re: What’s a sporting moment you never got over?

2012 Alabama v. LSU

The game was #1 v. #5. LSU already had one loss going into the game, but a win that night puts them in the driver's seat to win the SEC West.

This was the first meeting since the 2011 BCS Championship game. To that point the 2011 LSU team was arguably having the best season in school history. It all came to an unfulfilling end with a loss in the championship game to a team many felt should not have been there given not only did they not win their conference. They didn't win their division. It was the first time the game had been played in Baton Rouge in the CBS "prime time" spot. Needless to say, the intensity was palpable.

Alabama controlled the first half en route to a 14-3 halftime lead. LSU's offense had a few decent drives in the first half, but was otherwise largely pathetic. Alabama scored a TD just before the half to make it 14-3 which seemed like an insurmountable lead given the way the first half played out.

Then midway through the 3rd quarter Zack Mettenberger, Jarvis Landry and Odell Beckham caught fire. Alabama was crushing Mettenberger, but he was standing in there and delivering strikes while taking huge hit after huge hit. With LSU down 14-10, the 3rd quarter ended on what initially looked like an innocuous swing pass to LSU's lumbering fullback, before he unexpectedly broke two tackles and ran down the sideline for 42 yards. The crowd was in a frenzy. If you ever want to get a sense of what Tiger Stadium feels like at its best, CBS cut to a shot of the LSU sideline from an endzone angle after that play and the camera was shaking violently with the crowd going nuts.

LSU completely controlled the second half. Mettenberger was never better than in those two quarters given the absolute beating he was taking. With approximately 3:00 to go in the game, LSU was leading 17-14 in Alabama territory. Alabama had to burn all of their timeouts to have a shot at getting the ball back. ONE first down effectively ends the game...and Les cowered. He took the ball out of the hands of his QB. Played for FG by running the ball (even though a FG still keeps it a one score game). LSU missed the FG. Alabama got the ball and completed a screen pass to Yeldon for a game winning TD. Alabama would lose the next week to Manziel and A&M. But with the 1 game cushion over LSU they reached the SECCG and ultimately the BCSNCG where they destroyed Notre Dame.

If LSU wins that game it is them in the national championship game vs. the same overmatched ND team. A championship in 2012 erases much of the disappointment from 2011. Alabama doesn't go back to back in 11 and 12, and perhaps LSU, having reached to BCS championship games in a row, becomes the top program. Unfortunately, that was the apex of the Miles era. The program would never get closer to a championship until he was gone.

The win that night was there for the taking. Miles and LSU didn't seize the moment. When Alabama got their chance, they did. The rest is CFB history.

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NOLA No Call

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My NFL fandom died that day.

2016 World Series

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Wisconsin losing to Duke in 2015 National Championship.

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Wisconsin excessively celebrated their semi-final win against Kentucky, imo.

They should have realized they still had business to finish.

btw, I was pulling for Wisconsin to win the NC. They should have beaten Duke.

They beat the Rams 13-3.

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Played for FG by running the ball (even though a FG still keeps it a one score game). LSU missed the FG

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This is going to sound weird, but watching that game in real time, I thought LSU should have direct snapped it to the kicker and let him try and coffin corner a short punt to pin Alabama really deep in their own territory.

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If LSU wins that game it is them in the national championship game vs. the same overmatched ND team.

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They would have had to beat a damn good Georgia team to get there.

WVU losing to Pitt 13-9 in 2007. 28.5 point favorite and you blow your one chance at a national title game appearance to your biggest rival. A friend of mine got me an all access pass and I was going to go down to the field and the locker room after the game, couldn't wait. I just ripped it in two on the way back to the car. I have never seen that game since that night, and I never will.

'15 Wisconsin/Duke still eats at me too. They had a nine-point lead in the second half before--of all people--Grayson fricking Allen came in and took over.

UW had faced the highest possible opposing seed in every round (16/8/4/2/1/1) in that tournament, including a Zona team that was equally as deserving as a 1, and that insane Kentucky team. Beating Duke probably would've legitimized that run as the best run a No. 1 seed ever had en route to the title. And with how efficient that offense was, they'd probably be regarded as one of the all-time great teams. Instead they're just a footnote to one of Coach K's five championships.

Duke deserved the win but man, UW coulda had it. They were that good.

What else? Wisconsin folk have had plenty of heartbreak lately. The '15 NFC championship game is still the last NFL game that I've devoted more than 15 minutes to. 4th and 26. '11 Wisconsin losing to that bullshite Sparty Hail Mary. All of the Rose Bowl losses (all of them were one-possession games which makes it worse).

Federer blowing two championship points at Wimbledon '19. Tom Watson losing the Open. Probably several others that aren't coming to mind right now.

Sports are a cruel mistress.

1997 World Series loss on blown save by José Mesa.

I grew up an Indians fan and most of my life it has been miserable to be an Indians fan. 1997 was their chance and they blew it. I think I’m still taking it harder than Chad Ogea, who just might have been series MVP. Chad was doing some work at my house a few years back and we talked about the game. I think he was more OK with it than I was.

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1996 World Series

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