OT: What was the greatest sports event you ever attended?

dougb · Post by **dougb** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 12:10 pm

1987 Canada Cup final series Soviet Union against Canada in Hamilton Ontario.

My friend's dad had an extra ticket for game 2 (of the 3 game series) and offered it to me. Canada had lost the first game 6-5 in overtime after Canada came back from a 4-1 deficit. The Canadians lead 5-4 before the Soviet Union tied the game before winning in overtime.

Game 2 was absolute bedlam. The entire arena was a cacophony of noise - cheering, chanting. Flags were waving with anticipation and there was an air of expectation (and worry). The Canadian team was a whos' who of future hall of famers - Gretzky, Lemieux, Hawerchuck, Bourque, Coffey, Goulet etc. The Soviet team was unbelieveably skillful and speedy.

Game two went back and forth as both teams played with skill and desperation. The crowd went bezerk every time Canada scored and went silent after every Soviet goal. Regulation time ended with the score deadlocked at 5 and the series went to its second overtime. In the second intermission my friend and I went down to the ticket booth and were amazed that tickets were still available for game 3 (we were real optimists!)

As the game went into overtime the crowd continued to produce an incredible amount of noise. Finally, in the first overtime period Gretzky and Lemieux teamed up to score the winning goal and the crowd went absolutely nuts.

Amazingly, game 3 in Hamilton topped game 2 - at least in drama if not in the skill level of the hockey. Within 8 minutes we and the rest of the crowd were shocked after the Soviets jumped out to a 3-0 lead. Undaunted, the crowd continued to cheer Canada on while the Canadians clawed their way back into the game. Amazingly, with under a minute left in the 3rd period the score was 5-5 for the third consecutive game and overtime loomed again. The next sequence of play will always remain burned into my mind. Canada faced off deep in their own end and managed to get the puck out. The play quickly developed into a 3 on two with Greztky and Lemieux bearing down on the Soviet goal. The puck was dropped back to Lemieux who fired a hi wrist shot into the Soviet net and the whole place went absolutely bezerk. People were practically jumping into the next row above and the emotion was incredible. The last 34 seconds ran off the clock and Canada had won the series 2 games to 1.

I think that series was the best hockey ever played and I doubt that will see anything like it again.

Best wishes,

Doug

LAking · Post by **LAking** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 12:14 pm

Game 7 of the 2000 Western Conference finals, Lakers vs. Trailblazers, the comeback. I just haven't been to enough important sporting events other than Laker playoff games. We had season seats at the time so i was able to go with a friend. I've been to plenty of fun regular season games, but all the best sporting events come in the playoffs and i simply cannot afford to go to many of those.

Slumberland · Post by **Slumberland** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 12:17 pm

The first Mets game after 9/11, when Mike Piazza hit the game-winning homerun to top the Braves. Awesome.

lexbur · Post by **lexbur** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 12:22 pm

- During college I worked as an usher at Old Cleveland Stadium. I was on the field during Elway's drive in the '87 AFC Championship game.

- First game ever at Jacobs Field in '94.

- Three World Series games at the Jake, 2 in '95 and 1 in '97.

vraknari · Post by **vraknari** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 12:23 pm

1996 NBA All Star game - got in via a press pass which got me up close and personal with all the players. No autographs [due to the pass] but tons of pictures that I'll cherish forever!!

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 12:29 pm

The Cubs-Pirates double-header last year where the Cubs completed their comeback to snag the NL Wild Card.

Runners up:

--Last game played in old Comiskey Park. Even for a Cub fan, it was really special.

--Game 3 of the Cubs-Braves playoff series last year. Maddux v. Prior. Awesome stuff.

Spooky · Post by **Spooky** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 12:39 pm

Great thread!

Umm...mine would have to be Wrigley Field, 1998 sitting in the bleachers as Sammy Sosa cranked out homers #61 & #62. Pretty special. Went down with a couple buddies and got bleacher seats for face value on the street.

lexbur · Post by **lexbur** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 12:40 pm

RobVarak wrote:--Last game played in old Comiskey Park. Even for a Cub fan, it was really special.

Yeah, I was at the last Tribe game at Cleveland Stadium. After the game the groundscrew came out in tuxedos and white gloves and ceremoniously dug up home plate so it could go to Cooperstown. What a special day that was.

I actually had to fight back the tears a couple months later when I went down at lunch one day and watched them slam a wrecking ball into that beautiful old building.

Great thread.

Post by **ScoopBrady** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 12:42 pm

The game Walter Payton broke the rushing record at Soldier Field against the Saints. I will never forget that run for the rest of my life.

Bill_Abner · Post by **Bill_Abner** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 12:43 pm

2002
50 yard line seats
Ohio State 14
Michigan 9

Tears.

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 12:44 pm

Oh, there have been many that were great for me personally. One that sticks out is the '82 NFC Championship game at RFK, because for me it was the first of it's kind, and since I was young it is deeply ingrained.

With my voice still hoarse and my ears still ringing from the chants of 'we want Dallas' the previous week, and the knowledge that the Cowboys were the only team to beat the Skins that shortened season, the anticipation was unbelievable. The fact that the only other time the Redskins had won an NFC Championship since well before the Super Bowl was dreamed up had been a game against Dallas at RFK, spirits were high.

Seeing Riggins introduced the way he always was, invisible to the crowd until after his name was announced last, he ran from deep in the tunnel as the crowd exploded; Dexter swinging around on a stunt, coming up the middle, hammering punter Danny White (playing QB of course), forcing a fumble, and knocking White out of the game; big Darryl Grant catching a tipped ball and rumbling in for the score; Coach Gibbs being carried off the field on the shoulders of his mighty Hogs; that was pretty amazing stuff. When you sit 4 rows from the top of the stadium, and you can feel the structure beneath you oscillating up and down, vibrating with the pounding of thousands of feet, that sort of sticks with you, since it didn't happen very often, and never anymore.

Never been to a WS game. Never been to a SC Final game. Never been to an Army-Navy game. All of those I want to do. Especially the Army-Navy game.

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 12:51 pm

1999 NFC Championship game between the Rams and the Bucs'. What a chess match of a game, capped off by an amazing throw from Warner to Proehl to put the Rams ahead with just a minute left in the game. The Bucs' sure made it scary at the end. It was the loudest crowd I've ever been a part of.

kevinpars · Post by **kevinpars** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 1:02 pm

I have 2.

FSU 20 - UF 12. The Rooster's only win. If Spurrier was ever going to win a game at Doak, that was it. This game included a lot of memorable plays - an easy pick by UF that turned into a deflection to Peter Warrick for 6, a flea flicker by Warrick to Dugans for another TD, plus the pleasure of watching Spurrier and Bob Stoops bickering on the sideline after losing containment on Outzen and giving up yet another first down.

Another special game I had the pleasure of seeing was Maryland at UNC at the Dean Dome in 1986. It was the year the DD opened, and I had been to all of the games, but this was the first UNC defeat and it came in overtime due to an incredible game by Len Bias.

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 1:11 pm

The greatest as far as most important game I've ever attended was the 1997 AFC Championship Game in Pittsburgh vs. Denver. Second would be Game Four of 1992 NLCS.

The most memorable game I attended was the first game of a double-header between the Pirates and Phillies on August 5th, 1979. The Pirates capped a huge comback with a John Milner grand slam off Tug McGraw for a 12-8 victory. Two things stick out in my mind: 1) Milner pinch hit for Steve Nicosia who was 5-5 and 2) Prior to Milner's grand slam he pulled a pitch deep and *just* foul to tease us.

Post by **Jared** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 1:12 pm

USA 3, Portugal 2, 2002 World Cup - Suwon, S. Korea

Biggest win by the USA since 1950. I was 15 rows behind the goal where we scored the three first half goals. Huge win, US fans going crazy, Portugal stunned...it was awesome.

USA 1, Korea 1, 2002 World Cup - Daegu, S. Korea

Not really for the game, but for the atmosphere. Koreans are crazy for their soccer, and the crowd was just frenzied the entire game. Friedel's PK save was amazing.

Florida 32, Florida State 29, 1997 - Gainesville, FL.

That game was amazing. Great comeback, and probably the loudest I've ever heard the Swamp get.

Florida, 52, Florida State 20, 1996 Sugar Bowl, New Orleans.

Because it was Florida 1st (and only) national championship and I was there.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 1:13 pm

My decision is influenced as much by my company and what happened in the stands as the game itself:

1. 1981 Big East basketball final. Syracuse beats Villanova in triple overtime at the Carrier Dome on a jumper by Leo Rautins with no time left. I was 15, with my older brothers, who bought me many beers!

2. Any Indianapolis 500 that I've attended or worked (1990, 1998-2004). It's the greatest sporting event in the world. Period. Ask anyone who has been there in person.

3. 2000 United States Grand Prix. It was the first USGP at Indy, with 220,000 fans from around the world waving flags, tooting air horns, holding banners. What a cool scene that was so much different than any other crowd at Indy. It was a World Cup soccer crowd at a motor race. Too cool.

4. 2001 United States Grand Prix. The first major sporting event in the world after 9/11. Tons of pride, tons of fellowship among all fans, American and foreign. I was very, very proud to be an American that day while working the race.

5. Bills' regular-season victory over Miami in 2002 at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Was driven from Syracuse to Buffalo and back in a Hummer limo with my brother and his customers. One of my best friends, who isn't a huge sports fan and never had been to an NFL game, went with us. We had a riot. Tons of food, booze, fun, and what a game. The Bills spanked the hated Dolphins, and I loved how the PA boomed "Let it Snow" by Frank Sinatra when the blizzard rolled in off Lake Erie at the beginning of the fourth quarter. The Dolphins were finished mentally right when that storm started. Insanely fun trip.

6. National Sports Festival, Syracuse, 1981. Remember this event? It was essentially the U.S. Olympics every year, the second-biggest sporting event for U.S. amateur athletes outside of the Olympics. Syracuse was the host in 1981, and I remember seeing Herschel Walker compete in the sprints, Skeets Nehemiah in the hurdles, Alberto Salazar in the 10,000 and watching all sorts of other cool competitions, such as gymnastics, cycling and table tennis. Insane fun, as we passed out samples of Gatorade gum to benefit our high school's cross country and track program and had a free pass to any event because of that.

7. Syracuse Crunch vs. Rochester Americans, Game 7, Calder Cup quarterfinals, 2004. Syracuse and Rochester are archrivals, and this game last spring at the Syracuse War Memorial was one of the loudest, most intense sporting events I've ever attended. Went with my brother and about five of our friends, and all of us lost our voices by the end of the game. Just proves that some of the most intense sporting events aren't major league or NCAA Division I sporting events.

8. Soviet Red Army team vs. Buffalo Sabres, 1989, Buffalo War Memorial Auditorium. The Soviet Red Army team is simply the greatest hockey team I've ever seen, in person or on TV, and I was lucky enough to see them live. Every player was an incredible skater and stick-handler, and I think the Soviets could have played keep-away from the Sabres for the entire 60 minutes if they wanted to. I had seats at the end of the rink, so it was breathtaking to see the Soviets break out from their end, doing a three-man weave through the neutral zone and then watching the forwards play tic-tac-toe with passes in their offensive zone. Incredible.

9. Friday night races, Major Taylor Velodrome, Indianapolis, May 2004. A good friend and work colleague of Neck and I is a Category 1 track cyclist in Indianapolis. He races Friday nights at the Major Taylor Velodrome, and Neck and I went to watch him race one Friday night last May while I was in Indy working the 500. Man, track cycling races are bad-ass. Intense, fast competition with a lot of contact and jostling among cyclists and close sprint finishes nearly every race. Way cool.

Take care,
PK

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 1:38 pm

Fernando Valenzuela's no hitter against the Cardinals or the 98 playoff game when the Braves finished off the sweet AT Wrigley.

Either those, or the 96 Rose Bowl (when I attended ASU) when they played Ohio State. Of course the Sun Devils lost. Starting my hatred for Ohio State...

So it's not just the 2002 championship game that makes me hate the luckeyes...it's the culmination of both of those games.

RallyMonkey · Post by **RallyMonkey** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 1:52 pm

2001 Super Bowl

Hit the season ticket holder lottery and found out the week before. Had to fly out of an airport two states over just to get there. Holed up at Tulane with a cousin who was a senior. Partied like a rock star on Bourbon Street for two days. THEN:

Watched as scalpers were nearly GIVING tickets away thanks to the two TD spread and then watched as my Patriots knocked the crap out of the Rams for three quarters, watched the Rams make a mad run, then saw arguably one of the top 5 drives in the history of football before Vinatieri knocked through the game winner.

Best part, the class of the St. Louis fans after. Unlike some teams fans, they congratulated the Pats fans and accepted the fact that on that day, for those 3 hours, we were the better team.

Good stuff.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 1:53 pm

lexbur wrote:- Three World Series games at the Jake, 2 in '95 and 1 in '97.

The first two hurt...

Danimal · Post by **Danimal** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 2:00 pm

Good Topic.

1. Tate George hits game winner over Clemson. All my friends had walked out and I was standing at the top of the steps to watch the final 1.7 (or was it 1.

They were all so pissed.

2. UConn beats Duke in NCAA finals. I won so much money off of this game it was silly.

3. Mike Singeltary final game at Solider field. As a life long Bears growing up in Connecticut, I will never forget how cold it was at this game.

4. My first Bears game at Solider field, against the Giants on Monday night. I just moved to the city 3 days prior and my buddy works for the Giants. Couldn't tell you who won, just remember thinking I'm at F-ing solider Field.

Andy76 · Post by **Andy76** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 2:16 pm

1998 Tennessee vs. Florida

Vols beat the Gators for the first time in five years in OT, 20-17. The goal posts were down in a matter of seconds when UF's field goal was wide right. Of course, that win propelled UT to the national championship that year.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 2:25 pm

Soccer ones mainly, I'm afraid..

1. Div 2 playoff final 1999. Man City 2-0 down with 1 minute to go, get one back, then 5 mins of injury time are displayed on the board. Cue second goal, pandemonium in the City end, and City go on to win promotion on penalties.

2. Man City v Man Utd, Sept 1989. City back in the topflight for the first time in a few years, poor start to the season, missing best striker and best midfielder. Cue youngsters playing out of their skins, 5-1 thrashing and bouncing on air all the way home.

Best one outside the UK was the Aussie Rules Grand Final, Sept 1997. Was working over there for 6 months, and someone from the firm I worked for had tickets. The sport itself is very tedious, but excellent stadium and atmosphere, plus loads of (non-Aussie) beers.

Kazuya · Post by **Kazuya** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 2:30 pm

I saw Emmitt run past Payton in 2002 against the Seahawks (and got to shake Walter's brother's hand) and I watched Nolan Ryan fan 16 Blue Jays in 1991 for no-hitter #7. The no-hitter was by far the more electrifying of the two, but they were both cool moments.

seanmac31 · Post by **seanmac31** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 2:43 pm

1) Game one of the 1998 World Series, watching the best baseball team in history rally from the comfort of bleacher seats a good five hundred feet away. In twenty degrees. It was a blast.

2) Painful, but a memorable game. I was at the Dan Marino fake spike game, the one that sent the Jets from being a 7-5 team on the cusp of playoff contention straight into the Rich Kotite years. I was in the men's room when we were up by seventeen, and being Jets fans, everyone had a bad feeling about what was going to happen in the second half...

3) Memorable in a good way was the 2002 wild card game, Jets 41 Colts 0. I was living in Phoenix, but a ticket came free in the last minute and I flew across the country. Completely worth it.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Fri Sep 10, 2004 2:48 pm

1) 1986 MNF game at Soldier field Rams vs Bears....rematch of the 85 NFC champ game..........Couldnt here myself think till Mike Lansford hit a 51 yd FG on games last play to win the game...then I could here the players on the field.....AWESOME experience

2) 2001 Rams vs Dolphins in StLouis......Rams totally dismantled the Phins ....I think it was 42-10 but the game wasnt as close as the score.......