While I haven’t seen too many amazing sports events in person, (I think the best would be the Michigan state cross-country meet my senior year, but I was a part of that, so I don’t think it counts) I was pondering the other day as to the most memorable sporting events that I remember watching. The criteria for making such a list:
1. While it was going on, I remember thinking, during the event, “I can’t believe this is actually happening. This is something that I will be putting on a ‘most memorable sports events’ list one day, that I may put up on a web log (blog) if I ever cave in and make one because of a boring day at work.
2. I will have been so amazed/excited that I actually stood up and yelled and cheered.
I would tell you all to feel free to say something, remind me of something I should have put on there, but I know no one actually reads this, so the point is moot. On with the list.
1. While it was going on, I remember thinking, during the event, “I can’t believe this is actually happening. This is something that I will be putting on a ‘most memorable sports events’ list one day, that I may put up on a web log (blog) if I ever cave in and make one because of a boring day at work.
2. I will have been so amazed/excited that I actually stood up and yelled and cheered.
I would tell you all to feel free to say something, remind me of something I should have put on there, but I know no one actually reads this, so the point is moot. On with the list.
10. 1996 Summer Olympics – Women’s Gymnastics Team Final
Yeah, yeah, I know. Kerri Strug has a really high voice, let’s make fun of her, big deal, so she did a vault with a sprained ankle. Just imagine little 12 year old Logan in the basement of our first Livonia house, sitting on dad’s old brown chair on the yellow/orange smokey shag carpet, watching late at night while everyone else has gone to sleep. Big crush on Dominque Moceanu. (She was cute. Look at her. You can’t judge me, I was 12.) We were against the Russians! I was patriotic! We never win women’s gymnastics! Well, we did win, and I was pretty excited.Bonus points for being the first time I remember watching late night sports and then celebrating by myself, starting a grand Logan tradition. What a pathetic great life I lead. She's cute..but married.
I know, I know, I can’t believe gymnastics is on here either. It’s only #10. I needed a # 10, all the other ones are better.
9. 1999 Ryder Cup - United States comes back to win
So I have a secret, guilty pleasure. I like watching golf. Only on certain occasions – Sunday afternoon, nothing to do, and names that I know. I have to know who’s playing. So one day while I’m 15 I flip on golf to find the Ryder Cup. U.S. vs the World. I’m a patriotic guy (see #10) and I love watching the U.S. win, so I was disappointed to see them so far behind, but the announcer mentioned that the U.S. was making a big comeback. So I watched…and everything went in. I’m sure I don’t appreciate good golf as much as I should, but we just kept winning and we were so excited and I was excited too.
8. 2006 Tour de France – Floyd Landis’ breakaway mountain win
I know it seems like he was taking illegal enhancements or steroids or whatever. Everybody else was, too. Throw that out, don’t think about it.
This was awesome. Landis was out, he wasn’t going to win. He had bonked the day before, and was too far behind. Everyone had counted him out. After 7 years of Lance domination, the Tour de France was going to be won by a non-American. I don’t know how many of you have tried to bike up a mountain lately, but it sucks. I remember turning the TV on, just to see how the Tour was doing today – and the announcers were amazed. Floyd had taken off on a breakaway (good for him! That’s the way to do it. Leave it all out there.) alone and was just destroyed the field. Everyone thought that he would die…and he didn’t. I can’t just imagine the thought that goes through his mind – screw it, I’m taking off – and then he does and wins.
I love watching Americans win in France, when they can’t. Kinda reminds me of World War I…World War II..
I know it seems like he was taking illegal enhancements or steroids or whatever. Everybody else was, too. Throw that out, don’t think about it.
This was awesome. Landis was out, he wasn’t going to win. He had bonked the day before, and was too far behind. Everyone had counted him out. After 7 years of Lance domination, the Tour de France was going to be won by a non-American. I don’t know how many of you have tried to bike up a mountain lately, but it sucks. I remember turning the TV on, just to see how the Tour was doing today – and the announcers were amazed. Floyd had taken off on a breakaway (good for him! That’s the way to do it. Leave it all out there.) alone and was just destroyed the field. Everyone thought that he would die…and he didn’t. I can’t just imagine the thought that goes through his mind – screw it, I’m taking off – and then he does and wins.
I love watching Americans win in France, when they can’t. Kinda reminds me of World War I…World War II..
7. 2001 World Series - Arizona Diamondbacks beats New York Yankees
I hate the Yankees. A baseball team from some po-dunk town in Arizona (does anyone know what city theyre from? They’re from a state! Goodness.) finds a way to beat the Evil Empire. Come-back win, 9th Inning, Game 7. Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling pitching from the mound…and big pandemonium ensues when Luis Gonzalez’ hit drops and the Diamondbacks win. Great baseball drama. Love it.
6. June 12, 2007 - Justin Verlander throws a no-hitter against the Milwaukee Brewers I only saw the last half-inning of this game. Connor calls me up one day after work and tells me that verlander is three outs away from a no-hitter. I don’t get Detroit baseball in Seattle, but luckily ESPN turned over to watch the last half inning. It was amazing. Pure adrenaline up there. You knew before he threw the pitch it was going to be a strike. The crowd was amazingly loud. I was jumping up and down yelling at my brother over the phone. Strike. Strike. Strikeout. Strike Strike Strikeout. Groundout. I’m pretty sure that’s how it went. It was great.
5. 2007 Fiesta Bowl - Boise State beats Oklahoma
This game was ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. Again, watching alone in the middle of the night. Dad had stayed up with me for a lot of it but went to bed. I don’t really have a connection to either team – if anything, BSU annoys me because I know too many people from Boise. But seriously. 50 yard hook and ladder lateral to tie the game with seven seconds left?? Are you kidding me?? 5 foot 7 halfback throwing a touchdown pass? A statue of liberty play on the two-point conversion to win the game?? Are you freaking kidding me?? MVP proposes to his cheerleader girlfriend after the game?? And the underdog won the game. I wanted to put this at #8, cause I don’t have a real personal connection with either team, but while thinking about it and writing about it I am definitely moving it up. This was awesome.4. 2006 - Detroit Tigers beat Oakland to qualify for World Series
Walk-off home run puts the Tigers in the World Series. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t the biggest tigers fan when I moved to Detroit. But I always knew – one day they would turn it around, and sooner rather than later. No one really believed me.So when they tigers took off last year (I think ive talked about this already) I was ready. The team all waiting for Magglio to get home so they can start celebrating is the picture on my desktop at work. What a great moment for a city in the midst of the declining automobile industry. I love the Tigers.
3. 2006 - Italy beats Germany in World Cup Semi-Final
Again, alone for this moment. I don’t know how many people really understand how much I love sports. I really thought Italy was about to lose this game. We really didn’t look good in that extra time. And then all of a sudden…we scored. It was perfect. And then Del Piero scored the second goal a few minutes later to finish the Germans off. Take that Germany. I liked how it was still in the game, I loved how perfect it feels when somebody finally scores in a soccer match, and I love how when I jumped in celebration my wrists went straight into the ceiling fan that was on above my head. That hurt. Forza Italia!!!
I know everyone remembers the France game, with Zidane’s headbutt and the penalty kicks, but I was in a car driving across New Jersey with Mallorie giving me the play by play over the phone. That was so funny. “Uh..oh my gosh! The French guy just headbutted the Italian player?” “what? Mal? You have got to be kidding me.” “No! I’m serious!” “What happened! Mal!” “I don’t know, don’t get mad at me! He just all of a sudden went crazy and headbutted the Italian player and they gave him a red card!” Mal’s on a mission right now and can’t read this, but I’m sure she’d appreciate getting a shout-out here. She certainly had to deal with enough of my obsession with the Pistons. (See #2)
2. 2003 – Detroit comes back to beat Orlando, 4 games to 3. aka the awakening of Tayshaun Prince
Honestly, this was a hard choice. I had to put the Pistons here. I love them, and I was gone when they won the championship. I celebrated that through an email from my mom. I could have put when they beat Cleveland last year. Honestly the first moment that pops into my mind is Rasheed Wallace leaving to guard Manu Ginobili, leaving the most clutch 3 point shooter in history, Robert Horry, open in the corner to knock down the 3 that put the Spurs over the Pistons. Everyone talks about the Spurs Dynasty, but if Sheed hadn’t made that bonehead play….
So I put here a moment that I shared with Chris and Nathaniel in Amy’s basement. All the Livonia Ward people hanging out, something we did not do often enough. (Biggest regret of my high school career.) After watching some scary movie, (the ring maybe? I hate scary movies) turning on the game. Detroit was down 3 – 1, Tracy McGrady had just guaranteed victory, called the series over…and then started getting guarded by a new guy, Tayshaun Prince. 3 games later, Detroit was moving on to the next series. I love the Pistons.
1. Super Bowl XXXII, 1998 – Denver Broncos beat Green Bay Packers, 31-24
Football was the first sport that I loved. I loved football. I loved the Denver Broncos. I loved John Elway. I had his posters all over my room. I pretended I was him. I won multiple seasons as him on video games. I wanted to be him.
So when the Broncos finally beat the Packers in what SI called at the time, “The Greatest Super Bowl Ever” I don’t know if I have ever been so happy. We won. The Super Bowl.
It was a great game. 14 year old veteran John Elway throwing himself into the air, getting hit by two defenders and spinning around in order to gain a first down. Terrell Davis out for a quarter with migraine headaches, but going back in cause he wanted to win. Green Bay is in the lead…Denver in the lead…back and forth…and then the victory. My childhood idol has won his championship. My boyhood dream was realized. The Broncos had won the Super Bowl.
So, there you go. My list. This will be fun to read again someday.
I know everyone remembers the France game, with Zidane’s headbutt and the penalty kicks, but I was in a car driving across New Jersey with Mallorie giving me the play by play over the phone. That was so funny. “Uh..oh my gosh! The French guy just headbutted the Italian player?” “what? Mal? You have got to be kidding me.” “No! I’m serious!” “What happened! Mal!” “I don’t know, don’t get mad at me! He just all of a sudden went crazy and headbutted the Italian player and they gave him a red card!” Mal’s on a mission right now and can’t read this, but I’m sure she’d appreciate getting a shout-out here. She certainly had to deal with enough of my obsession with the Pistons. (See #2)
2. 2003 – Detroit comes back to beat Orlando, 4 games to 3. aka the awakening of Tayshaun Prince
Honestly, this was a hard choice. I had to put the Pistons here. I love them, and I was gone when they won the championship. I celebrated that through an email from my mom. I could have put when they beat Cleveland last year. Honestly the first moment that pops into my mind is Rasheed Wallace leaving to guard Manu Ginobili, leaving the most clutch 3 point shooter in history, Robert Horry, open in the corner to knock down the 3 that put the Spurs over the Pistons. Everyone talks about the Spurs Dynasty, but if Sheed hadn’t made that bonehead play….
So I put here a moment that I shared with Chris and Nathaniel in Amy’s basement. All the Livonia Ward people hanging out, something we did not do often enough. (Biggest regret of my high school career.) After watching some scary movie, (the ring maybe? I hate scary movies) turning on the game. Detroit was down 3 – 1, Tracy McGrady had just guaranteed victory, called the series over…and then started getting guarded by a new guy, Tayshaun Prince. 3 games later, Detroit was moving on to the next series. I love the Pistons.1. Super Bowl XXXII, 1998 – Denver Broncos beat Green Bay Packers, 31-24
Football was the first sport that I loved. I loved football. I loved the Denver Broncos. I loved John Elway. I had his posters all over my room. I pretended I was him. I won multiple seasons as him on video games. I wanted to be him.
So when the Broncos finally beat the Packers in what SI called at the time, “The Greatest Super Bowl Ever” I don’t know if I have ever been so happy. We won. The Super Bowl.
It was a great game. 14 year old veteran John Elway throwing himself into the air, getting hit by two defenders and spinning around in order to gain a first down. Terrell Davis out for a quarter with migraine headaches, but going back in cause he wanted to win. Green Bay is in the lead…Denver in the lead…back and forth…and then the victory. My childhood idol has won his championship. My boyhood dream was realized. The Broncos had won the Super Bowl.
So, there you go. My list. This will be fun to read again someday.
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