Unfortunate Punter: Matt Dodge
One of the saddest events in the career of Matt Dodge happened in December 2010 during the Giants and Eagles game. Just a few seconds left till the end of the game when coach, Tom Coughlin, told Matt Dodge not to pass the ball to DeSean Jackson. However, he decided to follow his vision of the situation and went in another direction. It all ended when Matt Dodge kicked the ball precisely to DeSean Jackson, who scored a punt, and the Giants were eliminated from playoff.
Unfortunate Goal: Steve Smith
The unluckiest moments in the career and probably in the whole life of Steve Smith happened on April 30th, 1986. It was the day when Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames met in Game 7 of the Smythe Division Finals. Also, it was Steve Smith’s birthday. Even in the third period, it was still not obvious who was going to win. Then Steve Smith, Oilers defenseman, scored. Unfortunately, it was his team’s net. To say that he was devastated would be an understatement. What saved him from the fans’ hatred was probably the fact that the Oilers won five Stanley Cups in seven seasons. However, the unfortunate event didn’t ruin Smith’s career, and eventually, he managed to get over this accident.
Unfortunate Love Story: Chuck Finley
Chuck Finley, a former MLB pitcher, might have seemed the luckiest man after marrying his dream girl Tawny Kitaen in 1997. However, it wasn’t all that great in their married life, and, a few years later, Tawny Kitaen was arrested for domestic violence: she kicked her husband Chuck Finley in the head. The divorce was around the corner. Still, he managed to continue his career.
Unfortunate NBA Shot: Patrick Ewing’s Game 7 Miss
During his career, Patrick Ewing had at least one bad period: it happened in 1995 in the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals. It was then that the New York Knicks met Indiana Pacers, their all-time rival, for the third straight year. Only that time, luck was on the side of the Pacers. The game was coming to a close, and the Knicks were still behind. This is when Patrick Ewing, the team’s superstar, got the grip of the ball. Unfortunately, he didn’t manage to score. His career had many bright moments, but it was not one of them.
Unfortunate Quarterback: Carson Palmer
Carson Palmer had a successful career while still at college. In 2003, he joined Cincinnati Bengals, where he soon played at the starting quarterback position. In 2005 Carson Palmer had a stellar season: he made his team win. It was when he got his knee badly injured. Reconstructive surgery was necessary. This trauma resulted in a slow but steady end of his career in Cincinnati Bengals.
Luckiest MLB Fan: Christian Lopez
What made Christian Lopez’s case special is that he was the man who caught Derek Jeter’s hit ball and then decided to give it back. Not everyone could appreciate this decision, but Christian Lopez didn’t consider the ball his property. He also claimed that an opportunity to meet Jeter and get a few signed balls would be nice, but he wasn’t in the position to insist. However, he did have an opportunity to meet Jeter, as well as he received numerous collectibles.
Luckiest First-Round Quarterback: Aaron Rodgers
In 2005, Aaron Rodgers had every chance to be selected in the first round of the NFL draft. However, it wasn’t his lucky day: he started as a potential number one pick but ended as the last one. Still, he received a chance to join Green Bay. This turned out to be a stroke of great luck, and now Aaron Rodgers’ career is promising.
