Greatest Comebacks in Sporting History

Today we witnessed something quite quite special in sport - the great come from behind win. It's wonderful for the neutral and supporters of the eventual victor, absolutely heartbreaking for supporters of the eventual loser.

It is most galling to think that they were in what seemed an insurmountable winning position.

But here are the greatest comebacks in sporting history.

2013, Oracle comes from 8-1 behind to retain America's Cup 

Much as 4 million Kiwis would hate to say it, but you've gotta give Aussie Jimmy Spithill and his Oracle Team a lot of credit for the fightback that they showed. Having to win 8 races knowing that the next one could be your last, in a big final series with the America's Cup on the line, against an expert and unified opponent at home is a lot of pressure - but they delivered in some style (and cash).

Indeed, the media outlets back in New Zealand were pretty much already preparing for Auckland to host the America's Cup in 4 years time. They had rucked up the crowd to the point that Shed 10 in Auckland was packed to the rafters for a week in anticipation of that one win to bring the Cup back to New Zealand. This particular blogger actually set up a Bring the America's Cup to Wellington which now turned out to be rather silly.

In the end, there's that saying don't count your chickens before they hatch, although for Dean Barker and his vanquished Emirates Team New Zealand, it was pretty much at a point that you could definitely see the leg popping out of the egg.

2005, Liverpool comes from 3-0 behind to win the Champions League

The greatest comeback in footballing history. Milan were 3-0 up at halftime against a Liverpool side completely at sea in the biggest club football match of the season, up against a Milan side boasting world footballer of the year, Kaka and many stars like Paolo Maldini and Andriy Shevchenko. Alas, 10 inspired minutes by Rafa Benitez's men in the 2nd half completely transformed the UEFA Champions League Final in Istanbul, sending the game to extra time.

A shell shocked AC Milan fell apart in the penalty shootout courtesy to Jerzy Dudek's antics and Liverpool won their 5th European Cup in the most thrilling fashion.

2004, Boston Red Sox comes from 3-0 behind to beat New York Yankees 

Another defeat and another season under the Curse of the Bambino. Or so it seemed when the Boston Red Sox found themselves 3-0 down in the best of 7 American League Championship series of 2004, against their most reviled rivals, the New York Yankees.

But in 2004, things were going to be different, and the Red Sox rallied home to win the next 3 games and force a decider at Yankee Stadium. Like Oracle this year, the Red Sox looked the faster, sharper and more powerful team in the final and they romped home 10-3 to become the first ever team to go 3-0 behind in a pennant race to progress to the World Series.

How sweet then, it was against those bloody Yankees.

1981, England comes from behind to beat Australia in 3rd Ashes test

The greatest test match in history. Australia were in a formidable position in this test and set to take a 2-0 lead with 2 tests to go with England forced to follow on. Up stepped Ian Botham to score a magnificent 149 not out and give Bob Willis the chance to take 8 wickets for 43 as Australia were bowled out for 111 and England won by 18 runs.

It was the start of Botham's Ashes as England went on to win the next 2 tests and win the Ashes in 1981.

1976, James Hunt comes from behind to beat Niki Lauda

In the season now made into a wonderful Hollywood film - Rush if you haven't figured it out - Austrian Niki Lauda and McLaren's James Hunt fought tooth and nail for the world championship, although it was Austria's and Ferrari's reigning champion who seemed to have the luck of the Irish for much of the season as reliability issues and controversial disqualifications hampered Brit James Hunt's push for the title.

Then came Lauda's big accident at the Nurburgring in the summer which nearly killed the Austrian and saw him out of F1 for many weeks. Hunt made hay while the sun winning the Dutch Grand Prix and finishing 4th in Austria to close the gap to Lauda.

Even then, the odds were still against him when Lauda made a surprise comeback to F1 at Monza - Hunt's engine blew up then. But Hunt struck back and won both Canadian and United States East Grand Prix to set up a title showdown at Fuji Speedway in Japan.

Lauda, with fresh memories of crashing in the rain at the Nurburgring, pulled out early in the race while Hunt continued in atrocious conditions. Yet, Hunt still seemed set to lose the title with a late pitstop. A barnstorming run to 3rd meant that Hunt had won the title by a single point from Lauda in one of F1's greatest ever seasons.

Other great comebacks to mention (WARNING: Manchester United features heavily here)

Darkest Days in New Zealand Sporting History

 26 September 2013 is a date that will go down in infamy.

For New Zealand sport.

Dark Thursday will forever be remembered as one of New Zealand sport's darkest, darkest days as Oracle - as predicted on this blog - completed the greatest comeback in world sport to win the series 9-8 and retain the America's Cup despite defending against match point for over a week.

So what are New Zealand sport's other dark days?

3 September 1949, All Blacks lose to South Africa AND Australia - in one day!
Yes, an All Blacks team toured South Africa and stayed at home to play the touring Wallabies in 1949 resulting in this very unique sporting anomaly. A third-string All Blacks side lost 11-6 to Australia at Athletic Park in Wellington earlier in the day, then the first-string ABs side lost 9-3 to South Africa in Durban. That is what we call a double black day for New Zealand sport.

25 March 1955, New Zealand score only 26 runs against England
It still remains the lowest test cricket score - much as the Blackcaps have tried in recent times to beat it. New Zealand bowled out for a paltry 26 at Eden Park.

31 October 1999, France 43 New Zealand 31
The last time New Zealand was at the wrong end of an incredible comeback. Nuff said. Watch the video.

7 October 2007, France 20 New Zealand 18
Unfortunately, 1999 wouldn't be the last time that France would be New Zealand's sporting nemesis with Les Bleus again coming from behind to stun the favourites albeit thanks to some controversial refereeing from Wayne Barnes. That was a very dark and bloody Sunday.

Oracle to Win America's Cup

It was probably not the article I wanted to write for my 750th post but then again, it is the sort of topic that will probably get people talking and be quite memorable especially if it turns out to be true.

I was hoping by now to have written my 750th post celebrating Team New Zealand's recapture of the America's Cup with a play on PJ Montgomery's famous America's Cup is New Zealand's Cup.

Alas, things have taken quite a huge twist in the week since we got into a position of gaining match point.

David Beckham celebrates as Man United win 5-3 after being 3-0 down at Tottenham - sound familiar Kiwis?

In most sports, the 8-1 scoreline in the America's Cup is a bit like a 6-1 scoreline in the final set of a Grand Slam Final, a 5-0 scoreline in football, or 44-0 scoreline in rugby or having a team 9 wickets down with you just need 1 wicket to win. You really should win the whole shabang from there.

But, as Tottenham, Liverpool, AC Milan and England cricket fans should know, that sometimes doesn't quite follow the script. The same unpredictability that makes us follow sport can also be a poisoned chalice for supporters.

Kiwis will be hoping that they can celebrate like the English after a nail biter of the ages

Indeed, Oracle's sudden rise is not unlike Australian cricket's famous run-chase in the 2005 Ashes Test at Edgbaston when they kept scoring runs with their 10th wicket partnership with England only needing one wicket to win. Kasprowicz and Gillespie came oh so close to breaking England hearts just in the same way that Oracle is set to break New Zealand hearts and quite possibly send the economy into a recession.

France sent major gloom and doom back in 1999

In fact, New Zealand could see its economy fall briefly in the same way it did back in 1999 when the All Blacks lost to France in the Rugby World Cup semifinal especially if most of the country goes into recession. Helplines could see a spike in calls as many flock for counselling over potential post-America's Cup depression.

David Cunliffe could benefit from the malaise in the wake of Team New Zealand's America's Cup collapse

The only benefactor from a shock Team New Zealand defeat to Oracle could be the Right Honorable David Cunliffe who could take advantage of the public malaise in the country and win the election in 2014. Nice timing from Cunliffe then. John Key probably has left the country at the worst time possible.

Ok, maybe the effect won't be so drastic if Oracle do pull off what will be the most amazing comeback in sporting history and win the America's Cup 9-8 (bearing in mind the penalty points they had too) some time on Thursday or Friday morning depending on the weather.  

Give some credit to Jimmy Spithill who has taken over from his fellow Aussies who have sort of chickened out in recent times as being New Zealand's most hated Aussie. With Oracle staring at a 9-1 thrashing, Spithill got his men stuck in and they have rallied from a position of despair to a position of strength. The turnaround has been remarkable and the Oracle boat is clearly the faster boat now and the one with momentum.

Sir Ben Ainslie has been key and in the last week, has outshone his fellow tactician, Ray Davies, with the changeable current and wind.

If there is one clear cut pivotal day the Kiwis and Americans can look back on, it will definitely be Friday afternoon (Saturday morning NZ time). New Zealanders should have been celebrating by half-past 9 on Saturday morning, alas it cued the start of an amazing Oracle return.

Oh well, I sure hope you guys have other thoughts besides sport because it's gonna be quite a depressing time for New Zealand sport - did I mention that only Javier Hernandez's Mexico stands in the way of the All Whites qualifying for the World Cup next year?

Could this sight be permanent for the rest of this thrilling America's Cup?

Anyway Oracle to win 9-8 on Thursday morning to cue the gloomiest day in New Zealand sport since the Sunday after the 2007 Rugby World Cup quarterfinal. You heard it here first.

Most Excruciating New Zealand Wins

The prolonged wait for confirmation of Team New Zealand's America's Cup win has brought back memories of some of our most excruciating wins.

Here's a look back at some of them

1996 All Blacks win first ever tour in South Africa.

It took nearly a century - it felt like more - but the ABs finally won a test series in South Africa. The decider itself made for enthralling but painful watching with the ABs staving off late Bok pressure in the last minutes of the game in Pretoria to win 33-26. That was painful!

2011 Rugby World Cup Final 

Only labour pains are more excruciating than this. The most stressful 40 minutes of rugby you will ever watch. It was thrilling but hard to watch. But we won and ended 24 years of frustration. That was painful!

2011 New Zealand beat Australia, Hobart

The finish that took ages to come and came down to the last 7 runs as Australia seemed keen to deny their neighbours a much needed test win. In the end, the wait was worth it - a test win in Australia, New Zealand's first against them on their own turf in 26 years.

Other excruciating yet exciting finishes - not New Zealand wins though.

Victory Song to Mark America's Cup Win

In 2003, Dave Dobbyn's Loyal was the theme song to mark Team New Zealand's ultimately unsuccessful defence of the Auld Mug.

10 years on, what song will be used to mark Team New Zealand's impending America's Cup victory? While Loyal still brings out warm fuzzies and makes us proud to be Kiwis, it is from a different time.

Songs are always great in strengthening good memories. Black Eyed Peas' I Gotta A Feeling was played after the All Blacks has received the William Webb Ellis trophy in the 2011 Rugby World Cup Final meaning whenever the song is played, we'll have good memories of that night.

So what song should be played to mark Team New Zealand's win of the America's Cup?

Here are a few good Kiwi selections.