Don't ask me why this topic came to me today, but it did. I just thought it might be interesting to see what moments other posters might have to say or input:
What Moments (Happy, Sad, Historic...) have "choaked you up" &/or brought you to tears in Sports? What are your most "Emotional Memories?"
_________________
BASKETBALL:
-I remember the shock & of Magic Johnson's retirement announcement where he told the world he had aquired the HIV virus. I was not a Lakers fan, but respected the hell out og Magic. I remember feeling such a sense of loss.
-MJ, callapsed in both tears & exhaustion on the floor, holding the trophey after winning the his 1st NBA Championship after his fathers death & his return to the game after 3 yrs away - a game that was played on Fathers Day!
-Reggie Millers riding off the court on Dale Davis's shoulders after defeating NY to head to the NBA finals. "Ding-Dong, the witch is Dead"!
-Reggie Miller's retirement speach when he said: (with his voice cracking) "People thank me for what I have given them, but it is me that is thankful for what you fans have given me" & "I am proud to be a Hoosier". An awsome (yet sad) nite!
BASEBALL:
-Kirt Gibson's Grand Slan vs. Oakland in the World series. Gibby was so hurt he could barely walk, he emerged from the tunnel of the locker room to pinch hit, & crushed one of Dennis Echersly in his prime. I will always remberer the words "I don't believe what I just saw". This is what every kid who ever played the game dreams of.
-The NY Yankees entire team coming out of the dug-out to applaud Cal Ripkin once they realized he was not inh the starting line-up, ending his streak. IMO, it was the ultimate sign of respect from his peers!
-Speaking of respect - & let me say I'm not a big Yankee fan -but I was moved when Yankee fans chanted "Paul O'Neil....Paul O'Neil..." during the World Series game years back. O'Neil was not a "Star", but a hard-nosed work horse that rarely gets such respect from fans - it was really cool.
FOOTBALL:
-Tony Dungy/ Colts/ SuperBowl. Everything from the loss of his son, his return to coaching afterwards - but Best of All: The image of him w/ his arms in the air after the Pats victory - realizing he was finally headed to the SuperBowl; Tony holding the Trophy; & the moment he addressed the crown at the reception in the dome & after getting a huge ovation he said "You guys are Awsome" & the crowd proceeded to get even louder. Tony stepped back, smiled like I have never seen him, & just look aroung. He enjoyed that moment for all it was worth & Indy fans entered his heart forever at that moment (IMO). Did I mention we won a SuperBowl - a 1st World Championship for my home town!
-After Scott Norwood missed wide right against the Giants, I remember seeing both Giant & Bills players (before it was common) gather & kneeling at mid-field, holding hands & praying around a flag painted on the field. I will always remember that sight. This was a time when war & terrorism was a real concern - troops & fighter jets were garding the stadium that nite, & that was the famous Wittney Houston Notional Anthem game.
GOLF:
-Tiger Woods emotional display after sinking a put on 18 to win the British Open - his first win, & first Major after losing his father. Both with his caddy, & then again in the arms of his wife, he showed us a side of him that we may never see again. Raw emotions are always memerable IMO.
-The rainbow that emerged from the clouds & thru the rain on the 18th hole when Davis Love III won the US Open (again I believe on Fathers Day), after just losing his father.
NASCAR:
-Every driver in the field parked & lined up & down pit row so they could shake the hand of Dale Ernhardt after he finally won his first Daytona 500. Again, the ultimate sign of respect from one's peers. Pure Class!!!
-The words: "Today, we lost Dale Ernhardt", just hours after watching him hit the wall while trying to protect/ escort a teemate to a win. I was only a new fan then, but I knew DE, & felt emmense sadness.
HOCKEY:
-"Do You Believe in Miracles?" - enough said. (USA!!!)
MOVIES:
-The part in "Field of Dreams" w/ James Earl Jones spaech on baseball - & later w/ the realization that it was all for his dad, & him getting the opportunity to play catch.
-Silly as it sounds, the sceene in "City Slickers" w/ Billy Crystal when the his friend talks about how when he & his father could not talk to one another, they always had baseball to keep them "connected". I relate this to me & my father when I was in HS. There were times that if we did not have sports to talk about, we might have never talked. Sports kept us "friends" thru those dificult yrs..
MY MOST SPECIAL: BASKETBALL RELATED
(something w/ this boards recent loss that should touch us all)
Jim Valvano's ESPY speach (3/4/93):
"Cancer can take away all my physical ability. It cannot touch my mind; it cannot touch my heart; and it cannot touch my soul. And those three things are going to carry on forever."
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeche ... yaward.htm
(I never not cry when I hear this...)
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**If the MODS decied this needs to be moved (Community Thread?), then so be it, I will understand that, but that thread has not been getting much traffic of late, & maybe this will be allowed to last long enough to get a "Jump Start".
OT: Memorable/ Emotional Sports Moments in your life:
Moderators: pacers33granger, Grang33r, pacerfan, Jake0890, boomershadow
OT: Memorable/ Emotional Sports Moments in your life:
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PacerGuy
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OT: Memorable/ Emotional Sports Moments in your life:
Larry Bird, You are now on the Clock! ( 3/24/08 )
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count55
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Not to nitpick, but "Ding Dong the witch is dead" was in '95 when the Pacers beat the Knicks in the second round (then lost to the Penny/Shaq Magic in the ECF). (Yeah, so I nitpicked.)
I also never know whether to argue this or not, but, while Valvano's cancer was a tragedy that I would wish on no one, he never had one ounce of inspirational effect on me. My take was that he was a charming scumbag for most of his life, and that's how I remember him. Charming, yes, but a scumbag. Made Sampson look like a choir boy. However, it's probably best we just agree to disagree on this one.
I've seen IU win three National Championships in Basketball. I've seen the Colts win the Super Bowl. I'm just old enough to remember going to a '72-73 ABA finals game in the Fairgrounds Coliseum. I've seen the Phillies win the World Series with my childhood heroes Steve Carlton and Mike Schmidt. I watched Reggie Jackson hit three homers in the deciding game of the series vs. the Dodgers in 1977. I watched the Yankees beat the Braves in '99 from a Birthing/Hospital Room at Community North where I was spending sleepless nights while my newborn son was in Neo-Natal Intensive care, trying to get him to take a measley 2 oz of formula so we could take him home. (When the Jeter-led Yanks forever earned a spot in my heart.)
I sat shivering in the cold spring night in the 3rd base boxes at old Bush Stadium next to my father as Dave Revering hit a 12th inning solo shot to beat some forgotten team 2-1 for the Indianapolis Indians.
I was at Reggie's last regular season game vs. the Bulls, and saw the speech. I can remember how odd and hard it was. I can remember sobbing uncontrollably (and, somewhat inexplicably) in the first quarter. I can remember how hard listening to him say goodbye was.
I was in a hotel room in Charlotte, NC when the Pacers finally fell to the hated Pistons in the playoffs for Reggie's final, final game. It was a fitting place to be...a long way from home and all alone.
From a personal perspective, nothing has been more fulfilling than watching my son score touchdowns in his first year of flag football (except for that one time where he blocked his guy down, taking out two more opposing players in the process and springing his backfield running mate, Jackson, for a long touchdown run.) I've been fortunate to see him score 14 points in a 20-16 win for his Rockets basketball team. I've been fortunate to see him tee it up on a tiny par three and do a loop with his dad. These are mine and mine alone.
From a broader perspective, there's been one event in my lifetime that overshadows all events not involving my child. I would imagine that it would have to have the same impact on anyone old enough to have lived through the magic of the moment and be conscious of how special it was.
I was in 8th grade when the USA Olympic Hockey team defeated the Russians 4-3 on the way to winning the gold in 1980. During a time of recession, the hostage crisis in Iran, and generally stark, bad news, this exceedingly unlikely win still gives me a warm feeling inside. I cherish these memories and moments above all other organized sports-related memores. For those too young to have fully experienced it first-hand, I really hope something like this can come along for you. It is, in my opinion, simply indescribably special.
Jim Craig...Mike Eruzione...Herb Brooks...
I also never know whether to argue this or not, but, while Valvano's cancer was a tragedy that I would wish on no one, he never had one ounce of inspirational effect on me. My take was that he was a charming scumbag for most of his life, and that's how I remember him. Charming, yes, but a scumbag. Made Sampson look like a choir boy. However, it's probably best we just agree to disagree on this one.
I've seen IU win three National Championships in Basketball. I've seen the Colts win the Super Bowl. I'm just old enough to remember going to a '72-73 ABA finals game in the Fairgrounds Coliseum. I've seen the Phillies win the World Series with my childhood heroes Steve Carlton and Mike Schmidt. I watched Reggie Jackson hit three homers in the deciding game of the series vs. the Dodgers in 1977. I watched the Yankees beat the Braves in '99 from a Birthing/Hospital Room at Community North where I was spending sleepless nights while my newborn son was in Neo-Natal Intensive care, trying to get him to take a measley 2 oz of formula so we could take him home. (When the Jeter-led Yanks forever earned a spot in my heart.)
I sat shivering in the cold spring night in the 3rd base boxes at old Bush Stadium next to my father as Dave Revering hit a 12th inning solo shot to beat some forgotten team 2-1 for the Indianapolis Indians.
I was at Reggie's last regular season game vs. the Bulls, and saw the speech. I can remember how odd and hard it was. I can remember sobbing uncontrollably (and, somewhat inexplicably) in the first quarter. I can remember how hard listening to him say goodbye was.
I was in a hotel room in Charlotte, NC when the Pacers finally fell to the hated Pistons in the playoffs for Reggie's final, final game. It was a fitting place to be...a long way from home and all alone.
From a personal perspective, nothing has been more fulfilling than watching my son score touchdowns in his first year of flag football (except for that one time where he blocked his guy down, taking out two more opposing players in the process and springing his backfield running mate, Jackson, for a long touchdown run.) I've been fortunate to see him score 14 points in a 20-16 win for his Rockets basketball team. I've been fortunate to see him tee it up on a tiny par three and do a loop with his dad. These are mine and mine alone.
From a broader perspective, there's been one event in my lifetime that overshadows all events not involving my child. I would imagine that it would have to have the same impact on anyone old enough to have lived through the magic of the moment and be conscious of how special it was.
I was in 8th grade when the USA Olympic Hockey team defeated the Russians 4-3 on the way to winning the gold in 1980. During a time of recession, the hostage crisis in Iran, and generally stark, bad news, this exceedingly unlikely win still gives me a warm feeling inside. I cherish these memories and moments above all other organized sports-related memores. For those too young to have fully experienced it first-hand, I really hope something like this can come along for you. It is, in my opinion, simply indescribably special.
Jim Craig...Mike Eruzione...Herb Brooks...
I have no idea what you're talking about, and clearly, neither do you.
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Grang33r
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Great topic and great post.
While i don't have too many sports stories to share, as basketball has ruled most of my life, but i'm also a big hockey fan too (buffalo sabres).
My most memorable story must be the way i became a fan of the Indiana Pacers. I was born and raised in southern Poland. My dad won a visa lottery to come to the United States. I was between 8-9 at the move. As kids, we always played basketball and soccer. Me and my group of friends, always preferred basketball. There wasn't too much on tv in the early 90s besides the Lakers, Celtics and Bulls. Coverage overseas was slim. On the playground, everyone always picked a player to be. We always argued. Larry Bird. MJ. Magic. Pippen. It was always fun picking. I however, always picked Reggie Miller. Did i know who he was? Nope.
I'm a very blue coller guy. Each of my friends always tells me so, my bosses always impressed with my work ethic and when i watch sports, if you are not too good but work hard, i respect you. I saw Miller play, in a game or two as a youngster, and to tell you the truth i don't even know who they played, must have been one of the top 3 teams though, and i was in love with the way he played the game. Later i remember there being an article about him in one of our local magazines. He was my idol. On the playground, i picked Reggie, and people looked at me funny.
So we moved to the States. To Rochester, NY. My first reaction was to find out where Indiana was, how good or bad they were and learn more about Reggie Miller. In school, they gave me lots of books on Indy 500, my questions must not have been that well to them. lol
As time went on, i learned more and more. I always watched him and by like 1998, my parents decided to order the Indy Star for us... cost us alot, but instead of paying me for cutting the grass, shoveling snow and so on, i got the Indy Star. I always got to watch them when they played the Knicks on the local feed and national broadcasts. As well as playoffs. The season we made the finals, i got the audio pass. We finally got good enough computers that i was able to listen to each game from wibc.
Still today, he's my idol and my hero. I have 5 jerseys. 4 Pacers and 1 dream team.
-Best Game-
Game 5 NBA Finals -
Pacers came out on fire. And destroyed the Lakers in what was a send off. I think everyone knew the Pacers had no chance of winning both games on the west coast, however, they didn't want to lose it at conseco fieldhouse. The way they played, no team on the planet could have beaten the Pacers that night. I still have it on tape and watch it from time to time. It's a moment where i can truly say, on that night, we were the best team in the world.
-Worst moment -
Game 6 East Finals -
Reggie getting blocked by Prince. It's a horror image and it all went down hill after that. Pacers were on top of the world, best front court, best team, Reggie was finally gonna get his ring, and then, the unthinkable. A breakaway and Reggie goes for the layup...... DUNK THE BALL! It cost us a ring. It cost us our franchise.
The Brawl -
Saddest moment in my life. I will never forget it. As a grown man, i was out of high school during it. I didn't watch the game. I had plans to leave to a party that night. My friend send me a text, saying something like, omg, huge fight in pacers game. I had no idea what it meant. I went online really quick, and yahoo and espn were reporting Pacers fight with fans.
I turned to espn and there it was. Breaking News. The images shown over and over again. I just sad there. I canceled my plans. And watched. ESPN had long coverage. Then ESPNews took over til like 2am. At that time, i put on sporting news radio and they talked about it all night. I stayed up all night. I couldn't even post on the message board i was on at the time. People bashed us. People laughed. I was crying inside. I layed in bed from 2am til about 6am and just couldn't believe what had happened. The next day, i told myself i'm an idiot and i over re-acted, it wasn't as bad as it seemed. I was wrong. Each news topic, each cover of every newspaper and magazine, it was all on us. Then the suspensions. Our team was doomed. To this day, we are still trying to rebuild.
Best movie-
Hoosiers
Ever need an inspiration? Watch it. lol
While i don't have too many sports stories to share, as basketball has ruled most of my life, but i'm also a big hockey fan too (buffalo sabres).
My most memorable story must be the way i became a fan of the Indiana Pacers. I was born and raised in southern Poland. My dad won a visa lottery to come to the United States. I was between 8-9 at the move. As kids, we always played basketball and soccer. Me and my group of friends, always preferred basketball. There wasn't too much on tv in the early 90s besides the Lakers, Celtics and Bulls. Coverage overseas was slim. On the playground, everyone always picked a player to be. We always argued. Larry Bird. MJ. Magic. Pippen. It was always fun picking. I however, always picked Reggie Miller. Did i know who he was? Nope.
I'm a very blue coller guy. Each of my friends always tells me so, my bosses always impressed with my work ethic and when i watch sports, if you are not too good but work hard, i respect you. I saw Miller play, in a game or two as a youngster, and to tell you the truth i don't even know who they played, must have been one of the top 3 teams though, and i was in love with the way he played the game. Later i remember there being an article about him in one of our local magazines. He was my idol. On the playground, i picked Reggie, and people looked at me funny.
So we moved to the States. To Rochester, NY. My first reaction was to find out where Indiana was, how good or bad they were and learn more about Reggie Miller. In school, they gave me lots of books on Indy 500, my questions must not have been that well to them. lol
As time went on, i learned more and more. I always watched him and by like 1998, my parents decided to order the Indy Star for us... cost us alot, but instead of paying me for cutting the grass, shoveling snow and so on, i got the Indy Star. I always got to watch them when they played the Knicks on the local feed and national broadcasts. As well as playoffs. The season we made the finals, i got the audio pass. We finally got good enough computers that i was able to listen to each game from wibc.
Still today, he's my idol and my hero. I have 5 jerseys. 4 Pacers and 1 dream team.
-Best Game-
Game 5 NBA Finals -
Pacers came out on fire. And destroyed the Lakers in what was a send off. I think everyone knew the Pacers had no chance of winning both games on the west coast, however, they didn't want to lose it at conseco fieldhouse. The way they played, no team on the planet could have beaten the Pacers that night. I still have it on tape and watch it from time to time. It's a moment where i can truly say, on that night, we were the best team in the world.
-Worst moment -
Game 6 East Finals -
Reggie getting blocked by Prince. It's a horror image and it all went down hill after that. Pacers were on top of the world, best front court, best team, Reggie was finally gonna get his ring, and then, the unthinkable. A breakaway and Reggie goes for the layup...... DUNK THE BALL! It cost us a ring. It cost us our franchise.
The Brawl -
Saddest moment in my life. I will never forget it. As a grown man, i was out of high school during it. I didn't watch the game. I had plans to leave to a party that night. My friend send me a text, saying something like, omg, huge fight in pacers game. I had no idea what it meant. I went online really quick, and yahoo and espn were reporting Pacers fight with fans.
I turned to espn and there it was. Breaking News. The images shown over and over again. I just sad there. I canceled my plans. And watched. ESPN had long coverage. Then ESPNews took over til like 2am. At that time, i put on sporting news radio and they talked about it all night. I stayed up all night. I couldn't even post on the message board i was on at the time. People bashed us. People laughed. I was crying inside. I layed in bed from 2am til about 6am and just couldn't believe what had happened. The next day, i told myself i'm an idiot and i over re-acted, it wasn't as bad as it seemed. I was wrong. Each news topic, each cover of every newspaper and magazine, it was all on us. Then the suspensions. Our team was doomed. To this day, we are still trying to rebuild.
Best movie-
Hoosiers
Ever need an inspiration? Watch it. lol
The first rule of Basketball: Believe.
Follow on twitter @Grang33r
Follow on twitter @Grang33r
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PacerGuy
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count55 wrote:Not to nitpick, but "Ding Dong the witch is dead" was in '95 when the Pacers beat the Knicks in the second round (then lost to the Penny/Shaq Magic in the ECF). (Yeah, so I nitpicked.)
I also never know whether to argue this or not, but, while Valvano's cancer was a tragedy that I would wish on no one, he never had one ounce of inspirational effect on me. My take was that he was a charming scumbag for most of his life, and that's how I remember him. Charming, yes, but a scumbag. Made Sampson look like a choir boy. However, it's probably best we just agree to disagree on this one........
I was in 8th grade when the USA Olympic Hockey team defeated the Russians 4-3 on the way to winning the gold in 1980. During a time of recession, the hostage crisis in Iran, and generally stark, bad news, this exceedingly unlikely win still gives me a warm feeling inside. I cherish these memories and moments above all other organized sports-related memores....
-I thought I had the wrong year w/ that call
, but I remember thinking that as Reggie "Rode" off w/ Dale that day, so I included it anyway. Good catch! 
-I don't remember all the Jimmy-V "issues", but I do remember he was not a saint. I can understand your & others opinions on his character, but having a mother that survived cancer (3 x in HS said she would not live 6 monthe & yet is alive today - +/- 24 yrs later!), I will always remember that speach as something special. I will choose to remember who he became rather then what he did.
-Awsome story on your son - Great Memories!
-Yeah, you hit the USA Hockey "atmosphere" perfectly. Russia/ USSR/ "The Reds" were the enemy, & a real life threat back them. That victory was likely one of the most unifying moments of national pride we have ever had as a nation, & likely something that will never be experienced again.
** I left of Football (above) - I will have to add that!
Larry Bird, You are now on the Clock! ( 3/24/08 )
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pacers33granger
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easily for me the three most memorable moments were:
-reggie's three over jordan. no matter how many times i watch that shot, i still go numb and get emotional. that was the first time i had really seen a big shot like that (i was about 10 at the time and hadnt watched much basketball).
-the brawl. i actually turned the game on at a friends house about 3 minutes before it happened. i remember thinking that it was our year because we had been even better than the year before, and here we were killing detroit and scoring at will. then it all happened, and yea, you all know the rest...
-reggie's last game. only time i can remember tearing up from anything on tv, even real emotional movies. i couldnt hold it in when larry brown called the timeout to let reggie come off the court and get a standing ovation.
-reggie's three over jordan. no matter how many times i watch that shot, i still go numb and get emotional. that was the first time i had really seen a big shot like that (i was about 10 at the time and hadnt watched much basketball).
-the brawl. i actually turned the game on at a friends house about 3 minutes before it happened. i remember thinking that it was our year because we had been even better than the year before, and here we were killing detroit and scoring at will. then it all happened, and yea, you all know the rest...
-reggie's last game. only time i can remember tearing up from anything on tv, even real emotional movies. i couldnt hold it in when larry brown called the timeout to let reggie come off the court and get a standing ovation.
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count55
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PacerGuy wrote:-= original quote snipped =-
-I thought I had the wrong year w/ that call
-I don't remember all the Jimmy-V "issues", but I do remember he was not a saint. I can understand your & others opinions on his character, but having a mother that survived cancer (3 x in HS said she would not live 6 monthe & yet is alive today - +/- 24 yrs later!), I will always remember that speach as something special. I will choose to remember who he became rather then what he did.
-Awsome story on your son - Great Memories!
-Yeah, you hit the USA Hockey "atmosphere" perfectly. Russia/ USSR/ "The Reds" were the enemy, & a real life threat back them. That victory was likely one of the most unifying moments of national pride we have ever had as a nation, & likely something that will never be experienced again.
** I left of Football (above) - I will have to add that!
Great news on your mom. I lost my father to cancer when I was 10. My brother is battling colon cancer right now, but we've gotten lucky and he may be in remission.
I have no idea what you're talking about, and clearly, neither do you.
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PacerGuy
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count55 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-
Great news on your mom. I lost my father to cancer when I was 10. My brother is battling colon cancer right now, but we've gotten lucky and he may be in remission.
I will add him in my prayers.
(just lost my job after 15+ yrs so I've been praying more of late...)
Larry Bird, You are now on the Clock! ( 3/24/08 )
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chatard5
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Nice topic.
Let's start with the bad ones:
-When Reggie missed the 3 at the buzzer against the Lakers in the finals. I couldn't even move for an hour.
-When the Pacers lost to the Lakers in the finals there were some tears shed.
-The BS call when LJ hit the 3 and was fouled.
-Cardinals lost the world series in 04.
-Colts losing to the Steelers to go to the super bowl
Sad ones
-Reggie's final game
-Jordan's final game
Can't think of the others
Happy ones
-My personal #1 was the Cardinals world series win in 06. I was at the game and it was unbelievable
-Pacers making it to the finals
-All the heroics of Reggie against the Knicks and Bulls, as well as the final shots by Smits and Scott in the playoffs
-I was too young to realize how big it was at the time, but whenever I see the walkoff homerun by Ozzie Smith when he had never hit a homerun left-handed there may be a tear or two.
-Mickleson's first major victory
-Colts winning the super bowl
There are others for all of these that I just can't think of right now.
Let's start with the bad ones:
-When Reggie missed the 3 at the buzzer against the Lakers in the finals. I couldn't even move for an hour.
-When the Pacers lost to the Lakers in the finals there were some tears shed.
-The BS call when LJ hit the 3 and was fouled.
-Cardinals lost the world series in 04.
-Colts losing to the Steelers to go to the super bowl
Sad ones
-Reggie's final game
-Jordan's final game
Can't think of the others
Happy ones
-My personal #1 was the Cardinals world series win in 06. I was at the game and it was unbelievable
-Pacers making it to the finals
-All the heroics of Reggie against the Knicks and Bulls, as well as the final shots by Smits and Scott in the playoffs
-I was too young to realize how big it was at the time, but whenever I see the walkoff homerun by Ozzie Smith when he had never hit a homerun left-handed there may be a tear or two.
-Mickleson's first major victory
-Colts winning the super bowl
There are others for all of these that I just can't think of right now.
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Miller4ever
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Aww, man. It's going to be difficult for other people to sit through reading everyone's experiences, so I'll keep mine short and sweet.
Gridiron:
#2: Eli Manning, connecting for the Catch Pt. 2 to David Tyree, who pinned it to his helmet.
#1: Joseph Addai rushing into the endzone unmolested to give the Colts a 3-point lead in the AFC championship game.
As you can see, I really don't like Bill Belicheck.
Honorable mention: Gene Hackman leading a Shane Falco-helmed Sentinel team that made it into the playoffs.
Hoops:
#2: Reggie Miller punching Kobe Bryant.
#1: Reggie Miller.
Honorable mention: Gene Hackman leading the small-town team to a championship in Indiana.
*Edit
Worst moment ever:
One cup of beer
One insane fool
The death of an organization
Gridiron:
#2: Eli Manning, connecting for the Catch Pt. 2 to David Tyree, who pinned it to his helmet.
#1: Joseph Addai rushing into the endzone unmolested to give the Colts a 3-point lead in the AFC championship game.
As you can see, I really don't like Bill Belicheck.
Honorable mention: Gene Hackman leading a Shane Falco-helmed Sentinel team that made it into the playoffs.
Hoops:
#2: Reggie Miller punching Kobe Bryant.
#1: Reggie Miller.
Honorable mention: Gene Hackman leading the small-town team to a championship in Indiana.
*Edit
Worst moment ever:
One cup of beer
One insane fool
The death of an organization
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CableKC
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- Location: Conseco FieldHouse, the house that Reggie built
My worst NBA moment came in a Thai restaurant. That was where I was eating dinner and watched the Pacer/Pistons brawl unfold. The game was on several LCD TVs on the wall. When it happened....everyone slowly started turning their heads and watched as the brawl escalated.
Has anyone seen that NBA commercial "Where I remember happens" that showed Celtics fans reacting to the trade of Garnett?
Well...they should make one for Pacer fans reacting to the brawl as it happens. That's my "Where I remember happens" moment.....
Has anyone seen that NBA commercial "Where I remember happens" that showed Celtics fans reacting to the trade of Garnett?
Well...they should make one for Pacer fans reacting to the brawl as it happens. That's my "Where I remember happens" moment.....
- In 2024, you are not voting for a "Democrat" or "Republican". You are voting for the Party that will defend Democracy and protect the most vulnerable among us.
#THE_GOP_IS_DEAD
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Orlock78
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Good - When Reggie scored eight points in 9 seconds against the knicks, we were watching the game on TV, but listening to it on the radio, I was all pissed sure we were gonna lose, and each time reggie scored there at the end my entire family and friends were jumping up and down laughing our asses off.
Bad - Same year Colts V Steelers AFC Championship - Harbaugh Aired out that hail mary at the end, and all 10 + people in my living room went deathly silent. Then when we thought it was caught we went NUTS, only to realize that he dropped it.
But hands down my most emotional was recently last year. I had just lost 2 family members 3 months apart: my grandfather, and my father (a HUGE Pacers, Colts, and Purdue fan) to cancer. My Uncle had sent everyone in the family these bronze medallions with my fathers name and a bible passage on it. I was watching the AFC Championship game against the Patriots, and I held that medallion in my pocket that whole game, and felt in complete despair by half time, but I didn't let go and and when the Colts finally pulled it off I must have cried for an hour. Best sports moment of my life, bittersweet as it was.
Great topic and great posts, thanks for sharing everyone.
Bad - Same year Colts V Steelers AFC Championship - Harbaugh Aired out that hail mary at the end, and all 10 + people in my living room went deathly silent. Then when we thought it was caught we went NUTS, only to realize that he dropped it.
But hands down my most emotional was recently last year. I had just lost 2 family members 3 months apart: my grandfather, and my father (a HUGE Pacers, Colts, and Purdue fan) to cancer. My Uncle had sent everyone in the family these bronze medallions with my fathers name and a bible passage on it. I was watching the AFC Championship game against the Patriots, and I held that medallion in my pocket that whole game, and felt in complete despair by half time, but I didn't let go and and when the Colts finally pulled it off I must have cried for an hour. Best sports moment of my life, bittersweet as it was.
Great topic and great posts, thanks for sharing everyone.
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Miller4ever
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Of recent memory, the two Manning victories (Colts and Giants), besides meaning a Pats loss, also really made me feel that sometimes things are meant to be. Those were perfect victories, both of them, both mirroring each other.
You got the underdog who wasn't so hot in the regular season (Colts were letting everyone run all over them, Eli was still spotty-looking), you have the unexpected postseason run (Colts were holding opponent running backs Larry Johnson and Jamaal Lewis to under 100 yards rushing, Giants were winning, period), and during the ultimate game (the real Superbowl XLI was Pats-Colts) there was early doubt, but on the last drive to victory, both QB's pulled off amazing throw and catches (Peyton to Reggie Wayne, with Reggie fumbling and recovering at the end of the play, Eli escaping a sack and hitting David Tyree), and the touchdown to pull ahead in the final minute (Addai, Manning-Burress), and the ultimate toppling of all the naysayers, the bandwagoners, and the myth of Manning inferiority.
That's why I think the sports gods will never allow a Manning-Manning superbowl, even though that would be the greatest thing ever.
You got the underdog who wasn't so hot in the regular season (Colts were letting everyone run all over them, Eli was still spotty-looking), you have the unexpected postseason run (Colts were holding opponent running backs Larry Johnson and Jamaal Lewis to under 100 yards rushing, Giants were winning, period), and during the ultimate game (the real Superbowl XLI was Pats-Colts) there was early doubt, but on the last drive to victory, both QB's pulled off amazing throw and catches (Peyton to Reggie Wayne, with Reggie fumbling and recovering at the end of the play, Eli escaping a sack and hitting David Tyree), and the touchdown to pull ahead in the final minute (Addai, Manning-Burress), and the ultimate toppling of all the naysayers, the bandwagoners, and the myth of Manning inferiority.
That's why I think the sports gods will never allow a Manning-Manning superbowl, even though that would be the greatest thing ever.
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mizzoupacers
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Chatard, I was in attendance for the Ozzie Smith game you mention--that's easily the most memorable experience I've had at a sports stadium. Pure euphoria.
I could rattle off a lot of Reggie Miller stuff, but you know all about that.
After several years of coming close, the Missouri Tigers FINALLY made it into the NCAA tournament in 1976. They went on a nice run to a regional final, which was really exciting to me at age 13. In the regional final our best player, a guard named Willie Smith, had a Reggie Miller game, scoring forty-something points--the man couldn't miss. Most exciting game I'd ever seen up to that point. But we lost a close game to Michigan, who went on to lose the national title game to some other Big Ten school, I forget which one.
The Pacers' conference finals against the Bulls was really memorable for me as well. That was probably the best team we've ever had. But of more personal significance, it was the first time my son, then five, took an interest in basketball. Of course he did so because he idolized Michael Jordan and wanted the Bulls to win. But we had a really good time together watching the series, and even though I was desperate for the Pacers to win--they came so damn close!--my son's happiness took a lot of the sting of losing away. Some things are just more important than winning or losing.
The most memorable one game ever for me, I'd have to say was the Cardinals winning Game Seven against the Mets a couple of years ago. The Cardinals had come up just short so many times, and we could all read the writing on the wall that the team was getting too old and probably this was the last shot. If it even was a shot...we weren't supposed to have a chance in hell of beating the Mets. But there we were, all tied up in the sixth inning of Game Seven, when Scott Rolen hits the game-turning home run...only to have Endy freakin' Chavez--who?!?--make just about the best catch I've ever seen. Man, I thought we were doomed. But then Molina came up in the ninth and hit one just a little bit farther than Rolen.
It would have been a great win under any circumstances, but it was all the sweeter because it was the team's last hurrah, it was unexpected, and to be perfectly honest also because I really despise the Mets. 
Good times to remember, while I sit through yet another basketball season destroyed by the toxic fallout from the Brawl and Quin Snyder.
I could rattle off a lot of Reggie Miller stuff, but you know all about that.
After several years of coming close, the Missouri Tigers FINALLY made it into the NCAA tournament in 1976. They went on a nice run to a regional final, which was really exciting to me at age 13. In the regional final our best player, a guard named Willie Smith, had a Reggie Miller game, scoring forty-something points--the man couldn't miss. Most exciting game I'd ever seen up to that point. But we lost a close game to Michigan, who went on to lose the national title game to some other Big Ten school, I forget which one.
The Pacers' conference finals against the Bulls was really memorable for me as well. That was probably the best team we've ever had. But of more personal significance, it was the first time my son, then five, took an interest in basketball. Of course he did so because he idolized Michael Jordan and wanted the Bulls to win.
But we had a really good time together watching the series, and even though I was desperate for the Pacers to win--they came so damn close!--my son's happiness took a lot of the sting of losing away. Some things are just more important than winning or losing.
The most memorable one game ever for me, I'd have to say was the Cardinals winning Game Seven against the Mets a couple of years ago. The Cardinals had come up just short so many times, and we could all read the writing on the wall that the team was getting too old and probably this was the last shot. If it even was a shot...we weren't supposed to have a chance in hell of beating the Mets. But there we were, all tied up in the sixth inning of Game Seven, when Scott Rolen hits the game-turning home run...only to have Endy freakin' Chavez--who?!?--make just about the best catch I've ever seen. Man, I thought we were doomed. But then Molina came up in the ninth and hit one just a little bit farther than Rolen.
It would have been a great win under any circumstances, but it was all the sweeter because it was the team's last hurrah, it was unexpected, and to be perfectly honest also because I really despise the Mets.
Good times to remember, while I sit through yet another basketball season destroyed by the toxic fallout from the Brawl and Quin Snyder.
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Scoot McGroot
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One of the things that stands out to me, yet isn't necessarily a huge national event in sports was my 11th birthday. We just happened to be in St. Louis that year (my birthday's in July) and the Cubs were in town as well. We stayed in the same hotel as the Cubs, got to meet some of the players, and walked across the street to the game. Well, it was 1996, and about the 8th inning, the Cardinals sent out Ozzie Smith to play shortstop in his final year, and the next time out, the Cubs sent out Ryne Sandberg as well (who was a utilityman by this point).
Well, my brothers and I were huge Cubs fans, they moreo than me (thus explaining my Baltimore Orioles fan-nage, even though I still really, really like the Cubs as well), so we loved Ryno and also loved Ozzie as well. Getting to see Willie McGee in the same game was pretty darned awesome. For an 11 year old who only really knew the characters on the rosters and the idols, that was a pretty awesome day for me.
Well, my brothers and I were huge Cubs fans, they moreo than me (thus explaining my Baltimore Orioles fan-nage, even though I still really, really like the Cubs as well), so we loved Ryno and also loved Ozzie as well. Getting to see Willie McGee in the same game was pretty darned awesome. For an 11 year old who only really knew the characters on the rosters and the idols, that was a pretty awesome day for me.
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ajizzle
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Great posts, guys... I'm gonna go a tad personal on some of these.
Football, of course, Bailey dropping Harbaugh's Hail Mary in the end zone was quite devastating... also, it hurt too the next season when we played Dallas in the first game at Dallas and ended up winning by a FG that bounced off one of the posts. To know we could've won against them in the Super Bowl (and also seeing how terribly Neil O'Donnell was) brought up some bad tastes.
My personal one was in 1999, my senior yr at Ritter, and we lost Semi-State in football. I can't even remember who beat us, but to go that far and lose hurt a lot, mainly b/c we'd been winning all the games w/ memorable plays all along the way.
Best moment had to be seeing Tom Brady's expression after he had failed vs. the Colts last year in the AFC title game. I'll never forget that. In addition to that, the MNF game v. Tampa when we came back from 21 down in like 5 minutes. Being in Florida around a few Bucs fans while that happened was one of the most memorable nights ever, mainly b/c when we won, I took my shirt off and went running around outside... good times...
In hoops, the worst memory was Reggie and Tayshaun. Great play, but terrible result for Pacerites everywhere. On par w/ that was watching the 15-pt, 4th qtr collapse of the Trailblazers vs. the Lakers in the summer of 2000. It happened during my open house after graduation, and I just remember saying that if Portland could just hold on, the Pacers have a great chance at winning the title. Even w/ Shaq being my favorite player of all-time, I still wanted the Pacers to have the path of least resistance. Well, you know what happened...
Best personal memory was winning my first championship in grade school. To know that you're the best at something, even in your little corner of the world, is an awesome feeling.
Best pro memory was the Houston Rockets and their run. I love the 3ball, and their team was great at it. That was the first real team that I followed that I had seen win a title on the pro level, besides the Dream Team. Great times...
In baseball, I don't have any really great memories yet, seeing as I'm a Cubs fan, and only started watching/rooting faithfully after the Strike, during the '98 season. All those HRs were great to see, but to know that they were all b/c of the steroid era is pretty disheartening.
Of course, being a Cubs fan. Bad baseball memories happen all the time, but of course, Bartman comes to mind. Also, the ensuing events suck. I know they had a chance to make up for that, but it's just like Buckner... it was the beginning of the end. Go Cubs!!! 100 times the charm???
Football, of course, Bailey dropping Harbaugh's Hail Mary in the end zone was quite devastating... also, it hurt too the next season when we played Dallas in the first game at Dallas and ended up winning by a FG that bounced off one of the posts. To know we could've won against them in the Super Bowl (and also seeing how terribly Neil O'Donnell was) brought up some bad tastes.
My personal one was in 1999, my senior yr at Ritter, and we lost Semi-State in football. I can't even remember who beat us, but to go that far and lose hurt a lot, mainly b/c we'd been winning all the games w/ memorable plays all along the way.
Best moment had to be seeing Tom Brady's expression after he had failed vs. the Colts last year in the AFC title game. I'll never forget that. In addition to that, the MNF game v. Tampa when we came back from 21 down in like 5 minutes. Being in Florida around a few Bucs fans while that happened was one of the most memorable nights ever, mainly b/c when we won, I took my shirt off and went running around outside... good times...
In hoops, the worst memory was Reggie and Tayshaun. Great play, but terrible result for Pacerites everywhere. On par w/ that was watching the 15-pt, 4th qtr collapse of the Trailblazers vs. the Lakers in the summer of 2000. It happened during my open house after graduation, and I just remember saying that if Portland could just hold on, the Pacers have a great chance at winning the title. Even w/ Shaq being my favorite player of all-time, I still wanted the Pacers to have the path of least resistance. Well, you know what happened...
Best personal memory was winning my first championship in grade school. To know that you're the best at something, even in your little corner of the world, is an awesome feeling.
Best pro memory was the Houston Rockets and their run. I love the 3ball, and their team was great at it. That was the first real team that I followed that I had seen win a title on the pro level, besides the Dream Team. Great times...
In baseball, I don't have any really great memories yet, seeing as I'm a Cubs fan, and only started watching/rooting faithfully after the Strike, during the '98 season. All those HRs were great to see, but to know that they were all b/c of the steroid era is pretty disheartening.
Of course, being a Cubs fan. Bad baseball memories happen all the time, but of course, Bartman comes to mind. Also, the ensuing events suck. I know they had a chance to make up for that, but it's just like Buckner... it was the beginning of the end. Go Cubs!!! 100 times the charm???