In the gentleman's game of golf the first name that pops into just about everyone's mind is Tiger Woods and rightly so. But, before Tiger there was another golfer that still is greater than Woods and his name is Jack Nicklaus. In other sports, there are athletes that are competing to become the best of their sport and even though many of you reading this article will soon learn, there were athletes far better than those that we tune-in to watch and root for today.

1. Jack Nicklaus: Greatest Golfer in the World

   
   
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   Jack Nicklaus was playing professional golf long before Tiger was even a cub and his record of the most won major PGA tournaments still stands to this very day. Although, Tiger Woods is on track to toppling this record as well, as long as injuries doesn't end his incredible career early. Jack has won 18 professional majors, has been the PGA Tour of the Year 5-times, and is a member of the World Golf Hall Fame. He also has posted in 2nd place 19-times, Top 3 finishes 48-times, Top 5 finishes 56-times, and Top 10 finishes 73-times and most of these wins came before Tiger was old enough to hold on to a club.

2. Babe Ruth: Greatest Baseball Player in the World

   
   
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   Babe Ruth played baseball from 1914 to 1935 and was known by other names such as “Babe”, “The Bambino”, and “The Sultan of Swat”, but no matter what we call him he was no doubt the greatest baseball player to have ever set foot on the field. He scored an incredible 714 home runs before retiring in 1935, which stood for another 39 years until Hank Aaron broke the record in 1974. Babe proved that it was possible to rack up 60 home runs in a single season in 1927, in which this record stood strong for another 34 years, until it was finally broken by Roger Maris (1961). Ruth had the 10th highest batting average of .342 in baseball history and he recorded a .690 career slugging percentage and a 1.164 career OPS, which still holds as a record in major league baseball today.

3. Michael Phelps: Greatest Swimmer in the World

   
   
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   The 23 year old, Olympic American swimmer Michael Phelps is the greatest swimmer in the world hands down. He has kicked his way to winning an astonishing 14 Olympic Gold Medals and 2 Bronze Medals after combining the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Olympics together. Let's not forget that Mr. Phelps has also competed in the World Championships and won 18 Gold Medals and 3 Silver Medals in those games. The world's greatest swimmer has competed in the Pan Pacific Championships in 2002 and 2006 and accumulated another 8 Gold and 3 Silver medals all the while competing in the 200m individual medley, 400m individual medley, 200m butterfly, 200m backstroke, 4 x 100m freestyle relay, and 4 x 200 freestyle relay. He has broken countless world and Olympic records and is considered to be the greatest Olympian of All-times.

4. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: Greatest Basketball Player in the World

   
   
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   The 7 foot 2 inch center for the Milwaukee Bucks (1969-1975) and later for the Los Angeles Lakers (1975-1989) stands virtually alone at the top of basketball's elites. Sure, some avid basketball fans will frown at this fact, but when considering that basketball is a team sport and much of a player's greatness derives from their willingness to feed the talents of the other players, then he is the best ever. He scored 38,387 career points, 17,440 rebounds and made 3,189 blocks and was awarded the NBA MVP six-times and won 6 NBA Championships, before retiring in 1989.

5. Pete Sampras: Greatest Professional Tennis Player in the World

   
   
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   Pete Sampras is the greatest tennis player the world has ever seen commands a court. During his long and exciting career, he has collected 14 Grand Slams men's singles titles, won Wimbledon singles title 7-times, won the US Open singles title 5-times, won the Grand Slam Cup 2-times, won 11-times on the ATP Master Series and won on the ATP Tour an impressive 32-times. Pete Sampras was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on July 17, 2007, after proving to the world he is really the greatest in the world of Men's Tennis.

6. Pele: Greatest Soccer/Football Player in the World

   
   
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   Pele (Edson Arantes do Nascimento) formally played Brazilian Football from 1956-1977 for the Santos (1956-1974), New York Cosmos (1975-1977) and played for the National Team of Brazil from (1957-1971) and scored 1280 goals. His great ball handling skills on the field would become legendary and make Pele a national treasure of Brazil. Check out more about Pele's dominating career.

7. Muhammad Ali: Greatest Heavyweight Boxer in the World

   
   
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   Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.) an Olympic Gold Medallist in the 1960 Rome Games for the Light Heavyweight division and a 3-time World Heavyweight Champion is still the only man to have won the heavyweight boxing championship three back-to-back times in history. “The Champ” competed in 61 total fights and winning 56 times and an unlucky 37 fighters were knocked out by the powerhouse punches by the World's Greatest Heavyweight Boxer - “The Louisville Lip” Muhammad Ali.

Who in the world could possibly disagree with these seven athletes' total dominance of their sports? Bring your best nominations to the table, because I firmly believe that my choices are the greatest athletes in the world - prove me wrong.

The Munich Massacre

 

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Two of the Israeli hostages talked to German negotiators

In allusion to post-war Germany, the 1972 Summer Olympics held in Munich was dubbed as the “Happy Games”, ironically it had turned out to be one of the most infamous Games in history. Delegation from Israel was taken hostage when terrorists from the Palestinian group known as Black September barged into the Olympic village, killing two right on site. When the ordeal transpired after 18 hours, a German police officer and the 11 Israeli hostages were gone. The games was momentarily suspended for a day but continued the next day.

1980 Summer Olympics Boycott

Despite of the Olympics being free from political interventions, the United States boycotted the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics on grounds of Russia's invasion of Afghanistan. The historic boycott was well-supported that numerous other countries across the continents joined the United States' sentiment. Some of them though, allowed their athletes to compete own their own without using their country's respective flags. They used the Olympics flag instead. In 1984, the Union of Soviet and its allies such as Cuba and East Germany returned the favor by boycotting the next Olympics in Los Angeles, United States.

Ben Johnson

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Ben Johnson (center) during the 1988 Summer Olympics

Born in Jamaica but later moved to Canada where he joined the country's track and field team in all international competitions. A highly competitive sprinter, he won two bronze medals for Canada at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, United States. He seemed to improve with age as he later won world championships, beating Carl Lewis, the legendary American sprinter who kept beating him in many previous competitions. Lewis later successfully recaptured the world championship after beating Johnson and boldly predicted that the 100-m dash gold medal in the coming 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul will never go to the later. Instead, Johnson won the gold, boasting that he could have run faster had he not raised his arms in celebration when he cross the finish line. Fans all over the world were convinced of Johnson's supremacy. But three days later, his blood was found positive of Furazabol, a performance-enhancing drug strictly against the roles of the Games. Consequently, he was stripped of his medals and world records he had previously held, making him an athletic superstar in recent memory to have fallen in disgrace.

East German Doping Program

East Germany kept on improving in their athletic performances which was dramatically concluded at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada. East Germans received a total of 40 gold medals, more than twice of their winnings at the previous 1972 Olympics in Munich. People were less skeptical for they were a country of 17 million people after all. But all foul odors came out in 2000 when the former East German chief of sports program-Manfred Ewald - was found guilty of “intentional bodily harm of athletes” by doping some of their athletes with anabolic steroid that consequently altered their sexuality-under the reign of Ewald, East Germany amassed an incredible 160 gold medals in which some of those can now be refuted to be fraudulent.

Adolf Hitler

Despite of being aware of the Olympics' independence of world politics, Adolf Hitler exploited the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin by being vocal about his insubstantial claim on the superiority of the Aryan race who were believed to be the ascendants of the Germans, thus their dominance over any other race in the world. However, in a 45-minute performance, an unknown grandson of a black slave, Jesse Owens embarrassed Hitler by doing a gold-winning and world record-setting performance in track and field. He won three gold medals for the United States. Hitler refused to shake hands with him at the medal podium.

Jesse Owens fought hard to win a total of four gold medals (100m, 200m, long jump and 4 x 100m relay) with pure talent and heart, at an era when Nazi Germany asserted to establish their claim to Aryan superiority and African Americans were racially discriminated in the United States.

2. 1992 Barcelona

This is definitely one of the moving scenes in Olympic history. British athlete Derek Redmond won the first round of the 400m race with the fastest time and also easily won the quarterfinals. But in the semifinal, just 150 meters into the race, his right hamstring tore, causing him to fall to the ground. He gathered all the courage to stand up as the stretchers were being carried toward him. In tears and his face grimacing in terrible pain, he was determined to finish the lap and started to hobble down the track. His dad Jim Redmond barged past security to be united with his son, and assisted him until the finish line. And as crossed the finish line, they were given a rousing standing ovation by the 65000-strong crowd. The fact that injuries had continually weighed down Redmond's career heightened the emotional impact of the situation. He pulled out from the 1988 Olympics because of a hamstring injury and by 1992, had already endured eight surgeries for different injuries including the most recent one on his Achilles tendon a couple of months earlier.

3. 1972 Munich

The 1972 games were stained by what has become known as the Munich Massacre. On September 5th, eight masked Palestinian terrorists belonging to the Black September organization barged into the quarters of Israeli athletes and coaches in the Olympic village. Two were immediately murdered for resisting while nine were hostaged. They were permitted to depart for an airfield where the nine hostages, five terrorists and a German policeman would perish in a failed rescue attempt. This was a period of history when the Olympic Games became a terrorists' target, setting the massive change for future games, where security would become a major concern.

4. 1988 Seoul

During the preliminary round, the world watched in shock when the American diver Greg Louganis hit his head on the springboard while attempting a reverse 2½ somersault pike. However, after getting temporary stitches, he was able to complete and topped the preliminaries. During the finals, he triumphed with the gold with near perfect scores, becoming the first man to win titles on both the springboard and platform diving events for two straight Olympics Games.

5. 1968 Mexico

On the eve of the long jump event, the 1964 Olympic champion Lynn Davies of Britain remarked that "it only needs Bob Beamon to hit the board once only and we all can go home." The next day, Beamon almost did not qualify for the finals after fouling the first two attempts; and he reduced his speed in order to make the qualifying distance on his third attempt. By the finals, he appeared to launch himself off the ground soaring through the air for like infinity, setting a world record that prevailed for 23 years.

6. 1924 Paris

Known as the "Flying Scotsman," Eric Liddell entered the 100m, 200m and 400m race, but the 100m heat was scheduled on a Sunday. Firm on his Christian convictions, he withdrew himself for the 100m race, his best event, and instead gave a sermon at a nearby Scottish church. On the day of the 400m race, he was given a piece of paper with a biblical quotation written on it, "Those who honor me I will honor" (1 Samuel 2:30). He won the race breaking the existing record with a time of 47.6 seconds. He also earned the 200m bronze. His Olympic success was memorialized in the Oscar-winning movie "Chariots of Fire."

7. 1996 Atlanta

In1960 Rome Olympics, Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) won the light heavyweight boxing division, and wore the gold medal for two days. But he would afterward cast it into the Ohio River because a "whites-only" restaurant refused him service. Shaking due to Parkinson's syndrome, he lit the Olympic torch that open the 1996 games; and was then awarded a medal by the US basketball team in replacement for his old one. It was an occasion of unbearable poignancy.

8. 2000 Sydney

For the Australians, it was without doubt a disappointing home Olympics, particularly in the pool. Cathy Freeman, the very first Aboriginal athlete, represented Australia's final last chance for glory. Being the 400m race favorite, she did not fall short of their expectations; she won gold and ran her victory lap waving both the Australian and the Aboriginal flags.

9. 1960 Rome

Wilma Rudolph,United States athlete, was the first woman to be awarded three gold medals in track and field in one Olympic Games (100m, 200m and 4 x 100m relay). The incredible thing about her accomplishment was the fact that she contracted polio as a child, and only was only able to walk normally at age seven.

10. 1976 Montreal

Nadia Comaneci, a 14-year-old Romanian gymnast, would become the first gymnast to score a perfect 10 on the uneven bars. But the scoreboards, which were equipped only to report a maximum score of 9.9, displayed the perfect score as 1.0. Over the course of the Games, she would receive six more perfect 10s, earning her three golds (the all-around, uneven bars and balance beam).

11. 1948 London

Dutch trackster Fanny Blankers-Koen was predicted to do well in the 1940 Helsinki Games, which did not pushed through owing to World War II outbreak, abruptly disrupting her thriving career. She would make a comeback in the London Olympics a 30-year-old mother and earned four golds (100m, 200m, 4 x 100m relay and 80m hurdles). She was dubbed "the Flying Housewife" for her outstanding performance.

12. 1908 London

Dorando Pietri, Italian waiter, trained seriously for the marathon. But during the race, he misjudged his speed and started to suffer the effects of thirst and extreme fatigue with less than two kilometers remaining. He would eventually pass out five times in the stadium before the umpires aided him over the final few meters to finish in first place. He was subsequently disqualified when the American team complained against the assistance he got. Queen Alexandra would however award him with a gilded silver cup as consolation.

     From beginning to end, the Games of the Olympiad are conducted with class and honor, and considering the quality of athletes who take part, it is easy to understand why. Carl Bond of Sweden, Tadahiro Nomura of Japan, Michelle Smith of Ireland, Janos Martinek of Hungary, Carl Lewis of the United States, and Liu Xuan of China are just a few of the talented athletes that have stood atop the highest podium in sports over the years and received a gold medal in their respective sports for themselves and for their countries. Shannon Miller of the 1996 U.S. women's gold medal gymnastic team speaks with a tremendous sense of pride in her family contributions as well as what it means on a national level to compete in the Olympics. Miller's first gold medal was the team victory she shared with her teammates and her second was for an individual effort on the balance beam. "It couldn't have been any better," Miller recalls of her experience winning her first gold medal in Atlanta. "It was so very hard fought and in the end, to hear the crowd chanting, "USA USA," it was amazing. There is nothing I enjoyed more than slipping on the red, white and blue." 

    Taken seriously by spectators, but even more seriously by the athletes themselves, is the sense of importance to one's country that each event represents, which was famously displayed in the 1936 Berlin Olympics by the performance of Jesse Owens. Named an Ambassador of Sports by U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower in 1955, Owens won a total of four Gold medals in the 100 meter dash, the 200 meter dash, the long jump and the 4 x 100 meter relay at the Berlin Games, much to the chagrin of then Chancellor Adolf Hitler, who was using the Olympics as a way to show the world that Germany was once again a world power and also to prove that the Aryan-race was superior in every way. Owens, as well as many other athletes over the years, crossed political and racial lines with his victories, which, in this instance, might be called a foreshadow of events to come as the German regime was toppled just eight years later at the conclusion of World War II, just as Owens defeated them on the track.

     In 1972, thirty-six years later, world superpowers would again collide on the Olympic stage, but this time the results would be even more shocking yet much less publicized. Most noted for the brutal killing of eleven Israeli athletes by Palestinian terrorist group Black September, an event that was the result of thousands of years of turmoil in the Middle East, the Munich Olympics also consisted of a battle between two titans on the basketball court who were also at odds on the global political stage, the United States and the U.S.S.R. The undefeated United States basketball team was the heavy favorite going into the Games, with an impressive sixty-two wins and zero losses. They powered through the early rounds with ease, winning with scores like 66 to 35, 81 to 55, 96 to 31 and their narrowest victory to date, 61 to 54 over Brazil. The U.S.S.R was no slouch either, winning each of their first eight games en route to the championship game against their Cold War foe, the United States. After a late fight between American Dwight Jones and Russia's Dvorni Edeshko, the Russians led by four with less than twelve minutes to play. With multiple players injured or ejected, the Americans closed the gap to just one point with ten seconds remaining in the game. One hard-foul and two perfect free throws later, the Americans had taken the lead and all but sealed up a victory with just three seconds left in the game. After three clock resets, Soviet Aleksander Belov drove to the hoop and sunk the game winning shot, giving the Americans their first Olympic loss in men's basketball and signaling that the Russians were a force to be dealt with on every level, athletically and politically.

     Thirty-six years later at the Beijing Olympics, the world is once again fighting in many wars and dealing with many disasters, such as the Cyclone in Myanmar and the earthquake in China. One can't help but to wonder what events will take place this year that will set off a chain of events that will effect our global landscape; it's all a part of the excitement that leads up to the Games.

     In addition the national significance of the Olympics, the Games mean a lot to the people who participate and to their families. "I can remember the financial and time sacrifices that my family made when I was growing up," says Miller, "but it's all that I have ever known." Miller started gymnastics when she was just five years old in Edmund, Oklahoma. By the age of 12, she had already made her presence known by placing third in the Olympic Festival of 1989, a competition for rising stars. With five World Championships and seven Olympic medals, two of which are gold, under her belt, Shannon Miller is one of the most successful gymnasts in U.S. history.  

     Competing in these games is a dream that every young athlete has but so few get the opportunity to achieve. "I am just so thankful of all the blessings I have," Miller said when asked what it meant to have a childhood dream come true. Referring to her faith, she continued, "Win or lose, whether I fell five times or stuck [a landing], I always knew there was someone out there with me and that just takes all of the pressure off." Currently Miller contributes to media coverage of her sport and represents young athletes as they prepare for their journey to the world stage.

     Larissa Latynina of the U.S.S.R, Paavo Nurmi of Finland, Birgit Fischer of Germany, Elisabeta Lipa of Romania, Thomas Alsgaard of Norway, Janica Kostelic of Croatia and Roman Fonst of Cuba have all represented their countries well and have won multiple gold medals, upholding the elite standard that was set so many years ago when Games were brought back. "We are out to compete," states Miller. "It's all about unifying the athletes and the sports in the greatest sporting event in the world." Boys and girls and men and women become heroes and heroines and are vaulted into Olympic history, and after all of the awards have been presented and they are heralded as champions, the month long athletic celebration comes to an end that is just as awe-inspiring as the opening; the president of the International Olympic Committee declares that the games are concluded and calls upon the youth of the world to return in four years to do it all over again, the flags are lowered and the flame is extinguished.

Each Olympiad is highlighted by the outstanding performance of an athlete in a certain event. Here's a list of outstanding athletes from each Olympic Games from 1896 to 2004.

Michael Phelps

In the 2004 Summer Olympics held in Athens, Greece, swimmer Michael Phelps of the United States won 8 Olympic medals: a gold medal each in -100 meter butterfly, 200 meter butterfly, 200 meter individual medley, 400 meter individual medley, 4x200 meter freestyle relay, and 4x100 meter medley relay; and 2 bronze medals; one each in 200 meter freestyle and 4x100 meter freestyle relay.

Ian Thorpe

Nicknamed the “”Thorpedo” Ian Thorpe won 3 gold medals in swimming during the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. He won 5 gold Olympic medals all in all (3 in Sydney Olympics and 2 in Athens), the most won by an Australian.

Amy Van Dyken

Amy Van Dyken won 4 gold medals in swimming at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics making her the first American woman to win 4 gold medals in one Olympic game.

Matt Biondi

At the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, Biondi became only the second swimmer (after American Mark Spitz at the 1972 games in Munich, West Germany) to earn seven medals in one Olympiad. He won five gold medals, including victories in the 50-meter and 100-meter freestyle races, in addition to one silver medal and one bronze medal.

Carl Lewis

Carl Lewis won 5 Olympic medals in the LA Olympiad of 1984; 4 gold medals and 1 silver medal in the track and field event. He won 10 Olympic medals including 9 golds, and 10 World Championships medals, of which 8 were gold, in a career that spanned from 1979 when he first achieved a world ranking to 1996 when he last won an Olympic title and subsequently retired.

Eric Heiden

Eric Heiden of the United States of America won gold medals in all 5 men's speed skating events, setting records in each in the 1980 Winter Olympics held in Lake Placid, New York, USA.

Nadia Comaneci

Nadia Elena Comaneci is a Romanian gymnast who was winner of five Olympic gold medals during the 1976 Montreal Olympics. She was the first gymnast to be awarded a perfect score of 10 in an Olympic gymnastic event. She is one of the best-known gymnasts in the world and, along with Olga Korbut, is credited with popularizing the sport around the world.

Mark Spitz

Mark Spitz, American swimmer was winner of seven gold medals at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, West Germany. At the 1972 games he won gold medals in the 100-meter and 200-meter freestyle races and the 100-meter and 200-meter butterfly races, setting a world record in each race. He was also a member of the winning 4x100-meter freestyle, 4x200-meter freestyle, and 4x100-meter medley relay teams, each of which set a world record.

Bob Beamon

The outstanding event in the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games was African American Bob Beamon's long jump of 29 ft, 2 ½ in (8.9 m), setting a world record that stood until 1991.

Wilma Rudolph

Wilma Rudolph became the first US woman to win 3 gold medals in track and fields. The powerful sprinter emerged from the 1960 Rome Olympics as “The Tennessee Tornado,” the fastest woman on earth

Larissa Latynina

Larissa Semyonovna Latynina was a Soviet gymnast who won 4 gold medals in the 1956 Melbourne Olympiad. She was the first female athlete to won nine Olympic gold medals. She still holds the record for being awarded the most Olympic medals at 18 (nine gold medals, five silver and four bronze).

Emil Zapotek

The most remarkable performance during the 1952 Helsinki Olympics was that of Emil Zapotec of Czechoslovakia who won 5,000 meter run, 10,000 meter run and marathon all in record times. He is regarded as one of the greatest runners of the 20th Century.

Fanny Blankers-Koen

The most outstanding athlete in the 1948 London Olympics was Fanny Bankers-Koen of the Netherlands, who won 4 gold medals in track and fields events. She accomplished this as a mother of two, during a time when many disregarded women's athletics. Her background and performances earned her the nickname “the Flying Housewife.”

Jesse Owens

He won 4 gold medals and was the hero of the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games. He achieved international fame by winning four gold medals: one each in the 100 meters, the 200 meters, the long jump, and as part of the 4x100 meter relay team.

Mildred Didrikson

The outstanding performer of the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics was the US athlete Mildred “Babe” Didrikson; she won 2 gold medals and a silver medal in track and field competition. She was named by the Guinness Book of Records, along with Lottie Dod, as the most versatile female athlete of all time. She achieved outstanding success in golf, basketball and track and field.

Sonja Henie

In the Winter Olympics of 1928, Sonja Henie of Norway won the first of her 3 successive championships in Olympic figure skating. Henie won more Olympic and World titles than any other ladies figure skater. She later entered show business, and at the height of her acting career she was one of the highest paid movie stars in Hollywood.

Paavo Nurmi and Johnny Weissmuller

Johnny Weissmuller

In the 1924 Paris Olympics, Paavo Nurmi of Finland, won 4 medals in the track and fields events and Johnny Weissmuller, a US swimmer won 3. Nurmi won a total of 12 medals in 3 successive Olympics (1920, 1924 and 1928), 9 gold medals and 3 silver medals. On the other hand, after the swimming career of Weissmuller, he became the sixth actor to portray Tarzan in films, a role he played in twelve motion pictures. Dozens of other actors have also played Tarzan, but Weissmuller is by far the best known. His character's distinctive, ululating Tarzan yell is still often used in films.

Paavo Nurmi

The most impressive performance in the 1920 Antwerp Olympic Games was by Finland with victories by Paavo Nurmi and his team mates in the long-distance running races.

Jim Thorpe

Jim Thorpe was the Star of the 1912 Stockholm Olympic Games. He won both the pentathlon and the decathlon. His medals were later taken from him, however, because he had previously participated in a semi-professional sport. The decision to disqualify him was reversed in 1992, nearly 30 years after his death. He is considered one of the most versatile athletes in modern sports. He also played American football and professional baseball and basketball.

Raymond Ewry

Raymond Ewry, an American athlete won 3 gold medals in the 1900 Paris Olympics, 3 gold medals in the 1904 St. Louis Olympics and 2 gold medals in the 1908 London Olympics in the track and field events. He had won a total of 8 medals, 3 in standing high jump, 3 in standing long jump, and 2 in standing triple jump.

The 2008 Summer Olympic Games will be held in Beijing, China. Watch out who will emerge as the outstanding athlete on this Olympiad.

1. The Lombardi Trophy Curse

   Who was Affected?
   

   Every NFL team since 1970.

   What Happened?

   In 1970 Vince Lombardi died, and the NFL renamed the championship trophy in his honor. According to Aslam Rawoof, no team nor head coach shall ever hold aloft the Vince Lombardi trophy as NFL world champions more than two consecutive seasons.
   
   In 47 years, no team has done it although some have won two in a row, and one player has one three in a row (Ken Norton JR) although on two different teams.

   Severity of the Curse

   
   
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   Seeing as how to get this “curse” you have to win two previous Super Bowls, this is the weakest curse I have ever heard. It probably feels the same way you feel when you stub your toe.
   

2. The 1993 Runner Up Curse

   Who was Affected?

   Los Angeles Kings, Phoenix Suns, Philadelphia Phillies, Buffalo Bills, University of Michigan (Basketball), University of Notre Dame (Football).

   What Happened?

   The Philadelphia Phillies lost the world series in six games to the Toronto Blue Jays. Not only did they lose the world series, they are the only team to lose the world series outside of America. The shame of losing in Canada, to Canada in Baseball was too much for the Phillies it seems, seeing as how they never even made it back to the playoffs until the 2007 National League Division series, in which they were quickly swept by the Colorado Rockies.
   
   The Notre Dame Football team had all but locked up their national title birth. In a battle of unbeaten teams, Notre Dame beat Florida State to become the top ranked team in the nation, yet Florida State remained in second place. All Notre Dame had to do was beat Boston College and they would be on their way to the national championship. Notre Dame lost, where denied a chance at the title, and have not been anywhere near one since.
   
   The Buffalo Bills were known for losing the Super Bowl by the time the 1993-1994 NFL season got underway, having lost the last 3 Super Bowls in a row. That did not stop them from trying to do it again though. After losing handily to the Cowboys in the Super Bowl the year before (52-17), they got their chance for revenge when they met again the next year. The Cowboys again pounded them (30-13) and the Bills have not been back since.
   
   The Phoenix Suns entered the NBA Finals with 62 wins and regular season MVP Charles Barkley. The Chicago Bulls entered having won the previous two NBA Finals and with legendary badass Michael Jordan. The series was odd, with the home team losing every game besides game four. The Bulls won in six games for the three-peat.
   
   The Los Angeles Kings first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals was also their last trip. Playing against the Montreal Canadians featuring Wayne Gretzky in his last Finals appearance, the Los Angeles Kings where embarrassed. They lost four games to one.
   
   Michigan Mens Basketball team played North Carolina in the NCAA Championship. With 11 seconds left in the game and only down by two points, Chris Webber of Michigan got double teamed and called a time out. This, it turns out, was a bad idea because Michigan had no time-outs left. The gaffe resulted in a technical foul, which sealed the win for North Carolina.

   Severity of the Curse

   
   
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   While it is impressive that it has happened to every team in major American sports that was the runner up that year, the curse is only 15 years old. As far as sports curses go, this one would be the equivalent of carpal tunnel syndrome.
   

3. The Curse of Barry Bonds

   Who was Affected?

   The Pittsburgh Pirates

   What Happened?

   The Pittsburgh Pirates where the home of one of the most prolific home run hitters of all time from 1986-1992. Before his steroid allegations arose, and back when he looked like this:
   
   
   
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   And not this:
   
   
   
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   He was beloved by the fans. For the Pirates, Bonds won two National League MVP awards, golden gloves, and silver slugger awards. The Pirates won the National League Eastern Division title three times in a row and came within one out of going to the World Series. After the 1992 season, Bonds left as a free agent and signed with the San Francisco Giants for a then record $43.75 million.
   
   With the Giants, Bonds won five more MVP awards and broke the single season and career home run records. The Pirates have had 15 consecutive losing seasons since Bonds left, one shy of the Major League record held by the Philadelphia Phillies.

   Severity of the Curse

   
   
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   As of the time of this writing, the Pirates are 44-54 with 64 games remaining. More than enough time to break .500, if they weren’t forever cursed that is. Another relatively new curse, yet caused by the loss of a loved one, puts this at non fatal STD level.
   

4. The Cleveland Curse

   
   
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   Who was Affected?

   Every major sports team in Cleveland.

   What Happened?

   There does not seem to be any apparent cause to this curse according to my research, so I am just going to say that it was a crazy Gypsy. According to the legend I am now creating, at the 1964 NFL Championship game, a crazy Gypsy bet it all on Don Shula and the Colts (led by Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas) to beat the Cleveland Browns. The Browns won 27 to 0, and the Gypsy let out a loud yell, “LOOOOSER”.
   
   Since then, no major Cleveland sports team has won a Championship. The Indians last won a world series in 1948 and the Cavaliers have never won an NBA Championship. Not only have they not won titles, they have been the victim of some of the greatest sports stories of all time.
   
   Remember “The Catch”? How about “The Drive”, “The Shot”, or “The Fumble”? All of these things happened against a Cleveland sports team.

   Severity of the Curse

   
   
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   To have one team cursed for over 40 years is bad enough, to have all the main teams in your city cursed that long is maddening. Add that to the total smack in the face of all the amazing plays that went against them, and you have the makings of some severe depression or alcoholism, or both. This curse is as bad as when a cop gets shot one day before retirement.
   

5. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers Curse

   Who was Affected?

   Anyone who has lost to the Buccaneers in the NFL regular season.

   What Happened?

   The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are considered to be one of the worse teams in NFL history. Prior to 2003 they had never won a Super Bowl, returned a kickoff for a touchdown, or won a road playoff game. Since then they have done all of those things, but where founded in 1976. That iss over 25 years of torment and ass hattery, including being the only NFL team to lose every game in a season since the merger. That is, except for the dubious honor of never allowing anyone they beat in the regular season to win the super bowl. If they can not be there, and you are bad enough to lose to them, then you probably do not deserve to be there either.

   Severity of the Curse

   
   
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   Not going to the Super Bowl in itself is hard, knowing that you lost to the Buccaneers as well must be even harder. This curse is the equivalent of getting kicked when you'’re down.

Take 53 year old Greg "the Shark" Norman. A PGA golfer from Australia. Any casual sports knows who he is. He has been a great golfer for many years. He has won 2 major championships in his career. Which by itself is a lot more than most pro golfers have done.

So while Greg Norman will never be compared with Tiger Woods he was a great golfer for much of his career. This weekend even at the age of 53 he entered the final day of the tournament as the leader. Here is where Greg Norman gets lost in history. 6 times in his career he has entered the final day as the leader after 54 holes and lost. The last time he lost leading by 6 strokes!

In 1986 in his prime he made it to the last day of each of the 4 majors winning and only won one of them. The British Open. So why that is a choke in the sports world it is also very impressive to be that good.

In a similiar way we should tip our hats to the Buffalo Bills of 1990-1994. Yes they "choked" in 4 straight Super Bowls but frankly we should not dismiss the difficulty of making it to the Super Bowl 4 consecutive years! And they were in the AFC Championship the year before the first of the four Super Bowls. So that makes 5 consecutive AFC Championship games. That is simply amazing.

The Atlanta Braves also have an interesting track record through the 1990's and into the new century. They won 14 straight Division Titles and made it to the World Series 5 times! But they only won once in 1995. So why they too earn the choke award it is quite an incredible run at greatness.

In a similar fashion the Portland Trial Blazers met their fate. Reaching the NBA playoffs from 1981 thru 2003 and the NBA Finals in 1990 and 1992, they do not have a Championship to show for their efforts during that time. And yet the streak is still impressive.

The worst choke label goes to the 2007 New England Patriots. Entering the Super Bowl with an unprecedented 18-0 record. And despite being outplayed by the NY Giants the "dynasty to be"(Patriots) took the lead with barely anytime on the clock. And after 2 consecutive 3rd down miracle plays the Giants took perfection from their grasp. As a result we will forget how special the New England team of 2007 truly was.

Then there is Dan Jansen, a World Class Speed Skater who skated for the USA in the Olympics. Although leaving with no medals, he set the bar in the 1984 Winter Games of what was to come from this young phenom.

In the 1988 Winter Games he entered as the World Sprint Champion. Sadly he received news of the passing of his sister. Whether that had an effect or not he fell during his 2 races. One of which he was skating at World record speed.

In 1992 he brought the World Record time in one of his events with him. And yet again he came up small in his 2 events.

Thankfully for Jansen the Olympic Game rotation was changed. So a new Olympic Winter Games was slated for 1994. He once again came to the games as the World Champion. In fact he was the only man who ever broke the 36 second barrier in the 500 meter. He did it 4 times between the 1992 Games and the 1994 games. And somehow he finished 8th in the 1994 games. So he went into his last Olympic event ever thinking he was going to be a choker forever. But he won the 1000 meters in World Record time! Sad part is the average person doesn't know how dominant this guy was in his sport because the Olympics were a disaster for him.

So nice guys don't always finish last but they also don't always finish first either. But hopefull those of us who follow sports will remember some of the chokers in a proper perspective. Some those individuals and teams were pretty amazing in their own right.

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Consider the horse races; those big buildings under the bright lights at the edge of town could be fun, and they're definitely a place where ANYONE can be funny. That place is more than just local scenery - it's an exciting part of our cultural heritage, and a great sporting arena. It's a place where date designers can create lasting memories.

Here's my recipe for romance at the racetrack:

Single guys with no imagination seldom conceive of taking their dates to the racetrack, and that's the number one reason why it's such a fresh idea. Horse racing venues are massive and therefore not crowded with other single people judging you, or your lady (or worse, trying to meet her). Nobody cares what you look like here, which is also liberating. But don't go unprepared, for it's still possible to look like an absolute fool.

Relax with a Racing Program:

Buy two programs, and use one. Rest your arm on the back of her chair as you work through each race, narrating each struggle - here's your chance to be fun. Take one of those little pencils and highlight the digits as you go along. The text becomes a record of the evening's adventure so be sure and write your bets and mark which horse won etc.

The racetrack program is a storybook. It's your job to present this logbook of data as an exciting diary in which all the details of all the characters (the horses and their drivers) are chronicled. Here's how:

Don't Skip The Opening Blurbs:

Most racetrack publications begin with a journal, or a race synopsis. An expert overview briefing of this kind often highlights the races and sometimes explains the common denominators as well as the small differences between the horses in each match. Use this information to invent a funny story, and then reinforce your drama with details found deeper in the documents.

Learn How to Read a Horse Race program:

This article cannot help you decipher the nomenclature of the spreadsheet, but you can learn that valuable skill anywhere. Here's a handy download (.pdf) available at Standardbred Canada.

Proper use of the racing program is pivotal to understanding the horse races, and therein lies the prime component needed to craft good stories. Let me explain:

When your companion settles her beautiful mind on a particular horse, you should be able to relate that animal's age, weight and colors, how many races it has run, and how many of those it has won, or placed 2^nd or shown 3^rd. Veterans can relate pole position details, medications, and handicapping information like weights, blinders and weather preferences. The driver or jockey is also part of the equation, and also has stats to be scrutinized. And so the elements of story can be inserted anywhere; for example I like to imagine that some of the riders are involved in a love triangle, or a power struggle inside the stables. Each contestant is desperate to win this race, for all the wrong reasons. Invariably my date will root for the female jockey to win the race and outshine both of her imaginary male suitors, and so a story is crafted and will play out with a natural gravity that makes the whole event personal and more compelling; each race is a giant inside joke.

How To Bet on Horse Races:

Racetrack betting is a big part of the fun, and probably the largest cultural proponent of the entire experience. Win, place and show bets are pretty straightforward, but exactors, triactors and superfectas can get a little confusing. Take time to learn the combinations on this simple harness race betting game before you go to the race track.

Let's pause here to remember that your sole objective is to win her respect, and make her cherish spending time with you. So of course you don't actually care about the races and therefore it's sensible to keep the bets small and just have fun. If possible, get a table outside where you can see the horses coming, and hear the thunder as they pass.

Trip to the Paddock:

Women love horses. Human females have an inherent bond with this part of the animal kingdom and most girls experience a latent desire for a pony at a very early age. The female passion for all things equestrian surpasses their love for all other animals. Most women will even admit to having childhood notions of themselves as Princesses riding horses and loving Princes who are also on horseback. And so any romantic trip to the racetrack must connect you and her with horses - you do that at the paddock.

When touring a paddock, don't be afraid to engage other spectators in productive conversations about the horses. That's what this building is all about. Once again try to form a personal connection between yourselves and the names and numbers on your racing program. Once again you'll find that creating a story here involving a horse that's right in front of you now, will pay dividends at the race's conclusion in fifteen minutes time.

Find the Track Photographer:

Watch the crowd of people that saunters out onto the gravel surface of the racetrack at the conclusion of the race. It's usually the winning horse's owner, and his or her family and their friends. Here's something not many people know - track photographers work for themselves. They sell those rigidly posed Winner's Circle photos and candid action shots to the owners for money, and that's how they make a living. In conclusion, most will shoot anything for money, including you and girl.

When the next race ends, watch the track photographer do his business and approach him afterwards when he's least occupied - while he or she is waiting for the next race. This entrepreneur will oblige your photographic needs for a reasonable price, but don't settle for a posed picture in front of the grandstand. Leverage this professional's access to restricted areas and get shots with the winning horses at track level or in the winner's circle. This is not uncommon - put $50 in his hand and he'll take you to the roof! This is how you really cement good memories into that special girl's consciousness. As long as that huge color photo sits on her dresser mirror there can be no forgetting the wonderful time you spent together at the horse races.

1. The Sea-Crop

Jump in the air and when you are at the highest point put your legs out in front of you.

2. The Knee-Drop

   Jump in the air and when you are at your highest point tuck your knees behind you.

3. The Tuck

   Do a knee, and when you tuck your knees behind you, stick them back beneath you.

Intermediate

1. The Handstand Flat-Back

   Do a knee, but when you touch the trampoline, put your arms out and try and do a handstand.

2. The Flip

   Do a Tuck, but when you get to your highest point, push your head beneath your knees, and let your legs touch the ground.

3. The Back-Drop (Starter)

   Slowly let yourself fall backwards. WARNING! Do not land on your bum, or it will hurt.

Advanced

1. The Back-drop (Advanced)

   Do a Back-drop (Starter), but instead of falling, jump backwards.

2. Straddle

   Jump up, stick your legs out on each side, and touch them with your hands.

3. Pike

   Jump in the air, put your legs in front of you and touch your toes with your hands.

4. Combos

   Try doing two or more tricks in a row, without stopping. E.g. Do a Straddle, then a Knee-drop, then launch yourself back into a Back-drop.