Not sure why I'm thinking about this, but it seems like it could be an interesting debate. The nominees: 1.) Dallas Mavericks. Lost a 30 point lead, and 27 point fourth quarter lead, in a statement game on national TV at Los Angeles, a place they haven't won in over a decade. It was all set up for them to take control of the conference, and they wilted under the pressure of a Laker run. Outside of NVE, no one wanted the ball. 2.) Dallas Cowboys. Lost a game to an expansion team in the first game. Enough said. 3.) Texas Longhorns. They had it all set up-- a win over OU and all the demons are finally erased. But, 3 Simms interceptions, a non-existent running game, conservative playcalling, and a defensive meltdown that allows Quentin Griffin 250 yards costs the Horns again. After UT gets back in the race, the defense gives up 600 yards to Texas Tech and is eliminated from the title picture. 4.) Oklahoma Sooners. They beat Texas. They beat Colorado. They were the number one team in the nation, and they absolutely got torched by a mediocre Texas A&M team playing a freshman at QB. Care to tell the Sooners what a playaction pass is? Then, like Texas, they get back to 3rd, and back in the race, and prompty get destroyed by Oklahoma State for a second straight year. 5.) Sacramento Kings. All they had to do was win a game 7 at Arco to make the Finals. They forgot how to shoot free throws. 6.) San Francisco Giants. Up 5 runs, with 8 outs to go to win a world series. Russ Ortiz is pitching a fantastic game, but after two men get on Dusty Baker pulls him. The bullpen promptly blows the big lead and the series. 7.) Team USA basketball. Enough said. 8.) Jason Williams (Duke). Down 1 in the regular season against Florida State, and prompty misses both from the foul line. Down 4 in the NCAA tournament against Indiana, he miraculously hits a 3 pointer and gets fouled, only to miss the free throw. In the NBA, up 3 with 8 seconds, he only has to hit one of two free throws to put the game away for a Bulls win. Like Nick Anderson, he misses both, and the Celtics stick a three to send it to overtime. 9.) Other. Explain.
BTW, my vote goes to Jason Williams. I didn't even think of it until late, but the sheer drama of him nailing the three, and then blowing the free throw to tie it (like he had done in two previous games) was one of the more memorable moments of the year for me. Nothing like Duke losing...
I vote for the SF Giants. Dusty Baker is a joke for bringing Felix Rodriguez in for the 1000th straight game.
I dont see how anyone could vote for a team/athlete other than the Dallas frickin Mavericks. 27 points? Damn they could have just passed the ball around for 24 seconds each time down the court and got a shot clock violation like 15 times and they still would have won.
Nothing is worse than Nick "the brick' Anderson, i've never seen anyone lose it so bad in a pressure situation. Not only did his 4 straight missed free throws lose the game, the choke demorilized the Majic for the rest of the finals sweep.
Screw all you Duke-haters! I have to go with Mavericks. While Jason Williams free-throw was definitely a choke job (eventhough he's not a very good free-throw shooter to begin with), the worst <b>collapse</b> was by far the Dallas Mavericks.
I've got to vote for the USA basketball team. Those other chokes sucked...but losing like we did in the world championships was downright ridiculous and embarassing.
I don't see how anyone can vote for the Kings. It's not their fault that they had to play the Lakers AND Dick Bavetta.
In terms of societal ramifications and lowered expectations, it's not even close: USA Basketball. (I might have refined the answer to "George Karl" as I think some other coaches could have done a lot better.)
4.) Oklahoma Sooners. They beat Texas. They beat Colorado. They were the number one team in the nation, and they absolutely got torched by a mediocre Texas A&M team playing a freshman at QB. Care to tell the Sooners what a playaction pass is? Then, like Texas, they get back to 3rd, and back in the race, and prompty get destroyed by Oklahoma State for a second straight year. Actually, they DIDN'T get back in the race, because there wasn't one. I can't decide between the Mavs and team USA......so I guess I'll just say Team USA
The Mavs, easily. I could understand a team like the Clippers blowing a 27 point lead, but an 18-1 team? That is just pathetic. The Lakers aren't even that good anymore.
i vote for the Giants...it cost them a world series championship...the stakes were way high and they came up way short when they had a chance to put the angels away.
One that could be mentioned (but not the "biggest") was Pittsburgh up 17 points in the 4th quarter and could not hold off Atlanta in a game which ultimately ended in a tie.
