My Favorite Sports Memories

When Tiger Woods made his comeback today with a dramatic birdie putt on the 18th hole to tie Rocco Mediate to force a playoff tomorrow at the US Open, I said to myself this was one of my favorite sports memories ever.  I don't scream out loud often, but I couldn't help it tonight.  In fact, Krissy heard me down the street.  She and Alex came running in to make sure I was okay!  That was unbelievable!  I'm glad I got to share that one with Alex on Father's Day!

Tonight, I started thinking about all the other sports memories I've had in the years past.  Here they are...as best I can remember them...in chronological order...

1979 - Watching my first professional soccer game - New York Cosmos in Giants Stadium with Giorgio Chinaglia, Pele and Franz Beckenbauer.  That was awesome!

1980 - Wimbledon Bjorn Borg beats John McEnroe in dramatic 5-setter. 

1985 - Watching Boris Becker win his first Wimbledon against Kevin Curren.

1986 - Watching Germany play Argentina in the World Cup. 

1986 - Boris wins Wimbledon again against Lendl

1986 - Seeing Andre Agassi (age 17) play for the first time at the Volvo Tournament in Vermont. 

1986 - New York Giants vs. Minnesota Vikings.  4th & 17 Phil Simms makes a miracle first down pass which ends up helping the Giants to win the game with a Field Goal by Raul Allegre (I think that was his fifth of the game).

1986 - NY Giants vs. Denver Broncos.  George Martin intercepts a John Elway pass in Giants Stadium and returns it 70 yards for a TD.  I still remember Lawrence Taylor diving on #75 in the end zone.  Later that game, Phil Simms made a clutch pass to Phil McConkey #80 for a first down and eventual game winning comeback field goal.  They would meet later that season in the Superbowl.

1987 - NY Giants beat the Denver Broncos in Superbowl XXI.  Phil Simms is MVP.

1987 - Larry Mize unbelievable chip to steal the Masters from Greg Norman on the first playoff hole.

1989 - Winning the Somerset County, NJ Championship in 1st Singles and as a team my senior year of high school.

1990 - NY Giants win Superbowl XXV.  Bill Parcell's strategy to run the ball against the Buffalo Bills.  Bills' Norwood misses the potential winning FG wide right. 

1991 - Jimmy Connors plays an unbelievable US Open.  Makes it into the Semi-finals at the age of 39.  Great points and fist pumping - especially the match against Aaron Krickstein one evening!

1992 - Andre Agassi wins his first grand slam at Wimbledon.  He still had long hair and was dating Brooke Shields. 

1993 - Houston Oilers lose to Buffalo Bills in the greatest comeback ever in Buffalo 41 - 38 after Houston was leading 35-3 at halftime. 

1994 - Winter Olympics

1996 - Greg Norman chokes away 6 stroke lead on the final Sunday to lose to Nick Faldo at The Masters.

1998 - Tennessee Volunteers are National Champions in NCAA College Football.

1999 - Payne Stewart beats Phil Mickelson at the US Open at Pinehurst to win his last major before his tragic death later. 

1999 - Jean Claude Van de Velde chokes at the British Open with an unbelievable double-bogey.

2000 - Music City Miracle: Tennessee Titans vs. Buffalo Bills.  Down by 1 point, with 16 seconds left in the game, the Bills kick off...Wycheck laterals the ball to Dyson and he runs into the end zone for the unbelievable win.  I was screaming all the way to Nashville at that moment!

2000 - Superbowl XXIV - Titans vs. Rams.  Dyson is tackled one yard short of the end zone for the potentially game tying score.   

2004 - Phil Mickelson wins his first major - The Masters with an unbelievable putt on the 18th.

2006 - Phil Mickelson chokes away his 1 shot lead in the US Open with a double-bogey on 18. 

2007 - Texas Longhorns win against SC in the College Football National Championship Game.  Vince is later drafted by my hometeam - the Titans!

2007 - Tennessee Titans comeback from a 1-5 season to barely miss the playoffs and finish the season 8-8.  Rookie Quarterback Vince Young (VY) ignites a spark in the team and makes unbelievable plays to win several close games.  I remember two games - one where Rob Bironas makes a 60 Yard Field Goal to defeat the Colts.  Another, where the Giants miss VY for a sure sack and go on to comeback and win the game against the Giants in a nail biter with 21 unanswered points.

2007 - Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts barely defeat the New England Patriots in the AFC Conference Championship and go on to demolish the Chicago Bears in Superbowl XLI.

2008 - The New York Giants upset the New England Patriots to win Superbowl XLII.  Eli Manning dramatic escape of a sack on 3rd Down to make a 20 yard completion to Tyree for a finger tip catch off his helmet!

2008 - Tiger Woods Rounds 3 & 4 - unbelievable shots for eagles and birdies to eventually tie Rocco Mediate on the last hole with a dramatic birdie putt.  I can still see Tiger's fist pumps and the crowd going wild in the background!  Absolutely electric!