The Top Ten Games of the Decade

 

The Top Ten Games of the Decade

I decided to push one of these out at the end of 2010 and it became one of my most popular blogs ever.  I probably watched more sports this decade, and figured since it has been about five years since I’d last wrote about sports, I’d give it another try.

2020 was certainly a low mark for sports.  Neutered and reorganized seasons, empty stadiums removing a lot from the aesthetic, and seasons with breaks so large the playoffs feel like they’re a different season.  Now more than ever, it feels like a great time to look backwards and enjoy the nostalgia of sports past.  All sports may apply, and with the same disclaimer as last time, there is likely to be a bias to the sports I spend the most time watching (stop reading now if you want to see soccer).  First, let’s get to specific categories of games that didn’t make the cut. 

Supposedly great games I never saw.

Super Bowl LII: Philadelphia Eagles vs. New England Patriots

Yes, I opted out of this Super Bowl.  At the back half of the decade, I decided that I was watching too many sports and needed to have a healthier relationship with them.  Part of that decision was eliminating hate watching.  No more watching games that I only had an investment in for cheering against one team, without any real interest in the team I “cheered for.”  The end result?  I haven’t seen a Patriots game since 2016.  The result was as surprised by a sports alert I’ve ever been, the Nick Foles led Eagles coming away with a shootout win 41-33. 

2016 NCAA Men’s National Championship Game: Villanova Wildcats vs. North Carolina Tar Heels

An apparent classic, for which I had a prior commitment, causing me to avoid this viewing pleasure.  The last thirty seconds are as good as I’ve ever seen in a basketball game.  Sadly, I can’t attest to the greatness of the rest. 

2015 Divisional Series: Toronto Blue Jays vs. Texas Rangers Game 5

I didn’t get to watch this game, which took place during my workday, but it got a healthy dose of game tracking on my phone.  After starting the series down 2-0, Toronto pushed back to a decisive game 5 back at the Skydome.  They started game 5 the same way they started the series, with ice cold bats.  It seemed lost after only one run through 5 innings, and then the bats came to life.  In the bottom of the seventh, with two men on, Jose Bautista launched a bomb out of the park to gain a lead that the Jays never surrendered.  Even more memorable than the home run, is the bat flip that followed.  With anger and seeming disdain, Bautista tosses the bat in a way that seemed representative of the ferocious shedding of 20 years of Blue Jay suffering. 

2019 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship Tournament – Final Four: Virginia Cavaliers vs. Auburn Tigers

In transparency, I initially had this game at number six on my list.  I want it in my top ten, the end is in my top ten, but if I’m honest, I haven’t seen enough of it to put it in my top ten.  I had other sports priorities that day.  I watched the overtime period and final five minutes from a barstool at Sushi Confidential in San Jose, California, enjoying the two hour gap between a doubleheader between the AHL Barracuda and a nightcap of Sharks/Avalanche with a “healthy” Erik Karlsson finally retaking the ice to play the last regular season game and warm me up for a postseason we’ll hear more about later. 

We'll be back with a new category of honorable mentions tomorrow.