Honorable Mentions - Category Three: You Remember a Great Game Because There was a Great Moment

 You Remember a Great Game Because There was a Great Moment

Michigan State Spartans at Michigan Wolverines 10/17/2015

Of the games in this section, no moment holds a candle to this one.  The Michigan Wolverines had been the big brother in this rivalry for 40 years until Spartan coach Mike Dantonio arrived in East Lansing.  For the past ten years, the programs had spiraled in opposite directions.  The Wolverines had been a shell of their former power, and the Spartans were annual conference title contenders.  The winds had seemingly changed this season, as Michigan alum, and highly successful NFL coach, Jim Harbaugh had taken the helm at the Wolverine program, and had been overwhelming teams with their defense for the past month when the Spartans came to Ann Arbor.  They were heavy favorites, and for three plus quarters, lived up to the billing.  The Spartans scratched some points together in the fourth quarter to bring the game within three, but the Wolverines felt strongly in control.  With less than ten seconds on the clock and facing a fourth down, the Wolverines intended to punt the ball, and all that was needed to retain their crown for the state was to not let the returner streak to the end zone as the clock hit zero. 

Then chaos.

The snap was dropped.  The punter scrambled to recover it, and then while being hit by the rushers, attempting to kick the ball anyways.  It was easily snatched up by Jalen Watts-Jackson, who weaved through a crowded convoy of blockers and Wolverines, to land on his back in the endzone as the clock hit zero to provide the Spartans a miracle win.  Watts-Jackson lay there for a while absorbing the celebration of his surrounding teammates and the despairing quiet of Michigan Stadium around him, waiting for team doctors to tend to the hip he had broken while being tackled on the score.  As it was called, the lead broadcasters voice gave out and cracked like a pubescent boy while exclaiming “he scores on the last play of the game!”  The game was honestly pretty ugly before that, but the moment at the end was truly unforgettable. 

2013 NFL Divisional Playoffs: Baltimore Ravens at Denver Broncos

Another non-classic, classic that will forever be etched in the memories of those that follow either team.  The game is revered by many as one of the classics of the decade, it did after all, have two special teams touchdowns, and a defensive touchdown.  The game is the last one to go into double overtime in NFL history as well.  And still, despite offering all that, it’s hard for me to create a notch in the top ten for a game that I mostly just remember for being stunned at how bad the coverage was on one play.  “The Mile High Miracle” is mostly infamous for none of the things I mentioned above but for the 70 yard bomb hauled in by Jacoby Jones to force Denver into overtime.  A bomb, which in modern professional football, is the worst attempt to defend a deep ball in an obvious hail Mary situation I’ve seen over the past twenty years.  A game, no matter how great, can only achieve so much when being remembered for what was terrible. 

2016 NBA Finals Game 7: Cleveland Cavaliers at Golden State Warriors

This one stings.  For most of my sports fandom life, I had not found any sense of real fan loyalty in the NBA.  I had bounced around over the years just following certain players I liked, most recently, the Steve Nash led Phoenix Suns, but hadn’t really paid much attention over the past 7-8 years to much of anything in the sport.  Bored and fed up with Spurs/Celtics/Lakers fatigue and the fact that no other teams frequently mattered, I just checked out.  But things changed in 2015-16 for me.  My nephew, an avid NBA follower, started living with me and got me interested in watching a bit again.  At the same time, a certain young buck named Steph Curry was revolutionizing the game with his fearless sharpshooting outside.  I was hooked, and happened to be in the neighborhood of the Warriors in May 2016 visiting a friend.  I decided to take the dive, shelled out about $300 for the worst seats in the house, and be a part of the historic 73 win season for the Warriors by attending a Western Conference Finals game. 

I bought in.  The price of tickets, a jersey, and a few other pieces of gear, and my fanhood was no longer for sale.  I was a Warriors fan, and a Warriors fan I have remained. 

The worst part about this game is that thirty days earlier it probably wouldn’t have hurt to watch.  With a 3-1 series lead and a 73 win regular season under their belt, the Warriors gagged at the finish line.  If you are a big fan of Cleveland sports of Lebron, this is your peak moment, and it’s a great one.  The ultimate comeback in a series against a titan of the sport, with the added flavor of the King finally bringing a title home.  The moment is a great postgame, and the chase down block on Iguodala pictured above was a great moment in game.  In all the history made, it can be easy to forget that it’s kind of a crappy game. 

These teams had truly battled to the end in this epic series, and it showed.  Curry had battled injuries all postseason and was clearly well below full strength, as were many players on both teams.  Kyrie Irving hit a three point field goal with 53 seconds remaining for what would be the eventual game winner, between that and Lebron’s block, you have two lasting highlights at the end.  They are also the only things that could possibly qualify as highlights at the end.  The game winner by Irving was the only shot made from the field by either team in the final five minutes, and the clocked ticked towards zero after a Lebron James missed free throw and an air ball by the Warriors with a wishful heave from three point land.  The moment is top ten for the decade, but we’re grading games, and this one doesn’t crack it.

2015 NFC Championship Game: Green Bay Packers at Seattle Seahawks

If you are a Seahawks fan, you’re likely bothered to see this on the best of the rest section, and would prefer a top five slot.  We’ll be back to your guys later, you’ll have a spot in the top ten.  This game though, maybe the most stunned I’ve ever been by a playoff game result, just can’t crack the list.  Across a decade of sports games to choose from, I’m looking for games that stand out not just for an ending, but for a well fought contest for the entirety of the contest, and for three and a half quarters, Seattle was outright terrible in this game.  The comeback was impressive, but just like the exclusion of Baltimore/Denver seems to hinge on someone being awful at his job, this one is most memorable for a botched onside kick recovery.  A fun end to the game to be sure, but it still doesn’t really feel like the better team won.

New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins 12/09/2018

I, just like you, don’t remember any part of this game, except the Miami Miracle on the last play, which is the only time in the past twenty years I can remember seeing the million lateral attempts play work in the NFL.  It can be summarized in three words: Gronk tackle LOLZ.

More on the way tomorrow.