I am one of the biggest sports fans and analysts you will find. Any sport: football, baseball, basketball or even the luge, and any level from pee-wee to high school to college and the pros. However, some legends are born from historical inaccuracies which leads to misinformation. Some of the old sayings just don't apply to today's sports world, whereas 50 years ago they were true. I'm here to clear the air about some common, and some not-too-common, sports misconceptions. There are all kinds of misconceptions, whether it be legends that have become truth, or common sayings that have been received as truth. So let's knock these misconceptions out of the park and slam it home with the truth.
The Miracle on Ice did not give the U.S. the gold medal in the 1980 Winter Olympics.
At the height of the Cold War, there was more than just leaders involved. Sports played a crucial role for many Americans, and none were more important than the 1980 Winter Olympic Games in Lake Placid, New York. All eyes were on the U.S. Men's National Hockey Team, who were trying to keep the Soviet Union's National Team, who had won six of the previous seven gold medals, from winning in America. On February 22, the "Miracle on Ice" occurred when the U.S. team beat the Soviet Union; however, they played in the semi-finals, not the gold medal-round. The U.S. had to beat Finland in the finals. The movie "Miracle" brushed over this topic in the closing, saying the real win was over the U.S.S.R., and "Sports Illustrated" grew the legend by naming that single game the greatest sports moment of the 20th century.The International Hockey Federation didn't help, as they named the game the single greatest international ice hockey story.
The saying, "The other team just wanted more."
This has been quoted by many at the mothership ESPN, but it holds very little truth. It says that, basically, the coaching staff, the players, the fans, and everyone involved just took a break and cashed it in, which is asinine. The coaches put the players in a position to win every game, and sometimes tricks work, and sometimes people come up with stop. This doesn't mean that the losing team wanted it any less, and most of the time when people use this saying, it's in regards to the biggest game of the year. Both teams wanted to win, but the ball doesn't always bounce your way.
The salary cap creates parity.
In theory, this is truth, but in reality, salary caps have nothing to do with it. The NFL and NBA both have salary caps, though there are differences between the two. Look at the teams that are in their respective league's championships almost every year. In the NFL, it's the Patriots, the Colts, the Steelers, and the Packers. In the NBA, it's the Spurs, the Bulls, the Cavs, and until recent years, the Celtics and the Lakers. The bottom of these leagues are often the same as well: In the NBA, the Kings, the Timberwolves, the 76ers, the Nets, and the Jazz. The bottom NFL teams are the Titans, the Jets, the Browns, the Lions, and the Redskins. Every now and again a team will rise to the occasion, and have a few good years, but often they're cast out and back to the middle of the pack or lower.
The MLB has created a revenue-sharing process that's had some affect on their league. The Royals, who were bottom-of-the-barrel at best, just won the World Series. You can see some parity in the league, but for the most part, the Yankees, the Dodgers, the Red Sox, and the Cardinals are often the favorites to win. A more accurate statement would be that a better-run organization will win. Some of the best organizations will continue to win because they know how to win, and aren't constantly firing and hiring coaches or trying to be the coach themselves.
The Mets won the World Series because of Bill Buckner's error.
The Mets won the 1986 World Series against the Red Sox. However, it went all the way to game seven to crown the new champion. The play in question came in game six of this amazing series, when the Mets were all but done. It was the bottom of the 10th inning with two outs down 5-3, and losing in the series three games to two, then three straight base hits that brought the deficit to just a single run when a wild pitch brought home the tying run. Wilson, the batter, hit a dribbler down the first base line, and the Mets fans were happy to go to the 11th inning. Bill Buckner let the ball roll underneath his glove, letting the winning run cross home plate. Pandemonium struck Shea Stadium, but that wasn't the end, as some people think. The Mets did go on to win game seven and become World Champions.
Professional wrestling is fake.
Yes, pro wrestling is a program just like every show on TV, but it's far from being fake. Storylines are made up and some punches thrown are staged, but for the most part, it's not actually scripted. The WWE employs dozens of people to creates stories and gimmicks for the wrestlers, or superstars as they are referred to, but the action in the ring is real. As a great wrestling commentator, Jim Ross once asked, "How do you learn how to fall off of a 20-foot ladder?" The chair shots are real, and the WWE has banned chair shots to the head due to concussions before the NFL even thought about head trauma. They fall from cages and bust through tables. So, as far as being faked, not so fast, my friend. The phrase you should use is "scripted."
Abner Doubleday created the rules of baseball in Cooperstown, New York.
Baseball is America's game. It's survived gambling schemes, two World Wars, the Depression, and a strike, but something you might not have ever thought of is how it was created. Ken Burns, in his documentary "Baseball," states a theory that all baseball historians have heard: Abner Doubleday sat and watched a game of rounders, and decided to draw up rules on a new game called baseball, in the summer of 1839. The truth is, by Burns' account, Doubleday wasn't even in the state of New York in the summer of 1839.
In truth, baseball formed naturally over several decades. Many people played cricket or rounders, English sports, and people wanted to Americanize it. Slowly, baseball grew. Albert Spalding, who was a baseball club executive and former pitcher, was the first person to wrongfully acknowledge that Doubleday invented the sport in the early 20th century. Spalding was a big name in baseball back in those days, and his word was as good as gospel, so the myth spread like wildfire, and was perceived as true for several decades. Even the Baseball Hall of Fame is in Cooperstown, with a baseball park down the street bearing Doubleday's name.
A player can't be considered great until his wins a championship.
The man pictured above is arguably the best hitter that ever lived: Ted Williams. He never won a World Series. Barry Sanders, the Lions' great running back never, won a Super Bowl. Ty Cobb never won a World Series. The all-time great Dolphin Dan Marino never won a Super Bowl, either. Elgin Baylor led his Lakers team to eight NBA Finals, and he didn't win a single one.These players are considered some of the best of the best in their respective sports, but never won a championship. I heard a saying once that said, "There is no 'I' in 'team' but there is in 'immortality.'
The Madden "cover curse" is a myth.
Madden 2001: Eddie George. He bobbled a pass in the 2001 playoffs that was intercepted by Ray Lewis and returned for a touchdown, sealing the Titan's fate.
Madden 2002: Dante Culpepper. He had a career high 23 interceptions while leading the Vikings to a 5-11 record
Madden 2003: Marshall Faulk. He never recorded 1,000 yards in a season again.
Madden 2004: Michael Vick. He broke is leg in the preseason.
Madden 2005: Ray Lewis. Didn't record an Interception that season, for the first time in his career.
Madden 2006: Donovan McNabb. Tore his ACL in week 11.
Madden 2007: Shaun Alexander. Missed six starts with a foot injury.
Madden 2008: Vince Young. He threw 17 interceptions.
Madden 2009: Brett Farve. Had too many injuries and interceptions to have any success with the Jets.
Madden 2010: Need I go on?
Jackie Robinson was the first African-American in MLB.
People believe that Jackie Robinson was the first African-American to play in the MLB on April 18, 1946. however, they're only partly right. The first African-American player was actually Moses Fleetwood Walker, in 1884. He was constantly looking over his shoulder, especially in the racist South, who wouldn't even let him into their hotels. His life was often threatened, and once, a mob of 75 people waited for him to play a game in Richmond, VA. This led to a "gentleman's agreement" between owners that they would essentially exile all African-American baseball players. This stood until 1946, when Jackie Robinson became the first African-American to play in the modern era of the MLB.
So, as you can see, there are plenty of misconceptions that run rampant in sports. I hope that I've helped clear the air on some, and trust me, there are plenty more.
