The Sad Thread: Worst Losses in Cornell History

[Jeff Hopkins '82]

I heard something about a game in New Haven one time, but I'm pretty sure that was just a rumor....  ::nut::

I thought about that one as well, but I had the impression Greg was aiming more for games that were particularly devastating to lose, that we had a real chance at winning, that were surprising losses, etc.

In that case, I would add the loss to Bemidji in Grand Rapids a few years ago.

[Jim Hyla]

1/9/67 loss to Yale. The only loss that year.
2/2/72 loss to Clarkson. Ending a 63 game home winning streak.

[Jordan 04]

I certainly don't consider the Wisconsin game as one of the "worst losses" in team history.  We had to come from behind the previous game against a very talented team to even make the Regional Final, it was a home game for Wisconsin, we and McKee played incredible, and we finally lost on a shot that few, if any, goalies could stop.  Was it a heartbreaking loss? Sure. But it was also one of the few losses for a team I root for where I came away thinking "We lost, but that was pretty awesome!"

[Jim Hyla]

I certainly don't consider the Wisconsin game as one of the "worst losses" in team history.  We had to come from behind the previous game against a very talented team to even make the Regional Final, it was a home game for Wisconsin, we and McKee played incredible, and we finally lost on a shot that few, if any, goalies could stop.  Was it a heartbreaking loss? Sure. But it was also one of the few losses for a team I root for where I came away thinking "We lost, but that was pretty awesome!"

But although the title is worst, the description states, "historically significant losses". It certainly fits, as do the 2 I noted. There were not worst, but significant.

By the way, this is a great idea.

[scoop85]

I heard something about a game in New Haven one time, but I'm pretty sure that was just a rumor....  ::nut::

I thought about that one as well, but I had the impression Greg was aiming more for games that were particularly devastating to lose, that we had a real chance at winning, that were surprising losses, etc.

In that case, I would add the loss to Bemidji in Grand Rapids a few years ago.

Yeah, that one really sticks in my craw.

[Robb]

1/9/67 loss to Yale. The only loss that year.
2/2/72 loss to Clarkson. Ending a 63 game home winning streak.

Don't RPI fans also like to celebrate some significant win over us ending some sort of streak in that same ballpark?  Our overall (not just home) winning streak in '71, perhaps?

[Dafatone]

I certainly don't consider the Wisconsin game as one of the "worst losses" in team history.  We had to come from behind the previous game against a very talented team to even make the Regional Final, it was a home game for Wisconsin, we and McKee played incredible, and we finally lost on a shot that few, if any, goalies could stop.  Was it a heartbreaking loss? Sure. But it was also one of the few losses for a team I root for where I came away thinking "We lost, but that was pretty awesome!"

I agree now.  But immediately after that goal went in was the worst I've ever felt about pretty much any sport/team.

[Trotsky]

Was Pat Heaphy the Architecture student who used to look exhausted even in pregame warm-ups?  Whoever that guy was he didn't sleep in four years.

Sounds like you're thinking of Keith Howie.

Yep, I am.

[Rita]

I certainly don't consider the Wisconsin game as one of the "worst losses" in team history.  We had to come from behind the previous game against a very talented team to even make the Regional Final, it was a home game for Wisconsin, we and McKee played incredible, and we finally lost on a shot that few, if any, goalies could stop.  Was it a heartbreaking loss? Sure. But it was also one of the few losses for a team I root for where I came away thinking "We lost, but that was pretty awesome!"

I agree now.  But immediately after that goal went in was the worst I've ever felt about pretty much any sport/team.

Yes, in hindsight, the loss in Grand Rapids to Bemidji was worse than 3OT one to the Badgers. I was at both games and after the Wisconsin game I was drained, but once you get into 2+ OTs, you know that it is going to be a really good shot or a rotten bounce. Yeah it was heartbreaking, sad, disappointing, but our team played really well. As Jordan04 says, Cornell had a really amazing 3rd period rally to beat Colorado College just to earn the right to play Wisconsin in that rink of red.

In Grand Rapids, it seemed our team never got going and let BSU take it to them. That was a FF berth we let get away. That just sucked.

[Trotsky]

I certainly don't consider the Wisconsin game as one of the "worst losses" in team history.  We had to come from behind the previous game against a very talented team to even make the Regional Final, it was a home game for Wisconsin, we and McKee played incredible, and we finally lost on a shot that few, if any, goalies could stop.  Was it a heartbreaking loss? Sure. But it was also one of the few losses for a team I root for where I came away thinking "We lost, but that was pretty awesome!"

My thread title "worst" is inaccurate.  As pointed out by someone else, I'm trying to capture the landmark games in the program's history, and sometimes those are losses.  I agree with you that the 3 ot loss to Wisco, while of course suboptimal that we didn't move on, was oddly one of the team's proudest moments.

[Trotsky]

In Grand Rapids, it seemed our team never got going and let BSU take it to them. That was a FF berth we let get away. That just sucked.

I'm not emotionally evolved enough to put the Bemidji loss on a list of landmark games.  It really, really sucked.  IIRC from his comments in The Game, Dryden felt that way about the 1969 NCAA final.  As great as Denver was, Dryden still felt Cornell kicked away a title there.

[nyc94]

I certainly don't consider the Wisconsin game as one of the "worst losses" in team history.  We had to come from behind the previous game against a very talented team to even make the Regional Final, it was a home game for Wisconsin, we and McKee played incredible, and we finally lost on a shot that few, if any, goalies could stop.  Was it a heartbreaking loss? Sure. But it was also one of the few losses for a team I root for where I came away thinking "We lost, but that was pretty awesome!"

I agree now.  But immediately after that goal went in was the worst I've ever felt about pretty much any sport/team.

I felt the same way until the lacrosse final against Syracuse.

[Killer]

BU was 12-0; Cornell 11-0.  Ranked #1 and #2, respectively, in the country at game time.  BU was the established power; Cornell, the upstart.

I have heard that this was the game when "Screw BU" started.  Is that true or just retconned apocraphra?

Though it must have started sometime...

It's funny, I had always thought of that game being at MSG as part of the ECAC Holiday Tournament, but it was at Boston Garden (or perhaps Matthews Arena) in the Boston Tourney.

I think "Screw BU" started at the NCAAs in 1972.  We'd lost to BU 4-1 in the ECAC championship game in Boston, enduring their damn jingle many-a-time.  Then we came back to Boston Garden for the nationals.  BU had this "pep band" with horns, electric guitar, full drum set, etc., and every time they started up their little ditty, the Big Red fans (maybe 3,000 out of the 15,000 in attendance) graced them with a loud "Screw BU!".  We were in good voice early, perhaps outdoing the BU fans, but as the game wore on and we fell behind, I have to admit that the Gah-den rocked to "Go BU!"

[Al DeFlorio]

My thread title "worst" is inaccurate.  As pointed out by someone else, I'm trying to capture the landmark games in the program's history, and sometimes those are losses.

Maybe it's just "significant losses."

[ursusminor]

1/9/67 loss to Yale. The only loss that year.
2/2/72 loss to Clarkson. Ending a 63 game home winning streak.

Don't RPI fans also like to celebrate some significant win over us ending some sort of streak in that same ballpark?  Our overall (not just home) winning streak in '71, perhaps?

This RPI fan regards 12/4/68 as more significant than 12/1/70 because it convinced the RPI Admin to keep the team at the D-I level. That, of course, has little bearing to Cornell.