Sports Guarantees

SI Staff | Jun 15, 2011

Sports Guarantees

Daniel Sedin

Shaun Best/Reuters

After Monday's Game 6 loss to Boston, the Canucks forward told The Vancouver Sun: "It's enough with the blaming and all that. We lose as a team and win as a team and we're going to win Game 7. We won all three games at home and we have the fourth game at home. So we have the seventh game at home and we'll take that. We are confident." Result: The Canucks were shutout 4-0 by Tim Thomas and the Bruins.

Alex Ovechkin

Gene J. Puskar/AP

With his Caps trailing 3-2 in the series following a Game 5 loss to the Penguins at home: "Next game is going to be different. It's not over yet. If somebody thinks it's over, it's not over. We're going to come back here again. Game 7." Result: Ovechkin, who had scored seven goals through five games in the series, was held without a goal in Game 6, but notched three assists in his team's 5-4 overtime victory. The Capitals went on to lose Game 7 in Washington 6-2.

Trainer Rick Dutrow

Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images

''I don't think they can beat our horse, so why should I be afraid of them? I feel as confident as I ever have with the horse. He looks better now than he ever looked. Things are as good as they can be.'' -Trainer Rick Dutrow on Big Brown's odds of winning the 2008 Belmont, despite a minor crack in the horse's hoof. Result: Big Brown went off as a 3-10 favorite but became the first Triple Crown hopeful to finish last (9th) in the Belmont Stakes.

Bill Walker and Michael Beasley

Peter G. Aiken/US Presswire

On the Jan. 30, 2008 matchup between No. 4 Kansas (20-0) at unranked Kansas State: ''I'm not scared to say it. I'm saying we'll beat them,'' said Bill Walker. "We're going to beat Kansas at home. We're going to beat them in their house. We're going to beat them in Africa. Wherever we play, we're going to beat them," said Michael Beasley. Result: Kansas State won 84-75 and broke the streak. Beasley and Walker finished with 25 and 22 points, respectively.

Plaxico Burress

Al Tielemans/SI

Asked by the New York Post whether he was ready to make history? "You better believe it." Asked for his prediction? "23-17." Result: The Giants pulled off a 17-10 upset with Eli Manning's game-winning touchdown pass to Burress with 0:35 left.

Carlos Zambrano

John Biever/SI

''I believe this year I will win the Cy Young and I will enjoy that. ''And besides that, we will win the World Series. I guarantee you that. I have the faith.'' Result: The Cubs (85-77) got knocked out of the playoffs in the first round after being swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks. As for the Cy Young, San Diego's Jake Peavy won unanimously while Zambrano finished with only three third-place votes.

Kobe Bryant

John W. McDonough/SI

Down 3-1 in the series: Bryant told the media, ''We'll win Tuesday.'' Result: The Lakers lost the game 100-89 and the championship despite Bryant's game-high 24 points.

Rasheed Wallace

AP

''All I'm saying is I'm guaranteeing Game 2. That's all I'm saying. They will not win Game 2. You heard that from me. You all print whatever you want. You put it front page, back page, middle of the page. They will not win Game 2.'' Result: The Pistons won 72-67 because of their defense. Wallace held Pacers' superstar Jermaine O'Neal scoreless in the second half after a 16-point first half. The team also finished with 19 blocks, including Tayshaun Prince's block against Reggie Miller's breakaway layup that would have tied the game. The Pistons won the series in six and would go on to win their first NBA Finals since 1990.

Tony Peña

Brad Mangin/SI

''[The losing] will stop tomorrow. I'm telling you right now we're going to win the Central Division. We're going to win it.'' Result: The Royals, who had gone 83-79 in 2003, lost five of the next six games, eventually finishing dead last in the Central Division with a 58-104 record.

Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck

David Bergman/SI

After winning the overtime coin toss: ''We want the ball, and we're going to score.'' Result: A Hasselbeck pass went for a touchdown -- but for the wrong team. Green Bay's Al Harris intercepted the ball and returned it for the game-winning touchdown, the first overtime game won by a defensive interception.

Michael Jordan

John Biever/SI

''I don't care what happens today, don't care what happened in the other series... We will win Game 7.'' Result: The Bulls won 88-83 against the Pacers and were on their way to a third straight NBA title. Jordan finished with 28 points.

Jockey Gary Stevens

Bill Frakes/SI

Just three days before the Belmont, Stevens ''guaranteed'' a victory for Silver Charm, who was seeking the Triple Crown. Result: Silver Charm lost to Touch Gold, who caught up in the last stretch, took Silver Charm's lead and won by 3/4 of a length.

Rangers captain Mark Messier

David E. Klutho/SI

Down 3-2 in a best-of-seven series against New Jersey: ''I guarantee we'll win tonight.'' Result: The Rangers overcame a 2-1 deficit thanks to Messier's miraculous hat trick. Rangers won 4-2 and eventually won the series and the Stanley Cup.

Lakers coach Pat Riley

Jayne Oncea/Icon SMI

While celebrating the Lakers 1987 Finals victory over the Boston Celtics, Riley ''guaranteed'' a repeat championship in 1988. Result: The Lakers became the first back-to-back champions in 18 seasons by winning 4-3 against the Detroit Pistons.

Jets QB Joe Namath

Tony Triolo/SI

''We're going to win Sunday. I guarantee it.'' Result: The Jets won 16-7; one of the biggest upsets in American sports history.

Muhammad Ali

Neil Leifer/SI

Before the fight, Ali told reporters he had a dream that he knocked out Sonny in the first round: "I'm not the greatest; I'm the double greatest. Not only do I knock 'em out, I pick the round." Result: Less than two minutes into the fight, Ali hit Liston with what became known as the ''phantom punch'' and Liston, who had hardly ever been knocked down, fell and lost the fight.

Babe Ruth

B. Bennett/Getty Images; AP

Up at bat in the fifth inning, Ruth pointed his bat toward center field. Result: On the next pitch Ruth hit a home run, helping the Yankees to a 7-5 win over the Cubs and eventually a World Series sweep.