16 Times Athletes Thought They Won… But Were WRONG!

It is not uncommon for athletes to want to win or score at all costs. They often become excited and erratic when they are on the verge of victory, which they may regret instantly when this feeling has been clouded. Here are 16 athletes who celebrated too early. Number 16. Patrick Waugh In the 2002 NHL playoffs, goaltender Patrick Waugh made a costly mistake by showing off while a play was in progress. As noted in the February 2014 issue of In Goal Magazine, Colorado Avalanche goaltender Craig Anderson thought he made a glove save against the Detroit Red Wings late in the first period of Game 6. His glove lifted in the air as he pointed to the puck, but there was just one problem. He didn't have it. Detroit scored the winning goal and went on to win the game, the Stanley Cup, and the series. It was certainly one of Waugh's worst moments. Number 15. Michael Ruffin As the final seconds tick off, hoisting the ball into the air is a common celebration in basketball, but don't forget to go high enough if you're going to do that. In March of 2007, Washington Wizards forward Michael Ruffin was unable to accomplish that feat, and Toronto Raptors forward Morris Peterson emerged triumphant after catching the ball and converting an improbable buzzer-beating shot. I think Ruffin's fault is pretty much entirely responsible for the Wizards' loss. Number 14. Deshaun Jackson Once is enough. Twice is a mistake. It's pretty unforgivable to do it twice. CBS Sports reports that Deshaun Jackson has a bad habit of dropping the ball moments before scoring a touchdown. He did it first in the 2005 Army Bowl, where he flipped into the end zone just short of the goal line before dropping the ball. As it's said, doing it the second time is unforgivable. In September 2008, after catching a long pass from Eagles QB Donovan McNabb on Monday Night Football, Jackson started celebrating too early, dropping the ball and nullifying the touchdown. I hope he's learned from his mistakes. Number 13. Leon Lett. Dallas Cowboys' best effort were spoiled in one particular member of the team during the Super Bowl XXVII. Leon Lett recovered a fumble and headed for the end zone, where he decided to demonstrate his skills before reaching the goal line. Lett's journey to pay dirt ended with a touchback after Don Beebe knocked the ball out of his hands just before touchdown. It's probably still painful to Lett every time he looks at that Super Bowl ring, even though the Cowboys crushed the Bills 52-17. 12. Nick Young It's no secret that Nick Young, known as Swaggy P, let his ego get the best of him on March 25, 2014. During the third quarter of the Lakers game against the Knicks, the Lakers guard shot a three-point shot and turned his back to the basket expecting it to go in. Well, he missed it. Although Young was to blame, you really can't blame the Lakers for their 51-point third quarter. It was a franchise record. It was probably best to try to be cool about it when everything is going in. Number 11. Khalid Askri. When a goalkeeper saves a penalty in soccer, that feeling is one of the best in the world. But for Khalid Askri, those feelings soured quickly. FIFA.com reports that after stopping a Maghreb Fez player's attempt, Moroccan goalkeeper Askri turned about to celebrate with the far Rabat's fans. But the ball spun and dribbled into the net, much to his horror. A video of Askri's misfortune made the rounds on social media, earning him the nickname the world's unluckiest goalkeeper. Number 10. Molly Huddle. It would seem reasonable to assume that athletes would end their 10,000-meter run strongly, or at least intelligently. Molly Huddle, however, did not do that at the end of the 2015 World Championships. Apparently, the American runner thought she had landed the bronze medal when she threw her arms in the air, but she soon realized that she had been trampled by her teammate Emily Infield at the line. Despite not losing a gold medal, Huddle was completely responsible for not making the podium at all. Number 9. Danny Trevathan Taking the ball back for a touchdown after intercepting a pass is no doubt one of the things that every defender dreams of doing. For Denver Broncos linebacker Danny Trevathan in 2013, it turned out to be a nightmare. Trevathan, according to Sports Illustrated, picked off a Baltimore pass and had plenty of open field in front of him to the end zone, but he dropped the ball, resulting in a touchback. The Ravens then scored a touchdown on the following possession, which is more devastating for them. Number 8. Riccardo Russo. Among the most egregious mistakes in judgment is this one. It is reported that Italian motorcycle rider Riccardo Russo started celebrating the victory one lap too early at the 2012 Italian CIV Championship, when he was leading by just three bike lengths. While standing on the footpegs of his bike while fist pumping, Russo released the throttle, threw his arms up, and threw his arms up into the air. Russo finished 14th in an embarrassing fashion after several racers blew past him to the real finish line. Number 7. Bryson Carroll Can't players hold on to the football until it reaches the end zone? It has been reported that New Mexico running back Bryson Carroll would have run 57 yards for a touchdown against Colorado State, but he fumbled the ball after boastfully flinging the ball back behind him just shy of the goal line, according to Sports. Carroll was given the opportunity to reflect on his mistake on the sidelines after the Lobos punched it in later in the game. Number 6. Lindsey Jacobellis You can have a little fun when snowboarding at the right time and place. However, it is not the time nor the place that makes a gold medal jump at the Olympics. A report from USA Today mentions that the U.S. snowboard cross champion Lindsey Jacobellis had a gold medal to her name during the final jump of the 2006 competition, but let her excitement get the best of her. Having fallen on the landing, she settled for silver. Number 5. Kalen Clay. 2014 brought Kalen Clay instant karma as Utah's wide receiver. In the game against number 4 Oregon, he seemed to catch a touchdown but put the ball down just before he reached the end zone. A duck defender was able to get the ball and return it 100 yards in the other direction, and the review affirmed the play. The Ducks went on to win 51-27 after that, tying it at 7. There's no escaping the fact that Clay was the GOAT in that game. Number four, Sammy Watkins. As a rookie in the NFL, Sammy Watkins wanted to shine, and he did, but not in the way he anticipated. As reported by ESPN, the Buffalo Bills player caught the ball in the second quarter of the game against the New York Jets in 2014, and raised his arm in celebration, believing he was on his way to a touchdown. The tackle was instead made by Salim Hakim at the five-yard line. That's not even close to the goal line. much regret number three mark martin nascar driver mark martin will never forget the events of april 9th 1994. martin was on track to win the Goody's 250 Nationwide Series race in Bristol however it did not happen according to speedway media reports he mistakenly thought that the race was over it happened when the other drivers were waving him on the back stretch thinking it was a sign that the game was over he then pulled off the track 300 yards from the start finish line it It was a bizarre way for David Green to take the checkered flag. It can't be denied that Martin called it the stupidest thing I've ever done. Number two, Chris Williams. Chris Williams seems to emulate Leon Lett's blunders too often, as he often imitates his mistakes. The Hamilton Tiger Cat has been caught celebrating early not once, but twice. The first time was in 2011 when Winnipeg's Joe Labenden caught him from behind. The second time was the following year in a much different way. Despite appearing to have a successful return, Williams decided to run backwards and embrace his colleague downfield, which resulted in him being tackled just short of the goal line. I think he and Leon Lett could be best friends. Number 1. Tenge Pepiot There's sometimes a difference between what the crowd says and what the athlete really knows. At least, it must have been the case for the Oregon track athlete Tenge Pepiot. At the Pepsi Team Invitational 2015, it appeared that the French runner had locked up the 3,000-meter steeplechase. But the runner chose to wave to the crowd as it neared the finish line. In responding to his urge, Pepiot's fans cheered louder, but he didn't realize they were urging him to hurry as another runner was closing in on him. Marion Simon of Washington caught him because he didn't realize what was happening in the time. Which of these cringe moments is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below. Thank you and see you next time.