If you knew then what you know now (Sports Related)

[Dr. Sak]

My friends and I were having a little debate this weekend about what was the greatest live sporting even they ever attended and most of them were all local teams or college that we either went to school there or have been fans of since we were younger.

But then it got me to think about this next topic. Knowing what you know now about the outcome...if you had a time machine and could get tickets to any sporting event what would it be?

Mine was pretty simple...I would've loved to be in the arena in Lake Placid NY to watch the 1980 USA Hockey team beat the Soviets. My runner up was to be following Jack Nicklaus in 1986 in the final round of The Masters as he won his final major and Green Jacket.

What about you guys/gals?

[Logan]

Game 7 of Rangers-Devils in the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals, with a close runner-up being Game 7 of the Cup Finals that year.

[DeToxRox]

1996, Michigan vs Ohio State. The game that solidified Charles Woodson's Heisman campaign.

[DaddyTorgo]

time machine? any sporting event?

that's tough - so many great choices - a great Pele match? Babe Ruth "calling his shot?" The first Olympics?

[TroyF]

US Olympic Hockey team vs. Russia for sure.

Twins/Braves game 6 in '91. (my favorite player was Kirby, I wish I could go back in time and think of him as a good guy again)

The rest wouldn't be events, they'd be individual players or teams. I'd love to go back in time and actually watch Unitas, Bill Russel, Willy Mays, Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, and countless others.

[thesloppy]

Foreman vs. Ali in Zaire would be a good time.

[Karlifornia]

Lakers/Blazers Game 7...no, no...UCLA/Gonzaga......Oh man I can't decide.

[BYU 14]

Baseball
Being a huge fan and study of early 20th century Baseball I would have to September 6th 1912 to watch the greatest pitching duel ever between Smokey Joe Wood and Walter Johnson.

Honorable mention to Babe's called shot in the '32 World Series.

Football
Easy, though I watched it on TV the 1984 Holiday bowl between BYU and Michigan.

Boxing
The Jack Johnson / Jame Jeffries HW title fight in 1910, can only imagine the spectacle that was.

[rowech]

I don't see how one couldn't choose USA-USSR. (Soviets excluded perhaps) My close second would be 2006 Rose Bowl.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Originally Posted by Logan

Game 7 of Rangers-Devils in the 1994 Eastern Conference Finals, with a close runner-up being Game 7 of the Cup Finals that year.

Bite me.

I would go with the New Orleans VooDoo's very first home game on February 14, 2004. The VooDoo won on a last-second touchdown over the Indiana Firebirds. I think that game set the tone for the VooDoo's great success in New Orleans. The only reason I didn't go to that game was because I was getting married that day.

My comedy answer is this season's Browns-Lions game in Detroit. At the end of the game and down by 6 points, Matt Stafford throws a hail mary pass, gets crunched by a Cleveland player, and injures his shoulder. The Browns intercept the pass, but they get called for pass interference in the end zone. Because Stafford is injured and needs to be helped off the field, he has to sit out the untimed play from the 1 yard line. Daunte Culpepper runs onto the field, but as the Lions are lining up, the Browns call a timeout. The timeout allows the now one-armed Stafford to come back into the game. Stafford throws a game-tying touchdown pass to Brandon Pettigrew and immediately races off the field clutching his hurt shoulder. Jason Hanson adds the extra point and the Lions win, 38-37. With apologies to Brandon Stokley, that was the greatest finish to a regular-season game all year.

You know, I take it back. That's not my comedy answer at all. That's my real answer. Screw the VooDoo.

[Lathum]

The Sabers game where Clint Malarchuck got his throat slashed, that would be pretty cool to see live.

[gstelmack]

USA-USSR would probably be #1 on my list as well. Maybe game 4 of the 2004 ALCS that started the Sox' comeback. And probably the Pats' first Super Bowl win vs the Rams.

[Mustang]

USA-USSR #1 and nothing else comes close.

Next would probably be July 4th, 1939, Lou Gehrig Appreciation day and then Don Larsen's perfect game in the World Series.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I was too young to know about the USA/USSR hockey game, and my family didn't care about hockey, so I don't think it was on at my house. I don't think I'd care so much about actually being there, though. Frankly, I would like to go back and watch that game on TV with no knowledge of the outcome, just to hear Al Michaels at the end. Listen, I get how big the win was for the USA as a country, and I'm not trying to downplay that aspect at all, but at least to my admittedly too-young-to-realize mind, "Do you believe in miracles?" elevated that game to a completely different level. Not sure it would have a greater impact on me if I were actually at the game.

[Marc Vaughan]

The only match I really wish I'd seen that I missed was England vs Holland in the Euro96 competition, England stuffed them 4-1 in a performance which was immense imho.

I was working in America at the time and did catch the match highlights - but the thing was I HAD tickets for the match, but unfortunately was called to work abroad during the tournament (so gave them to a very happy friend ).

PS - We then went out against Germany on penalties as per usual ... causing the very quotable comment of "Football is a game of two halves, between 2 sides of 11 men, and at the end of the game Germany win on penalties." from Gary Lineker.

[Travis]

Originally Posted by Lathum

The Sabers game where Clint Malarchuck got his throat slashed, that would be pretty cool to see live.

Err...?!

I mean I'm all for funny answers, but that one just made me cringe (both the memory of it and the idea that you could even joke about it being cool to see live).

Personally, while a lot of you are picking the Miracle on Ice, I'd probably go back a bit further for the Canada/Russia summit series in 72.

[k0ruptr]

thats disturbing lathum.

I would just visit all the ones I want to see, why does the time machine stop working after one?

[Mustang]

Originally Posted by k0ruptr

I would just visit all the ones I want to see, why does the time machine stop working after one?

Just remember to bring more plutonium because otherwise you will have to find a lightning strike (which are random) or you need to get a Mr. Fusion.

[JPhillips]

The Berlin Olympics with Jessie Owens would be pretty special, but only if I got to see every event he won.

[Doug5984]

Reopening of the dome. Saints - Falcons.

I was at the game, and I don't think even a superbowl win would feel the same as that night did.

[Matthean]

'Bama vs U of Miami for the title in 92'. Best sports day ever was seeing Michigan in the Rose Bowl and then driving home listening to the title game as my brother and I listened while being amazed by it all and then getting home to watch the rest of it. To even see 'Bama play period, and then to have that game unfold like it did.

[k0ruptr]

MY real answer to the question would probably be 2005 World series (pick a game) or Mark Buehrle's perfecto.

[saldana]

niners vs bengals superbowl...montana to taylor to end The Drive

niners vs cowboys nfc champ game, montana to clark for The Catch

usa vs ussr

[Big Fo]

Game 6 of the 1995 World Series (Atlanta Fulton County Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia) - Tom Glavine pitched eight innings of one hit ball, David Justice hit a home run after calling out the fans, and the Braves beat the Indians 1-0 to clinch their only championship in that streak of division wins.

1999 Champions League Final (Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain) - Manchester United beat Bayern Munich 2-1 with Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjær scoring in extra time, topping off an amazing season in which they also won the league and FA Cup.

1998/9 FA Cup semi-final replay (Villa Park, Birmingham, England) - A classic game Man Utd won 2-1. This game had it all, a great long range goal from David Beckham to open the scoring, Dennis Bergkamp equalized with a fine long shot of his own, Roy Keane was sent off late, Peter Schmeichel saved Bergkamp's penalty kick in extra time, then in the second period of extra time Ryan Giggs scored an amazing goal where he dribbled through six Arsenal players before slamming an angled shot into the roof of the net.

2002 World Cup, second round (Jeonju World Cup Stadium, Jeonju, South Korea) - USA beat Mexico 2-0 in the only time the two arch rivals have met in the World Cup Finals. Brian McBride scored early after some slick passing from Claudio Reyna and Josh Wolff, Brad Friedel made several fine saves, Mexico were not given a penalty when John O'Brien cleared a corner kick with his fist (known has the Hand of John incident), Landon Donovan headed home an Eddie Lewis cross in the second half, that piece of shit Rafael Marquez was sent off for kicking Cobi Jones late in the match out of frustration. The biggest result for the US national team in modern history and the ultimate top trump for when USA and Mexico fans talk trash to one another.

[DataKing]

No contest...

1981 AFC Divisional Playoff Game...Kellen Winslow's epic performance in San Diego's 41-38 overtime win over the Dolphins.

Watched it on TV as a youngster, and Winslow being carried off the field at the end of the game still gives me goosebumps. It remains the single most iconic image in NFL history IMHO.

[JeeberDMack]

1966 NCAA Championship game, Texas Western over Rupp's Runts. No contest...

[henry296]

December 23, 1972... my parents wedding day but also the Immaculate Reception.

[RainMaker]

Nothing could possibly come close to the US/USSR game. From an international standpoint, US/England World Cup soccer in 1950 or the World Cup Qualifier against Trinidad that got them into the World Cup a couple decades ago (and saved U.S. Soccer).

Some others:

- Ali (Clay) beating Sonny Liston
- Jets beating Colts in Super Bowl
- Shot Heard Round the World

[Honolulu_Blue]

Definitely the USA/USSR 1980 game.

I'd like to say Game 4 of the 1997 Stanley Cup Finals, but I saw the Wings win the Cup live the following year in DC and even though I watched the 1997 game on TV, I did it surrounded by friends and it was a glorious evening. I am not sure being there, without all my friends, would have been all that much better.

The 1991 Lions/Cowboys playoff game. It's the Lions only playoff win in my lifetime.

[rowech]

Originally Posted by henry296

December 23, 1972... my parents wedding day but also the Immaculate Reception.

I thought that was going to say the Immaculate Conception!

[Pyser]

i always thought itd be cool to go to the dodgers game a few years ago while in the middle of the pennant race, a half game down (in september), down 4 runs in the bottom of the 9th, they hit FOUR back to back home runs to tie it up and take it into extra innings...where in the 10th the dodgers gave up a run, then won it on a 2 run walk-off homer in the bottom of the 10th.

[RainMaker]

I'd also love to go to a baseball game back in the early days. Maybe see Babe Ruth pointing out to Centerfield. Just that old atmosphere of the men wearing suits to the games and without all the electronics and crap everywhere.

[Karlifornia]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I'd also love to go to a baseball game back in the early days. Maybe see Babe Ruth pointing out to Centerfield. Just that old atmosphere of the men wearing suits to the games and without all the electronics and crap everywhere.

Do they play baseball in Amish country? You could probably still see that.

[ColtCrazy]

No interest in hockey, even if it's historically significant, so the USA/USSR game wouldn't crack my top 50.

For me, the 1987 NCAA final with IU beating Syracuse would be #1.

Even though I'm not a bug Liverpool fan (prefer Arsenal or ManU) I'd love to have seen the 2005 Champions League final when they came back from 3-0 to beat AC Milan.

I've been to the 2 best Colts games I've ever seen, the 2006 AFC Championship game and the Pats game this year. If I could see one, probably the 06 Super Bowl just to be there, or the comeback in 2003 against the Bucs.

[Radii]

1982 NCAA Title game, Worthy, Perkins, Jordan and Ewing all on the court together, dominant game from Worthy, Ewing goaltending left and right intimidating the hell out of everyone, and of course Jordan's shot in the final 20 seconds.

1983 NCAA Title game, NC State upsetting Houston

2001 world series game 7 between the yankees and dbacks, 1991 world series game 7(morris and smoltz duel, 1-0 twins win in the 10th).


Rams/Titans super bowl or maybe Namath's win in Super Bowl III.

[JS19]

Toss up between the Giants Super Bowl victory over the Pats, Game 6 of the '86 World Series and the Duke/Kentucky regional final game in '92.

[digamma]

Harvard beats Yale 29-29 in 1968.

[RedHawk00]

i am happy to say i was at my #1, 1995 divisional round game 5 Mariners defeat the Yankees in extras. As a Seattlite, not many great moments in our history, but that ranks at the top for me. Not many people remember The Big Unit came in during the 11th inning and would have been the goat, if not for Cora, Griffey, & Edgar's heroics.

[bhlloy]

25th May 2003 - Cardiff City vs QPR in the division 2 playoff final. I had a football game and probably wouldn't have got tickets anyway as I was away at college and didn't make it to many home games that year, but it's still one of my biggest regrets that I didn't find a way go. I caught the last 15 mins of extra time including the winning goal in an O'Neills in Ipswich and was just going insane running around a pub filled with Celtic supporters crying about losing the league earlier in the day.

Either that or the 1927 FA Cup final, although I think sporting events were a little too restrained for my liking back then

[Wolfpack]

Eh, why not:

April 4, 1983, Albuquerque, NM: NC State 54, Houston 52..."The Cinderella Team has done it! The Wolfpack has won the national championship!" I was seven and between six and seven was when I finally really started grasping what sports and championships were really about and what it meant to win and be #1. To be there and be there as I am now and (tragically) knowing how the next 30 years of NC State basketball would unfold, I think I'd probably weep at the end.

June 19, 2006, Raleigh, NC: Hurricanes 3, Oilers 1, Stanley Cup Finals, Game 7. "Hurricanes steal! Staal getsitupthemiddletoWilliamswhoswalkinginonanopennetandhejustwon the Stanley Cup!" This, just because I wanted to go bananas when I watched it live on CBC in Ann Arbor, but couldn't because my wife was holding our sleeping newborn at the moment of the third goal.

Others:
*State-Carolina at Reynolds in 1983, which most fans who were there tend to think of as probably the loudest game they've ever been to.
*State-Maryland for the ACC basketball title in 1974
*State-UCLA in the 1974 Final Four, just to see David Thompson play
*Any Canes playoff game from 2002, 2006, and 2009, especially Game 1 of the 2002 Finals in Detroit, Game 2 in 2006 against New Jersey, Game 1 against Edmonton in 2006, and any game in the New Jersey and Boston series last year.

Beyond my own fandom, there'd be:
*Miracle on Ice
*Any game for the 1992 Dream Team just to see all that talent on display at once
*1958 NFL championship, the first of the "Greatest Game" genre
*Roger Maris's or Hank Aaron's record-breaking home run games, and for that matter a game during Ruth's 60-HR season to see him play
*Jackie Robinson's first game
*Wilt's 100-point game

[FBPro]

Saw Willie Mays hit 500th HR (I think, or either 600) in ATL, also saw Braves win 13th straight game to open season.

[PilotMan]

I'd go to Dodger Stadium in 1988 and watch Kirk Gibson hobble out of the dugout.

[Bearcat729]

Well besides game 2 of the '90 World Series which I was lucky enough to go to.

I would love to go back to the '86 AFC Championship game and try and prevent Elway from finishing the drive.

[spleen1015]

September 6, 1995 - Baltimore Orioles vs. California Angels

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

I'd go to Dodger Stadium in 1988 and watch Kirk Gibson hobble out of the dugout.

Shit, that would be awesome. Forgot about that one.

The McGwire record breaker would have been cool if I went back in time and was as naive about steroids as I was back then.

[albionmoonlight]

USA/USSR

Also, the first Rocky v. Apollo Creed fight.

[Suburban Rhythm]

For sheer magnitude, USA/USSR would be great.

As a Pittsburgher, already mentioned above by hnry, 12/23/72, Immaculate Reception.

One other that would be a cool "I was there" game, 12/31/88, Lemiuex scores 5 goals/5 ways vs the Devils.

[Senator]

Secretariat winning the Belmont

[SirFozzie]

Game 4 2004 WS
1980 USA-USSR

[ISiddiqui]

1951 National League Pennant (Giants vs. Dodgers - "The Giants Win the Pennant")

1969 World Series, Game 5 (The Amazins' win it!)

1986 World Series, Game 6 (Mets vs. Red Sox and Buckner lets the ball go)

2001 World Series, Game 7 (D-Backs vs. Yankees with Rivera giving up the winning hit)

2005 - South Florida at Rutgers (Rutgers knocks off the #2 ranked Bulls)