Back sometime in the Pleistocene I played goalkeeper for a formidable intramural soccer squad at my alma mater. In the all-comers semifinal match, we fought another strong squad to a scoreless tie through regulation and two overtimes. Skip Morris' (yeah, that Skip Morris) successful conversion in the fifth round of the shootout gave us a one-goal advantage and brought our opponents' best player to the penalty spot facing a must-make kick.I bounced up and down in the goalmouth, trying for all the world to make my 5'5" frame look bigger, then crouched low as the opposing player began his run to the ball. As he hit it, I sprung to my left (because, in sports as in politics, I have a hard time going right) and extended my left arm to its admittedly underwhelming limit. My searching fingertips found the ball an instant before it dented the netting, deflecting it beyond the goalpost and harmlessly over the touch line, our victory assured.
I leapt from the ground and faced my onrushing teammates and fraternity brothers, both fists clenched in victorious defiance. As they lifted me off the ground in celebration, I experienced the moment for one of the few times in my athletic career. The moment, that singular point in time where an athlete finds himself or herself elevated by dint of an exceptional performance coupled with exquisite timing. For the sublimely talented, it's where circumstance, training, and physical fortune meet to celebrate the athlete's gifts for all of us to see.
Carlton Fisk had one in Game 6 of the 1975 ALCS. Mike Eruzione got one midway through the 3rd period of the penultimate game of the 1980 Winter Olympic Hockey tournament. Brandi Chastain celebrated hers by taking off her shirt.
The moment needs theater, it needs import and grandeur. As spectacular as it was, Curtis Granderson's hyper-athletic leaping catch of Wily Mo Pena's drive on Sunday wasn't a moment because it was a midseason game with several innings to go.
Adam Vinatieri's kick to beat the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI qualifies, as does the kick he made to beat the Raiders to get the Pats into the game.
My moment brought momentary joy to maybe three dozen hungover fratguys, and even though it still makes me smile to think about that save, it's a private memory. The moment makes everyone in the arena stand agape, stunned at their good fortune, amazed by the event. It provides fodder for the entire sporting world in perpetuity. Jack Buck couldn't believe what he just saw during Kirk Gibson's moment against Dennis Eckersley in the 1988 World Series, and every one of you know immediately what I'm talking about.
We all have a wealth of individual memories that tell the story of our journeys, and to each of us, those memories mean the world. But very, very few of us get to view those memories through the prism of the sporting world's acclaim. So this week I'm spending my allotment of deadly sin on those unique athletes that have their moment on the big stage, whose individual triumphs in the moment become the stuff of cultural legend. I want one shot at that electric rush that surely consumes you the instant you realize you just changed the world, when everything goes graveyard silent and the air leaves the building - only to rush back in a billion flashes of color and the deafening locomotive roar of the crowd.
So, yeah, I'm jealous of Aaron Boone. May his meniscus be infected by fire ants.
Jump in the comments below and tell G:TB about the moments we missed.
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67 comments:
Ah yes, Aaron Boone. The epitome of this post.
Whit won't want to hear it, but I think Yadier Molina gets on this list after last October. And if he doesn't come through, we get Endy Chavez and a defensive play as "the moment".
Thanks, Teej. Way to undo months of memory-blocking therapy.
Christian Laettner is always in this conversation. Unfortunately.
Perhaps some occupational hypnotherapy? It seemed to work for Peter Gibbons.
Does Big Shot Bob have to pick just one moment, or does he not count because there are too many choices?
To that point, what is Horry's biggest moment? I say, the shot he hit against Sacramento to win Game 4. It was a true buzzer beater and basically saved the Lakers' season.
The Christian Laettner moment revealed the power that great sports moments had (and still have) on me.
It was the Spring of 1992 and I was a high school senior, a few weeks into a relationship with a new girlfriend. We made plans that night to go see White Men Can't Jump. It was to be a double-date with another couple. We decided that we would go to the 7:30 showing of the movie. That would leave me ample time after the flick to drive to a secluded spot with my new woman in my Dodge Caravan and make some magic for the first time with her.
The other dude was, like me, a big basketball fan. We decided that we would watch as much of the Duke-Kentucky game as we could before leaving. However, much to the dismay of the ladies, we quickly realized we couldn't leave this epic game. The four of us sat in my girlfriend's house (with my girlfriend's dad) and watched the entire game.
We ended up hitting the late showing of the movie. I had to get her home for her curfew and didn't make any magic that night. And I somehow didn't care because I knew I witnessed something special (and I'm not talking about the moustache that Kentucky's Farmer was sporting).
That is the power of the moment. If only the girl's dad knew what was at stake...
Did he have one when with Houston in either the '94 or '95 Finals? Obviously, if I can't remember it, I guess it's not his "moment".
I don't remember it being a buzzer beating game winner but that was a long time ago. (I was a sophomore in HS). Plus, after Nick Anderson choked on those four FTs the series was pretty much over anyway. Do those missed FTs count as Anderson's moment, albeit in a different way?
I say yes. Nick was never the same again.
Can the Ronnell and Donnell Taylor play from the UAB/Kentucky game be their moment?
On a completely different note, do you think Fox will pull "K-Ville" halfway through the first episode?
That's the other side of the coin, the anti-moment. Jackie Smith, Al Downing, Mary Decker, and ah, yes, Billy Buck. Sometimes, like in the case of Robin Williams' character in The Best of Times, these last a lifetime, too. (Let me guess... nobody else saw that movie.)
Kurt Russell as Reno Hightower. Oh yeah.
I have no idead what either of you are talking about.
I've seen the Best of Times...at least twice. I enjoy the climatic scene where every inch of every player is covered with mud except their eyeballs. And I'm just a huge Kurt Russell fan.
My favorite "moment" of the past 18 months is probalby Santana Moss' overtime 65 yard TD against Jacksonville last year--we 4 I believe.
I'll also throw out Justin Leonard in the 1999 Ryder Cup, Payne Stewart at the 1999 US Open and Phil Mickelson at the 2004 Masters. Those are the 3 biggest golf putts/singular moments of the last 200 years.
Keith Smart--though it wasn't the buzzer beater it is remembered as.
Since Geoff opened up the golf moment discussion:
Would Tiger's ridiculous chip-in at the Masters (against DiMarco) be considered his moment? I know he's had a lot a great moments to choose form but that one seems to stand out a little more than the rest.
That is probably his most memorable. He's got a few more ridiculous ones but they weren't in majors--his tee shot on the first playoff hole against Els in the Mercedes where he put it ti 4 inches, his chip in on the 16th at Pebble on his way to shooting 30 on the back 9, his 215 6 iron from the bunker on 18 to win the Buick, his hole in one on 17 at the Phoenix Open as a rookie all come to mind. The problem with the chip in at Augusta is that he could have won without it and it wasn't on the last hole.
Here's a line of thinking that could be fallible, so fire away...
Tiger Woods, if he has a moment at all, has a diminished one because he has been so stellar for an extended period. Part, maybe a large part, of the most engaging moments in our memories have to do with the unlikelihood of them happening. Someone's stunning ascent of the apex without prior expectation (1980 US Hockey is the best example we'll know) adds the necessary elements that Rob spoke of in many ways.
Although Rob detracted from his own glorious moment because of the lack of worldwide significance, his was pretty great for that reason. I was on the sideline, and his puny frame against the backdrop of the suddenly cavernous-looking goal seemed to stack up insurmountable odds despite his prowess; when he single-handedly (literally) knocked away the opposing threat, there was excitement for the win, bedlam for the way it went down.
Tiger Woods can't be the underdog yet -- it'll take a serious decline, way moreso than his "slump" of a few years back, and then maybe he can pull a Nicklaus '86 that may seize the moment.
Just a thought.
To that point (and because I like sticking it to Rob), Bucky Dent and his moment belong on this list.
grudgingly, yes.
though it's interesting - after 2004 i'm pretty much over all the gut punches that happened prior to that date. all except the boone one - that game was over and the sox' idiot manager didn't realize it.
I'd say that is pretty spot on, Whitney. Tiger's most impressive performances for me have been when he has repeatedly drilled 12 footer after twelve footer to fend off all challengers. Or generally, how he never gives up a final round lead.
Furthering your point, if you take away the '86 Masters, I think Jack Nicklaus is a far less sympathetic figure. People forget he was widely disliked for most of his career for knocking Arnie off his pedestal...with extreme prejudice.
Derek Fisher's shot against the Spurs a couple year's back doesn't really feel like a moment to me. It was a buzzer beater in a huge game, but he wasn't really a major player or integral part of that game...if feels more like a fluke than something great.
While I agree with Whitney's point on Tiger. I think that being consistently stellar doesn't neccessarily preclude one from having a moment. Jordan was undoubtedly the most dominant athlete of his era, yet he has at least two moments that bookend his NBA career.
One was the signal of his ascent (over Ehlo) and the other his signature sign-off, or should've been at least (over Russell in the Finals).
I think I have to put Mize's 1987 Sudden Death chip-in at the Masters above any of the other golf moments listed, especially in light of the fact that it snatched victory away from Norman who was by far the best golfer in the world at the time.
And Jordan's shot in the 1982 NCAAs...though Fred Brown pass would be more memorable if Jordan hadn't turned out to be Jordan.
Fred Brown's pass and C-Webb's TO go in Whit's anti-moment crowd...along with Scott hoch missing a 2 footer on 18 to lose the Masters, Mickelson triple bogeying the 18th at Winged Foot and Mark Calcavechia being 4 up with 5 to play at Kiawah and losing to Monty.
Let's not forget Mr. Van De Velde...
Oui Oui
Scott Norwood.
Interestingly (or not), the first thing I thought of when Tiger's name appeared was Larry Mize and that bulbous head peeking out of the bunker.
I'd throw in Eric Maynor's dagger against Duke, but I don't want you guys hurting yourselves rolling your eyes too quickly.
I'll also remember where I was for the Laettner shot, if only because I was at a minor league hockey game with a mini-TV in my lap. Odd having an entire section of hockey fans looking over your shoulder at a three-inch screen.
in 1993, i watched kurt small hit a fadeaway triple from the corner at the buzzer to complete a 23-point second-half comeback for the tribe against uva in williamsburg and send the game to overtime.
where the tribe lost. natch.
On the college basketball note, one of the more memorable moments I've witnessed as a Gator fan came via Anthony Roberson in a win over UGA in 2003. He and Jarvis Hayes traded 3s down the stretch (3 for Hayes and 2 for Roberson I think). A sequence which finally concluded with freshman Roberson hitting a 22 footer over Hayes at the buzzer.
It ended up being the moment of both of their collegiate basketball (and to this point basketball in general) careers.
Here's a link:
http://www.alligator.org/edit/sports/issues/03-spring/030113/d01hoops13.html
Mgl, Mize wasn't in a bunker...are you thinking about Bob Tway chipping into to win the 1983 PGA Championship? A big moment that cuts both ways as it highlights Greg Norma's first anti-moment of many.
Geoff,
Where do you put Watson's chip-in at Pebble in relation to the other moments you listed?
I've got to say I'm impressed with Geoff's near encyclopedic knowledge of big golf moments. He's like Whitney when it comes to useless musical knowledge.
It was also on 17, but was bigger than Tiger's at Augusta (I think Tiger was two strokes up at that point, whereas Watson was tied, and he was tied with the greatest golfer of his era, Nicklaus). Ironically, Watson's case is hurt by the fact that he went on to birdie 18 to win by two.
Both shots get a 9.9 out of 10 on the degree of difficulty...though if Watson's hadn't hit the pin, he would have had a 20 footer for par coming back. Tiger's was actually a better shot, but Watson's is bigger because who he was, who he was up against, and because he had never won a major on US soil.
By the way, I've seen asked of Tiger, Jack and Arnie--what's the greatest golf shot of all time--and they all go with Gene Sarazen's double eagle on 15 at Augusta. I think it's a cop out.
Great call geoff--it's when he earned the nickname Bob "Freaking" Tway. And didn't TK knock down a pin on #7 one year?
Tom Kite is in my house. He had a ridiculous chip in on 7 in 50 mph winds the year he won it, if memory serves. It's really hard to imagine now, but Tom K. was the PGA's all time leading money winner (in history) for a few years...maybe as many as five. My guess is now he's about 15th.
Or 64th. In 1990, he was the tours all time leacing money winner...now he is 64th. some of the guys in front of him on the list? Tour stars like Tom Pernice Jr., John Huston, Kirk Tripplett and Shigeki Muryama.
I think that's just the nature of sports business across the board. In 1990, baseball's all-time money earner was probably someone like Reggie Jackson or Mike Schmidt -- who, for their careers, I would bet a case of beer earned less than A-Rod makes this year and less than Cristian Guzman will "earn" in his career.
Pavin's shot at 18 at Shinnecock in 1995 has not held up well as a great shot. At the time, I remember that shot being called one of the greatest ever, but looking back now, it just seems like a very good five wood to seal the open by 2 shots.
Who are three guys who have never been in my kitchen and one guy not in my dojo?
I feel like this thread was hijacked by Jimmy Roberts, Rob's twin Ian Woosnam and a completely hammered David Feherty.
kirk triplett's wife had a little bit of a crush on me. true story.
Pavin's shot should be higher. I got an opportunity through work to play Shinnecock about a month after Goosen won the '04 open there. There is a plaque in the fairway showing were Pavin hit that shot from...and getting that on the green from there was an impressive feat under pressure.
I was extremely pleased with the 10 over I shot that day at Shinnecock, which is the second hardest course I've ever played.
I love hijacking this thread and making it golf day on Gheorghe...
Behold the hottnes that is Kirk Triplett's wife (Far Right, with Dr. Quinn in the middle)
http://www.ccainstitute.org/images/left_angels.jpg
yep, that's her. when i was working for the 1998 michelob championship, one of my duties was to coordinate the wives' charity par-3 tourney during the week of the event. she was the tour wives' contact for the par-3 tourney. she's a very cool lady.
And she was WAY hotter 9 years ago.
geofferson - have i ever regaled you with the tales of my summer spent amongst the pga tour's elite?
or at least what passes for elite at a tournament held in southern virginia at the end of the tour season.
I had heard the tale of your Hoffman-esque run in with Mrs. Triplette...but that's about it. Have you heard about the day I caddied for Kent Merker and Joe McGrane? Or Alice Cooper?
no, do tell.
This was when I was working at Muirfield Village Country Club(home of the Memorial, and the first course Nicklaus ever designed) in Columbus. Merker and McGrane came out in the late afternoon and I was assigned to them--I actually reckognized Merker from his Braves days, but they introduced themselves. The had a case of Miller Lite with them and while you are required to use a caddy, they took a cart (I still carried both their bags) so it could carry the beers. Much like Neil Diamond, they were drinking pretty heavily, and regaled me with a story from when McGrane was on the same squad as Pedro Guerrero in the 80s. Apparently Mr. Guerrero was well known for having a penis that resembled as McGrane described it "two coke cans stacked on top of each other." One night in Milwaukee he apparently took a rather petite woman home from a drinking establishment and back to his hotel room, where he apparently literally ripped her apart. He devastated her "female area" to such a degree that an emergency room visit was necessary that evening and it involved stitches. As a 19 year old caddie I found both fascinating and intimidating.
Long story short, they were so hammered after nine, they called it a day and tipped me very handsomely.
lots of buzzer beaters, but I've always enjoyed the one by Bryce Drew.
Oh, and one day I caddied in a group that featured Alice Cooper (I carried two other guy's bags). He shot an 81. That was the most interesting thing about the round. Seriously.
Geoff, good story, and I'm sure Messieurs Magrane & Mercker will appreciate the alteration of their surnames so that searches won't uncover this story. Whoops.
I'm modifying their Wikipedia pages right now.
magrane went on to be one of the worst color commentators in major league baseball history.
make sure that makes the wikipedia.
anyone catch the u.s. u-20 soccer team's come from behind victory last night? pretty great sporting action.
no, just me?
right.
I actually meant to watch a little of it. However, I got sucked into the HBO Doc on the Brooklyn Dodgers. Per usual, HBO did it right. Two hours long and it even managed to keep my gf interested throughout, which is really saying something.
I watched the Dodgers thing last night too. I'm starting to feel like HBO could make a documentary on house painting and it would be captivating.
Absolutely. Also, I'd like to have the guy who narrates all these documentaries follow me around for a week or so. Seems like he'd be fun to have around when I'm drinking.
would you prefer him or john facenda?
You know it's Liev Schrieber, right? He was in Scream?
I had no idea. As for Facenda, he's a little to intense for my daily activities.
Cue the Facenda: "As Mark reached for the Dial Men's Body Wash, he knew he was about to be the cleanest he'd be all day . . ."
"mark's carefully crafted plan met his battle-honed execution to create perfection in the form of...a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for the ages."
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