Favorite sports moments ever
Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 8:32 pm
I had a little time to write something like this, so now I'm asking you for your opinions as well.
What are your personal favorite sports moments? "Moment" can be defined however you choose to define it, whether it's one play or an entire season, but I'm more specific in asking you for moments that are of special importance to you. I'm not asking for your opinion on the "best" moments ever, because if I wanted a series of posts listing The Play, Gibson's home run, and the Miracle on Ice in assorted order, I could make it myself. I want to know what absolutely took over your emotions at the time and still gives you chills every time you even think about it. I don't care about the scope of the events, whether they're an international phenomenon or local events involving you, as long as they are your fondest sports memories. I made an ordered list of my top 5 complete with YouTube links, but you can answer in whatever format you choose.
(I'm using the commonly accepted definition of "sports," too, meaning unscripted athletic competition. Post whatever you like, but if you want a debate on the best professional wrestling matches of all time, you're going to have to catch me in a different topic.)
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5. January 3, 2003: The Ohio State University wins the 2002 BCS National Championship
Not terribly high on my list simply because I don't care too much for American football (especially college), but it was an exciting finish to a great season.
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4. May 31, 2007: 2007 NBA Conference Finals, Cleveland vs. Detroit, Game 5
After the previous year's disappointing exit against the same Pistons team, the Cavaliers appeared to be in danger of another Conference Finals exit at the hands of their rivals. The Cavs lost the first two games 76-79 in Detroit, with LeBron scoring a disappointing playoff career low 10 points in the first game. However, the Cavaliers worked through the unforgiving Pistons defense in games 3 and 4, sending the series back to Detroit. In Game 5, LeBron finally exploded, scoring 48 points, but far more memorably, assuming the role of the entire Cavaliers team in the end of regulation and all of overtime. LeBron scored the Cavaliers' last 25 points of the game -- 29 of the last 30 -- to win an overwhelmingly important road playoff game before closing out the series in the following game.
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3. August 5, 2001: "The Impossible Return" - Cleveland Indians erase 12-run deficit vs. Seattle Mariners
The Indians trailed the Mariners 0-12 in the bottom of the third inning, and after a little more scoring on each side, trailed 2-14 by the time they came up to bat in the bottom of the seventh. The Tribe narrowed the gap to 5-14 in the seventh, then 9-14 in the eighth. In the bottom of the ninth, the leadoff batter (Taubensee) singled, but Thome flied out to right and Branyan struck out swinging, bringing the Indians to their final out of the game. Cordova then doubled to deep left, moving Taubensee to third base. Wil Cordero walked, loading the bases for Einar Diaz. Diaz singled to left, scoring the two from second and third. Men on first and second now for Kenny Lofton, who singled to left field to load the bases again, this time for Omar Vizquel. Vizquel then hit the most exciting bases-clearing triple I've ever seen, finally tying the game in the process. The Indians eventually went on to win the game in the eleventh inning, solidifying the greatest baseball comeback I've ever witnessed.
(Sadly, no video highlights, because MLB is stupid and refuses to embrace the internet.)
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2. July 12, 1998: France wins 1998 FIFA World Cup
I was actually on vacation in Washington D.C. during the the World Cup Finals tournament, but I couldn't tell you a single memorable landmark of the city. All my memories of that summer involve sitting in the hotel room glued to the television as my beloved French squad, after having dominated the group stage, obtained exciting victories over Paraguay (1-0 Golden Goal victory), Italy (0-0 regulation, 4-3 on penalties), and Croatia (2-1, after trailing 0-1), before finally achieving a decisive 3-0 victory over powerhouse Brazil. Those in the United States that suffer from generational narrow-mindedness (if the USA didn't invent it, it's not worth my time!) or an ignorant biased sports media (ESPN, Fox) may only remember Zinedine Zidane for his 2006 World Cup Final headbutt on scum-of-the-Earth Marco Materazzi, but I will always remember him for his unbelievable perfomance throughout the 1998 World Cup.
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Summer X Games VII. Skateboard Vert Final.
Bucky Lasek, aiming to win this event for the third consecutive year, delivered a fantastic run. His 95.50 score virtually guaranteed him the three-peat, and if the score wasn't good enough by itself, there was the reassurance that only one skater remained.
Unfortunately for Bucky, the remaining skater was Bob Burnquist, and what followed was the single greatest skateboarding run in history.
1. August 18, 2001: The 98
What are your personal favorite sports moments? "Moment" can be defined however you choose to define it, whether it's one play or an entire season, but I'm more specific in asking you for moments that are of special importance to you. I'm not asking for your opinion on the "best" moments ever, because if I wanted a series of posts listing The Play, Gibson's home run, and the Miracle on Ice in assorted order, I could make it myself. I want to know what absolutely took over your emotions at the time and still gives you chills every time you even think about it. I don't care about the scope of the events, whether they're an international phenomenon or local events involving you, as long as they are your fondest sports memories. I made an ordered list of my top 5 complete with YouTube links, but you can answer in whatever format you choose.
(I'm using the commonly accepted definition of "sports," too, meaning unscripted athletic competition. Post whatever you like, but if you want a debate on the best professional wrestling matches of all time, you're going to have to catch me in a different topic.)
---
5. January 3, 2003: The Ohio State University wins the 2002 BCS National Championship
Not terribly high on my list simply because I don't care too much for American football (especially college), but it was an exciting finish to a great season.
---
4. May 31, 2007: 2007 NBA Conference Finals, Cleveland vs. Detroit, Game 5
After the previous year's disappointing exit against the same Pistons team, the Cavaliers appeared to be in danger of another Conference Finals exit at the hands of their rivals. The Cavs lost the first two games 76-79 in Detroit, with LeBron scoring a disappointing playoff career low 10 points in the first game. However, the Cavaliers worked through the unforgiving Pistons defense in games 3 and 4, sending the series back to Detroit. In Game 5, LeBron finally exploded, scoring 48 points, but far more memorably, assuming the role of the entire Cavaliers team in the end of regulation and all of overtime. LeBron scored the Cavaliers' last 25 points of the game -- 29 of the last 30 -- to win an overwhelmingly important road playoff game before closing out the series in the following game.
---
3. August 5, 2001: "The Impossible Return" - Cleveland Indians erase 12-run deficit vs. Seattle Mariners
The Indians trailed the Mariners 0-12 in the bottom of the third inning, and after a little more scoring on each side, trailed 2-14 by the time they came up to bat in the bottom of the seventh. The Tribe narrowed the gap to 5-14 in the seventh, then 9-14 in the eighth. In the bottom of the ninth, the leadoff batter (Taubensee) singled, but Thome flied out to right and Branyan struck out swinging, bringing the Indians to their final out of the game. Cordova then doubled to deep left, moving Taubensee to third base. Wil Cordero walked, loading the bases for Einar Diaz. Diaz singled to left, scoring the two from second and third. Men on first and second now for Kenny Lofton, who singled to left field to load the bases again, this time for Omar Vizquel. Vizquel then hit the most exciting bases-clearing triple I've ever seen, finally tying the game in the process. The Indians eventually went on to win the game in the eleventh inning, solidifying the greatest baseball comeback I've ever witnessed.
(Sadly, no video highlights, because MLB is stupid and refuses to embrace the internet.)
---
2. July 12, 1998: France wins 1998 FIFA World Cup
I was actually on vacation in Washington D.C. during the the World Cup Finals tournament, but I couldn't tell you a single memorable landmark of the city. All my memories of that summer involve sitting in the hotel room glued to the television as my beloved French squad, after having dominated the group stage, obtained exciting victories over Paraguay (1-0 Golden Goal victory), Italy (0-0 regulation, 4-3 on penalties), and Croatia (2-1, after trailing 0-1), before finally achieving a decisive 3-0 victory over powerhouse Brazil. Those in the United States that suffer from generational narrow-mindedness (if the USA didn't invent it, it's not worth my time!) or an ignorant biased sports media (ESPN, Fox) may only remember Zinedine Zidane for his 2006 World Cup Final headbutt on scum-of-the-Earth Marco Materazzi, but I will always remember him for his unbelievable perfomance throughout the 1998 World Cup.
---
Summer X Games VII. Skateboard Vert Final.
Bucky Lasek, aiming to win this event for the third consecutive year, delivered a fantastic run. His 95.50 score virtually guaranteed him the three-peat, and if the score wasn't good enough by itself, there was the reassurance that only one skater remained.
Unfortunately for Bucky, the remaining skater was Bob Burnquist, and what followed was the single greatest skateboarding run in history.
1. August 18, 2001: The 98