Who would you label a "choker" in sports?

We're not discussing level of suckiness......or greatness.....just weather they deserve the label.  

I heard Yankee fan after Yankee fan rip his a$$ time and time and time again for failing in the playoffs.  Does that one year he came through in spades change all that?  That is the question.  

Ok so he was way bette rthan decent that year. But how about his career numbers with runners on base / in scoring position or in the playoffs?  

I do not have an axe to grind with Rod. He is obviously a great player. Unfortunately he was also a cheater (but taht really does not bother me either). But there is no doubt that he has a reputation as a player who for the most part underperformed when it mattered most.

Fair enough.

I am a Yankees fan and not really fond of A-rod, but he absolutely killed the 2009 playoffs.

I can think off the top of my head when he hit a tying home run in the 9th vs the twins, also hit a tying 9th inning homer vs the Angels, had a key 2 out, 2 run double in a tie game 4 vs the Phillies, and ofcourse that huge homer off the camera in game 3.

 I hear you in the sense that everyone of these guys are LIGHT YEARS ahead of 99% of the population. But IMO the question is who is a "choker",, in other words who does not perform when it matter the most. You can be a great player, by historical standards, but always seem to underperform in the big moment and be a "choker". Conversly you can be a career .200 hitter and hit .250 in the playoffs or when runners are in scoring position and be considered clutch.

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IMO the point is how do you perform relative to your "regular standards" when it matters the most.

The Red Sox would never have even been in the World Series if it weren't for the improbable Dave Henderson home run off Donnie Moore. Even still, the Angels needed to only take one of the last 2 games in Boston, but didn't.

Meanwhile, Buckner's error didn't lose the Series or even the game. Sox reliever Bob Stanley (the second pitcher of the inning) threw a wild pitch on a 2 strike count to plate the tying run. Prior, Calvin Schiraldi allowed a 2 out, 2 strike single to Ray Knight to keep the inning alive.

 The Sox still had a chance to win the Series with a win in game 7 but blew a 3 run lead and failed to do so. 

So many goats, chokers, and losers, but we only remember a select few.

I didn't even know about this horrible situation from the past. Dave apparently has a nice wife and 4 kids. I suppose people should be forgiven for their sins if they're sincere about it. 

I agree. IMO when we talk about a "choker" there is a huge difference between a guy who had a one time "royal F up" (Buckner) vs a guy who has a history of underperforming in the clutch (Sergio).