10 Monumental Failures in Sports History
Sports history is full of victories and successes, but it has also been damaged by poor choices in games by the players. Here are the ten major failures that have shaped up the world of sports, from misdirected careers to game-day mistakes.
- Sam Bowie Over Michael Jordan (1984)
Sam Bowie was picked as the number two selection in the 1984 NBA draft by coach Jack Ramsay for Portland Trail Blazers over Michael Jordan who was young at that point; this proved costly for them. While injuries ruined Bowie’s career, Jordan rose high to become one of basketball’s greatest icons always remembered among the best basketballers of all times.
- Alonso’s McLaren Misstep (2007)
Spanish driver Fernando Alonso had just won consecutive Formula 1 titles when he joined McLaren in 2007, which seemed like a good move then but it turned out otherwise after some disputes with teammate Lewis Hamilton led him back to Renault only for Hamilton to win the championship that year leaving him behind.
- Rossi’s Ducati Disaster (2011)
Motorcycle racing superstar Valentino Rossi left Yamaha for Ducati in an unexpected turn of events during 2011 season. Consequently, it became worse because Rossi had his worst performance ever finishing on podium by a whisker. The Italian master never recovered from this blow bringing his career down to its lowest point.
- Raul’s Departure from Atletico Madrid (1992)
Atletico Madrid president Jesus Gil’s decision to drop a young and upcoming star, Raul Gonzales, in 1992 has remained one of the biggest mistakes ever made by the club. Meanwhile, Raul went on to achieve greatness, with Real Madrid’s bitter rivals winning multiple UEFA Champions League titles, and after Gil failed to see beyond his nose, Atletico sank in Real’s shadows.
- Benfica’s Curse of Bela Guttmann (1962)
After leading Benfica to victory in the Champions League final of 1962, their Hungarian coach Begla Guttmann had asked for more money only for management to refuse him. This marked an end to Guttmann’s stay at Benfica followed by a curse that said that no European football glory will be seen by this club again. True enough, Benfica have gone on to lose seven finals both in the Champions League and Europa League without breaking free from his spell.
- Michael Jordan’s Baseball Adventure (1994)
In 1994, after his basketball exploits, the world was shocked when Michael Jordan switched to baseball. Nevertheless, he soon gave it up as the venture into America’s pastime turned out to be short-lived and unimpressive; Jordan’s time with the Chicago White Sox was characterized by substandard performances. His comeback in NBA highlighted the foolishness of his baseball excursion that ruined a otherwise glorious career.
- Lopetegui’s Move from Spain to Real Madrid (2018)
Lopetegui was secretly negotiating with the president of Real Madrid while his team was preparing for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, a move that crushed the Spanish Football Federation and destabilized the national squad. As it turned out, Lopetegui’s appointment as Madrid head coach afterwards became badly disappointing and disgracefully ended in quick sacking that tainted his coaching profile.
These massive mistakes should serve as reminders to sportspeople who need to be cautious about what they do and how it can ruin their professional career or legacy. Even now as more is coming what remains amazing is how easily one can cross over from winning to losing in the field of sports today.
