What's the preferred way for your favorite sports team to lose?

[Dead2009]

I saw this on another forum and thought it was an excellent question to ask you guys

Whether you follow professional, college, or youth sports, what is your preferred way to lose?

Blowout- Whether the other team is better, your team just isn't getting "bounces", you're just blown out and there's no doubt about the outcome.

Can't score at the end- everything is setup for last second heroics, but the team can't pull it off.

Can't stop the other team at the end- other team scores on a "last second" play and your certain victory changes to defeat in a heartbeat

Sorry, no "other" in this case

I mean all of these options are crappy but if I HAD to choose, it would be a blowout, because if you can't score on the last possession or you can't stop the other team on their last possession, that's heartbreaking as a fan. At least in a blowout, you know all is lost and can watch another game.

 

[Jon]

I loved in 2004 when the Yankees lost to the Red Sox 4-3 after being up 3-0.

I also loved the Patriots coming back 21-3 to beat the Falcons.

As much as it killed me, I appreciated when the Flyers came back from 3-0 to beat the Bruins, but the Bruins comeback against the Leafs down 3-1 in the 3rd was special to me.

I also love any time LeBron loses.

I guess I really appreciate the true improbable wins. Like, not upsets, those happen all the time, (so the Giants can shove their wins up Eli's behind). But like, moments where a team is so down and out they are given no hope. When the losing team is a hated team, it's that much better.

 

[MC74]

I loved in 2004 when the Yankees lost to the Red Sox 4-3 after being up 3-0.

I also loved the Patriots coming back 21-3 to beat the Falcons.

As much as it killed me, I appreciated when the Flyers came back from 3-0 to beat the Bruins, but the Bruins comeback against the Leafs down 3-1 in the 3rd was special to me.

I also love any time LeBron loses.

I guess I really appreciate the true improbable wins. Like, not upsets, those happen all the time, (so the Giants can shove their wins up Eli's behind). But like, moments where a team is so down and out they are given no hope. When the losing team is a hated team, it's that much better.

When you thought it couldn't get any worse than that, the Leafs somehow managed to one-up that by choking a 3-1 series lead to the Montreal Canadiens in 2021. Just like Boston, the Habs went all the way to the finals.

And then there was a game the year prior us Leafs fans would much rather forget ever happened.

 

[Jon]

When you thought it couldn't get any worse than that, the Leafs somehow managed to one-up that by choking a 3-1 series lead to the Montreal Canadiens in 2021. Just like Boston, the Habs went all the way to the finals.

And then there was a game the year prior us Leafs fans would much rather forget ever happened.

I'm sorry. I hear being a Leafs fan is as bad as being a Jets fan.

 

[MC74]

I'm sorry. I hear being a Leafs fan is as bad as being a Jets fan.

Team is cursed, I don't know what else to say. I firmly believe the franchise is paying dearly for the sins of Harold Ballard.

 

[Webster]

I also love any time LeBron loses.

I think everyone loves when LeBron LeBum loses...

 

[Jon]

I think everyone loves when LeBron LeBum loses...

He THINKS he's the best, but the dude isn't even top five of all time to me. And I don't know basketball. But he couldn't even kiss the shoes of Jordan or Chamberlain.

 

[Benzine]

you guys are insane talking about basketball

Anyway, I prefer my team to lose via food poisoning or plane crash, if they must lose.

 

[Jon]

you guys are insane talking about basketball

Anyway, I prefer my team to lose via food poisoning or plane crash, if they must lose.

Lose, not die. Dang, harsh.

There's a Kobe Bryant joke to insensitively be had here though.

 

[shortkut]

It depends

If the team is rebuilding, I want them to barely lose every game. It shows they are almost there, but a worse record helps with the draft.

If the team is supposed to be ready, I want a blowout to show that they didn’t try, and not their best wasn’t good enough

 

[Webster]

He THINKS he's the best, but the dude isn't even top five of all time to me. And I don't know basketball. But he couldn't even kiss the shoes of Jordan or Chamberlain.

I have two reasons for not liking LeBum; the first I spoke of over in another thread (the whole "Reveal" episode of him going to Miami years ago) and because at the height of the Hong Kong Protest Movement he threw then-Rockets GM Daryl Morey under the bus for supporting the protesters (and by that, threatening the NBA's broadcast deals with the ChiComs).

So no I don't like the motherfucker one damn bit; to me, he ain't fit to help Jordan or Bird or Magic and Shaq or Kobe lace up their sneaks.

 

[Benzine]

I will definitely give the Hong Kong stuff, but I think it's a bit off to have a problem like that with LeBron for using his fame and notoriety to raise money with The Decision for the Boys and Girls Club of America. That's 2.5m they didn't have before.

I only wish I could have money donated like that each time I changed jobs.

 

[Benzine]

Actually, I change my mind, fuck LeBron, and fuck them kids.

 

[Webster]

but I think it's a bit off to have a problem like that with LeBron for using his fame and notoriety to raise money with The Decision for the Boys and Girls Club of America.

That's not what I was referring to.

When he was playing for Cleveland early in his career he signed for Miami and made a big deal out of it; he should've just come right out and told the fans why he was going but no, he decides to ham it up as "the Reveal."

 

[shortkut]

Since we’re talking about Lebron now

I like him as a philanthropist for what he does for the community

I respect him for being one of the all time greats (probably more of a magic comparison than a Michael comparison, based off of his play style)

I get annoyed by “the decision” and how his show the barbershop is just him surrounded by people who just talk about how great he is

 

[Benzine]

That's not what I was referring to.

When he was playing for Cleveland early in his career he signed for Miami and made a big deal out of it; he should've just come right out and told the fans why he was going but no, he decides to ham it up as "the Reveal."

I was referring to that too? I am talking about "The Reveal". That's why I said "but I think it's a bit off to have a problem like that with LeBron for using his fame and notoriety to raise money with The Decision for the Boys and Girls Club of America."

If someone deciding to use their fame and notoriety to raise money for a cause, instead of just doing nothing (aka telling Cleveland "hey I'm leaving")... I don't get why this could be construed as a bad thing? Unless it was just another notch for someone who didn't like him (but then you'd keep that particular one to yourself). Please let me know if I'm misunderstanding you though.

 

[Webster]

I was referring to that too? I am talking about "The Reveal". That's why I said "but I think it's a bit off to have a problem like that with LeBron for using his fame and notoriety to raise money with The Decision for the Boys and Girls Club of America."

If someone deciding to use their fame and notoriety to raise money for a cause, instead of just doing nothing (aka telling Cleveland "hey I'm leaving")... I don't get why this could be construed as a bad thing? Unless it was just another notch for someone who didn't like him (but then you'd keep that particular one to yourself). Please let me know if I'm misunderstanding you though.

Now I didn't know the extra money went to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, @Benzine.
He could've also mentioned that during his big "reveal" but no he didn't, which made it look like a money grab.

 

[A Punched Face]

I prefer for my team to be in it and have it be a close loss in the end. Like UMass losing to Denver in the NCAA Hockey tournament this year: we were underdogs and took them to double OT before losing. It was a great game and I don't feel bad about the loss.

 

[Benzine]

Now I didn't know the extra money went to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, @Benzine.
He could've also mentioned that during his big "reveal" but no he didn't, which made it look like a money grab.

I think it's even cooler to keep that stuff under wraps. I'm sure you'd agree that some would even complain if he announced he was raising money for charity!

 

[Webster]

I think it's even cooler to keep that stuff under wraps. I'm sure you'd agree that some would even complain if he announced he was raising money for charity!

I know and like I said I got no problem with it.

 

[Shadow.]

I would rather lose in a blowout. The New Orleans Saints have had so many gut-punching last-second losses in the playoffs the past decade it's hard to even enjoy the NFL as much anymore. (No-call, Minneapolis Miracle, Beastquake, The Catch III)

Also on the Lebron subject, I was a fan until he joined the Lakers and traded for Davis (Pelicans fan)
I feel like him returning to Cleveland and pulling off the 3-1 comeback against the record 73 win Warriors kind of redeemed himself for The Decision.