Great sporting moments: heroism & tragedy (Contains graphic images)*Don't quote pics*

The Highwayman

The Ryder Cup 2012











For Seve

decisions

I loved this.

MrJoeSoap

In the same vein...

RandolphEsq

Jack Nicklaus waves goodbye to The Open for the last time.

DazMarz

Stephen Cluxton kicks the winning point for Dublin, bringing Sam Maguire back to Dublin for the first time since 1995.

MrJoeSoap

Terry Fox, subject of the ESPN 30 for 30 "Into The Wind" and one of the most inspirational people you may never have heard of.

Heroism and tragedy all rolled into one.

calistro

Johnny Hoogerland after crash caused by a television crew's car whilst trying to avoid a tree!

brandon_flowers

Possibly the most famous goal in GAA history. Paddy Cullen goes to pick the ball out of the net. The start of a 4 in a row for Kerry and scored by one of the greatest players of all time, Mikey Sheehy.



PS... Don't mention Seamus Darby

Duckworth_Luas

The most famous goal in GAA history. Seamus Darby denies Kerry the 5 in a row!


:pac::pac::pac::pac::D

.E_C_K_S.

EPIC celebration:D

Darkglasses

Sorry if it's a re-post - Willie Anderson, Ireland and Ulster captain, giving the All Blacks the ultimate response to the Haka in 1989.

MrJoeSoap

DazMarz

Didier Drogba ends Chelsea's long and painful journey to European glory.

Tin Foil Hat

Darkglasses wrote: »

Sorry if it's a re-post - Willie Anderson, Ireland and Ulster captain, giving the All Blacks the ultimate response to the Haka in 1989.

Here's the video

A few others from me :-

This is nasty:-

And this is is very harrowing. A hero doesn't have to succeed. He just has to do his best.

RandolphEsq

^^^^^^^
Seamus Derby's goal .gif

The Kerry GAA jersey is extremely slick there!

decisions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQ6-bYixpYE

hoff1

98 world cup final hasnt been one like it since

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZXc78jcdrg

Nuri Sahin

One of the very greatest sporting teams ever -





The very sad tale Vlade Divac (Serbia) and Dražen Petrović (Croatia), both of whom represented the superb Yugoslavia side of the 80's that also won a gold medal in the 1980's Olympics, and were guiding lights for Eastern European players into the NBA. Their friendship was torn apart due to war between their respective countries as well as jealously to a lesser extent from Petrovic's struggles early in his NBA career and seeing Divac become a world star despite Petrovic being the most talented player from gold winning Yugoslavia side. To learn more, I'd highly recommend looking for ESPN's 30 for 30 documentary titled Once Brothers. One of the best sporting documentaries I've seen.





Spud Webb (5 ft 7 in) in the land of the giants wins the Slam Dunk Contest in 1986.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5wBI98NXEE

I Believe I Can Fly

Username exists

Great tackle by O'Toole

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOU3gDncP4k

shamrock55

Some fantastics clips here well done all

johnmcdnl

I wasn't around for it and most people this side of the water probably never seen it but it has to be one of the most memorable plays ever in college football history.

The Play refers to a last-second kickoff return during a college football game between the University of California Golden Bears and the Stanford Cardinal on Saturday, November 20, 1982. Given the circumstances and rivalry, the wild game that preceded it, the very unusual way in which The Play unfolded, and its lingering aftermath on players and fans, it is recognized as one of the most memorable plays in college football history and among the most memorable in American sports.
After Stanford had taken a 20–19 lead on a field goal with four seconds left in the game, the Golden Bears used five lateral passes on the ensuing kickoff return to score the winning touchdown and earn a disputed 25–20 victory. Members of the Stanford Band had come onto the field midway through the return, believing that the game was over, which added to the ensuing confusion and folklore. There remains disagreement over the legality of two of the laterals,[1][2] adding to the passion surrounding the traditional rivalry of the annual "Big Game."

- From Wikipedia because it describes it far better than I ever could.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfebpLfAt8g

MrJoeSoap

Crosby wins gold for Canada in 2010.

DazMarz

The above post reminded me of this.

In the 1980 Olympics, the Soviet Union Ice Hockey Team was a much fancied side to win the gold medal. Their team was made up of professional hockey players who played in the United States and Canada.

The United States Ice Hockey Team was not expected to perform well. They were mostly amateurs or college players with few (if any) professionals. Certainly they were perceived as being no match for the Soviet team (a team that had dominated in national competitions up to that point).

While many people erroneously think that this game saw the United States win the gold, it did not. But it certainly paved the way for them to do so. It remains one of the proudest moments of American sporting history, when they were the underdogs and defeated the favourites in a huge game.

This was also at a time during the Cold War where the Soviets and the Eastern Bloc countries were dominant in many areas, particularly in Winter events. Jimmy Carter was considering a boycott by the United States of the 1980 Summer Olympics that were to be held in Moscow. For these two nations, this was more than just a hockey game. It was the ultimate battle between two ideological enemies. It was a battle that the Soviets were expected to win comfortably.

But, as can always happen in sports, the script is not always followed.

The game is also synonymous with the famous comment made by Al Michaels during the final seconds of the game as the Americans desperately tried to clear their lines and hold on for the win:

"11 seconds, you've got 10 seconds, the countdown going on right now! Morrow, up to Silk. Five seconds left in the game. Do you believe in miracles?! YES!"

The United States did not immediately win the gold medal upon defeating the USSR. In 1980 the medal round was a round-robin, not a single elimination format as it is today. Under Olympic rules at the time, the group game with Sweden was counted along with the medal round games versus the Soviet Union and Finland so it was mathematically possible for the United States to finish anywhere from first to fourth.

Needing to win to secure the gold medal, Team USA came back from a 2–1 third period deficit to defeat Finland 4–2. According to Mike Eruzione, coming into the dressing room in the second intermission, Herb Brooks (Team USA's coach) turned to his players, looked at them and said, "If you lose this game, you'll take it to your f*cking graves." He then paused, took a few steps, turned again, said, "Your f*cking graves," and walked out.

This event was voted one of the greatest sporting moments of all time by Sports Illustrated. And it is easy to see why. It was at a time when the Cold War was positively bone-chilling. The USA were the underdogs against the mighty Soviet ice hockey team. The team spirit and determination that made it possible.

It was also touched upon in the sitcom Frasier where Martin Crane fondly remembers his decrepit armchair as the one he was sitting in when he "... watched Team USA beat the Soviets in the '80 Olympics."

True sporting heroism.

The Highwayman

Always enjoyed rolling home from the pub and catching this on tv

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKw3EO3xpQc

DazMarz

Denmark were crowned European Champions after a thrilling Final against a united Germany in 1992. Beating Germany in a Final is heroic enough, but the merest fact that Denmark shouldn't have been there at all is what makes it all the more special.

During qualification for UEFA Euro 1992 to be held in Sweden, Denmark finished 2nd in their Qualification Group. The winners of the group, Yugoslavia, were going to Sweden. Denmark were going home.

But fate has ways of intervening.

The Yugoslav War in 1992 meant that Yugoslavia were disqualified by UEFA. A mere 10 days before the tournament kicked off, Denmark were informed that they would be in fact going to Euro '92. They had only 10 days to prepare and set off.

They didn't have a smooth path, barely navigating the Group Stage. But they then pulled off one of the huge upsets by beating a much fancied Dutch side (that contained such legends as Van Basten, Bergkamp, Rijkaard, Gullit, Koeman and de Boer and the Dutch were the defending European Champions) in the semi-final on penalties.

In the Final itself against a unified Germany, the Danes pulled off one of the greatest wins and upsets in football, beating the Germans 2-0 and lifting the Henri Delaunay Trophy for the first and only time in their history.

Duckworth_Luas

Plateau United Feeders



On the last day of the Nigerian season Plateau United Feeders and their arch rivals Police Machine FC were level on points.

In the final round of games the team who defeated their rivals by the biggest score would therefore secure promotion.

At half-time in their match with Akurba FC the Feeders were leading 7-0 and were confident that higher division soccer would be easily secured.

However their dreams looked like turning to ashes when news filtered through that rivals Police Machine had won their match 67-0.

Following what must have been the greatest half-time team talk ever Plateau United returned to the field and scored 72 more times in what must be regarded as the greatest half of football ever played.

MrJoeSoap

Duckworth_Luas wrote: »

On the last day of the Nigerian season Plateau United Feeders and their arch rivals Police Machine FC were level on points.

In the final round of games the team who defeated their rivals by the biggest score would therefore secure promotion.

At half-time in their match with Akurba FC the Feeders were leading 7-0 and were confident that higher division soccer would be easily secured.

However their dreams looked like turning to ashes when news filtered through that rivals Police Machine had won their match 67-0.

Following what must have been the greatest half-time team talk ever Plateau United returned to the field and scored 72 more times in what must be regarded as the greatest half of football ever played.

Or maybe it was just match-fixing, plain and simple?

Whilst I'm here...



Dublin hurlers celebrate after winning their first Leinster title in 52 years, after defeating Wexford and Kilkenny after replays, and Galway in the Leinster Final.

Great day for us Limerick folk today.



LIMERICK are Munster hurling champions for the first time since 1996 following a 0-24 to 0-15 win over Cork in the Gaelic Grounds.

Addle

This may have been posted before, but just saw this on a documentary on tv.
Described as Formula 1s most shameful event. Disturbing stuff.

Despite Purley's efforts (for which he was later awarded a George Medal) Williamson died in the flames.

http://twistedsifter.com/2009/11/roger-williamson-and-the-dutch-grand-prix-tragedy-of-1973/

patmac

Great day for Westmeath in 2004 as they win their only Leinster title with the late legendary Paidi