Date: September 6, 1995
-This along with another moment later in the countdown helped bring baseball back. Cal Ripken went 2,632 straight games without sitting out. It stretched from 1982-1998. He played SS and 3B, played for 8 different managers in that span!
What made the streak so memorable and respected was that Cal was just your ordinary human being. He was like any other person, going to work every day. He played hurt, he played sick. He played in big games, games that didn't matter, games that were memorable. But what he always did, everyday for almost 16 years was go out there and play.
9. Syracuse and UConn Play Six Overtimes
Date: March 12, 2009
-It was just a ho-hum night during championship week. A pretty good game looked to be on in the Big East tourney between 6-seed Syracuse and 3-seed Connecticut. 3 Hours and 46 Minutes later it would end as maybe the most memorable college basketball game of my life. The final score was Syracuse 127 Connecticut 117...in SIX overtimes. The final whistle would blow at 1:22 AM. Orange Guard Johnny Flynn played 67 minutes (about two full games for most college starters)
Flynn finished with 34 points, Paul Harris scored 29 and grabbed 22 rebounds. For UConn, A.J. Price scored 33 and the Huskies blocked a total of 16 shots. At the end of regulation, as the buzzer went off in a tied game, Orange Senior Eric Devendorf appeared to win the game with a fadeaway three. However, the play was reviewed and overturned as he just barely did not get it off before the red light went on. It would take six overtime periods to decide the longest game in Big East history.
8. 2003 League Chokes Series'
Date: October 14-16, 2003
-It looked like everyone's dream world series was going to happen. No way. The Redsox and Cubs...in the world series?! Too good to be true it sounded...well...it was. The Cubs led the series against the Marlins 3-2 and jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the 8th inning of Game 6 with their ace Mark Prior as sharp as could be. Then Steve Bartman interfered with a ball that Moises Alou had a 10% chance of catching and caused Alou and the rest of the Cubs to lose their cool. The Marlins scored 8 runs in the eighth inning...and overcame ANOTHER 2-run deficit in Game 7 to shock Wrigley and the Cubs...curses.
Oh but we are not done. October 16th was the night. A night that will haunt my dreams forever. Redsox leading 5-2 in the Bottom of the 8th at Yankee Stadium. A leadoff pop-out...the sox were 5 outs away from going to the world series. Then all hell broke lose. After the Yankees cut the lead to two, Redsox manager Grady Little gave Pedro Martinez the old pat on the back. Posada hit a bloop shot that scored two, as Yankee Stadium literally shook and tears flowed down my face. I knew it was over. But Aaron Boone punctuated it with a home run off a Tim Wakefield knuckler.
7. Texas-USC Rose Bowl/National Championship
Date: January 4th, 2006
-Number one defending champion USC battled number two Texas in the Rose Bowl for all the marbles. It was not only a fantastic game but the last one ever called by the legendary Keitrh Jackson. Arguably the three best players in college football at the time, Matt Leinart and Reggie Bush (USC) and Vince Young (Texas) squared off on the most sacred ground. The game started off a little slow but from about the middle of the Second Quarter on...there was no better game.
Back and forth the two teams went. Big players making big plays. USC went for the jugular on 4th and 2 just past midfield. They had success running all night. Not this time. Texas got inside penetration and stopped RB LenDale White just shy of the first down marker and turned the ball over to Texas. Trailing 38-33 Vince Young led a masterful drive with his arm and legs with just 2:13 remaining. The 4th and 5 from the 9 yard line with less than 20 seconds left play found the ball in Young's hands...he looked, saw no one open, and dashed for the corner of the endzone...and scored capping what was an incredible game.
6. John Elway Gets the Monkey Off His Back
Date: January 25, 1998
-It was the Denver Broncos and the Green Bay Packers for the Super Bowl in San Diego, CA. The Broncos had lost their previous four super bowls by a combined 163-50. They were decided underdogs against Favre and the juggernaut Packers. But the night would be fortuitous for the Broncos. Denver led by three at the half but were facing questions after star running back Terrell Davis left with a migraine headache.
He returned in the second half. During a key 2nd half, 92 yard drive John Elway of 37 years young dove for the first-down. He was hit so hard, sandwiched between two Packers he flipped and looked much like a Helicopter. This was the defining moment of the game and maybe of Elway's brilliant career. Behind Davis' 157 yards and 3 TDs the Broncos pulled the upset 31-24. In the postgame, Broncos Owner Pat Bowlen held up the trophy and shouted into the microphone, "This one's for John!".
Top 5 upcoming....
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