Crushing moments for every country in the Olympics history

[Kshahdoo]

Heh, that 1980 loss, it was terrible.

 

[Xokkeu]

2010 obviously. Although the build up to 2014, waiting four years, crushing the group stages and then being strangled like a deer in the grip of a python in Sochi was pretty bad.

 

[Xokkeu]

Obviously for the US - the 2010 Olympics was heart breaking. After one of the most epic goals ever scored by Parise which silenced a nation, the US came out and hit the post in OT which would have sealed the deal... that loss still to this day makes me cry.

the 1998 Olympics was simply a farce and the only reason why I do not put it at #1 was because Canada **** the bed as well as all of North America showed up with little or no care - it just changed future teams and how they were built from that day forward.

the 2002 Olympics - Salt Lake City - on home soil against Canada yet again for the Gold. We couldn't pull it out after we had to play against Russia to get to the Gold (despite being the best team in the tourney) and Canada had to play Belarus instead of Sweden...this is the reason I hate Sweden until this day for ****ting the bed and letting Canada coast into the Gold medal game!!

I can’t call 1998 heartbreaking. Just embarrassing.

 

[klozge]

Germany - Canada in the 92 quaterfinals.
Germany lost on penalties, in the most heartbreaking way possible

I'm still not over that one.

 

[FinPanda]

2006 for Finland. Heartbreaking way to lose gold.

 

[Make]

Personally 2006 final of course. Though I was travelling at the time and didn't get to see the final, but I still remember that sinking feeling checking the final score at a hotel room tv. Such a perfect tournament with an injury riddled team with a third string goalie playing like a Vezina winner. Of course it couldn't last. Still haven't seen other than short clips of that final and never will.

Nothing really comes close to that, but the collapse against USA in 2010 was disappointing. It was more of an embarresment than an emotionally crushing defeat though. That team just didn't have a similar flow going on so it didn't feel like a missed opportunity.

 

[Tweed]

I'll give a non hockey moment. I was working in the USA (I'm Canadian) at the time when Ben Johnson was caught "doping." Folks came to me suggesting if I "felt shame" that a Canadian would cheat Anybody that had eyes knew the Mazda Track Club in Toronto was 'dirty". What's the big surprise? I tried to enter the discussion about all the other athletes that were dirty but were not caught or at least their countries had enough influence (money) not allowing their athletes to be caught cheating. Those conversations went nowhere.
Crushed? No I don't worry about millionaire athletes winning or losing, though I like the spectacle of sports.
This years Hockey Olympics, kinda meaningless isn't it?

Came here to say Ben Johnson was what came to mind for me.

 

[Faterson]

My, for Slovakia -

1. 1998 - couldn't see all NHL stars because this stupid NHL schedule
2. 2002 - Who could imagine, same issue as 4 years ago.

No one and nothing can possibly top those for bitterness. It's one thing to lose a game on the ice, but having your best players look at the game from the stands because they're not allowed to dress for a game until later tournament stages (that never arrived for Slovakia) makes my blood boil even 20 and 16 years later.

Yeah, 2006 and 2010 (and the 1994 quarterfinal loss!) were pretty crushing, too, but can't compare to 1998 and 2002.

2014 and 2018 were disasters, but were not crushing. We know we suck and by now expect nothing better.

 

[ViD]

As a Russian fan - 2010 and 2014.

In 2010 we had such a stacked team that people ranked it above Canada and it was painful to see an absolute letdown and horrible effort.

In 2014 it was mostly anger that we lost so poorly to Finland on home ice. The star players didn’t show up against an average Finnish team.

2006 was obviously embarrassment but since we knocked Canada out, it was ok in my books.

2002 we got killed by the refs against the USA

1998 very disappointing but the dominator was too good, what can you do

 

[Jack Straw]

USA - when they rigged the basketball game for Russia to win. That was a joke

Yeah, if we’re including sports other than hockey then the basketball final in 1972 was probably the USA’s worst. First game the US had ever lost in the Olympics and the circumstances were dubious to say the least.

 

[Hynh]

Germany never had any moments were expectations were crushed. It's all uphill for us!

RIP

 

[GermanNuck]

RIP

Yea.. Jinxed it

 

[c9777666]

Well, guess we can add a new one to the list

 

[The Moose]

I'm still not over that one.

Thta was Leon Draisaitl dad, with the puck stopping on the goal line, right?

 

[Kyndig]

For me its 2014 USA Womens Hockey gold medal game. USA was winning 2-0 with 2 minutes left in the game, USA goes on to hit the post with Canadas goalie pulled to only end up losing 3-2 in OT.

 

[Eisen]

I got a new one.

 

[Eisen]

Thta was Leon Draisaitl dad, with the puck stopping on the goal line, right?

Yup, that was him.

 

[Uncle Rotter]

I don't think that I can take it '
Cause it took so long to bake it.
And I'll never have that recipe again.
Oh, no ..

 

[W75]

I got a new one.

I feel you. Another hockey story was made there. Devastating end or one of the narrowest escapes... depends who is telling it.

You guys had a great run. It still hurts to be on that side of a story.

 

[Name Nameless]

For Norway, that would be the 1980 summer Olympics.

When we announced we would boycott.

For the winter games it would be the 1988 Calgary games. All of the events.

From what I've heard, what "old people" talk about when they talk abot crushing, was Erik Håkers second run in the 1972 olympics, in the giant slalom. He was leading after the first run. Second run would be in the middle of the night, and people was awake to watch it on TV.

And he fell.