The odds would align with the Wizards chances to win the NBA title this year at the start of the playoffs or the last at large teams in the NCAA tournament to win the championship, i.e, NC State or Tennessee. In terms of equivalent tournament upsets, as someone mentioned, it would rival Greece winning the 2004 Euro.
You don't see odds of this size for playoff teams in the NFL, MLB or NHL. You really only see them in the NBA and NCAAB, although no team ever actually won as this much of a long shot. It would be the equivalent of a #7 or #8 seed from the lesser conference winning during a year there are dominant top teams or a #12-#13 winning the NCAA tourney.
It would not rival the Miracle on Ice, not even close. That US team was something like 800/900-1 pre-Olympics to win the gold.
You don't see odds of this size for playoff teams in the NFL, MLB or NHL. You really only see them in the NBA and NCAAB, although no team ever actually won as this much of a long shot. It would be the equivalent of a #7 or #8 seed from the lesser conference winning during a year there are dominant top teams or a #12-#13 winning the NCAA tourney.
It would not rival the Miracle on Ice, not even close. That US team was something like 800/900-1 pre-Olympics to win the gold.
Good stuff. Never heard the exact odds of the hockey team.
Is it safe to say that the miracle on ice is the greatest upset in the history of sports?
In terms of them winning the gold over the course of the tournament I believe so, but I had actually heard a one game "upset" many considered Chaminade Universities 1982 win over No.1 Virginia Cavaliers to be the biggest one game upset of all-time. That Virginia Team was led by Ralph Sampson and was fresh off two dominant wins over Patrick Ewing's Georgetown team and Hakeem Olajuwon's Houston team.
At the time I believe Chaminade was an NAIA school with a total of enrollment of around 800 students. I'm sure there are others out there I'm not aware of.
+1.
Suggesting the USA winning the WC would compares to the Miracle on Ice is absurd. The US Men's soccer team today is comprised of professional players, some of whom play in the top leagues in the world.
Back in 1980, the Russians had won four straight gold medals and hammered an NHL All-Star team 6-0 not long before the Olympics. They had won something like 42 straight games coming into that semifinal game with the US. They literally never lost. Everyone else in the world was a very distant second.
That US hockey team was a bunch of college kids who trained together for a few months while the Russians trained together for years. Imagine if you allowed one coach to choose any players he wanted from the NHL, KHL, etc and another coach to only choose from a pool of today's NCAA players...yeah, that's how monumental of an upset the Miracle on Ice was. I have no idea what the betting line would have been for that game back then or if one was even posted...something like Russia -4,000 probably would have been fair.
You ou know in forget that the game against Russia was not even the gmg.
How in the hell did team USA put that incredible win behind then in such a short period of time then win another game a few days later?
Grossly overly dramatic and inaccurate. That Russian team was terrific, but no one where near what your stating. Um, THAT year they had The Russian- NHL series, and the Russians went 5-3-1. 3 loses for a team that 'nearly never lost and the rest of the world was a distant second? Cmon now. In fact Russian hockey HAS NEVER dominated to earn those bold words you typed. Sorry. Within that decade there were 3 Canada Cups-- best Vs best (fuck the so called 'World Championships', Canada never sent their top players, same for Olympics at said time). Results? Canada won twice, Russia won once.
at the 1980 Olympics Canada DID NOT have their top players
That said, USA's win was awesome.
This USA's soccer team to win it all? IMO, not a chance in hell.
.............they said that at Lake Placid, no? 
The rest of the world is already jealous that the United States dominates most sports.
Soccer and hockey are basically the only other 2 real sports the the U.S. doesn't control.
So, if the U.S. won the World Cup, it would be an indication that things are beginning to level out.
But, all would claim it as a fluke and never be able to accept it.
I think every World Cup we're seeing that much more parity/competition amongst all countries...
Soccer and hockey are basically the only other 2 real sports the the U.S. doesn't control.
So, if the U.S. won the World Cup, it would be an indication that things are beginning to level out.
But, all would claim it as a fluke and never be able to accept it.
I think every World Cup we're seeing that much more parity/competition amongst all countries...
USA will not win a WC until they change the MLS. Instead of going with weird schedules compared to European leagues. Technically, they don't have the quality yet, let them beat a great team like Holland or even Portugal and I'll recognize change is coming. Let them qualify to quarterfinals by beating another team than Mexico.
