by Ian TassoSuper Bowl heroes are remembered forever.
Unfortunately, the same goes for the Goats.
For every Joe Montana, there is a Scott Norwood. And for every Tom Brady, there is a Rich Gannon. It’s an unfortunate and unavoidable element of pro sports – for every success story, there is an equally emotional story of complete and utter failure.
It was no different in Super Bowl XLIV, when Hank Baskett impeccably etched his name in Super Bowl Goat history, as he failed to reel in a crucial onside kick to open up the second half. The Saints gained possession, as well as the momentum, and went on to trounce the heavily favored Colts, 31-17.
But where does Baskett rank among the great Super Bowl Goats of the past? Surprisingly, not that high. Turns out Mr. Baskett’s blunder wasn’t nearly the worst thing to happen on the Big Stage.
10. Rich Gannon, Raiders, Super Bowl XXXVII; We all knew Tampa Bay’s defense was tremendous. But Rich Gannon made them look like utterly unstoppable.
Gannon, the regular season MVP, turned in a performance that was in every way possible the exact opposite – getting sacked five times, fumbling once and throwing a Super Bowl record five interceptions, three of which were returned for touchdowns.
Tampa Bay went on to route Oakland 48-21, a game which the Raiders came into favored by four points.
9. Hank Baskett, Colts, Super Bowl XLIV; It may have only been the beginning of the third quarter – but it absolutely cost the Colts the game.
Football has and always will be a sport that is the ultimate team-based game – 11 vs 11 each and every play, depending on all individuals to make an equally substantial effort.
So that’s why there is no excuse for Hank Baskett’s effort on New Orleans’ half-opening onside kick. He plays the position for a reason – not to mention he’s a wide receiver – and fumbling around an onside kick is an inexcusable blunder, especially on such a huge stage.
But it’s obvious the Saints knew what they were dealing with. They had been practicing it all week, and knew exactly whom they would be kicking it at. If it’s any consolation however, Baskett is married to Play Boy model Kendra Wilkinson.
You win some, you lose some.
8. Donovan McNabb, Eagles, Super Bowl XXXIX; We all remember John Elway’s drive. We all remember Joe Montana’s drive. And we all remember Tom Brady’s drive(s). But unfortunately for Donovan McNabb, we also all remember the Eagle’s drive.
The reason for the unsightly speed of the crucial drive? McNabb was dry-heaving in the huddle.
Not to mention he tossed three interceptions over the course of the loss, a game that saw the Eagles finish just shy of the Patriots, 24-21.
7. John Kasay, Panthers, Super Bowl XXXVIII; A rare Super Bowl game where both kickers will be remembered forever; Adam Vinateriri for his game-winner with seconds remaining, and John Kasay for giving the Patriots possession on the 40-yard line six plays later.
Kasay committed a Cardinal sin on the kickoff following Carolina’s game tying drive, and with just over a minute left in the game, booted the kick straight out of bounds, resulting in a flag – and a New England possession on the 40-yard line.
Brady already had a reputation for having ice-water in his veins in the final minutes. This time, he was given possession of the ball just 30-yards out of Vinateiri’s range; an opportunity number 12 wouldn’t let slip away. One minute after Kasay’s mis-kick, the Patriots took home their second Super Bowl in three years, downing Carolina 32-29.
6. Eugene Robinson, Falcons, Super Bowl XXXIII; It was not a good Super weekend for the Falcons’ strong safety. He had a reputation for being a man of faith as well as one who always valued the community over himself – but prior to the Super Bowl, Robinson was arrested on charges of soliciting an undercover police officer for oral sex.
Atlanta Coach Dan Reeves played Robinson anyway, who responded by blowing two crucial coverage’s during the game, including an 80-yard touchdown strike to Rod Smith. The touchdown put Denver ahead 17-3, as they went on to rout Atlanta 34-19.
5. Neil O’Donnel, Steelers, Super Bowl XXX; You wouldn’t know it by looking at his final numbers – 28-49 and 239 yards – but Neil O’Donnel’s Super Bowl effort made Rich Gannon’s look Montana-esque.
The Steelers quarterback threw quite possibly two of the worst interceptions in Super Bowl history, resulting in a Cowboys win and an eternity of goat-ness.
On a third-and-nine from his own 48, O’Donnell threw a pass that was mind-bogglingly awful, landing 10-yards away from his intended receiver and right in the arms of cornerback Larry Brown. 38 seconds later, Emmit Smith plunged in the end zone for six. Cowboys 20, Steelers 7.
Then trailing only 20-17 with four minutes remaining, O’Donnell once again found a wide open Brown, who ran it all the way back to Pittsburgh’s six-yard-line.
4. Lewis Billups/Asante Samuel, Bengals/Patriots, Super Bowl XXXIII/XLII;
And again, for every Larry Brown, there is a Lewis Billups and an Asante Samuel. Because thanks to those fine gentlemen, both Joe Montana and Eli Manning are forever engrained in Super Bowl history, their late-game drives a part of the ever-growing Lombardi Trophy legacy.
For Billups it came early in the final quarter, when Montana’s end zone attempt for John Taylor landed squarely in the Bengals’ cornerback’s hands. Unfortunately, like a child trying to catch a butterfly, Billups let the chance of a lifetime clunk, slip and drop from his fingertips. Montana then hit Rice for six on the next play, tying the game at 13. San Francesco went on to win 20-16.
Samuels’ folly however, was much more immediately damaging. Eli Manning was in the process of leading the Giants on an improbable game-winning drive against the 18-0 Patriots, when Samuel let an easy interception slip through his fingertips like a fish, allowing the G-men to maintain possession. A few plays and a David Tyree miracle later, and the Giants defeated the undefeatable, 17-14.
But like the old adage says; if they had hands, they’d play wide receiver.
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