Mike Thomas (sunmart)
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writing the biggest sports story of all time?
Is Tom Watson
- Thread starter Mike Thomas (sunmart)
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Richie3Jack
New
No. Wish it was on some level, but it's not even close. 1980 USA Hockey vs. Russia.
3JACK
3JACK
curtisj76
New
Maybe for the US but not for the world. I could be wrong.
danny_shank
New
jesse Owens is a good call, but as an Englishman i have to say i haven't the faintest clue who Jackie Robinson is!
Jim Kobylinski
Super Moderator
I would say it's close, but i'm not sure. Also Richie...how is the improbable-ness of USA beating the Russians (besides the whole war conflict) any different than a 59 year old golfer winning a major championship? I heard Watson's odds were 1000-1, yes 1000-1 when the tourney started!
After Friday he was 22-1; now if he wins i get to rack in some serious cash
After Friday he was 22-1; now if he wins i get to rack in some serious cash
agreed. hockey isnt as world encompassing as golf, football (soccer) or athletics/Olympics
Richie3Jack
New
I think USA Hockey is a bigger upset. It's not completely impossible that Tom Watson can shoot the scores he's shot, even at the age of 59. It's also an individual sport where I think that allows more improbable things to happen. Again, a very very big longshot.
The USSR were beating teams in Hockey by 10+ goals and beating NHL All-Star Teams. On top of that, the USA Hockey team was filled with 19-23 year old amateurs, many of who would never step on an NHL rink because they simply were not good enough to do so. Jim Craig, the goal for USA Hockey, was a joke in the NHL and 'was beaten like a rented mule' night in and night out, yet was somehow phenomenal throughout the Olympics. And while hockey is not that big of a sport, it was the Olympics so I'm guessing a ton of people around the globe knew about it.
I actually like Jesse Owens Olympic story as a bigger story than this one. Not only for the phenomenal aspect of his achievements, but for also essentially flipping Hitler the bird without ever actually doing so. You could also throw in Joe Louis vs. Max Schmelling or Ali vs. Liston (Ali was a gigantic longshot) or Ali vs. Foreman. Maybe even Buster Douglas vs. Tyson.
YAKUZA
The USSR were beating teams in Hockey by 10+ goals and beating NHL All-Star Teams. On top of that, the USA Hockey team was filled with 19-23 year old amateurs, many of who would never step on an NHL rink because they simply were not good enough to do so. Jim Craig, the goal for USA Hockey, was a joke in the NHL and 'was beaten like a rented mule' night in and night out, yet was somehow phenomenal throughout the Olympics. And while hockey is not that big of a sport, it was the Olympics so I'm guessing a ton of people around the globe knew about it.
I actually like Jesse Owens Olympic story as a bigger story than this one. Not only for the phenomenal aspect of his achievements, but for also essentially flipping Hitler the bird without ever actually doing so. You could also throw in Joe Louis vs. Max Schmelling or Ali vs. Liston (Ali was a gigantic longshot) or Ali vs. Foreman. Maybe even Buster Douglas vs. Tyson.
YAKUZA
I don't know. Would it look out of place on this list?
1. Roger Bannister breaks 4 minute mile barrier.
2. Lance Armstrong wins 7 consecutive Tour de France.
3. Jesse Owens breaks 4 world records in 70 minutes.
4. Nadia Comaneci scores 7 perfect 10's
5. Joe Dimaggio 56 game hitting streak.
6. Muhammad Ali wins three world titles.
7. Mark Spitz wins 7 golds (perhaps usurped by Phelps?)
8. Sir Edmund Hillary & Tenzing Norgay climb Everest.
9. Bobby Jones Grand Slam
10. Tom Watson wins Open Championships at Turnberry 32 years apart.
1. Roger Bannister breaks 4 minute mile barrier.
2. Lance Armstrong wins 7 consecutive Tour de France.
3. Jesse Owens breaks 4 world records in 70 minutes.
4. Nadia Comaneci scores 7 perfect 10's
5. Joe Dimaggio 56 game hitting streak.
6. Muhammad Ali wins three world titles.
7. Mark Spitz wins 7 golds (perhaps usurped by Phelps?)
8. Sir Edmund Hillary & Tenzing Norgay climb Everest.
9. Bobby Jones Grand Slam
10. Tom Watson wins Open Championships at Turnberry 32 years apart.
Richie3Jack
New
Bannister is another great one. Mainly because it was thought that not only was it physically impossible to run a 4 minute mile, but a human would die from trying. It doesn't get a lot of credit now, but Bob Beamon breaking the world long jump by nearly 22" is just phenomenal. But since it wasn't really recorded, that took a lot of the luster away from it.
3JACK
3JACK
I don't know if it's the greatest story, but damn it's motivating too me. I look at Tom, and go here's an averge kind of Joe, 59 years old, on a 7200 par 70 shooting 65, leading the British Open and beating maybe the best field in the world.
If he can do that, we're all capable of better things...
If he can do that, we're all capable of better things...
Bell812
New
Definitely belongs. Great list!
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Richie3Jack
New
I think the main difference is at the time nobody thought it was humanly possible to do so and could end in death, not to forget it was a world record. I don't think anybody thinks winning a major at 59 years old is impossible or could be fatal.
I am sure rooting for Watson though, one of my all time faves and I still think on some level he's one of the most underrated golfers of all time.
3JACK
Erik_K
New
Watson's performance, should he win, is surely one of the greatest surprises in the modern era at least as far as golf is concerned.
Where does this stack up amongst the all time greatest sports upsets...I don't think it's all that close compared to the US Hockey upset against the USSR. It was truly a miracle that the US won that game. In an exhibition match just a few months prior to the Winter Games - the Soviets destroyed that team. This was also during the height of the Cold War and the US was facing a brutal recession, ultra high gas prices, etc. Somehow the Olympic games made us forget about the bad times, at least for a little bit.
The Cold War seems like a distant memory for most people. But back then the threat of war, the constant US vs Them overtones in the media...beating the Russians at their game was really something else. Just 8 years before that, Fischer beat Spassky for the Chess title.
Other notable upsets that come to mind: How about the Giants taking down the undefeated Patriots? Villanova upsetting Georgetown in 1985? (most call this the great NCAA basketball upset) Gardner defeating Karelin?
Then you had the events, or moments, that just transcend sport - Owens, Robinson, the breaking of the 4:00 min mile, Spitz and Phelps, Ripken's consecutive game streak, are just a few that come to mind.
Where does this stack up amongst the all time greatest sports upsets...I don't think it's all that close compared to the US Hockey upset against the USSR. It was truly a miracle that the US won that game. In an exhibition match just a few months prior to the Winter Games - the Soviets destroyed that team. This was also during the height of the Cold War and the US was facing a brutal recession, ultra high gas prices, etc. Somehow the Olympic games made us forget about the bad times, at least for a little bit.
The Cold War seems like a distant memory for most people. But back then the threat of war, the constant US vs Them overtones in the media...beating the Russians at their game was really something else. Just 8 years before that, Fischer beat Spassky for the Chess title.
Other notable upsets that come to mind: How about the Giants taking down the undefeated Patriots? Villanova upsetting Georgetown in 1985? (most call this the great NCAA basketball upset) Gardner defeating Karelin?
Then you had the events, or moments, that just transcend sport - Owens, Robinson, the breaking of the 4:00 min mile, Spitz and Phelps, Ripken's consecutive game streak, are just a few that come to mind.
Erik_K
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Mike Thomas (sunmart)
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"Other notable upsets that come to mind: How about the Giants taking down the undefeated Patriots? Villanova upsetting Georgetown in 1985? (most call this the great NCAA basketball upset) Gardner defeating Karelin?" Seriously, you think these stories would compare to 59 year old Tom watson winning the British Open?
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