OT - One hit wonder?

Submitted by canzior on

Slow day at work...exhausted of the OSU stuff...and was watching a great video on Youtube of the 2002 Red Wings playoff run. Noticed a couple names on the team that I thought would be great, but didn't quite pan out. I thought of framing this question as the closest thing to Al Bundy in sports, someone who is still bragging about that one game...or one season..but one hit wonder seems to encompass that. So ..any athletes come to mind that could fall under the one hit wonder category? 

I guess it could be a play or a game even. Maybe a streak in baseball? A season gets dicey because who is Tressel without his title? or Lloyd Carr? Still good coaches, but I could see an argument being made.

 

Growing up in the DC area, I'd vote Timmy Smith or Doug Williams from Super Bowl 21. 

My honorable mention: Trent Dilfer

evenyoubrutus

August 7th, 2018 at 9:10 PM ^

I love that movie so much, except for the last scene when Guy "Shades" Patterson says to Faye, "when was the last time you were good and kissed?" One of the most awkward movie lines in history. I assume it was supposed to be an homage to older films, but I usually turn the movie off right before that line and pretend it never happened.

xtramelanin

August 7th, 2018 at 5:13 PM ^

mark fidrych (kind of)

tony mandarich - juice is the word, is the word, is the word!

brian bosworth - same as mandarich

katrina and the wave - walking on sunshine

 

theyellowdart

August 7th, 2018 at 5:16 PM ^

Chris Shelton after the first week of the '06 season.   Think he was hitting like .650 or .700, 5 home runs, ridiculous OPS etc etc.

Then the rest of the season happened.

BuckNekked

August 7th, 2018 at 5:49 PM ^

It was more like the first 8 weeks of the season. He went into June with crazy numbers and it fueled our run to the WS. Even though his luck ran out that run made that team believe it could win. Dont forget they were only 2 seasons removed from 119 losses. By the time he cooled off the Tigers had the best record in baseball.

Z

August 7th, 2018 at 6:54 PM ^

Great one I hadn’t thought of in a long time.

first thing popped into my head was another Tigers performance, this one a single glorious game:  Armando Gallaraga’s perfect game (that wasn’t).  I think it was in ‘08 or ‘09.  For those not familiar, tigers starter had a so so season going with some performances that showed flashes, think it was his second season on the roster and maybe 4th in the bigs.  One game he was pitching a Perfect Game, the 27th batter hit an infield roller that was handled and thrown to first to beat the runner by almost half a step.....and the umpire called the runner safe. (No replay rules back then). Pitcher was just in awe.  Said nothing to ump, just looked at the sky showed nobody up.  Right after game ump admitted he blew the call and felt so terrible.  Tigers even bought gallaraga a corvette to commemorate his “perfect game”

And that’s about the last great day he had in a baseball uniform as far as I know.

 

KO Stradivarius

August 7th, 2018 at 7:46 PM ^

Yes, and since it was a grounder to the right side, the pitcher Gallaraga covered first base (a little awkwardly). The ump totally botched the call. I think he expected the pitcher to drop the ball or miss touching the base, but when neither happened he called him safe anyway.  It was a damn shame.  And the umpire owned it, he blew it and everyone knew it but Gallaraga got screwed out of a perfect game, which almost never happens!   

brose

August 7th, 2018 at 5:18 PM ^

Tubthumping by Chumbawumba.....wait, am I doing this right...oh that reminds me - Right Said Fred's I'm too sexy...those cheeky Europeans

stephenrjking

August 7th, 2018 at 5:18 PM ^

A special two-hit wonder: Frank Reich. Career NFL backup who engineered what was for many years the biggest comeback in college football history (Maryland over Miami in 1984) AND the biggest comeback in NFL playoff history (Buffalo's immortal ambush of Warren Moon's Houston Oilers). 

 

Newton Gimmick

August 7th, 2018 at 7:29 PM ^

LOL, I had forgotten that.  It was in a playoff game against the Buccaneers.  Those Lions helmets must short-circuit any brain cells in their vicinity.

Reich also was part of one of my favorite Norm MacDonald jokes on Weekend Update: 

"Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly is out for the season. His replacement, Frank Reich, said this week that he vows to rally the Bills and get them into the playoffs. He further promised his team would win the AFC Championship Game and go on to the Super Bowl where they will be crushed."