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Super Bowl's Infamous Ten

by Jim Weber
HOFN.com Exclusive

8. Barret's Breakdown

Super Bowl XXXVII (2003): Buccaneers 48, Raiders 21

Imagine this: You're at a bar the day before the Super Bowl when you realize your Pro Bowl center is at the bar crying and incoherent. That's the position two Raiders fans found themselves in before Super Bowl XXXVII, when they spotted Barret Robbins having a breakdown.

The fans paid a cab $20 to give Robbins a lift back to the team hotel. Having missed a team meeting and walk-through, coach Bill Callahan went ballistic on Robbins and wanted him sent back to Oakland. Robbins ended up spending Super Bowl Sunday in a San Diego-hospital under suicide watch.

Hopefully there wasn't a TV in the room. Quarterback Rich Gannon was picked off five times and sacked another five, as the Raiders lost by 27.

Robbins is currently completing five years of probation for battery on a law enforcement officer in January 2005, an incident in which Robbins was shot several times by Miami Beach police.

7. Thurman Loses His Head

Super Bowl XXVI (1992): Redskins 37, Bills 24

Bills running back Thurman Thomas was so fired up for Super Bowl XXVI, he missed the first two plays scrambling to find his misplaced helmet. Thomas wasn't more effective on the field. After rushing for just 13 yards on 10 carries, the media criticized him ruthlessly.

Thomas - who was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2007 - got so fed the following summer with questions about the missing helmet, he had this to say:

"... Even when I retire, that's what I'm going to be known for, missing the first two plays of the Super Bowl because my helmet was missing."

Guess what, Thurman: You were right.

6. Dirty Bird

Super Bowl XXXIII (1999): Broncos 34, Falcons 19

Eugene Robinson dirty bird

Having received the Bart Starr Award for high moral character just a day before, Falcons safety Eugene Robinson left his wife and children in their Miami hotel room to hit up the red light district the night before Super Sunday. He was arrested for soliciting an undercover cop for $40.

The next day was a complete circus. Robinson was already labeled a goat before kickoff for distracting his teammates. And after being burned by an 80-yard touchdown pass from John Elway to Rod Smith in the second quarter, Robinson had secured his place in infamy.

Hey, at least he returned the award.

5. "Garo's Gaffe"

Super Bowl VII (1973): Dolphins 14, Redskins 7

The Perfect Season's ending was far from flawless. Leading the Redskins 14-0, Miami kicker Garo Yepremian trotted onto the field to cement the Dolphins' 17-0 record with a 42-yard kick.

Instead of kicking a field goal, Yepremian ended up juggling the ball like a slippery piglet and feebly tossed it into the hands of a Redskins defender who then pranced into the end zone for a TD.

Fortunately, the Dolphins held on for a 14-7 win and completed the only undefeated season in NFL history - at least until now. Yepremian's recognized to this day for the play, which cracks him up. That's something not many on this list can say.



 

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