Mon, Apr 11, 2005
The top 5 reasons Steve Bartman shouldn't be blamed for the Chicago Cubs' meltdown during the 2003 National League Championship Series.
Spoiler text
Best of the Rest:
Top Five:
5. Moises Alou: His reaction incited the fans against Bartman. Plus, his unsanitary pregame rituals he later admitted to might have deterred fans from getting in his way.
4. Dusty Baker: He criticized Bartman in a postgame press conference, but Baker failed to go to the mound to settle his team down, until it was too late.
3. Alex Gonzalez's error: The Gold Glove-winning shortstop botched a double play ball that would have ended the inning.
Interlude: The Cubs probability of winning was only slightly decreased after the foul ball; it plummeted later in the inning.
2. Game 7: The Cubs had another chance, with ace Kerry Wood on the mound.
1. The Marlins were better: The slugging Marlins also slayed the Giants and Yankees that year; their firepower and sense of destiny were not to be denied.
Spoiler text
Best of the Rest:
- The Cubs were cursed.
- Bartman did nothing wrong: All the fans around him reached for the ball too; it's a natural fan reaction, especially for a ball that would be a souvenir from a presumed historic pennant-clinching game.
Top Five:
5. Moises Alou: His reaction incited the fans against Bartman. Plus, his unsanitary pregame rituals he later admitted to might have deterred fans from getting in his way.
4. Dusty Baker: He criticized Bartman in a postgame press conference, but Baker failed to go to the mound to settle his team down, until it was too late.
3. Alex Gonzalez's error: The Gold Glove-winning shortstop botched a double play ball that would have ended the inning.
Interlude: The Cubs probability of winning was only slightly decreased after the foul ball; it plummeted later in the inning.
2. Game 7: The Cubs had another chance, with ace Kerry Wood on the mound.
1. The Marlins were better: The slugging Marlins also slayed the Giants and Yankees that year; their firepower and sense of destiny were not to be denied.
Mon, Oct 18, 1999
The top 5 reasons Bill Buckner shouldn't be blamed for the Red Sox' loss to the Mets in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series.
Spoiler text
Best of the Rest:
Top Five:
5. Roger Clemens' exit: There was confusion between Clemens and McNamera to why he left game in the 8th inning.
4. Calvin Schiraldi: The Red Sox reliever faltered in Games 6 and 7.
3. Rich Gedman and Bob Stanley: Their failure to communicate resulted in the wild pitch.
2. Mookie Wilson's speed (he may have beaten Buckner to the bag anyway).
1. John McNamara: The Red Sox manager made several questionable decisions in Games 6 and 7.
Spoiler text
Best of the Rest:
- missed opportunities (14 LOB)
- Oil Can Boyd's premature celebration
- Shea Stadium scoreboard (flashed 10th inning message "Congratulations Boston Red Sox 1986 World Series Champions")
Top Five:
5. Roger Clemens' exit: There was confusion between Clemens and McNamera to why he left game in the 8th inning.
4. Calvin Schiraldi: The Red Sox reliever faltered in Games 6 and 7.
3. Rich Gedman and Bob Stanley: Their failure to communicate resulted in the wild pitch.
2. Mookie Wilson's speed (he may have beaten Buckner to the bag anyway).
1. John McNamara: The Red Sox manager made several questionable decisions in Games 6 and 7.
Mon, May 9, 2005
Best of the Rest
5) Jerry Krause: He repeatedly delivered several quality free agents and kept the team together.
4) Scottie Pippen: His departure to the Houston Rockets led to the breakup of the Bulls
3) Phil Jackson: He lost control of the team.
2) Jerry Reinsdorf: The owner failed to take leadership.
1) Michael Jordan: He could have come back for one more season and kept the team together.
- A Lust for Credit: Several players felt they deserved credit for contributing to the championships which resulted in different egos being exposed
- Attrition: 10 Chicago Bulls players became free agents after the season
5) Jerry Krause: He repeatedly delivered several quality free agents and kept the team together.
4) Scottie Pippen: His departure to the Houston Rockets led to the breakup of the Bulls
3) Phil Jackson: He lost control of the team.
2) Jerry Reinsdorf: The owner failed to take leadership.
1) Michael Jordan: He could have come back for one more season and kept the team together.
Tue, Jun 28, 2005
Spoiler text
Best of the Rest
5. The draft is a crapshoot. Portland actually had a good track record in the draft, but there are no guarantees a pick will pan out.
4. Size matters. Before Jordan changed the game, championship teams were built around a big man.
3. Bill Walton: Portland wanted another superstar center.
2. Dean Smith: His offensive system didn't showcase Jordan's talents.
1. Clyde Drexler: the Blazers already had a playmaking shooting guard.
Best of the Rest
- The coin flip. The Rockets and Blazers flipped a coin for the top draft pick. Both wanted Hakeem Olajuwon. The Blazers called tails and lost. No one would have blamed them for taking Olajuwon with the top pick.
- Patrick Ewing's mother. Ewing stayed at Georgetown rather than enter the draft because he had promised his mother he would finish his college degree before going pro. Ewing would have been the Blazers' second choice behind Olajuwon.
- The Rockets. They also passed on Jordan, but no one blames them. Had Jordan never taken time off to play pro baseball, the Rockets may never have won their two championships with Olajuwon.
5. The draft is a crapshoot. Portland actually had a good track record in the draft, but there are no guarantees a pick will pan out.
4. Size matters. Before Jordan changed the game, championship teams were built around a big man.
3. Bill Walton: Portland wanted another superstar center.
2. Dean Smith: His offensive system didn't showcase Jordan's talents.
1. Clyde Drexler: the Blazers already had a playmaking shooting guard.
Mon, Apr 3, 2006
Spoilers
Best of the Rest:
Top Five:
5. The ghost of Fred Brown: The fateful mistake happened in the same arena, against the same opponent, in a similar situation, as the Georgetown player's infamous giveaway.
4. Chris Webber: Without him, Michigan wouldn't have made it to the championship game, or have been so close in the final minute.
3. Steve Fisher: the coach bears the ultimate responsibility for his players knowing how many timeouts are left.
2. North Carolina's defense.
1. It never happened. A scandal involving a booster would cause Michigan to vacate its victories from the Fab Five era and shelve its Final Four banners in Crisler Arena, erasing them from official records.
Best of the Rest:
- Michigan was behind.
- The bench: both Webber and a North Carolina defender said they heard someone on the Michigan bench calling for a timeout.
Top Five:
5. The ghost of Fred Brown: The fateful mistake happened in the same arena, against the same opponent, in a similar situation, as the Georgetown player's infamous giveaway.
4. Chris Webber: Without him, Michigan wouldn't have made it to the championship game, or have been so close in the final minute.
3. Steve Fisher: the coach bears the ultimate responsibility for his players knowing how many timeouts are left.
2. North Carolina's defense.
1. It never happened. A scandal involving a booster would cause Michigan to vacate its victories from the Fab Five era and shelve its Final Four banners in Crisler Arena, erasing them from official records.