The List: Worst moves of 2001
Page 2 staff

Last week, we looked at the best moments in sports from 2001. This week, we look at the dumbest.

Bud Selig
The timing for Bud Selig's contraction announcement didn't do baseball any favors.
Check out Page 2's list of the 10 worst moves in sports from the past months, and then see how readers ranked their choices. And be sure to vote in the poll to pick the dumbest of the dumb moves.

Here's our list:

1. Bud Selig announces plans to "contract" two teams just days after the conclusion of a feel-good World Series that had people in love with baseball again
And then he compounded the gaffe by looking like he was hiding vital financial information while "testifying" before Congress.

2. The XFL is launched
Who was most responsible for this absurd miscalculation ... NBC or Vince McMahon? No matter. There's enough blame to go around.

3. George O'Leary embellishes his résumé, and forgets to mention it to Notre Dame
How much did a phony master's degree cost O'Leary? Only his dream job ... and possibly his career.

4. For the second time in less than two months, Nate Newton gets caught with a large amount of marijuana in his car
On the plus side, though, the chubby former Cowboy did figure out how to lose nearly 40 pounds in just six weeks

Brian Roberson
The XFL was just a bad idea from the get-go.
5. Randy Moss says he only plays hard when he "feels like it," and then refuses to take it back when given a chance to "explain" himself
We admire his honesty, if not his work ethic or P.R. savvy.

6. The Bulls trade Elton Brand, established NBA star, to the Clippers for the rights to Tyson Chandler, high school student
GM Jerry Krause, still trying to prove he was the real genius behind the Bulls' six NBA titles, continues to assemble one of the worst pro hoop teams ever.

7. Hasim Rahman decides not to sign a multi-bout deal after lucking out against an out-of-conditon Lennox Lewis in their first bout
Instead, he let Don King talk him out of tens of millions of dollars. Guess he's not a student of boxing history.

8. Bob Brenly brings back closer Byung-Hyun Kim for Game 5 of the World Series
How could any player possibly have recovered from what happened in Game 4 in less than 24 hours? Of course, both Brenly and Kim both sport World Series rings today.

Nate Newton
Nate Newton was caught not once, but twice with large amounts of marijuana.
9. The BCS formula gives no credit for a team winning its conference championship
This led not only to the presence of Nebraska, which didn't even win its division playing in the national championship game, but another of 2001's worst sports moves ... Oregon coach Mike Bellotti comparing the BCS to "cancer."

10. The Red Sox fire Jimy Williams
Maybe they're not cursed. Maybe they just don't know what they're doing.

Also receiving votes:
  • The Bronx Little League team tries to pass off Danny Almonte as a 12-year-old.

  • The Cleveland Indians (under new owner Larry Dolan) dismantle a division-winning team.

  • Members of the Dawg Pound pelt the refs and members of both teams with plastic beer bottles after that Instant Replay fiasco at end of the Browns-Jaguar game.

  • The A's refuse to give Jason Giambi a no-trade clause in spring training, blowing the chance to re-sign their slugger for the bargain price of $91 million for six years.

  • The Texas Rangers trade for Carl Everett and sign John Rocker, two of the biggest doses of clubhouse poison ever to play baseball. (Wait 'til 2002; we'll bet this in our top 10 then.)




    • ALSO SEE:

    The List: Best sports moments of 2001

    The List: Most disruptive players of past 10 years

    Readers' List: Best moments in baseball movies

    Readers' List: Worst acting performances by athletes

    Readers' List: Best acting performances by athletes

    The List: Least likable baseball players

    The List: Greatest clutch teams

    The List: Greatest World Series moments

    The List: Greatest streaks by teams

    The List: Greatest streaks by individuals

    The List: Greatest career records

    The List: Greatest baseball season

    The List: Most beloved New York athlete of all-time

    The List: Most underrated current baseball player

    The List: Greatest sports wives of all-time

    The List: Least likable football player

    The List: Most beloved football players

    The List: Most beloved baseball players

    The List: Worst calls in sport history

    The List: Worst free-agent signings

    The List: Lopsided Trades

    The List: Best owner in sports

    The List: Coolest athletes

    The List: Biggest upsets

    Page 2 readers pick best baseball flicks





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