// BEGIN editorial data
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spt_great_collapses.ID = "spt_great_collapses";
spt_great_collapses.ID_WB = 25144249;
spt_great_collapses.sPubDate = "6/13/2008 9:16:30 PM GMT";
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spt_great_collapses.appHeader = "Memorable collapses";
spt_great_collapses.appDeck = "A look at some of the biggest meltdowns in sports history";
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spt_great_collapses[i++] = new Array("","2007-08 Lakers","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Vandermark%2C%20Brett/Collapses/kobe.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Gabriel Bouys", "AFP/Getty Images", "354", "278", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_great_collapses[i-1].body = "
Up by 24 points in the second quarter and 58-40 at halftime, the Los Angeles Lakers fell apart in Game 4 of the NBA Finals, losing to the Celtics 97-91. It was a must-win for the the Lakers who after the loss trailed in the series, 3-1.";
spt_great_collapses[i++] = new Array("","2007 Mets","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Vandermark%2C%20Brett/Collapses/2007_Mets.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Chris Trotman", "Getty Images", "273", "410", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_great_collapses[i-1].body = "
With a seven-game lead on September 12, the Mets suffered an historic collapse by losing 12 of their last 17 games and missing the postseason. It is regarded as one of the worst collapses in MLB history.";
spt_great_collapses[i++] = new Array("","Phil Mickelson - 2006 U.S. Open","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Vandermark%2C%20Brett/Collapses/Mickelson_2006.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Nick Laham", "Getty Images", "358", "250", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_great_collapses[i-1].body = "
Leading by two strokes in the 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot, Phil Mickelson bogeyed the 16th hole and double-bogeyed 18 to hand Geoff Oglivy the title.";
spt_great_collapses[i++] = new Array("","AC Milan - 2005 UEFA Champions League Final","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Vandermark%2C%20Brett/Collapses/AC_Milan.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Francois Marit", "AFP/Getty Images", "273", "395", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_great_collapses[i-1].body = "
Heavily-favored AC Milan led Liverpool F.C. 3-0 at halftime of the 2005 UEFA Champions League Final. But Liverpool made a furious second half comeback and won the match on penalty shots, 3-2.";
spt_great_collapses[i++] = new Array("","2004 Yankees","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Vandermark%2C%20Brett/Collapses/2004_Yankees.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "Jed Jacobsohn", "Getty Images", "273", "375", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_great_collapses[i-1].body = "
One inning away from sweeping the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS, closer extraordinare Mariano Rivera blew the save and the Yankees lost Game 4, 6-4 in 12 innings. They went on to lose the next three games and became the first to lose a best-of-seven series after leading 3-0.";
spt_great_collapses[i++] = new Array("","2003 Cubs","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Vandermark%2C%20Brett/Collapses/2003_Cubs.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Elsa", "Getty Images", "358", "255", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_great_collapses[i-1].body = "
Up 3-2 in the 2003 NLCS, the Chicago Cubs had a 3-0 lead and were just five outs away from going to their first World Series in 58 years, fan Steve Bartman grabbed a foul ball off the bat of Luis Castillo before Moises Alou could catch it. Castillo drew a walk, and the Florida Marlins scored eight runs in the inning and went on to win Game 6 and later the series.";
spt_great_collapses[i++] = new Array("","1999-2000 Blazers","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Vandermark%2C%20Brett/Collapses/2000_Blazers.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Hector Mata", "AFP/Getty Images", "336", "278", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_great_collapses[i-1].body = "
The Trail Blazers had a commanding 15 point lead over the Lakers in the fourth quarter during the Western Conference Finals and looked poised to be on their way to the NBA Finals. But it was not meant to be.
During a 6 1/2 minute span, the Blazers missed 13 straight shots, and the Lakers went on a tear. Portland's primary offensive weapon Rasheed Wallace was ice cold and the Blazers couldn't recover.";
spt_great_collapses[i++] = new Array("","Jean Van de Velde - 1999 British Open","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Vandermark%2C%20Brett/Collapses/Vandevelde_Jean.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Gerry Penny", "AFP/Getty Images", "358", "232", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_great_collapses[i-1].body = "
Jean Van de Velde was just moments away from becoming the first Frenchman to win the British Open since 1907. But then it all fell apart in historic fashion.
Van de Velde needed a mere double bogey 6 to seal the victory. Instead, he found himself wading in water looking for his ball on the 18th hole. Van de Velde did manage to triple bogey to send the British Open into a playoff, but after four holes, Paul Lawrie, who started the day 10 strokes off the pace, emerged victorious.";
spt_great_collapses[i++] = new Array("","Greg Norman - 1996 Masters","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Vandermark%2C%20Brett/Collapses/norman_greg.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Stephen Munday", "Getty Images", "358", "234", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_great_collapses[i-1].body = "
All Greg Norman had to do in the final round of the 1996 Masters was shoot even par to capture the Green Jacket, but the Shark had no bite.
Through holes 9 through 12, Norman tallied three bogeys and a doubley bogey and could never recover. He squandered his six-stroke lead after shooting a six-over 78, and Nick Faldo swooped in to take the Green Jacket.";
spt_great_collapses[i++] = new Array("","1995 Angels","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Vandermark%2C%20Brett/Collapses/finley_chuck.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Frederick Brown", "AFP/Getty Images", "320", "278", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_great_collapses[i-1].body = "
The Angels could have really used the Rally Monkey in 1995.
The Halos took over first place in the AL West on July 2 and remained there for 82 days. By Aug. 3 they had an 11 game lead and by Aug. 15 they had gone an amazing 25-8 since the All-Star break, but the Angels' winning ways came to an end.
The Halos lost 9 games in a row and were tied with the Mariners by Sept. 20. It took only five weeks to squander 10 1/2 games in the standings.
The Angels were able to at least force a one-game playoff, but after going 14-29 in their last 43 games, the Angels lost yet again.";
spt_great_collapses[i++] = new Array("","Jana Novotna - 1993 Wimbledon","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Vandermark%2C%20Brett/Collapses/novotna.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Denis Paquin", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "356", "278", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_great_collapses[i-1].body = "
Jana Novotna was just a few more points away from capping off a memorable Wimbledon tournament by defeating the dominant Steffi Graf. But then the No. 8 seed fell apart.
Novotna lost the first set, but bounced back to take the second set 6-1. Novotna continued her stellar play and was just one point away from going up 5-1 in the final set. A series of careless errors led to her dropping the game, and she was unable to win another game the rest of the match.
The magnitude of her collapse was too much to take as she broke down in tears when she was presented with her trophy for being the Wimbledon runner up.";
spt_great_collapses[i++] = new Array("","1992 Oilers","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Vandermark%2C%20Brett/Collapses/bills_1992.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Bill Sikes", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "358", "267", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_great_collapses[i-1].body = "
The Bills have gone through their share of heartbreak in the postseason, but in 1992 they were actually able to deal an historically painful blow to the Houston Oilers.
The Oilers jumped out to a huge 28-3 first half lead in the AFC wild-card game behind Warren Moon's four touchdown passes. Houston added to its lead, going up 35-3. But the game was far from over.
Even without Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas, the Bills scored 4 touchdowns in less than 7 minutes. Frank Reich, in relief of Kelly, threw three straight touchdown passes during that span and added another to put the Bills up 38-35.
The Oilers did force overtime, but the Bill won it on a Steve Christie feild goal. The loss marked the worst single-game collapse in NFL history.";
spt_great_collapses[i++] = new Array("","1978 Red Sox","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Vandermark%2C%20Brett/Collapses/dent_torres.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "273", "358", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_great_collapses[i-1].body = "
This collapse was so bad it got its own name - the Boston Massacre of 1978.
On July 19, the Red Sox had a 14-game lead over the Yankees in the AL East. The Red Sox sturggled through July and their lead had dwindled down to 6 1/2 games by August 1.
The Red Sox just couldn't stop the bleeding and by mid-Septemeber, the Yankees had stormed all the way back to take a shocking 3 1/2 game lead. It was a 17 1/2 game reversal. The Red Sox did manage to tie things up and force a one-game playoff, but Bucky Dent's memorable home run ended Boston's postseason hopes.";
spt_great_collapses[i++] = new Array("","1964 Phillies","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Vandermark%2C%20Brett/Collapses/Bunning_Jim.vlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "left", "Harry Harris", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "352", "278", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_great_collapses[i-1].body = "
Philadelphia sports fans have suffered through plenty of rough times over the years, but the collapse of the 1964 Phillies has to be one of the worst times ever to be a fan.
With just 12 games left in the season, the Phillies had a 6 1/2 game lead in the NL. After defeating the Dodgers on Sept. 21, they lost 8 in a row at home and fell into second place for the first time since July 15. They went on to lose their next two games and finished tied for second place.";
spt_great_collapses[i++] = new Array("","1942 Red Wings","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/NBCSports/Sections/Personal/Vandermark%2C%20Brett/Collapses/1942_Leafs.hlarge.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "", "", "ASSOCIATED PRESS", "273", "375", "#000000", "", "", "", "");
spt_great_collapses[i-1].body = "
In 2004 the Yankees were the first baseball team to blow a 3-0 series lead in the playoffs, but the Red Wings did that in hockey all the way back in 1942 during the Stanely Cup finals.
Not only was Detroit leading the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-0 in the series, it was also leading 3-2 in Game 4 with 15 minutes left in the game. The Maple Leafs scored two goals in the final minutes to stay alive.
The Maple Leafs forced a Game 7, but the Wings were on top 1-0 going into the third period. Ten minutes later, though, the Leafs were up 3-1 and were hoisting the Stanley Cup after the game.";
// END editorial data