Biggest Sports Upset Ever?

[XXXIV]

Also, how could we forget one of the most unlikely upsets in sports history?

Jan. 5, 1971
Washington Generals 100, Harlem Globetrotters 99.

I was only 4 1/2 on that day but I still cant believe that that really happened.

[pk500]

Did I ever say Biggest USA upset? That is the problem with the sporting culture in this country. We only look inside our borders.

And that was precisely my point. Thanks for reinforcing it.

In the pantheon of upsets for American sports fans, this is barely a blip on the radar screen, for two reasons:

1. The WBC is not a major event.
2. The upset didn't involve American teams or athletes.

Take care,
PK

[pk500]

What about the Soviet basketball team beating the US team in the '70s.

Had the US team ever lost in Olympic competition before then?

Of course there are allegations of questionable officiating.

Exactly. The fix was in there. That was an abominable call.

Still, you can't belittle the U.S. upset over the Soviets in 1980. The Red Army team was arguably the greatest hockey team ever assembled, and a group of American college kids beat them in the only tournament that mattered to the Soviets since the Red Army players weren't allowed to leave for the NHL at that point.

Take care,
PK

[ddtrane]

Is the Dominican Republic losing two games in the WBC to the Netherlands (Aruba and Curacao) the biggest sports upset ever? What was a bigger upset?

That's easy. USA over Russia.

That was the first thing to come to mind. Also, Russia over the U.S. in the '72 in Munich when they were given extra plays at the end.

Honorable mention: Villanova over Georgetown in '[85 in the final four.

[Naples39]

The biggest upsets aren't just about the talent gap, but about the significance of the event as well.

I'm sure the WBC has a lot of talented players producing some entertaining ball, but it's just not a very significant event right now. I mean David Ortiz didn't play in the field the first couple of games because the DR team didn't want to piss of the Red Sox, and Albert Pujols isn't playing in the WBC at all because of insurance issues. That hardly screams of a compelling and important event.

Besides isn't it fairly routine in Euro domestic soccer cups for professional teams to lose to teams of guys who are basically semi-pro?

For me this comes nowhere close to the 80 Olympics where the best hockey team in the world (who the year before beat the NHL Allstars 6-0) lost to a bunch of college kids in a tournament the Soviets desperately wanted to win.

Keeping it with international hockey I'd even take Sweden's loss to Belarus in the knockout round of the 2002 Olympics over this WBC game. That Sweden team had several NHL allstars and went 3-0 in the prelims beating favorites Canada and the Czechs. Belarus had 1 NHL player and had been outscored 16-2 in the two previous games.

[Zlax45]

FYI, David Ortiz started at first base last night.

[Feanor]

There have been some big upsets in World Cup cricket, but they probably involved match-fixing.

[Naples39]

FYI, David Ortiz started at first base last night.

I know, that's why I said he didn't play in the field 'for the first couple of games.'

My point is that the WBC just isn't that important and revered right now. Once the first pitch is thrown the guys are gonna play hard and try to win, but even many players themselves aren't committed to playing in this tournament if some minor obstacles are placed in the way.

Maybe one day it will grow to be something bigger, but right now it's a nice exhibition, that's all.

[Jared]

I've gotta disagree about the significance of the WBC a bit. It's not big here in the States. But in other countries (Asia and the Caribbean), it's huge. There's a big national scandal in Taiwan right now b/c of their performance in the WBC, it dominates the news in Japan (where huge crowds of 35k+ were coming out to watch intra-squad scrimmages) and Korea, and is very big in the Caribbean as well.

As for how big of an upset...it's tough because there aren't many BIG tournaments where all-star caliber teams play against minnows. My guess is to get two wins is rare; but it's baseball where even the worse team in baseball wins 35-40% of its games. How often would, for example, a single-A team win against MLB competition?

(I watched final innings of both games, and it did make for good drama. Hopefully it promotes baseball in Europe a bit more.)

[jLp vAkEr0]

1. The WBC is not a major event.

Correction, to YOU it's not a major event. But hey, most people don't care s*** about hockey, but you love it.

For must of us who love baseball (and for those representing your country btw) it's a HUGE event.

It's only gonna get better and BIGGER when (if) they find a way to play it after the WS.

[TheGamer]

I hope carlos marmol keeps all those blown saves at the wbc and out of wrigley

[pk500]

1. The WBC is not a major event.

Correction, to YOU it's not a major event. But hey, most people don't care s*** about hockey, but you love it.

For must of us who love baseball (and for those representing your country btw) it's a HUGE event.

It's only gonna get better and BIGGER when (if) they find a way to play it after the WS.

It's not even close to the biggest event in its sport, the World Series. Therefore, it's not a major event in the sports world.

Ask any top player what they want more -- a World Series title or WBC title. The answer is obvious.

I don't follow golf, either, but I know there's a big difference between The Masters and The TPC despite the PGA's attempts to depict the TPC as the fifth major. I also know there's a big difference between the Daytona 500 and the Budweiser Shootout even though nearly all of the top drivers in NASCAR compete in the Shootout the week before the Daytona 500. I don't follow hoop, either, but the NBA Finals mean a hell of a lot more than the World Championships.

To be fair, I don't consider any of the World Cup of hockey tournaments or the annual World Championships in which non-playoff pros participate to be major events, either. In pro hockey, there's the Stanley Cup Playoffs -- and then everything else.

Take care,
PK

[Gurantsu]

I'm digging the WBC. Enjoyed the first one, and enjoy this one even more. I don't know, maybe since I lived in baseball crazy Japan for 3 years I just get excited for it. I love to see the international teams.

Hell, I've watched more cricket in the last couple of years than I have of NBA, NHL, and NASCAR combined.

So I will remember the upset for a long time. However, the number one for me is the USA vs. USSR in 1980. I was only 12 and still remember watching it on TV.

[RobVarak]

I was at some WBC games last time and I'm enjoying them this time, but on balance I think the drama produced is far better than the baseball being played. The timing problem is significant, as is the fact that it's so clearly of secondary or tertiary importance to many players. Fix the first, and you'll probably see the latter improve.

[fsquid]

i've enjoyed this tourney so I really don't care what any of you have to say!

[lexbur]

1. The WBC is not a major event.

Correction, to YOU it's not a major event. But hey, most people don't care s*** about hockey, but you love it.

For must of us who love baseball (and for those representing your country btw) it's a HUGE event.

It's only gonna get better and BIGGER when (if) they find a way to play it after the WS.

Yeah, and don't forget nobody thought the Super Bowl was a major event the first couple go-arounds. It took until the third one before anyone really cared. The first one didn't even sell out.

[fsquid]

NBA Finals were shown on tape delay until the early 80s

[pk500]

Yeah, and don't forget nobody thought the Super Bowl was a major event the first couple go-arounds. It took until the third one before anyone really cared. The first one didn't even sell out.

So, the WBC could supplant the World Series in baseball's pecking order within a year or two?

Dream on.

Take care,
PK

[pk500]

NBA Finals were shown on tape delay until the early 80s

Regardless, they were still considered the pinnacle of professional basketball. The WBC is not the pinnacle of professional baseball, nor will it be for a very long time, if ever.

It's a nice competition for baseball fans, but it's not a must-follow event for American sports fans, regardless of whether they like baseball or not. Events like the World Series, March Madness, The Masters, the Super Bowl and the Kentucky Derby fall into that category.

Take care,
PK

[lexbur]

Yeah, and don't forget nobody thought the Super Bowl was a major event the first couple go-arounds. It took until the third one before anyone really cared. The first one didn't even sell out.

So, the WBC could supplant the World Series in baseball's pecking order within a year or two?

Dream on.

Take care,
PK

On an international level, it probably already has. You know, "international level", what you soccer fans are always bringing up.

What do you think got higher TV ratings in the Netherlands, their game against the DR yesterday, or last October's Phillies/Rays series?

[Zlax45]

Yadier Molina was quoted after winning the game over the Netherlands with a huge two run single that it was the greatest achievement of his life. This is from a player who hit a two run homer in the world series.

[dbdynsty25]

This is from a player who hit a two run homer in the world series.

Did it win the World Series for his team? No...so nice comparison.

[Jared]

Yeah, I think for players from some Caribbean and Asian nations, this is bigger than the World Series. I think that this could become as big as the World Series IF they held it in November. With players still warming up, I don't think you're getting the best performance out of everyone, and having it in March gives players a legitimate excuse not to play (especially for pitchers).

You put it in November and play it in warm weather cities and/or domes, and stars won't have an excuse to stay out of it AND they'll be playing at a higher level AND they'll be playing for country. That would be awesome.

[dbdynsty25]

Yeah, I think for players from some Caribbean and Asian nations, this is bigger than the World Series. I think that this could become as big as the World Series IF they held it in November. With players still warming up, I don't think you're getting the best performance out of everyone, and having it in March gives players a legitimate excuse not to play (especially for pitchers).

You put it in November and play it in warm weather cities and/or domes, and stars won't have an excuse to stay out of it AND they'll be playing at a higher level AND they'll be playing for country. That would be awesome.

No, but then they'd make the same excuse the NBA players made with regards to making a long season even longer by committing to the Olympic team. Guys will not be FOR extending that 162 (and more for playoff teams) game season.

[jLp vAkEr0]

Yeah, and don't forget nobody thought the Super Bowl was a major event the first couple go-arounds. It took until the third one before anyone really cared. The first one didn't even sell out.

So, the WBC could supplant the World Series in baseball's pecking order within a year or two?

Dream on.

Take care,
PK

There's nothing on his comment that would imply that he thinks this would ever happen.

That, said isn't so World Cup the world's most important tournament?

It's not the English or Spanish league.

The WBC will only help keep spreading the game internationally.

Specially when teams with no baseball tradition like the Netherlands standup to powerhouses like DR and PR.