Controversey Loves Company

The passion felt in sports is something that is rivaled in very few other aspects of life. The truth is, life is hard and sports is a great escape. People tend to become very emotionally involved when their teams are doing well or struggling. One thing that cannot stand, however, is getting unfairly screwed by a bad call or controversial play. So let's go over what the worst moments for fans were. The 6 Most Controversial Plays in Sports History. It's like getting screwed out of a whole week in your paycheck, or getting points taken off for not having a cover page on your essay. Just plain stupid.

6. Phantom Interference
Game: 2002 College Football Nat'l Championship Game. Ohio State vs. Miami (FL)
The Controversey: In the first overtime, Miami had scored a touchdown. Ohio St. faced a 4th down with future Bears QB Craig Krenzel manning the offense. He threw a fade in the back of the end zone, which Chris Gamble went up for but couldn't make the grab. A Miami defender made some light contact, drawing a ridiculously late and unnecessary penalty flag. Miami went on to lose in the next Overtime.
Watch and see for yourself. They were Big 10 referee's by the way, which Ohio St. belongs to.


5. Brady Tucking It In
Game: Jan. 19, 2002 AFC Divisional Playoff game between the Patriots and Raiders in a blizzard. Known as "The Snow Job"
The Controversy: Tom Brady went back to pass late in the game, was sacked and fumbled the football. The Raiders recovered, but the play was reviewed and ruled an incomplete pass due to one of the stupidest rules in the NFL, the Tuck Rule (any attempt to pass by moving your arm forward in any way is ruled a pass, even if the QB doesn't intend to pass). The Patriots went on to win the game and the Super Bowl. The Raiders have since been doomed to be awful ever year after.
Judge for yourself, the play occurs at the 3:30 mark in the clip


4. Maier Saves the Day
Game: 1996 A.L. Championship Series Game 1, NY Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles @ Yankee Stadium
The Controversy: Stud Yankee SS Derek Jeter (you may have heard of him) hit a deep fly ball to right field with the Yankees down 4-3 in the Bottom of the 8th. Orioles RF Tony Torasco went back to the fence, was about to catch it, and 12-Year Old Jeffery Maier (now a MLB scout with the Brewers) reached over the fence and deflected the ball into the stands and Umpire Rich Garcia called it a Home Run. (Maier didn't even get the ball and Garcia later admitted to blowing the call. The Yankees won the game and the World Series anyway)
No video available but the photo should be enough:
"The Catch"

3. Miracle in Music City
Game: January 8, 2000. NFL Wild Card Playoff Game. Tennessee Titans vs. Buffalo Bills.
The Controversy: With 16 seconds remaining, the Bills kicked a Field Goal to go ahead 16-15. On the ensuing kickoff, the Bills squib kicked (kicking it directly in the ground so the opposing team would have to return it, much shorter than an actual kickoff) the ball and Lorenzo Neal picked it up, lateraled to Frank Wycheck, who "lateraled" to Kevin Dyson, who ran it 75 yards to score as time expired, to win the game. Officials reviewed the play and determined it was a lateral. The final lateral from Wycheck to Dyson is almost asymmetrical, as it seemed to be forwards but has been considered on an exact line. A forward pass is illegal but there is no rule on a pass that is neither forward nor backward which this one seemed to be.
You Decide:


2. Hand of God Goal
Game: Argentina vs. England in a 1986 World Cup Quarterfinal Match. The rivalry between the two was, and still is, fierce as they had just fought each other in the Falklands War 4 years earlier. Also, England thinks they own the world.
The Controversy: At the start of the 2nd half, score 0-0, Argentina had the ball deep in England's zone. An English defender tried to clear the ball but instead kicked it toward his own goal. Argentine player Diego Maradona ran toward the ball, hit it with his fist into the goal and the goal was allowed, as nobody realized it was an illegal hand ball. Maradona, later in the game, scored what is considered the best goal ever scored in World Cup history. (Goal of the Century) Argentina went on to win 2-1 and won the entire World Cup. The English are still pissed and I'm still laughing at them.
It hit his hand but who cares. England's won enough battles. Watch it and laugh at England:


1. "The Play"
Game: 1982 Cal-Stanford College Football Game, the 85th straight meeting between the 2 schools. Stanford needed a win to make a bowl game, as they were led by future hall of famer John Elway.
The Controversy: As Stanford took the lead with just 5 seconds left 20-19, they squib kicked it to Cal, who only had 10 men on the field, one less than the usual 11 (that's not illegal). It's claimed that Dwight Gardner was down before he lateraled (at the 16 second mark in the video), that the final lateral was forward (22 second mark), which is illegal, and that the TD shouldn't have counted since the band was on the field, which is the most ridiculous thing ever to happen in sports. It's impossible to tell if the first 2 claims have any warrant at all and probably were called correctly. The band on the field is a difficult one, since there really isn't a rule regarding such a situation. It will live on as the craziest, strangest, very controversial and most memorable college football play of all time.
You've seen it, here it is if you want to see it again:


There you have it. Nothing like a little controversy to get the blood going. Life is all about it. Hope you enjoyed this edition and keep tuning in. Until next time, se du senere.