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What's the greatest game/sporting event you attended in person?
LandrysFedora
Posts: 1,800 ✭✭✭✭✭
in Sports Talk
I will start with my personal favorite. Canes 49, UCLA 45. UCLA came to the Orange Bowl highly favored and on a 20 game winning streak that December day in 1998. The game was originally scheduled for September but was re-scheduled ironically due to south Florida being affected by a hurricane. The game was back and forth, the ebb and flow was crazy in this game and the old Orange Bowl was rocking! Canes pulled off the stunner on an Edgerrin James score with less than a minute left. Most exciting sporting event I've been to in person and it's not even close! What are your favorites?
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I look forward to reading everyone else's responses.
I never attended any games that necessarily would make the list. I've attended almost none since my early twenties.
I did go to a bunch of Celtics/Bruins/Red Sox games in the 80s. Glad I got to see a lot of my favorites play, especially Larry at the Garden.
Edited for spelling
1983 National Championship game Canes were a 2 TD underdog, but Nebraska couldn't defend the pass, since nobody in the Big 8 threw the ball. Kosar picked them apart all night. However, it was the fingertips of Kenny Calhoun that broke up the 2 pt conversion that gave Canes a 31-30 victory. I was 10, and could not see the pass being broken up. The crowd let me know, and that was the loudest I had ever heard the Orange Bowl.
James went for 299 that day. It was the game that brought The U back.
I, unfortunately, wasn't at that game myself. But if so I'm confident it would be at the top of my list as well. My wife who's a Miami alum was there with her dad (Miami alum also) and she correctly predicted that 31-30 score as well!
To add to that James was actually at 300 yards initially but a yard got taken away after a run play he ran was reconsidered to be a loss of a yard rather than a no gain if my memory serves me right.
Yes, for whatever reason they went back, and changed his total. UCLA would have played for the national championship, but we ruined their New Years! Turning this thread into the greatest games from The []_[]! Hope to add September 4th 2021 to the list!
Game 1 of the 2015 WS. Royals vs Mets Escobar hit the first pitch for an inside the park HR and Gordon tied it with a HR in the bottom of the 9th and the Royals won in extra innings. You just didn't leave your seat in this game.
Lafayette Grading Set
I've been fortunate enough to be able to take my son to a lot of big games over the years. My personal favorite was the 1999 Miracle Ryder Cup comeback at Brookline.
We followed Colin Montgomery and Payne Stewart for a couple hours but once the murmurs and cheers started in earnest we headed for the 18th green. It was already jammed up so we want to the 17th. About an hour later we watched Justin Leonard roll in a bomb to complete the miracle comeback.
mark
Fellas, leave the tight pants to the ladies. If I can count the coins in your pockets you better use them to call a tailor. Stay thirsty my friends......
2000 College Football National Championship game (Jan 2001).
My freshman year at Oklahoma. Beat FSU in Miami. It was amazing. Got to go with my dad, we won, got to see some of Miami and Atlanta.
Game 4 Stanley Cup finals 1981. North Stars win their only game of the series against the Islanders.
Crowd was totally into it from the start. The atmosphere was "electric"!
Sadly, I've never been to a big game either, I'm more of a watch on TV type guy. I was seriously considering going to see my Panthers play in the 2009 playoffs and thank goodness I didn't because Jake Delhomme threw 5 interceptions that game and had a fumble, he was personally responsible for 6 turnovers that game. I need a drink.
I am a Giants fan my whole life so…
…on me.
Curious about the rare, mysterious and beautiful 1951 Wheaties Premium Photos?
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Thanks, I needed that!
It’s early…don’t have too many. 😉
Curious about the rare, mysterious and beautiful 1951 Wheaties Premium Photos?
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/987963/1951-wheaties-premium-photos-set-registry#latest
I'm sorry, doubledragon is unable to respond to your message at the moment, he is drunk and passed out in the bushes. This is his phone typing this message. Have a great day.
Sometimes that’s the best way to go, though. Just go to sleep. The alternative isn’t always a better ending…or is it?
Curious about the rare, mysterious and beautiful 1951 Wheaties Premium Photos?
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/987963/1951-wheaties-premium-photos-set-registry#latest
Derek Jeter's last Yankee stadium game
1948-76 Topps FB Sets
FB & BB HOF Player sets
1948-1993 NY Yankee Team Sets
I was at the first Monday Night Football Game in old Cleveland Municipal Stadium in 1971, Browns vs. Jets.
2001 World Series game 7 to see the AZ Diamondbacks take their first championship.
My children’s. Best memories I’ll ever have from a sporting event.
Not the greatest game, but a dramatic one. June 11, 1981 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, I watched Pete Rose tie Stan Musial's National League hit record of 3,630. But after that, Nolan Ryan of the Houston Astros struck out Rose in his next three times at bat!
As the Chicago Tribune reported, "When I got that first hit I felt like 20," said Rose, who is 40 years old, "and when I struck out the next three times I felt like 40."
I can't say I've seen any particularly notable games in person. The biggest event I've attended was the 2012 Cowboys Classic - which was over roughly 15 seconds after the game started.
The BEST game I've ever attended was a Spokane Indians game on July 28, 2011 vs the Eugene Emeralds. It was a giveaway night - if any Indians player hit a grand slam, someone would win a pickup truck - IF the grand slam was in the first 9 innings. Spokane was down early, trailing 6-1 and later 7-5. They tied the game with 2 in the 8th, making it 7-7. In the bottom of the 9th, Spokane loaded the bases with 2 outs. Ruben Sierra Jr came up. He'd homered and scored twice already. He worked the count full. So, no matter what happened, this was the last chance for anybody to win a pickup - if he makes an out, we go to extras and no chance to win. If he gets on base, game over. Unless.......
BOOM.
Sierra hit a rocket the opposite way - off the Gus Johnson Ford sign in LF. Gus Johnson being the dealer giving away the pickup. The stadium went absolutely BONKERS. Comeback win, grand slam to win it with 2 outs - and somebody just won a $40,000 pickup!
Man, what a night.
Men's 100 meter race at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. One of the most anticipated race between Ben Johnson and Carl Lewis. Ben Johnson won, but was later DQ'ed for doping and was rightfully stripped of the gold medal.
Got a couple in the college football world. As a freshman at Ga Tech went down to the citrus bowl to watch them beat Nebraska and split the national championship 1990. As a UGA alum went to the BCS championship and watched them lose to Alacrapa in double OT.