NFT: Sports fandom missing rings - what are yours?

'93 ND football: don't get me started, Haha.

'93 Knicks: I'll go to the grave contending Charles Smith was fouled approximately 304402442028484024284248842 times on that play.

'08 Giants: Between Plax & the DL just wearing down...that team should have gone back to back.

'22 Heels: up 15 @ half vs. Kansas...ugh. I guess the sting is mitigated by the fact we beat Coach K @ his last game @ that shithole known as Cameron & then beat him in the Final Four, sendin that jackal into retirement.

Loved the 99 Mets maybe my favorite team but the 2006 Mets really should have got the ring. Easier path.

where a championship is directly on the line.

For me it’s:

94 Knicks
00 Mets
01 Devils

In comment 16560115 GF1080 said:

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Loved the 99 Mets maybe my favorite team but the 2006 Mets really should have got the ring. Easier path.

Man that's a great one that missed. Add 2006 Mets for me as well. They would have beaten Detroit.

'93 Knicks- as everyone mentions that was the best Knicks team. won 60, up 2-0 on the Bulls. Jordan AC gambling controversy I contend to this day the 4 days off between games 2 & 3 saved Jordan and the Bulls and yes The Bulls being allowed to go all benny Hill on Charles Smith still irks me

'94 Devils- Yeah for many in here that was their shining hockey moment with Messier and Matteau Matteau Matteau but for a Devils fan it still hurts, and we would have smoked Vancouver.

'08 Giants- fucking Plaxico.

I think the 2012 Giants were far more likely to compete for a championship than 2008. The 2008 team ground themselves down as much as they did opponents.

At the risk of coaxing the illogical cobra out of the jar, the Giants were in some respects a more potent offense when Burress was busy getting suspended early in the year and then hurt later in the year.

If the offensive game plan to win a championship was "use the injured asshole receiver who is injured and having a shitty year as a decoy" -- I suspect the chances were grim.

On the other hand, the front office, staff, and especially Manning were hitting on all cylinders going into 2012. If Nicks doesn't get hurt, watch out.

Mets is the real Mets disappointment IMO.

That Mets team should have won at least one, probably 2 more rings.

In comment 16560123 christian said:

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I think the 2012 Giants were far more likely to compete for a championship than 2008. The 2008 team ground themselves down as much as they did opponents. At the risk of coaxing the illogical cobra out of the jar, the Giants were in some respects a more potent offense when Burress was busy getting suspended early in the year and then hurt later in the year. If the offensive game plan to win a championship was "use the injured asshole receiver who is injured and having a shitty year as a decoy" -- I suspect the chances were grim. On the other hand, the front office, staff, and especially Manning were hitting on all cylinders going into 2012. If Nicks doesn't get hurt, watch out.

Something that is always forgotten is how good Nicks was. Any Giant fan should rewatch that game against Tampa that season. Offensive beauty.

That was the most talented Giants team I'd seen since the end of the LT/Simms era.

2006 Mets. Tied for most wins in the MLB that year, I really thought they had it. But the lost to the freakin Cardinals, a freakin' 83-win team. Just shameful.

I was at Game 2 at Shea. The Mets won Game 1, and they were leading 6-4 after 6 and the bullpen completely imploded. Billy Wagner gave up 3 runs in the 9th, including a HR to So Taguchi (!!!) to lead off the inning, and Wagner never rebounded. Such a depressing game. Mets relievers in the post season, don't get me started...
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In my lifetime:

1994 Knicks
2024 Rangers
2008 Giants

Before my time:

1953 Knicks
1972 Rangers
1963 Giants

I would give up a few Yankees championships for these.

The 1988 Mets were so much better than the Dodgers. Losing the NLCS was a travesty.

felt like they would have given Dallas a great series but just couldn’t get past the big 3.

1993 Islanders - Damn you Dale Hunter

but the answer to the OP doesn't take me long to rattle off.

1972 Rangers
1981 Yankees
1989 Giants
1994 Knicks
2001 Yankees
2003 Yankees
2004 Yankees
2014 Rangers

I never thought they would beat the Suns, who would have had home court. The ‘94 Knicks should have won the championship. I was living and dying with that group. I loved the players and I reverted Riley. And I’ll always think to the day I die that Starks was gonna make that 3 for the win at the end of game 6. And had they won, Riley is still here and who knows how the Knick history would look like from 2000-2020.

teams like the 2014 Rangers and 2001/2003 Yankees that lost in the championship round since those are obvious.

1992 Rangers
1995 Yankees
2010 Yankees
2017-2019 Yankees

2008 Giants. 1989 Giants too.

In comment 16560153 The_Boss said:

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I never thought they would beat the Suns, who would have had home court. The ‘94 Knicks should have won the championship. I was living and dying with that group. I loved the players and I reverted Riley. And I’ll always think to the day I die that Starks was gonna make that 3 for the win at the end of game 6. And had they won, Riley is still here and who knows how the Knick history would look like from 2000-2020.

** Revered Riley **

In comment 16560130 pjcas18 said:

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Mets is the real Mets disappointment IMO. That Mets team should have won at least one, probably 2 more rings.

This.

After getting through Dodgers and Cubs I really thought they would've handled the Royals.

Lot of regrets in that series.

In comment 16560187 JB_in_DC said:

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After getting through Dodgers and Cubs I really thought they would've handled the Royals. Lot of regrets in that series.

I forget now but I think the Mets had the lead in every game they lost into the 8th inning or later except game 2.

The Royals scored something like 15 of the 27 runs they scored in the series in the 8th inning or later. The Mets scored 1.

In comment 16560153 The_Boss said:

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I never thought they would beat the Suns, who would have had home court. The ‘94 Knicks should have won the championship. I was living and dying with that group. I loved the players and I reverted Riley. And I’ll always think to the day I die that Starks was gonna make that 3 for the win at the end of game 6. And had they won, Riley is still here and who knows how the Knick history would look like from 2000-2020.

I've often wondered that. Does Riley leave if they win in 94?

Up 3-2 with a chance to close at home. Colorado was very good that year though. A 4th title in that 10 year run would have been on par with Detroit.

2015 Mets. They really should've been able to beat KC and they led in all of the world series games and each came down to the wire.

2021 Islanders. They went toe to toe with the TB dynasty in their prime and didn't give an inch. Lost a 1 goal game in game 7 (on a short handed goal). Would've faced Montreal in the finals and could've won the cup in the last year of the Coliseum. Another one I'll never get over.

2015 Notre Dame basketball. ND's basketball program has always been under the radar but they were a real force during the peak of the Brey era. They faced an undefeated Kentucky team in the elite 8 and had them by the balls but Kentucky made a number of unreal contested shots and ND missed at the buzzer. It's rare for ND basketball to have a shot at the natty, but they did in 2015 and came close.

In comment 16560205 Sean said:

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In comment 16560153 The_Boss said: Quote: I never thought they would beat the Suns, who would have had home court. The ‘94 Knicks should have won the championship. I was living and dying with that group. I loved the players and I reverted Riley. And I’ll always think to the day I die that Starks was gonna make that 3 for the win at the end of game 6. And had they won, Riley is still here and who knows how the Knick history would look like from 2000-2020. I've often wondered that. Does Riley leave if they win in 94?

would they have won if Riley actually coached that game 7 and pulled Starks instead of letting him miss 3s all night?

Riley wanted a piece of ownership. I think he’s gone regardless if they win it all in ‘94.

Every single waste of time the Rangers "tease" run since 1994, and that's about it.

Maybe 2001 vs Arizona for the Yankees, I guess and losing to Florida in the World Series 2003 after the unforgettable Boone walk off HR was just such a huge dud.

I don't harp on 2008 that much because, the Giants won it all in 2011. Literally the only the last relevant thing the Giants franchise has done, aside from 2 playoff appearances and one playoff win, only to get blasted by Philly. Big deal.

2006 Mets (88 is a good call too)
2021 Nets
2008 Giants

In comment 16560178 81_Great_Dane said:

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In comment 16560130 pjcas18 said: Quote: Mets is the real Mets disappointment IMO. That Mets team should have won at least one, probably 2 more rings. This.

Not after they couldn't wait to get rid of Kevin Mitchell and signed "the missing piece" Kevin McReynolds. What a downgrade, IMO.

In comment 16560325 Jerry in_DC said:

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2006 Mets (88 is a good call too) 2021 Nets 2008 Giants

I'd say the 2003 Nets, holy shit. They could've had a game 7 but gave up 19 straight points??

In comment 16560157 Enzo said:

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teams like the 2014 Rangers and 2001/2003 Yankees that lost in the championship round since those are obvious. 1992 Rangers 1995 Yankees 2010 Yankees 2017-2019 Yankees

Screw the 2014 Rangers. They had their chances, plenty of them, against a much better team and they blew it.

In comment 16560239 BH28 said:

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Up 3-2 with a chance to close at home. Colorado was very good that year though. A 4th title in that 10 year run would have been on par with Detroit.

'94 irks me more. Even though we were up 3-2 in that series if you look at the 4 games Colorado won in that series they completely dominated us. They were the better team.

In comment 16560269 SFGFNCGiantsFan said:

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Riley wanted a piece of ownership. I think he’s gone regardless if they win it all in ‘94.

According to what I read in “Blood in the Garden”, Riley an hour after his last game vs the Pacers in 1995 was on the phone saying “I don’t want to be here anymore”. I don’t think that’s the case if they won it all a year earlier. I think ownership and Riley would have figured it out coming off a title.

I went to that Game 6 game in 2001, the Devils could've won the cup that night but lost 5-0 or something to the Avalanche.

'89 Giants: Flipper Anderson running up the tunnel haunted my childhood.

'91 Braves: Shortlist of epic WS. Game 7 masterpiece.

'96 Braves: Up to 2-0 heading home. Blown lead in Game 4. Inexcusable.

'97 Braves: F Eric Gregg

'98 Braves: How did we lose to the Padres with that pitching staff?

'99 Virginia Tech football: FSU had the better team. We had Michael Vick and the lead heading into the 4th quarter of the national title game. Never got that close again.

'08 Giants: We were talking dynasty three months into the season. Crumbled so quickly.

'09-'10 FC Barcelona (Champions League): Thought nothing could stop us from lifting the CL title at The Bernabeu. Then a damn volcano erupted in Iceland causing traveling chaos to Milan. To be fair Inter was a great treble winning side.

'11-12 FC Barcelona (Champions League): Hurts the most. Dominant side...arguably Pep's best Barca side despite the lack of CL glory. Dominated Chelsea in the 1st leg of the semis but lost 1-0 thanks to Petr Cech and their defense.

2nd leg: Jumped out to a 1 goal aggregate lead at Barcelona, and then up a man with a John Terry red card. I thought we were through to the finals. Then 45 minutes of agony. Chelsea scored twice and enacted revenge for the '09 Miracle/Robbery at Stamford Bridge. Marked the end of Pep's Barca era.

In comment 16560365 The_Boss said:

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In comment 16560269 SFGFNCGiantsFan said: Quote: Riley wanted a piece of ownership. I think he’s gone regardless if they win it all in ‘94. According to what I read in “Blood in the Garden”, Riley an hour after his last game vs the Pacers in 1995 was on the phone saying “I don’t want to be here anymore”. I don’t think that’s the case if they won it all a year earlier. I think ownership and Riley would have figured it out coming off a title.

The Knicks not paying back $10k to Riley over a trip he paid out of pocket also pissed him off. The team improved after that.

That's the first. Smith was fouled more than once by more than one player.

94 Knicks

14 Rangers - Play any kind of D in front of Henriq and they win.

97 Yankees

2001 Yankees - Arizona played better, but they were in the 9th inning of Game 7 with a chance to win.

because it wasn't just the Plax injury. They ended up decimated by injuries down the stretch.

89 Giants

In comment 16560433 Sean said:

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In comment 16560365 The_Boss said: Quote: In comment 16560269 SFGFNCGiantsFan said: Quote: Riley wanted a piece of ownership. I think he’s gone regardless if they win it all in ‘94. According to what I read in “Blood in the Garden”, Riley an hour after his last game vs the Pacers in 1995 was on the phone saying “I don’t want to be here anymore”. I don’t think that’s the case if they won it all a year earlier. I think ownership and Riley would have figured it out coming off a title. The Knicks not paying back $10k to Riley over a trip he paid out of pocket also pissed him off. The team improved after that.

I think they went to Reno or Vegas on Riley.

It just seemed like destiny after 9/11, Kim blowing back to back games, Jeter becoming Mr. November. Screw Luis Gonzalez.