27 to cherish

I love lists. So today’s post? A list.

My 27 favorite moments in sports. Some of these are “Steve favorite team, driver, or golfer” related. Some of them, have nothing to do with a team I root for (in one instance, I hate both teams involved … but it’s still the greatest football game I’ve ever watched, and one of the great “wow!” finishes in any sporting event ever, especially given what was at stake). And one of these is the scariest moment I’ve ever witnessed. I was absolutely convinced I had just seen my favorite driver die. Somehow … he lived to not only race again, he posted the fastest qualifying time at the Indy 500 barely 20 months later before retiring for good.

Where possible, I’ve linked to the clip on youtube! or other internet sites. And yeah, some of these everyone knows about, some of these matter only to me. But all of them are memorable in their own way.

The only restriction? The play had to occur in my lifetime. So while there are many, many memorable sports moments prior to January 3, 1977 … they are ineligible for this. (I’m specificially thinking of you, pick a play from Super Bowl IV ...)

27. Stephane Matteau scores in double overtime in game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals, to lift the New York Rangers into the Stanley Cup Finals, 1994.

One of the coolest moments in hockey history. Capped off a spectacular comeback, and ultimately the Rangers got the jinx off their backs, winning the Stanley Cup in seven games over the Canucks.

26. Tiger Woods’ 50 plus foot birdie chip on the 16th at Augusta, final round, 2005 Masters.

My favorite hole in golf. And this is just one reason why. Yes, I hate Eldrick T. Woods. But damn, if this doesn’t get you smiling just a little bit. What I wouldn’t give for one shot like this.

25. Kirk Gibson’s home run in the bottom of the 9th, Game One of the 1988 World Series.

Everyone knows this play. And with good reason. This one sends chills down my spine every time I see it. Awesome moment.

24. Joe Nedney misses … nope, he made it! In overtime, at denver, 2006 season finale.

The kick that completed the Immactulate Fourfecta that somehow, some way, got the 2006 Chiefs into the playoffs.

23. Payne Stewart birdies the 18th at Pinehurst to win the US Open, 1999.

Yeah, he beat my favorite golfer (Phil Mickelson) to accomplish this. But I always loved Payne Stewart as well. Sadly, he would die less than three months later in a tragic plane accident. If you’ve never read the SI recap of the 1999 US Open, you need to. Payne Stewart was one of the greatest human beings to ever walk this planet. After reading the article linked here, you’ll understand why. We need more Payne Stewart’s in this world, and a helluva lot less Tiger Woods type people.

22a. Guy Carbonneau (temporarily) saves the Stars season, scoring to tie the game with 1:23 to play, game 5, 1998 Western Conference Finals.

22b. Jamie Langenbrunner ultimately wins the draw to open overtime, shoots the puck on the net … and scores! Game 5, 1998 Western Conference Finals.

The 1997 Stars had hockey’s best record. The 1999 Stars were the team that won the Stanley Cup. The 2000 Stars made it back to the Finals. But the 1998 team was the best of the bunch. Trailing 3-1 to the eventual Cup champion Red Wings, the Stars returned home for game 5. Detroit scored two early goals, Dallas answered one of them, and as the clock painfully wound down, it looked like the season was over.

Until Guy Carbonneau, an afterthought forward playing on the third line, stole the puck, stormed in on Chris Osgood, wrapped behind the net, and fired a bullet into the back of the goal with 90 seconds left, to tie the game at 2. In a basement in Lenexa, this (at the time) hot as hell 21 year old was going crazy. I even got the “shut up down there!” warning from my mom, I was so giddy with excitement (and booze, of course).

So you can only imagine the noise level when, to open the overtime period, Jamie Langenbrunner secured the puck, and fired it on net just for the hell of it … and it went right between Chris Osgood’s legs for the win. Awesome stuff.

21. The slow roller up the line, game 6, 1986 World Series.

I know the 1985 Royals won the World Series … but the team that made me love baseball was the 1986 Mets. Trailing in the 10th by two runs, with two outs and nobody on, it looks like Boston is finally going to win the World Series. Then, after a couple hits and a questionable pitching change, Mookie Wilson hits it down the line, Bill Buckner sees it roll between his legs, Ray Knight scores, and the Mets force game seven, which they would go on to win.

20. Sam Hornish Jr. passes Marco Andretti on the final lap, 2006 Indy 500.

It’s still the greatest race I’ve ever seen in person. Four lead changes in the last six laps, two of them involving a family that is cursed at that track. And then, the final lap, the coolest 30 seconds of racing I’ve ever been privileged enough to have paid to witness. I’ve always said people who don’t like racing, just need to go to a race, and they’ll change their mind. If you could attend this one and not leave a fan, you just don’t like sports period.

19. “Yes Sir!” Jack Nicklaus birdies 17 to all but wrap up a comeback for the ages, 1986 Masters.

Not even ten moments in, and Verne Lundquist makes his second appearance. And he’s got at least one more coming, via the finish to (arguably) the greatest college basketball game ever played.

18. Grbac. Rison. Touchdown. Week 2, 1997.

The best part is still the commentary post-touchdown, as Frank, Al and Dan are just piling on the pathetic raiders. And then Al drops the all time classic “And Andre Rison has just burned al davis’ house to the ground. If you know what I mean”. I miss the old MNF crew. I really, really, really miss those guys.

17. Tomas Scheckter takes out Kenny Brack at Texas Motor Speedway, final race of the 2003 IRL season.

Warning: not for the squeamish, the easily terrified, or folks who can’t handle stomach-turning crashes. Kenny Brack was my favorite open wheel driver. Somehow, he lived through this. I’d be lying if I said I knew how, other than the IndyCar design is by far and away the safest designed race car in the world. Just watch the clip. He not only lived … he suffered no permanent damage. Unreal.

And call me crazy – but when a wreck is so horrific that the officials call the race as a result of it occurring (even Brian Barnhart and the IRL were convinced they’d just seen a guy die), it’s pretty memorable.

16a. David Ortiz homers in the 10th to win game four, 2004 ALCS.
16b. David Ortiz singles home the game winner in the 14th to win game five, 2004 ALCS.

It’s the greatest postseason series in baseball history. It ended 90 years of domination, 90 years of frustration and amazing defeats. And it was all fueled by a stolen base in the 9th inning of game four. I can’t decide which Ortiz hit was more memorable, so I picked them both.

15. John Starks posterizes Michael Jordan, game two, 1993 Eastern Conference Finals.

My favorite play in NBA history. I literally had to have stitches after this game, and still have the scar on my left hand to this day, from where I got so excited seeing this live, that I lept off the couch, raised said left hand as a fist into the air to pump it in celebration … and sent it through a light bulb, ripping open the skin between my 2nd and 3rd fingers. Yeah, I get kind of emotional about teams I like …

14. Jason Lezak rallies to somehow, someway, keep Michael Phelps dream of 8 gold medals alive, 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Dan Hicks call on the final 100 meters is absolutely awesome. As was the comeback. Again, call me crazy, but when two relatively normal guys are sitting on a couch late at night, watching swimming, and are screaming hysterically at the TV screen in celebration as this unfolds, it’s memorable. (The two “relatively normal guys” being me and Dusty, of course).

13a. Kirby Puckett saves the game by making a wall-climbing catch in the top of the 11th, game 6, 1991 World Series.
13b. Kirby Puckett wins the game with a home run blast in the bottom of the 11th, game 6, 1991 World Series.

“We’ll see you tomorrow night!” Awesome, awesome moment.

12. Christian Laettner wins the greatest college basketball game ever played, in overtime. Duke 104, Kentucky 103, 1992 East Regional final.

Another one of those moments that should send chills down everyone’s spine. And another brilliant Verne Lundquist call.

11. Robby Gordon runs out of fuel on the final lap, allowing Kenny Brack to win, 1999 Indy 500.

Couldn’t have happened to a more deserving prick. Also rules that my favorite driver was the beneficiary of his fuel calculation mistake.

10. Tamarick Vanover returns a punt in overtime to beat the defending AFC Champion Chargers on “Monday Night Football”, week 6 1995.

What everyone forgets about this game … is that the Chiefs defense held on goal-to-go inside of two minutes to play, forcing the Chargers to kick a field goal to make the score 17-10 with 1:12 to play. And then Steve Bono calmly led a touchdown-tying drive to Derrick Walker with :13 to play.

That … and this was only #10? My favorite Chiefs play ever … was only #10?!?! Holy cow! There have been some magnificent moments in my lifetime, if my favorite team’s favorite play can’t get out of the double digits on the listing …

9. “Do you believe in miracles?” USA 4, USSR 3, 1980 Lake Placid Olympics.

The HBO documentary on the 1980 US Hockey team is the best documentary they’ve ever done. And that’s saying something. I guess if I had to pick a “moment” in this game, it would be Eruzione’s goal to put the USA up for good … but come on. It’s the last ten seconds that make this. Al Michaels awesome summation of what he just witnessed. Hell yes I believe in miracles.

8. Mark McGwire hits number 62, vs Cubs, to set the all time single season home run mark, September 1998.

I don’t care if he was using every cheating substance known to man. I couldn’t turn away from the home run chase in 1998. I was bribing friends to drive the 3 ½ hours to St. Louis with me every Saturday just to see one or two games of it in person. I went to every Cubs game at the K that summer, just to say I saw Sammy Sosa. Me and Gregg even took a trip to Wrigley to see the Cubs play (it helped that his folks lived in Illinois back then). You can look back on it now with a tainted view … or you can look back on it and remember just how awesome the Chase was that summer, and smile and relive the good times, like I choose to do.

7. “Owens! Owens! He caught it! He caught it!” Terrell Owens catches a 33 yard touchdown with :03 left to lift the 49ers to a victory over the Packers, 1998 NFC Wild Card game.

That was Joe Starkey’s call as Terrell Owens scored with :03 left. Sensical nonsense, if you will. You’re in such shock over what you’ve just seen, that you just state the obvious. “He caught it! He caught it!”

It’s the greatest football game of my lifetime. And nothing else has ever come close.

That, and listen to the Madden / Summerall call too – John Madden can’t do anything other than react as a fan would – he just laughs and claps and is in euphoric shock, while Pat Summerall shows more emotion with this call than he did in 50,000 others combined, he’s genuinely excited. When you move Madden to speechlessness, and Summerall to excitement, THAT’S a play for the ages.

6. “We go to a 7th!” Dane Iorg singles home two runs, as the Royals rally to beat the Cardinals 2-1, game 6, 1985 World Series.

The only reason it doesn’t rank higher, is because I was 8, and don’t remember it as well as I should. Oh, and Cardinals fans? Orta was thrown out at third. The call DID NOT MATTER! Because he was out anyways! Ugh. I hate Cardinals fans, so pompous and arrogant, thinking they’re God’s gift to the state.

5. Phil Mickelson birdies 18 to win the 2004 Masters.

It’s not just the fact that he finally won a Major. It’s HOW he won it. He was essentially five shots behind Ernie Els as he stood on the 12th tee on Sunday (Els eagled 13 right after he teed off). 5 shots back with 7 to go. His finish?

Birdied 12.
Birdied 13.
Birdied 14 (and came within two inches of eagle).
Birdied 15.
Birdied 16.
Parred 17.
Birdied 18.

That’s how you win a major.

4. Kasey Kahne holds off Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart on a five lap sprint to the finish, to win his first ever NASCAR Sprint Cup race, Richmond spring race, 2005.

Yes, I was crying on the back deck watching this. But as bad as 2005 was for Kasey (he finished an after-thought in the Cup standings), there were still two more really cool moments I was lucky enough to witness in person. He and Tony Stewart (my two favorite drivers) dueled every one of the 160 laps that August at the Brickyard, finishing 1-2, as Stewart finally won at his home town track. And then in early October, Kasey won the Busch series race at Kansas, an awesome two lap shootout with Greg Biffle that I still have no idea how he won, only that afterwards, it was party on in the parking lot with Brett, Phil and Dusty. (You know, for a kid who says he doesn’t like racing, that Dusty guy sure shows up a lot at races … I’m just saying … it’s ok to embrace your racing fanhood – God knows if they’ll have a liberal Democrat like me in their ranks, they’ll take anybody …)

There’s only three left. Two of them eventually led to a collegiate national championship for their respective teams. The other occurred not even six months ago, and still makes me tear up whenever it gets played. Here we go …

3. Cory Schlesinger takes a simple handoff up the middle, and goes 19 yards untouched, to give Nebraska the lead, 1994 Orange Bowl.

New Years Eve 1994. My buddy Bunch was hosting a party for all of us. I was Mr. Anti Social, spending four plus hours watching this game in his living room with whoever wandered in. (Even back then, I apparently frightened people with my emotional responses to live sporting events. Yikes).

I grew up a Huskers fan. I still want to see Nebraska succeed in football, even now. But this championship, was a generation in the making. And to go into Miami, against the #3 Hurricanes, in their home stadium, and beat them, to finally give Dr. Tom his title? You betcha I cried. My favorite moment though is still the immediate reaction after the touchdown, as a completely demoralized and whipped Warren Sapp walks off the field. The look on his face is just awesome, a “why bother to try, we can’t beat these guys” look of defeat.

2. Landon Donovan scores in extra time to beat Algeria, 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Was “watching” this live at work on the espn.com Game Cast, and got so frustrated with its slow response time, that I dialed up Univision to be able to see a live feed and listen to one as well.

And as great as Ian Darke’s call was on ESPN … come on. To hear Andres Cantor screaming “GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL! GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!” is just awe-inspiring. Especially when it is your country doing the scoring. That moment was just freaking awesome. I literally was shaking from the emotion of the moment. (That, or the withdrawal from drinking the night before). Just awesome, awesome stuff.

But your undisputed winner …

1. “Chalmers for the tie … YES!” Mario Chalmers drains a top of the key three to tie Memphis, 2008 National Championship game.

If you said “Steve immediately began bawling, dropped to his knees, pounded the floor, then curled up in the fetal position for four straight minutes doing nothing but crying and screaming “YES! YES!” as Dusty and Megan alternated between looks of horror and laughing at him” was my reaction to the shot … you’d be exactly right.

And I make no apologies for it. Because that’s the beauty of sports. It brings out the best and the worst in people. But usually, the best. Which is why I love sports.

Jags stuff coming tomorrow, picks coming no later than Friday, and (sssssh!) the Chiefs open as a 4 point favorite on Sunday. I think the nation is starting to pick up on the fact that (ssssssh!) these guys aren’t half bad …