Biggest Upset in Sports History?

[nameless]

Whats the greatest upset in Sports History? Buster Douglas defeats Tyson imo.

[nameless]

Pro Wrestling counts

[HOF Yankees]

1980 Team USA Hockey VS Soviet Union, USA goes on to win gold

[39special]

'69 Jets beat the Colts in Super Bowl III

[nameless]

Nice posts.

[sycks22]

"Do you believe in Miracles? Yes!" Al Michaels said it best.

[bfrench00]

07 giants beating undefeated pats in super bowl 42

[CW]

I would give it to team USA in hockey.

Being a Michigan football fan, it pains me to post something that stirs up nightmares, but this would be in the top 10: Appalachian State defeats Michigan - 2007

[EvilKing00]

1980 Team USA

[nameless]

I agree with the 07 giants! That was huge.

[39special]

How about the '60 Pirates

[SmokyBurgess]

2 others come to mind:

App State beating Michigan in the Big House a few years ago

Virginia (with R. Sampson) going down to a small school in Hawaii early in basketball season circa 1980

Not the top upsets, but memorable.

[Cardboard Junkie]

Spinks beating Ali!! (I made big money on Spinks)

NC State over Phi Slamma Jamma. A terrible shot or the greatest assist in NCAA history.

[Paul S]

Ohhh, tough. I'll take the Jets over Baltimore in III, with Tbe Miracle intertradable. That upstart AFL with suave Namath having sex the night before day games (I think it was an Esquire interview).

Dave: Who'd you bet on with Liston v Ali?

You people have the best action over here at the 'cooler. I need to hang out more often

[TUM301]

Buster Douglas vs Tyson, Villanova over G-Town, Pats defeat of the Rams are 3 big ones that come to mind.

[maniac_73]

Greece winning the 04 Euro Cup soccer


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[glenv]

USA Hockey!

Runner up - Fresno state winning the NCAA baseball tournament/championship in 2008. People said it was a huge upset when George Mason made the basketball final four as an 11 seed. Fresno was like a 13-16 seed and won it all!

[travrosty]

villanovas run to the ncaa basketball crown, topped off by beating georgetown.

[novakjr]

Originally Posted by nameless

Pro Wrestling counts

If you're willing to include pro-wrestling. Fixed outcomes aside, I'd almost have to count the "Montreal Screwjob".

quick rundown from wiki

"A week before Survivor Series, Hart, who had performed for the WWF since 1984, signed a contract to perform with WCW beginning in December 1997. McMahon sought to prevent Hart from leaving the company as the champion, but Hart was unwilling to lose the title to Michaels – with whom he had a long feud both on-screen and off – at Survivor Series in his home country. Hart, Michaels, and McMahon came to an agreement where the Survivor Series match would end with a disqualification, which under normal rules would result in Hart retaining the title; Hart would then forfeit the title to McMahon on Monday Night Raw the following day. However, McMahon decided without Hart's knowledge that Michaels would win the title at Survivor Series. Accounts differ as to who exactly was involved in the plan and the extent of their involvement. The plan was executed when match referee Earl Hebner, on direct order from McMahon, ended the match as Michaels held Hart in the Sharpshooter submission hold, Hart's signature finishing move, even though Hart had not submitted. Michaels was declared the victor by submission and crowned as the new WWF Champion."


Now as far as actual sports upsets, I always tend to look at them from "in-game situations". To me the 2011 World Series game 6 fits that criteria better than any.

The Rangers blew a two run lead with 2 outs and a 1-2 count to Freese in the 9th that would've clinched a championship. Then regained a two run lead in the 10th, and were 1 strike away(yet again), only to blow it again..

And as we all know, the Cardinals went on to win that game and game 7..

THAT to me, is an upset..

[tiger8mush]

Originally Posted by novakjr

Now as far as actual sports upsets, I always tend to look at them from "in-game situations".

The Bills were down 35-3 to the Oilers in a playoff game early in the 3rd quarter and came back to win something like 41-38. I'd say that was a pretty big in-game upset

[EvilKing00]

Originally Posted by novakjr

If you're willing to include pro-wrestling. Fixed outcomes aside, I'd almost have to count the "Montreal Screwjob".

quick rundown from wiki

"A week before Survivor Series, Hart, who had performed for the WWF since 1984, signed a contract to perform with WCW beginning in December 1997. McMahon sought to prevent Hart from leaving the company as the champion, but Hart was unwilling to lose the title to Michaels – with whom he had a long feud both on-screen and off – at Survivor Series in his home country. Hart, Michaels, and McMahon came to an agreement where the Survivor Series match would end with a disqualification, which under normal rules would result in Hart retaining the title; Hart would then forfeit the title to McMahon on Monday Night Raw the following day. However, McMahon decided without Hart's knowledge that Michaels would win the title at Survivor Series. Accounts differ as to who exactly was involved in the plan and the extent of their involvement. The plan was executed when match referee Earl Hebner, on direct order from McMahon, ended the match as Michaels held Hart in the Sharpshooter submission hold, Hart's signature finishing move, even though Hart had not submitted. Michaels was declared the victor by submission and crowned as the new WWF Champion."


Now as far as actual sports upsets, I always tend to look at them from "in-game situations". To me the 2011 World Series game 6 fits that criteria better than any.

The Rangers blew a two run lead with 2 outs and a 1-2 count to Freese in the 9th that would've clinched a championship. Then regained a two run lead in the 10th, and were 1 strike away(yet again), only to blow it again..

And as we all know, the Cardinals went on to win that game and game 7..

THAT to me, is an upset..

if your going with "fake" I would say any time the harlem globetrotters loose a game. I think they have just over 22,000 wins and 345 losses in their history.

[novakjr]

Originally Posted by EvilKing00

if your going with "fake" I would say any time the harlem globetrotters loose a game. I think they have just over 22,000 wins and 345 losses in their history.

"Fake" is a pretty harsh term. I'd much prefer the use of "kayfabe"

I'd say if there was a game that the Globetrotter "weren't" supposed to lose, that they somehow ended up losing, then yes, I'd put that on the same level as the "Montreal Screwjob"...

[digdugdig]

Originally Posted by tiger8mush

The Bills were down 35-3 to the Oilers in a playoff game early in the 3rd quarter and came back to win something like 41-38. I'd say that was a pretty big in-game upset

And if I'm not mistaken, that was with Frank Reich at QB, not Jim Kelly.
I gotta go with the kid's from the '80 Olympics...that Gold Medal game against Finland was kinda anti-climatic after upsetting a team that gave NHL all-stars fits!! Al little over looked was Bill Baker's late game tying goal vs. Sweden in game 1.

[Mikehealer]

Francis Ouimet 1913 U.S. Open.

[Exhibitman]

Gotta go with Douglas knocking the piss out of the baddest man on the planet. The odds were 42:1 in favor of Tyson, the greatest differential in heavyweight history.

[Leon]

I was at this game and left in the 3rd quarter because there was no way we (I lived in Houston) we were going to lose.. ...from wiki....
.


The 1979 Cotton Bowl Classic, popularly called the Chicken Soup Game,[1] was a football game played between the University of Notre Dame and the University of Houston. The game took place on an unusually cold day in Dallas, Texas, played the day after Dallas's worst ice storm in 30 years. Quarterback Joe Montana, who had the flu, led Notre Dame to a come-from-behind victory in the second half after eating a bowl of chicken soup.[2]

The final play was a touchdown pass to receiver Kris Haines with 0:00 on the clock. Placekicker Joe Unis was forced to kick the extra point twice after a Notre Dame penalty, but was successful both times, and Notre Dame won the game 35–34.[4]


.

[barrysloate]

Nobody mentioned the 1969 Mets? I guess I will then.

[bigtrain]

No. 1 - USA Hockey vs. Soviet Union 1980
If you count horse racing, 1919 Sanford Memorial. Upset at 100-1 defeats
Man o' War.
My favorite - 45 year old George Foreman knocks out Michael Moorer for the Heavyweight title.

[Jlighter]

Originally Posted by 39special

'69 Jets beat the Colts in Super Bowl III

This!

[brian1961]

I almost agree with the 1980 Winter Olympics Team USA upset of the Soviet Union. I saw that on TV when it happened. I was on the edge of my seat the whole game!

However, the biggest upset involved a different Team USA versus Soviet Union---in Track & Field. Held at the Los Angeles Coliseum in 1964, DEEP in the Cold War. Specifically, it was the mens' 10,000 meter race. USA runners had always gotten run into the ground. With 24 laps around the 400 meter track, confusion over how many laps a lapped runner had actually run inevitably occurred. A hapless American runner was ordered to run an extra lap, the official convinced he'd only run 23 laps. The Russians cleaned up every time; it was humiliating. THEY saw it as an example of how lazy, weak and blase we were as a nation.

So imagine their thoughts as Gerry Lindgren, 5'6", still in high school, walked to the starting line. He made quite a sight, compared to the much stronger, taller, mature-looking Russians. They chuckled. Shook their heads. Sending a boy against Olympic caliber Russian athletes. Was this a joke? SEND YOUR BEST AGAINST US, YOU HEATHEN AMERICAN WEAKLINGS, SO WE CAN RUN YOU OFF YOUR FEET AGAIN!

Lindgren stayed with the top two Russians for four miles, which unnerved and puzzled them. Two miles still to go. Then, without warning (though Gerry and his coach had planned this, for which Gerry trained especially hard to pull off this tactic), he blasted around them and ran the next lap in about sixty seconds, ten seconds faster than the race pace had been. The crowd was screaming with awe, delight, and a "this time we're gonna getcha!" Back then the Cold War was very real and very personal. We hated Russia, and they loathed us.

Now Gerry had a lead of perhaps 8 seconds. The screaming never stopped. The two Russians got a little closer to Gerry, but then the gap stayed about the same. They had nothing inside them to catch up to the kid. Up in the stands, Bobby Kennedy was so moved at this unprecedented spectacle, he was in tears. Gerry Lindgren just kept on forcing himself, to stay ahead.

All this time, he had refused to allow himself to look back, not an easy thing to do in a distance race. Finally, as he began his final sprint after the last turn, he looked back. The closest Russian was just entering the last turn, broken. Gerry Lindgren went on to break the tape and win the 10,000, against some top level Soviet Union runners who would not have given him one chance in a zillion to beat them.

The story made headlines across the country. The significance weighed on people. Americans were so proud of their Gerry Lindgren. One of the most remarkable sport stories ever, and the greatest of all upsets.

But you know, I guess I have to back off and say "one of the greatest upsets". Not to be wishy-washy, but there have been so many great upsets. I mean, later on that year in the '64 Olympic 10,000, Billy Mills pulled off what is considered to be one of the greatest Olympic upsets, defeating world-record holder Ron Clarke. Clarke tried his hardest, but Mills out-sprinted him and some other guy. Asked about Mills, Clarke said he'd never even heard of Billy. Whatever. Incidentally, Lindgren had defeated Mills in the Olympic qualifying race, then injured himself shortly before the Games. Gerry briefly led the 10K, but could not hold the pace with his injury and placed a very respectable ninth. Mills insists Gerry may have won had he not been injured, but that's the breaks in which all sports share. I know, leave it alone. I had my say. Another day.

Cheers. -------------Brian Powell

[sam majors]

2000 Olympics Rulan Gardner from the United States beat Alexander Karelin in the super heavyweight divison!!
Karelin had won gold in 1988, 1992 and 1996 Olympics. He won the worlds championship super heavyweight title 9 times. He had never lost a match in international competition. He was the "BABE RUTH" in the wrestling world and a big old farm boy beat him!

[MooseDog]

Originally Posted by sam majors

2000 Olympics Rulan Gardner from the United States beat Alexander Karelin in the super heavyweight divison!!

This. Maybe not big for those outside the wrestling world but this may have been the biggest upset in sports history. Karelin was literally in a class all by himself. Think Edwin Moses good. Secretariat good. Usain Bolt good. Karelin was even better than that in his sport.

In hindsight it doesn't look like such a big upset but Maria Sharapova beating Serena Williams in the 2004 Wimbledon final in straight sets was pretty shocking at the time.

Largely forgotten, Belarus knocked perennial hockey powerhouse Sweden out of the qualifying round of the 2002 Winter Olympics 4-3 after having been outscored 22-6 in its three previous games. Belarus had one NHL player on the team while Sweden had virtually an NHL All-Star team.

[brian1961]

These last few upsets mentioned are terrific. I loved that one about the big country boy that stuck it to the multiple-Olympic champion Russian.

Thought of another that maybe a few of you wrestling buffs might recall much better than I, since I cannot name the guy who upset-------Iowa's Dan Gable at the 1970 or 71 NCAA Wrestling Tournament match. If memory serves, Gable had been undefeated in college up to this point, and it would have been the final point, as Dan was a senior. Gable picked himself up, and proceeded to flog himself in training for the '72 Olympics. He cleaned the mats up with his opponents, winning the gold. Y'all probably know what he achieved as a college and Olympic wrestling coach. --Brian

[glenv]

Originally Posted by novakjr

Now as far as actual sports upsets, I always tend to look at them from "in-game situations". To me the 2011 World Series game 6 fits that criteria better than any.

The Rangers blew a two run lead with 2 outs and a 1-2 count to Freese in the 9th that would've clinched a championship. Then regained a two run lead in the 10th, and were 1 strike away(yet again), only to blow it again..

And as we all know, the Cardinals went on to win that game and game 7..

THAT to me, is an upset..

For an in-series situation, it's hard to beat the Red Sox in the 2004 ALC. Yankees were one inning away from a four game sweep and had Rivera on the mound...

[novakjr]

Originally Posted by brian1961

These last few upsets mentioned are terrific. I loved that one about the big country boy that stuck it to the multiple-Olympic champion Russian.

Thought of another that maybe a few of you wrestling buffs might recall much better than I, since I cannot name the guy who upset-------Iowa's Dan Gable at the 1970 or 71 NCAA Wrestling Tournament match. If memory serves, Gable had been undefeated in college up to this point, and it would have been the final point, as Dan was a senior. Gable picked himself up, and proceeded to flog himself in training for the '72 Olympics. He cleaned the mats up with his opponents, winning the gold. Y'all probably know what he achieved as a college and Olympic wrestling coach. --Brian

Yeah, when I saw someone mention wrestling(not WWF), I was about to go Gable too. Gable was 181-0(Gable had also NEVER lost an official HS match either), with 2 National Championships already, heading into the final match of his collegiate career. Larry Owings from University of Washington was the guy who beat him in the 142 lb. National Championship match in 1970. Interestingly enough, Owing had started out the season in the 177 lb class, and decided to cut down to 142. While many other wrestlers in the country were trying to avoid Gable, by either moving up or down a class..

Anyways here's a great old SI article about their match...

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vau...ne/MAG1135499/

[brian1961]

Thanks David, for coming to my rescue on that Dan Gable upset. You were most enlightening, and confirmed it was a much more serious upset than what I remembered. Of course, most of what I remembered was 41 years ago on TV with ABC's great coverage of the Olympics. Dan Gable was profiled, and I recall some of the background of that terrible upset. Seems there was also a close sister that had died tragically that affected him during his wrestling career. Anyway, I will check out the link that you so thoughtfully included.

I don't know why, but I want to remember a dear and great man who was one of America's wrestlers in '72---super heavyweight Chris Taylor. If I miss-spelled his name, forgive me. He was from southern Michigan. A gentle soul, but a determined foe you would not want to face. I believe he took the bronze. I must say this, but for too many stupid, irresponsibly-minded Americans, they think you got to win the gold, or you failed. In any other country, any Olympic medal classifies you as "a master of sports".

Somehow David, I have a feeling you appreciate a jolly good show. Thanks again. Take care. --Brian Powell

[novakjr]

Originally Posted by brian1961

Thanks David, for coming to my rescue on that Dan Gable upset. You were most enlightening, and confirmed it was a much more serious upset than what I remembered. Of course, most of what I remembered was 41 years ago on TV with ABC's great coverage of the Olympics. Dan Gable was profiled, and I recall some of the background of that terrible upset. Seems there was also a close sister that had died tragically that affected him during his wrestling career. Anyway, I will check out the link that you so thoughtfully included.

I don't know why, but I want to remember a dear and great man who was one of America's wrestlers in '72---super heavyweight Chris Taylor. If I miss-spelled his name, forgive me. He was from southern Michigan. A gentle soul, but a determined foe you would not want to face. I believe he took the bronze. I must say this, but for too many stupid, irresponsibly-minded Americans, they think you got to win the gold, or you failed. In any other country, any Olympic medal classifies you as "a master of sports".

Somehow David, I have a feeling you appreciate a jolly good show. Thanks again. Take care. --Brian Powell

Having wrestled in HS and a bit in college, aside from baseball, wrestling is probably the sport I'm most passionate about. Yes, I'll even indulge in watching/collecting pro wrestling(also still perform some backyard stuff for fun) and MMA occasionally just to get my wrestling fix... I won't go too far into my accomplishments, but most notably, I beat a guy who went on to be a member of the US Olympic team. I don't really thrive on it, but I guess it would be my "Al Bundy moment". In one way or another we've all got our own "4 touchdowns in one game" moment..

As far as Gable's sister, she was raped and murdered while he was a sophomore in high school. Here's a quote from Wiki about it...

"Gable later recalled that the event gave him a singular passion for wrestling as a way to uplift his shattered family. In his documentary Gable, he said, "I needed to give them enough entertainment that they didn't have to look other places."

[peterose4hof]

A lot of great responses. I've really enjoy reading this thread!

I especially like reading about the USA upsets; something about seeing the Red, White & Blue compete that gets my blood flowing.

How about the 1996 USA Women's Gymnastics Team winning the Gold Medal in Atlanta?!?!?! The Russian women had won every team gold since 1952 except one (Romania -1984). Facing an uphill climb on the second night of competition, the US Women rode the wave of emotion set forth by a ruckus Atlanta crowd and took advantage of team Russia's missteps on the balance beam to put themselves in prime position for gold. They just needed solid scores on the vault to reach their ultimate goal, but normally flawless Dominique Moceanu fell on both of her attempts putting the US team's gold-medal hopes in doubt. Kerri Strug, fresh off a fall of her own, limped to the line with a mountain of tape on her injured ankle, bounded down the runway, vaulted high in the air, twisting and turning about and stuck the landing securing the gold.

[Touch'EmAll]

The first thing that came to my mind when I read the threat title - 1969 Mets.

[Zach Wheat]

Originally Posted by CW

I would give it to team USA in hockey.

Being a Michigan football fan, it pains me to post something that stirs up nightmares, but this would be in the top 10: Appalachian State defeats Michigan - 2007

Chuck,

I am a Michigan fan also and it saddens me to have to consider the UMich vs. Appalachian State as one of the biggest upsets. It doesn't lessen the embarrasment that App State was a DII school (now apparently a DI school for football).

However, I have to say the Miracle on Ice - US Vs USSR - gets my vote.

Z Wheat

[Ulidia]

From a US perspective, whilst admittedly not high profile in the US due to the limited interest at the time in soccer, one of the greatest ever upsets has to be the US national side's 1-0 victory over England in the 1950 World Cup Finals held in Brazil.

[Cardboard Junkie]

Originally Posted by Ulidia

From a US perspective, whilst admittedly not high profile in the US due to the limited interest at the time in soccer, one of the greatest ever upsets has to be the US national side's 1-0 victory over England in the 1950 World Cup Finals held in Brazil.

Aloha, mate, cheers!Dave

[chris6net]

Tough choices but I will go with the 69 Mets.
1980 USA Olympic game is a close 2nd

[nolemmings]

I'll take Miracle on Ice.

Personally, I think the Mets as a choice is misplaced. If you want to look at the long odds of them getting to the Series and all of that (contributed in large part to a huge Cubs choke), then I guess it fits. Otherwise, that team won 100 games, and to think that a team with 100 wins is such an underdog that winning the World Series is a longshot seems borderline specious to me. I get the whole miserable 60's Mets teams and meteoric rise in '69, but by the time the series rolled around, they had a legitimate shot. Sure they finished 9 games worse than Baltimore, but since that series, one team has finished 9 games or worse than its opponent 15 times and managed to win nearly half of them (seven), and nearly won in '86 as well. Frankly, had the so-so '73 Mets won Game 7 of the '73 World Series, now then you'd have a story.

[Jcfowler6]

1903 World Series
1960 World Series
Miracle on Ice
Douglas over Tyson
Immaculate Reception

Are all good ones.

[digdugdig]

I think we lost track a little bit on this thread between great upsets and great comebacks.
Great comebacks would be a great thread as well.
Some great posts either way, enjoying them all, keep 'em coming.
Personally, great comebacks...I remember watching the Bills rally behind Frank Reich against the Oilers.
And how about the "Heidi game", of course no one saw that one !!

[philliesfan]

1980 Olympic team.

Honorable Mention:

Flyers come from 3 games down and down in game four to win the series. I know they did not farther but I love my Flyers.

[maddux311]

Originally Posted by pariah1107

NC State over Phi Slamma Jamma. A terrible shot or the greatest assist in NCAA history.

As a lifelong NC State fan, I like to think of it as a great assist.

The following quote sums it up the best concerning everyone's thought of NC State coming away with a win over the talented Houston team composed of Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler and company:

"Trees will tap dance, elephants will drive the Indianapolis 500, and Orsen Wells will skip lunch before North Carolina State finds a way to beat Houston." –Washington Post, April 4, 1983

[Zach Wheat]

Originally Posted by brian1961

I almost agree with the 1980 Winter Olympics Team USA upset of the Soviet Union. I saw that on TV when it happened. I was on the edge of my seat the whole game!

However, the biggest upset involved a different Team USA versus Soviet Union---in Track & Field. Held at the Los Angeles Coliseum in 1964, DEEP in the Cold War. Specifically, it was the mens' 10,000 meter race. USA runners had always gotten run into the ground. With 24 laps around the 400 meter track, confusion over how many laps a lapped runner had actually run inevitably occurred. A hapless American runner was ordered to run an extra lap, the official convinced he'd only run 23 laps. The Russians cleaned up every time; it was humiliating. THEY saw it as an example of how lazy, weak and blase we were as a nation.

So imagine their thoughts as Gerry Lindgren, 5'6", still in high school, walked to the starting line. He made quite a sight, compared to the much stronger, taller, mature-looking Russians. They chuckled. Shook their heads. Sending a boy against Olympic caliber Russian athletes. Was this a joke? SEND YOUR BEST AGAINST US, YOU HEATHEN AMERICAN WEAKLINGS, SO WE CAN RUN YOU OFF YOUR FEET AGAIN!

Lindgren stayed with the top two Russians for four miles, which unnerved and puzzled them. Two miles still to go. Then, without warning (though Gerry and his coach had planned this, for which Gerry trained especially hard to pull off this tactic), he blasted around them and ran the next lap in about sixty seconds, ten seconds faster than the race pace had been. The crowd was screaming with awe, delight, and a "this time we're gonna getcha!" Back then the Cold War was very real and very personal. We hated Russia, and they loathed us.

Now Gerry had a lead of perhaps 8 seconds. The screaming never stopped. The two Russians got a little closer to Gerry, but then the gap stayed about the same. They had nothing inside them to catch up to the kid. Up in the stands, Bobby Kennedy was so moved at this unprecedented spectacle, he was in tears. Gerry Lindgren just kept on forcing himself, to stay ahead.

All this time, he had refused to allow himself to look back, not an easy thing to do in a distance race. Finally, as he began his final sprint after the last turn, he looked back. The closest Russian was just entering the last turn, broken. Gerry Lindgren went on to break the tape and win the 10,000, against some top level Soviet Union runners who would not have given him one chance in a zillion to beat them.

The story made headlines across the country. The significance weighed on people. Americans were so proud of their Gerry Lindgren. One of the most remarkable sport stories ever, and the greatest of all upsets.

But you know, I guess I have to back off and say "one of the greatest upsets". Not to be wishy-washy, but there have been so many great upsets. I mean, later on that year in the '64 Olympic 10,000, Billy Mills pulled off what is considered to be one of the greatest Olympic upsets, defeating world-record holder Ron Clarke. Clarke tried his hardest, but Mills out-sprinted him and some other guy. Asked about Mills, Clarke said he'd never even heard of Billy. Whatever. Incidentally, Lindgren had defeated Mills in the Olympic qualifying race, then injured himself shortly before the Games. Gerry briefly led the 10K, but could not hold the pace with his injury and placed a very respectable ninth. Mills insists Gerry may have won had he not been injured, but that's the breaks in which all sports share. I know, leave it alone. I had my say. Another day.

Cheers. -------------Brian Powell

Wow good stuff guys.

Z Wheat