If you could change the course of sports history three ways, how would you do it?

[SabresRule]

As sports fans, we sometimes wonder how history might have changed if something different happened- if a ball bounced the other way, if a certain team won, if a certain player got traded, etc.

Let's say you could change three events/outcomes in sports- if you had the power to change sports history, what would you have done?

Here are mine:

1. Scott Norwood's kick does not sail wide right, Bills win Super Bowl XXV

2. Sabres win the 2006 Stanley Cup (I know they made the Finals in 1999 and everyone talks about Brett Hull's controversial crease goal, but that team was basically Dominik Hasek and 20 guys named moe who couldn't score. Nowadays, that team would be the Islanders. Also, I know they finished first overall in 2007, but I don't think they would have beaten Anaheim. The 2006 team, OTOH, would have steamrolled the eighth-seeded Oilers.)

3. The Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Florida Panthers in the 1996 NHL Eastern Conference Finals, play the Avalanche in the Stanley Cup Finals, and possibly change NHL history. Had the exciting, explosive, and entertaining Pens beaten the defense-first Panthers, the dead-puck era that followed may never have occured, and the exciting hockey that was around from 1970-1996 woud have continued.

 

[anders5189]

1. Laettner never hits that shot.

2. John Kasay doesn't kick the ball out of bounds at the end of SB XXXVIII.

3. Steroids never happened in baseball.

 

[BillD1984]

1. Grady Little takes Pedro out in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS

2. John McNamara doesn't go into a coma during Game 6 of the 1986 World Series

3. Parcells instructs Vinatieri to keep the ball away from Desmond Howard in SB XXXI

 

[AntAltMike]

1. Justice warrants that Ralph Sampson's volleyball backset against the Lakers doesn't go in.

2. Corey Pavins 3-wood should have dropped for an eagle. Not that it would have changed the result.

3. Babe Ruth.

I remember someone was just starting to ask Pedro Martinez a baseball history question, but before the questioner had gone far enough to even give a hint what the subject matter was, Pedro said, "Babe Ruth, right? The answer to every question about the old Red Sox is Babe Ruth.

 

[DodgerKing]

1. Ralph Branca does not give up the HR to Bobby Thompson
2. Bo Jackson does not break his hip (probably could have gone to the HOF in both sports)
3. Congress minds its own business and stays out of the steroid issue.

 

[AntAltMike]

1. ...
2. Bo Jackson does not break his hip (probably could have gone to the HOF in both sports)...

Amen. People talk about what he "could have been" as a baseball player. They don't seem to realize what he was as a baseball player. I once saw him throw out someone by 20 feet on a sac fly when it initially looked like a situation where there wasn't even a point in him making the throw. I also saw him hit a homer that must have put a hole through anyone in the bleachers who might have gotten in its way.

 

[Skyhi]

1. Earnest Byner doesn't fumble the ball at the goaline.
2. Marty Schotenheimer doesn't play prevent defense during John Elway's drive.
3. Jose Mesa records a 1-2-3 9th in the 1997 World Series.

Honorable Mention: Michael Jordan doesn't hit "the shot" over Craig Ehlo.

 

[Ramy]

1. Laettner never hits that shot. :up:up:up:up

2. Montana

3. Montana

No that isn't a misprint. If it weren't for Montana the Bengals would be Super Bowl champs twice.

 

[SamCdbs]

1 - The Reserve Clause is never struck down. Baseball, and by extension all sports, continue to be what they were. Affordable to the middle class at the box office and on free TV at home, with approachable players making reasonable upper middle class wages, and with every team having a shot. A fair system, good for all involved.

2 - Bud Selig and Donald Fehr are asked if they knowingly campained for a stadium bond or tax increase or something, while knowing that the product they were selling was drug infested. They either take the 5th, lie or confess. Any eventuality means I never hear of either again.

3 - The first retard that ran onto a field with no shirt on is gunned down by a member of the local constabulary. It never happens again.

 

[stmcld]

1. Pitino puts a tall man on the ball as he tries to throw it to Laettner.

2. UK hits better than 9% in the second half against Georgetown in 1984.

3. Booby Cox does not bring in a Charlie Leibrandt to face Puckett in 91 and keep Leibrandt in to face Winfield in 92.

 

[salsadancer7]

1 - The Reserve Clause is never struck down. Baseball, and by extension all sports, continue to be what they were. Affordable to the middle class at the box office and on free TV at home, with approachable players making reasonable upper middle class wages, and with every team having a shot. A fair system, good for all involved.

2 - Bud Selig and Donald Fehr are asked if they knowingly campained for a stadium bond or tax increase or something, while knowing that the product they were selling was drug infested. They either take the 5th, lie or confess. Any eventuality means I never hear of either again.

Damn you SAM, those are good!!!!!!!!:up

 

[salsadancer7]

Hmmm.....I have 3 PERSONALLY and 3 for sports sake:

Personally:

1. The ref in the BCS championship between tOSU and The U had ACTUALLY seen the play, he does not call pass interference against The U and Glenn Sharpe, The U wins 24-17 in double OT.

2. The f***ing "Tuck Rule"...

3. IF Michael Jordan does not get suspended...ah..."retire to play baseball"...or retired a 2nd time, the Bulls may have won 10-13 straight NBA Championships.

For sports sake:

The 2 mentioned by SAMCDBS and the fact that they should have NEVER gotten rid of the strong commissioner in MLB.

 

[mccoyrj]

1 - The Reserve Clause is never struck down. Baseball, and by extension all sports, continue to be what they were. Affordable to the middle class at the box office and on free TV at home, with approachable players making reasonable upper middle class wages, and with every team having a shot. A fair system, good for all involved...

Amen plus 1000! I would give up every LSU football MNC for this - seriously! :up I long for the days when your favorite MLB team meant the same favorite players as well.

On a side note, I'd like for Jordan to have missed that shot in Game 6 of the '98 NBA Finals, giving Utah and Karl a chance at the championship in Game 7.