before the ball had arrived has to be one of the most egregious missed calls of all time in the NFL. And these are suppose to be one of the "A Team" crews for the playoffs. It's hard to image how they could screw up that badly and it it very likely cost the Saints a trip to the soup bowl
 
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bigbluefattycat

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I would put a nicely placed Laetner foot in the chest of Timberlake somewhere up there as worst no call. Today's debacle goes on the no call list.
 
G

Glenn's Take

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WildcatFan1982 said:


Click to expand...

I understand. My reply. Jim Joyce's call didn't decide a game and actually probably gave the guy more exposure than the perfect game and it was at least somewhat close.
The infield fly rule I will give them a little way of a break. It was the wrong call but at least I can see why they called it.
 
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mktmaker

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Glenn's take said:
1. Eric Gregg against the Braves versus the Marlins in the playoffs (I am not sure that this counts as I don't think it was a bad call. It is the one time in sports history that I every watched a game and thought an official was point shaving when the game was done.)
2. Fifth down for Missouri against Colorado.
3. Today for the Rams.
4. 1972 Olympic basketball finals. US versus Russia
5. Brett Hull scores the winning goal to win the Stanley Cup when he was clearly in the crease.

Dishonorable mention
Don Denkinger-Cardinals-Royals World Series
Roy Jones Jr in the Olympics (again, not sure corruption counts as bad)
Fail Mary (Packers-Seahawks)
Jets get a TD because the referee mistakes QB helmet for the ball crossing the goal line
Jeffery Maier interferes with ball that gives Derek Jeter a home run in the playoffs
Blowing the coin toss in the NFL for the Steelers
Click to expand...


I don't agree with every entry on your list.

But I like your knowledge and enthusiasm.
 
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vhcat70

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Glenn's take said:
The infield fly rule I will give them a little way of a break. It was the wrong call but at least I can see why they called it.
Click to expand...
It was not the wrong call. The SS clearly had the ball in his sights to readily catch without running with his back to the infield - meeting the definition of the IFFR. That he thought he was being called off the ball & left it is immaterial.
 
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fisherscatfan_rivals101526

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Glenn's take said:
I understand. My reply. Jim Joyce's call didn't decide a game and actually probably gave the guy more exposure than the perfect game and it was at least somewhat close.
The infield fly rule I will give them a little way of a break. It was the wrong call but at least I can see why they called it.
Click to expand...
I would say Joyce’s is one of the worst in history. There have only been 23 perfect games in history and the guy was out by 4 feet.
 
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BKH34

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The Russians were going to get as many chances as it took for them to score against the US in 1972. The head of FIBA was an Englishman who was a known communist and three of the five countries on the appeals committee were communist.

As far as pure incompetence, my favorite is Jerry Meals taking it home on this 19th inning play at the plate.



I don't condone it, but I understand.
 
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KingOfBBN

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Get Bucket$ said:
Lewis Holyfield fight.
Click to expand...

I watched that fight again after that to see how I would’ve scored it and there’s no way in hell anyone could have thought Holyfield came close to winning that fight or even tying without corruption.
 
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KingOfBBN

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WildcatFan1982 said:
I'm still impressed with how they both handled it. If I were Galarraga I'd have lost my damn mind. Ump admitted he was wrong. They shook hands and made amends.
Click to expand...

What pissed me off is how the league could’ve changed it after the fact especially considering he got the next guy out too but baseball thinking is archaic and they chose to ignore the right thing to do and correct it.
 
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-Mav-

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This third strike call from the Little League World Series is THE single worst call I’ve ever seen. The catcher sets up in the opposite batter’s box and the pitch is at least a foot inside that box...
 
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UK 82

UK 82

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Pelosigalore said:
0:00 on play clock at Florida
Click to expand...
Speaking of which, how about 0 seconds on the shot clock at the end of the UK/Wisconsin game in 2015. Technically a "non call" though. Still, it may have cost the Cats a NC. We'll never know unfortunately.
 
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AustinTXCat

AustinTXCat

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BKH34 said:
The Russians were going to get as many chances as it took for them to score against the US in 1972. The head of FIBA was an Englishman who was a known communist and three of the five countries on the appeals committee were communist.

..
Click to expand...
+1.

Silver medals for 1972 Team USA men's hoops still sit unclaimed at IOC headquarters for very good reasons.
 
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Tskware

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AustinTXCat said:
+1.

Silver medals for 1972 Team USA men's hoops still sit unclaimed at IOC headquarters for very good reasons.
Click to expand...

No doubt, but as posters said above, that wasn't really an incompetent bad call, it was just a felony.
 
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TopCatCal

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Pick any UK basketball game refereed by John Higgins & you will see all the bad calls you will ever want to see.
 
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