Greatest days as a sports fan you can recall?

[SabresRule]

Sometimes, as sports fans, we have those perfect days where things just break right
(Seeing a great game or having other sports-related things things go well)

What are those perfect days you can recall?

Here's mine:

New Year's Eve of 1992

My dad and I went to see my Sabres beat the Rangers in a thrilling 12-6 shootout, with Alexander Mogilny scoring a hat trick- on sombrero night!

But it gets better.

After the game, we drove to a video game store so I could purchase NHLPA Hockey '93 for the Genesis.

Talk about ringing in a happy new year!

 

[meStevo]

As a Chiefs fan and being relatively young, watching the Raiders get blown out in the Super Bowl is probably one of my greatest sports memories. A close second is watching Arizona kick themselves into the playoffs several years back right after I got out of college. I live in Vegas but went to the Art Institute for a year, and became a little bit of a Cards fan despite being a Chiefs guy. Was nice to see them succeed. Think they then got crushed in their wildcard game, but can't win them all.

 

[SabresRule]

I live in Vegas but went to the Art Institute for a year, and became a little bit of a Cards fan despite being a Chiefs guy. Was nice to see them succeed. Think they then got crushed in their wildcard game, but can't win them all.

Actually, Arizona won their wildcard game, against the Cowboys in Dallas.

It was the divisional playoffs against the Vikings where they crushed.

 

[mccoyrj]

This past college football season when LSU beat Tennessee in the SECCG, Oklahoma beat Missouri in the Big12CG, and Pitt miraculously beat WV all on the same night, putting my Tigers in the MNC.

 

[stone phillips420]

This past college football season when Appalachian state shocked the world by beating Michigan

 

[John W]

I second the Michigan game


Another great moment I was at was when Harry Oliver of Notre Dame kicked a 52 yard field goal as the clock ran out to beat Michigan in the early 80's and then the following year it appeared as though Michigan would return the favor but an ND player jumped off the back of his lineman to block the kick (yeah its an illegal play.... USC gave us paybacks a few years ago with the Bush push..... I guess if the Ref doesn't catch it then its fair play)

 

[Jimmy 440]

Game 6 1986 - Need I say more ?

 

[stone phillips420]

Game 7's of 1987 and 1991 were pretty too!

 

[Peter Parker]

MY top three are

October 20, 2004 when the Boston red Sox become the first team in baseball history to win a playoff series after being down 0-3.

October 27, 2004 when the Boston red Sox complete a 4 game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals to win their first World series in 86 years.


February 20, 1980 when the US olympic team upsets the Russians.

 

[HD MM]

August 5, 2001

Indians vs. Mariners. Nationally televised regular season game.

The Indians fell behind to the Mariners 14-2 going into the bottom of the 7th inning. Then, in what amounted to one of the greatest comebacks in all of sports, the Indians proceeded to put up 13 unanswered runs and won 15-14 in the bottom of the 10th.

As improbable as Seattle's 80-31 season has been, what occured during Sunday's nationally televised matchup was even more unlikely. Trailing 12-0 after two innings and 14-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh, the Indians matched the largest deficit ever overcome to win a baseball game.

From USA Today's Recount of the historic comeback.....

" Only twice in major league history has a team climbed out of a 12-run hole to win a game. The 1911 Detroit Tigers accomplished the feat against the Chicago White Sox on June 18, 1911 and the Philadelphia Athletics matched the accomplishment against the Indians on June 15, 1925.

But this comeback came against one of the best bullpens in the game and a team that is off to one of the best starts in history. Making the rally even more improbable was the fact that Cleveland had pulled starters Roberto Alomar, Juan Gonzalez and Ellis Burks by the seventh inning.

The Indians scored three runs in the seventh, four in the eighth and five after two were out in the ninth, the last three on Omar Vizquel's bases-loaded triple off All-Star closer Kazuhiro Sasaki.

On three occasions in the ninth, Cleveland was down to its final strike but the Indians were able to rally against a team that had lost when leading after six innings just three times in 66 previous games. "

I was one of the few who actually watched the game in it's entirety on TV. I remember calling my Dad in the 9th inning to see if he was witnessing this classic in the making. There really was something special about that day. This game ended up as an instant classic and was replayed the very next day on ESPN Classic.

 

[fhsucade07]

Sometimes, as sports fans, we have those perfect days where things just break right
(Seeing a great game or having other sports-related things things go well)

What are those perfect days you can recall?

Here's mine:

New Year's Eve of 1992

My dad and I went to see my Sabres beat the Rangers in a thrilling 12-6 shootout, with Alexander Mogilny scoring a hat trick- on sombrero night!

But it gets better.

After the game, we drove to a video game store so I could purchase NHLPA Hockey '93 for the Genesis.

Talk about ringing in a happy new year!

There are so many great sports moments that I will never forget. I'm alongside the guys that have already mentioned the Michigan - Appalachian State college football opener from last season.

Another special moment for me would probably be the last few games of the regular season and the playoffs and World Series for the Atlanta Braves in 1991. I would have only been about 9 years old at that time and, throughout my life, I would watch a losing product throughout the summer months (and through the first few innings during the school year). I don't think many kids were getting much sleep at night toward the end of the regular season that year, though. I can remember it coming down like this: The Dodgers beat the Giants and they ARE IN. We need a Giants win and we need to win ourselves to make it in. Will Clark became a hero in the Atlanta area and I can remember the last few outs of that game (as we had already won) being shown on the screen in center field (I was watching from home). There were so many tears and shouts that I don't think I will ever forget it. And, to this day, I still don't hold a grudge against the Minnesota Twins of that year. It had to be one of the best World Series I could remember. It was an equal match-up with some heroics by Kirby Puckett, midnight comebacks by improbable heroes for the Braves, and Morris going into extras (after starting) for the Twins in Game 7.

Another moment I can remember is the Buffalo Bills being so far behind to the Houston Oilers in the playoff game back in 1992. Man, not long after half-time, they were literally climbing the stadium walls to get back in the game. Just a wonderful moment...

Cade

 

[Ira Lacher]

Top 10 unforgettable moments for this 50something fan:

Jets win Super Bowl III 16-7

Mets win 1969 World Series

Tom Seaver's "imperfect" one-hitter against Cubs in July 1969 (Jimmy Qualls spoils the perfect game with a one-out flair to center field in the ninth).

Wounded Willis Reed limps onto the Madison Square Garden court for Game 6 of the 1970 NBA Finals against the Lakers. Knicks go on to win the series in seven games.

Hank Aaron hits historic and steroid-free No. 715.

Just-traded Ed Giacomin returns to Madison Square Garden as a member of the Detroit Red Wings and is greeted with thunderous and continuing chants of "Ed-die! Ed-die!" as Ranger fans root for the enemy.

Game 6, 1986.

Danny Ainge goes coast-to-coast for a layup in the closing seconds to beat Notre Dame in a regional semifinal in 1980.

Drake University's improbable parade to the NCAA Tournament in the just-concluded season.

I hit my first trifecta, at Prairie Meadows in Des Moines. (Big deal -- so does everyone else; it paid a grand $23.60!)

 

[Ramy]

1983 Super Bowl XVII
1988 Super Bowl XXII
1992 Super Bowl XXVI
Game 4 of the 1990 World Series
1996 NCAA basketball National Championship game
1998 NCAA basketball National Championship game

 

[iceturkee]

i could say 1995 when i won a pair of tickets to the florida-florida state game at the swamp and we won.

but, it would have to be my 12th birthday when i got to meet ted klusiewski (spelling?). went for dinner at his steakhouse. he was there, came to my table, wished me a happy birthday and gave me an autographed picture. that was over 40 years ago but i remember it like it was yesterday!!

 

[SabresRule]

1983 Super Bowl XVII
1988 Super Bowl XXII
1992 Super Bowl XXVI
Game 4 of the 1990 World Series
1996 NCAA basketball National Championship game
1998 NCAA basketball National Championship game

Didn't know you were a Reds fan.

The others don't surprise me, for I know you like the Redskins and that you're from the Bluegrass State

 

[SabresRule]

Another special moment for me would probably be the last few games of the regular season and the playoffs and World Series for the Atlanta Braves in 1991. I would have only been about 9 years old at that time and, throughout my life, I would watch a losing product throughout the summer months (and through the first few innings during the school year). I don't think many kids were getting much sleep at night toward the end of the regular season that year, though. I can remember it coming down like this: The Dodgers beat the Giants and they ARE IN. We need a Giants win and we need to win ourselves to make it in. Will Clark became a hero in the Atlanta area and I can remember the last few outs of that game (as we had already won) being shown on the screen in center field (I was watching from home). There were so many tears and shouts that I don't think I will ever forget it. And, to this day, I still don't hold a grudge against the Minnesota Twins of that year. It had to be one of the best World Series I could remember. It was an equal match-up with some heroics by Kirby Puckett, midnight comebacks by improbable heroes for the Braves, and Morris going into extras (after starting) for the Twins in Game 7.

Cade,

your memory from October 1991 reminded me of a day I forgot to mention, so thanks for the reminder.

October 25, 1991- Maybe the greatest day of my life for these three reasons.

1. I saw my first episode of Step By Step and fell head over heels for a young heartbreaker named Angela Watson ::

2. My Sabres traded for Pat Lalalalalalafontaine

3. My family and I went out for ice cream that night (I had gotten a string of A's that week in school) and I got the BIGGEST hot-fudge sundae of my youth!

I gained a heartthrob, a hero, and a sweet tooth all in ONE DAY!

 

[jwfgeol]

Hmmm, I can think of a few. At least from games I attended.

9/18/2004 - Tennessee beats Florida on a last second field goal on the way to winning the SEC East.

8/4/1999 - The A-leauge Charleston Battery hosted DC United of the MLS in the third round of the US Open Cup. I took the bus from downtown Charleston to the stadium with some friends. Charleston was down 3-2 with just a few minutes remaining in regulation when they equalized. It went to sudden-death overtime where Charleston scored to win 4-3. Even though the stadium only holds 5,100 people, the excitement generated by the fans was on par with the 107,000 at Neyland.

July-August 1996 - Summer Olympics - If you ever have a chance to go to the Olympic games, do it. Just an incredible all around experience. Another soccer match comes to mind. The women's semifinals between the US and Norway at Sanford Stadium also went into sudden-death with the US winning 2-1. (This is the first and only time I have cheered for the home team between the hedges).

 

[cjwct]

Hands down . . . sitting behind Mets dugout on September 21, 2001 and seeing Piazza's late game heroics to beat the Braves. More importantly, to see my city back on it's feet, feeling better and knowing a little bit of normalcy that night returned for all of us!!!

 

[Ramy]

Didn't know you were a Reds fan.

The others don't surprise me, for I know you like the Redskins and that you're from the Bluegrass State

Die Hard Reds fan.

 

[satjay]

Tigers beating the Yankees two years ago in the wild card series, I had purchased the tickets not thinking that would be a possible clinching game I was there, the place was electric, the 15-20 years of frustration with the team let lose.

Number Two: Seeing the first of four stanley cups in eleven years. Seeing number 19 finally hoist it up in the air, a sight I will not ever forget!