Best games you've seen

[tBBP]

Okay, I'll play along...

...if I had to pick a game, and just one game...then I'd have to pick one from the '99 AFC playoffs--Bills vs. Titans. Probably one of the more twisted storylines as well. Doug Flutie leads team on magical hot streak--only to be sat down in favor of incumbent Rob Johnson, who actually didn't play too bad a game. (I can still remember this guy scrambling around on the field while missing a shoe during one point in the game.) I think most everyone thought the Bills had that game by the end of the fourth quarter...until Frank Wycheck decided to "home run throwback" the ball to Kevin Dyson, who then went on to complete the Music City Miracle. It was almost surreal watching that develop, because it's like I knew what was getting ready to happen (I saw the wall of blockers forming as Dyson ran down the sideline)...and yet still I was in just as much disbelief at the end of it as Al Saunders was at the fact that there were no flags on the field. Truly a miracle if ever there was one--on a football field, that is.

Also, this doesn't count, but if we were to include postseason streaks in this thread, then I'm giving my vote to last year's Mavericks, and in particular Dirk Nowitzki, who I guess finally just made up his mind that "enough was enough" and, well, y'all saw what happened.

(See...it IS possible to contribute and not be homerific! )

[thespleenenator]

Homer time!

Oregon vs USC in 2007. It was one of the loudest games in recorded history. That Matthew Harper interception was insane, and the crowd just went beserk. You just can't replicate that. I couldn't hear anything. It was epic on so many levels.

[floydnimrod]

University of Cincinnati - University of Pittsburgh. 2009. At Heinz Field.

(Apologies for the turrible 'music')

Also, saw the Harlem Globetrotters in the late 90s.

[ninersdd]

The building that night was jumping coming off of the Game 4 comeback. Great game all around; only hockey playoff game I have ever been to.

[dfwabel]

Live games, I will have to say that my top six are:

Super Bowl XXV (Best NFL game I ever saw live)

Super Bowl XXXVI

2006 BCS Title game (Texas vs. USC)...So awesome.

1994 Michigan @ Notre Dame (I had a field pass in South Bend. I did pick up grass.)

1992 NCAA Regional Final Michigan vs. Ohio State (in Lexington, KY)

1996 NLDS Game 2: SD@STL (it was too much fun sitting in the playoff seats added closer to the field)

Live games is what you want? I have a few.

2003 NFC Wild Card round Giants vs 49ers. Niners were down huge at the half, and proceeded to put up the second biggest comeback in NFL playoff history. The Giants botched the snap on what would've been the game winning field goal and the Niners won by one in dramatic fashion 39-38. This game taught me to NEVER leave early, which

That game was a part of one of the two "wheels off" weekends that year. In 2003, I had a Fiesta Bowl/2003 NFC Wildcard weekend plus a WVU@Miami/ 2003 NLDS.

In January, I went to the Fiesta Bowl, wore fatigues for Miami within four tOSU rows and had a great time since Sun Devil Stadium could let you buy 2 24 oz. beers at a time, but only one 36oz. beer. Duh, we were two fisting and buying for tOSU surrounding people, including a grandma I still email with. That Saturday, we leave PHX for SFO and Bob Ryan was on flight so we bugged him for 30 minutes. Then the NFC game on Sunday was too damn much.

In October, I took an afternoon off to fly to FLL for West Virginia@Miami to see this in a losing cause:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2TTY9yNIyo

Followed up the next afternoon with Game 3 of the NLDS (SF@FLA). And I also went to game 4 to see this:

[Rockstar Matt]

I'm going to use games I've seen on TV. I haven't been to many sporting events (Two Lakers games; one was against the Clippers. One Angels game, one Dodgers game, one Ducks game (Ducks game was slightly memorable only because me and my friends, we were all 10 at the time, got on the Jumbotron in the Honda Center) and one Kings game).

(Note: Not in my favorite order, it just goes by year)

NFL:

2011: NFC Divisional Playoffs, San Francisco vs. New Orleans. Need to say more? Great game. The end of that game was probably one of the best endings to a football game I've ever seen.

2011: AFC WIld-Card Playoffs, Denver vs. Pittsburgh. I don't like both teams, but the way Denver played plus scoring that touchdown on the first play of OT was unbelievable.

2011: Week 2, San Francisco vs. Dallas. Great game. Cowboys came back from ten down, on the road with Romo playing with broken ribs and a punctured lung and we won. Great game

2010: Week 12, Indianapolis vs. Dallas. I couldn't believe the Cowboys won that game. Plus, the Cowboys got a glimpse of how good Sean Lee was going to be.

2009: NFC Wild-Card Playoffs, Dallas vs. Philadelphia. This wasn't a good game... if you weren't a Cowboys fan. It was the first time I saw my favorite team of all-time win a playoff game.

2007: Week 5, Buffalo vs. Dallas. The Cowboys had no business winning that game. Romo threw 5 picks, the Cowboys had 6 turnovers, and it came to two 53 yard field-goals hit by Nick Folk to win the game. (We also got the onside-kick just a couple of plays before).

NBA:

2010: NBA Finals Game 7, Lakers vs. Celtics. I don't need to say too much other than the Lakers finally beat Boston in a Game 7. The fact the we avenged our loss to them in 2008 and made us back-to-back champions made it all the more sweeter.

2004: NBA Western Conference Semi-Finals Game 5, San Antonio vs. Lakers. Derek Fisher hitting the game-winning shot with 0.4 on the clock. Great game.

OH SNAP! I forgot the Boise St. vs Oklahoma 2007 Fiesta Bowl! That was the greatest football game I've ever seen.

[YessSir32]

2011 ALDS game 3 Tigers vs Yankees. Verlander struck out over 10. It was crazy. People who weren't even at the game said it was one of the best they've ever seen.

2011 Michigan vs Ohio State football. Once you've been to The Game, you will never forget it. It gets very intense.

[NEW.ERA]

This.

And this.

Not so great games, but for the moments of victory which will always live with me.

[Morgan33]

NHL: As boring as I found the pre-Lockout NHL to be, it's kind of weird that I consider this to still be the most exciting game I've watched, & probably my favorite Stanley Cup Final ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbLCQnv8Rg8

The infamous Phantom Goal... Not a Flames fan by any means but they were royally screwed here.

[NEW.ERA]

NHL: As boring as I found the pre-Lockout NHL to be, it's kind of weird that I consider this to still be the most exciting game I've watched, & probably my favorite Stanley Cup Final ever.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbLCQnv8Rg8

The infamous Phantom Goal... Not a Flames fan by any means but they were royally screwed here.

We probably were screwed, but it's best to forgive and forget, Took me until the NHL came back in the Fall of 2005 to really put it behind me. That was probably the closest we'll get in quite sometime, though you never know, just get in and anything can happen.

I still to this day watch all the highlights from the Flames playoff run that year all on Youtube.(Game 1 against Vancouver is the only one I can't find) the memories from that year are still ingrained in my memory and it always makes me a tad emotional. Just to see a city that had pretty much lost all it's love for their NHL team, to that spring where they all pull together and cheer them on, just the best feeling.

[GO2HELL]

Best game I have ever attended?

Goddamn that was one helluva day. When the Bruins scored those two goals, all the energy and life was completely drained out of that building, the rest of the 2nd period and the first half of the 3rd was complete hell until Daniel tied it up. And after Burrows scored I screamed harder than a 12 year old girl at a Jonas Brothers concert. After this game it seemed like it was really gonna happen.

Like NEW ERA, I still watch highlights from that run and I still get emotional from how goddamn close we came to FINALLY winning it all. But of course Luongo had to his pants in game 3, 4, 6, and 7. Ugh

[evanmaldonado]

That I've been at?

- Blue Jackets vs Red Wings, Nationwide Arena 2009 Conference Quarterfinals Game 4. It was a crazy back and forth game where we legitimately had a chance to win. It was one of the best experiences of my sports life, save for the result.

Well that was a short list.

[mattwswfc]

Yesterday's MASSIVE win in the Steel City Derby against our local and bitter rivals!!!

Sheffield Wednesday 1 - 0 Sheffield United

Chris O'Grady sealed the win with a phenomenal header in the 73rd minute! The best atmosphere I have seen at a football game, and even rivaled that of the most passionate fans in the world. To see the Hillsborough Kop bouncing like it did at the final whistle, well it made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck!

In terms of the actual game, it was a scrappy affair which created little chances, but with it being a derby game I wouldn't have expected different. The first half was end to end, and the second half Wednesday completely outplayed their cross city neighbors, leading to the eventual winner.

Overall the best day I've have encountered whilst supporting Wednesday. A much needed 3 points too. UTO

Sunday 26th February 1pm Kick-Off

Sheffield Wednesday 1 - 0 Sheffield United

O'Grady 73

Location: Hillsborough, Sheffield

Attendance: 36,364

[Morgan33]

Best game I have ever attended?

Goddamn that was one helluva day. When the Bruins scored those two goals, all the energy and life was completely drained out of that building, the rest of the 2nd period and the first half of the 3rd was complete hell until Daniel tied it up. And after Burrows scored I screamed harder than a 12 year old girl at a Jonas Brothers concert. After this game it seemed like it was really gonna happen.

Like NEW ERA, I still watch highlights from that run and I still get emotional from how goddamn close we came to FINALLY winning it all. But of course Luongo had to his pants in game 3, 4, 6, and 7. Ugh

Simply a phenomenal game that I will never forget for the rest of my life. This was the night of my Birthday Party and I was the only one cheering for the Canucks. In spite of dealing with a bunch of bitter Flames fans for the rest of the night, it was simply surreal. It felt like we were finally going to win it all. Should have known it was too good to be true.

[Raysfan12]

I'll choose these games, that I remember, in order of year:

2011 MLB Game 162 Yanks vs. Rays: At first, the Yanks jumped to a 7-0 lead with Mark Texeria hitting a grand slam. I felt that the Yanks won and the BoSox are in the postseason. I kept watching and the Rays were back in it with Longo hitting a 3-run home run to bring the lead to one. At the supposed final pitch, Dan Johnson hit the game-tying home run to tie it. After Boston lost to Baltimore, Evan Longoria hit the game-winner to send the Rays to the playoffs.

2010: #1 Syracuse vs Louisville: This is the final game in Freedom Hall with the largest crowd in the arena's history. After Syracuse and Louisville battled for the lead, the Cards started to run away with the game and ended an era of Louisville Basketball.

2008 ALCS Game 7 Red Sox vs Rays: This was the game to decide one of the best ALCS's in years. Boston jumped out to an early lead then, Tampa tied it with Diover Navarro hitting a pop fly. The Rays continued the game with a 3-1 and David Price was on the mound against Kevin Youkilis. On a 3-2 pitch, David strikes out Youk to end the Boston threat and sealed the series. On the final pitch, Jed Lowrie grounded out to Iwamora to send the Rays to the Fall Classic. Still to this day, the BoSox haven't recovered from the game and Boston would only make one postseason apperance with no wins.

2006 #3 West Virginia vs #5 Louisville: To many preseason experts in '06, this was the endgame for the Big East. Led by Bobby Petrino (HC at Ark.) and Brian Brohm, Louisville competed with West Virginia with both conference and national championsip contentions. Throughout the game, Louisville stopped WVU's dual-attack of Pat White and Steve Slaton and won by the score 44-34, sending the crowd to a frenzy. Unfortunatly, we would lose next week to Rutgers and settled with the Orange Bowl against Wake Forest. Hadn't we lost the game to Rutgers, we would've been to the National Championship against Ohio State, stopped the SEC's winning streak, and established a dynasty similar to Kentucky Basketball.

[loogodude90]

NBA: Gilbert Arenas's 2006 60- and 54-point performances @LAL and @PHX, respectively. Both games resulted in at least one OT and had me on the edge of my seat nearly the entire game. And they were within a week of each other. The Wiz would soon be at the top of the Eastern Conference. Ahh, the good old days.

MLB: There was a game in the mid-90's when Chris Hoiles hit a game-winning Grand Slam in the bottom of the 9th versus SEA for the O's. The thing that made it so great was that it was that extreme hypothetical - bottom of the 9th, down by 3, bases loaded, 2 outs, full count. It was the only time that's been recorded in MLB. I was a kid at the time watching the game on TV with my friends. We jumping up and down like crazy after it happened. Couldn't believe what we just saw. Ahh, the good old days, again.

[sportsfan0518]

I can write an essay for every single game, but I'll keep it as short as possible.

Super Bowl XLII, XLVI

..why'd you ask me??

2004 Eastern Conference Semifinals Game 5 Nets @ Pistons

Nobody talks about this series and its pretty sad...a triple overtime thriller that all starting when Chauncey Billups hit a miracle 40 ft shot to send into overtime. After 3 back and forth overtime periods, the Nets survived and were one game away from a 3rd straight Eastern Conference Finals appearance

2011 World Series Game 6

This was the kind of game where just when you thought you've seen it all, you didn't! Unbelievable how Josh Hamilton hit that 2 run homerun, the Cards answer right back with only one strike left! Everybody knows what happened one inning later with Freece's famous walk off homerun, but what a game, and what a series!

2001 World Series Game 5

Just like Game 4, it ended in walk off fashion. The Yanks went from being a team down 2-0 with little momentum to a team that was on the verge of taking a lead in the series. Scott Brosius and Paul O'Neill hit unforgettable homeruns to tie/win the game and it was a night to remember in the Bronx.

2010 NCAA Basketball National Championship Game

I still get chills watching Gordon Haywards shot. What an unbelievable game where there should have been 2 winners, but Duke as always, closed out and won an unforgettable game.

2009 Big East Tournament Q'Finals Syracuse vs. Connecticut

Three Words: Six. Over. Times. Do I have to explain more than that? Even though I still believe Devendorfs shot counted and none of these overtimes never should have happened, it just shows how special basketball in March is.