Best overtimes in sports

Sunday night's Sharks-Stars Stanley Cup playoff game went four overtimes and ended at 2:24 Monday morning in the latest edition of the best moment in all of sports — sudden-death overtime in an NHL playoff game. Here's a look at postseason overtimes and how they rank with 10 being the most dramatic and 1 being a sleeping aid.

Stanley Cup playoffs: No commercials, no breaks and next goal wins. One moment you're scrambling to keep the puck out of your net, the next you’re pouring off the bench in ecstasy. Rating: 10.

NBA playoffs: It's the only OT where you lose interest at the start because you're still a few minutes away from potentially a dramatic finish and that's if you don’t get a rout. Rating: 3.

Baseball playoffs: Usually one run is all it takes. That means every pitch is loaded with drama and strategy and chew-on-your-nails tension. Rating: 9.

NFL playoffs: There's a problem when it's possible both teams won't even get a chance with the ball. Then you're talking about a coin flip deciding the winner. Rating: 4.

The Masters: One-hole sudden-death, meaning one bad shot, one bad lie, one yipped putt can ruin four days of great golf. Rating: 8.

U.S. Open (golf): Wait, I have to come back tomorrow and watch another 18 holes? Rating: 1.

U.S. Open (tennis): A seven-point tiebreak ends too quickly and seems unfair. Rating: 3.

World Cup: Soccer fans really hate penalty kicks, but for the rest of us, it's the rare time we will stop and watch. Rating: 7.

Comments

Gee, another Best/Worst list. How novel.

"Sites of Interest

* Dead Spin
* The Big Lead
* ESPN's Page 2"

Nice bibliography.

[joe hillman]

i'll still take college football's overtime (kansas rules) over the nfl's. at least both teams touch the ball.

college (and high school) basketball is way too long of overtime. there's no need for an additional four or five minutes. three minutes is sufficient, two minutes would actually be enough.