Was only the first round but in 2014 the leafs were up 4-1 on Boston with 10 minutes left in the 3rd period of game 7. Final score Boston 5 Toronto 4. Worst meltdown in hockey history.

LOL just three weeks ago the 49ers, having shut down the best QB in the league for 7/8 of a football game, then gave up three TDs in a row.

Lol. We are all such victims of other men's failures!

Posted by tlowster on 2/19/2020 4:44:00 PM (view original):

Posted by mtanton07 on 2/19/2020 4:06:00 PM (view original):

Posted by tlowster on 2/18/2020 4:57:00 PM (view original):

Posted by dyoungquist on 2/18/2020 12:51:00 AM (view original):
Back on topic..... The playoffs are nothing but luck and mine has been all bad for a long time. I have got a still active run of almost 40 playoff appearances since my last WS title. I've lost with strong pitching teams. I've lost with strong hitting teams. All my teams have above average defense. I put my worst SP and worst RP or 2 (ERA and/or WHIP) on rest. Doesn't matter what I try, at some point I will get kicked out of the playoffs. Even teams with 20 fewer wins in the regular season have knocked me out of the playoffs.

1 example of my crazy bad luck: I once had a closer who gave up 6 runs total the entire season and never more than 1 run in any appearance. First game of the playoffs he gives up 2 runs in the bottom of the 9th to blow the save and take the loss. Just crazy and so frustrating! Maybe instead of using my 20 best players (benching the other 5) in the playoff I should use my 20 worst. That is about the only thing I have not tried yet.

Man. I feel your pain on that closer situation. As I read that, it reminded me of the Gary Anderson situation in 1998 with the Minnesota Vikings -- didn't miss an extra point or field goal all season, but with less than five minutes to go in the fourth quarter of the NFC Championship, he comes in and misses a 38-yd FG that probably would have put the game out of reach for the 98 Dirty Birds.

Wow, didn't think I'd have to relive one of the most painful days of my life on the Hardball Dynasty Forum.

Yeah. It didn't get better from there. We continue to hold the burden of heartbreak over and over. I often wonder if it would be better for my health if I were a Browns or Lions fan.

2009 NFC Championship -- despite six turnovers, the Vikes were in OT against the Saints, but never received a chance to score due to OT rules at the time. (Bountygate deserves an honorable mention).
2015 Playoffs -- despite the close score, the Vikings totally dominated the game against the Seahawks. Yet, they had to kick a 27 yd field goal in the closing seconds to win the game. Only problem is that the kicker missed the kick.
2017 Playoffs -- things like the Minneapolis Miracle never happen, that is why reaction videos went viral. Then, the following week, the Vikings get demolished by the Eagles.
Most recent playoffs -- beat one of the better teams of 2019 (Saints). Then the offense doesn't show up the following week.

You forgot 2001 NFC Championship! Vikes favored on the road vs. NYG...41-doughnut.

Posted by mtanton07 on 2/20/2020 4:04:00 PM (view original):

Posted by tlowster on 2/19/2020 4:44:00 PM (view original):

Posted by mtanton07 on 2/19/2020 4:06:00 PM (view original):

Posted by tlowster on 2/18/2020 4:57:00 PM (view original):

Posted by dyoungquist on 2/18/2020 12:51:00 AM (view original):
Back on topic..... The playoffs are nothing but luck and mine has been all bad for a long time. I have got a still active run of almost 40 playoff appearances since my last WS title. I've lost with strong pitching teams. I've lost with strong hitting teams. All my teams have above average defense. I put my worst SP and worst RP or 2 (ERA and/or WHIP) on rest. Doesn't matter what I try, at some point I will get kicked out of the playoffs. Even teams with 20 fewer wins in the regular season have knocked me out of the playoffs.

1 example of my crazy bad luck: I once had a closer who gave up 6 runs total the entire season and never more than 1 run in any appearance. First game of the playoffs he gives up 2 runs in the bottom of the 9th to blow the save and take the loss. Just crazy and so frustrating! Maybe instead of using my 20 best players (benching the other 5) in the playoff I should use my 20 worst. That is about the only thing I have not tried yet.

Man. I feel your pain on that closer situation. As I read that, it reminded me of the Gary Anderson situation in 1998 with the Minnesota Vikings -- didn't miss an extra point or field goal all season, but with less than five minutes to go in the fourth quarter of the NFC Championship, he comes in and misses a 38-yd FG that probably would have put the game out of reach for the 98 Dirty Birds.

Wow, didn't think I'd have to relive one of the most painful days of my life on the Hardball Dynasty Forum.

Yeah. It didn't get better from there. We continue to hold the burden of heartbreak over and over. I often wonder if it would be better for my health if I were a Browns or Lions fan.

2009 NFC Championship -- despite six turnovers, the Vikes were in OT against the Saints, but never received a chance to score due to OT rules at the time. (Bountygate deserves an honorable mention).
2015 Playoffs -- despite the close score, the Vikings totally dominated the game against the Seahawks. Yet, they had to kick a 27 yd field goal in the closing seconds to win the game. Only problem is that the kicker missed the kick.
2017 Playoffs -- things like the Minneapolis Miracle never happen, that is why reaction videos went viral. Then, the following week, the Vikings get demolished by the Eagles.
Most recent playoffs -- beat one of the better teams of 2019 (Saints). Then the offense doesn't show up the following week.

You forgot 2001 NFC Championship! Vikes favored on the road vs. NYG...41-doughnut.

You're correct. I did not mention that one. The above mentions are good examples of dropping the ball for teams not named the Vikings, but I doubt there is a franchise out there that can match the multiple heartbreaking losses/absolute beat downs the Vikings have had in the last 30 years. Sure, just about every fan base has their sob story (ie Cubs for all those years; falcons 28-3 debacle; the city of Cleveland's championship drought, etc), I just don't think there is a single franchise out there that can match the multiple times that the Vikings were so close or had a team that was so good that dropped the ball on an easy FG or didn't show up for game day. Honorable mention - 1987 Vikings that had a trip to the Super Bowl in their grasp, but couldn't punch it into the end zone despite being in the red zone near the end of the fourth quarter.

Sure, the buffalo bills lost four super bowls in a row, but before that, the vikings were already losers of four super bowls. Sure the 1980s Cleveland browns were quite successful, but had some heartbreaking losses in the playoffs. Come and see me when it is more than a decade of successful regular seasons that end up in bitter payoff defeat. Sure, the ATL Braves were great for a decade and a half, but only won one title, but they they won a title. Sure, there are also many franchises that have not been named that just are not well run and rarely have had the chance for heartbreaking deafeat in the playoffs, but I am discounting those franchises due to a lack of expectations.

Is there a franchise out there that I am forgetting about that has a history of regular season success, but little playoffs success? And I am not talking about hockey and basketball where your team has made the 6th seed a few times.

Posted by tlowster on 2/20/2020 4:41:00 PM (view original):

Posted by mtanton07 on 2/20/2020 4:04:00 PM (view original):

Posted by tlowster on 2/19/2020 4:44:00 PM (view original):

Posted by mtanton07 on 2/19/2020 4:06:00 PM (view original):

Posted by tlowster on 2/18/2020 4:57:00 PM (view original):

Posted by dyoungquist on 2/18/2020 12:51:00 AM (view original):
Back on topic..... The playoffs are nothing but luck and mine has been all bad for a long time. I have got a still active run of almost 40 playoff appearances since my last WS title. I've lost with strong pitching teams. I've lost with strong hitting teams. All my teams have above average defense. I put my worst SP and worst RP or 2 (ERA and/or WHIP) on rest. Doesn't matter what I try, at some point I will get kicked out of the playoffs. Even teams with 20 fewer wins in the regular season have knocked me out of the playoffs.

1 example of my crazy bad luck: I once had a closer who gave up 6 runs total the entire season and never more than 1 run in any appearance. First game of the playoffs he gives up 2 runs in the bottom of the 9th to blow the save and take the loss. Just crazy and so frustrating! Maybe instead of using my 20 best players (benching the other 5) in the playoff I should use my 20 worst. That is about the only thing I have not tried yet.

Man. I feel your pain on that closer situation. As I read that, it reminded me of the Gary Anderson situation in 1998 with the Minnesota Vikings -- didn't miss an extra point or field goal all season, but with less than five minutes to go in the fourth quarter of the NFC Championship, he comes in and misses a 38-yd FG that probably would have put the game out of reach for the 98 Dirty Birds.

Wow, didn't think I'd have to relive one of the most painful days of my life on the Hardball Dynasty Forum.

Yeah. It didn't get better from there. We continue to hold the burden of heartbreak over and over. I often wonder if it would be better for my health if I were a Browns or Lions fan.

2009 NFC Championship -- despite six turnovers, the Vikes were in OT against the Saints, but never received a chance to score due to OT rules at the time. (Bountygate deserves an honorable mention).
2015 Playoffs -- despite the close score, the Vikings totally dominated the game against the Seahawks. Yet, they had to kick a 27 yd field goal in the closing seconds to win the game. Only problem is that the kicker missed the kick.
2017 Playoffs -- things like the Minneapolis Miracle never happen, that is why reaction videos went viral. Then, the following week, the Vikings get demolished by the Eagles.
Most recent playoffs -- beat one of the better teams of 2019 (Saints). Then the offense doesn't show up the following week.

You forgot 2001 NFC Championship! Vikes favored on the road vs. NYG...41-doughnut.

You're correct. I did not mention that one. The above mentions are good examples of dropping the ball for teams not named the Vikings, but I doubt there is a franchise out there that can match the multiple heartbreaking losses/absolute beat downs the Vikings have had in the last 30 years. Sure, just about every fan base has their sob story (ie Cubs for all those years; falcons 28-3 debacle; the city of Cleveland's championship drought, etc), I just don't think there is a single franchise out there that can match the multiple times that the Vikings were so close or had a team that was so good that dropped the ball on an easy FG or didn't show up for game day. Honorable mention - 1987 Vikings that had a trip to the Super Bowl in their grasp, but couldn't punch it into the end zone despite being in the red zone near the end of the fourth quarter.

Sure, the buffalo bills lost four super bowls in a row, but before that, the vikings were already losers of four super bowls. Sure the 1980s Cleveland browns were quite successful, but had some heartbreaking losses in the playoffs. Come and see me when it is more than a decade of successful regular seasons that end up in bitter payoff defeat. Sure, the ATL Braves were great for a decade and a half, but only won one title, but they they won a title. Sure, there are also many franchises that have not been named that just are not well run and rarely have had the chance for heartbreaking deafeat in the playoffs, but I am discounting those franchises due to a lack of expectations.

Is there a franchise out there that I am forgetting about that has a history of regular season success, but little playoffs success? And I am not talking about hockey and basketball where your team has made the 6th seed a few times.

I have a respect for fans of teams that have come close but have never won the big one but at least you have had something to cheer for.

In 52 years the leafs have:

Traded away their best players for nothing (Sittler and McDonald) because the GM didn't like their 'attitude' (Harold Balard was an idiot)
Declined to sign the best player on the planet who begged to come to Toronto because they were too cheap (they had the money, Gretzky wanted to play for Toronto before he retired and was still putting up 100 point seasons. They told him to take a hike).
Have not made the finals in 52 years let alone won a championship (closest we ever came was game 7 of the conference championship. Lost to Gretzky)
Have not won a playoff round since 2004 (I was in high school the last time they won a playoff round. I'm now 36)

There is more but I won't get into the fine details. Now that the Cubs and Red Sox have won their championships and Cleveland got their first trophy with Labron (I don't remember, did the Indians make/win the world series a few years ago?) The Toronto Maple Leafs are easily in the top 3 if not the top most pathetic franchise in sports today.

• The Seattle Mariners, founded in 1977, are 0-3 in the ALCS and have never been to a WS.
• The Detroit Lions Last won the NFL championship in 1957, and are 1-12 in playoff games since then, reaching the NFC Championship game just the once (after the 1991 season).
• The Cleveland Browns last won the NFL championship in 1964, and have reached the conference championship 5 times since then, last in 1989.

By contrast, the Leafs are practically the Canadiens; they won 11 playoff rounds 1993-2004, reaching the conference finals three times in that stretch.

Posted by dedelman on 2/24/2020 1:31:00 PM (view original):

• The Seattle Mariners, founded in 1977, are 0-3 in the ALCS and have never been to a WS.
• The Detroit Lions Last won the NFL championship in 1957, and are 1-12 in playoff games since then, reaching the NFC Championship game just the once (after the 1991 season).
• The Cleveland Browns last won the NFL championship in 1964, and have reached the conference championship 5 times since then, last in 1989.

By contrast, the Leafs are practically the Canadiens; they won 11 playoff rounds 1993-2004, reaching the conference finals three times in that stretch.

This makes me, and a lot of the Maple Leafs fans, feel a lot better.

Browns LOL

We've come quite a very long way from where this thread started.