Change one play

Submitted by South Bend Wolverine on

A friend linked this brief article on Facebook, and I thought it might be a fun offseason hypothetical to kick around for a bit.  The gist of the article is, if you could change one single play in the history of sports, what would it be?

For me, there are two close contenders.  First, have us make that late field goal against OSU in the year of the tie & subsequent illegal "vote". Bo then gets the best shot he'd ever have at a national crown. Second, I'd say change the ruling on the goal review from the UMD National Championship loss in hockey back in 2011. Shawn Hunwick gets his crown, and the greatest underdog story in sports history has its perfection completion.

What do you guys think?

http://deadspin.com/if-you-could-change-the-outcome-of-one-play-which-w…

DrMantisToboggan

April 2nd, 2015 at 4:54 PM ^

Probably a play that would have bumped us over OSU in 72 and given Bo a National Championship. That's probably the biggest gap in our sports history. Bo is our Bear, our Rockne, and our Switzer...why doesn't he have a NC?

 

However, the youngin' in me says Trey's block in the Finals. To have won a National Championship in basketball (a much harder feat than in other sports) would have been incredible for the university given the state of the football program. Trey leaving here without a National Championship, after what he accomplished, does not feel right.

Bosch

April 2nd, 2015 at 5:00 PM ^

Other options.......

  • A-Train fumble against Northwestern.
  • Kind of cheating here but..... Michigan goes for and converts 2-pt conversion against State in 2009 instead of kicking extra point.

ButlerGoBlue

April 2nd, 2015 at 5:07 PM ^

Goes against my Michigan fandom a little bit, but I'd still have to pick the Gordon Hayward half court shot for Butler in the 2010 national championship game against Duke. I was sitting in the 11th row behind the basket he was shooting at and am confident it would have been the greatest MBB play of all time had it gone in.

bluewoody

April 2nd, 2015 at 5:24 PM ^

I didn't see listed. One play that haunts me was the last second field goal in the Rose bowl vs Texas. Shazor had it blocked. To revisit one play, if his fingers move two inches, he blocks the ball and we win the Rose Bowl.

RHammer - SNRE 98

April 3rd, 2015 at 2:14 PM ^

...this would have been mine too; Dusty Mangum slips or Shazor hits it for a block... one of the single best games I've ever attended, but the alumni bus back to the hotel afterwards was full of sad.

worth mentioning that the Texas fans were classy and a joy to watch the game with; i remember talking to a couple of them and we were all just amazed to be watching such a great contest; will be forever bummed at that kick though...

George Patton

April 2nd, 2015 at 5:26 PM ^

My memory is that M failed to recover an onside kick with around a minute to go.  If we had, the Brady-led offense would have 55 yards to go down three points (31-34).  Who would bet against them at that point?

M pulls that out and, as a result, there's no letdown against Illinois the following week.  M finishes the regular season undefeated and is selected over one-loss Virginia Tech for the Sugar Bowl.  They defeat FSU for their second national title in three seasons.

CRISPed in the DIAG

April 2nd, 2015 at 5:57 PM ^

Don't kick to Rocket Ismail in '89.  At least pooch the second one somewhere and let it bounce around that old-school astroturf.  Anything but allowing a 2nd KO RET TD.

After that don't get screwed in the Rose Bowl on the phantom holding, Bo retires a NC.

WMUgoblue

April 2nd, 2015 at 6:07 PM ^

Surprised to see nobody over the age of 40 complain about the phantom fumble that turned into a TD in the Rose Bowl against USC in 79. My father likes to bring this play up all the time when talking about referee mistakes.

GoBlueTom

April 2nd, 2015 at 6:29 PM ^

I was eight years old first time inside Michigan Stadium 1994 watching Stewart throw that hail mary.Please knock it down! Then first year as season ticket holder in 2007 Appy State. Just make the block on the person who broke free. Yes it's 50-50 that the kick would've been good but if it is  the embrassement isn't as bad. Could say we win and it was Michigan ugliest win of all time. 

leftrare

April 2nd, 2015 at 7:44 PM ^

I forgot about that as most would, but that was clearly a missed call and if it had gone right I wouldn't have to listen to my partner, a Texas guy, remind me that Nebraska won, at the time, the mythical NC. Never mind that M got more first place votes between the coaches and writers. Nebraska won the coaches poll (UPI or USAT, can't remember) because TomOsbourne was retiring. M won the writers poll (AP). Split NC.

Team 101

April 2nd, 2015 at 7:12 PM ^

but a non-Michigan play came to my head on this one.  Isiah Thomas inbouding the ball to someone other Larry Bird in Game 5 of the 1987 Eastern Conference finals.

gwkrlghl

April 2nd, 2015 at 7:45 PM ^

I honestly don't remember. I only remember UMD's goals and Winnett's goal and that UMD got like 12 powerplays

But I do remember vividly Hagelin & Rust on a 2-on-0 with about 5 mins left in the 3rd and they couldn't score. I'd put that puck in the net.

blackstarwolverine

April 2nd, 2015 at 8:11 PM ^

Asamoah Gyan scores the penalty after the Suarez "Hand of the Devil", sending Uruguay out and Ghana into the semi-finals of the World Cup. 2006 World Cup headbutt by Zidane is a close second, followed by the Shawn Crable out of bounds hit in the Game the same year.

UofM626

April 2nd, 2015 at 8:12 PM ^

Chris Weber Timeout ( we probably win )

Mariano Rivera throwing the double play away vs the D Backs in the World Series. Cost the Yankees the series.

Christian Laettner - Wish he missed that shot vs Kentucky.

Colorado Hail Mary vs Michigan - Kordell Stewart kills me.

Appalachian State Field Goal

goblue81

April 2nd, 2015 at 8:19 PM ^

As a Butler alum, Gordon Hayward's shot goes in.... down goes Duke.... and the greatest underdog story ever unfolds as Butler wins the NC in Indianapolis.

A very close second is the kick isn't blocked and goes through the uprights, and the Horror never happens.

CoachBP6

April 2nd, 2015 at 9:02 PM ^

Kordell Stewarts lame hail Mary so I dont have to see it every time a team successfully completes a hail Mary and the top 10 hail Mary list is on espn. A close second would be the app state blocked fg, for obvious reasons.

Auerbach

April 2nd, 2015 at 9:50 PM ^

The Trey Burke block on Siva when we were down just 5 points in the national title game. I'd change the call so it was correctly called a clean block.