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PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica

ToKeriandDavidYoumakeitallworthit

CONTENTS

DedicationAcknowledgmentsForewordbyMarvAlbertIntroduction

KennyAlbertMarvAlbertGregAmsingerJohnAndersonHarveyAratonMichelleBeadleMikeBreenThomBrennamanRicBucherJoeBuckKevinBurkhardtJeffriChadihaFreddieColemanBobCostasColinCowherdFrankDefordGreggDoyelIanEagleMarkFeinsandBruceFeldmanScottFerrallTerryGannonMikeGarafolo

JasonGayDougGottliebMikeGreenbergMikeHillE.J.HradekJerryIzenbergKostyaKennedyDaveKindredAndreaKremerKeithLawSteveLevyBobLeyStewartMandelHalMcCoyJiggsMcDonaldLiamMcHughChrisMcKendryBobMillerJonMorosiChrisMyersJimNantzRossNewhanRobParkerGaryParrishDavePaschJeffPearlmanJoePosnanskiRayRattoKarlRavechDaveRevsineChrisRose

BobRyanSamRyanJeremySchaapJonSciambiCharleySteinerDickStocktonRobStoneRickTelanderCharissaThompsonMikeVaccaroAdnanVirkLesleyVisserDanWetzelTreyWingoTracyWolfsonMattYallofIndex

AACKNOWLEDGMENTS

project like this warrants many thank-yous, but none of them aremoreimportantthantheonesImustsaytoallofthepeoplewhoarefeaturedinthefollowingpages.Insomecases,itstartedwithablindemail,inothers

itwasaconnectionthroughafriendorcoworker.Inallcases,itendedwithmebeingaroyalpain in thebehind,somydeepestandmostsincere thank-you toeachandeveryoneofyou.Thisbookwasalaborofloveforme,and,frankly,wouldn’thavehappened

withoutthecontinuedsupportandencouragementfrommyfriendKennyAlbert,whohasbeenbuggingmetodothisforthelastfewyears.Notonlydidhepushme to get rolling on this, but his assistance throughout the process, fromenlistingpeople toparticipate to listening to all ofmyhairbrained ideas alongtheway,wasinvaluable.They say the hardest thing in theworld whenwriting is proofreading your

ownwork.IcanattesttothatandoweToddBehrendtahugedebtofgratitudeforallofhishardworkhandling thefact-checking,proofreading,andmistake-saving.Ofcourse, itgoeswithoutsayingthat therewerea lotofpeople involvedin

helpingme lineupallof theparticipants.Many favorswerecalled in,and forthose,IsaythankyoutoRichAckerman,ChrisAntonacci,KentCamera,StoshCienki, Jennifer Cingari, Steve Craddock, Andrew Crawford, Bill Dallman,JenniferDavis,MarkFeinsand,LorraineFisher,DavidFried,DaveGorenandthe National Sports Media Association, Matt Gould, Dan Higgins, TomHoffarth, Mike Hughes, Rick Jaffe, Dan Kaufman, Matt Ketaineck, RickLeonard, Melissa Miller, David Neal, Lou Oppenheim, Jeff Pearlman, DanQuinn, Alex Riethmiller, Alex Rozis, Dan Sabreen, Alan Sanders, MattSchnider,DavidScott,EricSpitz,JacobUllman,BradZager,andAdamZucker.WhenIsetoutonthisproject,thereweregoingtobe100peopleinthebook.

IwouldberemissifIdidn’tacknowledgethosepeoplewhomIinterviewedbutwhomIneededtoplacetothesideforbooklengthconsiderations:HalBodley,CindyBrunson, JimCaple,HeatherCox,HowardDavid,ColleenDominguez,AminElhassan,NeilEverett,TravisHaney,BenjaminHochman,TomHoffarth,MichaelKim,DavidLloyd,AlexMarvez,TonyMassarotti,RyanMcGee,ScottMiller, BethMowins, RobNeyer, Steve Physioc, Bill Pidto, Pete Prisco, BillReiter, Peter Schrager, Dave Sims, Susan Slusser, Lyle Spencer, BobWischusen,VanEarlWright, andAdamZucker. Iwish Ihad the room to run

themall.Thankyouallforyourtimeandunderstanding.Mostimportant,athank-youfilledwithlovetomywife,Keri,andson,David.

TherewerequiteafewupsanddownswhileIwaswritingthisbook,andsomespots along the way where I lost my focus. If it weren't for their love andunderstanding, though, I’m not sure I would have gotten it back on the rails.Theyaretheultimatedefinitionof“Icouldn’thavedoneitwithoutyou.”

S

FOREWORD

ByMarvAlbert

portsbroadcastersandwriters see somanyevents that it is easy forus totakeitallforgranted.Weknowwearetheconduitbetweenthegamesandthefans,soitisourresponsibilitytorelaytheimportanceofthebigevents

ormomentswhenweseethem.Atthesametime,weoftenforgetwhyweareallinthisbusinesstobeginwith.Weareallfans,too,andweareallfansbecauseofthosegreatmoments.Wheneverwegetachancetostepbackandreflectonthemomentsthatstand

outthemosttous,thememoriescomefloodingback,andthestoriesstartrollingoff our tongues. At heart, we are all storytellers…we just usually tell thosestoriesastheyareunfolding,notasrecollections.Thatiswhatmakesitsomuchfuntoputtogetheralistforthisbook.Itgivesallofusachancetolookbackateverything we have seen and done and tell stories about the moments in ourcareers that have meant the most to us. Maybe they had personal meaning,maybeitwassomethinghistoric.Regardlessofwhyitstandsout,though,eachstoryresonatesinsomeway.Asyoureadeachofthestoriesinthebook,tryandrememberwhereyouwere

for those moments you saw that are being shared by myself and my peers.Compare yourmemories to ours. Inmost cases, you’ll realize that they don’tdifferverymuch,with theexception that someofuswere luckyenough tobetheretoprovidethesoundtrackforyoutohearorpostgamestoryforyoutoread.And that is all it is…wewere simply lucky enough to be there to see all ofthesewonderfulmoments.

MarvAlbert,arecipientoftheBasketballHallofFame’sCurtGowdyAward,iscurrentlyabroadcasterforTurnerSports.

HINTRODUCTION

owdoyoudefinethetopsportsmomentsyouhaveeverseen?Basically,itcanbesummedupintwowords:Youcan’t.

“Whatwere the topfivesportsmomentsyouhaveseen inperson?”was thequestion posed to the people interviewed in the following pages. All of themansweredindifferentways.Eachstoryispresentedinthatperson’sownwords,andeachlistisinchronologicalorder,sothatnoonehadtorankoneeventoveranother.ThecutoffforalllistswasSuperBowlXLIXin2015,whenMalcolmButler of the New England Patriots provided a moment that more than onepersonmentionedontheirlist,andalloftheinterviewswerecompletedbeforetheendofthatcalendaryear.Ofcourse,thereareanumberofcommonthreadsthroughouttheanswers.Themostobvioustheme,andtheonethatimmediatelycomestomindwhen

thinkingabout“TopSportsMoments,” isexactlywhatyouwouldthink…theseminal moments in sports. The events mentioned the most won’t surpriseanyone.VinceYoung’stouchdowntowinthe2006RoseBowl.Theballgoingthrough Bill Buckner’s legs in Game Six of the 1986 World Series. DavidTyree’s catch against his helmet in Super Bowl XLII.Michael Jordan’s finalshotwith theChicagoBulls in the1998NBAFinals.Theentiretyof the2001World Series. These are the games andmomentswhere you knowwhere youwere when you saw them. You felt the excitement through your television.You’llnever forgetexactlywhathappenedandhow ithappened.Theyare themomentsyouwishyouweretheretoseeinperson.What is cool about many of these moments, which provides a neat theme

throughoutthefollowingpages,ishowdifferentpeopledescribethesameevent.Everyonehasaslightlydifferent(or, insomecases,verydifferent)perspectiveonwhat happened. It might have been because of where theywere sitting orstanding. It might have been because they were there as a fan, rather than aworkingmemberofthemedia.Itmighthavebeenwhotheywerewith.Buteachindividual story is different, and that is something to keep in mind as youcomparethestories.Thereismore,though,tohowpeopledefinethetopmomentstheyhaveseen.

Justbecauseaneventwasn’texpectedtobea“bigevent”doesn’tmeanitcan’tbe memorable. That happens every time someone pitches a no-hitter, forexample.Noone buys a ticket expecting to see one,whichmakes the idea of

being in attendance for one even more special. The same goes for a game-winning shot or unforgettable ending. Sure, these are magnified in playoffgames,buttheunexpectednatureofthemdoesn’tcausetheirmemorabilitytobelessened during the regular season. TheOlympics are especially conducive tostories like this,andyouaregoing to readmanystories thatare truly resonantthroughoutthelistsforexactlythatreason.There are other events thatmight not strikemost people asmemorable but

holdaspecialplaceintheheartsofothers.Everysportsfancanrelatetothese,be it the first baseball game someone has attended or a professionalaccomplishmentthatoneoftheparticipantsneverexpectedtoexperience.Thereisacommonthreadthroughallofthesethateveryonecanunderstand,whetheryouworkinthemediaornot.Thelastthemeyou’llseeisfamily.Inmanyways,thesestoriesareprobably

the most important. They remind everyone that even the most accomplishedbroadcasteror journalist is, firsta foremost,asports fan. It is thosememories,the ones that drove people to work in their chosen profession, that are mostimportant. They changed the soundtrack of sports for all of us, because theyprovidedthebasisforthepeoplewelistentoorreadtodowhattheydo.Asyoureadeveryone’slists,thinkbacktoallofthegreatmomentsyouhave

seen,andremember,theydon’thavetobethemostfamousmomentstoqualify.You’ll read about little league baseball games, ticker-tape parades, exhibitionbaseball games, bowling, and yes, paintball.You’ll read stories frompeople’schildhoods.Youareevengoingtoreadabouttheconceptionofsomeone’schild.Everyoneof thesestoriesqualifiedasaTop5SportsMomentforsomeoneinthebook.Andattheendoftheday,thesearestoriesanyonecantell,whetheryouarea

sportsbroadcaster,sportswriter,orsportsfan.

KennyAlbertBroadcaster,FOXSports/MSGNetwork/NBCSports

1992 SummerOlympics,Men’sBasketball, PalauMunicipal d’Esports deBadalona,Badalona,Spain,July26–August8,1992FouryearsafterthestunningupsetbytheSovietUnionoftheU.S.Olympic

basketballteaminSeoul,SouthKorea,in1988,theUnitedStatessenta“DreamTeam”ofNBAstarstotheSummerOlympicsforthefirsttime.MichaelJordan,MagicJohnson,LarryBird,andCharlesBarkleyalignedtogetherasteammatesto try to avenge the loss suffered by the collegians. I had a front-row seat inBarcelona,Spain(handlingstatisticsforNBC),asTeamUSArolledthroughtheOlympics with a perfect 8–0 record, from the opening 116–48 victory overAngola through the gold-medal-winning game against Croatia. I have had theprivilegeofworkingateightOlympics, includingsixason-air talent forNBCSports.

1994 StanleyCupFinals,Game Seven,VancouverCanucks atNewYorkRangers,MadisonSquareGarden,NewYork,NewYork,June14,1994IhadthefortuneofcallingtheseriesforNHLRadio.TheRangers’Cuphopes

almost ended in the conference finals, as they trailed the New Jersey Devils,threegamestotwo.CaptainMarkMessier“guaranteed”aGameSixvictoryanddelivered.Then inGameSeven, theDevils forcedovertimewithagoal in thefinal10seconds,againputting theRangers’ season inperil.StephaneMatteausent the Rangers to the Finals with a goal in double overtime; Howie Rose’s“Matteau,Matteau,Matteau”callonWFANRadiowillberememberedbyNewYorkersfordecades.OntotheFinals,andtheRangerstookacommandingthree-games-to-onelead

overtheVancouverCanucks.NewYorkCitywasreadytocelebrateonJune9;however, theRangers lostGameFiveathome.TheCanucks forcedadecisiveGameSevenbywinningGameSixathome,andtheRangerswontheclincherina3–2nail-biter.AsignheldupatthefinalbuzzerbyoneRangerfanaticsaiditall: NOW I CAN DIE IN PEACE. I will never forget the emotions of the series,

especially during the final frantic moments. Madison Square Garden eruptedwith chants of “WeWantTheCup” and “NoMore 1940,”while theRangerscelebrated on the ice. When NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman handed theStanleyCuptoMessier,fifty-fouryearsoffrustrationwereerased.

California Angels at Baltimore Orioles, Camden Yards, Baltimore,Maryland,September6,1995CalRipkenplaysinhis2,131stconsecutivegame,breakingtherecordsetby

the Iron Horse, Lou Gehrig, fifty-six years earlier. Having grown up inAberdeen,Maryland,RipkenwasoneofBaltimore’sown.ThecityofBaltimorehas a small-town feel, especially at sporting venues. The city celebrated as itnever had before, as a native son reached amarkmost sports experts thoughtwould never be attainable. Eighty-year-old Joe DiMaggio, Gehrig’s formerteammate,gaveapoignantspeechduringtheceremony.

CalRipkenJr.duringceremoniestocelebratehisbreakingofLouGehrig’srecordof2,130consecutivegamesplayed.(APPhoto/DenisPaquin)]

2003AmericanLeagueChampionshipSeries,GameSeven,BostonRedSoxat New York Yankees, Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York, October 16,2003, and 2004 American League Championship Series, Game Seven,BostonRedSoxatNewYorkYankees,YankeeStadium,Bronx,NewYork,October20,2004I could feel the tension in the ballpark throughout my entire body. I will

alwayscherishtheopportunityIwasgiventohandlethepost-series interviewsfor FOX on the podium in the winning clubhouse both years (Joe Torre andMariano Rivera in ’03 following Aaron Boone’s walk-off home run, TerryFranconaandTimWakefieldin’04)asJackieAutryhandedthehardwaretothewinners.WhileIwatchedthefirsteightinningsofbothgamesfromthephotographers’

boxdirectlytotherightoftheYankees’dugout,IdidnotseeBoone’shomerin2003inperson.Iwaswatchingona12-inchmonitorinthehallwayjustoutsidethe Yankees’ clubhouse, because I had to enter the winning clubhouseimmediatelytosetupforinterviewsattheconclusionofthegame.SecondsafterBooneendedtheseries,Isprintedtowardtheclubhouseandwasnearlyknockedoverbyclubhouseattendantsandotherteampersonnelastheyrantheotherwaytowardthetunnelleadingtothedugoutsotheycouldjoininthecelebration.After I concluded my postgame interviews in the Yankees’ clubhouse, I

noticedMayorMichaelBloombergstandingtotheleftofthepodium.Oneofhisaides climbed toward me and asked in a hushed tone if I would mindinterviewingthemayor.Iexplainedthatduetotheextrainnings,wehadalreadysignedoffandtransitionedtothelatelocalnews.Themayor’saidewhisperedtome,“Canyoufakeit?”SensingthathisfutureemploymentmaybeinjeopardyifI did not interview the mayor, I asked the cameraman to act as if he wererecordingtheinterview.Ithenspentthenextthree-to-fiveminutesinterviewingone of the richest andmost powerfulmen in theworld, knowing that nobodyoutsidetheTVtruckwouldeverhearorseeourchat.

2010 Winter Olympics, Men’s Hockey Final, United States vs. Canada,CanadaHockeyPlace,Vancouver,Canada,February28,2010Duringthe2010WinterOlympicGamesinVancouver,Icalledplay-by-play

fortwentymen’sandwomen’shockeygamesinthespanoffifteendays.Aftercallingthemen’sbronze-medalgamebetweenFinlandandSlovakiaonFebruary27,IreturnedtoCanadaHockeyPlacethenextafternoonasaspectatorforthegold-medalgamebetweentheUnitedStatesandCanada.TheUnitedStateshadnotwonahockeygoldmedalsince1980inLakePlacid,whileCanadabeatthe

U.S.towingoldinSaltLakeCityin2002.OncetheU.S.andCanadahadwontheirsemifinalgamestwodaysearlier, thegoldmedalmatchupbecameoneofthe most highly anticipated hockey games of all time. Two North Americanteams filledwithNational Hockey League stars playing in a NorthAmericanvenue. Canada took a 2–0 lead in the second period before a raucous crowd.RyanKesleroftheVancouverCanucks(booedinhishomearenathroughoutthegame) scored for the U.S. later in the period to cut the Canada lead to 2–1.Eighteenthousandheartspalpitatedinsidethearenathroughoutthethirdperiod.Over50million tuned inon television throughout theU.S.andCanada.WhenZachParise tied thegamewith25 seconds remaining in regulation,youcouldhear a pin drop. And when Sidney Crosby scored the “Golden Goal” inovertime,itsetoffawildcelebrationinsidethearena,whichspilledoutontothestreetsofVancouver.

MarvAlbertBroadcaster,TurnerSports

RecipientofBasketballHallofFame’sCurtGowdyAward,1997ElectedtoNationalSportsMediaAssociationHallofFame,2014

1970NBAFinals,GameSeven,LosAngelesLakers atNewYorkKnicks,MadisonSquareGarden,NewYork,NewYork,May8,1970ThisgameisconsideredthelargestaudienceforasportseventinNewYork

radio history; the gamewas on tape delay on television, so unless you had aticket,thiswastheonlywaytofollowitlive.Itapedthepregameshow,andatthat point,most people did not thinkKnicks centerWillisReedwas going toplayafterheinjuredhisleginGameFiveandmissedGameSix.IinterviewedWillis for theshow justbeforehewasabout togetacortisoneshotandaskedwhetherhewasgoingtoplay,andhetoldmetherewasnowayhewouldnotbeout there.Duringwarm-ups,Williswas not on the floor, and everyone in thebuildingwasmoreconcernedwithwherehewasthananythingelse.TheLakerswere looking around for him, as were his Knicks teammates. The game wasgetting close to starting, but therewas still no sign of him. Then, at 7:27, hedramatically came out of the tunnel to the court, and I said on the air, “Herecomes Willis,” followed by a deafening roar from the 19,500 in attendance.Everything in the building stopped, and the crowd was going berserk. WiltChamberlainoftheLakerscouldn’tbelievewhatwashappeningandjuststoodthere with his mouth wide open—apparently, his mindset was that he wasn’tgoingtohavetoplayagainstWillis.BothteamsabruptlystoppedwarmingupasWillis trotted onto the floor and hit a couple of practice jumpers, causing thecrowdtogoevencrazier,all justmomentsbefore thegamewasabout tostart.Oncethegameactuallygotunderway,hehithisfirst twojumpshots,andI’venever heard an NBA crowd that loud. Normally, a couple of early basketswouldn’t be that meaningful in the first quarter of an NBA game, but thisseemedtoprovideagreatdealofinspiration.Asitturnedout,WaltFrazierhadone of the greatest games in Finals history, and undoubtedly one of themost

forgottengreatgamesever,butWillis’smerepresenceinuniformgaveeveryonethefeelingthattherewasnowaytheKnicksweregoingtolose.TheKnickswoninaromp,113–99,totaketheirfirstNBAchampionship.

1988WorldSeries,GameOne,OaklandAthleticsatLosAngelesDodgers,DodgerStadium,LosAngeles,California,October15,1988Bob Costas and I cohosted the World Series pre-and postgame shows for

NBC. We would each do a postgame interview, and, this night, I was inOakland’sdugoutasthegamewascomingtoanend.TheAthleticshelda4–3leadintheninthandwerestartingtocelebrate,sinceitappearedthattheyweregoingtowinthegame.HallofFamecloserDennisEckersley,whohad45savesthat season,wason themound to shut thedoor, and Iwas standing rightnearthen-Oakland manager Tony LaRussa when the injured Kirk Gibson camehobbling out of the dugout following aMike Davis walk with two outs. TheentireOaklanddugoutwasastonished thathewasabout topinch-hit;hecouldbarelywalk due to a painful knee injury, so no one thought he could actuallystep up to the plate and produce. I was all set to interview Oakland’s JoseCansecooncethefinaloutwasmade,sincehewasthestarofthegametothatpoint,whenGibsonremarkablyhomeredintotheright-fieldpaviliontogivetheDodgersa5–4win.Themomenthemadecontact,Cansecoknewtheballwasgone,justfromthecrackofthebat.Ofcourse,thecrowdwentwildatthatpoint.AsBobinterviewedGibsonafterthegame,Eckersley,wholookedcrushedaftergivingupthehomer,agreedtotalkwithmewithoutanyhesitation.Helookedatitas justoneof those things thathappensandyouhave to talkwhether thingswentwellornot.Gibsondidn’tmakeanotherplateappearanceintheSeries,butthat home runwill go down as one of themost extraordinarymoments in thegame’shistory,anditspurredtheDodgerstotheSerieswin.

1992 SummerOlympics,Men’sBasketball, PalauMunicipal d’Esports deBadalona,Badalona,Spain,July26–August8,1992ItwaschillingformejusttowatchtheoriginalDreamTeamtakethecourtfor

the first time in the Olympics. This was clearly themost incredible group ofplayers ever assembled in a team sport, from Jordan to Bird to Magic toStocktonandMalone.Obviously,thegameswereblowouts,buttoseethisgroupperformingtogetherwasdaunting.Whentheytookthefloor, thecrowd,whichwascomprisedmostlyoffansfromoverseas,wentcrazy.Oncethetournamentstarted,though,thegamesweren’tevenclose,andtheU.S.woneveryonebyatleastthirty-twopoints.Itmeantalottotheteamtowinthegoldmedal,butthe

gamesthemselveswereactuallydifficulttobroadcastsincetheywereallsoone-sided.Most of the excitement surrounding the teamwasoff the court, usuallycentered around Charles Barkley, who was all over the city, soaking up theOlympicexperienceandtheadulation,withthrongsfollowinghimeverywhere.Throughout the two weeks in Barcelona, it felt as if we were covering theexploitsoftheBeatles,notabasketballteam.

MembersoftheUSAbasketball“DreamTeam”posewiththeirgoldmedalsatthe1992SummerOlympics.(APPhoto)

1994 StanleyCupFinals,Game Seven,VancouverCanucks atNewYorkRangers,MadisonSquareGarden,NewYork,NewYork,June14,1994AsIwasbroadcastingthegame,Iremembergazingattheseatssurrounding

theradioboothinMadisonSquareGarden,whichwaslocatedinthemiddleofthe lower stands. As the clock wound down and the Rangers won their firstStanley Cup since 1940, I remember seeing people all around me in tears,remindingmehowemotionallyRangersfansreactedtotheteam.Whilethiswasall going on, I thought back tomy earlier days as a broadcaster for the team,whentheywereoftencontenders,withguyslikeRodGilbert,JeanRatelle,VicHadfield, Eddie Giacomin, and others, but it was the era of the MontrealCanadiens, and Bobby Orr’s Bruins, then the Philadelphia Flyers, and theRangerswereneverquitegoodenough.Itwasfifty-fouryearsbetweenRangersStanleyCupwins,andchantsof“1940”wereprevalentforalongtime.So,this

nightwasmoreaboutthefansasthefinalsecondstickedoff.GrowingupasaRangers fan, with firsthand knowledge of the frustrations from all of thedisappointing conclusions to seasons, it felt like this daywouldnever happen.Whenthebuzzersounded,Isaidontheair,“TheNewYorkRangershavewontheStanleyCup,somethingmostpeoplethoughttheywouldneverhearintheirlifetime.”Icanrecalllookingtomyleft,whereIsawafanholdingupthesignthat read: “NOW ICANDIE IN PEACE.”That said it best of all, and I canonlyimaginehowmanypeopleinthebuildingthatnightsharedinthosesentiments.

1997NBAFinals,GameFive,ChicagoBullsatUtahJazz,DeltaCenter,SaltLakeCity,Utah,June11,1997Tome, thiswasoneof themost remarkable individualperformances Ihave

ever seen. Michael Jordan reportedly had eaten some bad pizza and wasweakenedbyfoodpoisoningorastomachvirus.Hecouldbarelystandupbeforethe pivotal Game Five in Salt Lake City, with the series tied at two. HewasdizzyanddehydratedtothepointwhereIremembernewspaperreportsthenextdaydescribinghimasbeing“deathlyill.”Ididafive-minuteinterviewwithhima few hours before the game, as we always did, but he didn’t give us anyindicationthathewasn’tfeelingright,sowedidn’tevenknowaboutthatuntilafter the game started.Of course,we discussed it on the air for the televisionaudience, but those in attendance had no idea of the extent of his physicalcondition—whattheywerewatchingreallywasamazing.Asthegamewenton,Michael became weaker and weaker, but somehow he just kept going, and Irememberweshowedhim,attimes,beinghelpedtothebenchorbeingproppedupbyScottiePippenduringtimeouts.Despitehisdebilitatingillness,hescored38pointsinthegame,15oftheminthefourthquarter,toleadtheBullstoa90–88win.Itwasincrediblejusttowatchhimpreservehisenergyandwillhimselftoleadhisteamtoitsmostimportantwinoftheseason.Afterwards,PippensaidhehadneverseenMichaelthatsickandthathedidn’tthinkhe’devenbeabletoput his uniform on. I have been fortunate to call a host ofmemorable Jordangames, but I’ve never seen anythingquite like this one.The serieswould endtwonightslaterinChicago.

GregAmsingerBroadcaster,MLBNetwork

2005 National Collegiate Paintball Championship, Florida vs. Ohio State,Disney’sWideWorldofSportsComplex,Orlando,Florida,April17,2005When you start off in your career, you see all kinds of different sporting

events,andwehadalotofdifferenteventswhileIwasworkingforCSTV.Thepaintball championshipswere very similar to capture the flag. The teams hadbunkers,andFlorida’ssniperwasa6-foot-6,270-poundkid,whowouldjustliebehindthebackbunkerandpickoffopposingkids,whilehisquickerteammateswouldgo after theother team’s flag.The format started as five-on-five, but iteventuallybecamefour-on-one,withfourBuckeyesagainsttheonesniperfromFlorida.OhioStatewasinchingcloser,butwhattranspirednextwasoneofthegreatestthingsI’veeverseen.Florida’ssnipertookoffanddecidedtogoforit.HeliterallypickedoffeachkidfromOhioStatewithoneshoteach,whilenoneofthemwereabletoshoothim.Hecapturedtheflag,andIwentbonkersastheGatorswonthenationalchampionshipinpaintball.

2006RoseBowl,Texasvs.USC,RoseBowl,Pasadena,California,January4,2006VinceYoungputon thegreatest individualperformanceI’veeverseen,and

diditagainstthebestteaminageneration.I’veneverseenanythinglikeit—itlookedlikethevarsityagainst theJV.I justcouldn’tbelievehowgreathewasthatnight,onthesport’sbiggeststage.USChadPeteCarrollleadingthem,withMatt Leinart and Reggie Bush running the offense, but Young’s performancewasabletoovercomethatgroup.Toruntheballthewayhedid,andmakethepasseshemade,hewasincompletecontrolofthegame.

LSUatKentucky,CommonwealthStadium,Lexington,Kentucky,October13,2007IwashostingtheSECTailgateShowonCSTV.LSUwasrankednumberone

inthecountryatthetime.Butontheshow,IpredictedKentuckywouldwinthe

game,which theydid,43–37, in tripleovertime. IactuallypredictedKentuckywouldwin the conference that year,which didn’t happen, but I did feel goodaboutthatpredictionaftertheupset.Thiswasjustanincrediblefootballgame.

2011WorldSeries,GameSix,TexasRangersatSt.LouisCardinals,BuschStadium,St.Louis,Missouri,October27,2011Tobe in thatbuilding,being fromSt.Louis, and seeingDavidFreese,who

wasalsoahometownguy,getting introducedtoAmericaon thenationalstageandhittingahomerunlikehedid,well,thisisthestuffyoudreamaboutwhenyouareakid.Especiallywhenyouconsiderearlier in thegame, theCardinalsweredowntotheirlaststrike.IwasluckythatMattVasgersiandidthepostgameshow that night forMLBNetwork, because I was so excited after seeing theCardinalswinthatI’mnotreallysurehowIwouldhavehandledthatshow.Thatsaid, I did the postgame show afterGameSeven and it is one ofmy favoritemomentsfrommycareer,notjustbecausetheCardinalswon,butbecausewhentheshowstarted,TonyLaRussaandAlbertPujolswerestandingonourset,andit would be the last time either of those guys would appear in a Cardinalsuniform.Itwasahistoricmoment,andIhadtoholditinthen,soIcan’timaginehostingthepostgameshowaftertheemotionalwininGameSix.Someday,theywillmakeamovie,butifpeopledidn’tknowthatitwasreal,theywouldalltalkabout howcheesyof an ending itwas.Down to the last strike twice.Comingbacktwice.Theguythatbringsthembackthefirst timedoesitasecondtime.Oh,andhejusthappenstobefromSt.Louis.

2014 World Series, Game Seven, San Francisco Giants at Kansas CityRoyals,KauffmanStadium,KansasCity,Missouri,October29,2014Tome,MadisonBumgarner’s performancenot just in this game, but in the

entire series, was like Vince Young’s performance in the 2006 Rose Bowl.WhenBumgarnercameintothegameinrelief inGameSeven,youcouldhear40,000Royals fansgasp inan“Oh,no”sortofway. I’venever seenanythinglike it. Inevergot thechance toseeBobGibsonpitch,butBumgarnerwassointimidating and overpowering that it had to be the closest thing to Gibsonpitchinginthelate’60s.

JohnAndersonBroadcaster,ESPN

WisconsinatIowa,KinnickStadium,IowaCity,Iowa,November9,1974ThiswasthefirstcollegefootballgameIeversawinperson,andsetmeon

mypathtolikingsportsandcollegefootball.ThegamewasinKinnickStadiuminIowaCityand,forallofthegreatBadgerrunningbackstoplayfortheteamovertheyears,theguythattoreitupthatdaywasBillyMarek.Itfeltlikeheranfor 400miles in the game as theBadgers beat theHawkeyes. From then,myfamily started to go to that game every year, either in IowaCity orMadison,untilmysistergotmarriedoneyearon thedayof thegame; theweddingwasgreat,butitwasreallysadnotbeingatthegamethatday.Itwasalsosignificantbecause the Badgers won that year and again in 1976, but then didn’t winanotherIowagameforthenexttwenty-oneyears.

Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys, Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas,November28,1974I was nine years old at the time and had an uncle that lived in Arlington,

Texas.MostofmyThanksgivingswerespentatfamily’shomesinIowa,buttheoneyearwewenttoDallasfortheholiday,weallwenttotheCowboysgame.Anditendedupbeingoneof themostfamousThanksgivinggamesever,withClint Longley coming in for an injured Roger Staubach and throwing twotouchdownpasses, includinga50-yardertoDrewPearsonwithunderaminuteremainingtowinthegame.MycousinandIsatduringthegamewithRedskinspennants, just to be contrarians. But as time has gone on, this game has justgrowninstature.Loandbehold,Iwasthere.Whoknew?

Oakland A’s at Milwaukee Brewers, County Stadium, Milwaukee,Wisconsin,June12,1975IalwaystellpeoplethatIwasatthegamewhereHankAaronbrokethehome

run record, because technically speaking, every time he hit one after number715,hedid.Soyeah,IwastheretoseeHankAaronsettherecord.Thisday,it

was number 739 and he hit it off Vida Blue. My dad used to take me to aBrewersgameeveryyearformybirthday,anditjusthappenedtobeonthatday.IknewitwassignificanttowatchHankAaronhit,butunliketoday,whenhomerunrecordchasesfilltheballpark,thestadiumwasonlyaroundathirdfull,andnoonereallystoppedwhat theyweredoing tomakesure theywatchedhisat-bats.

Oakland Raiders at Green Bay Packers, Lambeau Field, Green Bay,Wisconsin,December26,1993LeRoyButler,whoisnowadearfriendofmine,startedanewLambeauField

tradition thatdaybyperforming the firstLambeauLeap.ReggieWhitepickedupafumble,wasfallingdownandthrewittoButler,whoscoredthetouchdownandthenjumpedintothecrowdtocelebrate.Yearslater,IpresentedLeRoyforinductionintothePackerHallofFame,sinceGreenBayalsohappenstobemyhometown.IstoodintheatriumatLambeauFieldandsaidthat300,000peopleclaimtohavebeenthereforthefirstLeap,butmostofuswhoactuallywereinattendanceweren’tsmartenoughtosaveourticketstub.Ididsavemine,though,anditnowholdsaplaceofhonorinmyhouse,andhasbeensignedbyLeRoytohonortheoccasion.Tothisday,though,Istilldon’treallyunderstandwhythingswentfromthat

one spontaneous leap to everyone feeling that they had to do it after atouchdown.TheguythatmadeitwhatithasbecomewasRobertBrooks,andheiscreditedbyalotofpeopleasbeingtheoriginatorofit.Brooksisclearlytheguythatpopularizedit,butLeRoydiditfirst,andthestoryaboutwhyhediditgetsbetterwith time.First, itwasbecause itwasareallycolddayandhewasdoingittogetwarmedupbythefans.He’salsosaidthatitwasinresponsetobeingtoldtoactlikeyou’vebeentherebefore,except,asadefensiveback,he’dneverbeentherebefore!Personally,Ithinkitwasbecausehehadjusthadthislongrunandputtingonthebrakesinthecoldweatherwasn’treallyanoption,sohe jumped into the crowd rather than try to put on the brakes and fall on hisbehind.

1997 Phoenix Open Third Round, TPC Scottsdale, Scottsdale, Arizona,January25,1997Iwasworking inPhoenix at the time andwas at the 16th holewhenTiger

Woodshithisfamoushole-in-one,sendingthecrowdintoafrenzy.Ihadgonetothecoursetotakeinsomeoftheactionbeforeheadingintoworkthatday.Iwasstandingbehindthegreenwiththecrowdwhenithappened,butregretnotbeing

smartenoughtogoinsidetheropesforabetterview.Thatholehasareputationingolf asbeingagiantparty,but thiswasbefore theholewas surroundedbyskyboxes. Therewas a lot of open area then, even though it was still a hugegroup of drunken ASU students. It wasmuch less restrained, withmuch lesscrowdcontrol,thanthereisnow.Alotofthosechangesarebecauseofthehole-in-onethatday.Youcouldn’tseehimhigh-fivingthegalleryfromwhereIwas,though,butyoucouldseeallofthebeerbottlesbeingthrownontothecourseincelebration.

HarveyAratonColumnist,NewYorkTimes

RecipientofBasketballHallofFame’sCurtGowdyAward,2017

1970 NBA Finals, Game Five, Los Angeles Lakers at New York Knicks,MadisonSquareGarden,NewYork,NewYork,May4,1970Most people remember this championship series for theWillis Reed game,

whichwasGameSeven,soGameFiveoftheseriesisoftenoverlooked,andtheimpactofitwaslessenedbytheeventstwogameslater.Theserieswastied,2–2,andIwasaseventeen-year-oldhighschoolstudent livinginStatenIsland.IgrewupinaNewYorkCityhousingprojectandourwholeliveswerecenteredaround the concrete court in the middle of the housing project, so it wasimpossible not to love thatKnicks team. Theywere clearly the dominant probasketballteaminNewYork.AfriendofminehadrelativesinManhattanwhohadseasonticketsbutcouldn’tusethemthatnight,sowetooktheferryintothecityandrodethesubwayuptotheGarden.ThatdayhappenedtobethedayoftheKentStateshootings,sotherewasapalloverthecitythatnight,andyoufeltabitguiltyaboutattendingasportsevent.TheKnickscameoutandfellbehindearly,whenWillisReedwasdrivingon

WiltChamberlain.Hestumbledforwardandwentdownwithathud,andastheplay went to the other end, he was still down on the court, stretched out inagony.The immediate thoughtwas that this incredibleseasonwasgoing togoupinsmoke.TheyplayedwithouthimandhadDaveDeBusschere,whowas6-foot-6,guardingWilt.Afterahugerally, theKnickswonthegame,anditwasonlywhenthathappenedthateveryoneputtheday’sproceedingsasideandgotinvolved in the spirit of the comebackand theunderdog.Fortyyears after thegame,IwaswritingabookontheKnicksofthateraandsatwithWillistowatchthisgame, sincehe toldmehehadseenGameSevennumerous timesbuthadneverwatchedGameFive.Afterweweredone,hesaid thiswas theirgreatestvictory.Combiningthatexperiencewithbeingattheactualgamegivesthisonegreatmeaningtome.

1992 Summer Olympics, Men’s Basketball Final, Palau Municipald’EsportsdeBadalona,Badalona,Spain,August8,1992AsIgotdeeperintomycareer,oneofthethingsIalwaysappreciatedabout

working for theNewYorkTimeswas that I got to go to a lot of internationalevents.WhenIwasyoungandaclerkattheNewYorkPost,IusedtogoinonFridaynightsandwork thedeskandoftenwould listen tocolumnists likeVicZiegelandLesterBrombergreminisceaboutthingsliketheAlidays,whentheguysthatcoveredAliwentoninternationaljourneystoplaceslikeKinshasaorManilatocoverhisfights.Theytalkedaboutitwithreverence,referringtothemasthestoriesthatdefinedtheircareers.IwouldalwayswonderifIwouldhavethatonedefiningstory.Lookingbacknow,ifIhavetopickonestoryIcoveredlikethat,itwouldbetheglobalizationofprofessionalbasketball,becauseitwasthekindofstorythatwasbiggerthantheNBAoroneparticularseries.Itwasallcrystallizedwiththe1992DreamTeamattheBarcelonaOlympics.Icoveredtheteam from the early practices in San Diego to the qualifying tournament inPortlandandthentoMonteCarloforthepre-Olympicstrainingcampandthenfinally in Barcelona. Aside from the wonderful travel and hotels, it wasincredible tosee theresponses inEuropetoplayers likeMichaelJordan,LarryBird, andMagic Johnson.Those three in particularwere themost identifiablefacesaround theworld,andMichael, inparticular,wasbecomingarguably themostpopularathleteintheworld.BeingaroundthemforthatlongandwatchingtheworldconvergeonasportthatIlovewasawonderfulthingtoparticipatein.Whatmadetheeventevenmorespectacularwasthattheworldwaschanging

at the time,with the fall of the SovietUnion and all of these small countriesbreakingaway.DuringthoseOlympics,besidestheDreamTeam,whowerethebasketballBeatles,youhadotherstorylinesaboutthesmallcountriesplayingfornationalisticpride.Countries likeLithuaniawere able toqualifyon their own,while other former Soviet players played for the Unified Team, which alsoincludedplayersfromformerSovietcountriesthatdidn’tqualifyfortheGames.There was also the breakup of Yugoslavia and the Croatian team, featuringDrazen Petrovic and Toni Kukoc, that qualified, as well. So, the teams fromLithuaniaandCroatiawereplayingwitharealfervorandpassion.Thebronze-medal game actually came down to theUnified Team against Lithuania,withLithuaniawinningarealimpassioned,tensegame.TheCroatianteamendedupplayinginthegold-medalgameagainsttheAmericans,whowoninablowout.Thatmadethemedalpresentationanamazingsight,withtheAmericansandallof these icons of the game representingwealth and power, and standing rightnext to them on one side were the Lithuanians, who were so poor that their

warmup jerseys were tie-dyed and supplied by the Grateful Dead, and theCroatiansontheotherside,whowerehuggingandcryingandproudjusttoholduptheirflagafterwhat theircountryhadjustgonethrough.Itwasanamazingcontrastinthatevent.WithallofthetalkabouttheDreamTeam,everythingelsethatwasgoingonrepresentedthetrueOlympicstory.

1994 Winter Olympics, Men’s 1000 Meter Speed Skating Final,VikingskipetOlympicArena,Hamar,Norway,February18,1994This is another story aboutwhat theOlympics are supposed to be.My first

Olympicswerein1988,whenIwasworkingfortheNewYorkDailyNews,andIwastheonlyreporterthereforthepaper.OneofthestoriesinCalgarythatyearwas American speed skater Dan Jansen, who had a sister who was dying ofleukemia.Jansenwasthefavoriteintwoevents—the500andthe1,000.Hehadspoken tohissister themorningof the500,but shewas tooweak toconversewithhimandwoulddielaterthatday.Withthisonhismind,heendedupfallingandlosingtherace.Hewouldendupskatingpoorlyinthe1,000afterthat.Wethenmoveonto1992inAlbertville,France,wherehewasalsoafavoritetowinthe500andcontendinthe1,000,andagainhefailedtomedal,finishing26thinthe1,000.NowitlookslikeheisgoingtobecomeoneoftheseOlympic-failureathletesoverthecourseofmultipleOlympics.After1992,theWinterOlympicsshifted their schedule toalternateevery twoyearswith theSummerOlympics,giving Jansen one more serious chance in 1994 in Lillehammer, Norway tofinallywinamedal.Hewasastrongcandidatetowinthe500butwasnotexpectedtodoaswell

inthe1,000.Bythispoint,IwascoveringtheeventfortheNewYorkTimes,andinthe500,heslippedagainandfinishedoutofthemedals.Thatmeantthe1,000washis lastchance tomedal.Thesport isverypopular inNorway,andas theskatersaremakingtheirwayaroundtheoval,theirtimesareflashinguponthebigboard.ForAmericans,thetimeshappentoofasttoregister,butNorwegiansfollowthesport soclosely, theyarequick topickuponwhat the timesmean,anditimmediatelybecomesobvioustothemthatsomethingishappening.Andwhatwas happeningwas thatDan Jansen, in an event hewasn’t supposed towin, was in the process of setting a world record andwinning a goldmedal.Whenhefinishesandthefinaltimeregisters,thecrowderupts.Whatcamenextwas themost amazing thing. All of the competitors from the other countries,including the other contenders and rivals, were cheering him as he did hisvictory lap.Between the 1992 and 1994Olympics, Jansen and hiswife had ababygirlnamedJane,afterhissister.HiswifehandedJanetohimandhecarried

Jane in one arm and a smallAmerican flag in the other hand, and a spotlightcamedownonhimashewasskating.Idon’tthinktherewasasinglepersoninthebuilding,includingjournalists,whowasn’tintears.Itwasthemostbeautifulsportseventandinstarkcontrast to theotherbigeventfromthoseGames, thewomen’sfigureskatingcircusfeaturingNancyKerriganandTonyaHarding.

1998NBAFinals,GameSix,ChicagoBullsatUtahJazz,DeltaCenter,SaltLakeCity,Utah,June14,1998My older son loved basketball from a very early age, especially Michael

Jordan,andhe followed theBulls religiously.Whenever theycame to town toplaytheKnicks,Iwouldbuyoneticketandmywifewouldgowithhim,andhewouldsitonherlap.ThattakesustothefinalactinJordan’scareer(atleastinChicago).TheBullswereup,3–1,andgoingfortheclincherinChicago.Iwrotea column for theTimeswhere I stoodby the Jordan statue outside theUnitedCenterandaskedthefanswhatitmeanttothem,astheyworshippedinfrontofthealtartohim.TheBullslostthegame,though,soweallhadtogobackouttoUtah,wheretherewasachancetheJazzwouldwinbothofthegamestowinthetitle. The Bulls came back late, and Jordan hit the game-winning shot overBryonRussell.Heprobablypushedoffbutgotthesuperstarcall,andtheBullsstopped the Jazz at the other end to seal the win. On the court, it waspandemonium, and I’mon a ridiculously tight deadline. I had twoversions ofmycolumnwrittenandjustneededtofill inthedetails,butjustcouldn’tresistcallinghome,becauseIknewmynine-year-oldsonwaswatchingthis.Hewassoexcited that theBullshadwon,and I just felt like Ineeded toshare itwithhim for a couple ofminutes. One of the things that we lose as sportswriters,becauseweareawayalot,ismomentslikethatwithyourfamily.Idecidedthatif Iwas fiveminutes latewithmycolumn, sobe it. Iwasgoing to spend thismoment, whichwas going to be the last one of the Bulls’ run, withmy son,becauseIknewhowimportantthiswastohim.

The 2009Wimbledon Championships, Gentlemen’s Final, Andy Roddickvs.RogerFederer,TheAllEnglandLawnTennisClub,London,England,July5,2009Iwas never into tennis untilmy late twenties and covered the sport for the

first time during theNewYork newspaper strike in the late ’70s, when I didsomeworkforoneofthestrikepaperseveryonewenttoworkfor.Itwasagreattime for American tennis, with Connors andMcEnroe, plus Bjorn Borg fromSweden.After that, I started covering and enjoying the sportmore andmore,

especiallyWimbledon,whichisliketheFenwayParkoftennisstadiums.InMayof2009,theTimesmovedmeintofeaturewritingforalloftheirweeklysectionsintheSundaypaper.Withboththeeconomyandthenewspaperindustryinfreefallatthetime,Itookthisasarealthreattomyjob,sincetheyweremovingmeoffthesportssection,whereIhadanidentity.IhadalreadybeenscheduledtogotoWimbledon,though,sotheyletmegoandIwouldstartmynewroleafterIgot back, with the mindset that my last sports assignment would be thistournamentthatIreallylove.Atthispoint,RogerFedereriswellintohisrunastheworld’s topplayerandhasfourteenGrandSlamtitles, to tiehimwithPeteSampras.OnthefinalSunday,FedererfacedAmericanAndyRoddick.Roddickwonthefirstset,thentheyplayedatiebreakerinthesecondset,whichRoddickled,6–2.Somehow,Federergotbackto6–5,andRoddickmissedafairlyeasybackhandvolleythatwouldhaveendedtheset.Federerekedoutthetiebreakertoeventhematchatoneset.Iteventuallywenttoafifthset,whichseeminglywentonforever,endingat16–14forFederer.Asthatsetprogressed,IwentbackandforthonthinkingaboutwhoIwantedtoseewin,sincebothwouldbegreatstories.ItalsohitmethatthiscouldbethelastsportingeventthatIwouldevercover, so therewasgreatpersonalmeaning forme,aswell. Idecided that if Iwas going out, I wanted to see a record broken, so I started hoping Federerwouldwin,whichhedid.WhenIgottotheairportthenextday,Iwaswaitingintheairline loungewhilewaiting toboard, and formerNewYorkmayorDavidDinkinswalks in.Hewasalwaysabig tennis fan, so Iwentover to introducemyself,andwespentthenexthalfhourtalkingtennis.Ashegotuptoleave,hetoldmethathewasareaderofmineformanyyears,goingbacktowhenIwasat theDailyNews. I toldhimthiswasprobablymylast tenniscolumn,andhesaid hewouldmissmywork andwishedme luck. I remember getting on theplane thinking about how wonderful that was—it was just a really nice,serendipitousmoment and emboldenedme to go home and embracewhatevercamenextanddothebestIcould.Ididleavesportsbutwentbackayearlaterinaslightlydifferentrole,butifmysportscareerhadendedonthatnote,itwouldhavebeenagoodwaytogoout.

RogerFedererofSwitzerlandleapsintotheairafterdefeatingAndyRoddicktowinatWimbledonin2009.(APPhoto/AlastairGrant)

MichelleBeadleBroadcaster,ESPN

WacoWizardsatAustinIceBats,LuedeckeArena,Austin,Texas,October19,1996Theonlyhistoric significance thatnightwas that the teammade itsdebut. I

wasaninternfor the team, though,andbasicallywewereabunchofkidsandnewbiesthatstartedahockeyteam.IwasinschoolattheUniversityofTexas,when they decided to start a hockey team in Austin in the new WesternProfessionalHockeyLeague.So,abunchofusshowupandareallinterns,anditturnsintoonegiantfamily.AlloftheseCanadianplayershadmoveddowntoTexastobringhockeytothemasses.Weliterallystartedworkinginabarnwiththeheadcoach,formerNHLerBlaineStoughton,andateamfullofmisfitsthatcouldn’t get picked up anywhere else. You don’t get to be part of somethingfromthebottomlevelveryofteninlife,butherewewereonaFridaynight,andwewouldbring in somesix-packsandput the rink together. Ihadneverevenbeeniceskating,butInowknewhowtoputthePlexiglasuparoundtheice.Itwasthemostfunyoucouldeverhavedoinganinternship.Whenwedebutedinthebarn,wewouldrunintoweatherproblems.Therewerebats,therewasfog,itwas toohot… the typical hockey arenaproblems. It is sad, because the teamdoesn’texistanymore,buttohavebeenapartofsomethinglikethateverynightwasawesome.

Chicago Bulls Home Game, United Center, Chicago, Illinois, 1997–98seasonAfriendofminethatIworkedwithattheIceBatswasfromChicagoandis

oneofthebiggestsportsfansI’veeverknown.I’mnotsurewhatreallysparkedit,andneitheroneofushadanymoney,butweknewMichaelJordanmightberetiringafterthe’98seasonanddecidedtogotoChicagospecificallytobeabletowatchhimplayinChicagojustonce.Ourseatswerewayupatthetopofthebuilding, but it didn’tmatter, because itwas amazing tobe there and seehimplay in person.We did thewhole thing—we took our pictures in front of the

statue,wewent to theESPNZone, and I tookmypicture at theSportsCenterdesk (who knew!!!).But to be in that building and see the greatest basketballplayer of all-time, and have the chance to be surrounded by all of thesesuperfans,itwasworthit.Ican’teventellyouwhotheyplayedthatnight.Butwhenthatintromusicstarted,Iwassohappywemadethetrip.AndnowIcanalwayssaythatIsawMichaelJordanplayinthatbuilding.

2006RoseBowl,Texasvs.USC,RoseBowl,Pasadena,California,January4,2006CSTVwasstillverynew,andgoingtothisgamewasaverybigthingforus.

WetookabunchofpeopletoPasadenatodoshowsandcoverthegame.Iwasassignedtorunontothefieldafterthegameendedtodointerviews.Ofcourse,Ialso went to Texas, so there was some conflict for me because I had to be“unbiased,”but Iwasalsowearing this topazLonghornnecklace tuckedundermyshirt,sothatwasmywayofrebellingagainstthesystem.Lateinthegame,everyonethoughtUSCwasgoingtowinthegame,soallofthemediawaspilingontotheTrojans’sideline.Irememberhowchaoticitwasandhadneveractuallydone this before, so all I really knewwas just to hold ontomy cameraman’sbackpack and just go.But all of a sudden,VinceYoung became a superhero,everythingwentnuts,andUTfiguresoutawaytowinthegame.WewerestillontheUSCsidelineandwatchedthemoodtherechangeveryquickly,fromthisveryhappyplacetodepressing.Asweranontothefield,Irememberscreamingandcheering,thenremindingmyselfthatIwasn’tsupposedtobedoingthat.Wefinally got out to do the interviews, but it was such an adrenaline rush that Iwasn’ttotallysurewhattosay,andIprobablylookedlikeanidiotbecauseofthewayIwasjumpingupanddowninexcitement.Thatgame,though,iswhywealllovesports.Weallthoughtitwasover,andweallgotreadytodoourjobs,but then the ending changed andmade it evenmore fun.Of course, everyonearound me was probably asking who the unprofessional ass jumping up anddownwas.

VinceYoungrushesforthegame-winningtouchdowninthe2006RoseBowl.(APPhoto/PaulSakuma)

WWE Survivor Series, Madison Square Garden, New York, New York,November20,2011Survivor Series is one of those eventswhere a big namewill usually come

back, and this night, it was The Rock. I had become friendly with Jim RossthroughTwitter.Ihatetoaskpeoplefortickets,soIaskedhimhowIcouldbuysome.Hewasniceenough, though, togetmeringside tickets,andI felt like Iwastwelvealloveragain.WemadeasignwithJim’scowboyhatonittoholdupandweresittingbasicallyatoneofthecornersatthebottomoftheentrance

ramp,wheretheyturntogoupintothering.Someofthemsawmesittingthereandhadsomefunwithit,likeCMPunkcomingovertomessupmyhair.WhentheDVDofthenightcamein,IsawuslosingourmindasTheRockcameoutanddidhispromo.AnyeventattheGardenisprettycool(exceptforaKnicksgame), but it is fun to be there for a big WWE event. It gets so loud, andeveryonegetsampeduptobethere.ThenerdiestpartofitformewaswhentheDVDcameoutandyoucanseemeyelling likeakid,chanting,“Youstillgotit!” at The Rock. I’m sure there is a part of me that is supposed to beembarrassed,butthatwasjustthegreatestnightever.Itwassomuchfun,anditmakesyoufeellikeakidagain.

2014NBAFinals,Game Five,MiamiHeat at SanAntonio Spurs, AT&TCenter,SanAntonio,Texas,June15,2014I’vebeenaSpursfansinceIwasakid,andtheriseoftheMiamiHeatwith

LeBronJamesmadeforaveryinterestingchapterforSpursfans,especiallyafterthelossin2013onRayAllen’sbuzzer-beater.Mydadisaseasonticketholder,andhisseatsjusthappentoberightnexttothevisitors’bench.TheonlygameIwasabletogethomeforinthatserieswasGameFive,soIwentwithmybrotherandmyboyfriend.Webasicallyhad threebutts in the two seats for the entiregame,butsincenobodywassitting thewholegame, itdidn’tevenmatter.Wehad somuch fun sitting there and yelling all game. It got to the point whereChris“Birdman”Andersenwantedtogetmybrotherandmyboyfriendkickedout becauseof all of the trashwewere talking. I know someof theguys thatwere on theHeat, andLeBronwas looking atmewith this sad face, since heknewwho Iwas. I kept trash-talking, though, butwouldn’tmake eye contactwith anyof them.Atonepoint, Iwas staring at the scoreboard andyelling atAndersen,whoknewitwasmeyellingbecausehewasstandingaroundtwofeetawayfromme,butIwouldn’tlookinhisdirection.Ihaveneverbeensosweatyandsohappyatagame.Therearescreenshotsofthisidiotblondeperson(thatwouldbeme)withhermouthopen,screamingandyelling,armsintheair.AftertheFinalsthepreviousyear,andthebadtastethatitleftinourmouths,thisnightwasthemostperfectendingforme.Itis,handsdown,mymostfavoritesportsmomentofmylife.

MikeBreenBroadcaster,ESPN/MSGNetwork

1986World Series, Game Six, Boston Red Sox at New YorkMets, SheaStadium,Flushing,NewYork,October25,1986The press box was so crowded that the Mets were just putting people

wherever theycouldfindseats. IwasworkingforNBCRadioat the time,andtheyhappenedtoseatmeintheRedSoxradiobooth,wheretherewasenoughroomforthebroadcasterstositinthefront,whileotherssatintheback.Iwasreally young and had just started working in the business, so I hadn’t reallylearnedtheproperetiquetteyet.BeingaMetsfanmywholelife,IwasdejectedbecauseitappearedthattheyweregoingtolosetheWorldSeries.Sowhentheball went through Bill Buckner’s legs, I lost all journalistic perspective andstartedjumpingupanddownlikeeveryoneinthestands.Ican’trememberifitwas the producer or one of the Red Sox radio guys, but one of them turnedaroundandshotmethedirtiestlook.Ishouldnothavebeenactingthatway,andIquicklyquietedmyselfdown.ButitwassuchanunexpectedgreatmomentforaMets fan that I believe even themost hardened journalistwould have had adifficulttimenotreacting.

1994 NBA Finals, Game Five, Houston Rockets at New York Knicks,MadisonSquareGarden,NewYork,NewYork,June17,1994NBCwas broadcasting theNBAat the time, and during the game, theO.J.

Simpsonchasewasgoingon.OnourTVmonitor,NBCputupasplitscreenofthegameandtheO.J.chase;then,atsomepoint, it justbecameO.J.Ifoundittoo distractingwhile broadcasting the game, so I asked our statistician,HarryRobinson,toshutthemonitoroff.WhenhewenttoturntheTVoff,allthefanssitting around the booth objected and asked if I would leave it on. The radiobooth atMadisonSquareGarden is right in themiddleof the stands, andyoubecomefriendlywiththepeoplesittingaroundyouallthetime,soweturneditbackon for them. I remember thinking,herewas thebiggest game Ihad everbroadcast,andpeoplearemoreinterestedinwatchingO.J.Simpsonandawhite

FordBronco.Itwasaverybizarreexperience.

1996 Summer Olympics, Women’s Basketball Finals, Georgia Dome,Atlanta,Georgia,August3,1996TheAmericanwomenhad lost in the 1994WorldChampionships toBrazil

andwereno longer considered thebest team in theworld, so they completelychanged how they prepared for the Olympics. They hired Trish VanDerveerfromStanford,whotookaleaveofabsencetocoachtheteam.Allthewomenontheteamtouredaroundthecountryandtheworldforayearandahalftobecomeacohesiveunitandmakesure theywonthegold.Theydidn’t loseagametheentiretimetheyweretogetherwhilepreparingfortheGamesinAtlanta,sothepressure on them towin the goldwas enormous; any losswould have been ahugedisappointment.TheywontheOlympicsgoingaway,destroyingBrazilinthefinals.Afterthe

game in theGeorgiaDome, they gave themedals out immediately, since thiswasthefinaleventoftheGames.Whenthenationalanthemplayed,itfeltlikeeveryoneofthe40,000fansinthebuildingsangtheanthem.I’veneverbeeninabuildingwheresomanypeoplesangthenationalanthem.Youcouldseethatthe players became very affected by the outpouring of patriotism and begancrying.Istillgetchillsthinkingaboutit.

2002 FIBA World Championships Finals, Yugoslavia vs. Argentina,ConsecoFieldhouse,Indianapolis,Indiana,September8,2002NBC was scheduled to broadcast the semifinals and finals, with the

expectationthattheUnitedStateswouldbeinoneofthetwosemifinals.Well,that didn’t happen, as the Americans were knocked out in the quarterfinals,leaving us to broadcast the rest of the tournament without Team USA onAmericantelevision.ArgentinaandYugoslaviawonthetwosemifinalgamestomakeittothechampionshipandwereclearlythetwobestteamsintheworldatthispoint.ThefinalswereinConsecoFieldhouseinIndianapolis,thousandsandthousandsofmilesfromeithercountry,yettherewasahugecoreoffansfrombothYugoslaviaandArgentina.One of the great things about international basketball is how emotional and

passionate the fans are.Theychant and singall game longas theycheer theircountryon.Yugoslaviawonthegame,andatthefinalbuzzer,theplayersontheYugoslavianteam,alongwiththeirfans,wereallcryingwithtearsof joy.Theplayers and fans from Argentina were all crying, but with tears ofdisappointment. It was one of the best-played games and certainly the most

emotionalgameI’veeverseen,frombothaplayer’sandafan’sstandpoint.

2013 NBA Finals, Game Six, San Antonio Spurs at Miami Heat,AmericanAirlinesArena,Miami,Florida,June18,2013Thisgamewillalwaysaffectionatelybeknownasthe“RayAllenGame.”His

has to go down as one of the great clutch shots in the history of the NBA,especiallywhenyouconsiderthestakesandthesituation.Itdidn’twintheHeata championship, but it prevented them from losing it. If anyone was everprepared to take a shot like that, it was Ray Allen. He had practiced thatparticularshot thousands, ifnot tensof thousandsof times.EverysinglegamethatI’vecoveredthatRayAllenplayedin,Iwouldneverbeathimtothearena,andIwouldusuallygetthereatleasttwoandahalfhoursbeforethegame.Hewas always at the arena on the floor shooting, every single game with zeroexceptions.Hewasn’tjustagoodshooter.Hewasaguythatputyearsandyearsintobeingreadyforthatmoment.Afewthingsstandoutfromthatnight.TheNBAhadsetuptheropethatthey

putuparoundthecourtwhenachampionshipisdecidedandtheyaregoingtoawardthetrophy,andtheHeatplayersnoticedit.EvenLeBronJamesadmittedthat henoticed it and thought itwasover and theyweren’t going towin.TheSpurshadgoneupfivewith28.2secondsremainingbeforeeverythingstartedtochange.When it looked like it was over, people started to leave the arena indroves,butafterthethree-pointerandthegameheadedintoovertime,wehadashotofpeopletryingtogetbackinside.Theywerepoundingontheglasstogetbackinbutweren’tallowedbackin.Soallofthesepeoplewholeftearlymissednot only one of the greatest shots in the history of basketball, but a thrillingovertime,aswell.If therewaseverevidenceof the fine linebetweenwinningand losing, this

gamewas it.Thechampionshipwasdecidedbyone rebound,onemissed freethrow,oronemadethree-pointer.Inthelast20secondsofthatgame,theremusthavebeen sevenor eight things that, if oneof themhadhappeneddifferently,SanAntoniowould havewon the title that night. It is pretty incredible that awholeseasonwouldcomedown to thatandhowoneplaycompletelychangesthe narrative of a season and of players. People get crazy about someone’slegacy,buta legacycanbealteredbyonemissed free throwor justmissingarebound.IfAllen’sshotdoesn’tfall,itchangeseverything.Butthatisthebeautyofsportsandwhywelovethemsomuch.

RayAllentiesthegamewithathree-pointerattheendofregulationofGameSixofthe2013NBAFinals.(APPhoto/LynneSladky)

ThomBrennamanBroadcaster,FOXSports

Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati Reds, Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio,July16,1994IwasdoingCubsgamesat the time.MajorLeagueBaseballdidnothavea

national TV contract, so they formedwhatwas called TheBaseballNetwork,which televised regional games across the country one night eachweek.TheyaskedifIwouldbeinterestedindoingagamewithmydad,Marty,whoisaHallofFamebroadcasterwiththeReds.Myfirstinclinationwastosayofcourse,butwhen I thought about it, I realized I had never done a game on national TV,which was a big deal. I was still so inexperienced at the time. Additionally,neitheroneofusisananalyst,butIrealizeditwassomethingthatIjusthadtodo. I recall the night of the game, and standing there to do the open for thetelecastnexttomydad,holdingmicrophonesthathad“ABC”onthem.Itwas,without question, one of the most surreal moments that I think a youngmancouldeverexperience.Iwasreallynervous,butIrememberhowcalmmydadwas,althoughIknewhewasnervous,aswell,butnervousforme,notforhim.All of thesemomentswere flashing throughmy head. I remembered being inspringtrainingwhenIwastenandmydadgotthejobwiththeReds,goingintothe clubhouse for the first time, and the first four people I met were JohnnyBench,PeteRose, JoeMorgan,andTonyPerez.Then I thoughtaboutbeingabatboy for the teamduringspring training,andworkingasa fourteen-year-oldcleaning up the suites at Riverfront Stadium. All of these memories camerushingbacktome,andIjustthankedGodfortheopportunitytodowhatIwasdoingthatnight.

2001WorldSeries,NewYorkYankeesvs.ArizonaDiamondbacks,YankeeStadium, Bronx, New York, and Bank One Ballpark, Phoenix, Arizona,October27-November4,2001Iwashiredtobetheplay-by-playannouncerfor theArizonaDiamondbacks

twoyearsbeforetheyevenstartedplaying,sohavingbeenwiththeorganization

since its inceptionmade thisa reallyexciting time. I rememberallof theNewYorkpresswritingthatitwouldbeashortserieswiththeYankeeswinningbutchalked that up to them being on the East Coast and not seeing theDiamondbacks play very much. The team had Randy Johnson and CurtSchilling, sonothingwasgoing tobeover too fast.Schillingwasdominant inthe Game One win. Johnson was even better in Game Two, getting thecomplete-gameshutouttoputArizonaup,2–0.Now we go back to New York, and all of this, far more important, was

happening on the heels of 9/11. Towalk intoGameThree that night, on thathallowedgroundofbaseball,withthecrowd,theanticipation,theemotion,andthe excitement, and see President Bush walk out to the mound so proud andstrongand fire a fastball, then seeabaldeagle soar into the stadiumand landrightbehindhomeplate,Iwillneveragaininmylifetimeseeanythinglikethat.For those of uswho love this country, it was amomentwhere you just said,“Wow!”I’mnotsurethereweremanydryeyesinthestadiumthatnight;eventhe most hardened of New Yorkers felt that emotion that night. For the nextthree nights, all of that emotion is packed into the World Series, and wewitnessed the next two nights, in Games Four and Five, something that hadnever happened in the history of theWorld Series—a team blowing a ninth-inning lead and losing in extra innings in back-to-back games. That put theYankeesahead,3–2,buttheenergyinthatcityandthatstadiumforthosethreegameswasbeyonddescription.Weknowwhathappenedafterthat,whentheseriesshiftedbacktoArizona.

GameSixwasablowoutwithJohnsonpitchingagaintotietheseries,bringingustoGameSeven.Iwillalwaysmaintainthatthebestbig-gamepitcherthatI’veeverseeninmycareerisCurtSchilling.ItwasSchillingagainstRogerClemensinGameSeven,anditjustdoesn’tgetanybetterthanthat.TheDiamondbacksjumpedoutinfront,theYankeescamebacktotakethelead,andnowtheclockis ticking. The Yankees are bringing inMariano Rivera, and we find out theYankees are setting up their locker room for the postgame celebration.WhenRivera came out of the bullpen for the ninth inning, itwas just electric, eventhoughitwasaYankeeroadgame.ItneverrainsinArizonathat timeofyear,andtheroofwasopenatthestadium,butallofasudden,alightrainstartedtofall. It felt impossible and made you wonder whether we were going to seesomethingelseimpossiblehappenonthefield,whichwouldhavebeenMarianoRivera blowing a save in aWorld Series game. It was so eerie. And that isexactlywhathappened,culminatingwiththeLuisGonzalezsingletocenterthatscored Jay Bell to give the Diamondbacks the first championship by aprofessionalsportsteaminthestateofArizona.

2003NationalLeagueChampionshipSeries,GameSix,FloridaMarlinsatChicagoCubs,WrigleyField,Chicago,Illinois,October14,2003IhadthechancetocallCubsgamesforsixyears,andIthinkanyonewhohas

had the opportunity to have any sort of affiliation with the Cubs comes tounderstandthepainandsufferingoftheteam’sfans.AfterJoshBeckettthrewashutout in Game Five to keep the Marlins alive and shift the series back toChicago,thesceneatWrigleyFieldwassomethingIhadneverwitnessedinmylife.Therewereprobablyfivetimesasmanypeopleoutsidethestadiumastherewereinsideforthegame,inanticipationoftheCubs’winningandgoingtotheWorldSeriesforthefirsttimesince1945.Allofthestreetsintheneighborhoodwere closed off for multiple blocks in every direction, and people werecompletelyjammingthestreetsbutreallykeptthemselvesundercontrol.TheCubstooktheleadintotheeighthinningandwerefiveoutsawayfrom

clinching the series.As everyoneknows, theMarlins scored eight runs in thatfatefuleighthinning.Theplaythatisunquestionablythemostrememberedwasthe foul ball down the left-field line that was touched by Steve Bartman asMoisesAlouattemptedtocatchit.Atthatmoment,wehadnoideatheMarlinswere going to go on to score eight runs. I stillmaintain to this day thatAlouwasn’tgoingtocatchtheball,butwe’llneverreallyknowforsure;allIknowisthatfromwhereIwassitting,hewasn’tgoingtocatchit.Alou’sreaction,andhehasapologizedforitsince,hadalottodowiththesubsequentreactionofthosein the stands, because thereweremultiple people thatwent for that foul ball.After it happened and the game resumed, we had an in-house camera in thebroadcast booth that was able to show us that the situation in the standswasstartingtogetalittleugly.SecurityfinallycamedowntogetBartmanout,andwhile they were walking him out, people were yelling at him and throwingthingsathim,andweknewithadachancetogetreally,reallybad.The game eventually ends, and with the streets mobbed with people, our

production teamdecided tomeetat thecornerofClarkandAddisonandwalksevenblockstogetinthecarandgobacktothehotel.Toleavethestadium,wecut through the team’s offices andwent out a singular door, so thereweren’tmany people around that exit. As I opened the door, there stands, by himselfbehindaneight-footcementwall,MichaelJordan.Idon’tknowhimatall,butmynatural reactionwas toaskwhathewasdoing there.Hesays tome,“Youhaven’t been out there yet. There are one hundred thousand zombieswalkingaround out there. It is scary.”We invited him towalkwith us to help protecthim,buthetoldustherewasnochanceandthathewouldspendthenightthereifhehadto.

ChicagoCubsfanSteveBartmanattemptstocatchafoulballthatcouldpossiblyhavebeencaughtbyoutfielderMoisesAlouduringGameSixoftheNationalLeagueChampionshipSeriesatWrigleyField.(APPhoto/AmySancetta)

2007FiestaBowl,BoiseStatevs.Oklahoma,UniversityofPhoenixStadium,Glendale,Arizona,January1,2007Ithinkthisgame,perhapsmorethananyother,ignitedtheflamethatbecame

theCollegeFootballPlayoff,becauseitprovedthatthereareteamsouttherethatcouldcompetewiththeBCSConferenceschools, ifgiventheopportunity.Notmanypeople really gaveBoiseState a chance against anOklahoma team thatfeaturedAdrianPeterson,had lostonlyonce thatseason,andmighthavebeenplayingforanationalchampionshipifithadn’tlostthatonegame.Becauseourbroadcast crew for FOX was doing not only this game, but the nationalchampionshipgamesevendayslater,aswell,wesplitourgrouptovisitdifferentcampuses.IhappenedtogotoBoise,andunlikemostpeople,Iknewmoreaboutthemthantheirbluefield,becauseIhadwatchedanumberoftheirgamesduringtheseason.WhenIgotthere,Irealizedthatteamreallybelievedthattheycouldwinthegame.I’mnotsureanyoneelsebelievedit,butwhenweleftIdaho,weknewtheybelieved.

TheBroncosdominated thefirst threequartersandwereahead,28–10,untilOklahomarippedoff thenext25points,with thego-ahead touchdowncomingonaninterceptionreturnwith1:02remaining,andeveryonestartedthinkingthatwasit.Boisegetstheballbackandarefacedwithafourth-and-18.Theypulloffthe hook-and-lateral play to get not just the first down, but also the tyingtouchdown to send the game into overtime. On the first play of OT, AdrianPetersonruns25yardstogivetheSoonersthelead.BoiseStategetstheballandeventually ends upwith a fourth-and-2 at theOklahoma 6 and decides to runtheirsecondtrickplay;widereceiverVinnyPerrettathrewthetouchdownpass.Thecrowdwasgoingcrazy,knowingBoisecouldnowtiethegameorgoforthewinwithatwo-pointconversion.Wejustletthenaturalsoundofthecrowdtellthestoryandstopped talking. I lookedoveratBarryAlvarez,whowasoneofmypartners,andtookmyheadsetofftoaskhimwhathewouldhavedoneifhisoffensivecoordinatorhadcalledthatplay.Hesaid,“Iwouldhavefiredhisassright on the spot.” TheBroncos decided to go for thewin and pulled off theStatueofLibertyplay;IanJohnsonrantheballintotheendzoneuntouchedforthewin.Chris Myers, who was our sideline reporter, was on the field and went to

interviewJohnson,whopromptlydroppeddowntoonekneeandproposedtohisgirlfriend,oneoftheBoiseStatecheerleaders.Ican’trememberexactlywhatIsaid,butitwasalongthelinesof“NoHollywoodproducerwouldeverbuythisstoryifyoutriedtosellittohim.”Itwasjustanincrediblefinalquarterandthemost exciting quarter of any sport (at least among those sports that havequarters)thatI’veeverbeenblessedtowitness.Itisamazinghowmanypeoplethroughtheyearscomeuptomeandtellmetheycan’tbelieveIhadachancetoseethatgame.

AppalachianStateatMichigan,MichiganStadium,AnnArbor,Michigan,September1,2007IhadmovedbacktoCincinnatifromArizonaasFOXSportslaunchedtheBig

TenNetwork, so since I was now living in theMidwest, FOX askedme if Iwouldbe interested inworkingsomefootballgamesfor thenewnetworkwithCharlesDavis.Thiswastheveryfirstgameonthenetwork.AppalachianStatewasthedefendingFCSnationalchampionbuthadlostanumberofplayersfromthat team and was starting a freshman quarterback named Armanti Edwards.MichiganwasrankedNo.5andwasloadedwithstars,includingChadHenneatquarterbackandJakeLong,whowent firstoverall in theNFLdraft.Whenwemetwith theWolverinesandheadcoachLloydCarrasweweregetting ready

for the broadcast, they had a palpable aura about them. Then we met withAppalachianState andwere atMichiganStadiumwhen they arrived. Itwas abeautifulFridayafternoon,andastheywalkedin,youcouldseetheawestrucklookinthekids’eyesastheysawthehugestadiumforthefirsttime.Ithinkitisprettysafetosaythatthereweren’tmanykidsonthatteamwhowererecruitedbyMichigan.Youcouldn’thelpbutbehappyforthekidsthattheyweregoingtogetachancetoplayonastagelikethat.Wetalkedtotheircoachonthefieldforaroundtenminutes,andwhenweweredone,Charleslookedatmeandsaid,“Idon’tknowaboutyou,butthatguythinkstheycanwinthisgame.”ItwasthesamefeelingIhadaftermeetingwithBoiseStatewhilepreparingfortheFiestaBowl a few months earlier. But that was Boise State. This was AppalachianState.Michigangot theball tostart thegameandjustrammedtheball rightdown

theMoutaineers’throatsforaneasytouchdown.Rightaway,youfeltlikeithada chance to get really ugly.And it did… forMichigan.As soon as you sawArmantiEdwardsplay,youcouldn’tfigureouthowMichiganwasgoingtostophim. They couldn’t, and Appalachian State was handling the Wolverines.Michiganhadonelastshotandgotcloseenoughtokickagame-winningfieldgoalandjustsurvive.Itwasalongattempt,buttheyhadagoodkickersotheywentforthekick,anditgetsblocked.I’mnotsuretherehaseverbeenaquietergatheringof105,000peoplethanthatdayinMichiganStadium.YoucouldheartheAppalachianStateplayerscelebratinginthepressboxallthewayatthetopofMichiganStadium.Therearea lotofpeoplewhoknowmoreaboutcollegefootballthanI’lleverknowwhosaythiswasthegreatestupsetinthehistoryofcollegefootball.

RicBucherBroadcaster,SiriusXM/Columnist,BleacherReport

1993 NBA Finals, Game Three, Phoenix Suns at Chicago Bulls, ChicagoStadium,Chicago,Illinois,June13,1993The image is Charles Barkley beatingMichael Jordan in triple overtime in

ChicagoStadium,butitisunderscoredbythegreatquotebyCharlesafterwards,whenhesaid that“Godwantedus towin.”Therewasa lotof talkat the timeabout Michael Jordan and his gambling, so he wasn’t talking to the media.CharleswaslaughingitupallseriesandwaslikeJoeNamathattheSuperBowl.He was regaling everyone to the point that, before that game, Hannah Stormwalked into the locker room to show Charles her engagement ring. Withoutmissingabeat,Charlessaid,“Damn,girl.ThatisthebiggestpieceofzirconiumI’veeverseen.”Thefact thathewouldtakeashotatHannahinfrontofallofthenewspaper reporters only endearedhim to the ink-stainedwretches. ItwasoneofthosegameswhereyouhadthesensethatCharlesrefusedtoloseinthesamewaythatMichaelalwaysrefusedtolose.ThiswasatimewhereyousawsomebodygetthebetterofMichael.TherewasamomentlateinthegamewhereCharles took amid-range, fadeaway jumper. You could see the smokiness ofChicagoStadium,whichIreallymiss.ThiswasalsothefirstNBAFinalsthatIevercovered,andtothisday,Ithinkitwasoneofthebest.Iwaslookingatitwithfresheyes,anditwasCharlesvs.Michael.Thisgameisoneoftheall-timeFinalsgames.Insomeways,itembodiedbothoftheircareers.Michaelendedupwinningattheend,butCharleshadmomentswherehecouldputateamonhisbackbutcouldnevergetateamoverthetop.

Phoenix Suns at Golden State Warriors, Oakland-Alameda CountyColiseumArena,Oakland,California,November16,1993It was the first time that ChrisWebber and Charles Barkley faced off in a

game.I’mnotsureapocryphal is therightwordtodescribeit,but therewasaplay where Webber blocked a shot at one end, then, at the other end, wentbehindthebacktodunkonBarkleyand,afterthedunk,whisperedsomethingto

himbeforerunningdownthecourt.Later,hetoldeveryonethathetoldBarkley,“Iwanttobejustlikeyou.”Itismeaningfulinanumberofways.Itwasthefirsttime that I covered a team of any significance. The Warriors had basicallymortgaged their future togetWebberbutweren’tprepared foraguywhowasalreadycominginasasuperstar,withabiggeridentitythanthenormalcollegeplayerhas.The templatewas set forhimandwhohewanted tobe, especiallylookingathowtheynowworktogetheronTNT.Webberdevelopedintoagreatplayer,althoughhenevermadeit totheFinals,but therewasalwaysthat littlesomething thatseemed tobemissing.Barkleywasneverafraid to take thebigshot with the game on the line, while there was always that question aroundWebberandwhetherhereallywantedtobethatguy.Personally,asabrandnewguycoveringtheleague,havingtheopportunityto

seeupclosethepoliticsandeverythingelsethathappenedwithWebberandtheteamwasatremendousinitiallearningexperience.AndthenyouhavethisoneplaythatprovedtobethehighlightofWebber’scareerwiththeWarriors.ItwasthefirsttimethatIsawasingleplay,alongwiththeexchangeonthecourtafterit,bemoreofthestorythantheoutcomeofthegame.Strangeasitmaysoundtoa sports purist, it taught me that who won or lost wasn’t always the mostimportantthing.Whosaidwhat,anddidwhat,towhom,couldprovetobemostmemorable.Itcertainlywasinthiscase.

1998NBAFinals,GameSix,ChicagoBullsatUtahJazz,DeltaCenter,SaltLakeCity,Utah,June14,1998Iwas covering this series for theWashingtonPost, and thewhole question

around itwaswhether thiswas finallyKarlMaloneand JohnStockton’syear,andhowMichaelJordanwasgoingtoget itdoneagainst them.ScottiePippenwashavingbackissuesduringtheseries,and,atthispointinJordan’scareer,hewas really relying on Scottie to do more of the dirty work so that he couldconserve his energy to close out the games.Utahwas leading formost of thegameandhadabunchofopportunitiestobuildabiglead,buttheylookedliketheywere comfortable just leading by a handful of points. In the back ofmyhead,Ikeptthinkingthatitwasn’tenough,andthatyouneedtocreateagapthatJordancan’tcomebackon.Thestartofthefinalcomebackwassetupbyastealattheotherend,where

theyranabasicpostplayforMalone; (Jeff)Hornacek throws it tohimon theleftblockandthenrunsbyhimtothefarcorner.Sometimesguysrunplayssooftenthattheyjustgothroughthemotions,andJordanrecognizedthatHornacekwasnotlookingtogettheballback,sohedidn’thavetoworryaboutguarding

him.YoucouldalsotellMalonedidn’tknowwhereJordanwasandwastryingto decidewhatmove hewanted tomake. Jordan saw that little opportunity todoublebackandtippedtheballawayfromMaloneforthesteal.Tome,thatwasthebeginningoftheend.EvenafterJordanscoredtoputtheBullsahead,Utahstill had that confidence that they were OK, but no one else in that buildingthoughtthat.ThiswasMichaelJordan,andyouifgivehimasmallwindow,heis going to cause problems. By the time it got to the final play, long beforeJordantooktheshot,itfeltlikethatgamewasoverandthedamagehadalreadybeendone.FromwhereIwassittingnearthetopofthelowerbowl,Isawallofthefansbehindthebasketstandingup,andallof themhadthatopen-mouthed“Oh,no”lookontheirface.ItfeltliketheentirestateofUtahwashavingtheirfatedecided right in frontof their eyes, and,of course, itwasMichael Jordandoing it. In allmy timecovering thegame, Idon’tknow if I’veeverhad thatvantagepointtowatchonemanbreakthatmanyheartsatonetime.IthadlesstodowiththeUtahJazz,andStocktonandMalone,thanitdidtheentirestatethatJordanwassubduingwiththisoneshot.Afterthatending,innowaydidIwantJordantocomeback,andIwrotethatandgotkilledforwritingit.Therewasnowaytotopthatmomentasawaytogoout.Thiswasthestorybookendingofallstorybookendings.

YaoMing’s Final HomeGamewith Shanghai Sharks, Pudong YuanshenGymnasium,Shanghai,China,March,2002ThefirsttimeIgottoseeYaoMingplaywasinhisfinalgameintheChinese

BasketballAssociation. Itwas interesting then,particularlyanticipating thathewasgoingtobethefirstpickintheNBAdraft.IinitiallywenttherebecauseIwasapproachedaboutdoingabookwithhim,andmyfirstresponsewasthatIneededtoknowwhethertheguycouldplayornot.Ididn’twanttowriteabookaboutaguywhoturnedouttobethegreatbustfromChina,soIwantedtoseeifhecouldplay.Itwasanunheatedgym,andheclearlywasn’tingreatshape.ThecompetitionwasprobablyDivisionIIIcollegelevel,buttherewasaplaywheretherewas a loose ball on the floor and hewent down to get it. He flipped itbehindhisheadtofindateammateforaneasybasket.Hehadadecentjumperandthesizewaslegit,butyoucouldalsoseehehadanicetouchandfeelforthegame.After that little instinctualplay, though, Iwasn’t surehowgreathewasgoingtobeanddidn’texpecthimtobeanAll-Stareveryyearhewasgoingtobe in the league,buthehad that littledeft touch thatnobodyelseon the floorhad.Hewasabletomakeaplayoutofnothing,andintheNBA,thereisalotofthat.Thatiswhatseparatesguys,andIthinkthattranslatestoanylevel.Ifyou

haveafeelforwheretheballisgoingtogo,orwheretogowiththeballwheneverythingbreaksdown,thenyouhaveagiftthatyouneedtohavetosurviveintheNBA.All these years later, I’ve never forgotten thatmoment. ItmademebelievethathecouldplayintheNBA.WhenIlookatwhathemeantasfarasbridgingcultures,withalloftheweighthehadonhimafterbeingthefirstpickandrepresentinghiscountry,heneverhadamisstep.

2004NBAWesternConferenceSemifinals,GameFive,LosAngelesLakersatSanAntonioSpurs,SBCCenter,SanAntonio,Texas,May13,2004Everyone remembers Derek Fisher’s shot with 0.4 seconds left, but few

remember thatplaywasprecededbyTimDuncanhittinganunbelievable shotfrom long range. You really felt like the balance of that playoff series andwhoever was going to win it all that season was in that game, and with 0.4seconds remaining, there seemed like therewas just noway theLakerswouldwin. That shot symbolizedDerek Fisher’s rolewith the team.Kobe entrustedhimto takeshots like that.Asmuchasanything, itwasaboutbeing there liveandexperiencingtheincredibleswayofemotionsinSanAntonio.YoucouldtellfromDuncan’sreactionthatevenhewassurprisedhemadethiscircusshot,sotheSpursandtheirfanshadthatfeelingthattheyhadthegamewonatthatpoint.I can still seeDerekFisher’sbodyandManuGinobili’soutstretchedarm,andhow pure that shotwas. I was sitting courtside at an angle looking down thecourt, so I had everything framed in front of me, with Fisher to the left andGinobilicomingovertocontesttheshot.Fisherhadtocatch,turn,andshootinone motion, and for the direction that he was going, it only added to thedifficulty of the shot. That shot has its own name now, just like many otherfamousplaysinsportshistory.Say“pointfour”tosportsfans,andthey’llknowexactlywhatyouaretalkingabout.

DerekFishercelebratesafterhisbasketwith0.4secondsleftwonGameFiveofthe2004NBAWesternConferenceSemifinals.(APPhoto/DavidJ.Phillip)

JoeBuckBroadcaster,FOXSports

1982WorldSeries,GameSeven,MilwaukeeBrewersatSt.LouisCardinals,BuschStadium,St.Louis,Missouri,October20,1982WatchingtheCardinalscelebrateathomewassomethingIhadneverseenin

my lifetime, so itwas the first time Iwas really exposed to a celebration likethat. I was thirteen years old and was sitting with my mom in the broadcastboothwhilemydadandMikeShannonweredoingthegameontheradio.Theradioboothwas relocated for theSeriesby thenationalTVbroadcast, and forsomereasonTugMcGrawwassitting in theboothwithus.PeopleassumetheCardinalswerealwaysgood,butinthe’70s,theywereterrible,andthoseweretheyearsIwasgoingasalittlekid,soseeingthisteamovercomeallofthattobeattheBrewersinsevengames,itwasthefirsttimeIrememberwitnessingthesheerjoyoffansastheirteamwonachampionship.Fanswererunningontothefieldandrippinguppiecesoftheturf,whilemountedpoliceweretryingtokeepthemoffthefield.ItwasjustmayhemandwasthefirsttimeIunderstoodwhattheseeventsandsportscanmeantopeople,especiallywhentheygettocelebrateintheirhometown.

2001 World Series, Game Three, Arizona Diamondbacks at New YorkYankees,YankeeStadium,Bronx,NewYork,October30,2001AftertheeventsofSeptember11,youcouldn’thelpbutfeelvulnerablesitting

inside a stadium, and if therewas ever an opportunity for a terrorist group tomakeastatement,makingoneatYankeeStadiuminNewYorkwasitschance.What’s more representative of America than the New York Yankees? IrememberIhadCiproinmybackpack,incasetherewassomesortofnervegasattack. Tom Ridge, the director of the newly created Office of HomelandSecurity,wasgivingupdateseveryfiveminutes,withtheterrorlevelraisedandnewcolorsbeingaddedtotheterrorscalealmostdaily.Ofall themoments I’veseen,maybe thesinglemostpowerfulmomentwas

President Bush throwing out the first pitch before Game Three. I say that

because there was a lot on the line. He was showing power and strength. Itwasn’tpoliticalatall.Itwasarousingovationbecausehewasasymbolthatweweren’tscaredandourPresidentwasgoingtowalkouttothemiddleofthefieldandnotjustwave,butthrowthefirstpitchtothecatcher.Ifthatdidn’tgiveyouchills,nothingwill.Baseballthatautumnwasournationalpastime,anditreallyservedaroleforeverybody.

2004AmericanLeagueChampionshipSeries,NewYorkYankeesvs.BostonRed Sox, Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NewYork, and Fenway Park, Boston,Massachusetts,October12-20,2004EverygameinthisserieswiththeexceptionofGameThreecouldstandalone.

TheYankeeswonthatgame,19–8,togoupthreegamestononeintheseries.Aftertheseries,alloftherevisionisthistorianswerecomingoutandsayingthattheRedSoxknewtheystillhadachanceandjusthadtowinoneandkeeptheseriesgoing,but in reality, everyonewasbasicallycongratulating theYankeesonthefieldbeforeGameFour.Itwasn’tjustthattheRedSoxcamebackintheseries,butthewaytheydidit.

TherewasCurtSchillingandthebloodysock,DavidOrtizhittingthehomerunto send the series back to New York for Games Six and Seven, plus PedroMartinezandJohnnyDamonandawholegroupthatwerealotoffuntocover.ThatwasthebestseriesI’veeverbeenapartof,andonlybecauseofthewayitended.Itwaslikeanavalancheandendedcompletelyflipped.

SuperBowlXLII,NewYorkGiantsvs.NewEnglandPatriots,UniversityofPhoenixStadium,Glendale,Arizona,February3,2008Eli Manning became a completely different quarterback in the playoff run

leadinguptotheSuperBowl.Hewentfromanall-potential,erraticquarterbackto someonewho just refused to turn the ball over. TheGiants won in Dallasagainstthetop-seededCowboys,andEliwasjustadifferentguy.BeatingNewEngland—ateamthatnotonlylookedunbeatable,butthatwasgoingfor19–0—thewaytheydid,andthefourthquarterbeingbackandforththewayitwas,thiswasanothergamethatwhenyouarecallingit,yourheartfeelslikeitisabouttojumpoutofyourchest.Notonlyareyouawareofthesizeoftheaudiencethatiswatching,butthiswasagreatgameontopofit.

DavidTyreecatchesEliManning’spassagainsthishelmetduringthewinningdriveinthefourthquarterofSuperBowlXLII.(APPhoto/GenePuskar)

2011WorldSeries,GameSix,TexasRangersatSt.LouisCardinals,BuschStadium,St.Louis,Missouri,October27,2011Thisonemightbeatthetopofmemoriesfrommycareer.Isaythatbecause

I’ve watched the replay a couple of times, and even having been there tobroadcastthegametoanationalaudience,youcan’tbelievethegameendswith

theCardinalswinning.Notonlyweretheydowntotheirfinalstriketwice,buttheyhadtocomebackinextrainnings,whichwasjuststunning.Tosnatchawinawayfromnotjustthejaws,butthethroatofdefeatissomethingthattookyourbreathaway.Itwasoneofthosegameswhereyoudon’thavetobeaCardinalsfanorabaseballfan.Youdon’tevenhavetobeasportsfan.Agamelikethatjust triggers something in your inner sense of drama. I go back to one ofmydad’scalls:“Idon’tbelievewhatIjustsaw.”Youjustdidn’tseeitcoming.Youwalkawayfromthegameshakingyourhead.ItwasfuntocalltheendofthegamethewayIdid,almosttwentyyearstothe

dayfromwhenmydaddiditafterKirbyPuckett’shomerun.Thatwasn’treallywhyIdidit,itjusthitmeatthatmomenttodoit.Andifnobodyelselikedit,atleastmymomdid.

KevinBurkhardtBroadcaster,FOXSports

Philadelphia Eagles at NewYork Jets, Giants Stadium, East Rutherford,NewJersey,October3,1993I was an Eagles fan my whole life and had season tickets since I was old

enoughtodrive.Onthisday,Iwaseighteenyearsoldandwenttothegamewithmyyoungerbrother.TheEagleslookedliketheyweregoingtogetburiedthatday.ThiswasoneofthefirstIhadevergoneto,eventhoughitwasinenemyterritory. The Jets ran out to a 21–0 lead, and Boomer Esiason was on fire.RandallCunningham,whowasoneofmyfavoriteathletesgrowingup,gothurtinthegame,andleft thefieldonacart.Nothingwasgoingright thatday.ButBubbyBrister comes into thegame, and theEagles startmoving theball.Butwhiletheyeventuallytiedthegame,youstillhadthatfeelingthattheonlywaytheyweregoingtostoptheJetswasbygettinga turnover.AfterasafetygavetheJets thelead,NewYorktookthefreekickandmovedrightdownthefieldagain,anditfelt likethegamewasover.ThenEricAllenpicksoffanEsiasonpass on the 6.Wewere sitting on the opposite end and side of the field fromwhereheinterceptedthepass,sofromwherewewere,wecouldseeAllenpickoff the pass, but then he disappeared behind all of the bodies on the field.Finally,heemerges frombehind thecrowdand is racing toward theendzone.Wecouldn’tbelievethathewasstillrunningandmissedallofhiszig-zaggingon the field, but there he is to score the winning touchdown.Mymouthwasagape,andIkeptaskingmyselfwhathadjusthappened.MybrotherandIwerewearingsomeEaglesgear,andwehadtocoverourheadswhileleavingtomakesurenoonesaw.

2001NCAADivision IIIMen’sBasketballFirstRound,Hampden-Sydneyat William Paterson, William Paterson Recreation Center, Wayne, NewJersey,March3,2001IwenttoWilliamPaterson,andafterIgraduated,Ididpublicaddressforthe

basketball games for a few years. A couple of years earlier, over Christmas

break,akidshoweduptoplaybasketball.HisnamewasHoraceJenkins,andhewas a little older than the other students.Hewas a 6-foot-1 guard, and I hadnever seenaplayerat theDivision III level thisgood.Hehadavertical jumpthat was out of this world and won the college slam dunk contest in 2001.William Paterson had some good teams, but Jenkins completely turned thatprogramaround.Jenkinswasactuallyabitofanurbanlegendinthearea.JoseRebimbaswastheteam’scoachandwasinaparkinNewarktryingtorecruitaplayer,andallofasuddenseesHoraceplaying.Itturnedouthehaddroppedoutofschoolandbecameanelectriciantosupporthisfamily.Thiswas the last home game hewould play, and ifWilliamPatersonwon,

theywouldmoveontoagameelsewhere.Andhewasunbelievablethatnight.Therewasonesequencewhereheblockedathree-pointer,camedownandhitathree-pointer, then blocked another shot and came down and had a tomahawkdunk.Hewassomuchbetterthantheotherplayersthatitwasstupid.TheteamendeduplosingintheDivisionIIIchampionshipgame,butJenkinshadachancetoplay in theNBAafter that. Itwassocool toseehisstoryunfoldandwatchhimplayatthistinyschoolinNewJersey,whereyoujustdon’tgetplayerslikethat.

2003NFCDivisional Playoffs,GreenBayPackers at PhiladelphiaEagles,LincolnFinancialField,Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,January11,2004The Eagles were the top seed in the NFC but were down 14–0 in this

divisionalplayoffgamebeforeyoucouldblink.Philadelphiafoughtbacktotieit,butBrettFavrehitJavonWalkerwithalongpasstohelpthePackersretakethe lead on a field goal in the fourth quarter.Of course, that led to the usualEaglesfanreaction:theteamwasgoingtoblowbeingthetopseedandchokeintheplayoffsagain.Therewerelessthantwominutesleft,butafterapenaltyanda long sackofDonovanMcNabbby thePackers, itwas fourth-and-26 for theEagles.Myticketsweremidwayuptheupperdeckaroundthe5-yardlinewheretheywereheaded,andatthispoint,theobviousthoughtisthatthegameisover.I remember looking atwhere theballwas, then looking at the scoreboard andseeingthefourth-and-26, lookingtoseewheretheEaglesneededtogetonthefield toget thefirstdown, lookingat thescoreboardagainandtryingtofigureout how theEagleswere going to possibly get a first down to keep the gamegoing.Theballwassnapped,McNabbdroppedbackandthrewalinedrivepassoverthemiddletoFreddieMitchell,whocaughtitandwashitimmediately.Assoonashegothit, I looked to the sidelinemarker andcouldn’t believe that itlookedlikehegotit.Thewholesectioncouldn’tbelieveit,butwehadtowait

for themeasurementon thefieldfirst.Evenafter therefereesaid itwasa firstdown,westillcouldn’tbelievetheyactuallygotthe26yardsonfourthdown.Itwas jubilation, but also a little confusion;we just couldn’t figure out how thePackers’secondaryevenallowedittohappen.TheEaglesstillhadtogoalittlefarthertogetintofieldgoalrange,buttheydiditandtiedthegame.Goingintoovertime,youjustfeltlikethemomentumhadtotallychanged.OnthePackers’first possession, Brett Favre threw a bad pass that BrianDawkins picked off,leadingtotheeventualgame-winningfieldgoal.TherangeofemotionsfromnotbelievingthattheEaglesweregoingtolosethegametoseeingthemconvertonthe long fourth down was wild. You don’t see plays like that too often,especiallyintheplayoffs.

St.LouisCardinalsatNewYorkMets,CitiField,Flushing,NewYork,June1,2012PrettymucheveryMetsfanknewthatnoMetspitcherhadeverthrownano-

hitter before this night. Every time I ever had to miss a game, I was alwaysworriedthatIwasgoingtomissthegamewheretheyfinallythrewthatfirstno-hitter. Itwas always on yourmind at every game. Therewere somany closecalls,whetheritwasTomSeaverorJohnMaine,thatitjustseemedlikeitwasnevergoingtohappen.Beforethegame,TerryCollinswastalkingaboutpitchcountswithJohanSantana,becausehewasmakinghiswaybackfromshouldercapsule surgery and was looking good, but they still were being cautious.Someoneaskedhimwhathe thoughtwouldbehis limit forpitches thatnight,andhesaiditwouldbemaybe110,115attheabsolutemost.The game itself never really felt like a no-hitter game.A lot of the time, it

feels like there is going to be something special, but thiswasn’t one. Santanadidn’thavegreatcontrolandwalkedfiveguysinthegame,hewasn’tcrisp,and,tobehonest,Ididn’tevenrealizehehadano-hitteruntilthefifthinning.IwaswalkingaroundtheballparkandwasdoingsomestoriesforSNY,butwatchingthegameatthesametime,itjustdidn’tfeellikehewaslockedin.Normally,Ikept score at every gamewhile doing the sideline reporting but had bouncedaroundalittlemorethanusualthatnight.Irememberbeingintherestaurantinleft field, lookingat thescoreboardafter the fifth inningand realizingSantanahadn’tallowedahit,butcouldn’tbelieveit.Ihustleddowntothefieldandwasnext to theMets’dugout,and,at thatpoint,youstarted to feel theexcitement.Santana knew what was going on and knew the history, as well—that it hadneverbeendonebyaMetspitcher.Hegotbetterasthegamewentonbutstillstruggled to throw strikes, and by the seventh inning, he was already at that

pregamepitchcount.ItriedtoputmyselfinTerryCollins’sshoesandfigureoutwhatyoudointhatspot.Everyoneknowsthehistory,andeveryoneknewwhatSantanawascomingbackfromandthatJohanreallywantedtodothis.Itwasavery toughspot;howdoyou takehimoutof thegame in that situation,whilealsoknowingthatyoucouldriskhiscareerbyleavinghimin?ItwassointenselookingintothedugoutandseeinghowCollinsandpitchingcoachDanWarthenwerestrugglingwithit.Johanmadethedecision,though,thathewasn’tcomingoutofthegame.Maybedeepdowninsidehedidn’tknowhowlonghisshoulderwas going to last anyway and felt that this was his chance at baseballimmortality.Ithinkthathadsomethingtodowithit.TherewassomuchdramawhenSantanacameoutfortheninth,andthepitch

countkeepsgoingup.Whenhethrewthat134thandfinalpitch,achangeuptostrikeoutDavidFreese,itwasthecoolestthingever.Tobethereandknowyoujust saw something that an entire fan base had been dreaming of and watchSantanacomeoffthefieldasemotionalashewas,withtearsonhisface…hecame into thedugoutandactuallygavemeahug!You felt allof theemotionwithhim.Iwastheguywhogottodothefirstinterviewwithhim,andIpulledhim out onto the field to do the interview. I hate not asking questions in aninterview,buttherewassomuchemotionthatratherthanaskaquestion,Ijustsaid, “You’ve just thrown the first no-hitter inMets history.” I thought itwasappropriate,andhejustwentwithit.Itwassoneattobethereforthatandforhim.TheMetshavehadsomanygreatpitchersovertheyears,butIthinkhewastheperfectguytodoit,especiallyaftercomingbackfromthetypeofsurgeryhehad.

2014 World Series, Game Seven, San Francisco Giants at Kansas CityRoyals,KauffmanStadium,KansasCity,Missouri,October29,2014Youdon’t see things likewhatMadisonBumgarner did in this game.Guys

likeGibsonandKoufaxdidthem,butitjustdoesn’thappenanymore.ThewholestoryonourpregameshowonFOXthatnightwasaboutwhenwasBumgarnergoing to come into the game.As soon as the game started, Iwas sittingwithFrankThomas,GabeKapler,andNickSwisher,andallwewerewonderingwaswhen he was coming in. I don’t ever remember a game where that was theoverriding story. It started with the first pitch, and then, when he startedwarmingup,wecouldn’tbelievehewascominginasearlyashedid.Then,thethinkingwasthathecouldonlygoacoupleinnings,buthekeepsgoing.Itisonethingformenottobelievewhatisgoingon,buttobesittingwithsomeonelikeFrankThomas,andwatchhimshakehisheadindisbelief,wasenlightening.To

seeBumgarnerdowhathedid,inadaywheremanagersroutinelytakeguysoutafter 100 pitches, it was uncanny. Themost incredible thing to see up close,though,wasthattheRoyalslookedliketheyweredefeatedthemomenthecamein.That is something youdon’t see often. I really am lucky to have seen thisperformance, and to be on the field when he wrapped it up is something I’llneverforget.I’mnotsurewe’lleverseesomethinglikethisagain.

MadisonBumgarnerrunsouttothemoundtopitchduringthefifthinningofGameSevenofthe2014WorldSeries.(APPhoto/CharlieNeibergall)

JeffriChadihaBroadcaster,NFLNetwork

1993 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Finals, North Carolina vs.Michigan,LouisianaSuperdome,NewOrleans,Louisiana,April5,1993ItwasmysenioryearatMichigan,andImadethetriptoNewOrleanswith

somefriends,because therewasasense thatChrisWebberwasn’tgoing tobearoundafterthatseasonandtheFabFivewasgoingtobreakup.Wehadticketsfor thechampionshipgamewayupin theSuperdome,butKentuckyfansweregivingtheirseatsawayafterlosinginthesemifinals,soweendedupsittinginwhatwouldhavebeen their band’s seats right near the court instead. Itwas afantastic game, with the Fab Five going up against a very experiencedNorthCarolinateamledbyguyslikeEricMontross.Michiganhadwonalotofclosegamesduringtheseasonandthetournament,buttheTarHeelswereupbyonelate andwere shooting free throws.PatSullivanmade the first butmissed thesecond,andWebbergrabbed the rebound.Hestarted topass, thendraggedhisplant foot and walked, but it wasn’t called. At that point, it felt like it wasMichigan’sgame; theWolverineshad justcaughtabreak,andherecomes thewinning basket. He came up the right sideline with the ball, stopped right infrontofhisbench,turnedaround,clutchedtheball,andcalledtimeout.Noonein thearenarealizedMichiganhadno timeouts left, sowe thought theywouldgetabetterplayoffthanbefore,butoneoftherefereessignaledforatechnicalfoul andwecouldn’t figureoutwhy.Then it dawnedonme to lookupat thescoreboard, where I saw that they didn’t have any timeouts left. I could seeWebber cursing at the bench, and it was later found out that backup guardMichael Talley,who had lost his job to one of the Fab Fivemembers,mighthavetoldhimtocallthetimeout.NorthCarolinahittheensuingfreethrows,andthegamewasover. I’llnever forgetWebberwalkingoffafter itwasoverandputtinghisjerseyoverthefrontofhisface.Itwassuchalongwalktothelockerroom,andeventhoughheisahugeman,hebecamesosmallashewalkedoff.Myheart justwentout tohim.Therearen’tmanymoments inmylifewhereIlookedatsomeoneandfeltsohorribleforhim.

Colorado at Michigan, Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan,September24,1994IhadjuststartedtoworkattheAnnArborNewsbutwasinthestandsforthis

game.Therewasa lotofbuzzaroundthegame,becauseColoradoheadcoachBillMcCartney had started his career atMichigan and his kidwent to schoolthere. Itwasagreatback-and-forthgame,with theWolverinesahead late,26–21. I was sitting there with my buddy talking about how good Colorado’squarterback Kordell Stewart and receiver Michael Westbrook were andwonderingwhattheyweregoingtodoonthelastshotatwinning.Michiganhadahabitoflosingthesekindsofgames,usuallybecauseofabigplaybysomeoneon the other team, but theBuffaloes needed the craziest thing in theworld tohappen to scoreandwin thegame.They ranacoupleofplaysandmoved theball to their own 36 with six seconds left. My friend asked me if I thoughtStewart could throw the ball that far in the air, but I thought it was too far.Stewartdroppedback,anditseemedlikeittookminutesfortheplaytounfold.IwassittingbehindStewartandhaveneverseenaballthrownthatfar,thathighandwith thatmuchvelocitybyahumanbeing.Itwassuchaheave,andIcanstill see Westbrook running across the field to the post, and Ty Lawbackpedaling. As the ball was coming down, I heard someone say it had achancetogetthere,andallofasudden,ahandpoppedupoutofthemiddleofthepack.Theballpoppedintheair,andWestbrookcamefromthebackofthepack in the end zone, dove, and cradled the ball for the win. Over 100,000peoplewentsilentalmostimmediately,andIthoughtitwasthemostathleticfeatI had ever seen in person. From where Stewart released the ball, it went 73yards, and I don’t think I’ll ever see someone throw a ball that far and thataccuratelyagain.

ColoradoquarterbackKordellStewartthrowsa64-yardgame-winning“HailMary”touchdowntoteammateMichaelWestbrooktodefeatMichigan.(APPhoto/JonFreilich)

SuperBowlXXXVI,NewEnglandPatriots vs. St.LouisRams,LouisianaSuperdome,NewOrleans,Louisiana,February3,2002ThiswasthebeginningofthePatriotsdynasty.IhadgonetotheUniversityof

Michigan and earlier that year had pitched a story to my bosses at SportsIllustrated about Tom Brady, who had just become the Patriots, startingquarterback followingan injury toDrewBledsoe.Bradywas anobodyat thatpoint,buthehadacoolnesstohimthatyoupickeduponimmediately,andthatalwaysstuckwithme.GoingintotheSuperBowl,therewasadebateaboutwhoshouldstartatQB,sinceBledsoewashealthyagainandhadactuallycomeintoreplaceaninjuredBradyin theAFCchampionshipgame.I’llneverforgetBillBelichicktellingmeduringtheinterviewforthatstoryIwrotethattheteamhadkepthimaroundafterdraftinghiminthesixthroundbecauseofhisintangibles,andIthinkthoseintangiblesarewhyBelichickstartedBrady.HesawsomethingtherethathefeltBledsoedidn’thave.TheRamswerethepreviousversionofthePatriots,withKurtWarner leading the “Greatest Show onTurf” and thiswastheirsecondSuperBowlin threeseasons,butTyLawreturnedaninterception47yardsforatouchdowninthesecondquarter,whichsetthetoneforthegame,thenBradythrewatouchdownpasstoDavidPattentoputNewEnglandup,14–3. Eventually, the game came down to a game-winning field goal by AdamVinatieri,butI’llalwaysrememberBradyspikingtheballontheplaybeforethe

fieldgoal.Whenhespiked it, itpoppedrightbackupand tohishandsandhecaughtit,andIcouldn’thelpbutthinkthatthiswasthecoolestfootballplayerIhadeverseen.Iwas assigned to talk toBradyafter thegameandgetquotes fromhim for

MichaelSilver’smainstory,andwewalkedoutofthestadiumtogethertowardtheteambuses.Weweretalkingaboutthegamewhilewalking,andheinvitedme onto the bus to go to the hotel. I eventually ended up in his hotel roomtalking with him, while his girlfriend and buddies were there watching thehighlights, when his agent came in and told him that he was invited toDisneyland the next day because hewas theMVP.He said he needed to askBelichickfirst,sohewenttothecoachandcamebackashorttimelater.IaskedhimwhatBelichicksaid,andhetoldme,“HesaidIjustwontheSuperBowlandcoulddowhatever the fuckIwanted.”Thatmomentstickswithme,because IthinkthatwasthelasttimeTomBradywasTomBrady,regularguy.

SuperBowlXLII,NewYorkGiantsvs.NewEnglandPatriots,UniversityofPhoenixStadium,Glendale,Arizona,February3,2008Ialwaysseemedtohaveaknackforcoveringteamsthatwentonimprobable

playoffruns,andbeingaroundtheGiantslatethatseasonforESPN,Istartedtoget thatweird feeling again that this teamhad something special about it thatcould help them go deep into the postseason unexpectedly. After they beatDallas toget to theNFCchampionshipgame,youstarted tohearstoriesabouthead coach Tom Coughlin, and how he had changed during the season andwasn’tas toughonhisplayersashehadbeeninthepast,andhowtheplayersappreciated that.EliManningwasplayingbetter, and the teamwas starting tocome together at the right time. Then they won in Green Bay in frigidtemperaturestogettotheSuperBowlagainsttheunbeatenPatriots.As the gamegot closer, Iwas one of the fewpeople inAmerica saying on

record that they thought theGiantscouldwin, sinceeveryonewasexpectingablowout. Therewas a quiet confidence about them that week, and they knewtheycouldplaywiththePatriots.WhenthegamestartedandthePatriotsdidn’timmediately blow the Giants out, people started to realize they did have achance.Thegamewasprettyevenandtheleadwentbackandforth,butwhenRandy Moss scored with less than three minutes to go, you could see thePatriots’ sideline celebrating. At no point in his career did I ever think EliManningwascapableofdoingwhatheendedupdoingonthenextdrive.Therewere some little things early in the drive, but the big moment was the playeverybodyremembers.Eliwasunderalotofpressurebutescaped.Iwassitting

behind theGiants as theymoved down the field away from us, andwhen heplantedhisfeetandthrewtheballdownfield,Icouldn’tfigureoutwherehewasthrowingtheball.Youcouldn’tevenseeareceiver, justopenfield,anditwasalmostlikehejustpickedaspotonthefieldandhopedareceiverwouldendupgettingthere.WhenDavidTyreegotthereandjumped,evenfromwhereIwassitting,youcouldseetheballclingtohishelmetashewenttotheground,andtherefsweren’twavingitoff.Afterseeingthereplays,itwasthemostamazingcatch, and maybe the most amazing play, I’ve ever seen in a football game,given themagnitudeof it andeverything thatwason the line.When thatplayhappened, I immediately thought the Giants were going to score to win thegame, and as one of the only guyswho thought they couldwin,my instinctswereprovenright.

2014 World Series, Game Seven, San Francisco Giants at Kansas CityRoyals,KauffmanStadium,KansasCity,Missouri,October29,2014I moved to Kansas City in 2005 and love the environment at the football

games,butIhadneverreallygonetomanybaseballgames.Iknewtherewasagreat baseball tradition in the city and was intrigued by the excitement ofOpening Day every season, even though the team was always coming off alosing season. It leftmewonderingwhat the atmospherewould be like if theteamwaswinning,and thathappened in2014,as theRoyalsmade it toGameSevenoftheWorldSeries.I’veneverbeeninacitythatwassocaptivatedbyasportsteam.Thistownwassohungryforacontenderand,morespecifically,acertain kind of team. They found a team that understood what that franchisemeanttothecity.SowhenGameSevenrolledaround,therewassomuchbuzz.Ithadbuiltupforamonththroughtheplayoffs,andthiswastheculminationforateamthathadn’twonintwenty-nineyears.Itishardeventodescribethelevelofenergyandanticipationinthestadium

thatnight.Peoplewereonpinsandneedles throughout theentiregame.WhenMadisonBumgarnercameoutofthebullpenfortheGiants,thebigquestionwashowmuchhehadinhim—howmanyinningsorpitcheswashegoingtothrow?Therewasasenseofdread,becauseyouknewitwasgoingtobebullpenversusbullpen,butalsothefeelingthattherewasnowaytheRoyalsweregoingtoloseGameSevenathome.Bumgarnerdominatedthegametherestoftheway,untilAlex Gordon hit what should have been an easy play in center field. GregorBlancomissed it, though, and the entire crowd rose in unison. Itwas likewewere levitating as the ball wasmisplayed, andwhat first looked like a singleendedwithGordononthirdbase.Iwassittingbehindthirdbaseandremember

watchinghimoutof theboxand thinking thathe looked likehewas trying tofigureouthowhecouldgettosecondontheplay.Justthatlittlehesitationinhismindmighthavebeenwhatkepthimfrombeingabletoscore,andbythetimehe reached third base, I could see the ball being relayed back to the infield. Iknow it was debated for weeks afterwards, but that was the smart play. Thestadiumwasshakingatthatpoint,theemotionwaspalpableandtheanticipationwas real. It wasn’t just that night, but it was twenty-nine years of emotioncomingout.WhenSalvadorPerezpoppedouttoPabloSandoval,andSandovalfelltotheturf,itwasliketheywereplayinginsomeone’slivingroom.Itgotsoquietaseveryonewentfromexhilarationtoheartbreak.Aswestartedtoleave,thebuildingeruptedina“Let’sGoRoyals!”chant,whichthenmorphedintoa“Thank You Royals!” chant. I grew up a Tigers fan in Michigan, but for amonth,Icouldn’thelpbutbeaRoyalsfan,andthatchantepitomizedhoweasyitwastofallinlovewiththatteam.

FreddieColemanBroadcaster,ESPN

Grambling vs. Morgan State, Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York,September20,1969This was the first sporting event my parents ever took me to. Grambling

means somuch toblack college football, sogoing tomy first college footballgameandseeingthemplayattheoldYankeeStadium,withthepageantryofthebandsandEddieRobinsononthesideline,reallyleftanimpressiononme.ItisoneofthemainreasonsIstilltalkalotaboutblackcollegefootball.Iwasonlythreeyearsoldatthetime,sothememoriesofthegamearen’tasimportantasthememoriesoftheactualexperience.Grambling was a national program. Everyone talked about USC and Penn

State and schools like that, but forAfrican-Americans,Gramblingwas on thesame level as those schools. Eddie Robinson created something special there,andthatprogramcarriedthebannerforschoolslikeSouthernandFloridaA&Mforblackcollegefootball.HavingthechancetoseethemplayaspartofthefirstsportingeventIeversawinpersonwasunforgettable.

1973NationalLeagueChampionshipSeries,GameFive,CincinnatiRedsatNewYorkMets,SheaStadium,Flushing,NewYork,October10,1973Whenmydadtoldmehegotticketstothegamethatmorning,ItoldhimIhad

togotoschool.“Nottoday,youdon’t,”washisreply.AndwewereoffonthetrainridetoSheaStadium.TherewasalotofbadbloodbetweentheteamsafterPeteRoseandBudHarrelsonfoughtearlierintheseries,sotheMetsfanswereready to go for the game to decide who went to the World Series. No onethoughttheMetshadachanceintheSeries,butitwasthefamous“YouGottaBelieve”Mets team.TheRedshad thebetter record, in fact,but theMetshadhome-fieldadvantagebecausetheyalternatedeachyearbetweenthedivisionsatthat time.That proved tobe enough, asNewYorkwon7—2 to claim just itssecondpennant ever.To see that game,with a championship on the line,wasprettycool.

1983 Big East Conference Championship Game, Boston College vs. St.John’s,MadisonSquareGarden,NewYork,NewYork,March12,1983St. John’s had Chris Mullin and David Russell, and those guys led the

Redmen to their first Big East title. It was the first year where the Big EastTournament was held at Madison Square Garden. It was only a three-yearcontract,butthetournamentstillhasn’tleftafteralltheseyears.WhenSt.John’smadethefinal,abunchoffriendsandIdrovefromschoolin

PennsylvaniaallnightonFridaysothatwecouldbeatthechampionshipgameonSaturdayafternoon.St. John’s justdestroyed theBostonCollegepress timeandtimeagain,andRussellhadabunchoftransitionslamsasaresult.Ihonestlybelieve that game really put theBigEast on themap andmade it bigger thaneverbefore.Peoplehadalways lookedat the leagueasonewhere theyplayedgoodbasketballbutstillwondered if the teamswerereally thatgood.WithSt.John’sattheGarden,though,itwaslikeaBroadwayplay.Ithadaveryspecialvibeaboutit,andthisgameistheonethatshowedtherestofthecountrythattheleaguewasforreal.Ofcourse,threeBigEastteamswenttotheFinalFourtwoseasonslater,provingthat.

1984SummerOlympics,LosAngeles,California,July28-August12,1984SeeingtheOlympicsinpersonissomuchdifferentthanitisonTV.Theycall

ittheOlympicExperienceforareason,withpeoplefromdifferentcountriesandasenseofcamaraderieandcompetition.GettingtoseetheOpeningCeremonieswasreallycool,withalloftheathletesparadinginbehindtheirflags.WhenyouareeighteenandyougrewupwatchingthisonTV,ittakesyourbreathawaytoseeitinperson.People talk about the “DreamTeam” inbasketball from1992,but the1984

Olympic teamhadguys likePatrickEwing,Michael Jordan, the lateWaymanTisdale,SteveAlford,SamPerkins,andChrisMullin,plusBobKnightastheirhead coach. They had assembled a bomb squad, with so many players thatbecame topNBApicksafter theircollegecareers.Wewent tosomanyeventswhilewewerethere,includingJoanBenoitbecomingthefirstAmericanwomantowinthemarathon.Istillgetchillsthinkingaboutherrunningintothestadiumandwavingtothecrowd.

TheOlympicflameisflankedbyascoreboardsignifyingtheformalopeningofthe1984OlympicsinLosAngeles.(APPhoto/EricRisberg)

Armyvs.Navy,VeteransStadium,Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,December5,1992MyuncleDouglasplayedforWestPoint,butInevergotthechancetogoto

anArmy-NavygameuntilIwasworkingfortheArmyRadioNetwork.IknewallaboutthegameandhowspecialitwasfromwatchingonTV,butgettingtosee it inpersonfor the first timewasamazing.Allof thepompandpageantryassociatedwith thegame is something thathas tobe seen tobe appreciated. Ialso got the chance that day tomeetmy football hero,Roger Staubach. Eventhough hewas there for Navy and I was on theArmy side, when I saw himacross the field, I couldn’t help but think that there was the original CaptainAmerica.Iwalkedoverandintroducedmyselfandcalledhim“Mr.Staubach.”Heimmediatelycorrectedmeandsaid,“No,Roger.”Istillcouldn’tbringmyselftocallhimanythingbut“Mr.Staubach.”Imusthavesoundedlikeafive-year-oldkidjustbabblingabouthowmuchofaherohewastome!The game itself was even better thanmeetingmy hero, though. Armywas

down24–7andcameallthewaybacktowinonafieldgoalinthefinalseconds.Thatgamemeanseverythingto thoseschools,so toseeallof theemotionandwatch the game won the way it was, you really can’t beat that as your firstexperienceatanArmy-Navygame.

BobCostasBroadcaster,NBCSports/MLBNetwork

RecipientofBasketballHallofFame’sCurtGowdyAward,1999ElectedtoNationalSportsMediaAssociationHallofFame,2012RecipientofBaseballHallofFame’sFordC.FrickAward,2018

1986World Series, Game Six, Boston Red Sox at New YorkMets, SheaStadium,Flushing,NewYork,October25,1986ItwasmyjobtointerviewthewinnersoftheWorldSeries,soenteringGame

Six, the only team that could win was the Red Sox. I perched myself in thecornerof theirdugoutandwassittingnext toTomSeaver,whowasn’ton theteam’sactiveroster(butwho,ironically,isthebestplayerinMetshistory),andDonBaylor,whowasBoston’sDHbutwasn’tinthelineupsinceitwasagameinaNationalLeaguepark.WhenDaveHendersonhomeredtoputtheRedSoxahead in the 10th, I went down to their clubhouse, and they were alreadypreparingforthecelebration.Theysetupapodiumformetodotheinterviewsandhadcoveredthelockerstoprotectthemfromthechampagnethatwasabouttobesprayed.TheRedSoxaddedaninsuranceruntomakeit5–3,and,astheMetscameupinthebottomoftheinning,MLBcommissionerPeterUeberrothentered along with some other league executives as the championship trophywaswheeledin.AlsowithhimwastheveryfrailJeanYawkey,widowofRedSoxownerTomYawkey.Thefirsttwooutswererecorded,butthenGaryCartersingled,andKevinMitchellsingled.IwasstillstandingtherethinkingabouttheRedSoxinterviews.Notjustaboutthisgame,orthisseries,butaboutthecurseandallof thenearmissesalongtheway.NotonlywasImindfulof itbeingaRed Sox championship, I was also mindful of it being the first Boston title-clinchereverbroadcast,sincetheydidn’tevenhavegamesontheradioin1918.ButthenRayKnightcomesupandfistsoneoverMartyBarrett’sheadtomakeit5–4,andIrememberaskingmyproducer,MikeWeisman,whowasinmyear,whatIshoulddoiftheMetstiedthegame.Hisresponse?“Getyourassoutofthereas fast asyoucan.”MookieWilsoncomesup, and there is awildpitch,

allowingMitchell to score the tying run andmoving Knight to second. TheyusheredMrs.Yawkeyout,andI’mnotsurewhatstateofshockshewasin.Thecommissioner left with the trophy, and they started breaking down all of thepreparations they hadmade in the room, including the platform. By the timeWilsonrolledtheballthroughBillBuckner’slegstoscoreKnight,alltracesofanycelebrationweregone.Itgotdone,butjustbarely.Islippedoutasidedoorandwasstandingagainstthewallastheplayerscametrudgingdownthehallwayashen-faced.Notawordwasspoken,exceptsomebodycrashedabatagainstthecement wall along the corridor, and I heard one word: “Fuck!” I don’t thinkanyoneevennoticedmestandingthere.Thecombinationof theunlikelyseriesofeventsandthedeliriumofSheaStadium,plustherealpathosofthisRedSoxteam, iswhat I remember themost. I think itwasJimmyBreslinwhosaid thebeststoriesarealwaysintheloser’slockerroom.Inmymind,eventhoughthatband ofMets was a great team that was colorful and unforgettable, this wasmoreabouttheRedSoxlosingthantheMetswinning.

1988WorldSeries,GameOne,OaklandAthleticsatLosAngelesDodgers,DodgerStadium,LosAngeles,California,October15,1988I was in the corner of the Dodgers dugout when Kirk Gibson homered.

Technically, at that time, no one is supposed to be there other than teampersonnel.I’vealwayshadagreatrelationshipwithTommyLasorda,buthewaspacingupanddownthedugoutbeforethehomerandseesme,andsays,“Lookat that. NBC thinks the fucking game is over!” So I tried tomakemyself asinconspicuousaspossibleandmovedtotheendofthecorridorfromthedugout.ThatspotallowedmetohearGibsonhittingballsoffatee.Iwandereddowntotake a peek, and there is a batboyputtingballs on a tee andGibson is hittingeach of the balls, butwith each swing, you hear the “thwack” of the contact,followedbyanaudiblegruntofpain.EveryoneassumedGibsonwasn’tgoingtoplayinthegame,and,infact,Iopenedthebroadcastbysaying,“Firstorderofbusiness.KirkGibsonwillnotplaytonightandisnotavailableforsomuchaspinch-hitting duty.” Everyone assumed that was the case, but he was on thetrainer’stableandheardVinScullyreiteratethatlateinthegame,anditlitsomesortofcompetitivefireinhim.HittingcoachBenHineswenttocheckonhim,andcamewalkingbackpastme,andtellsLasorda(anditwasjustlikealineinaB-baseballmovie),“Hesayshehasonegoodswing inhim,”andLasorda justkindofnods.WhenMikeDaviscameupfortheDodgers,theyputsomeonenotnamedKirkGibsonintheon-deckcircle—itwasthelight-hittingutilityinfielderDaveAnderson.AsIlookbackonthis,A’spitcherDennisEckersley,whowas

basically untouchable and walked next to nobody, was a teammate of Daviswhenhehit22homersthepreviousseason.The1988MikeDavis,however,hit.196withtwohomers.Evenso, ifyou’relookingatDaveAndersonintheon-deckcircle,maybeyouarepitchingcarefullytoDavis,becausehewastheonlyguywhocouldhurtyouwithoneswing.MaybethataccountsforwhyheendedupwalkingDavis.Itwasn’tuntilafterthewalkthatGibsongotupoffofthebenchinthedugout

andheadedtotheplate,andweallknowwhatunfoldednext.Tothisday,whenyou watch the at-bat, it is almost impossible, when you see all of the weakswingsthatprecededit,tofigureouthowhehittheballasfarashedid.Hehititflat-footed; itwasallarms.Itwassostunningthat itnotonly turnedthegamearound,but it turned theentire seriesaround.TheDodgershadOrelHershiserpitchingathomeinGameTwo,andHershiserwasononeof thegreatrolls inthehistoryofbaseball.HebeattheA’sthatnextnight,andtheDodgerswereontheirway.TheGibsonhomerunwassotheatrical thatpeoplestayedforahalfhourafterthegame,belyingthefewthathadleftearlyandwhosetaillightsyoucan see in theparking lotwhenyouwatch a replayof thehomer.Twoof thegreatestcalls in thehistoryofbaseballcameon thisplay—JackBuck’son theradioandVinScully’sonTV.Theyweredistinctlydifferentbutaretwoofthebestever.AfterGibsonmadeitaroundthebases, itwasmyjobtogethimforthe postgame interview. My questions weren’t anything special, but it was agenuinely exhilarating moment. It was so improbable, exciting, and dramaticthatyouknewinstantlythatitwouldbepartofbaseballloreforever.

KirkGibsoncelebrateshishomeruninthebottomoftheninthinningtodefeattheOaklandAthleticsinGameOneofthe1988WorldSeries.(APPhoto/RustyKennedy)

1996 Summer Olympics, Opening Ceremonies, Centennial OlympicStadium,Atlanta,Georgia,July19,1996I’vedonea lotofOlympicsandOpeningCeremonies,andmostof the time

you are given a little bit of a tip-off as to the combination of peoplewho aregoingtobethefinaltorchbearersandwhoisgoingtolightthecauldron.Inthis

case, itwas such awell-guarded secret thatmaybe a half dozenpeople knew,andDick Ebersol, who ranNBC Sports, was one of them.All he said at theproductionmeetingtomeandDickEnberg,whomIwasworkingwith,was“IwantyouandDicktorespondasspontaneouslyaspossible.Justtrustme.You’llrecognizethepersonorpersons,soyouwon’tneedanynotes,butI’mnotgoingto tell youwho it is.” I started trying to figure outwho itwas, andwhowasconnected toAtlanta.Was itEvanderHolyfield orHankAaron?Whowas it?Holyfieldwasoneof thetorchbearers,andJanetEvanswasthesecond-to-lastone.Sheclimbedupthesteps,andwefoundoutlaterthattheyrehearsedthisatthreeinthemorningwithnooneinthestadium.How they got Ali into the stadium without anyone knowing, I still don’t

know.Buthewasintheshadows,andwhenshegottothetopofthesteps,shehandedthetorchtohim.Hewasalreadyinbadshapeatthatpoint,andhestoodthere, holding the torchwhile trembling as he got ready to light the cauldron.Whenyouareinastadium,itisusuallyasymphonyofsounds.Onethingyourarely hear in a stadium, though, is a gasp. This time, however, therewas anaudible gasp, and it took a second or two before it sank in and an uproar ofcheersandapplausebegan.Itwasn’tjustadramaticmoment,but,inasense,amomentofreconciliation.Herewasaguywhohadbeenapolarizingfigure.YoucanbeascynicalasyouwantabouttheOlympicsandthecommercializationofthem,or thepolitics thatarealways involved,but thenyouhavemoments likethisone,whichsymbolizedwhattheOlympicsaresupposedtobeabout.EverytimeIthinkaboutit,Istillgetgoosebumps.Idon’trememberwhatDickandIsaid,butitdidn’thavetobemuch.Itwasastunninganddramaticmomentthat,tome,wasthemomentofthe1996Olympics.

1998NBAFinals,GameSix,ChicagoBullsatUtahJazz,DeltaCenter,SaltLakeCity,Utah,June14,1998I was doing the play-by-play forMichael Jordan’s game-winning shot. For

me,agoodsportsbroadcastofaliveevent,ifitisanimportantevent,oughttoholdupasif itwerethefirstdraftofwhatawell-writtenstoryaboutthegamewouldbe. It isn’t just play after play after play followedby the final score; itshould be about the narrative of the game. When Jordan came across themidcourt line with the ball, I said something like, “Here comes Chicago, 17secondsleft.17secondstoGameSevenortochampionshipnumbersix.”Thenhemakes the basket. He hadn’t announced his intentions yet, and after DougCollinsand IsiahThomasanalyzewhatoccurred, the teamswent to thebenchfor a timeout, and I said, “Five point two seconds left and Michael Jordan

runningonfumeswithforty-fivepoints.”Wecouldn’tbesure,butIknewthatmighthavebeenthelastshotofhiscareer,andthatisthebiggerstory.OneoftheepiccareersinthehistoryofAmericansportsmightbeending,andifthisistheend,itmighthavebeenthebestendingeverforanimportantathlete.Itgavethem the lead, plus thewayhe held the pose and the perfect swish as itwentthroughthebasketwereclassic.Utahcouldstillscore,though,sincetherewere5.2 seconds to go, and they could force a Game Seven, or Jordanmight notretire.SoIsay,“Whoknowswhatwillunfoldinthenextfewdaysormonths,but thatmayhavebeenthefinalshot thatMichaelJordanwillever takein theNBA.And if that is the last imageofMichel Jordan,howmagnificent is it. Ifthis is the final chapter,what away to close the book.” JohnStockton barelymissedashotafterthetimeout,andthatisbasicallytheendofJordan’scareer;therestisjustfootnotestuff.

SuperBowlXLIX,SeattleSeahawksvs.NewEnglandPatriots,UniversityofPhoenixStadium,Glendale,Arizona,February1,2015Seattle’sdefensewasarguablythebest intheleague,andTomBradyhasto

scoretwiceinthefourthquarter,whichhedoestogivethePatriotsafour-pointlead. Seattle comes right back, though, and Jermaine Kearse makes thisridiculouscatchwiththeballbouncingaroundandendingupinhislap.NowthePatriots are looking at another situationwhere a one-in-a-thousand catch, justlike David Tyree’s in Super Bowl XLII, was going to lead to a Super Bowlslippingaway.MalcolmButlermadeagreatplaytojumptherouteandcomeupwith the interception on the goal line to seal the win, though. A great sportseventnotonlyhaswhatactuallyoccurred,butalmostalwayshasamomentof“what if.” There is always some debate attached to it, and in this case, thequestion was whether they should have given the ball to Marshawn Lynchinsteadofpassing.Orifyouaregoingtothrow,whydon’tyouthrowonthirddownifLynchdoesn’tscoreonseconddown,sinceSeattlestillhadatimeoutleft? You can also question Bill Belichick not using timeouts after Kearse’scatch,becauseatouchdownwouldhaveputthemdownonlythreeandtheyhadBradyatquarterbackandaverygoodkicker.Therewasallthatstuffattheendthatmadeitsomemorable.

ColinCowherdBroadcaster,FOXSports

1991 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Semifinals, UNLV vs. Duke,HoosierDome,Indianapolis,Indiana,March30,1991Iwas inDenverwhenUNLVwon thenationalchampionshipagainstDuke,

but thenext season, theRunnin’Rebelswere evenmoredominant.Then theymetDukeagain,thistimeinthenationalsemifinals.DukewasayearolderandhadaddedGrantHill,whowasbecomingastar.TheBlueDevilswereplayingwithachipontheirshoulderaftergettingthecrapbeatenoutof themtheyearbeforeandbecauseUNLVwassupposedtowin.IrememberwatchingHillscoreaneasylayupontheopeningplayandthinkingthatthingsfeltdifferentthantheyearbefore.Thiswasn’tthesame.IhadcoveredthatteamallyearandwatchedthempracticewithoutGregAnthony,whohadhurthisjawduringtheseason.Sowhenhefouledoutlateinthegame,Iknewtheywereadifferentteam.Iturnedto the person next tome on press row and said that theywere in big troublewithoutAnthony,andtheywereamessattheendofthatgame.Afteritended,IwenttointerviewUNLVcoachJerryTarkanianandwaswalkingwithhim.Ihadneverseenasaddercoachthanatthatmoment.Hethoughthewasgoingtobemockedbypeople for losing that gamebecausehehad such agreat team.Hewas so vulnerable and so sad, not pissed off. Tark always had this incrediblevulnerability.Helivedforbasketballandhadnohobbies.Ifeltsobadforhim,andhewasn’talwaystheeasiestguytorootfor.Hewaslikealittleboywhilewalkingdownthathallway.Itwasn’tjustaloss,itwasablowtohisself-esteemandnotmeasuringuptohisidolslikeBobKnight.Whenhetalked,therewasnofilter,andaswewerewatching,wecouldfeeljusthowawfulitallwasforhim.

RiddickBowe vs.EvanderHolyfield,Caesars Palace,LasVegas,Nevada,November6,1993IwasworkinginVegaswhenIwenttothisfight.LouisFarrakhanwasavery

polarizingfigureinthecountryatthetimeandwasatthefight.Hehadthishugeentouragewithhimandlotsofsecurity,becausehewasalwaysreceivingdeath

threats.Thefightwasoutsideandweweresittingontheothersideof theringfromhimwhen,allofasudden in themiddleof theseventh round, I lookup,andaguycomesflyinginfromoverthestandswithaparachuteandahugefan.It looked like one of those hovercrafts, and the guy, who would come to beknownas“FanMan,”crashes into the ropesand lands in thestands rightnearFarrakhan.IlookedatmyfriendwhoIwassittingwithatthefightandsaidtohim,“SomeoneistryingtokillFarrakhan!”Hisguysstartedjumpingonhimandpummelinghim.Itoldmybuddythatifoneguyshotagun,weweregoingtobeinthemiddleofariot.Youcouldn’texplainwhatwasgoingon,andthefighterscouldn’t figure anything out.My friend started laughing so hard at thewholething,sayingthiswasthegreatestthingever,butIwasscaredtodeath.Peopletalkaboutabuzzinthecrowd,butafterthis,thatisexactlywhatitwasforthenexthour.

1996 Fiesta Bowl, Nebraska vs. Florida, Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe,Arizona,January2,1996ThiswasthefunniestgameI’veeverbeenat.Nebraskawascollegefootball

royaltyandhadbeeninsomanyofthesebiggamespreviouslythatitbroughtacertainclassanddignity to their fanbase.Theyhadbeen therebefore.Floridawasashitstormforaverylongtime,andthengotreallygood,reallyfastwithSteveSpurrier.Iwasinthepressbox,whereitwasopenair,coveringthegameforWTVTinFlorida,andtheseFloridafansweresoobnoxiousandhadafewbeers in them. They were just vulgar, loud, and cocky and were taunting theNebraskafans,whowereclassyandolder.Itwasnewmoneyversusoldmoney,Jets fans versus Giants fans. That game was over before halftime, thanks totwenty-nine unanswered points in the second quarter by theCornhuskers, andwasoneofthefewgamesI’veeverbeenatwhereIactivelyrootedagainsttheteam I covered.TheFlorida fanswere thatobnoxious, and Iwitnessed it.TheNebraskafanshadsuchclassanddignity,andthisgamegotugly.Itwasoneoftheworstbowlgameseverandperhapsthebiggestass-kickingI’veeverseenina big game. It wasn’t even physically competitive. At some point during thefourthquarter,IactuallyyelledoutfromthepressboxtotheFloridafansaskingthemwhytheygotsoquiet.

2000NBAWesternConferenceFinals,GameSeven,PortlandTrailBlazersat Los Angeles Lakers, Staples Center, Los Angeles, California, June 4,2000IwascoveringthePortlandTrailBlazersforKGWinPortland,anditwasthe

seventh game of an unbelievable Western Conference Finals. That was thedeepestBlazerteamI’veeverseenorcovered,withScottiePippen,SteveSmith,BonziWells,DamonStoudamire,ArvydasSabonis,RasheedWallace…itwasavirtualAll-Starteam.KobeandShaqwerejustcomingintotheirprime,buttheBlazerswere amuchdeeper team.Youmighthave takenKobeandShaq,butafter that,youweretakingPortlandplayers threethroughnine.Itdidn’tmatterwhowonthisgame,youjustknewtheyweregoingtodestroythePacersintheFinals. The Lakers couldn’t stopWallace. At one point, I asked Phil Jacksonhow theywere going to stop him, and he said, “You don’t.You just hope hestopsshooting.”In thefourthquarter,StaplesCenterwasso tense.TheLakershad trailedformuchof thegame,andwhilePortlandhad thebetter roster, theNBAhasalwaysbeena leagueaboutclosers.Portlandcouldn’tget abreak inthat fourth quarter.Everybodywasgetting their shots, and theywere all greatshots,butnoneofthemfell.MikeDunleavytooktheblame,butitwasareallywell-coachedquarter.ThentherewastheplaywhereKobealley-oopedtoShaq,whichisnowiconic.IwasbehindtheLakerbasket,soIsawithappenrightinfront ofme. I turned tomy left andmade eye contactwith BlazersGMBobWhitsitt,andhejustlookedatmeandknewitwasover.Youcouldfeeltheaircomeoutof thecityofPortlandand theTrailBlazer franchise.Thiswas theirlast shot, because everyone knew that Lakers team was only getting better. Idon’tthinkIhadbiggergoosebumpsasareporterthanduringthatgame.

2006RoseBowl,Texasvs.USC,RoseBowl,Pasadena,California,January4,2006Iwenttothisgameasafanandwantedtodothatbecauseitwasthebiggest

college football game of my life. The weather was perfect, and the sun wascomingovertheSanGabrielMountains.IwassittingnexttoaguynamedChadScott,andwewererightonthelinedividingthetwofanbases.WhentheStealthBomberwentoverthestadiumduringthepregameflyover,IturnedtoChadandsaid, “I think this is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen live.”What I remembermore thananything is that itmighthavebeen theonlycollegegame I’veeverbeen to that felt like an NFL game. There were so many pros on the field:Leinart, Reggie, LenDale, Vince Young, Bo Scaife. Everything was big. Thepregamewashuge,ReggieBush’slateralwashuge,RogerClemenswasontheTexassideline.Itwasjustaseriesofbigmoments.I’veneverbeentoacollegefootballgamewhereeverythingfeltbigthewholegame.

FrankDefordInMemoriam:1938–2017

ElectedtoNationalSportsMediaAssociationHallofFame,1998

Chicago Bears at Baltimore Colts, Memorial Stadium, Baltimore,Maryland,September27,1953IgrewupinBaltimore,andtheclosestwehadtoamajor-leagueteamwasthe

Colts, who were in the All-America Football Conference. Then, in 1952, theDallasTexansoftheNFLfolded,andthefranchisewasgrantedtoBaltimore,onthe provision that they could sell 15,000 season ticketswithin sixweeks.Theprice was around $30 or $40, which of course sounds ridiculous by today’sstandards.Myfatherbought two tickets,and thecityofBaltimore reached theticketnumbertogettheteam.MymotherandIactuallywenttothefirstgame,somethingthetwoofusneverdidagainbyourselves.WiththeOriolescomingayear later, thiswas the firstmajor-leaguegameofanykind inBaltimoresince1902, the last season before the Orioles moved to New York, where theyeventuallybecametheYankees.TheColtsbeattheBearsthatday.Theamazingthingfromthatdaywasrightbeforehalftime,whenaguynamedBertRechicharmadea56-yardfieldgoal.Today,nobodyblinksatkicks that long,butat thattime,thekickwasthelongestinNFLhistory.Therewerenospecialistsatthattime; Rechichar also played defensive back and linebacker in addition tohandling the team’s placekicking. He also kicked straight ahead, not soccer-style.Iwasfourteenyearsold,andforBaltimore,whichwasabigcitybuthadnoteams,includingcollege,thewholethingwasreallyspecial.

Princeton vs.Michigan,Madison Square Garden, New York, New York,December30,1964In those days, holiday tournaments were really big in college basketball.

Teamsdidn’tflyaroundthecountryverymuch,andtheonlytimetherewasalotof travel was right before and after Christmas.Michiganwas one of the bestteamsinthecountryandfeaturedCazzieRussell.I’maPrincetonalumnus,and

thiswasBillBradley’s senioryear.Bradleywasn’t anunknownquantity—hewas the captain of the United States Olympic team earlier that year and waseventually named Player of the Year. The Princeton team, however, wasn’tconsideredinthesameleagueasMichigan,althoughtheyendedupmakingittotheFinal Four that season (where they lost toMichigan).Bradley didn’t havemuch help from his teammates and, on this night, put on a show that wasunbelievable. All of the fans at Madison Square Garden began rooting forPrinceton,whichwasunusual,becauseeveryone lookedatPrincetonasanIvyLeagueschoolfilledwithrichkids.TheplacejustfellinlovewithBillBradley,though.Hefouledoutofthegamewithlessthanfiveminutestogoafterscoring41pointsandwiththeTigersuptwelve.Afterhefouledout,though,Michigancame back to win by two, 80–78. Princeton couldn’t even get the ball overhalfcourt.IknowIwasanalumnus,butitwasthemostdespairinglossI’deverseen.Theymayhave lost toMichiganagain that season in theFinalFour,butthiswasthatgamethattoreoutyourheart.

1973SouthAfricanOpen,EllisParkTennisStadium,Johannesburg,SouthAfrica,November14-27,1973I went with Arthur Ashe to South Africa, where he played in the South

AfricanOpen.Itwasthebreakingof thecolor line in thatcountry,notonlyinsports,butIbelieveinentertainment,aswell.Itwasamajorstory,wellbeyondanything having to do with sports. In the first match, he played SherwoodStewart and eventually went all the way to the finals, where Jimmy Connorsclobberedhim.The tenniswasn’t thepoint, though.Thiswas theonly time inmy career as a sportswriter where I was a part of history. Thematch againstStewartwasthefirsttimeyouhadwhitesandblackssittingtogether,whichwasone of the qualifications theAshe camp hadmade—it couldn’t be segregatedseating.Itwasatraumaticandextraordinaryexperienceandreallywasthefirstdentinapartheid.NelsonMandelawasstillinprison,andtheideathatapartheidwouldendwasn’tevenonthehorizon.Sportswritersdon’tusuallycovereventsofsignificance like thisone. Imighthaveseen thirty-fiveSuperBowls,butsowhat? I was very close to Arthur, so seeing history made like this wasunforgettable.

The 1980WimbledonChampionships, Gentlemen’s Final, Bjorn Borg vs.JohnMcEnroe,TheAllEnglandLawnTennisClub,London,England,July5,1980Thiswas thebestgameormatchI’veeverseen.Somepeoplehavesaid the

match between Federer andNadal in 2008was better, but you can argue thatforever.Tome,thiswasextraordinary.Itwasn’tjustthebesttwoplayersintheworldplayingagainsteachotherinthecathedralofthesport.Theamazingthingwas the tiebreaker in the fourth set, which ended 18–16. After it got to 5–5,every other pointwas either amatch point or a set point. Borg andMcEnroewereentirelydifferentcharacters,soyoureallyhadeverythinginthismatch.Itwas for the championship of the world, with both players at the top of theirgames.Ifeitheroneofthemhadabadday,itwouldhavebeenstraightsetstheotherway.Theywerebothoverthemoonthatday,though.

1992SummerOlympics,Men’s4x100MeterRelayFinal,EstadiOlimpicdeMontjuic,Barcelona,Spain,August8,1992Iwas friendswithCarlLewis, andhewasnearing the endofhis career. In

track and field in the United States, you have to win a place on the team,regardlessofwhoyouareoryourpastsuccess.Whentheyhadthetrials,Lewiswassick,sohedidn’tmaketheU.S.teamineither100orthe200.Hegotwellenough tomake the team in the long jump, however, and barely qualified forconsiderationfor the4x100relay.ButwhenMarkWitherspoonwas injured inthe semis for the 100, they not only put Lewis on the relay team, theyacknowledged what everyone already knew, which was that he was the bestsprinter on the team, so they made him the anchor on the relay team. Whofinished second or third isn’t even significant, because the U.S. team was somuch better than everyone else. Rather than staying in the press box, I wentdownandstoodbythetrackfortherace.WhenCarlgotthebaton,theracewasalreadyover.Heroaredbyinfrontofmeanditwasthemostbeautiful,graceful,athleticvisionIeverhad.Itmadenodifferencehowmuchhewasaheadorhowmuchtheteamwonby.Itwastheepitomeofeverythingthatisbeautifulaboutsports.

GreggDoyelColumnist,IndianapolisStar

FloridaatAuburn,Jordan-HareStadium,Auburn,Alabama,November4,1989ThiswasthefirstcollegefootballgameIevercoveredasasportswriter.Iwas

19atthetimeandwasontheroadcoveringtheGators,anditjustboggledmymindthatIwasactuallymakingthedrivetoAuburn,sleepinginahotelroom,havingallofmyexpensescovered…it justblewmymind.Icouldn’tbelievethatmyjobwastowatchfootball.The game itself was interesting, too. Bill King was the writer for the

Gainesville Sun at the time and is a super-talented writer. Auburn won witharound20secondsleft,onaTDpassthatwascaughtrightinfrontofme.IthinkI was actually closer to the receiver than any of the Florida defensive backs.Well,Bill’sledethatnighthasbecomeinfamous.Itread,“ShayneWasdenwasopen.That isallyouneed toknow.”I’mnotsure itwasreallyabad lede,butbecause he was so talented and people were envious of that talent—and alsotickedoffthattheGatorslost—peoplemockedthatledeinGainesvilleforyears.

DinneratSteveSpurrier’sHouse,Gainesville,Florida,March28,1992IwaswritingfortheschoolnewspaperattheUniversityofFlorida,andSteve

Spurrierwas the football coachat the time.He tried todosomething to fostersomegoodwillwiththemediainthespring—whichisironic,sincehelatertriedto get a columnist fired while at South Carolina—and invited everyone,including the writers from the student paper, to his house for an evening fordinner and to watch some basketball. His previous job before Florida was atDuke,andhehasalwayshadasoftspotinhisheartforthem.Thenightwehaddinner at his house ended up being the night of the Christian Laettner shotagainstKentucky.The funnypartabout theeveningwas thatallof thewriterswere rooting for Kentucky, and it wasn’t until around halftime that we allrealizedourmistakeandthatSpurrierwasrootingforDuke.Sothatattemptatcamaraderiebackfiredonhim,withallof thewritersononesideof the room,

while Spurrier and some of his coaches,who all eitherwent to and played atDukeorcoachedthere,wereontheotherside.

1997WorldSeries,GameSeven,ClevelandIndiansatFloridaMarlins,ProPlayerStadium,MiamiGardens,Florida,October26,1997IwascoveringtheMarlinsfortheMiamiHerald.Thiswaspre-Internet,sothe

dailynewspaperwasstilltheonlygameintown.Allofthenationalmediaisintown,andtheyarereadingyourstory,sothereisalotofpressureincaseslikethis. There are two things that I remember specifically about that night. First,whenthefirstpitchofthegamewasthrown,itwaslikeamillionfireflieslitup.Thereweresomanyflashbulbsgoingoff,itfeltlikethestadiumwasaglisteningdiamondring.Theotherthingwasmydeadline.WorldSeriesgamesstartlateasit is, but thegamewent 11 innings.Becauseof thedeadline, at thebottomofevery inning, you basically have to have your game story written, and thenfigure out your lede after the game ends.You need to be able to hit send thesecondthegameisover.So,forwritingpurposes,youkindofhopethevisitingteamwins,butinthiscase,theMarlinswononasingleupthemiddlebyEdgarRenteria.Ijustrememberthemiseryinknowingeveryonewasintownandwasgoingtoreadthisgamestory,andIliterallyhadaroundfoursecondstofilethemostimportantstoryofmylife.Thatwasnotfun.

EdgarRenteriarunstofirstafterhittingthe1997WorldSeries-winningsingleinthebottomofthe11thinning.(APPhoto/HansDeryk)

Villanova at Duke, Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham, North Carolina,December10,1997IhadjustjoinedtheCharlotteObserver,andthiswasmyfirsttriptoCameron

IndoorStadium.I’vebeentherearoundsixtytimesnow,andafterabouttenofthem,yourealizeitisthesamegameeverytime.Thebandplaysthesamesongs,the students have the same chants, “CrazyTowelGuy”waves the same crazytowel.Itisallthesame.Itisfun,butitisallthesame.However,thefirsttimeyougo,youdon’tknowanyofthat,anditismagical.Eventhedrivetothearenaismagical.At that timeofyear, the treeshave lost all their leaves.There is aroad,WannamakerDrive,whereyoudrivetowardCameronandthesehuge,talltreeswithnoleavesdrapeovertheroadlikeabigcanopyanditisfreaky.Ifyouwantyouwanttogetcheesyaboutit,andactuallythinkthatnaturecanbescary,itiscreepy.WhenIgottoCameron,Iparkedmycarandwaswalkingnearthelibraryto

thearenaandaskedastudentwhereitwas.Thestudentpointedatthelibraryandsaidthatwasit.Itisn’tthatbigfromoutsideandlookslikealibrarywould.OneofthebeautiesofDuke’scampusisthatallofthebuildingsarebuiltoutofstoneand have the same kind of look, so it looked like everything else on campus.Onceyougoin,it lookslikealibraryinside,too,withlotsofbrassandwood.Butitissoloud,anditissoloudforsolong,thatwhenyouleavethecourtareaathalftimeandafterthegame,andgointothetinypressroom,yourearshurt.It’salmostlikegettingthebends,butinyourears.Itreallyisaspecialplacetogotoagameonce.

UFC68,NationwideArena,Columbus,Ohio,March3,2007I went to this event to rip UFC. I wanted to write a hot take and call it

barbaric.By theendof thenight, though, I’d fallen in lovewith thesportandwrotealovelettertoitinstead.Withintwoweeks,IfoundanMMAgymwhereIlivedinCincinnati,walkedin,andaskedoneoftheUFCfightersthere,JorgeGurgel,tochokemeout,justsothatIwouldknowwhatitfeltlike.Hedid,andI’vebeenhookedonUFCsince.Youtalkaboutalife-changingevent,well,thatchanged mine. I’m in better shape than I’ve ever been in, I’ve got moreconfidencethaneverbefore,andI’mnotscaredwalkingaroundanymore.AnditisallbecauseofcoveringthatUFCevent.Whathitmehardestweretwothings.First,itwastheconfidenceeachfighter

walkedintothecagewith,knowingthatiftherefereedidn’tdohisjob,someonewasdying.This isn’t boxing,where youhit somebody and theygodown andyouleavethemalone.Whenyouropponentgoesown,youkeephittinghimuntilsomeonepullsyouoff.Bothguysenteredthatcagethinkingtheyweregoingtowin(obviouslysomeonewaswrong, though).Theother thing thatgotmewasthe camaraderie afterwards. I’d always hated watching fights, because theyalwaysscaredme.Youthoughtthattheseguysreallyhatedeachother.Buttheseguyswould literallybeat eachotherhalf todeathand thenwerehuggingeachotherafteritwasover.Ididn’tgetituntilthatnight.

IanEagleBroadcaster,CBSSports/YESNetwork

1991 U.S. Open, Fourth Round, Jimmy Connors vs. Aaron Krickstein,NationalTennisCenter,Flushing,NewYork,September2,1991BecauseIgrewupinForestHills,theformerhomeoftheU.S.Open,tennis

playedalargeroleinmylife.Iplayedcompetitivelyasakidandinhighschoolandwas also a ball boy formanyyears at the stadium inForestHills. JimmyConnorsactuallychewedmeoutduringaTournamentofChampionsmatchoneyear in theearly ’80s. IwasneverahugeConnors fan,maybebecauseof thatexperience.Bythetime1991rolledaround,Connors’scareerwaswindingdown,andon

theonlydayIwasabletogettotheOpenthatyear,hewastakingonayoungstarnamedAaronKricksteininthefourthround.ConnorshadownedKricksteinduring theircareers,but the symbolismappeared tobeprettyobvious that thiswasapassingof the torch.Connorshada love-hate relationshipwith theNewYorkfans.IwastherewhenhewontheOpenin1982and1983overIvanLendl,but Connors had never reached the level of adoration that others had inNewYork. In thosematches, he had the backing of the fansmore because of theirdislikeofLendl.ItallchangedagainstKrickstein.Attheageofthirty-nine,Connorswonover

the crowd.Hewas trailing, 5–2, in the fifth and deciding set, and even Iwasfeelingsorry for thesouthpaw,asallofhishardworkandsweat inagruelingmatch would go for naught. Krickstein was ready for his signature win, butConnorshadsomethinguphissleeveandralliedtobeatKricksteininafifth-settiebreaker.Ihadbeentoalotoftennismatchesinmylifebuthadneverseenacrowdthatwasemotionallyinvestedinamatchliketheywerethatday.

1994 StanleyCupFinals,Game Seven,VancouverCanucks atNewYorkRangers,MadisonSquareGarden,NewYork,NewYork,June14,1994Growing up, I admittedlywasn’t the biggest hockey fan, but I did have an

interestintheNewYorkRangers.WhentheywenttotheFinalsin1979,Iknew

it was a big happening in New York, with the team having the potential offinallyendingthe“1940”chants.In 1994, I was working atWFAN radio, which was the Rangers’ flagship

station.Living inNewYorkCity allowedme toget to theGarden frequently,andboththeRangersandKnickswerehavingbanneryears.Whentheplayoffsrolledaround,I finallygot toseewhathockeyfanshadalwaysbraggedabout,experiencing the ambience of playoff hockey. I was doing some radio showsduring the Rangers’ run with Kenny Albert, who is as knowledgeable abouthockeyasanyonethereis,whileIhelpedprovidethelayman’sperspective.ItishardtolookbacknowandnotfocusonGameSevenoftheDevilsseries

asthestandoutmoment,andIwasfortunateenoughtobethereforthat,aswell,buttowatchthefansofNewYorkreactthewaytheydidthenighttheStanleyCupwaswonwasalmostareligiousexperience.Isatinthestandsforthefirsttwoperiods, and although I thought therewas an air of overconfidence in thebuildingthatnight,itquicklydissolvedwhenthegamestarted.Allthedie-hardfans in attendancewere not taking anything for granted. In the third period, ImovedovertotheradioboothandwatchedfromtherewithMarvAlbertandSalMessina calling the game. I had as perfect a view of the ice as you couldpossibly imagine.That isexactlywhereIwaswhen timeranout,andI tookamomentasthesceneunfoldedontheicetoabsorbmysurroundingsandwitnessthepurejoyoneveryone’sfaces.GenerationsofRangersfansfinallyhadtheirmomentinthesun,andthateveningwasanoutpouringofemotionforanyoneinattendance.

1998NBAFinals,GameSix,ChicagoBullsatUtahJazz,DeltaCenter,SaltLakeCity,Utah,June14,1998Ididplay-by-playatthe1998FinalsforaUnitedKingdomfeedwithformer

Nets broadcaster Mike O’Koren. There were rumblings at the time that thiscould beMichael Jordan’s last go-around. In this series, it was the same oldJordan, and theBulls looked like theywere going towrap up the title in fivegames,butKarlMalonehadavintageperformanceinChicagotoforceasixthgamebackinSaltLakeCity.Ourlocationwasliterallyinthestandsamongthescreaming,rabidJazzfans

inthecorneroftheDeltaCenter.ItwastheloudestIhadeverheardanarenaintheNBA.IftheJazzcouldforceJordanintoaseventhgame,somethinghehadneverhadtofacebeforeintheFinals,thenmaybetheJazzcouldrewritehistory.WhatpeopleforgetisthatthefinalshotinthisgamewouldneverhavehappenedifnotforadefensiveplaybyJordan,whoknockedtheballawayfromMalone

onthepreviouspossession.

MichaelJordanholdsupsixfingersindicatingthesixNBAChampionshipstheBullswonaftertakingthe1998NBAFinals.(APPhoto/MarkJ.Terrill)

Duringthetimeout,therewasnodoubtwhowasgettingtheball.Wehadseenthe matchup all series long, with Jordan against Bryon Russell. Crossoverdribble,alittleshove,hedrillsthejumper,87–86Bulls.Ontape,weallseethepush,butatthetime,asplaywasgoingon,therewasnowayanyofficialwouldhavecalledanoffensivefoulonJordan.Thewayhedid itmadeit feelas if itwerepartoftheflowoftheplay.Tothisday,IhavenomemoryofhowIcalledit on the air (I never got the tape fromGreatBritain). TheDeltaCenterwentsilent,andMichaelJordan’slegacywasintactinwhatturnedouttobehisfinal

gameasaChicagoBull.

2002 NBA Playoffs Opening Round, Game Five, Indiana Pacers at NewJerseyNets,ContinentalAirlinesArena,EastRutherford,NewJersey,May2,2002This one is a personal favorite because of what it meant to the Nets

organization, lifting themout ofNBASiberia and the shadowsof theKnicks.When theNets finished the regular seasonwith the best record in theEasternConference,NBAobserverslookedatitasafluke.TheNetshadnotbeentotheplayoffs since 1998, andmost people expected the team to fall on their facesonce thepostseasonbegan.Thiswas the lastyearof thebest-of-five format inthefirstround,andtheNetswereinabattlewiththeIndianaPacers.I worked the game with the great Bill Raftery, who had been calling Nets

games for twenty years. The Jason Kidd era meant the beginning of a newpersona, and that night it was truly born. The Nets had the game won inregulation,butrookieRichardJeffersonmissedtwofreethrowsthatcouldhaveiced it, andReggieMillermade a desperationhalfcourt heaveoff the glass astime expired to force overtime. The 20,000 fans in attendance thought, “Thisfranchise is cursed.” In the firstOT, Indiana jumped out only to see theNetsrespond,asKiddwilledtheteamintothesecondOT.Miller’sheroicsnormallywould take place just across the river against the Knicks at Madison SquareGarden,butonthisnight,itwasKiddwhocreatedthelastingmemory.IhadneverfelttensionforasportsteamlikeIfeltthatnight.Allofthepast

failures, people who had worked for the franchise since their first day in theNBA, to see someof the lookson their facesat theendof regulationbroughtinto focus justhowmuch thisnightmeant foranorganization thatdesperatelyneeded a highlight moment. When I got home that night, I couldn’t sleep. Ididn’trealizeuntilthenextdaywhatkindofimpactthatwinhad.Itwas,byfar,the most reaction I had ever gotten after a broadcast—phone calls, e-mails,messages.Forthefirsttime,theNetswerethestory,andtheyhadaclassicgametoproveit.

2010NCAAMen’sBasketballTournamentFinals,Dukevs.Butler,LucasOilStadium,Indianapolis,Indiana,April5,2010Iwas hired to do play-by-play for theworld feedwith PeteGillen. I think

everybodyjumpedonboardwiththe“Cinderellaandmid-majorgettingrespect”theme,alongwiththehometownnarrativeforButler.I’mnotsureanyonewasconvincedthattheBulldogscouldactuallyplaywithDuke,though.Thegeneral

consensuswas that itwasanice story,butnow theywere takingonacollegeblue blood and the magic carpet ride would come to an end in their ownbackyard.LucasOil Stadiumwas packed, and itwas an electric atmosphere,with the

factthatalocalteamwasplayinginthebiggameabigpartofthat.TheDuketeam was an experienced group, and they desperately wanted to win achampionship forMike Krzyzewski, since it had been a long time (relativelyspeaking) since their last title. There was something about that Butler team,however,and theirheadcoach,BradStevens.Littledidweknowat thatpointthatStevenswasgoingtobeahotcommodityandeventuallyheadcoachoftheBostonCeltics.When thegamestarted,youquickly realized thatButlercouldplaywith the

BlueDevilsandmaybeable tobeat them.TheyhungaroundandwentpunchforpunchwithDuke.Irememberthepressurebuildinglateinthegame,andtheBulldogsweren’tgoingaway.Theirchemistrywasobviousandwasondisplaythewholenight.TheGordonHaywardheaveon the lastplayof thegame feltlike it was in slow motion. We were in the second row, on the side of themidcourt linewhereHaywardwas shooting, so I had a fantastic angle on theshot.Everythingishappeningandyourheadisspinningtryingtoprocessit,andItrulybelievedtheballwasgoingin.Ithoughttheballhadeyes.Itcameofftherim,anditstrikesmethatifthatshotwentdown,Ithinkthatwouldhavebeenthe greatest ending in sports history.With everything at stake,with all of thestorylines leading up to it, it would have been the biggest upset in NCAAhistory.Toendinthatmanner,withthe“Hoosier”backdropallweekend,Ithinkthatwouldhavecatapultedittothetopofthelist.ItwasstillanincredibleeventandwillbesearedinmybrainasoneofthebestsportingeventsI’veevercalled.

MarkFeinsandExecutiveReporter,MLB.com

Super Bowl XXV, Buffalo Bills vs. New York Giants, Tampa Stadium,Tampa,Florida,January27,1991Iwassixteenatthetime,andmyfatherhadgottenusticketsasabirthdaygift

beforeweknewwhichteamswouldbeplaying.AsaRedskinsfan,Iwasalittledisappointed that Iwasgoing to see theGiants play in theSuperBowl. I hadneverbeentoone,though,soIwasexcitednonetheless.Everywhereyouwent,therewassecurityandinsanitybecauseoftheGulfWar.Flyingwasn’teasy,andjust getting into the stadium took three hours, so all youwanted to seewas agoodgametomakeitallworthit.ItwasthefirstSuperBowlfortheBills,sowehadnoideatheyweregoingtogoonthisridiculousfour-yearstretchofgettingto the game. The atmosphere in the stadium was electric and was the mostexcitingthingIhadexperiencedinmylifetothatpoint.Weweresittingprettyhighup,butinthatstadium,therereallyweren’tmanybadseats.Asgreatasthegamewas, the thing I remember above all elsewasWhitneyHouston. Peoplecall that the greatest national anthem of all-time, and that night, every singleperson in the place stood straight up,with hats off, handson their hearts, andsang along. You got the feeling that it meant something different to peoplebecausethecountrywasatwar.Thatsetthetoneforthenightandthegamewewereabouttowitness.IwasrootingfortheBillsanddidn’thidethat,whilemydadwasrootingfor

theGiants.Itwasagreatgame,butasisthecasewithmanygames,itisalmostimpossible to remember anything except for the kick. I remember ScottNorwoodliningupforthe47-yardfieldgoal,wantinghimtomakeitsobadly,ifonly because I didn’twant to have to go home toNewYork onMonday andlistentoallofmyfriendsyappingabouttheGiantswinning.ItwaslikewhenaTVshowhasthatbigdramaticmomentattheend,anditisallinslowmotion.Fromwhereweweresitting,itwashardtotellwhetherthekickwasgoodornot,sowewerereallywatchingtherefereesfortheirsignal.Whentheysignaledthatitwasnogood,alloftheGiantsfansstartedcelebrating,whiletheBillsfansputtheir heads in their hands.Aswewalked out of the stadium, though, it didn’t

matterwho everyonewas rooting for.All anyone could talk aboutwas that itwasthegreatestSuperBowleverplayed.

ScottNorwoodgetsreadytokickapotentialgame-winningfieldgoalinthefinalsecondsofSuperBowlXXV.(APPhoto/NFLPhotos)

1996AmericanLeagueChampionshipSeries,GameOne,BaltimoreOriolesatNewYorkYankees,YankeeStadium,Bronx,NewYork,October9,1996Anytime you go to a game that takes on a title as the “(Fill in the Blank)

Game,” you know you’ve seen something memorable, and this game wouldbecome known as the “Jeffrey Maier Game.” This was probably the bestYankees memory I have as a fan. I grew up in New York City and was aYankeesfanfrombirth.BeingaYankeesfangrowingupinthe’80swasn’tallthatgreat, but in1996, aftergraduating fromBostonUniversity, I camehomeand had the chance to go to my first Yankees playoff game. As big as theYankees-RedSoxrivalryis,inthemid-’90s,theOriolesweretheirbiggestrival.Idon’trememberhowwegotthetickets,buttheywereonthelowerlevel,inthelast row right behind home plate.Yankee Stadium had an intimidation factor,becauseallof theseatswereclosetothefieldandthisgamewasasintenseasany I had ever seen.TheYankeeswere losing in the eighth inning of a closegame,sowewereallalittlebummedbutstillintoit,whenDerekJeterhitsaballtorightfield.Fromwhereweweresitting,youcouldn’tseewhetheritwasgone,close,orcaught,butwewerefeedingoffthereactionoftherestofthestadium.All of a sudden, you could hear the roar, andyou could see rightfielderTony

Tarasco didn’t have the ball in his glove; our team’s favorite rookie had justhomeredtotiethegame.ThenweseeTarascoarguingwiththeumpire,andwehave no idea what is going on. Eventually word started filtering down frompeoplethatwerelisteningtotheradiointhestandsthatsomeonehadinterfered.We couldn’t care less, of course, and said at the time that we would havereachedoutandgrabbedtheball,too,ifwehadthechance.ThefactthatweallknowJeffreyMaier’snamenow ishilarious.He is theanti-SteveBartman;hehelpedhisteamwin.Eventhoughitwasonlythetyingrun,itsetthestageforBernieWilliamstohitawalk-offhomerinthe11th.

2001AmericanLeagueDivisionSeries,GameThree,NewYorkYankeesatOakland Athletics, Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland, California,October13,2001ThiswasmyfirstyearontheYankeesbeatforMLB.com.Youexpectedthis

to be a good series, because both teams were loaded with great players. TheYankeeslost thefirst twogamesatYankeeStadium,anditdidn’tfeel liketheYankees’ year.With it being right after 9/11, itwas almost like people didn’tcare, because therewerebigger things toworry about.GameThreewasMikeMussinaagainstBarryZitoandwasawell-pitchedgame.JorgePosadahomeredinthefifthinning,whichendedupbeingtheonlyruninthegame,butthatreallyjustsetthestageforwhathappenedinthebottomoftheseventh.AfterJeremyGiambisingledwithtwoouts,weassumedtheA’sweregoingtopinch-runwithEricByrnes,buttheydidn’t.Itseemedstrange,sinceitwasaone-rungame,andtheYankeeshadMarianoRiveraloominginthebullpen.TerrenceLongcomesupandhitsaballdowntherightfieldline.ShaneSpencerfieldsit,andyouseeGiambibeingwavedaroundthird.Itwasgoingtotakeareallygoodthrowtogethim, but Spencer’s throw sailed over Tino Martinez’s head and it looks likeOakland isgoing to tie thegameup.Allofasudden,DerekJeterwas there. Iremember hearing someone in the press box yelling, “What the hell is Jeterdoing there?” He got the ball, does his little flip to Jorge Posada, who tagsGiambiontheleg,andtheycallhimout.Everyonejusthadthisstunnedreactionandcouldn’tfigureoutwhathadjusthappened.Noonehadeverseenaplaylikeit,includingwritersItalkedtowhohadcoveredthegameforfortyorfiftyyears.The one thing nobody could figure out was what Jeter was doing there. Youneverseeashortstopmakeaplaytwelvefeetfromhomeplateonthefirstbaseline.Whatwashedoingthere?ThatplaybecamesymbolicofwhatDerekJeter’scareerwas.Rightplace,righttime,incredibleinstinctsandcalmunderpressure.Being there is one thing. Getting the ball on the overthrow is one thing, but

havingthemindsetandwherewithaltoturnandshovel-passittoyourcatcher…Idon’tcareifyouaresupposedtobethere,thatisnottheplayyouarepracticingfor. He told us after the game that they practiced that play, and I saidincredulously,“Youdon’tpracticethatplay.We’vebeenatspringtrainingandwatchedyouguysdoeverything.Youdon’tpracticethatplay.”Thenextspring,though,wewerewatchingduringdrills,and, loandbehold,wesawthatwhentheballishittoright,Jeterwouldmovetowardthefirstbaselineincaseathrowgotpast the firstbaseman.Every time I’ve talked tosomeonewhowason theA’sinthatgame,though,theyallaskthesametwoquestions:whywasn’tEricByrnesrunning,andwhydidn’tJeremyGiambislide?

2001 World Series, Game Seven, New York Yankees at ArizonaDiamondbacks,BankOneBallpark,Phoenix,Arizona,November4,2001ThethreegamesinNewYorkin thisseriesyourememberforGeorgeBush

throwingoutthefirstpitchbeforeGameThreeandthegame-tyinghomerunsinGamesFourandFive.Normallyitwouldbehardtotopanyofthat,butGameSevendid.Iwassittingintheauxiliarypressbox,whichwaswayoutincenterfield.WhenAlfonsoSorianohomeredintheeighthinningtogivetheYankeesthelead,youautomaticallyassumedtheYankeeswereabouttowintheirfourthstraightWorld Series, because Rivera was coming in to pitch the eighth andninth innings. Istarted tomakemywayfromcenter fieldandgotdownto theclubhouse, where I was on line with around a hundred people, watching thebottomof theninth inningon this littleTVoutside theclubhouse.Wesee theinningunfold,andwhenArizonatiedthegame, theclubhousedoorfliesopen,andyou see thesebigpiecesofwoodbeing thrownoutof the room.We laterfoundoutthatbecausewewereinArizona,FOXwasgoingtodothepostgameshow from inside the room, and when the Diamondbacks tied it up, GeorgeSteinbrennerwentcrazyandstartedyellingabouteverythingbeingsetupbeforethegamewasover.So,theywerefranticallytryingtogeteverythingoutoftheclubhouseatthatpoint.Asthiswasallgoingon,MarianoRiverawasgivingupthe series-winning hit to Luis Gonzalez. My first thought wasn’t that theYankeeshadlosttheWorldSeries,butwhatwasIgoingtowriteaboutnow?Ihadgonedowntherewith“Yankeeswinning”storiesplannedout,butmybosstrackedmedownandwehadtoswitcheverythingaround.ItwasmyfirstyearontheYankeesbeat,andthatwas thenightwhereIrealizedthatasgreatas itwastogrowupaYankeesfan,thiswasnowmyjob.

2003AmericanLeagueChampionshipSeries,GameSeven,BostonRedSox

at New York Yankees, Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York, October 16,2003WheneveranyoneasksmewhatthebestgameI’veeverbeentois,Isaythis

one.EveryyearwhileIcoveredtheYankeesforMLB.com,wepickedaplayeratthebeginningoftheplayoffstodoapostgamediaryeveryday.AaronBoonehadcomeoveratthetradedeadlinethatseason,andheandIhititoff,soIaskedhimifhewoulddothediaryforus.HewashavingadreadfulALCS,andIthinkhewas a little embarrassed that Iwas talking to himevery day for this diary.Therewas somuchgoingon in that series,with theYankees-RedSox rivalryreallyatitspeak.HewasonthebenchforGameSeven,andIknewthatwinorlose,hewasgoing tobe anawkwardguy tohave talk about thegameafter itended.Itwoundupbeinganepicgame,withsomanydifferentstorylinesfromboth teams, and the guy I was doing an exclusive thing with after the gamewasn’ttakingpart init.Hecameintothegameasapinch-runnerintheeighthinningand stayed in toplay third from that point.Hecameup to leadoff the11th inning… and promptly homered off TimWakefield to end the series. Iremembersittingthereinamazementatwhathadjusthappened,sinceitwasawalk-off home run in extra innings of Game Seven of the ALCS, but alsobecause itwas the guy I had beenworkingwith all postseason.You couldn’thavewrittenabetterscriptonhowthisworkedoutforme…andobviouslyforhim.Yankee Stadium was going bananas, and I never thought I would ever

experience that stadiumcrazier than the twoninth-inninghomeruns inGamesFour and Five of the 2001 World Series, but this was somehow louder andcrazier.Iwasworriedthatthepressboxwasgoingtocollapsebecauseofhowmuchthebuildingwasshaking.Now,IhadtodothisexclusiveinterviewwithBoone and had to find a way to do it amidst the mayhem of the postgamechampagnecelebration in the clubhouse. Idid all ofmyother interviews first,andhappilyIwaswritingforawebsiteandnotanewspaper,becausetherewasnochanceIwouldhavemadeanysortofdeadline.Ibasicallywasn’tallowedtoleaveuntilIgotthisdiarydone.IttooktwohoursbeforeIfinallysettledintoacorneroftheclubhousewithAaronandhiswife,Laura,andendedupdoingthediarywithbothofthem.Youcouldseethejoyandreliefinhisface,andeventhoughitwasacoupleofhoursafterhehitthehomerun,itwasreallythefirstchancehehadtobreathe.Icouldn’thelpbutthinkthatnoathletecouldbeinabetterplaceintheircareerthanhewasatthatmoment.

BruceFeldmanBroadcaster,FOXSports

Columnist,SportsIllustratedABCDCamp,FairleighDickinsonUniversity,Teaneck,NewJersey,July8-11,

1996

IusedtocovertheABCDcampeveryyearwhenIcoveredcollegebasketballmore.Attheendofthecamp,theywouldplaytheOutstandingSeniorsGame.Alot of playerswould come into the campwith big reputations, and one of theguysthatyearwasalocalkidnamedJamesFelton.Therewasatransitionplaywhere theballcamefree,anda lankyswingmanfromFloridagot theballandwasout in front, andbasicallywaited forFelton,whowas a little bigger thanhim,tocomebackandplaydefense.Heskiedup,whippedtheballoverhisheadandwindmill-dunkedonFelton.Thedunkwassospectacularthatfansliterallyranontothecourtandinterruptedthegame,becauseitwasoneofthoseamazingin-gamemoments.Morethanadecadelater,Ididastoryonthisgame,becausethe guy who dunked it was Tracy McGrady. Nobody had heard of him inbasketballcirclesuntilthatweek,andafterthat,hewasthebiggeststarinhighschoolrecruiting.Obviously,heskippedcollegeandwentontoalongcareerintheNBA.Felton’scareer, though,went intoa tailspin.HestartedatSt.John’sbutendedupgoing tofivedifferentschoolsand, ironically, finishedhiscareeronthatsamecourtatFairleighDickinson.Youhadtwoguyswhometinmidair,and after theymet, their legacies flipped,where the guywhowas the nobodybecamethebigstar,whiletheguydestinedforstardomsawhiscareerdriftoffintothemargins.

USC Football Practice, Howard Jones Field, Los Angeles, California,August6,2003USChadahighlytoutedfreshmanclasscomingin,withabunchoffive-star

recruits.ReggieBushhadaprettygoodreputation,butmidwaythroughhisfirst

practiceinpadswiththeTrojans,aftertheywentintotheirteamdrill,hebrokeoffarun.Thenhebrokeoffanotherrun.Hewasmakingcrazycutsallovertheplace.Therewere a lot of reallygoodplayerson that team, and after the firsttime he did it, you thought itwas great, but let’s see it again.And it kept onhappening,wherehekeptbreakingthesehugeruns.IwastalkingtooneoftheUSCassistantcoaches,whohadbeenaroundMarshallFaulk,andhesaidhehadneverseenanyonedothestuffthatBushwasdoing.Assoonaspracticeended,IremembercallingtheofficeatESPNTheMagazineandtellingthemtheyneededtofindawaytoworksomethingin,eventhoughthemagazine’sdeadlinetogotopresshadjustpassed.Iknewthatdayhewasgoingtobeamazing,justfromthestuffIsawhimdoing.Itreallywasa“Stopthepresses!”moment.

2006RoseBowl,Texasvs.USC,RoseBowl,Pasadena,California,January4,2006Fordaysgoingintothegame,ESPNwasrunningaseriescomparingthisUSC

team to the all-time greats. The hype around the Trojanswas enormous,withReggieBushwinningtheHeismanTrophythatseasonandMattLeinartwinningit the year before. There were teams that had them on the ropes during theseason,but,aswasthecaseingameslikethe“BushPush”gameagainstNotreDame,theyalwaysout-talentedeverybodybythetimeitwasover.IrememberwalkingintotheRoseBowlandseeingLeinart’sdadintheparkinglot,andhimtellingmeitwasgoingtobeaboatrace;hegenuinelythoughttheyweregoingto blowTexas out.At times, it looked like thatwas going to happen, but theLonghorns stayed within striking distance, and you would look down at theTexassidelineeverytimeUSCscoredandseeVinceYoungjustnodhisheadasif to say hewas going to fix this. It seemed like hewas the only one in thatbuildingwho knewTexaswas going towin, and hewilled them to their firstnationaltitlesince1970.ThiswasthegreatestgameI’veeverseen.Therewasso much happening throughout the game. On one play, Reggie Bush tried tolateraltheballtoawalk-onreceivernamedBradWalker,whowasn’tevenlistedonanyofthegamecardsoranyrosters.Nooneknewwhohewas,whichmightexplainwhy it turned into a fumble recovered byTexas.ButYoung put on asuperhuman performance, one that I’ll put against any game, especiallywhenyouconsiderwhatthegamewasforandtheteamtheywereplaying.

Auburn at Alabama, Bryant-Denny Stadium, Tuscaloosa, Alabama,November26,2010CamNewtoncameintothisgameundersomuchscrutinybecauseofallofthe

rumorsswirlingaroundhim.Itwasonenemyturf,andtheywereplayingsongslike“TaketheMoneyandRun”overtheP.A.,whilethestudentsandthebandwere taunting him mercilessly. Alabama took a huge lead and were makingNewton struggle like no one else had that season.What people forget is thatwhileNickFairleywasagreatdefensivelinemanincollege,Auburndidn’thavethatmuchtalentaroundNewton.Hewasthekindofguy,though,whocouldputan entire teamonhis back, andhe led that teamback to beat their archrivals.ESPN did a 30 for 30 film on the Alabama-Auburn rivalry, and I spent twomonthschasingNewton togeta sit-downwithhim,becausehehadallof thisdramagoingonwithhisdadandtheNCAA,andthereportsaboutwhetherheorhisfatherhadgottenmoneyafter leavingFloridaandsomeoftheproblemshehad there. So, he came into this game being vilified by a lot of people, and Ithought the way he compartmentalized it and responded to everything wasamazing.

AlabamaatTexasA&M,KyleField,CollegeStation,Texas,September14,2013Ihadspent theweekleadingupto thisgamewiththeTexasA&Mprogram

forCBSandwasbehindthesceneswiththeirstaffandJohnnyManziel,soIhadthis remarkableaccessandsawall thedramaandupsanddowns. Iwas in thequarterbackcoach’sofficewithManzielandESPNwason in thebackground,and in their list of upcoming topics, it seemed like everyotheronewas abouthim, be it “Johnny Football” or “Johnny Drama” or some other “JohnnySomething” reference.Hewas a larger-than-life story that season,havingwontheHeisman the year before.During that season (2012), theAggies had goneinto Tuscaloosa and won, but with the subplot that they had simply caughtAlabamaoff-guard in thatgame.Now,NickSabanandKirbySmarthadeightmonthstoprepareforManziel.IrememberbeingwiththeteambeforethegameandhadneverseenateamashypedupasA&Mwas.Theycameoutandwentup, 14–0, but their defensewas so shaky that they couldn’t slow theCrimsonTidedownand lost in a shootout, 49–42.Manziel, though, put upmoreyards(562ofthem)thananyoneeverhadagainstAlabama.TheAggiescoacheshadtalkedabouthowtheythoughtAlabama’scornerbackswereaweakspotandthatMikeEvans, theirbestreceiver,wastoobigforthemandwoulddestroythem.Everything they saidandpickedupduring theirpreparationonoffenseplayedoutexactlyhowtheythoughtitwould.

ScottFerrallBroadcaster,CBSSportsRadioNetwork

1987 NCAAMen’s Basketball Tournament Finals, Indiana vs. Syracuse,LouisianaSuperdome,NewOrleans,Louisiana,March30,1987I’ll never forget Keith Smart’s game-winning basket to win the national

championship for Indiana. The play was set up for Steve Alford, but insteadDaryl Thomas found Smart floating into the corner, and he nailed the shot tobeat Syracuse and win the title. It was the last game that I ever covered atIndianaUniversity,whereIcoveredtheteamforfiveyears.Strangelyenough,Ihavenevergonebackonceinalloftheseyears.Alotofpeoplegobacktovisittheir alma maters, but for whatever reason, I’ve just never made it back toBloomington.Thatwas thegreatestgameI’veeverbeen to, though, incollegebasketball. The Hoosiers were down eight points midway through the secondhalf and should have lost the game, but what a comeback. After DerrickColemanmissedthefrontendoftheone-and-oneandtheHoosiersgottheballwith the chance to win, the feeling inside that giant stadium, it was going toexplode.Whenhehitthatshot,itwaseuphoria.Andafteritwasallover,IwentdowntoBourbonStreetandgothammered!

KeithSmartfollowsthroughonthegame-winningbasketinthe1987NCAAtitlegame.(APPhoto/BillHaber)

1989 AFC Wild Card Playoffs, Pittsburgh Steelers at Houston Oilers,HoustonAstrodome,Houston,Texas,December31,1989ThiswasthelastNFLgameplayedinthe’80sandpittedChuckNollagainst

JerryGlanvilleintheAstrodome.GaryAndersonwonthegamewitha50-yardfieldgoal inovertime,afterMerrilHoge tied thegamewitha late touchdown.RodWoodsoncausedafumbleinOTthatledtothewinningfieldgoal.HereIam, a twenty-three-year-old reporter covering the Steelers, traveling with theteam, and just in awe ofNoll. Iworked forBobKnight and thenworked forChuckNoll,soIbasicallyworkedforGodandJesus.Ifyoulookatthevideoofthe field goal, I’m the only guy standing under the goalpost as the ball sailsthroughfor thewin. I’malso theonlyguy immatureenough tobe jumpingupanddowncheeringbecauseIwastheonlySteelersfanthere.Everyoneelsewaseither a reporter or cameraman, or was from Houston. There was only onepersonjumpingupanddown,andthatwasme.

1996SummerOlympics,CentennialOlympicPark,Atlanta,Georgia,July27,1996I was broadcasting “Ferrall on the Bench” for Westwood One from the

AtlantaOlympicsin1996andwasinCentennialParkdoingtheshowonenight

when,maybe300yardsawayfromme,abombexploded.WewerebroadcastingfromrightnexttotheBudweisertentinthevillage,andwhenitwentoff,nooneknewwhatitwas,buteveryonestartedrunning.Theplaceemptiedout,andwhatwedid,asyoungguystendtodo,wasstartfillingourequipmentbagswithbeer.Weendedupfillingupthreebagswithice-coldcansofbeerbeforegrabbingourequipment and running to theNBCmedia hotelwherewewere staying.BeerwasexpensiveattheOlympics,sograbbingenoughtolastusfortherestoftheOlympicswassmartthinkingonourpart.

1997 NHL Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, Game Four, PhiladelphiaFlyersatPittsburghPenguins,CivicArena,Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania,April23,1997MarioLemieuxscoredonabreakawaylateinthegametogivethePenguinsa

4–1leadinaseriesthattheywouldeventuallyloseinPhiladelphia,makingthegoalMario’s lastoneathomebeforehis first retirement.Mario ismy favoriteathleteofall timeandwasalwaysgreat tomewhen Icovered the teameveryday. I would go to all of the practices and morning skates while working inPittsburghafterworkingthemorningdriveforKQV,thengotothegamesaftertheafternoondrives.IlovedthePenguins,soitwasthrillingtoseeMariobreakin fromcenter ice, thathuge6-foot-4 framebarrelingdown the ice tobeat thegoalie,thengoingintoaPavarottimove,bendingbackandliftinghisarmstotheheavens tosay,“Thereyougo.That’s it. I’mdone,but thisonewas foryou.”Thefansthenstoodforfifteenminutesandcheeredhim.Itwasorgasmic.Iwasstandingwithmydadandmy twobest friendsandaguyIdidn’tknow,andIpouredagiantbeeronhim,andhestillhuggedmeanddidn’tcare.

2004Aaron’s499,TalladegaSuperspeedway,Talladega,Alabama,April25,2004IwashostingashowinAtlantaatthetime,andsomebuddieshadtheideato

gotoTalladegafortheraceandcamp.WegotanRVanddrovetoAlabama,andsetupatentandgrillsandspent theweekendthere.WepartiedlikerockstarsfromthetimewegotthereonFridaynightuntiltheraceonSunday,whichwaswon by Jeff Gordon. Talladega is an intimidating place. I’d never been therebefore and couldn’t believe how many people shaved the number of theirfavoritedriverintotheirchesthair,orhowmanypeopledidn’tshowerforthreedays in 95-degree heat. People were chain-smoking cigarettes and pot, anddrinkingunbelievableamountsofwhiskeyandbeer.Theamountofdebaucherythatwasgoingonwasunlikeanything I’deverexperiencedbefore. Itwas the

mostchaoticsportingeventI’deverbeentoinmylife.Itwasreallyhotonraceday, just miserable. I had a loaded Ford Expedition then; they sponsoredmyradioshow,soIdroveareallynicetruck.Ineededtocooldown,somywifeandIwentintotheair-conditionedExpedition,and,let’sjustsay,wehadrelations.Amonthlater,wewenttothedoctorandfoundoutmywifewaspregnant,andhe figured out the day the babywas conceivedwas that day inTalladega. Soever since then, I’ve lovedTalladega.Toconceiveachild there ishumiliatingformywifebutkicksassforme.

TerryGannonBroadcaster,NBCSports

GeorgiaTechatNotreDame,NotreDameStadium,SouthBend, Indiana,November8,1975RudyRuettigerisalife-longfriendofmine,andourfamilieshavebeenclose

since Iwasborn.Mydadcoachedhim inhigh school, aswell as someofhisbrothers,whowerechampionwrestlers.MyfatherhadseasonticketsforNotreDame football as long as I can remember, and I went to every game startingwhenIwasfiveyearsolduntilthetimeIlefttogotoN.C.State.Wewere living all of Rudy’s storywith him.When hewas going toHoly

Cross,mydadwouldgivehimtwentydollarseveryweekendsohecouldtrytoget into the games, and afterwards,wewould go out to dinner, and hewouldconstantlytellus(andanyoneelsewhowouldlisten)abouthowhewasgoingtoplay football at Notre Dame. We would always humor him and say, “Yeah,yeah,”justthinkingitwasoneofthoseideasthatRudyalwayshad.Damnedifhedidn’tmakeithappen,ofcourse.IwouldactuallystaywithRudyinwhatwasalittleclosetatwhatisnowtheJoyceCenterbutwasservingashisdormroom,duringfootballweekends,andhewouldsneakmeoutandshoothoopswithmeon the arena floor in themiddle of the night when the security guard wasn’twatching.Theweekendofthegameheplayedin,Iwasthereinthestandsasthestudent

bodystartedchantinghisnameuntilDanDevineeventuallyputhiminthegame,and,justlikeinthemovie,wherehisfamilywasgoingnuts,thatwasus,partofhisextendedfamily.Yes,hedidsackthequarterbackonthefinalplay, justasthemovie said ithappened. If anyonewants toargue that, Iwouldarguewiththemtothedeath.Iwitnessedit.Afterthegame,Iwentintothelockerroom,andRudysaid,“Here,takethis

withyou.”HethenhandedmeaNotreDamehelmet,whichIproceededtotakeandweararoundtheneighborhoodwhileplayingsandlotfootball.Yearslater,itwas stored inmymother-in-law’s garage, and she calledme to tellme she’dfoundthishelmetthatIhadforgottenabout.Shewasgoingtothrowitout,butImade sure to stop her, and it is now on themantel in my office at home. A

couple of years ago, I calledRudy and told him about the helmet, so that heknewIstillhadit,buthetoldmethathehadthehelmetfromthegameandthatminewasadifferentone.Tobehonest,though,neitherofusreallyknowswhichtherightoneis.I’mnotsuretothisday.AllIknowisthathehasahelmetandIhaveahelmet,andoneofthemistheoneheworeinthegame.

1996TourdeFrance,Stage17,Pamplona,Spain,July17,1996IwashostingtheTourdeFranceforwhatwasthenWideWorldofSportson

ABCandwouldgo toeverystageandput togetherdailyshowsforESPNandweekend shows forABC.TheTour de France is themost incredible sportingeventI’veeverbeento,becauseitissuchalargepartofthecultureofFrance.ItislikeaSuperBowlthattakesplaceeverydayatadifferentvenueandmovesfromplacetoplaceacrossthecountry,withenormouscompoundsatthestartinglineandfinishlineofeverystage.Miguel Indurainwas a beloved figure at that time in the sport andwas the

five-time defending champion. In 1996, one of the stages of the race wentthroughthePyreneesandpassedthroughhishometownofVillava,andwhenthepelotonarrivedatthetown,I’veneverseensuchlovefromfanstoanathleteastherewasthatdayinthattown.Everypersonwholivedinthetownwasoutonthesideof the road.Everyposterwasapersonalone, fromcousins to friends.TheroutecontinuedthatdaytoPamplona,whichisnottoofarfromVillava,anditwaslikeaticker-tapeparadeinManhattan.Peoplewerehangingoutofeverywindow in every building. There were streamers and confetti. They werebanging trash can lids for a good hour as theywerewaiting for the riders toarrive,singinghisname.Itwasascene that I’dneverseenbefore,orsince, insports.Therewassomuchloveandrespectforhimwelcominghimhome.

1998 U.S. Women’s Figure Skating Championships, CoreStates Center,Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,January11,1998Michelle Kwan was the seminal figure in figure skating during my time

covering the sport forABC. Shewas a beloved figure for fans but could justnevergetitdoneattheOlympics.So,therewasthisrespectforherandloveforher, but also this sympathy for her because she had not been able towin thatgoldmedal.In1998,inthelead-uptotheNaganoGames(whereshelosttoTaraLipinski), at theNational Championships in Philadelphia, it was one of thosemomentswhereaprofessionalathletehas it all come together for them inonenight,where you can take that performance and put it away and say thatwaswhat that athlete was about during their career. She ended up getting fifteen

perfect sixes during the competition, everybody in the arena started standingmidwaythroughherfreeskatetocheer.ItwasverysimilartothereceptionIsawwith Miguel Indurain in 1996 that encapsulated the love for a professionalathlete. In figure skating, the end of a performance is very abrupt, and, as anannouncer,youarealwayslookingforwhattosayinthosemoments,andIsaidverylittle.Itjustdidn’tneedanything.Itwasoneofthosetimeswhereyoulookbackandsay,“Yeah,thatwasamoment.”

134thOpenChampionship,SecondRound,TheOldCourseatSt.Andrews,Fife,Scotland,July15,2005IwascallingtheearlysessionfromSt.AndrewsthatdayforTNTandgotoff

theairwhenJackNicklauswasaboutmidwaythroughthebacknineinwhatwashisfinalroundattheOpenChampionshipatSt.Andrews.MikeTiricoandNickFaldo got off the air at the same time, andwewere all standing there in thebroadcastbooth,whichoverlooksthefirstholeandthe18thhole.Wealllookedatoneanotherandhadthesamethought,whichwastogetourselvesdowntothe18thgreen.Sothethreeofus,includingaformerBritishOpenchamp,ranlikelittlekidsdownthestairssowecouldgettothegreen.Bythattime,thecrowdtoseeJackhadswarmedtothearea,butwewereabletogetthrougheveryoneandwerearoundfiftyfeetawayfromthegreenasJackmadehiswayup.Hehithisapproachtoaboutfourteenfeet.WhatisuniqueaboutSt.Andrewsisthatitisbuiltrightinthemiddleoftown

andissurroundedbybuildings,sothe18thwelcomesyourightintothemiddleof town.Peopleweresittingon ledgesateverywindow inallof thebuildingsaroundthe18thgreen.Whenhegotreadytoputt,youreallydidn’tthinkhewasgoing tomake it but then remindedyourself that thiswas JackNicklaus.Andwhenhemadetheputt,theexplosionfromeveryonetherewasonethatI’dneverheardonagolfcourse,evenatAugusta,becausethesettingisjustsodifferent.Itwasn’t just thegallerycheering,butallof thepeoplewatching fromallof thebuildings.Istillgetchillsthinkingaboutthatputtgoingin.AndtobestandingtherewithNickFaldo,whoknowswhat it feels like towin thateventbutwascaughtupinthemomentlikeeveryoneelse,madeitevenmorespecial.

JackNicklauswavesfromtheSwilcanBridgeonthe18thholeoftheOldCourseatSt.AndrewsashecompleteshisfinalcompetitiveroundatTheOpenChampionship.(APPhoto/TedS.Warren)

2007 Women’s British Open, The Old Course at St. Andrews, Fife,Scotland,August2-5,2007Thiswas such a significant event, because it was the first time thewomen

were allowed to play at St. Andrews, so early in the week, every golfer,regardless of stature, was giddy about the opportunity to play that course.Players were taking pictures of themselves on every hole and created a hugebackupon18astheyalltookpicturesontheSwilcanBridge.Itwasoneof thosefinal rounds thatwaswindyandrainy,and justhad that

feelofsomethingsignificant,withthatmysteriousfogrollingin.LorenaOchoawasthenumberoneplayerintheworldatthetimebuthadyettowinamajorchampionship.BeingfromMexico,sheisaveryimportantfigureinhercountryforgolfandforgirls.Andshewasthefirstpersontoraisethewomen’sversionoftheClaretJug,rightthere,infrontoftheR&A.Ithinkyoucanpointtothateventas thefirststep inpavingthewayforwomentobefinallyaccepted intothe R&A, a decision that was only approved in September of 2014. It was asignificantwinforher,butalsoareallybigeventallweekforwomen’sgolf.I remember sitting with Judy Rankin after we got off the air one night at

RusacksHotel,which is literallyonehundredfeet fromthe18thfairway.MegMallonandJuliInksterwerestillonthecourse,finishingtheirroundon18,andyelledtousatthebar,“Isn’tthisgreat?Thisisawesome!”TheywerelikelittlekidsplayingSt.Andrews.

MikeGarafoloBroadcaster,NFLNetwork

2003NFCDivisional Playoffs,GreenBayPackers at PhiladelphiaEagles,LincolnFinancialField,Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,January11,2004I was working for the Associated Press and covering the Eagles, who

everyone expected to cruise through the playoffs. Theywere loaded that yearand were the top seed in the NFC. Brett Favre led the Packers into Philly,though,andtheyexecutedtheirgameplanperfectlyformostofthegame.TheEagleswere facedwith a fourth-and-26 late in the game, and everyone in thepressbox started to headdownstairs to beginworkingon the team’sobituary.ButDonovanMcNabb throwsapass toFreddieMitchellover themiddle, andtherewasnowayyou thoughthewasgoing tocatch it.Mitchell,whowasanabsolute bust but had a bigger mouth than anybody, made the play, though.Because the game was in Philly, even the press box erupted. It was morebewildermentthananything.Thenextplaywasrushed,soyoureallydidn’thavemuch time to reflect on it, and everything happened so quickly that the nextthing you knew, the Eagles had won the game. It was amazing to watcheveryone regroup after thegame ended, sincemost of thepress boxhadgonedownstairswiththeassumptionthatthePackersweregoingtowin.

SuperBowlXLII,NewYorkGiantsvs.NewEnglandPatriots,UniversityofPhoenixStadium,Glendale,Arizona,February3,2008Noone really gave theGiantsmuchof a chance in this game, even though

they had played the Patriots close inWeek 17. I was in the press box at thecornerof thefieldwhentheDavidTyreecatchhappenedacross thefieldfromus,sotheviewoftheplaywasn’tgreat.Theballwentupanditdisappearedintoagroupofpeople,andthecrowddownattheotherendreacted,whilethecrowdatourendhadadelayed reaction.Whenwesaw the replay,StevePoliti,whowas sittingnext tome, startedyelling, “Hecaught it onhis head!”Of course,theystillneededtoscoreafterthat,butweknewwereallyneededtowritegreatstoriesforthisgame.Afterthegameended,inthelockerroom,IrememberTom

Coughlin doing session after sessionwith themedia, andAntonio Piercewaswalkingaroundtheroomgrabbingmediamembersandsaying,“Andyouwerewrong!” to each one. There was also a conversation between Peyton and EliManning thatwewere eavesdropping on,where theywere talking about howyou’d rather be down four than three, because itmeant you had to go for thetouchdownandweren’tplayingconservative.

Super Bowl XLIII, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Arizona Cardinals, RaymondJamesStadium,Tampa,Florida,February1,2009It was the most subdued Super Bowl atmosphere I’ve seen for the week

leading up to the game, and then a great game. The stock market had justcrashed, so fewerpeople traveled to thegame thanusual.Steelers fansalwaystravelwell, but Cardinals fans don’t, so it had the feeling of a Steelers homegame. The week before the game was a lot more subdued than most SuperBowls, though. Then the game starts, and the first big moment was JamesHarrison’s interception right before halftime.They sayyou aren’t supposed tocheerinthepressbox,buttherewasthisroarthatcameupaswerealizedhewasgoing to score on the play. That play started a huge debate about whichwasbetter—thatoneortheDavidTyreecatchtheyearbefore.StevePolitiactuallycalledTyreeduring thegametogethisopinion,andhesaid theHarrisonplaywasbetter.Thenthefourthquarterjustexplodes,andtheteamsaregoingbackandforth.Afteraweekwhereitfeltliketheairhadbeensuckedoutofall theexcitement,itwasendingwithoneofthebestgamesanyofushadeverseen,allculminatingwith the amazingcatch towin thegamebySantonioHolmes. I’llnever forgetwatchingLarryFitzgerald’s father,LarryFitzgeraldSr.,whowascoveringthegameinthepressboxforthetheMinnesotaSpokesman-Recorder,showingnoemotiononhisfacewhilewatchingthegame,becausehewantedtostayobjectivewhiledoinghisjob.

SantonioHolmesmakesthewinningtouchdownreceptioninSuperBowlXLIII.(APPhoto/MattSlocum)

2010 Stanley Cup Final, Game Six, Chicago Blackhawks at PhiladelphiaFlyers,WachoviaCenter,Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,June9,2010IgrewupaFlyersfanandknewthatiftheywontheCup,Iwantedtobein

thebuilding.ThiswasGameSix, though,andwith themdown threegames totwo,Iknewitwasn’thappeningthatnightbutwentanyway.TheFlyerstiedthegamelate,andtheplaceisgoingbonkers.Then,overtimehappens,andweweresittingattheotherendofthearenafromwheretheBlackhawksscoredtheCup-winninggoal.ItwastheeeriestsoundI’veeverheardatagame.WhenPatrickKanescored,nobodyknewexcepttwopeople—PatrickKaneandFlyersgoalieMichaelLeighton.The light didn’t go on, and no one reacted. Itwent againsteverything youwere trained to respond to at a hockey game.Your eyeswereseeing something, but your earswere betraying you. Then theChicago benchreacted,andweallrealizedthathescored.Theyhadtogotovideotomakesureit was a goal, and as the Blackhawks bench found out that it was, theywerereactingbeforeeveryoneelseknew that itwasofficial.TheStanleyCupFinalwasending,butwhatwewerehearingdidn’tmatchuptowhatwewereseeing.IstayedfortheCuppresentationjusttoseeitbutwasn’thappyaboutit.

SuperBowlXLIX,SeattleSeahawksvs.NewEnglandPatriots,UniversityofPhoenixStadium,Glendale,Arizona,February1,2015Iwasinthetunnelleadingtothefield,gettingreadytogooutforpostgame

interviews and planning onwhich Patriots Iwanted to talk to. Then JermaineKearse’scatchhappens,andthewholeplanchanges.Themonitorsinthetunnelareondelay,soasIamwatchingthereplayofnextplays,thecrowdroars.Thecrowdwassplitprettymuchdownthemiddle,so itwas toughto tell fromthenoisewhatwasgoingon.Wehadtowaitfortheplayonthemonitor,andastheballdisappears,itwashardtotellwhathadhappened.Firstitlookedincomplete,thenwerealizeditwasaninterception,and,withinacoupleofminutes,wewereallrushingoutonthefield.Becausehewasn’tthemostwell-knownplayer,wedidn’tevenrealizethatMalcolmButlerwasrunningrightpastus,butoncewedid,we immediately grabbed him for an interview.You could see in his eyesthathedidn’thaveany feel forwhathad justhappened,and the realityhadn’tcome close to setting in for him. I remember seeing Patriots defensivecoordinatorMattPatriciaonthefieldandhewasgoingtogiveusaninterview,buthewassoemotionalandhadtearsinhiseyes.HismotherhadcomedowntothefieldandsomeoneforsomereasonhadthrownanAmericanflagoverhim,andyoucouldseethathismotherhadneverbeenprouderofhim.Itwasjustanincrediblescene.Thesearethemomentsweallgetintothisbusinesstobeapartof.

JasonGayColumnist,WallStreetJournal

TheTourdeFranceTheTourdeFrancehasbeendescribedasthreeweeks’worthofSuperBowls,

but that’s not completely accurate; a betterway to describe it is threeweeks’worth of Super Bowls and also three weeks’ worth of Super Bowl parades.Because that’s what it pretty much is: one of the planet’s most demandingsporting events sandwiched inbetweenanear-dailyMardiGraspartying.Youdonothavetobeacyclingfantoloveit;IsuspectagoodnumberofpeopleontheroadwaysofFrancearecasualfansatbest.Butit’saprettygloriouswaytospendaday.ThisisthepartwhereIremindyouthatyou’reinFrance,soyoudonothavetoworryaboutthefoodandwinesituation.It’sbasicallyimpossibletoscrewthatup.Ifyou’relucky,youfindyourselfinthemountains,hopefullytheAlps, which are almost comical in their scale and beauty, and punishing onanyonewho’s chosen to rideup. I’vebeen fortunate enough to rideanAlpinestagebeforetherace,anditdoesgiveyourealperspectiveonhowtrulybrutalthesportcanbe.Cyclinghasabadrapbecauseofthedrugscandals,andthisismostlydeserved;it’saself-inflictedmess.Butithasn’tdiminishedarealitythatbecomesveryclearonthesideoftheroadinFranceinJuly:itisoneofthemoststaggeringlybeautifulsportingeventsontheplanet.Itpassesbyinjustacoupleminutes,butthosecoupleofminutesareunforgettable.Thenthere’smorewine,somecheese,maybesomechocolate,andaslowreturndownthemountain.

2011NCAAWrestlingChampionships,WellsFargoCenter, Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,March17-19,2011Iamnotawrestler.Ididnotgrowupfollowingthesport.Inhighschool,the

wrestling room was a pungent place I quickly walked past on the way tobasketballpractice.AndyetIknowit’sanextraordinarysportwitharichhistoryandtradition,andin2011IfoundmyselfattheNCAADivisionIchampionshipsinPhiladelphiatowatchawrestlerfromArizonaStatenamedAnthonyRobles.Robleswasbornwithout a right leg,buthadbecomeanelitehigh school andcollegiatewrestlerandwasnowonthevergeofanationaltitle,hisfirst.Alongtheway,he’dbecomeaninspirationalfigurewithanationalfollowing.Butonthisnight,intheconcreteoftheWellsFargoCenter,hejustwantedtowin.Hisopponent was a wrestler from Iowa named Matt McDonough, the defendingchampioninthe125-lb.weightclass,whowasindifficultpositionofstandinginthewayofaconclusionmostlyeverybodywanted.Roblescameoutveryhardandtookanearlyadvantage,andthatwasreallythat.McDonoughmanagedonlyone point. Robles took the national title, his last goal as a college athlete. I

remembertalkingwithhiminthecorridorafterwardandseeinghisquietjoy.Inthatmoment,Robleswasn’tan inspirationoraheartwarmingstoryoramediasensation. He was a champion.Which is what he’d worked for, and what hereallywanted.

2012SummerOlympics,Men’sTennisSemifinals,TheAllEnglandLawnTennisClub,London,England,August3,2012IgrewupwatchingWimbledonwithmydad.Becauseofthetimedifference,

thetennischampionshipsattheAllEnglandLawnTennisandCroquetClubaretelevisedinthemorningintheUnitedStates,ofcourse—rightaroundthetimeIusually atemyCheerios. Thiswas in and of itself a treat:my dad lettingmewatchTVbeforenoon.Thiswasalsothelate1970sand’80s,anapexfortennis;the game was dominated by true originals like Bjorn Borg, John McEnroe,JimmyConnors,ChrisEvert,andMartinaNavratilova.Long,hotmorningswerespentinsidethehouse,watchingiconsplayonmanicuredgrassinthisjewelboxofastadiumthatlookedlikesomethingoutofanimpossiblefantasy.Itwasn’tuntil2012thatIgottoWimbledonmyself,anditwasn’ttechnicallyWimbledon,but theOlympics in London,whichwere using theAll England Club for thetenniscompetition.Butitwasstillthesamepalace.Wimbledonisoneofthoseplaces that appears magical on TV even if TV doesn’t fully render all of itsmagic.When Iwalked intoCentreCourt—I’m trying not to say, “It tookmybreathaway,”butittookmybreathaway.Asithappened,mywifewaspregnantwith our first child, and she sent me a sonogram photo onmy phone just asRogerFedererwasabouttoplayJuanMartindelPotro.Thiswasafirstpictureofourson-to-be,andIimmediatelythoughtofallthehoursI’dspentwatchingtennisfromthiscourtwithmyfather.Federerwoundupwinning,3–6,7–6,19–17, in what is considered one of the greatest best-of-three-set matches of alltime.But I don’t remember thematch verywell.What I remembermostwaswishingIwastherewithmydad.

2012 Summer Olympics, Men’s Keirin, London Velopark, London,England,August7,2012IguessthismeansIamlistingtwoeventsfromthesameOlympics,butIlove

theOlympicsforaverystraightforwardreason:everysingleday,youseeoneofthegreatestmomentsof someone’s life. I’mabitofacycling fanatic,and theScotsmanChrisHoy isconsideredoneof thegreatest track ridersever;beforethe 2012 Olympics even happened, he’d wonmultiple gold medals and beenknighted by theQueen. Londonwas supposed to be a grand climax toHoy’s

extraordinarycareer,buttherewasalsoastonishingamountofpressureonhim,as there was for all of the UK favorites. The Velopark in London had beenrocking allweek, andon the final day,Hoy foundhimself in theKeirin final.TheKeirinisaneccentricraceinwhichtheriderspacethemselvesbehindatinymotorbike for a few laps until themotorbike peels away, and then it’s amadsprint to the finish.Hoymanaged to get out in front until the final lap,whenGermany’sMaxLevypulledonhisrightandgotalmostafullwheelonhim.Ifyou’resprintingabikeandsomeonegetsafullwheelonyou,it’sawfullyhardto get back in front.Hoy himself admitted asmuch later—he thought hewasdoomed.Somehow,miraculouslyalmost,Hoymanagedtopullbackinfront.ItwaslikewatchingSupermanpryatruckoffofabridge.Hoywontherace—hissixthgold,makinghim themost successfulBritishOlympianofall time—andthearenajustexplodedasifsomeonehadreleasedavalve.Afewminutes,that’sallitwas.ButoneofthegreatestsportsmomentsIeversaw.

2013 World Series, Game Six, St. Louis Cardinals at Boston Red Sox,FenwayPark,Boston,Massachusetts,October30,2013Bynow,we’reusedtotheideaof theRedSoxaswinners—aftermorethan

eight decades of suffering, theywent out andwon threeWorld Series in nineseasons.IamoldenoughtorememberwhentheRedSoxdidn’twin—orrather,theywonenoughtoputthemselvesinapositiontolose,andnotjustlose,buttolose in dramatic and tragicomic fashion, to the pointwhere the sufferingwasexpected,aritualforanyonewhodaredtoputtheirheartbehindthisstar-crossedteam. I doubt I’ll remember any of the Red Sox twenty-first centurychampionshipsinthewayIrememberOctober1986,whenBobStanleycameinto replace Calvin Schiraldi in Game Six, and the Great Meltdown UnfairlyPeggedtoBillBucknerbegan(IwasatAmyHanson’shouseineighthgrade,Ithink her parentswere away, she had a small party; if theHansons read this,pleasedon’tgroundAmy).Thatkindofagonystickswithyoumuchlongerthanthejoy,andyetin2013theRedSoxmanagedtodosomethingthey’dnotdonesince1918,whichwastowinaSeriesathome.FenwayParkisamuchdifferentplacethanIrememberitfrommyteenageyears—thereareseatsatoptheGreenMonster, tickets cost as much as Cape vacations, and people are nice to oneanotherinthebleachers.Satisfactionhasnowreplacedanxiety;thewholethingissuper-weirdandforeignandalittleunsettlingtome.I’mfarmorecomfortablewhen the Red Sox are in free fall. And yet, this night against St. Louis wassomethingonlyahandfuloflivingBostonianscouldclaimtohaveexperienced,aWorldSeriesclincherathome,and theSoxmade iteasy, jumpingout toan

early lead and turning the evening off Landsdowne St. into a three-hourcoronation.Whenitwasover, therewasnoshockorsentimentalityorevenanimpromptuthronginKenmoreSquare.Itwasjust…happiness.Andhistory.

DougGottliebBroadcaster,FOXSports

1988WorldSeries,GameTwo,OaklandAthleticsatLosAngelesDodgers,DodgerStadium,LosAngeles,California,October16,1988My best friend growing up was Miles Simon, who played basketball at

Arizona and won a national championship there. We had a friend who hadseason tickets for theDodgers, and hewent toGameOne,whileMiles and Iwent toGameTwo.I rememberwatchingGameOneatMiles’shouse,andheturnedtomeandsaidKirkGibsonwasgoingtohitahomerun.Ilookedathimandsaidhecouldn’tevenwalk,andofcourse,hehitahomerun.ThatgotusevenmoreexcitedtogotoGameTwothenextnight,whenOrelHershiserwaspitching for theDodgers.Hewas so completely and thoroughlydominant thatnight. Imightbehokey thisway,but I always try to takeamessage frombigsportingeventsI’veseen.Themessageherewasthat,despitewhatanyonesays,thereisacarryoverfromonegametothenext.TheA’swentouttherethinkingtheyhadnochance.Theywerefacingthemostdominantpitcherinbaseball,andthe night before, the most dominant closer in baseball had given up a game-winninghomerun.Itwasoneofthosethingswheretheywereplaying,butthegamewas basically over before it even started.You couldn’t help but get theideathattheKirkGibsonhomerun,followedbyHershiserstartingGameTwo,completelydeflatedtheA’s.

1990 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament First Round, LoyolaMarymount vs. New Mexico State, Long Beach Arena, Long Beach,California,March16,1990This was LoyolaMarymount’s first game after Hank Gathers passed away

duringtheWCCsemifinals. Iwasineighthgradeat the time,andthesummerbefore,IhadplayedinapickupgameatCalStateNorthridgewithGathers.Hewassuchan incrediblespecimenandlookedlikehewaschiseledoutofstone.TherewereacoupleofOrangeCountyguysonthatteam,andtheywereacoolstory, with Bo Kimble and Gathers and the obscene number of points they

scoredeverygame.IwaswatchingthegamewhenHankdied.Iactuallyhadafriendwhohaddiedsuddenlyearlierthatyear,aswell.SoIwenttothearenatowatchthemplay.I’dbeentothatarenamanytimes,sincemydadhadbeenanassistantatLongBeachState,andhadseenitfull,butnotlikeitwasthisday.Everywhereyou looked, therewere signs for“Hank theBank,”which iswhatthey called Gathers. Everything was adorned with 44s and LMU’s colors ofmaroon and baby blue. When the Lions came out, there was a hum and amurmurthroughthecrowd,andtheyranupanddownthefloorasusual,makinglotsofshots.ThenBoKimblegotfouledandwenttotheline.Hetookacoupleofdribbleswithhisrighthand, thenswitchedtohis lefthand.Notonlydidheswitch tohonorhis friendHank,buthemade the free throw.Grownmenandwomenstartedcrying, andhepointedup to the sky. Itwas suchanemotionalmoment.I’vegrownuparoundcollegebasketballandwillneverforgetwhatitwasliketoseethatconnectionnotjustbetweenateamandtheirfans,butmaybeeveryone’smortality, too. I’ve always loved theNCAATournament and havebeentotwentyFinalFours,butthismomentwasthecoolestoneofallofthem.

USCatUCLA,RoseBowl,Pasadena,California,November23,1996USCscoredmidwaythroughthefourthquartertogoupseventeenpoints,but

UCLAcamebacktoforcetheonlyovertimegameeverbetweenthetwoteams.TheRoseBowlisverydifficulttogetoutofafteragame,andmybrotherandsister,whohadbothgone toUCLA,were in townat thegame,whileIwas injunior college aftergoing toNotreDame theyearbefore.Ourpregamedrinkswerestartingtowearoff,andweweregettingalittletiredandcrankyanddidn’tfeel like sitting in traffic.Wewere sodisgustedwith theway theBruinswereplayingwhentheyfellbehindbyseventeen,wedecidedtoleaveanddidn’teventhink twiceabout it.Whenwegot to thecar,acheerwentup,andwefiguredUSChadscoredagain.Ididn’teventurnontheradiointhecar,droveanhourtogethome,playedbasketball,andthenturnedontheTVaftereatingdinner,onlytofindoutUCLAwonthegameintwoovertimes.ItwasthefirsttimeinmylifewhereIhadbeenbittenbythatbugtobeat thetraffic.Ofcourse,IcouldhavesaidIwasatthecomebackandthatitwasamazing.

2003 NBAWestern Conference Finals, Game Six, San Antonio Spurs atDallasMavericks,AmericanAirlinesCenter,Dallas,Texas,May29,2003TonyParkerwasinhissecondseasonthatyear,andatthetime,therewastalk

about the Spurs either trading Parker or trading for JasonKidd. So often, wefocusonstars,andforgoodreason.TimDuncanwasincredible,butSteveKerr

wonthatgame.Hedidn’tplayaminute in thefirsthalf,butathalftime,Iwasdown near the court and saw him and Steve Smith come sprinting out of thetunnel,andtheywereclearlytryingtogetlooseforthesecondhalf.Kerrcameintothegamelateinthethirdquarterandacoupleminutesinmadehisfirstshot—a three-pointer. He ended up making four threes and played flawlessbasketball.Hedidn’tplaya lot,butoneof thegreatestskills insports isbeingabletositonthebenchformostofthegame,andthencomeinandmakeashot.That’stalentandyearsofbeingabletogrooveyourshot.Thereasonguyswanttostartisn’tbecausetheywanttoheartheirnamecalled,it isbecauseyoucangetacclimatedtotheflowofthegameeasier.Comingoffthebench,though,ishard, especially at theNBA level,whenmostof theplayers areused tobeingstartersalltheirlife.Imarveledatthisguyinhismid-30scomingincompletelycold and dominating a game. I’ve asked Steve about it, and he said he didn’tknowthecallwascoming.HejustwentouttherewithSteveSmithtogetreadyincaseitdid.

2008 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Finals, Kansas vs. Memphis,Alamodome,SanAntonio,Texas,April7,2008IwasworkingforESPNatthetime.Itwasareallyclosegame,andKansas

coach Bill Self went to a triangle-and-two, which is guarding the best twoplayers on the other team, while playing a zone and daring the other threeplayers to shoot. So the Jayhawks were guarding Chris Douglas-Roberts andDerrickRoseman-to-manandweren’tguardingtheotherplayers,butMemphisthengoesandmakesabunchofshots.Guysthatweren’tshootersweremakingthempay.ThetwonarrativesinthegamewereJohnCaliparipotentiallywinninghisfirstnationalchampionship,whileBillSelfcouldn’twinthebiggame(eventhoughIthoughthemadetherightcallbygoingtothezone).Asthegamewenton,though,whenyoulookedatMemphis,theylookedtired.TheFinalFourisalongweekend for the players, coming at the end of a four-week stretch filledwith travel, practices,media sessions, andgames, and there is never a time tocatchyourbreath.Thatmeansthecoachesneedtobemindfuloffatigue,andIrememberwatchingtheMemphisplayersatthefreethrowlineandthinkingthattheywere dead tired.Even though theyweremaking shots andwinning, theystill looked likea fighterwhowas justabout to tipover.Sureenough,Kansasmakesacoupleofplays,andMarioChalmerssendsthegameintoovertimeaftera couple of missed Memphis free throws. I just think it was mental fatigue.Calipariwastellinghisguystofoulinthebackcourt,buttheydidn’t.Kansasranthe sameplay they always ran in that spot, and almost screwed it up, but still

cameawaywiththegame-tyingthree.NotonlywasMemphisexhausted,butthemoment that ball went in, after they thought they had the game and thechampionshipwon, that gamewas over. The overtimewas just a formality atthatpoint.

MarioChalmersmakesathree-pointertosendthe2008NCAAtitlegameintoovertime.(APPhoto/MarkHumphrey)

MikeGreenbergBroadcaster,ESPN

Indiana at Northwestern,Welsh-Ryan Arena, Evanston, Illinois, January11,1988Iwent toNorthwestern in themid-’80s, and like everyone else, I supported

thesportsteamsthere.Thefootballteamsweren’tverygood,andIwenttothegames and rooted for them, but I really loved the basketball team. MyroommatesandIwenttoeverygame.Oneofthenicethingsaboutgoingtothegamestherewasthatourseatsweredirectlybehindthevisitors’bench,soeverytimeI’veencounteredBobKnightorGeneKeadyorLouHensonoranyoftheBigTen coacheswhowere there during those years, I’ve had to apologize tothemforthethingsIscreamedatthemduringthosegames.NorthwesternalwaysplayedthesegreatBigTenteamstoughbutalwayslost.

It was heartbreaking. They were a scrappy, hard-working team that was veryeasy to root for, and they always came up just short against teams that wereclearlybetterthanthem.Indianawasthedefendingnationalchampion,andthiswasthebeginningofwhatESPNcalledBigMonday,whereeveryBigTenteamwasguaranteedonehomegameonESPN,andthiswasthatnight.Itwasaclose,hard-fought game, but Northwestern finally won. I still remember one of ourguards,TerryBuford,dribblingtheclockouttocloseouta66–64win,andwejustwentcrazy.IthinkmyroommatesandIwerethefirstonesoutonthefloorasthecrowedstormedthecourt.IwasstandingbehindheadcoachBillFosterasDick Vitale was interviewing him after the game, and my roommate, CraigIsaacs,went over to the scorer’s table and grabbedDick’s gamenotes…andstillhas themto thisday. Itwas themostexcitedI’veeverbeen toseea teamwininmylife.I’veseenteamswinmoresignificantgames,butI’veneverbeenhappiertoseeateamwinagame.

SuperBowlXXVII,DallasCowboysvs.BuffaloBills,RoseBowl,Pasadena,California,January31,1993This was significant to me, because it was the first Super Bowl I ever

attended. Likemost people inmy generation, I grew upwith the SuperBowlbeing the biggest event of the year. I was covering the game for WSCR inChicago,anditwasthethrillofalifetime.IwasinPasadenafortheweekandcoveredalloftheeventsleadinguptothegame.ShowingjusthowlittleIreallyknow,IpickedtheBillstowin,sayingthattheyhadbeenintheSuperBowltheyearbeforeandhadexperiencebeingthere,whiletheCowboyswerethisyoung,upstartteam.Ofcourse,Dallasendedupwinning,52–17.Therewerealotofmemorablethingsaboutthatgame.Thehalftimeshowwas

Michael Jackson, and it waswithout question the greatest halftime show I’veeverseen.ThegamealsohadthelegendaryLeonLettplay,wherehewasgoinginforwhatreallywouldhavebeenameaninglesstouchdownafterrecoveringafumble,butDonBeebecamerunningupfrombehindhimtoknocktheballoutofhishandbeforehescoredinwhatwasoneof thegreatesthustleplaysever.ButwhatIremembermostwastheNationalAnthem,whichwassungbyGarthBrooks. Amilitary flyover went by, the sun was just starting to set over themountainsinthedistance,andIstartedtothinkaboutallofthetimesIwatchedtheSuperBowlwithmyfamilyandthatIwasfinallyatone.Itreallyfelt,morethananything inmy life, thatmydreamofworking in thesportsbusinesshadreallycometrue.Imightnothavewept,butIcertainlyhadtearsinmyeyesasthoseplaneswentoverhead.I’vebeentoseventeenSuperBowls,andthisoneisstillthemostmemorableexperienceI’vehadatanyofthem.

Minnesota Twins vs. Chicago White Sox, Ed Smith Stadium, Sarasota,Florida,March14,1994WhenMichaelJordanleftbasketballafterhisfatherwastragicallykilled,he

tried his hand at a baseball career with the ChicagoWhite Sox and attendedspringtraininginSarasota,Florida.TheradiostationIwasworkingforsentmetocoverit,andIspent theentiretyofspringtrainingcoveringMichaelJordan,whowasultimatelyassignedtotheteam’sAAaffiliateinBirmingham,Alabama(where he was managed by future Red Sox and Indians manager TerryFrancona).The White Sox were a very good team at the time, with guys like Frank

ThomasandRobinVentura.IwasahugeJordanfan,especiallyafterwatchinghimsucceedlikehedidintheNBA,andfounditexcruciatingtowatchhimplaybaseball,becausehestruggledsomightily.IwouldsitinthepressboxesinthesetinylittlestadiumsashetraveledupanddownthewestcoastofFlorida,andIcan’tcounthowmanytimeshewouldbeplayingtheoutfieldandoffthecrackof the bat, he would be running in the wrong direction. It was just awful to

watch,and I felt sickwatchinghim.Hewas0 forhis first fivegames, just anincredibly long, depressing streak of hitless at-bats. Then, on a rainy night inSarasota,when the rainwas hard enough thatmost people assumed the gamewouldn’tbeplayed,Jordanhitalittledribblerupthethirdbaselineandbeatitoutforhisfirsthit.Therecouldn’thavebeenmorethanathousandpeopleinthestandsandonlyaroundfivereportersinthepressbox.Afterthegame,wewentinto the clubhouse to talk tohim, and all of his teammatesweregivinghimabeershowerincelebration,asthoughhehadjustwontheWorldSeries.Afterweweredone,Istartedtoleave,butsomethinginsideofmemademeturnandlookathimonemoretime,andhewassittingtherecoveredincheapbeer,withjusthispantson,noshirt,andalookofsatisfactionandjoyonhisfacethatwastheequivalentofanythingI’deverseenfromhimwhenhewasabasketballplayer.I’dprobablyseenhimmoreexcited,butnevermoresatisfied.Thatexpressiononhisfacehasjuststayedwithmeforever.IhaveendlessandundyingrespectforMichaelJordan,andthatnightmademerespecthimevenmore,forsomereasonthatIjustcan’tputmyfingeron.

ChicagoBulls atNewYorkKnicks,Madison SquareGarden,NewYork,NewYork,March28,1995IcoveredMichaelJordanthroughagoodpartofhisearlycareer,includingthe

first three championships with the Bulls. When he came back after playingbaseball, hewaswearingnumber45 insteadofhis famous23 anddidn’t lookquitehimself,whichmadesense,sinceherejoinedtheBullslateintheregularseason.Hejustlookedalittlerustyandalittleoffforthefirstfewgames,untilhegottoMadisonSquareGardeninthefifthgameofhiscomebacktoplaytheKnicks.TheKnicksandtheBullshadagreatrivalryatthetime,sothespotlightwas

reallyonhim inhis firstgame inNewYork.Ofcourse, itendedupbeing thenight thathescored55pointsand thenwon thegamewithagorgeouspass toBill Wennington for an uncontested dunk after taking an inbounds pass andhavingtheentireKnicksteamchasehimbeforehepassedtoWennington.I remember walking in the media entrance, and a guy approached me and

offeredme$5,000formymediapass. Iwas in thebuildingforfourof thesixchampionshipsthatJordanwon,yetMadisonSquareGardenthatnight,onthatstage,wasaselectricasanyofthenightshewonatitle.Hemightnothavefullyregained his form until the next season, when he would win anotherchampionship, but thatwas the night I knew hewas back. I grew up inNewYorkCityandwasaKnicksseason ticketholderasakid,and forme there is

somethingdifferent aboutMadisonSquareGarden than anyother building, soforthistohappentherejustmagnifiedit.Reasonableornot,itjustmadeitfeelbigger.Thatnight,itfeltlikethebiggestsportingeventintheworld.

Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints, Louisiana Superdome, NewOrleans,Louisiana,September25,2006SometimeafterthetragiceventsofHurricaneKatrina,myradiopartnerMike

Golic and I went to New Orleans. I remember walking around the city andhavingpeoplecomeuptousandaskustotelleveryoneduringourshowshowgreat theywere doing and how great the citywas doing.Only the city didn’tlookgreat;itwaslikeamillionbombshadgoneoff.Then,theSaintscameback,andwewentbackagainfortheirfirstgamebackintheSuperdome,whichwason aMonday night. Since ESPN doesMondayNight Football, it was a hugeevent for us as a company, and they sentMike andmedown to do our showfromthere.Atthegame,U2andGreenDaycameouttoperform.SteveGleasonblockedapuntthatturnedintoatouchdowntobeattheFalcons,aplaythathasbeenimmortalizedwithastatueinfrontofthestadium.Outofallofthesportingevents I’ve been to, I’ve never been in a stadium that was louder than theSuperdomethatnight.

MikeHillBroadcaster,FOXSports

1999AFCWildCardPlayoffs,BuffaloBillsatTennesseeTitans,AdelphiaColiseum,Nashville,Tennessee,January8,2000IwasworkingforWKRNinNashville,anditwasmyfirstchancetocoveran

NFLteam,anditendedupbeinganewteam(theychangedtheirnamefromtheOilerstotheTitansstartingwiththe1999season)inanewstadiumthatwentononeofthosemagicalruns.Irememberhowquietthestadium,whichwasoneofthe loudest in the league at the time, got afterBuffalo scored to take the leadwithjustafewsecondstogointhegame.IwasonthesidelinebehindtheTitansbenchandwas lookingupat the Jumbotronas theTitans received thekickoffand theplaydeveloped.AfterFrankWycheck lateraled toKevinDyson, fromthat sideline, you could see that the Bills were fooled and Dyson was in theclear.Ifyoutookawide-angleshotofthatstadiumfromuphigh,youcouldseeme runningdown the sideline, cheeringDyson as he scored.The stadium justeruptedtoepicproportions.Ofcourse,theyfirsthadtoreviewtheplaytomakesure the lateral was legal. When the referee went under the replay hood, Iremember tellingmy friends that I didn’t care if it was a legal lateral or not.Today,itwasgoingtobealateralbecauseifitwasn’t,therefsmightnothavegottenoutof thebuildingwiththeir lives.Itwasreally intensewhileeveryonewaited,andtheboothwasrightupagainstthestands,wheretherewerepeoplesittingwearinghuntinggear,yellingtotherefthathebettergetitright.ItwassoclosethatIjustdon’tthinktheyhadanychoicebuttoletitstand.

SuperBowlXXXIV,St.LouisRamsvs.TennesseeTitans,GeorgiaDome,Atlanta,Georgia,January30,2000Thegamewaskindofboring for the first threequarters.As Iheadeddown

frommyseatuphighintheGeorgiaDometothefield,theTitansscoredonanAl Del Greco field goal to tie the game. ThenKurtWarner answered on theRams’firstplayfromscrimmagewithabombtoIsaacBrucetoregainthelead.Iwasenroutetothefield,soImissedbothofthosescores.Theywouldn’tletany

mediaonthefielduntil thegamewasover,soIwatchedthefinaldriveof thegamewithafewdozenmediamembersonaTVmonitorinthetunnelleadingtothefield.AftertheTitanswerestoppedonthefinalplayofthegame,Iwentintotheteam’slockerroom,anditfeltlikeamorgue.Theteamwasdevastated,andI’ll never forget the looks on the faces of guys like FrankWycheck orKevinDyson,whostretchedoutonthatlastplaybutwasstoppedjustshortoftheendzone.Toseea team thatyoucoveredallyear longcomeuponeyardshortofpossiblywinningtheSuperBowl,itactuallystillhurtstothisday,eventhoughI’mnotaTitansfan.

MikeJonestacklesKevinDysonjustbeforethegoallineonfinalplayofSuperBowlXXXIV.(APPhoto/KevinTerrell)

2000WorldSeries,NewYorkMetsvs.NewYorkYankees,SheaStadium,Flushing,NewYork,andYankeeStadium,Bronx,NewYork,October21-26,2000Itwasmy first yearworking inNewYork for FOXSportsNewYork and

MSGNetwork. I grew up across the street from the old Yankee Stadium on158thStreetandGerardAvenue,so tobe inNewYork,covering the teamforthe first time as they played in theWorld Series, was an unbelievable thrill.What made it even more memorable, of course, is that it was against thecrosstown,hatedrivalMets. I remember thecitybeingelectric—everyonewasso hardcore about the Series starting. At Game One, the atmosphere was

incrediblytense,andthereweresomanyunforgettablemomentsthroughouttheentire series, from Timo Perez being thrown out at home to Roger ClemensthrowingthebatatMikePiazzatoDerekJeter’sheroics.AttheSeriesclincher,whichwasGameFiveatSheaStadium,Iwassittingupinthegrandstandabovehome plate in the media area. When Piazza made the final out, I could seeMarianoRivera’sfaceonthemound.Forasplitsecond,hethoughthehadgivenupagame-tyinghomerunonthepitch.Thenthecelebrationstarted,andIgotthechancetobeonthefieldduringitwhiledoinginterviews.Tobedowntherewithmyfavoriteteamofanysport,itwasamagicalmomentforme.

Seattle SuperSonics at New York Knicks, Madison Square Garden, NewYork,NewYork,February27,2001Ididn’tgetachance tocoverPatrickEwingwhileheplayedfor theKnicks

butdidget tocover thegame inwhichhemadehis return toMadisonSquareGardenafterbeing traded toSeattle. I hadalwaysheardhowPatrickcouldbebelligerentorornerywiththemedia.HeneverbroughtachampionshiptoNewYork,andthefanswouldgetonhimattimesbecauseofthat,butIstillthinkheisthegreatestKnickofalltime.WhenhecamebackwiththeSonics,itlookedsoweird,but itwas the first time Ihadevergotten to seehim inperson.Theovationhegotfromthefansthatnight,evenwhilewearingthatotheruniform,wasamazing.Heonlyscored12points,butjusthimcomingbackontothatcourtattheGarden,andthatovationhegot,wasunforgettable.

BernardHopkinsvs.FelixTrinidad,MadisonSquareGarden,NewYork,NewYork,September29,2001IhadachancetointerviewBernardHopkinsaheadofthefightandlikedhim

after talkingtohim.Hisbackstoryreallywasamazing.Iwent to thefightasafan,notamemberofthemedia,andwillneverforgethowdividedthearenawasthat night. The PuertoRican fans of Felix Trinidad outnumbered theAfrican-AmericanfansofHopkinsprobablyaround80–20,andsittingthereinthearena,Iwasalittlenervous.Irememberseeingatleasttenfightsinthecrowd.Therewereactuallybetterfightsoutsideoftheringthaninsideit,andtheywererightdown racial lines. I was there to cheer for Hopkins, who would pull off anincredibleupset,butIdon’tthinkIstoodupandcheeredoncetheentirenight.Thenightwasn’tnecessarilymemorableforthemostpositiveofreasons,butitwasdefinitelyunforgettable.IgrewupintheBronx,butIwasveryafraidthatnightinmidtownManhattan.

E.J.HradekBroadcaster,NHLNetwork

1977WorldSeries,GameSix,LosAngelesDodgersatNewYorkYankees,YankeeStadium,Bronx,NewYork,October18,1977I was seventeen years old and sitting in the bleachers at the old Yankee

Stadium,andbeingahugeYankeefan,itwasexcitingtobethere.Icampedoutovernightoutsidethestadiumtogetthetickets,sojustgettingtheticketswasamemorableexperience.TheYankeeshadn’twonaWorldSeriessincebeforeIwasoldenoughtounderstandandwereswepttheseasonbeforebytheReds,soitwasanexciting time forYankees fans.Reggiehadhithis first twohomers,andwhenhehitthethirdhomeroffofCharlieHough,frommyspotintherightfieldbleachers,theballlookedlikeitwentstraightupintheair.Itwasn’toneofthosethat,fromourangle,weknewwasgone.It justwenthighintheair,andwhenit reacheditshighestpoint, it just tookoff.Maybeitwas thespinof theball after hitting a knuckleball, but it landed in the old black area at YankeeStadium,wherenotmanyhomerswent.Onlyafewminuteslater, theYankeeswonthegameandtheWorldSeries,whichwasanotheremotionalrelease.I’veexperiencedalotofeventswhileinthemedia,butIthinkitisalotmorefuntobethereasafan,whenyoucanjustletitoutandhavethatemotionaltietoit.

1980 Stanley Cup Finals, Game Six, Philadelphia Flyers at New YorkIslanders,NassauColiseum,Uniondale,NewYork,May24,1980ItwasanafternoongameonawarmMayday,andIscalpedaticketfor$75to

getin,whichwasbasicallyallthemoneyIhadatthetime.IhadgonetoalloftheIslanders’homeplayoffgamesthatseasonexceptone,andtherewasnowayIwasgoingtomissapotentialStanleyCup-clincher.IwassittingabouthalfwayuptheupperbowlbehindthenetinwhichtheIslanderswouldeventuallyscorethewinning goal. The Islanders led, 4–2, but gave up two late goals, and thegamewenttoovertime.Obviously,everybodywasonpinsandneedles,becausethe Islanders were a team that had teased their fans for so long and had adisappointinglossintheplayoffstotheRangerstheyearbefore,soblowingthat

leadcausedalotoftensionforthefans.Idon’tthinkanybodywasreallyeagertohave toplay theFlyers inaGameSeven. I remember theplayunfolding inovertime,andBobbyNystromwasabletogethisstickonapassanddeflectitpast Flyers goalie Pete Peeters. It was absolute pandemonium in the buildingafterthegoal.Securitywasn’tquitewhatitistoday,sotheplacewentbonkers,and fanswere leaping over the glass and running out onto the ice. Then theybrought the Cup out, and, also unlike today, there wasn’t the pomp andcircumstanceofanannouncementandpresentation.Itjustcameoutofthetunnelandyoucouldseeitontheice,andthenextthingyouknew,IslanderscaptainDenisPotvinwasskatingaroundwithit.Atthattime,theRangerswerethebigteamintheNewYorkareabuthadn’twonaCupsince1940,sofortheIslanderstowinoneinjusttheireighthseasonwasunbelievable.Itwasacrazyparty,andIcouldn’tspeakforacoupleofdaysafterfromyellingsomuch.

1996NFCChampionshipGame,CarolinaPanthersatGreenBayPackers,LambeauField,GreenBay,Wisconsin,January12,1997IgrewupaGreenBayPackersfan,eventhoughIlivedinNewYork.Iwasa

kid during the Vince Lombardi era, so some of the first games I saw ontelevisionwerebigPackersgames,includingtheIceBowl.IhadneverbeentoLambeauField,though,untilthisgame.ThePackershadbeensobadforsolongtothispointthatIcouldn’thaveimaginedthemplayingforaspotintheSuperBowl.Iendedupgettingticketstothegameandwentwithafriendofmine.Onthedaybeforethegame,whenwegottoGreenBay,wedroveovertoLambeauand got out of our car and got on our knees in the parking lot in front of thehallowed stadium.Before the game, theyhad a videoofReggieWhite saying“AmazingGrace,”anditstuckwithmehowdifferent theatmospherewasatagamethere.WeweresittingnearoneofthegoallinesandIrememberDorseyLevens catching apass right in frontofus for a touchdown,whichwasgreat.UsuallyatanNFLgame,you’llseeanumberoffansfromtheotherteam,butthereweren’tmanyPanthersfansthatday.ImighthaveseenjustoneguyinaCarolinajersey.That’sit.Justone.Hedidn’tgettoomanychancestogetveryexcited, though.But even though hewas a Panthers fan, unlike inmost othercities,theGreenBayfansactuallyembracedhimbeingthereanddidn’tpickonhim,showingjusthowdifferentitistogotoagamethere.

2001WorldSeries,GamesFourandFive,ArizonaDiamondbacksatNewYork Yankees, Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York, October 31 andNovember1,2001

Iwasatbothgamesasafan,anditisimpossibletoseparatethembecauseofhow similar they were. It was in the aftermath of 9/11, and I had been inManhattanthatmorning;IgotthroughtheLincolnTunnelaround8:45,andoneof thebuildingshadalreadybeenhit. I think thisWorldSeries resonatedwithmeevenmore,becauseI’maNewYorkerandwastherewhenithappened.Lessthantwomonthsafter9/11,NewYorkwashostingtheWorldSeries,and, likemostNewYorkers,my emotionswere frayed. Just the littlest thing could getyou teary-eyed. They brought outRonanTynan to sing “GodBlessAmerica”during the seventh-inning stretch, which was emotional, but you went fromcryingat the song to saying, “Weneedahit!”because theywere losing.TinoMartinezhomeredoffofByung-HyunKiminthebottomoftheninthtotiethegame,andeveryonewasjustemotionallyspent.Therewasjustsomuchmoretoit than the game, given the circumstances. For that game, Iwas sitting in theupperdeckbehindhomeplate,whichisaplaceIlovetosit.Thenextnight,forGame Five, I was sitting down the first base line and was with a very closefriend of mine and my mom. And again, the same thing happened. TheDiamondbacks brought Kim in for the ninth inning again, whichwe couldn’tbelieveafterhegaveupthehomertoMartinezthenightbefore.Thistime,itwasScottBrosiuswhohomered,andIrememberalmostcrushingmymotherwhenwewere jumpingupanddownandhugging.Forallof this tohappen inNewYork,justweeksafter9/11,wassoemotional.

2002WinterOlympics,Men’sIceHockeyFinals,UnitedStatesvs.Canada,ECenter,SaltLakeCity,Utah,February24,2002IcoveredtheOlympichockeytournamentin2002inSaltLake,andwhenyou

arecovering theOlympics,youarecompletely immersed for twoweeks.Overthecourseoftime,IendeduphavingalotofconversationswithHerbBrooks,whowascoachingTeamUSAthatyear. Itwas reallyspecial forme,because,beinganAmericanhockeyfanwhowatchedtheMiracleonIcein1980,hehelda special place in my sports heart, to the point where my first son is namedBrooks. The Americans made it to the gold medal game, where they facedCanada,which hadn’twonOlympic gold since 1952.TheAmericans, though,hadwonthelasttwoOlympicsonhomesoil,in1980and1960.Canadaendedupwinningthegame,anditwasafungametowatchthatwascloseforawhile.Themomentforme,though,andIthinkitmightbemymostmemorableinmycareer,was seeingBrooksafterwards. Iwentover tohim to thankhim forhistime during the tournament.Hewould just sit and engage us and talk hockeythroughout the two weeks. I thanked him for that and congratulated him on

winning silver, and he turned to me and thanked me for the questions that Iasked,andtoldmehowmuchheenjoyedtalkingwithme.Atthatpoint,Ialmostfellover,becauseherewasHerbBrookscomplimentingme.ItisamomentI’llalways treasurebecauseofhowmuch I love thegame. Ihadalwaysmeant tomakemywayup toMinnesota andmeet him for lunch one day and talk, butsadly, he passed away in a car accident before I had the chance.My sonwasbornrightaroundthetimeofhispassing,whichiswhywenamedhimBrooks.

JerryIzenbergColumnist,NewarkStar-Ledger

ElectedtoNationalSportsMediaAssociationHallofFame,2000

1970NBAFinals,GameSeven,LosAngelesLakers atNewYorkKnicks,MadisonSquareGarden,NewYork,NewYork,May8,1970TheKnickshadstarvedforachampionshipforsolongandwerestilllooking

fortheirfirstonedespitebeinganoriginalNBAteam.WillisReedhurthisleginGameFiveoftheseriesandflewwiththeteamfromNewYorktoLosAngelesinthehopesofplayinginGameSix.Theytriedeverythingtheycouldtogethimhealthyenoughtoplaybutweren’tableto,sotheyputhimonaplanehomesothathecouldtryandgetreadyforGameSeven.Itwasamuscleinjury,andbythetimehegotbacktoNewYork,hisleghurtsobadlyafterthelongflightthathealmostcrawledoff theplane. Igot to thearenaearly for thegame,and theLakerswereouton the floor shootingaround.WiltChamberlaincameover tometoaskifWilliswasgoingtoplay,andItoldhimthatifanyonewascapableofplaying,itwasWillis,butIdon’tthinkhe’llbeableto.Duringwarmups,ChamberlainkeptlookingoverattheKnicks,andtherewas

noWillis.Justbeforethepregamehornblewtoendwarmups,herecomesWillislimpingoutofthetunneltothefloor.TheLakersheardtheroaranddidn’twanttolook,exceptforWilt,whostoodtherewithhishandsonhiships.HewatchedReedwalkall thewayoutof the tunnelonto the court andover to thebench.Rightatthestartofthegame,theLakerswereshootingafreethrow,andKnickscoachRedHolzmantriedtogetReedawayfromthelaneandthecollisionthatwasgoingonfortherebound,buthestayedthereandbangedawayandgottherebound.Hepassedtheball,gotitback,andmadehislittlesoftjumper.ItwaslikeV-JDay, and I swear I could see the roof bouncing up and down. In thesecondhalf, he finishes the job.Hewould leanonChamberlain,more tohelphimself stay up than move Chamberlain away. Willis just kept leaning andleaning, andWilt looksoverhis shoulder, becauseyouknewwhenhegot theball,hewasgoingtoshoot.HetookonelookatWillis’sface,andwhenhedid,

Walt Frazier ducked in and stole the ball. Reed went down again, and hiscouragebeingoutonthecourtinsomuchpainjustcapturedme.

1973BelmontStakes,BelmontPark,Elmont,NewYork,June9,1973Secretariatisoneofmyfavoriteathletesofalltime.Ireallylovedthathorse.

Therehadn’tbeenaTripleCrownwinnersinceCitationin1948.Belmontwaspacked, itwashot, and therewas a feelingof rain in the air.Secretariat’s bigrivalintheTripleCrownraceswasSham,whohadfinishedaheadofSecretariatattheWoodMemorialearlierthatyear(althoughbothhorsesfinishedbehindthewinner,AngleLight).Rightatthestartoftherace,though,hedestroyedSham.Belmont is one of the biggest racetracks in the world, as well as one of thewidest;youcangetlostonthetrack,andjockeyswhodidn’trideitmuchdidgetlost, thinking theywere at the three-quarter polewhen theyweren’t.After thefirst turn, Secretariat just took off. I turned to the late Bob Hardy and said Ithought thehorsewasgoing tobreakdown.Heagreed,becausewehadneverseen a horse take off like that. In the owner’s box, trainerLucienLaurinwasscreaming for someone to stop jockeyRonTurcotte and slow the horse downbeforehekilledhim.Secretariatkeptgettingfartherandfartherahead,andwhenthey started coming down the stretch, Turcotte was getting upset because hecouldn’thearanythingbehindhim.Hestartedtoseesomethingonhisleft,andhe looked over, and itwas Secretariat’s shadow. Turcotte then committed thecardinalsin,whichisturningaroundinthesaddle,butwhenhelookedback,hecouldn’tseetherestof thefield.Secretariatwasinaworldofhisown,andastheywentdownthestretch,Turcottelookedupandsaid,“God,justdon’tletmefalloffthishorse.”Laterthatdayinthepressconference,thefirstthingTurcottesaidtomewas,“Iwasn’tajockey.Iwasapassenger.”

Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier, Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City,Philippines,October1,1975Ihadalotinvestedinthisfight,becausebothMuhammadAliandJoeFrazier

arefriendsofmine;Aliisprobablyoneofmyfiveclosestfriendsintheworld.BythetimethefightarrivedinManila,nobodythoughtFraziercouldfightanymore.Iactuallythoughthewasgoingtowin,though.Acoupleofmonthsbeforethe fight, Frazier’s trainers knew they needed to teach Frazier how to throwrights, since he almost always threw lefts. I didn’t even think he could tie hisshoeswithhisrighthand.Itwasasteaminghotday,withnoairconditioninginthearena.Oncetheyturnedonthetelevisionlights,ithadtobe110degrees.Thefight started, and Ali was pop, pop, pop while Frazier was plod, plod, plod.

Frazier’slegsweregettingwobblyanditlookedlikehewasgoingtogodown,andthiswentonfortwoorthreerounds.Theninthefifthround,FrazierhitAliwitharighthand.Itwasn’t theHammerofThor,butitwasagoodpunch.Alilookedathimandstartedsaying,“Youain’tgotnorighthand.”Fraziertoldhimto go ask his trainer, George Benton, about it, and then hit himwith anotherright.Thefightturnedonthat,andnowFrazierisincommand.Icanseeitlikeitwas yesterday. The reason that it was the greatest, most barbaric, and mostemotionalheavyweightfightI’veeverseenwasbecausetheebbandflowofthefightwassoupanddown.Aliwasahead,thenFrazierwasahead,thenAli,thenFrazier.Itwasanybody’sfight.I always keepmy own scorecard, and I had a draw going intowhatwould

havebeenthe15throundbutknewthefighthadtostop.IwassittingnexttothelateJerryLisker,whowasthesportseditorofthe(NewYork)Post,andFrazierwas standing there with his hands at his sides and his legs looking like wetspaghetti.AllAlihadtodowasgothreefeetandpushhim,andthefightwouldbeover,butAlicouldnotgothethreefeet.IturnedtoJerryandtoldhimthatitdidn’tmatterwhowonthefight, theyhadtostopit.Thenallhellbrokeloose.MaybeitwasGodthatdecidedthefight,maybeitwasgenetics.FrazierwasasmallmancomparedtoAli,andhiseyeswereclosing.Hiswholefightwasspentinacrouch,andhehadtostraightenuptoseeAli.ThatiswhenAlireallyhurthim. Before the 15th, Eddie Futch turned to Benton and told him to cut offFrazier’s gloves. Frazier said that if theydid that, hewouldn’t speak to eitheroneofthemagain.Atthesametime,Aliisinhiscornersprawledoutinhisstooltryingtogetuptheenergytogooutfor the lastround.ButBentoncutoff thegloves,andIwastoldlaterbyFutchthathetoldFrazierthathiseyesweretooimportant and this was just another fight. When they were announcing thewinner,Alifelltothefloor,andthereisalwaysgoingtobeadebateaboutwhy.Theseweretwobeatenfighters,andI’llalwaysrememberAlicomingoverandleaningouttousandsaying,“Fellas,thatistheclosestyou’llcometowatchingdeath.”Youjustdon’tforgetafightlikethat.

SprayfliesfromtheheadofJoeFrazierasheavyweightchampionMuhammadAliconnectswitharightintheninthroundofthe“ThrillainManila.”(APPhoto/MitsunoriChigita)

1984SummerOlympics,Greco-RomanSuperHeavyweightFinal,AnaheimConventionCenter,Anaheim,California,August2,1984IknowasmuchaboutGreco-RomanwrestlingasIdoabouttheteaceremony.

WhileIwasinLosAngelesfortheOlympics,someonetoldmethebeststoryofthegameswasgoingtobeJeffBlatnick,althoughIhadnoideawhohewas.HehadbeatenHodgkin’slymphomatomaketheteam,soIrealizedIneededtogocheckitout.Imetwithhim,andhetoldmeabouthowhefoundouthewassick,and that thedoctor toldhimhe couldbeat it, but that therewasno chancehecould compete at the Olympics because he wouldn’t have the strength tocompete after going through the treatment. He vowed to his parents that hewouldn’tjustwrestleintheOlympicsbutwouldwinwingold.Hemovedoutofhis house into a YMCA so that he could focus on beating the disease andtrainingforLosAngeles.That is exactly what happened. After he won the gold, he celebrated by

runningaroundwith theAmericanflagandtheflagofhishometown.Itwasagreatmoment,butjustoneyearlater,thecancercameback.Ofcourse,hebeatitagain. His wrestling career was over, but he triumphed over everything thattouched him before he eventually passed away in 2012 from complicationsrelatedtoheartsurgery.

2001 World Series, Game Seven, New York Yankees at ArizonaDiamondbacks,BankOneBallpark,Phoenix,Arizona,November4,2001Thiswasmoreaboutthesettingthanitwastheaboutbeingtheseventhgame

of theWorldSeries. Itwas inArizona,but therewereplentyofYankees fansthere, as there are across the country. Usually Yankees fans are hated byopposingfans,buttheyweren’tonthisnight.Itdidn’tmatterwheretheYankeeswentafter9/11, theopposing fanswould standupandcheer them,and that isreallywhatmotivatedeverybody.IhadboughtanFDNYhatandwaswearingitwhilehavingbreakfastonemorninginArizona,andthreepeoplecameovertome thinking I was in the fire department to thankme forwhatwe had done.Wearingthehatwasmywayofshowingmyappreciationforthem.Thatishowmuch everyone was aware of what was happening in New York. For theDiamondbacks,though,itmeantthattheyweren’teventhesentimentalfavoritesintheirhometown.Then, baseball took over, and this is what the seventh game of theWorld

Seriesissupposedtobe.ItwasRogerClemensagainstCurtSchilling,andtheyownedthegame.TheYankeeswereaheadlate,whenallofasudden,itstartedto rain in the desert. It was like God decided to give everyone a little morebackground to remember the night.By the ninth inning, the pitchingmatchuphad becomeRandy Johnson againstMarianoRivera. It felt like Iwas back atAli-Frazier, with two guys who always refused to lose. The DiamondbacksscoredtworunsagainstRiverainthebottomoftheninth,whichwasremarkablebecausehewassounhittableinthepostseason,towinthegameandtheseries.Afterthegame,whentheplayersweretalkingoutonthefield,youcouldsensethattheyweresayingtooneanotherthattheserieswassogoodandtheeventsoftheworldweresobigthatitdidn’treallymatterwhichteamwon.

KostyaKennedyEditorialDirector,Time,Inc./Author,LastingImpact:OneTeam,OneSeason:WhatHappensWhenOurSonsPlayFootballandPeteRose:AnAmericanDilemma

1994NHLEasternConferenceFinals,GameSeven,New JerseyDevils atNewYorkRangers,MadisonSquareGarden,NewYork,NewYork,May27,1994I was sitting in the auxiliary press box at the Garden, and when Valeri

Zelepukintiedthegamewith7.7secondsleftinregulation,wecouldn’tbelievethat it had happened. The Rangers were on the precipice of advancing to theStanleyCupFinals,butwhenthatgoalwasscored, theentirebuildingjustfellapart. I remember walking to the press room between the third period andovertimeandhearingpeopleon theconcoursesay theRangersweredone,andthattherewasnowaytheywouldcomebackfromthatbeingsoclose.ItfeltlikethefanshadlostallfaithintheirRangerstorecoverfromthatmoment.MartinBrodeurwasattheoppositeendoftheicefromusinthefirstovertime,justasZelepukinwaswhenhescoredthetyinggoal,andtheRangerswereputtingallkindsofpressureonhim.Fromourangle,though,whenthepressureturnedintoascrum,wereallycouldn’ttellwhatwasgoingon.Weweresurethepuckwasgoingtogoin,butneverdid.Therewasonefansittingnearusthatkeptyellingover and over, “Put the light on! Put the light on!,” but Brodeurwas stoningthem time and time again.WhenStephaneMatteau of theRangers finally didscore in the second overtime, it was such a surprise because it happened sosuddenly. That is one of the great things about hockey, especially when theovertimesintheplayoffsgolong.Itissoexhaustingandthenallofasudden,itisoverjustlikethat.Therearenolongdrivesdownthefieldorrallieswithtwomenon. It justhappens.The thingabout thatnight, though, isn’t just thatgoalandtheresult,butalsoknowingnowthatwewereseeingtherealstarttoMartinBrodeur’slegendaryrunasoneofthegreatestgoaliesinhockeyhistory.

California Angels at Baltimore Orioles, Camden Yards, Baltimore,

Maryland,September5,1995I covered the games where Cal Ripken tied and then passed Lou Gehrig’s

consecutivegamesplayedrecord,butdecidedtositinthestandsratherthanthepress box for them. No one really knew what to expect when the momenthappened.Itwasn’tlikehittingagame-winninghomerun,buthewassettingarecord for playing in a game. After the top of the fifth inning, when theychangedthenumberonthewarehouseinrightfieldto2,130,itwassopowerful.Igetgoosebumpsjust thinkingaboutit.Allofusgeeksthatgrewupwatchingand reading about baseball knew that number and never expected anyone tobreakthatrecord.Itwasnevergoingtohappen,butthereitwas.AndthatiswhyIthinkthegamethattiedtherecordwasmorepowerfulthanthegamethatbrokeit. It was because of that number. The reception that followed the next nightwhenhebroketherecord,whenhetookthelaparoundthepark,wasamazing,andIthinkitwasthesinglelongestsustainedapplausethatI’veeverseen.Thenightwasreallystealthilypowerful,becauseyouknewitwascoming,butyoudidn’tthinkitwasgoingtobewhatitwas.

1996 Summer Olympics, Men’s 200 Meter Final, Centennial OlympicStadium,Atlanta,Georgia,August1,1996SportsIllustratedwasputtingoutadailymagazineduringtheOlympics,andI

gottogotoabunchofdifferenteventsinAtlanta.Inhindsight,thiseventgetstaintedbecauseofMichaelJohnsontestingpositiveforsteroids,andatthetime,thereweresuspicionsabouthimandeveryoneelseinthesport.Johnsonhadthesegreatgoldenshoes,andtheyreallystoodoutonthetrack.

The200metersalwaysseemsmoreexcitingbecausetheycomearoundtheturninthetrack,andIhadaspotrightontherailintheturn.Astheycamearound,hewasmovingsopowerfullyandsofast,itlookedlikehewasbeatingeveryonebyamile.Theideathatahumanbeingcouldmovethatfastwasastonishing.Ihadn’tcoveredalotoftrackatthatpoint,soIwasabitnaïvetothesport,andIthinkthathelpedmyperspectivewithwhatIwasseeing.Iwasn’tevenwatchingthe clock, Iwaswatching the race.Butwhen itwas over, andwe all sawhistime,weallknewhehadjustsetouttodowhathewanted,whichwassetanewworldrecord.

PittsburghPenguinsatNewYorkRangers,MadisonSquareGarden,NewYork,NewYork,April18,1999WayneGretzky’s exit from hockeywas themost graceful and classy that I

thinkwe’lleversee.HemightnothavebeentheGretzkyofold,buthewasstillan extremely effective player. Therewas no fanfare, no huge sendoff at eachbuilding around the league. There were somewhispers that thismight be theend, though, and he didn’t announce until very late in the season that hewasgoingtoretire.Thewaytheschedulewasset,however,meantthathissecondtolastgamewasgoingtobeinCanada,andhislastonewasgoingtobeahomegameatMadisonSquareGarden.AtthegameinOttawa,inthepressbox,alotof thewriterswere crying, because of howmuchGretzkymeant to them andtheir“littlegame,”as theylikedtocall it. Itwasaveryemotionalmomentforthem. I probably should have realized why he made sure to announce hisretirement before one more game in Canada, but I really understood it afterbeing there. InNewYork, itwassomehowlouderandmore thunderous in thebuilding.ItwasaSundayafternoon,andhecameoutinaspotlightandskatedaroundtheicewithhishandup,andyouhadthatfeelingthatyouweren’tgoingtoseeamoreimportantorimpactfulplayertohissportthanhim.

1999NationalLeagueChampionshipSeries,GameFive,AtlantaBravesatNewYorkMets,SheaStadium,Flushing,NewYork,October17,1999TheMetsweredownthreegamestononeintheseries,buthadcomebackthe

nightbeforeagainstJohnRockertowinandmaketheseries3–1.Thatwasjustaprelude to thisgame, though,whichwent15 innings. Itwas raining theentirenight—itmightnothavebeenrainingparticularlyhard,butitrainedthroughthewholegame.Iwasthereasafanwithafriendofmine,andbecauseoftherainand the length of the game, we were moving around the building all night,bouncingfromseattoseat.TheBravesscoredonceinthetopofthe15thtotakethe lead, but the Mets loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning. RobinVenturacameupandhittheballoverthewall,butinalloftheexcitement,histeammates mobbed him and never let him get to second base, resulting in a“grandslamsingle”thatwonthegame.Igotatwingeatthatmomentthatitwasabadomen.At thatmoment, though,weallstoodthere in therain,anddidn’twanttoleave.ItwasthebestbaseballgameIwaseveratasafan.

DaveKindred

Columnist

RecipientofBasketballHallofFame’sCurtGowdyAward,2000ElectedtoNationalSportsMediaAssociationHallofFame,2007

The 1967 Masters, Third Round, Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta,Georgia,April8,1967My firstMasterswas in 1967, and I’ve been to every one since except for

1986whenJackNicklauswon(becausemysongotmarried thatweekend). In1967,IwenttoAugustawithtwogoalsinmind—toseeBenHoganhitgolfballsandseeRedSmithtype.Icheckedinatthepresscenter,andaftertheygavememy credential, I asked where Smith was. They pointed him out to me, and Istood at the back of the room and watched him type. Then I went out andwatchedHoganhitballsontherange.I thoughtHogan’shandswerethickandstrong and reminded me of my father’s hands. Hogan was fifty-four, andSaturday,heshot36onthefrontand30onthebackfora66.Asheismakingbirdiesonthebacknine,wedecidedweneededtogowatchthis.Atthat time,theyhadastandingbleacheronthe18thgreen,whereyoucouldlookdownonthegreen.Hoganwasthereandhadtomakeaputtfor30ontheback—itwasabout eighteen to twenty feet downhill. I can still seehim standing there.Theyipswerethere,anditwasalmost likehewasafraidtohit theputt.Hefinallytouches it, and it rollsdown thehill and in for the30.What I remembermostabout that day is that Hogan came into the room where the players changedshoesandwassittingonawindowseat,hisbacktoawindowthathasawhitelacecurtainonit.Thesunwascomingthroughthatcurtain,anditlookedlikeahaloaroundHogan’shead.Hewasashappyashewouldallowanyone to seehim.Hedidn’tthinkhecoulddomuchonSunday,becausehewasachingandtiredandhad limpedhiswayaround thecoursewhileshooting the66. Idon’trememberanythinghesaid,butwhilewewereallaskinghimquestions,sittinginoneoftheseatsbehinduswasArnoldPalmer,who,likeallofus,understoodthathewassittinginthepresenceofsomethingmajestic.Twentyyearslater,onWednesday ofMastersWeek, I needed to write a story and decided to writeaboutthetwentiethanniversaryofthatround.Afewweekslater,IgotaletterinthemailfromFortWorthwithBenHogan’snameonthebackoftheenvelope.Intheletter,hethankedmeforwritingabouttheroundandbringingbackallofthegreatmemories. I toldmywifeabout the letter,andher replywas“Who’s

BenHogan?”ItoldheritwaslikegettingaletterfromGod.Ihavesavedthatlettereversince.

MuhammadAlivs.JoeFrazier,MadisonSquareGarden,NewYork,NewYork,March8,1971MyfirstrealnewspaperjobwasinLouisvilleattheCourier-Journalin1966.

MuhammadAliwasalreadytheworldchampionandcamebacktoLouisville.Iwasakidwritingheadlinesandlittlestoriesthatwewereslippingintothesportssection,andsomeonetoldmethatCassiusClaywasintownandIneededtogofindhim(theLouisvillepaperstillcalledhimClay).Itwasn’thardtofindhim,andIwouldendupspendingthedaywithhim.Myfour-year-oldsonwaswithmeandAlicarriedhimaroundtoallofhisboyhoodhaunts,andIwroteastoryaboutitandhavebeenwritingabouthimeversince.Iwenttoseventeenofhisfights and did a dual biography of him andHoward Cosell called Sound andFury.Ididn’tseehimfightinperson,though,untilhiscomebackfightagainstJerryQuarry.TheFrazier fightwas the thirdafterhis returnandwasbilledas“TheFightoftheCentury.”ItwasthegreatesteventthatIhaveeverseen.OnethingIlearnedincoveringalotofboxingisthatitishardtowatchbothfighters,because you are emotionally invested in one of them. Ali held all of myemotionsatthetime;Iwasstillrelativelyyoungandcamethroughthe’60sasaliberal and was always on Ali’s side on almost every issue. He was also thegreatest athlete I’ve ever seen or ever will see. So all I see at that fight isMuhammadAli.Isatatringsideandrememberearlyinthefight,hewasbackagainst the ropes and looked down at me. I don’t think he was specificallylookingatme,butwedefinitelymadeeyecontact,andwhileFrazierispoundingon him, he is leaning over the ropes shouting to the people in the first row,saying, “No contest!” That is when he gave up rounds that he later regrettedgivingup.Becauseyoucanonlyseeoneguyinthering,IthoughtAliwonthefight,evenwhenhewasknockeddowninthe15thround,whichwasstunning.Ididn’tcountthatasmuchofanything,butnowitisoneofthegreatmomentsinfighthistory.Thewholethingwassostunningtomethat,eventhoughIwasondeadline,Icouldn’twrite.Fortunately,IwaswritingthatstoryfortheLouisvilleTimes,whichwasanafternoonpaper,soIhadallnighttofinishit.

1973BelmontStakes,BelmontPark,Elmont,NewYork,June9,1973IwasactuallyapoliticalwriterfortheCourier-Journalatthetime.Thepaper

wouldsendawritertoWashingtonforayear,thenyou’dcomebackanddoyourold job. I had been a sports columnist, but wasn’t sure I wanted to do that

forever,andlovedpolitics.IwenttoWashingtonforayear,and,coincidentally,attheendofthatyearwastheBelmont.Ididn’tseetheKentuckyDerbyorthePreaknessbutwenttotheBelmontbecauseIwastheclosestwritertoNewYorkfrom the paper. Itwas themost amazing thing I’ve ever seen.Secretariatwascomingdownthestretch,andhewasfivelengthsahead.Thenhewastenlengthsahead,thentwentylengths,thenthirty.HebecamethefirstTripleCrownwinnersinceCitation, and therewasneveradoubtwhetherhewouldwin thatday. Itwas as if all of the other horses were running uphill while he was runningdownhill. Iwas standingbeside JoeFalls,whowas a columnist at theDetroitNews, and as Secretariat reached the finish line, Falls nudges me and says,“Citation,myass.”Itwasoneofthosesurrealmoments,likeateamwinningtheWorld Series in four games by 14–0 scores in each game—an otherworldlyexperiencethatdidn’tseempossible.

JockeyRonTurcotteturnsandlooksatthefieldracingbehindSecretariatinthe1973BelmontStakes.(APPhoto/DavePickoff)

1976 Daytona 500, Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach,Florida,February15,1976RichardPettyandDavidPearsonweretheAliandFrazierofstockcarracing.

They were the two best drivers at that time. The Daytona 500 was still arelativelyyoungevent,andIwenteveryyearbecauseIwantedto.Ilikedracing

andthepeople.Pettywasaspersonableaguyasyoucouldeverwanttomeet,whilePearsonwasmore of a salt of the earth, down-home country guy.Pettywasmore popular among the fans, although everybody liked them both. Thisended up being the greatest finish to any sports event I’ve ever seen. Afteralmost500miles, itwasdownto thefinalmile,whenPearsonpassesPettyonthe backstretch and goes under him into the third turn. The two cars werebasicallyside-by-side,withPettyoutsidePearson.PearsonendsupinfrontandPetty’s only chance to win—andwhatmakes this a moment is that everyoneknowswhatheisgoingtodo—istogounderhim.IfPettywentunderPearsongoing into the fourth turn, though, physicswouldn’t allow him to stay on thebottomofthetrack.Hewasgoingsofastthatthecarwasgoingtomoveupthetrack,andthatwouldmakehimhitPearson.Soyouknowheisgoingtogolow,andthatphysicswon’tallowit.Soyouknowtheyaregoingtocollide.Thatisexactly what happens as they come out of the fourth turn, and they both gospinningintotheinfieldgrass.Pearsonhadthewherewithaltopushinhisclutchandkepttheenginerunning,whilePettydidn’tandcrossedthefinishlinegoingaround15milesperhour.IrememberPettycomingintothepressareaaftertherace and saying, “Well, this assures thatwe’ll have 100,000 people here nextyear.”

1991 World Series, Game Seven, Atlanta Braves at Minnesota Twins,Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota, October 27,1991I was working for theAtlanta Journal-Constitution, and thought andwrote

thatthiswasthebestWorldSeriesofalltime.Fivegamesweredecidedbyonerun,fourgamesweredecidedinthelastat-bat,andthreeofthegameswenttoextrainnings,includingGamesSixandSeven.Thehomegamewoneverygameintheseries,andtherewastensiontheentiretime.KirbyPuckettwonGameSixwith a home run, andBobbyCoxwalked him every time he could after that,becausehewasn’tgoingtolettheotherteam’sbesthitterbeatthem.TheseriesendedwithJackMorrispitchingoneofthegreatgamesinbaseballhistoryandDanGladdenscoringinthebottomofthe10thtowinit.IhatedtheMetrodomebecause it was so loud, and it was never louder than after that win. I wasintimately involved with the Atlanta organization and knew how it had beenshaped and formed by Stan Kasten and Bobby Cox, so I was very much ahometowncolumnist,butforsevengames,youcouldn’tgetbetterbaseball.

AndreaKremerBroadcaster,HBO/NFLNetwork/CBSSports

1980 NFC Championship Game, Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles,VeteransStadium,Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,January11,1981Myfamilyhad season tickets to theEagles from theyearVeteransStadium

opened,so I’dbeengoing togames theremywhole life.Mydad’sbest friendwasfromDallasandwasahugeCowboysfan.Everyyear,whentheCowboysandEagleswouldplay,hewouldcomeupforthegamebutwassmartenoughtoalwaysbeveryreservedinthestands.ItendedupbeingadominantEagleswin,andIremembertheeuphoriaoftheideaoftheEaglesfinallygoingtotheSuperBowl.Iwasthereasarealfan,whichIdon’tgettodoanymore.Evenmydad’sfriendwashappyforus,sincewehadwaitedsolongtogettotheSuperBowl.

1992 NBA Finals, Game One, Portland Trail Blazers at Chicago Bulls,ChicagoStadium,Chicago,Illinois,June3,1992WhenIfirststartedwithESPN,IwasbasedinChicagoandcoveredMichael

Jordana lot. Iendedupcoveringall sixofhischampionships.We’veall seenJordan take over games, but something felt different that night. His shot wasdropping,whichwasn’t a surprise,buthewasn’t a three-point shooter.Buthestartshittingthesethrees,andhekeepsmakingthem.Itwasasthoughsomeonetook an electrical cord and plugged it into the socket, and the electricity wasbeamed around the entire arena.That iswhat itwas like in that building.Notonlyareyouseeingsomethingthatyou’veneverseenbefore,butyougottoseewhat itwas likewhensomeonewas in thezone.That iswhat itwas like.Youfeltlikeeverytimehehadtheballandshotfromthree,hewasgoingtomakeit.Hemade six of them in the first half.There are a number of famous shots ofJordanfromhiscareer,buttheshrugmightbethebestofthemall.Itwasalmostlikehewassaying,“EvenIhavenocluewhat isgoingonhere.” Iwassittingrightbehind thebasketwhen theBullsplayed theLakers in theFinals andhemadethelayupwhereheswitchedhandsinmidair,anditfelt likewehadjustseen aman fly.Wewere used to seeing Jordan do incredible things. But the

abilitytohitshotaftershot,especiallywhenthatshotwasn’thisforte,wasjustamazing.

Miami Dolphins at Philadelphia Eagles, Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,November14,1993I grewup inPhiladelphia, butmy favorite teamwas theMiamiDolphins. I

wassointothemthatwhenBobGriesebrokehislegduringthe1972season,Isent Don Shula a letter saying how sorry I was about it. He sent back anautographed picture, which I put up on my wall. Fast forward to my career,whereIhadthechancetocovertheDolphinsalotandgottoknowhimabit.Iactuallybroughtthepicturewithmetoapracticeonedaytoshowhimandsaid,“I’llbetyoudidn’treallysignthatpicture.”Hepulledoutapieceofpaperandsignedit,andtheautographsmatched.Hereallydidsignit.Overtheyears,Igotto knowhis entire family,whichwas special because hewas an idol ofminegrowingup, but I’ve always tried to comportmyselfwith theutmost senseofprofessionalismandpropriety,soIneverreallyletanyof thaton.WhenShulawasinthepositiontowinhis325thgameandpassGeorgeHalastobecomethemostwinningcoachinhistory,thegamewasinmyhometownofPhiladelphia.IwenttocountlessgamesattheVet,butthisonewasdifferent,becauseitwasmyhometown team, my father was in the stands, Shula won the game and theycarriedhimoff,anditwasasifallofmyworldshadcometogether—football,family,theEagles,theDolphins,CoachShula.Whenyouareakidgrowingup,youneverthinkinazillionyearsthatyouaregoingtocovertheteamyougrewuploving,andthisiswhereitallcametogether.

2008 Summer Olympics, Men’s 4x100 Meter Medley Finals, BeijingNationalAquaticsCenter,Beijing,China,August17,2008The morning of the event, when I was getting ready after waking up, I

rememberthinkingtomyselfthatIcouldbeatinypartofhistorythatday.Iwasgoingtobeonthepooldeck,feetfromwhereMichaelPhelpswasgoingtogetoutafterhavingpotentiallyaccomplished themomentouseventofwinninghiseighth gold medal of the 2008 Olympics. The race was far from the mostexcitingoneoftheeight—thatonewastheseventhrace,whenhewonthe100-meterbutterflybyonehundredthofasecond.Thatonewasabetterstory,butwinningnumbereightinthe4x100medleyrelaywasmorehistoric.Whenyouareattherace,youaren’tafanbecauseyouareworking,butyoucan’thelpbutmarvelattheathleticaccomplishment.Youliterallyareseeingsomethingthatnoone has ever seen before and that no one may ever see again. You see how

Michaelreactedandhowhisteammatesreacted.Youdidn’tneedtobeafanofAmerica or swimming; if youwere a fan of sports, you had tomarvel at theaccomplishment.Without any hyperbole, inmy opinion, there have been fewplaces thatweremoreelectric, exciting,historic,ormonumental tobe thanonthe pool deck at theBeijingOlympics. Itwas, by far, the topmoment ofmycareer.

MichaelPhelpsholdsuphiseighthgoldmedalafterthemen’s4x100-metermedleyrelayfinalatthe2008Olympics.(APPhoto/MarkJ.Terrill)

Super Bowl XLIII, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Arizona Cardinals, RaymondJamesStadium,Tampa,Florida,February1,2009Thereweretwotranscendentplaysinthegame.FirstwastheJamesHarrison

interceptionreturnforatouchdownattheendofthefirsthalf,whenitseemedlikethehalfwasoverandeveryonewasgoingtoheadtothelockerroomandgetready for the Bruce Springsteen halftime show. We were getting ready forhalftime interviews,and thenallof a sudden, thisplaycomesoutofnowhere.Then there was the Santonio Holmes game-winning touchdown catch, whichwasoneof thegreatest catches ever.When theywent to look at the replay tomakesurehecaughttheball,youcouldn’thelpbutthinkthattherewasnowayin theworld that any refereewas going to overturn that call unless therewassomethingsoblatantthattheyhadnochoice.

KeithLawWriter,ESPN.com

Cleveland Indians at New York Yankees, Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NewYork,September4,1993Itwasrightbeforemysenioryearofcollege,andmostofmyfriendshadgone

backtoschool.MymomwantedustodoonebigfamilythingbeforeIleft,soshegotusallticketstoaYankeesgame.Itwasagrayday,andthereweren’talotofpeopleinthestadium.JimAbbottstartedfortheYankeesandwasn’tthatgreatthroughthefirstthreeinnings.HewasstillJimAbbottandwasfamousforobviousreasons,buthewaspasthispeakatthispoint.Afterthethird,though,Irememberlookingupatthescoreboardandnoticinghehadn’tgivenupahitbutalsoknewhehadthrownalotofpitchesalready.Then,hestartedrolling,anditstartedtobecomeevidentthatsomethingwashappening.I’mnotabelieverthatyouknewsomeonewasgoingtothrowano-hitter thatday,buthewasclearlyhavingaprettygoodday.Hewasstartingtothrowmorestrikes,andClevelandplayerswerenotmakinggoodcontact.Noneofusweresayinganythingaboutit,though.Inthelateinnings,therewasadadinfrontofuswhotoldhissonthatAbbottwaspitchingano-hitter,andweallyelledathimtonot talkabout it. Imock that superstition now but believed it back then. The last few outswereelectric. Itwasoneof thefewtimesI’vebeeninabaseballstadiumwhere thecrowdwasn’tmadeupofindividualsbutwerealltogetherasoneunit.ItwasanamazingfeelingthatIalwayshopeI’llgetagainataballpark.I’mnotusuallyatthe stadiumasa fan,but if there is a chance I’mgoing to seeano-hitter, I’mrootingforano-hitter.Iwantthatfeelingagain.Theysaythereisnocheeringinthepressbox,buttheguywhosaidthatisdead,andI’llcheerinthepressboxforsomethinglikethat.

Arizona Diamondbacks at Pittsburgh Pirates, Three Rivers Stadium,Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania,September3,1998WhenIwasagradstudentinPittsburgh,Iusedtoskipclasssometimesand

gotoThreeRiversStadiumtoseethePiratesplay.Theyweren’tverygoodand

thecrowdswereusually small, so itwaseasy toget ticketsat the lastminute.One afternoon, I went to this game, and the pitchingmatchup was FranciscoCordovaagainstBrianAnderson,andthegamewasplayedintwohourswitha1–0 final score. I basically had a section in themezzanine entirely tomyself.Neitherteamwasgreat,butbothpitcherswerereallyonthatdayandthrewatonofstrikes.AminordefensivemiscuebyaPirateinfielderledtothegame’sonlyrun; otherwise, it probably would have gone into extra innings as a scorelessgame.Iwishallgameswerelikethis.Itwasfun,itwasniceout,everyonetherewasintothegame,anditwasquickandcrisp,withjustthatonemistakeintheentiregame.Thatismykindofgame.

Detroit Tigers at Toronto Blue Jays, SkyDome, Toronto, Canada,September6,2003RoyHalladaythrew99pitchesinthesinglebest-pitchedgameI’veeverseen.

I’vealwaysbeenafanofthewell-pitchedgame,butthiswasthebestindividualperformanceI’vebeento.HalladaywascompletingovermatchingtheTigersandtookano-hitterintotheeighthinning,untilformerBlueJayKevinWittbrokeitupwith a two-out double. The Blue Jays didn’t score either, though, and thegamewentintoextrainnings.Itwasn’tjustthataspectthatwasspecial,butalsothat he could do that in under 100 pitches. He was so dominant. The Tigerscouldn’t hit him or work the count against him—they were completelybefuddledbywhatHalladaybroughtthatnight.I’veseenano-hitterandseenabunchofothernearmisses,butthiswasabetter-pitchedgamethananyofthem.

TampaBayDevilRaysatTorontoBlueJays,SkyDome,Toronto,Canada,September25,2003IwasworkingfortheBlueJays,anditwasahomegamelateintheseason.

I’m not a believer in premonitions, but I had one that day, and it was rightbecauseCarlosDelgadohitfourhomerunsinthegame.Irememberturningtomy wife after the second homer and telling her that he might hit four in thegame.Hisswingwasperfect,andtheydidn’tknowhowtopitchtohim.WhatwasevenmoreincrediblewasthatthreeofthefourhomerseithertiedthegameorgavetheBlueJaysthelead,sotheywerereallysignificantinthegame.Whenhecameupintheninthinninglookingforhisfourthhomerun,theatmosphereinthestadiumwaslikethefinaloutofano-hitter,butwhenitisapitcher,youareconcernedthatsomethingbadisgoingtohappen.Whenitisahitter,though,youaremoreoptimisticthatsomethinggreatisgoingtohappen.Themomenthehitit,youknewitwasgone.Ilovewhenaplayer’steammatespouroutonthe

field,becauseitmakesthemomentseemmorereal.Toseetheplayersflyingoutofthedugoutandcelebratingbecausethelittlekidinthemrememberswhatthatfeelingislike,Iloveseeingmomentslikethat.Youdon’tgetenoughofthem.

2004EasternLeagueChampionship,GameThree,AltoonaCurveatNewHampshire Fisher Cats, Gill Stadium, Manchester, New Hampshire,September18,2004I’vebeentoonechampionshipgame.IwaswiththeBlueJays,anditwasthe

firstyearourAA teamwasbased inNewHampshire.Theywereplaying inamunicipal stadiumwhile their new ballparkwas being built inManchester. Itwasn’t an elimination game, but a win that night would give them thechampionship.IwaslivinginBostonatthetimeanditwasonlyanhourdrive,and itwas agood thing for there tobe someone from the front office there ifthey won, so I decided to make the trip. You don’t think of minor leaguechampionshipsthesamewayasinthemajors,buttheplayersstillcelebratedthesameway.Theypouredoutofthedugoutanddidthedogpile,andtherewasstilla champagne celebration in the clubhouse afterwards. Then, the managerannouncedthatacoupleofplayerswerebeingcalleduptothebigleagues,andeveryoneeruptedalloveragain.Itwasarecognitionthatthisstuffcounts,too.Formanyofthesekids,itistheonlytimethey’llgettoexperienceit.Itiseasytodismissbecause it isn’t theWorldSeries,but that is theworstpossibleway tolookatit.

SteveLevyBroadcaster,ESPN

1981 AFC Wild Card Playoffs, Buffalo Bills at New York Jets, SheaStadium,Flushing,NewYork,December27,1981Up in the mezzanine in the enclosed end zone at Shea, the wind really

whippedandhityourightsmackintheface.Sheawasrockingthatday.Ialwaysthoughtitwasagreatfootballstadium.ItwastheJets,andIthoughttheyalwayshad a great home-field advantage. It was never a nice day for a Jets gameweather-wise,andthiswasnoexception…gray,cold,andugly.Theplacewasadump then, but itwasmydump, and therewasnoplaceon earth I’d ratherhavebeen.Priortotheopeningkickoff,theplacewasliterallyshaking.TheJetswonthe

tossandreceived.Little,excitingBruceHarperreceivedthekickandtookoff,onlytofumblethefootball.Withthat,alltheairwassuckedoutofthestadium.Ofcourse,theBillswentontoscoreandscoreandscore.MyJetsweredown,24–0, in the secondquarter and31–13with tenminutes left in thegame.Andthen, all of a sudden, Richard Todd got the team back in the game. Twotouchdownslater,downfour,attheBuffalo11with14secondsleft.Onceagain,the stadium is literally shaking.We were on the verge of witnessing a greatcomeback when Buffalo’s Bill Simpson stepped in front of a Todd pass andpickeditoffatthe1-yardline.Ballgame.Tothisday,that’sthebestfootballgameIeverattended.Irememberthinking

Imustreallybeasportsfan.Eventhoughmyteamlostinheartbreakingfashion,Iwasstillabletoappreciatewhat’sgreataboutsports…thedramathat’softeninvolved,evenwhenthewrongteamwins.

1986World Series, Game Six, Boston Red Sox at New YorkMets, SheaStadium,Flushing,NewYork,October25,1986Thankstosomegoodparenting,myfolksletmecomehomefromcollege.I

had tickets to Games One and Seven at Shea Stadium and wrangled a presscredential forGameSix,whichIgot fromSteveMalzbergofWABCRadio. I

hadinternedforhimtheprevioussummer,andhewasn’tgoingtothegame,soheletmetakehispass.Myseatwasintheauxiliarypressbox.Wearetalkingreallyauxiliary,since,whileIwasonthepresslevel,Iwasalsooutbytheright-fieldfoulpole.TheMetswereobviouslyinbigtrouble,soIcalledtocommiseratewithmy

buddy, Jeff Levick, whowas so annoyed he turned the TV off. Anyway, thegameappearedtobeover,andalltheothermembersofthepressseatedinmyareahadalreadygonedownstairs tobenear theclubhousetogetquotes.Theirstories were already written, because this game was over. Or not. MookieWilsonchopsonethroughBillBuckner’slegs,andIamscreamingmyheadoff.Ilearnedafewyearslaterabout“nocheeringinthepressbox,”butnotyet.Thekickertothestoryis,Iamjumpingupanddownyellingallbymyself.Thereisnotanotherpersonwithinahundredfeetofme.Icallmypalbacktotellhimthenews,sincehereallyhadkepttheTVoff.Bythistime,alltheothermembersofthemediawerescramblingbacktotheirseatsinmysection.Theyhadtorewritetheirledes.

1994 StanleyCupFinals,Game Seven,VancouverCanucks atNewYorkRangers,MadisonSquareGarden,NewYork,NewYork,June14,1994ItwasmyfirstNHLpostseasonworkingatESPN,andIservedmostlyasa

reporterduringtheStanleyCupFinals.ItwasGameSevenattheGarden.Now,thisbuildingalwayshasabuzz—Ithinkithassomethingtodowiththeceiling.ButithasadifferentbuzzduringtheplayoffsforboththeKnicksandRangers.It has alwaysbeena specialplace forme, andyoucan imagine the electricitybuzzingthroughthebuildingforaGameSevenoftheStanleyCupFinals.WhatI remembermost is that,afterwaitingmyentire life (twenty-nineyearsat thatpoint),eventhoughIwasinthejoint,IneverreallygottoseetheRangerscarrytheCup.Letmeexplain.ESPNwasarightsholder,meaningwehadfirstcrackatthe

bestlocationinthewinningdressingroom.Butbecausethatpositioningissuchabigdeal,youhavetobeallsetupandreadytogoreallyearly.So,withfiveminutes left on the clock in the third period, I’m already all hooked up withmicrophoneinhandonthepodiumintheRangersroomandhavetowatchthosefinalfiveminutesonalittleTVmonitor.Mymindisinthestands,butmybodyisn’t.SotheRangerswin,thecelebrationisunderway,andthereiscrazinessonehundredfeetfromme,yetImightaswellhavebeeninVancouver.Afterwhatseemed like an eternity, the Rangers start to trickle in from the on-icecelebration.

IgotAdamGravestostandnexttome,andwe’rereadytogo.Bythistime,we’ve already finished the game broadcast and thrown to SportsCenter, andthey’regoingtothrowitbacktomeforlockerroomreaction.SoGraves,asuperguy,wasbeingunbelievablypatient. It seemed likewewaited fifteenminutes,although in reality it probably was much shorter than that. Graves and I arewatching indisbeliefasSportsCenter is showingCleveland Indianshighlights,even though I’ve got the Rangers’ 50-goal scorer standing by, idling hiscelebrationengine.I’vealreadyapologizednumeroustimes,he’salreadymessedup my hair with the champagne shower, and, with ESPN producer TomMcNeeleytryingtokeepmecalm,Gravesbendsoverandsaystome,“Iknowhowimportantthiswastoyou,too.”Tothisdayitblowsmeawaythatinthemiddleofthebestnightofhislife,he

rememberedthatIwasanativeNewYorkerandthatitwasthebestnightofmylife,too.Theyfinallycametous,wedidtheinterview,andIthankedhimandlethimgo.Hours later,after thefinalfewpeoplehadfinishedlingering,someoneofferedmethechanceofalifetime.Professional?Probablynot.Butyouknowwhat?IdrankfromtheStanleyCupthatnight.

1996 NHL Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, Game Four, PittsburghPenguins at Washington Capitals, USAir Arena, Landover, Maryland,April24,1996,and2000NHLEasternConferenceSemifinals,GameFour,Philadelphia Flyers at Pittsburgh Penguins, Mellon Arena, Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania,May4,2000I’vebeenprivilegedtobroadcastthethreelongestStanleyCupplayoffgames

ontelevision(therehavebeenlongergames,buttheytookplacebeforehockeywas televised). InAprilof1996,wewereat theoldCapCentre,whichwasadarkanddingybuilding, for thePenguinsandCapitals.By the time the fourthovertimerolledaround,wehadalreadywitnessedMarioLemieuxgettingkickedoutofthegameandapenaltyshotinthesecondovertime.Atsomepointinthethirdovertime, Iwas runningoutofwords. Iwas justusing the lastnamesofplayers (Pivonka,Miller, Johnson, etc.), andat somepoint in the fourthOT, Ijuststoppedspeakingasplaywasgoingon.Fortunately, thegamewasonTV,not radio.Mypartner,DarylReaugh, lookedover atme, andon the air I justsaid,“What?”andwestartedtogiggle.Itwaslate,mymindwasfried,andmychestwastightafterbroadcastingsolongatsuchahighexcitementlevel.Petr Nedved finally ended it at around 2:30 a.m., and you knowwhat?He

came on live with us and did an interview. I remember walking out to theparking lot and seeingWashingtoncoach JimSchoenfeldgoing tohis car.He

wasalwayssopositiveabouteverything,butevenhewashavinga toughtimeswallowingthisloss.I also remember the awful Holiday Inn right near the arena. They lost my

laundrythatnight,soIwaspreparedtohandleafive-overtimegameliketheoneinPittsburghinMay2000,againsttheFlyers.TheIglooranoutofcoffeeinthesecondovertime,therewasfoodinthetruckduringthethirdovertime,buttherewasnowaytogetittousupstairsinthebroadcastboothbecauseitwassolatethatourrunner’smotherhadcometopickhimupandtakehimhome.Itwasaschool night! It seemed like every 30 seconds, Iwas being passed a note thatsaidwe just passed another gameon the list of the longest gamesof all time.KeithPrimeauwastheheroonthisnight/morning.Afterwards,sincewehadn’thad anything to eat since the awful pressmeal at 6 p.m.,my faithful sidekickDarrenPangandImadeourwaytoPittsburgh’slegendarylate-nightsandwichplace,PrimantiBrothers. Itwas after3 a.m.now, andwewalked in andweremetwithastandingovation,whichwasgoodbecausewitheveryonestanding,wewerefinallyabletositdown.

2001 GMAC Bowl, Marshall vs. East Carolina, Ladd-Peebles Stadium,Mobile,Alabama,December19,2001Theamountofpreparationthatgoesintobroadcastingacollegefootballgame

ismind-boggling, and as is the case in prepping for any sporting event, onlyabout25percentofwhatyouhavereadyeveractuallymakesitontheair.Well,onthisnightIused100percentandcould’veusedmore.EastCarolinaled,38–8,athalftime,andthisbabywasover.Wewereingarbagetimefromthestartofthe thirdquarterandstartedusing theA,B,C,D,E,andFmaterial, trying tokeep it somewhat interesting for whoever was still watching this blowout.Thousandsoffansthatwereatthegameleftthebuilding…andmissedaprettygoodsecondhalf.Marshall came all theway back to tie it at 51 on a touchdown in the final

secondsofthefourthquarteronthiscrazynightandjustneededtohittheextrapoint to win. Of course, they missed it. The game had four defensivetouchdowns.ByronLeftwichhadhisfifth400-yardpassinggameoftheseasonand finished with 576 yards passing and a 64–61 Marshall win in doubleovertime. Itwas the highest-scoring bowl game in history and at the time thesecondbiggestcomebackincollegefootballhistorybehindonlyFrankReichatMarylandin1984againstMiami.Lessonlearned?Neverleaveasportingeventearly.

BobLeyBroadcaster,ESPN

ChicagoWhite Sox at NewYorkYankees, Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NewYork,June8,1969I was fourteen and grew up in NorthernNew Jersey, where you become a

Yankeesfansimplybyosmosis.Atthattime,youalsobecameaMickeyMantlefan.Iremembertryingtohit left-handed,justbecauseTheMickwasaswitch-hitter.TherewasthisgreatfascinationwithMantleandwhatherepresented…the iconic American hero, years before we learned more about him in JimBouton’sbookBallFour.Itwasaverydifferentmediatime,sothehagiographyofMantlewasverymuchintact.WhenIfoundoutthiswasgoingtobethedaythattheYankeesweregoingto

retireMantle’snumber,Igotmymoneytogetherandboughttickets.Iwentwitha friend from school, his father, and his grandfather, andwe had seats on thethird-base line in the mezzanine. Even at that age, I had heard about theceremonies for Gehrig and Ruth, so being at this one was a little eerie. TheYankeesbrought out every living legend they could, and,whileFrankMesserstarted the ceremony, Mel Allen came out to do the final introductions. Ofcourse, the penultimate introduction was Joe DiMaggio, which brought thehousedown.Then theybroughtoutTheMick. Ihavenever inmy life, to thisday,experiencedacrowdreactionlikethat.Itwasover60,000people,standingand cheering for eight minutes. In retrospect, you realize there was so muchemotionwrapped up in those eightminutes—the recognition of the lineage ofYankeesmoments like this one, the fact that theYankeeswere sliding into aperiod of irrelevancy, plus justwhatMantlemeant to people. Then he startedspeaking,andifyougobackandlookathisremarks,hesaysthatheneverknewhowamanwhoknewhewasgoingtodiecouldstandhereandsayhewastheluckiestmanonthefaceoftheearth,butnowheknowshowLouGehrigfelt.Itgot agreatovation,but I rememberwondering if thatmeanthewas tellingusthathewassick.Thatwasmyinitialreaction.ThentheYankeesgavehimsomegifts,theyretiredhisnumber,theyshowedhimtheplaquethattheyweregoingtoputoutincenterfield,andhegotintoagolfcartandtheydrovehimaround

theperimeterofthefieldintheoldYankeeStadium,withthehugecenterfield,andhewavedandsaidgoodbyetothefans.Thatdayleftapowerfulimpressiononme.

1985 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Finals, Villanova vs.Georgetown,RuppArena,Lexington,Kentucky,April1,1985Georgetown was the defending national champion. Patrick Ewing was an

incrediblepresenceon the floorandanawesome talentwhohadplayed in thenational championship game as a freshman andwas about to play in his thirdtitlegame.ThisHoyasteamcoachedbyJohnThompsonwasequalpartsfearedand admired for the relentless, suffocating defense they played. They justrampagedthroughtheseason.TheFinalFourwasinLexington,Kentucky,butitwas the Big East Final Four, with three of the four teams coming from thatconference. At one point during the Saturday semifinals, the crowd startedchanting“BigEast,”anditwaseeriebeinginRuppArenawhiletheFinalFourwasbasicallyturningintoaBigEasttournamentgame.VillanovalosttoGeorgetowntwiceduringtheseasonbutplayedthemtough;

I actually did one of the games that season that went to the buzzer. ButGeorgetownwasGeorgetown,andEwingwasaseniorandPlayerof theYear.He was at the height of his abilities, and all Rollie Massimino had was hismatch-upzoneandabunchofguyswhomightbeable toshoot.Theoutcomewasaforegoneconclusion,butweallknowwhathappened.Iwassittinginthesecond row, and you watch this play out right in front of you, and everyonearoundyou is saying the same thing, “Canyoubelievewhatyouare seeing?”Andwhatwesawwasoneofthegreatestupsetsinthehistoryofcollegesports.In the din afterwards on the floor, I remember TommyMcElroy, one of theassociatecommissionersoftheBigEast,turningtomeandsaying,“JustanotherMondaynightintheBigEast.”Indeed,itwas.Asitplaysout,Icouldn’tbelievewhat I was seeing. Villanova played the perfect game. The teams had playedtwiceduringtheseason,andtheplayerstoldusafterwardsthattheywentbackandwatchedthosetwogamesandlearnedwhattodofromwatchingthem.

1989 World Series, Game Three, Oakland Athletics at San FranciscoGiants,CandlestickPark,SanFrancisco,California,October17,1989It has been over twenty-five years, and any time I talk about it, I try and

remindwhoeverhasaskedthequestionnottoforgetthesixty-threepeoplekilledandthemorethan3,000peopleinjuredintheLomaPrietaearthquake.Itwasasbeautiful a day as you could imagine, and itwas as surreal amoment as you

couldeverhave.IhearditbeforeIfeltit.Wewerefiverowsfromthetopofthestadiumintheauxiliarypressseating,andat5:04p.m.youhearwhatyouthinkisabeertruckbackingupbeneathyou.Youhearitandthenyoustarttofeelit,and you think that you shouldn’t be feeling a beer truck. Then you suddenlyrealizeandcomeupoutofyourchairalittlebit,becausethestructurethatyouare now standing in is starting to feel like themattress of awaterbed.That iswhenyouprocessitandrealizethatit isanearthquake.Ilookedaroundinmyfield of vision, and the handrail at the bottom of the deck is doing thewave.Peopleaskhowlongitlasted,andItellthemitlastedlongenoughtostartaHailMary,butnotlongenoughtofinishit.After it ended, itwas kind of a stunnedmoment, and the crowdwent nuts.

Theystartedcheering.Itwasa“WelcometoCalifornia”feelingfromthefans,and since it was the Giants against the Athletics in the Series, it was onlyappropriate for there to be an earthquake. But I turned to my producer, JohnHamlin, and we looked at each other and realized the lights were out, thescoreboardwasout,andourTVmonitorswereout.Therewasnopower,soweneededtogetbacktothetruck.Westartmakingourwayoutofthestadium,buttheywerestilllettingpeoplein.Noonereallyknewwhatwasgoingon,andthepoliceradiosweren’tworkingbecausethetowersweredown.ESPNwasnotarightsholderforMLBatthatpoint,soourTVtruckwasina

verydisadvantageouspositionoutpastcenterfield,andtherewasnopoweroutthere, so we had to be on generator power even before the earthquake. Thatturnedouttobethemostfortunateoccurrenceofall,becausesincewewereongeneratorpower,westillhadtwophonelines.WegaveonetothepoliceinSanFranciscobecausetheirphoneswereout,andweusedtheother.Withineighteenminutes,wewereon theair tellingpeoplewhatweknewfromthereandwerethego-tooutletforseveralhours,becausenooneelsehadanypower.TherewasfootagerollingintoBristolandbeingplayedoutsothatwecouldseethebreadthof thedamage.Whenwesaw the footage from theBayBridgeand thesmokefromtheMarinaDistrict,itbecameapparentimmediatelythatweweren’tgoingto be playing baseball. Therewas some video being shot fromour camera upnearthetopofthestadiumofthegroundscrewoutonthefieldwhenatremorhit,whichwasmagnifiedby the telephotoeffectof the lens.As thatpicture isshakingfromthetremor,themembersofthegroundscrewwerepickingupthebases. That was the most apocalyptic moment; there wasn’t going to be anybaseballforseveraldays.Youcancallitsurreal,butitwasevenwilderthanthat.

1998 FIFAWorld Cup Final, Brazil vs. France, Stade de France, Saint-

Denis,France,July12,1998SeamusMalinandIlivedinParisforalittleoveramonthduringESPNand

ABC’s World Cup coverage (which doesn’t stink, by the way) and traveledthroughoutFrancedoingmatches.Anyhostnationhasabuilt-inadvantage,buttherewasacurious reaction to thisFrench team.Thenationwasvery slow towarmtothem,butastheyprogressedthroughthetournament,thenationslowlygotmorecomfortable.A lotof thiswasbecause the teamwasplayinga lotofblack players—players of African heritage or dual citizens from old FrenchcolonialnationsinAfricathatwerehavingahugeimpactontheteam.Thestarof the teamwasZinedineZidane,whowasofAlgerianheritagebutwasbornandgrewupinFrance.TheCup final sawFrance faceBrazil, and the anticipationwas through the

roof. Therewas some question aboutwhetherRonaldowould play forBrazil,because when the team sheet came out before the game, he wasn’t on it.Apparentlyhewashaving some sort of seizuredowntown, and that’s howwecameontheair.Thenanewteamsheetcameout,whichisalmostunheardofataWorldCupfinal, saying thathe isgoing tobe in thegame.When the teamscome out, the moment was almost indescribable. If you’ve seen the movieCasablanca,when they sing “LaMarseillaise” atRick’sCafé, it is one of themoststirringscenesincinema.SotostandinParisandhear80,000Frenchmensing “La Marseillaise,” I get goose bumps just thinking about it. And thenFrance goes out and lays a 3–0 licking on Brazil. Out of the blue, they justkickedtheirderriereupanddownthepitch.Itwasasconvincingawinasyouwilleversee.Onthepressbusbacktothehotel,allyousawwerepeoplestartingaseveral-daypartytocelebrate.Peoplewereridingonthehoodsofcars,wavingbottlesofchampagne,andyourealizedtheyweretryingtokeepupwiththebus,whichwasprobablygoing around50milesperhour. Itwas just an incrediblemoment.

FrenchteammatesZinedineZidane,MarcelDesailly,andLaurentBlancholdtheWorldCupafterFrancedefeatedBraziltowinthechampionshipin1998.(APPhoto/MichelEuler)

2014FIFAWorldCupQualifier,UnitedStatesatMexico,EstadioAzteca,MexicoCity,Mexico,March26,2013InAugustof2012,theUnitedStateswasinvitedtoMexicotoplayafriendly

atAztecainJurgenKlinsmann’sfirsttripsouthascoachoftheAmericanteam.Itwas just a friendly,but theU.S.won thematch,1–0,marking the first timeever that the American team had won a game onMexican turf. Mexico wascelebratingtheirOlympicchampionshipfromLondonthatnight,so losingthatmatchwas horribly received by theMexican fans. People started blaming theMexicanFederationforallowingayoungAmericanteamtolearnhowtoplayataltitudeinMexicoCity,amidstthepoorairandhostileenvironment.Ayearlater,Americanqualifyinghadgottenofftoabadstart,withalossat

Honduras.TheU.S.thenbeatCostaRicainthesnowinDenverbeforeheadingbacktoMexicoCityforaveryimportantmatchinwhichtheyhadtogetsomepoints.To complicate things,AmericangoalkeeperTimHoward couldn’t playdue to injury, and theU.S.was starting a very young defense pairing.Cynicswhowanttopickonsoccerliketoaskhowyoucanhaveanexcitingscorelessdraw, but this was an exceptional performance. To do it in the Azteca, toMexico,duringWorldCupqualifyingatatimeofutternecessitywasasgoodasitgets.

StewartMandelEditor-In-Chief,TheAll-AmericanatTheAthletic

2003 Fiesta Bowl, Ohio State vs. Miami, Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe,Arizona,January3,2003The buildup to the gamewas thatMiamiwas unbeatable,whileOhio State

was undefeated but had gotten a reputation for being lucky. I always felt likeOhioStatewasbeingtakentoolightly.TheBigTenthatseasonwasverystrong,andOhioStatedidgoundefeated.TheBuckeyeshadMauriceClarettatrunningback,butyoudidn’trealizejusthowmuchtalentwasonthatteamuntiltheNFLDraft. Even with that, Miami had this aura of invincibility around it, havingcome into the title game on a 34-game winning streak. Ohio State outplayedthemearly,however,andMiamiwasluckyjusttogetthegametoovertimeonalatefieldgoal.Everyoneremembersthelatepassinterferencecall,whichputsabit of a stainon thegameandovershadowshowcompetitive itwas,but thereweresomanytwistsandturnsinthegame,fromMiamiinterceptingapassbutlosingpossessionwhenClarettstrippedtheballawayfromSeanTaylor, totheWillisMcGaheekneeinjury.Iactuallyremembertwoplaysfromovertimemorethan the pass interference penalty—CraigKrenzel completing a fourth-and-16passandthelastplayofthegame,whentheBuckeyedefensegottoHurricanesquarterbackKenDorsey andmade him force up a pass.At thatmoment, yourealizedthatOhioStatehadjustpulleditoffandendedtheMiamidynasty.IwasgoingbackandforthbetweensidelineslateinthegameandwasontheMiamisidelineforthepassinterferencecall,butwasontheOhioStatesidelinefortheendofthegameandgottoseethoseplayerscelebrateupclose.

USCatNotreDame,NotreDameStadium,SouthBend, Indiana,October15,2005IhadaveryinterestingvantagepointfortheinfamousBushPushplay.Iwas

downonthesidelinewithmythen-SportsIllustratedcolleagueAustinMurphy.ThatfinaldriveforUSCwassoriveting.Youcouldfeelthetensionintheair,andtheyhadsomuchatstake—theTrojans’winningstreakwasonthelineand

everyonewasexpectingthemtogoplayforthenationalchampionship,butnotonlywasitallinseriousdanger,butitwouldbetheirarchrivalNotreDamethatstoppedit.MattLeinartcompleteda61-yardpasstoDwayneJarrettonfourth-and-9,andyoucouldn’tbelieve thathad justhappened.Then,Leinart fumbledtheballoutofboundsand therewereall zeroeson theclock, and fans startedrushingthefield.Everyonethoughtthegamewasover.Wewerestandingnexttoamonitordownonthefieldandcouldseethattimewasgoingtobeputbackontheclock.Ican’tsaythatonthewinningplayyoucouldtellfromwatchingitinpersonthatBushpushedLeinart;thatwouldonlybecomeobviousafterward.Ido remember vividly after it, though, Leinart coming back to the bench andbreakingdownintearsfromtheemotionofitall.

2006RoseBowl,Texasvs.USC,RoseBowl,Pasadena,California,January4,2006Both teamswere undefeated, butUSCwas being hypedup a lotmore than

Texas, to the pointwhere ESPN ran aweek-long series debatingwhether theTrojanswerethegreatestteamofall-time.Thefunnything,though,isthattheyweren’teventhebestteamofthePeteCarrollera;theteamtheyearbeforehadallofthesamestarsonoffense,butabetterdefense.Thereweresomewarningsignswiththisdefense—bothFresnoStateandNotreDamegavethemproblemsduringtheregularseason.ItishardformetorememberatthispointwhyTexaswassodiscountedgoing into thegame,andeven thoughIdon’tmakea lotofgoodpredictions,IdidpickTexastowinthisgame.ThehypearoundUSChadgottensohighthatTexasgotthefeelingthatUSCwastakingthemlightlyandwasn’t totally focused on this game. As we later learned, there were agentsbuzzing all around that program. There was a bizarre play during the gamewhereBushtriedtolateraltheballandUSCendeduplosingpossession,andIremember turning tosomeone in thepressboxandsaying,“See, this iswhatIwas talkingabout.”All thatbeingsaid,USCcouldhaveandshouldhavewonthatgame.Alltheyhadtodowasconvertthatlatefourth-and-2,buttheydidn’t,and it basically gift-wrapped thewin forTexas,who just had to go down thefield and score. I was standing just off the side of the end zone when VinceYoung came scrambling around and ran right past me for the game-winningscore.Itwasoneoftheall-timememorableplays,andithappenedrightinfrontofmyeyes.

2006NCAAMen’sBasketballTournamentRegionalFinals,GeorgeMasonvs.Connecticut,VerizonCenter,Washington,DC,March26,2006

We have all become a little desensitized tomid-majorsmaking runs in theNCAA Tournament, after teams like Butler and VCU have done just that inrecentyears.Butbeforethem,thenotionofaschoollikeGeorgeMasonmakingit to the Final Four seemed preposterous. The Patriots had upset some name-brandprogramsearlierinthetournament,buteveryoneassumedthiswaswheretheroadwouldend,againstthetopseedandateamwhereallfivestarterswouldeventuallyendupdraftedbytheNBA.UConnjumpedouttoanearlylead,butMasonmade a run and got back into the game.Because the gamewas beingplayed inWashington,DC, therewere already a lot ofMason fans there, butunlessyouwereaConnecticutfan,youendeduprootingforthePatriots.ThelongerGeorgeMasonhungaround,thelongeryoubelievedthisactually

could happen, but everyone just expected the Huskies to go on that runeventuallyandputthegameaway.Connecticutwasabletosendthegameintoovertimewithalast-secondlayup,andoncetheydidthat,itfeltlikeitwasjustaformalitythattheywouldwin.Masonendedupwinninginovertime,though.IhadcoveredMason for two roundsat thispoint, so Ihadgotten thechance toknow the vibe of that team pretty well, and it wasn’t nearly as giddy as youthoughtitwouldbe.Theteamhadheldontothenotionthattheybelongedthereat thatpoint. I thenwentover to theUConn locker room,andyoucouldgetafeelingforhowsomethinglikethiscouldhappen.Itwasanincrediblytalentedteam, but as talented as they were, they always felt a little “off” during theseason,andyougotthefeelingthateveryonewasmoreinterestedingettingtotheNBAthanwinninganationalchampionship.Itshowedafterthatgame;theyweren’tdevastatedandweremorematter-of-factabout losing.Onceitallsunkin, though, itwashard tobelieve thataschool likeGeorgeMason, thatbarelyanyonehadheardof,wasgoingtotheFinalFour.

FolarinCampbellreactsashecutsthenetafterGeorgeMason’swintoadvancetothe2006FinalFour.(APPhoto/LawrenceJackson)

2014 BCS Championship Game, Florida State vs. Auburn, Rose Bowl,Pasadena,California,January6,2014AftersomanyyearsofbadBCSchampionshipgames,itwasgreattofinally

have one that wasn’t a blowout and over in the first quarter. A lot of peoplethought thisgamewasgoing togo thatwaybeforehand,becauseFloridaStatehadbeensodominantallseason,butAuburnwentup,21–3,early.Youknewitwasn’tover,simplybecauseofhowgoodtheSeminoleshadbeenallseason.Youalwaystry to timethetripdownstairsfromthepressboxto thefieldat

gameslike thisso thatyoudon’tmissanythingimportant. Idon’teventhinkIwasintheelevatorthatlong,butIcomeoutandhearpeoplescreaming,becauseFloridaStatehadjustreturnedakickoffforatouchdown.ThatwasthefirsttimeIcaneverremembermissingatouchdownwhileinanelevator.Fortunatelyforme,itwasn’toveratthatpoint,though,becauseAuburncamebacktoscoreandretakethelead.ButFloridaStatecamebackonemoretime,anditwasjustlike2006 forme, because I was standing in the same spot by the same end zonewhenJameisWinstoncompleted thegame-winning touchdownpass. IcoveredjustaboutalloftheBCSchampionshipgames,anditwascoolthatthelastoneendedinsuchdramaticfashion.

HalMcCoyWriter,FOXSportsOhio.com

RecipientofBaseballHallofFame’sJ.G.TaylorSpinkAward,2002ElectedtoNationalSportsMediaAssociationHallofFame,2015

Philadelphia Phillies at Cincinnati Reds, Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati,Ohio,June23,1971Iactuallywasn’tevensupposed tobeat thegamethatday. Ididn’tbecome

the regular beat writer until a couple of seasons later and was just a backupwriteratthispoint.Ourregularwriter,JimFerguson(wholaterbecametheRedsPRperson,leadingtomegettingthebeat),wassupposedtocoverthegame,buthiswifewassick,sooureditorcalledmethatafternoontocoverthegame.AndI ended up seeing history. RickWise not only pitched a no-hitter against theReds,buthittwohomerunsinthegame,aswell.Whenhehitthefirsthomer,itwasspecial.Thenhehitthesecondone,andhestillhastheno-hittergoing,andthewholepressboxgetsexcited,becauseweknewthat ifhe finished thatno-hitter,wewereseeinghistory.

1975WorldSeries,GameSix,CincinnatiRedsatBostonRedSox,FenwayPark,Boston,Massachusetts,October21,1975CarltonFisk’sgame-winninghomeruncappedwhatwassimplyanamazing

game.I’vecoveredthirty-fiveWorldSeries,andofalloftheSeriesgamesthatI’vecovered,thatonestandsoutabovethemall.Therewassomuchdrama,withthegamegoingbackandforthandendingthewayitdid.IrememberPeteRosesaying after the game that during the game, when it was tied, he turned toCarltonFiskwhilebattingandsaid,“Isn’tthisagreatgame?”Therewasallofthisdramaandtension,andRosewashavingthetimeofhislife.IwassittinginthemainpressboxatFenwayPark,andmyseatwasalmostdirectlydowntheleft-field line, so I had the perfect seat towatch the flight of the home run. IcouldseetheballwashookingalittlebitandlookeddowntoseeFiskjumpingupanddown,signalingforittostayfair,thenlookedupjustintimetoseethe

ballhit the foulpole.Ashewas running thebases, I remember lookingout toleftfieldandseeingGeorgeFosterpickuptheballandputit inhispocket;helaterauctioneditoff.A few years ago, the History Channel did a documentary on baseball beat

writers,askingthemtopickoutonestorytheyrememberwriting.In1975,IwasinmysecondyearcoveringtheRedsandhadtowritethisdramaticstorywhileondeadline.Soduringthetapingofthedocumentary,theypulledoutacopyofthestoryandaskedmetoreadthefirsttwoorthreeparagraphs.AllIcouldthinkaboutwashowyoungIwas,andhowIwascoveringwhatturnedouttobeoneofthemosthistoriceventsinbaseball,andjusthopedthatIgotitright.WhenIsawthedocumentary,I’mproudtosayInaileditanddescribeditjustasithadhappened.

1975 World Series, Game Seven, Cincinnati Reds at Boston Red Sox,FenwayPark,Boston,Massachusetts,October22,1975EverybodytalksaboutGameSix,anditmakespeopleforgetthattheRedSox

didn’tactuallywintheSeries.GameSevenwasalmostasdramaticasGameSix,except for theway it finished.TheRedSoxwentahead,3–0,andplayers toldmeafterwardthatSparkyAndersonwasbackinthetunnel,nervouslysmokingcigarettes. Eventually, he sat back down, and Johnny Bench walked by him,pattedhimontheknee,andtoldhimnottoworryaboutit,thattheywouldwinthegameforhimandtojuststayoutoftheway.TonyPerezthenhitatwo-runhomeroffofaBillLeeblooperpitch;earlierin

thegame,LeethrewthatpitchtoPerez,andheswungandmissedit.Perezwentback to the dugout and told Sparky that if he threw that pitch again, he wasgoingtohitahomerunoffit,andhedid,tomakeit3–2.TheRedseventuallytieditatthree,andthenJoeMorgandroveinKenGriffeySr.intheninthinningtoputthemahead,4–3,andthatishowitallended.

SanDiegoPadresatCincinnatiReds,RiverfrontStadium,Cincinnati,Ohio,September11,1985Thismight have been the definingmoment ofmy career, seeing PeteRose

break TyCobb’s all-time hits record. It was such amemorable night. JeromeHoltzmanwroteabookNoCheeringinthePressBox,buttheonlytimeinmycareerIsawwritersstandandcheerduringagamewasthisnight.WhenPetegotthathit,theentirepressboxstoodandapplauded.Knowingitwasgoingtobeahistoricmoment,Ihadmyheadphonesonand

waslisteningtotheplay-by-play,andwhenRosehittheblooperoffEricShow,I

rememberJoeNuxhallscreaming,“Getdown!Getdown!”astheballlandedinfront of CarmeloMartinez. I looked and saw Pete standing on first base, andSteveGarvey,whowasthePadresfirstbasemanatthetime,tookhisgloveoffandapplauded.InalloftheyearsIcoveredPeteRose,itwastheonlytimeIsawhimcry.Hisson,PeteRoseJr.,cameoutonthefieldtocelebratewithhim.Andthrough it all, Show was just sitting on the mound, just waiting for thecelebrationtoend.

LosAngelesDodgers atCincinnatiReds,Riverfront Stadium,Cincinnati,Ohio,September16,1988Thestartofthegamewasdelayedbyrainuntil10p.m.,andmydeadlinewas

midnight.Fortunately,TomBrowningpitchedtheperfectgamefastenoughformetohitthedeadline.Ionlyhadaroundfiveminutes,though,towriteastoryaboutaperfectgame,butmypaperwasverybenevolentandgavemeanextrafiveminutestogetitdone.I’mveryproudthatI’venevermissedadeadlineinmy life, and it is agood thing,because this story ranon the frontpageof thepaperthenextmorning.Itwasrainingsohardthatnightthatnoonethoughtthegamewouldevenbe

played.Browninghadeven takenoffhisuniformandwasgetting ready togohomeuntiltheequipmentmanagerstoppedhimandtoldhimheneededtostartwarmingupbecausethegamewasgoingtobeplayed.SoBrowninghadtogetdressedagainandrundowntothebullpenandgetwarmedup.ThepitcherfortheDodgers thatnight,TimBelcher,alsohadano-hitter through the first fiveand two-third innings,soweactuallyhadadoubleno-hittergoingforawhile.Theyonlysold16,000ticketsforthegamethatnight,andbythetimethegameended, after being delayed at the start for so long, there were probably onlyaround2,000peopleleft.

JiggsMcDonald

Broadcaster

RecipientofHockeyHallofFame’sFosterHewittAward,1990

ColoradoRockiesatAtlantaFlames,TheOmni,Atlanta,Georgia,March1,1980I was involved with the media relations department of the Atlanta Flames

duringmytimecallinggamesthere.TheFlameshadtherightstoJimCraig,whohadjustwongoldintheOlympicsaspartofthe“MiracleOnIce”team.Therewerealotofrumorsflyingaroundthattheteamwouldbesold,andCraigwasbeingviewedasthesaviortohelpkeeptheteamintownandnotbemovedaspartofthesale.ItwassetupthathewouldcomeintotownonaFridayandsignhis contract at center ice at the Omni in a big public event. On Saturdayafternoon, Iwasscheduled todoagame inBostonfor theNHLNetwork,andmyproducercalled toaskmetobringfootageof thecontractsigningwithmeand fly to Hartford where the network was doing a Friday night game, so Iscrambled to the airport to get the footage there in time for the telecast thatevening.Thenafter theSaturdayafternoongame inBostonwasover, Ihad togetrightbacktoAtlantaforthegamethatevening,whichwasCraig’sdebut.InthedayIwasaway,though,Atlantahadanicestorm.Ithrewmystuffinthecar,grabbedtheicescraper,startedthecartogetthedefrostergoing,startedscraping…and lockedmyselfoutof thecar. I left thecar running,walkedback to theterminal,andgotacab.Thedriverwasoverlycautiousaboutdrivingintheice,andbythetimeIgottothearena,itwasinthemiddleofthefirstperiod(SkipCarayhadstarted thegame inmyplace). Iwent towheremywifewassittingandtoldherthecarwasattheairport,runningandlocked,andwaitingforhertopickitup,butweultimatelydecidedtogetitafterthegame.IthenwenttotakeoverforSkip,whohadnoideawhatsoeveraboutwhoanyonewasorevenwhichteamwasthehometeam.IthinkmostoftheplayershenamedwereoldcollegebuddiesorpeoplehegrewupwithinMissouri.Whenthegameended,IfirsthadtoshootanadinthelockerroomwithJim,whichtookanotherhour,andmypartendedupgettingcut.Finally,afterabitetoeat,wewenttotheairport,andtherewasmycar,stillrunning.

1983 Stanley Cup Finals, Game Four, Edmonton Oilers at New YorkIslanders,NassauColiseum,Uniondale,NewYork,May17,1983

MylastradiojobbeforebeinghiredbytheLosAngelesKingswasinOrillia,Ontario,which is the same hometown asGordonLightfoot.We have becomegoodfriendsovertheyears,andhewasconvincedthatEdmontonwasgoingtoendtheIslanders’StanleyCuprunin1983.Wemadeawagerontheseries,andhe came to the Coliseum that night as the Islanders won their fourth straightCup. After the game was over, I brought him down to the locker room tocelebratewiththeplayers,andthentotheafter-partyat theMarriottacrossthestreet.ItwasthefirsttimehewasaroundtheCup,butitwasalsothefirsttimemymotherwas.Shewasatthegamewithmywife,aswell,andpartiedwellintothenightwithus.MydaughtersbabysatforDuaneSutter’skids,andacoupleofdays later, they hosted theCup and invitedmy family over.Mymother camewithus,andIdon’tthinkI’deverseenherhappierthanwhenshehadherarmaroundtheStanleyCup.

1987 Patrick Division Semifinals, Game Seven, New York Islanders atWashingtonCapitals,CapitalCentre,Landover,Maryland,April18,1987At the end of the second OT, after five periods of hockey between the

Islandersand theCapitals,withStanFischlerdoing interviewsandmyselfandEddieWestfall calling the game, we thought it was never going to end. Youcould see how fatigued the playerswere getting, but I had bigger concerns. Istarted thinking that if I didn’t get to amen’s room, therewas going to be aproblem.Thepressroomwasrightacrosstheconcoursebehindus,andwhenIgotthere,thelinewascomingoutthedoor.NeitherEddienorIeverdidmakeitto the front of the line before we needed to get back to the booth. After PatLaFontaine scored the goal in the fourth overtime, the first thought thatwentthroughmyheadwas“ThankGod!”Anyplay-by-playannounceriscognizantofredundancy,andaftermorethansixperiodsofplay,itwasgettingincreasinglydifficult to describe the actionwithout repeating yourself. Itwas time for thatgame toend. Itwasaclassic,but itwasalmost two in themorning!Every sooften,IrunintoBobMason,whowasthegoaliefortheCapitalsthatnight,andwe talk about the goaltending matchup that night between him and KellyHrudey,andhowitwasjustsaveaftersaveaftersave.Itwasaclassicgametobeinvolvedwithandwasloadedwithscoringchancesforbothteams.

LosAngelesKings atEdmontonOilers,NorthlandsColiseum,Edmonton,Canada,October15,1989Wayne Gretzky was chasing Gordie Howe’s all-time scoring record, and

SportsChannelAmerica assignedme to call the gamewithHerb Brooks. The

IslandersplayedathomeonSaturday,andIhada7a.m.flightbookedthenextmorningtoToronto,connectingtoEdmonton.WhenIgottoLaGuardia,though,theflightwascanceled,andIendedupgettingtotheboothinEdmontonaroundtenminutesbeforethegamestarted.GretzkyendedupbreakingGordie’srecordwith the game-tying goal late in the game (for goodmeasure, he would alsoscorethegame-winnerinovertime),allwithHoweinattendancetoseeit.Itwasarecordthatmanyofusgrowingupaskidsneverthoughtwouldbebroken,butalong came Gretzky to rewrite the entire record book. It is the thrill of abroadcaster’s lifetime tobeable tocall something like that, and tobe thereastheystop thegameanddoallof thepresentations. Justagreatmemory,madeevenmorememorable in getting to know formerNHL refereeRonHoggarth,who officiated that game. Being in the booth, you often wonder aboutconversations between players and officials. I’d noticed that on one particularfaceoff, Wayne backed out of the faceoff area and was laughing after aconversationwithHoggarth.TurnsoutWaynehadaskedHoggarthwhyhewasstayingsoclosetohimallgamelong.Hoggy’sreplywasthatheknewtonightwasthenightandhewasgoingtobeinthepicture.Sureenough,anyphotosofthathistoricgoalshowrefereeRonHoggarthsignalinggoal.

1993PatrickDivision Semifinals,Game Six,WashingtonCapitals atNewYork Islanders, Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, New York, April 28, 1993,and 1993 Patrick Division Finals, Game Seven, New York Islanders atPittsburghPenguins,CivicArena,Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania,May14,1993I had never seen a more vicious play than when Dale Hunter hit Pierre

TurgeonafterhescoredlateinthegametoputthegameawayfortheIslanders.Turgeonscoredinthegoaltoourleftandskatedtowardthenearcornerwithhisarms raised in celebration,whenHunter came frombehind and cross-checkedhim into the boards, separating his shoulder. As it unfolded, you could seeHunterspaceoutandcomeafterhim,and it felt like itwashappening inslowmotion. With one eye, I saw Turgeon celebrating, and with the other, I sawHunterskateacrosstheice,readytonailhim,whichhedid.Myheartwasinmymouth,andIcouldn’tbelievewhatIhadjustwitnessed.Thewordskeptcoming,but you strugglewithwhatwords to use, because youknowwhat you’ve justseen was totally wrong and should never be part of the game. It was justhorrifying.After the game, you felt great for the teamwinning, knowing theyhad justadvanced in theplayoffs to face the two-timedefendingCupchamps,butyoualsoknowthattheteamjustlostitsbestplayerintheprocess.Thenextday,attheairport,IwastalkingtoAlArbourandaskedhim,hypothetically,that

iftheleagueweretoallowhimoneplayerfromtheteamtheyjusteliminatedtoreplaceTurgeon,whowoulditbe?Withoutanyhesitation,hesaidDaleHunter.I remindedAl that hehad justmaimed the team’s star, andhe replied that allHunterwantstodoiswin,andthathewoulddoanythingtodothat,sothat’stheguyIwouldwant.Tothesurpriseofeveryone,theIslanderswenttoaseventhgameagainstthe

Penguinsinthenextround.Mostpeoplepredictedafour-gamesweep,butthatIslanders team had a group of personalities that complemented each otherperfectly,withguyslikeRayFerraroandGlennHealy,whoarebothnowamongthe tophockeyanalystsonTV inCanada.Theycouldhit andhurt, anddid inthat series. Rich Pilon had a huge hit onKevin Stevens in Game Seven, andDariusKasparaitiskeptMarioLemieuxoffhisgametheentireseries.TheteamwasonamissionandusedtheinjurytoTurgeonasmotivation,andshockedthehockeyworld bygetting toGameSeven.That gamewent to overtime and, tothis day, I can still see the pass from Ferraro to David Volek, and he justunloaded. The puck is in the net, and you try to figure out how this justhappened.VolekwasinAl’sdoghousemostoftheseasonandwasonlyinthelineup because the Islanders had so many injuries at the time, so Al had nochoicebuttoplayhim.Theteamjustwentbananas,andwedidinthebooth,aswell.The Islanders hadno right towin that series, but they took it to anotherleveland,moreimportant,believed.Itwasveryspecial,andthatentireplayoffrunin1993wasunforgettable.

LiamMcHughBroadcaster,NBCSports

Massachusetts at Syracuse, Carrier Dome, Syracuse, New York, May 1,2004IwasingradschoolatSyracuse,wherelacrosseisimmenselypopular.While

Iwasthere,theOrangemenhadaplayerbythenameofMikePowell,whowasoneof threebrothers that starred for ’Cuse.The first twowereboth four-timeAll-Americans,andwordwasthatMikewasbetterthanbothofthem.Leadingup to theUMass game, Powell had promised to do something that had neverbeen seen before. There was a buzz building on campus in anticipation ofsomethingcalled“TheMove.”Asthegamestarted,Powellclearlystoodout.Hewas the tiniestguyon thefield,buthewaseasily themostdynamicathlete. Itwas like watching Barry Sanders or Allen Iverson play lacrosse. He hadunbelievableskillandelitequickness,acombinationthatcouldmakedefenderslooklikefools.Atonepointduringthegame,heputamoveonaguybehindthegoalthatcausedtheotherplayertotripoverthenet,andhestoppedandlookedat him before scoring. Thatwas sick, butwewere all stillwaiting for him todeliveronhispromisetounveilsomethingnew.Hewouldn’tdisappoint.Lateinthe game, with his team in the lead, Powell got the ball, and the defendersimmediatelygavehimalittleroom,justlikescorersgetroominothersports.Hestarted cradling the ball and stutter stepping, creating space, when all of asudden,hejumpedintheairanddidafullflipwhileshootingtheball.Hedidn’thitthetarget,butitdidn’treallymatter.ItwasoneofthosemovesyouwishyouwerewatchingonTV,becauseyouwantedtoseethereplayafewtimes.Eventhough he didn’t score on “The Move,” you still knew you’d just witnessedgreatness (he did score six goals in the game). He was so much better thaneveryone else on the field, even though everyoneout therewasplaying at thehighest level of that sport.Hewasn’t bigger or stronger, hewas just better. Itwasoneofthoseraremomentsinsportswhereyougettobeinattendancetoseegenius.

2004BelmontStakes,BelmontPark,Elmont,NewYork,June5,2004Thiswas theyearSmartyJoneswasgoingfor theTripleCrown,and itwas

mayhem.Backthen,peoplewenttotheBelmonteveryyear,eveniftherewasn’taTripleCrowncontender,becauseitwasagiantparty.Thereisthegrandstand,whereyouhavetopayforatickettogetin,butthereisalsoapicnicareabehindthegrandstand,whereatthattime,youcouldbringinasmuchfoodanddrinkasyouwanted,andyouwouldwatchtheraceonbigscreenTVs.Thingssometimesgot a little out of handback there,which iswhy theyno longer let youbringyourownbeverages.Infact,Ithinkthatwasthelastyearofthepolicy,becausehalfofPhiladelphiacameuptotheracetowatchSmartyJones,anditwaswild.HunterS.ThompsononcewroteafabulousstoryabouthowtheKentuckyDerbywasdecadentanddepraved,andthiscouldhavebeenafollow-up.Peopleweredrinkingheavily,passingout,fighting,andinthemidstofthis,therewasahugesportingevent.Butthen,theracestarted,andeverythingfroze.Itwaspin-dropquietasthehorsesenteredthegates.Andamomentlater,whenthehorseswereoff,Belmonterupted.Thepicnicareajustwentballistic.Attheend,afterSmartyJones lost, therewas a feeling of utter disappointment for every single personthere.Thepartyhadended.Thehangoverhadbegun.Wedidn’tget towitnesshistory.Inamatterofminutes,thedaywentfromdebaucherytoanticipationtoelectricity to depression, and that roller coaster ride is something I’ll neverforget.

Texas Tech at Oklahoma State, Boone Pickens Stadium, Stillwater,Oklahoma,September22,2007The Cowboys won the game in a high-scoring affair, but what makes this

eventmemorableformehasnothingtodowithwhathappenedonthefield.Thiswas the day Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy walked into his pressconference and delivered his “I’m a man! I’m forty!” rant, and I was luckyenough to be standing about fifteen feet away from him. Gundy was furiousaboutanarticle thatwaswrittenbyJenniCarlsonofTheOklahoman thatwascriticalofquarterbackBobbyReid. It focusedonhis character and impliedhewassoft.Gundyburstintothepressconferenceholdingthepaper,andheclearlydid notwant to talk about the game. Instead, he proceeded to produce aroundthree-and-a-halfminutesofYouTubemagic.Thecatchphrase“I’maman, I’mforty!”iswhateveryoneremembers,butthereweresomanygoldenlinesinthatoutburst.Itgotweirdinstantly,whenGundybeganbysaying,“Thisarticlewasbrought to me by a mother!” followed by a pause, and then “of children.” Iremember looking back at my producer and wondering what other kind of

mothertherewas.Rightthere,weknewthisthingwasgoingtobeepic.Gundyfinishedhisrantinstrongfashion,withtheunforgettablewalk-offline:“Makesmewant to puke!” Iwasworking forKOKH, the FOX affiliate inOklahomaCity, and I remember calling back to the station and telling them we wereprobablygoing to lead thenewswith this,wewereprobablygoing to run it amilliontimes,andinthesportsreport,weweregoingtoruntheentireclipstartto finish.Peopleweregoing towant tosee thisoverandover. I’llneverbe inanotherpressconferenceasstrangeasthatone,whereyouknewwithinminutesitwas going to go viral.Deep down inside, I’m really hoping for an updatedversionwhenGundyhitsfifty.

TorontoMapleLeafsatDetroitRedWings,MichiganStadium,AnnArbor,Michigan,January1,2014There were over 105,000 fans packed into the Big House to watch two

OriginalSixteamsplayinblizzardconditions.Atthebeginningoftheday,Iwasoutonthefield,nexttotherink,freezingandwaitingtodoapregameTVhit.Iwas to take a throw from Al Roker, who was hosting the Rose Parade inCalifornia. I could barely see the monitor but was able to tell that Al waswearingshortsleevesanditwasbeautifulandsunnyinPasadena.Meanwhile,Iwaswearing a huge coat, scarf, gloves, awinter hat, andwas trying to focuswhilethewindwhippedsnoweverywhere.Thetemperaturewasintheteens,butthe wind chill made it feel like single digits. When we got up to our boothupstairs,itwasopen-air,sotherewaslittlerelief.YoucouldseemostoftheBigHouse,anditlookedlikewewereinsideanenormoussnowglobeandsomeonehadjustshookitup.Thegamewenttoashootout,withTorontobeatingDetroit,but the resultwas secondary tome. The imagery that I’ll take away from thegame was of two hardcore fan bases sharing a major moment, but somehowgetting along.Therewere no fights, peoplewere standing and dancing duringbreaksintheaction(althoughIdon’tthinktheywerecheeringasmuchastheyweresimplytryingtostaywarm).ItwasthebiggestoutdoorsportscelebrationI’veeverbeento,anditwasspectacular.Bitterlycold,butspectacular.

TheDetroitRedWingsandtheTorontoMapleLeafsskateduringthethirdperiodoftheWinterClassicatMichiganStadium.(APPhoto/CarlosOsorio)

2014WinterOlympics,Men’sHockeyPreliminaryRound,UnitedStatesvs.Russia,BolshoyIceDome,Sochi,Russia,February15,2014ThiswasthegameintheOlympictournamenteveryonehadcircledontheir

calendar.Itmighthaveonlybeengroupplay,andI’vebeentobiggerevents,butI don’t think I’ve ever seen, or will ever see, a more unique contest. Theatmospherewaselectricrightfromthestart.VladimirPutinwas inattendance,the crowd was fired up, and the United States and Russia took things to ashootout.UnliketheNHL,ininternationalhockeyyoucanusethesameshootersoverandoverifyouwant,andtheU.S.clearlyhadaringerinT.J.Oshie,whowasnamedtotheteaminlargepartbecauseofhisshootoutability.Hismovesweremesmerizing.Noonecouldbelievewhathewasdoingwiththepuck.HebadlyfooledRussiangoalieSergeiBobrovskyseveraltimesandscoredonfourofsixattemptstoleadTeamUSAtovictory.Oddlyenough,ontheattemptthatmostbaffledBobrovsky,Oshieactuallymissedthenet.Whileitwashappening,myNBCcolleaguesandIwereopenlywonderinghowmanytrickshehaduphissleeve,andOshiehimselfwouldlatersaythathewasrunningoutofmoves,buthehadenoughtodeliver thewin. Inahostileenvironment,withalleyesuponhim,with all of that attention and pressure,Oshiewas in complete control. ItwasexhilaratingtoseeaguywhommostAmericanshadprobablyneverheardofbeforeturnintoaninstantinternationalstar.ItwasunlikeanyotherfinishtoagreatgameIhavewitnessed.

ChrisMcKendryBroadcaster,ESPN

Morgan State at Georgetown, Capital Centre, Landover, Maryland,November30,1994IwasasportsanchorwithWJLA-TVinWashingtonatthetime.Itwasright

afterAllenIverson’sstayinprison,andhewasnowJohnThompson’sprodigalson,afterThompsonansweredIverson’smother’srequesttohelpsaveherson.WehadheardthestoriesabouthimonthecourtoutofNewportNews,Virginia,but to see him play in person was absolutely phenomenal. His speed andquicknesswasunlikeanybody’sI’deverseen.Hewassoexplosiveandsuchadynamic scorer, and that is what coach Thompson needed on that team. Hewouldsay,“Allen,gowinmethisgame.Goscoremypoints.”HewentontobetheBigEastRookieoftheYearthatseason.WhentheymadeittotheSweet16,Thompsonwassoexcitedafterwinningthatsecond-roundgame.Hedidn’thavea great team, he had a great player (although Jerome Williams eventuallydeveloped into a great player, aswell).But to see Iverson play in person thatfirsttimeisamomentI’llneverforget.Inthetournamentthatseason,oneoftheopposingcoachesmadeacommentbeforeplayingGeorgetownthat theycouldplayup-tempo,too,andIcouldn’thelpthinktomyselfthathehadnoideawhatup-tempo meant to Iverson. He was a freshman in college and was probablyalreadybetterthanhalfofthepointguardsintheNBA.ItwasthefirsttimeIgotthechancetocoverarealphenomandsomeonewhotranscendedthesport.

1999 Women’s World Cup Final, United States vs. China, Rose Bowl,Pasadena,California,July10,1999I was the sideline reporter for ESPN for all TeamUSA games, and it was

magical.Nooneknewitwasgoingtobeasbigasitwas,soIwasluckyenoughtobegiven theassignment,whichI reallywanted todo. I justhada feeling itwasgoing tobespecial. Ihaddonesomeworkduring theWorldCupin1994whileworkinginWashington,soIhadafeelforhowitworkedandwantedtobeapartofit.Itwassomethingtowatchthatteamgrow.Therewereprobably

onlyaround twentymediamembersat theirpracticebefore theyopenedat theMeadowlands,but theysoldoutGiantsStadiumtoopen the tournament.Fromthere, itkeptgrowingandgrowing,untilwegot to the finalgameat theRoseBowl,whereIhadtofighttogetmymicrophoneintothemediascrumaroundplayers. I had tonudgeaside crews fromshows likeEntertainmentTonight togetmyinterviewsandsoundbites.Atthispoint,itbecameaboutmorethanjustsoccer. I’machildofTitle IX,and I’vewritten in thepast abouthowmuch IowetopeoplelikeBillieJeanKing.ThatiswhyIcouldplaysoccergrowingup,andalloftheseplayersonthisteamwereTitleIXwomen,aswell.That match against China was so intense. Team USA’s defense was

considered its weak link, and Chinawas really testing it, but it held up. YoucouldseeChinapacktheboxandstartplayingforatieandashootout,andtheyweregoingtotaketheirchancesthere.Afterthematchended,peoplewouldaskmeaboutwhyIdidn’taskBrandiChastainaboutrippinghershirtoff.First,thatisaverytraditionalsoccerthingtodo,and,beingawoman,Ireallydidn’tthinkitwasthatbigofadealseeingasportsbra.Also,itwassohotthatduringeverycommercialbreak,quite a fewplayerswere taking their shirtsoff. I’malwaysamazed at how that came to signify something so big. There was no genderbarrierwhen itcameto this team;youwould look into thecrowdandsee ten-year-old boys cheering for Team USA. It made me realize that the nextgenerationwasgrowingupwiththatmindset.Tome,thisgameisasymbolofmywholegeneration,andhopefullyitstaysfreshineverybody’smind.

2012AustralianOpen,Men’sFinal,RafaelNadalvs.NovakDjokovic,RodLaverArena,Melbourne,Australia,January29,2012ThiswasthelongestchampionshipmatchinGrandSlamhistory,runningfive

hoursandfifty-threeminutes.IwashostingforESPNwithBradGilbert,andourboothwaslocatedinasuiteabovethecourtforalmostsixhoursoftennisplayedatitshighestlevel.RafaelNadalandNovakDjokovicwerejustbeatingoneachotherthewholetime.Itwasn’tamatchloadedwithbigservesandshortpoints;it seemed like every point was a long rally, and as it went on and on, youwondered how longNadal andDjokovic could sustain that level of play.Oneguywouldhaveapeakandyouthoughthewasgoingtopounce,buttheotherwould bounce right back.Theywere so cramped at the end of thematch thatthey were basically hanging on the net for the post-match presentations.Everyone out on the court was sitting in chairs for the speeches, but no onethought to bring out chairs for the two players. One person talked for aboutfifteen minutes, and you could see Nadal kneeling and bending over while

Djokovicwasusingthenettohelphimstand.ButI’llneverforgetthismatchforthesheer lengthof it.Tennis isa raresportwhere it ismanoamano,withnosubscomingin,andwhenitisatitsbest,itistwoplayersgoingatitlikethesetwo did. There are only a handful of matches that help define a Grand Slameventintennis,andthiswasoneofthem.

2014LittleLeagueBaseballWorldSeries,LamadeStadium,Williamsport,Pennsylvania,August14-24,2014It was a treat following Mo’ne Davis as her team advanced in the Little

LeagueWorldSeries.Therewassomuchtolikeabouther—herbeautifulface,hereyesthatjustcaptivatedeveryone,herstareonthemound,herattitudeandswagger. There wasn’t anything cocky about it; she was just a supremelyconfidentandmaturegirlandtheperfectpersontohandlethemomentandherteammateslovedher.Shewasagirljustlikeme.IalsogrewupinPhiladelphiaandplayedontheplaygroundsthere,soItotallygother.Itwassomuchfuntowatch,anditwasabsolutelyMo’neMania.

2014U.S.Open,Women’sFinal,CarolineWozniackivs.SerenaWilliams,ArthurAsheStadium,Flushing,NewYork,September7,2014Itwas a thrill to be therewhen SerenaWilliamswon her eighteenth career

GrandSlamtitle,andthendotheinterviewwithherafterwardwithChrisEvert.IthinkSerenaisthegreatestwomen’splayerever,justforherathleticismalone.ItwasanincrediblydifficultGrandSlamseasonforherin2014,andshewenttotheOpen just hoping to get out of the fourth round.All season long, she hadcarriedwhatseemedlikeaburdenasshetriedtoreachEvertandNavratilova’smark. Itwent fromeveryoneassumingshe’dget to twentychampionships thatseason to just hoping to get to eighteen. I think she had somuch respect forChris,andIknowtheyhaveaverynicerelationship.Therewassomethingaboutreachingeighteen,though,thatmadeitmorethanjustanumber.Itwaspersonaltoher.Shesodesperatelywantedtobeinthatgroupandreachthesamelevelasthose greats. It was interesting to see someone who seemed so invinciblestruggle personally to reach an accomplishment. When she finally got it, wetalkedtoheraroundtwentyminutesafterthematchended,andshewasstillinadaze. The crowd was screaming behind her, but it didn’t feel like she wascompletelywithus.I’llneverforgetthatmomentwhenshefellbackonthecourtandcelebratedaftergoingthrougheverythingshewentthroughtogetthere.

SerenaWilliamshugsthechampionshiptrophyafterwinningthe2014U.S.OpenforhereighteenthGrandSlamtitle.(APPhoto/DarronCummings)

BobMiller

Broadcaster

RecipientofHockeyHallofFame’sFosterHewittAward,2000

1967 NFL Championship Game, Dallas Cowboys at Green Bay Packers,LambeauField,GreenBay,Wisconsin,December31,1967Inthosedays,ifthenetworkofthestationyouwereworkingfordidnotcover

the game, you didn’t get highlights from the other networks. I worked inMadison,Wisconsin,forastation(WKOW-TV)thatwasnotcoveringthegame,sowehadtogotoGreenBaytofilmit.ThefirstthingIheardontheradiowhenIwokeupthatmorningwas,“Itisseven-thirtyinMadisonandtwenty-sixbelowzero.”Mywifecouldn’tbelieveIwasgoingtoafootballgameinthatcold,butIhad to, because it was the NFL Championship and the winner was going toSuperBowlII.Wedrovetwo-and-a-halfhourstoGreenBay,believingweweregoingtobesittinginthepressbox,butthepressboxwassmallandthereweresomany credentials givenout that they tolduswehad to sit on theLambeauField roof. And that is where we stood for the whole game. They put somecanvas around the back to keep some wind off of us, but it was still sixteenbelowatkickoff time.Therewerebigcauldronsofcoffeeandsouptokeepuswarm,andweneededtokeepheatlampsonourcamerastohavethemrunattheright speed.When youwent to thread the film, itwas so brittle that itwouldbreakapartinyourhands.Irememberrunningtothelockerroomafterthegametodointerviews,and,frommykneesdown,Ireallycouldnotfeelmylegs.I’llneverforgetthatIwasgoingtointerviewRayNitschke,whohadhisjerseyoff.Itlookedlikesomeonetookarazorbladeandslashedhimalloverhisarmsafterhefellonthefrozenturfallgame.Itwasagreatgametobeat,butthereweremultiple times during the game where I had to askmyself what I was doingstandingoutsideinthecoldlikethat.

1982 Smythe Division Semifinals, Game Three, Edmonton Oilers at LosAngelesKings,TheForum,Inglewood,California,April10,1982TheOilerswereclimbingtotheheightoftheirdominationoftheNHL,and,

with all of thegreat players theyhad, noonegave theKings a chance in thisseries.Atthattime,theopeningroundserieswasbest-of-five,andthefirsttwogames were in Edmonton. The teams split, with the Kings winning a classicoffensivebattle,10–8,beforetheOilerswonthesecondgame.Theseriesmoved

toLosAngeles,andeveryonewasexcitedbecausetheKingscamebackwiththeseriestied…until theOilers tooka5–0leadafter twoperiods.Iwassoupsetanddisappointed,because theKingsalwaysgot their fans soexcited that theymight advance, then would come home and lay an egg. The Oilers were justtoyingwiththeKings,andeveryonefiguredtherewasnowaytheKingswouldcomebackinthisone.EventeamownerJerryBusshadleft.ButtheKingscamebackandscoredfivegoalsinthethirdperiod,thelastonecomingwithjustfivesecondsleft.Irememberthinkingafterthefirstgoalthatatleastitwouldn’tbeashutout.After the third goal, though, the feeling in theForumwas thatKingsmight just have a chance to come back.With around four minutes left, theymadeit5–4,anditwascompletebedlaminthearena.TheOilershadacoupleofopportunitiestoincreasetheirleadonbreakaways,butMarioLessardmadethesaves.AlotofpeopleforgetthatmycurrentpartneronTV,JimFox,madeoneofthegreatplayswithabout10secondsleftinregulation.WayneGretzky,whowaswiththeOilersatthetime,hadthepuckandjustneededtoclearittocentericeandthegamewouldbeover,butJimsteppedinfrontofhim,tookthepuckaway, centered it toMark Hardy, who took a shot that was saved, but SteveBozekgotthereboundandscored.AsIhollered“Bozekscores!”Ilookedatthescoreboard and there were five seconds left. During the intermission beforeovertime,theZamboniswereresurfacingtheice,andthefansweregoingcrazyyelling and screaming. InOT, theOilers had agreat chance towin, butMarkMessier shot high and over the netwith Lessardway out of the net. Later inovertime,DarylEvansfiredalaserovertheshoulderofGrantFuhrtocompletetheMiracleonManchester,andtheplacejusterupted.IrememberEvansdoingan Ice Capades pirouette all the way down the ice in celebration, with histeammateschasinghim.

LosAngelesKings atEdmontonOilers,NorthlandsColiseum,Edmonton,Canada,October15,1989,andVancouverCanucksatLosAngelesKings,TheForum,LosAngeles,California,March23,1994We knew Wayne Gretzky was going to break the all-time points mark,

becauseheonlyneededsixpointsatthestartofthe1989–90season.Wegetto,of all places, Edmonton. His career was like a Hollywood script, you justwondered how things can happen like this because you’d never believe itotherwise.IwasdoingradioandTVthatnight,andtoldmypartner thatwhenWaynewason the ice, justpoint toward the iceandwhenhegetsoff the ice,pointback towardus. Ididn’twanthim tosneakon fora linechangeandnotpickitup,becausehecameintothegameneedingjustonepoint,anditcouldbe

onanassist thatyoudon’t always see.Wheneverhe cameonto the ice, I toldeveryonehewasoutthere,andwhenhelefttheice,Itoldeveryonehewasonthebench.FanslatertoldmethatwheneverIsaidhewasontheice,theywereontheedgeoftheirseats,andthenwhenIsaidhewenttothebench,theyallsatback and caught their breath. The Kings were losing, 4–3, with less than aminute left whenGretzky scored the goal for the points record. The previoussummer,afriendaskedmewhatIwasgoingtosaywhenhebroketherecord,and I toldhim that Iwasgoing todo theplay-by-playandhope Igot it right,because people were going to hear that call forever. He then asked if I hadsomethingspecialplannedtosay,andIstartedthinkingaboutitandjotteddownsomethingsImightsay.ItoldourproducerthatnightthatIknewhewantedtogetcrowdnoisebutaskedforsixsecondstosaysomething.I’mgladIdidthat,becauseIgot tosay,“TheGreatOnehasbecomethegreatestof themallwithhis 1,851st point. The all-time leading scorer in the history of the NationalHockeyLeague.”Therewasnothingprofoundaboutit,butitputacapperontheplay.TheystoppedthegameandhadaceremonywithGordieHoweontheice,alongwithKings ownerBruceMcNall andNHLCommissioner JohnZiegler.Thegamewastied,though,andeventuallywenttoovertime…whereGretzkyscoredthegame-winner.ItwasthatHollywoodscriptonceagain.Youcouldn’tbelievesomethinglikethatwouldactuallyhappen.Alittleoverfouryearslater,Gretzkywasgoingfortheall-timegoal-scoring

record,andnowI’mthinkingIhavetocomeupwithsomethingelsetosay.Thegreatthingaboutthatgamewasthathediditathome,soalloftheKingsfanshadthechancetoenjoyit.LucRobitailleandMartyMcSorleyhadtheassistsonagoalscoredagainstVancouver’sKirkMcLean,whowaswayoutofpositionwhenMcSorleygot thepuckover toGretzkyfor thegoal. I justsaid,“WayneGretzky’sNHLrecordbookisnowcomplete.Heistheall-timeleaderinpoints,assists, and now in goals with number 802.”Moments like these are nervoustimes for play-by-play announcers because you don’t want tomess it up, butthereisnoplaceelseIwouldratherbethandoingthosegames.

1993 Campbell Conference Finals, Game Seven, Los Angeles Kings atTorontoMapleLeafs,MapleLeafGardens,Toronto,Canada,May29,1993TheKingshadamediocreseason,withWayneGretzkymissingagoodpartof

theyearwithaherniateddiscinhisneck,sowhentheplayoffsstarted,Idon’tthinkanyonethoughttheKingshadachancetogototheFinals.Theyactuallyopened every series on the road, and it came down to Game Seven in theCampbellConferenceFinals inToronto. Itwasagreat series,andeveryone in

Torontowanted the Leafs to play the Canadiens (who hadwon the Prince ofWalesConference)intheFinals.TheKingshada5–3lead,thankstoahattrickbyGretzky,buttheMapleLeafsscoredwithjustoveraminutelefttomakeitaone-goalgame.Theythenpulledthegoalieandwerebuzzingallaroundthenetfor the last55secondsof thegame. I thought theyweregoing to tie itupandwas so nervous while doing the game that I was shaking. Finally, MartyMcSorleyknockedapuckoutofthezone,andtimeexpired,endingtheseries.

2012StanleyCupFinal,GameSix,NewJerseyDevilsatLosAngelesKings,Staples Center, Los Angeles, California, June 11, 2012, and 2014 StanleyCupFinal,GameFive,NewYorkRangers at LosAngelesKings, StaplesCenter,LosAngeles,California,June13,2014ThetwoLosAngelesKingsStanleyCupwinsweresodifferent.Thefirstone

isalwayssignificant,becauseIthoughtI’dnever,everseetheKingswinaCup,andIdon’tthinkIwasalone.The2012seasonwasn’tagreatonefortheKings,and they justgot into theplayoffs as the eighth seed in theWest.From there,though, they went on an unbelievable run that none of us could have seenhappening. They had a three-games-to-none lead in every series, which hadneverbeendonebefore,won ten straightgameson the road,whichhadneverbeendonebefore,andtheeighthseedhadneverwontheCupbefore.Buttheysteamrolled through everyone. In the Final against New Jersey, I remembergetting to thearenabeforeGameFouraroundnoon,and theremusthavebeen5,000peopletherealready,allyellingtomethatthiswasthenight.Sureenough,NewJerseywon,andthenwonGameFivebackathome,makingtheseries3–2comingbacktoLosAngeles.InGameSix, theKings jumpedout toa lead followinga five-minutemajor

againstSteveBernieroftheDevils,wheretheyscoredthreegoalsontheensuingpowerplay.IthoughtatthetimethatthethirdgoalwasreallythekillerfortheDevils.AftertheKingsscoredagain,NewJerseymadeit4–1,buttwolategoalsmadeit6–1withthree-and-a-halfminutestogo,andeveryoneknewitwasover.ThegreatestthingformewaslookingaroundthatarenaandseeingKingsfanscelebratingwith thatmuch time left because they knew this was it. This waswhattheywerewaitingallofthoseyearsfor.IthoughtIbetterhavesomethingtosay,soItriedtotimeittothefinalwhistleandsaid,“Thisisforyou,Kingsfans, wherever you may be. The forty-five-year drought is over. All thedisappointmentand frustrationof thepast isgone.TheLosAngelesKingsareindeedtheKingsoftheNHL.Theyarethe2012StanleyCupchampions.”Mypartner,JimFox,playedtenyearsfortheKingsandhadtearsinhiseyes.Ithink

hehadalwaysfollowedthetraditionofnottouchingtheCupuntilwinningit,sohewassoemotional.ItwasagreatscenewhentheCupcameoutontheiceandthefansfinallyhadsomethingtocelebrate.Itwasmuchdifferent twoyears later.Even theplayers said thatwhen they

won it in 2014, this is theway it had to bewon. Itwas somuch tougher thesecondtime.TheKingsplayedtwenty-sixgamesintheplayoffsthatseasonoutof a possible twenty-eight. There were seven overtime games, three of themgoing todoubleovertime,and theycameback froma3–0seriesdeficit in thefirstroundagainstSanJose.Thatsetthetonerightthere.IntheFinalagainsttheRangers, the first game in L.A. went to overtime, while the second went todoubleovertime,meaningtheycouldhavebeendown,0–2,goingbacktoNewYork. Instead, theywere up, 2–0. They split the two games at theGarden, tocomebacktoLosAngelesupthreegamestoone.Itissogreattowinathome,but even that gamewas so close, going to double overtime again. Everybodywasontheedgeoftheirseats,unlikethefirsttimearoundwhentheresultofthegamewasn’t in doubt.WhenAlecMartinez scored thewinning goal off of arebound,theplaceexploded.Ithinkeveryoneexpectedittobealongtimeafterthe first Cup before it would happen again, but two years later, we got toexperience it all over again. Any time you win, it is tremendous. Personally,though,Idon’t thinkanythingcanbeat that firstone,afteryouhavewaitedsolongforittohappen.

AlecMartinezscoresthewinninggoalinovertimeofGameFivetogivetheLosAngelesKingsthe2014StanleyCup.(APPhoto/MarkJ.Terrill)

JonMorosiBroadcaster,FOXSports/MLBNetwork

2002NHLWesternConferenceFinals,GameSeven,ColoradoAvalancheatDetroitRedWings,JoeLouisArena,Detroit,Michigan,May31,2002Ihadjust turnedtwenty,andthatwastheyearatHarvardwhereIdecidedI

wanted to be a sports journalist and had covered the hockey team there thatseason.During thesummer, Iwasworkingasanews internformyhometownpaper,theBayCityTimes,andtheyletmedosomestringingattheRedWings’playoffgamesforotherpapers.IgotanassignmentfromtheColoradoSpringsGazette to be the third person of their coverage teamwriting sidebars for theseries.ThisserieswastheculminationoftheRedWings-Avalancherivalrythathad been going on for many years and was one of the fiercest rivalries Irememberwhilegrowingup,sotocover itasoneofmyfirstassignmentswasreallypowerfulforme.Itwasagreatlessonabouthowtokeepyouremotionsincheckwhileworkingatgames.Wewere all expecting a tight, close-checking, emotional game, since every

seriesbetweenthesetwoteamsinalloftheirpostseasonmatchupswasthatway.ButtheWingscameoutandscored,thenscoredagain,andagain,andnowJoeLouisArenaiscomingoffthescrews,becausenotonlyaretheWingswinningandheadedtotheStanleyCupFinals,buttheywereembarrassingthevillainthathadbeentheirchiefrivalandadversary.ClaudeLemieuxmighthavebeenmorehatedbecauseofhishitonKrisDraper,butPatrickRoyrepresentedhisteamforDetroit fans inaway thatnoathletehadsinceMichael Jordan represented theBulls.Thewayheplayedthatday,itwaslikeJordangoing3-for-25inaGameSeven. There was a feeling of schadenfreude for the fans because of thisdismantlingofRoy.Theyfinallypulledhimafterhegaveupsixgoals,andI’veneverheardacombinationofbooingandcheeringatthesametimebythefansasIdidthen.I’vealsoneverseenaplayerthatgreatvanquishedlikehewasthatnight.

Milwaukee Brewers at Detroit Tigers, Comerica Park,Detroit,Michigan,

June12,2007ThebigstoryenteringthisgamewasthatitwasthefirstgameinDetroitfor

PrinceFielder,whohadgrownupinthecity.IwaswritingfortheDetroitFreePressatthetimeandhaddoneabigstoryabouthisreturntothecitywherehisfatherhaddonesomuch.Therewasalsoanissuewithinsectsinthegrassattheballparkandtheseinsectswereaverypopularfoodforseagulls,soforaperiodofafewdays,ComericaParkwasdealingwithseagullsswarmingeverywhere.Ifyoulookatfootageofthegame,youcanseeseagullsscatteringeverywhereasMagglioOrdonez chases down the final out. It had actually reached the pointwherewhileIwaswritingthegamestory,JohnLowewastheretowriteastoryabout the seagulls. As the game went along, though, we realized John mightneed to change the focus of the story, because Justin Verlander was in theprocessofthrowingano-hitter.Itwasfunformetowatchthisgame,becauseIhadbeencovering the teamsincehecameup from theminors.Thechance towatch the culmination of his first true masterpiece was special. Sometimesduringano-hitter,youwonderwhetherthepitcherhasthestufftofinishitoff.Therewasnoquestion thatnight thatVerlanderhadeverythingheneededandwassomasterful that left fielderCraigMonroedidn’t touch theball theentirenight.Ifhehadgivenupahit,itwouldhavebeenatotalshock.

Cleveland Indians at Detroit Tigers, Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan,June2,2010It was onlyArmandoGalarraga’s fourth appearance (and third start) of the

season, and although he was facing a less-than-stellar Indians lineup, therewasn’tevenahintthatthiscouldbeaspecialoutingforhim.Hejustcutthroughthe Indianswith incredible efficiency, and I remember looking up around theseventh inning, realizing hewas throwing a perfect game, and thinking, “Wasthis really happening?” When he got through the eighth, I thought the mostdangeroushitterhewould face in theninthwasMarkGrudzielanek, aveteranhitterwhowouldn’tbeafraidofthemoment.Grudzielanekgotapitchtohitandcrushedittothewarningtrack,whereAustinJacksontrackeditdownandmadeanunbelievable catch against thewall in center field.Now, you start thinkingGalarraga is going to do it. He retired Mike Redmond to bring up a younginfieldernamedJasonDonaldrepresentingthefinalout.Donaldhitagroundertotherightside,andthereareacoupleofthingsabout

the play. If first basemanMiguel Cabrera had let the ball go, I think secondbasemanCarlosGuillenwouldhavemadetheplayandthrownDonaldout.Thatbeingsaid,IunderstandwhyCabreramadetheplay,sincewithtwooutsinthe

ninth inning in a perfect game, you don’twant to let the ball get through theinfield for a hit. And he did make the play and threw Donald out at first.Galarragawasn’treallystrugglingtofindthebagorsethisfeet,butclearly,onall replays,Donaldwasout.JimJoycemissed thecall, though,andcalledhimsafe,endingtheperfectgameandno-hitter.EvenDonald’sreactiononthefieldlookedlikehethoughthewasout.NoonewilleverknowwhatwasgoingoninJoyce’sbraincircuitryatthetime.We’llneverknow,though.Noneofusweremakingthecall,buteventothenakedeye,hewasout.Youalwayswanttoseehistoryatasportingevent,evenwhenyouareinthe

pressbox,soIthinkonacertainlevel,weallwantedtoseeaperfectgame.Thenit hit us that now we were covering something that might have been moreimportantthanaperfectgame,andpossiblyevenmorememorablethanaperfectgame.Thisgamewasgoingtobetalkedaboutlongerandacrossmorewalksoflife,becauseitstruckpeoplesodeeply.Galarragahadachievedsomething,anditwastakenawayfromhimunjustly,albeitaccidentally.IwasoneofthreereporterstointerviewJimJoyceafterthegame,anditwas

theworstIfeltinasportscontextforanyoneI’veeverinterviewed.Youcouldsee the pain on his face and tears in his eyes, and that hewas physically andemotionallysickaboutwhathadhappened.Hehadn’tseenareplayoftheplayuntilhegottotheumpire’sroomafterthegameandleftthefieldthinkinghehadgottenthecallright,andIwasstandingoutsidetheroomwhenhewatchedit.Helet out a gutturalwail, as if he had been given a piece of devastating news. Iheardthesoundthroughthewalloftheumpires’room.Itwasthatloud.Itwasthatimmediatereactionofnotevenrealizingwhatyouareseeing,orsayingorfeelinginreactiontoseeingit.Thelastinglegacyofthatday,however,isthatitwas one of the moments that led to instant replay being instituted in MajorLeagueBaseball.

2011WorldSeries,GameSix,TexasRangersatSt.LouisCardinals,BuschStadium,St.Louis,Missouri,October27,2011It felt like theRangers had fate on their side afterGameFive,whereTony

LaRussamade amistakewithhis bullpen,which is likeYo-YoMamissing anoteonhiscello.Texashadthelead,7–5,aftereightinningsinGameSix,anditfelt like theywere going to closeSt.Louis out towin theSeries. I still don’tunderstand why Rangers manager Ron Washington kept a possibly injuredNelsonCruzinrightfieldinsteadofreplacinghimwithEndyChavez,whowasa superior defensive player and hadmade the last out in the top of the ninthinningasapinch-hitter;itfeltlike1986,whenBillBucknerstayedinthegame

fortheRedSoxinGameSixinsteadofDaveStapletoncominginfordefense.Iwas watching the bottom of the ninth inning with Mark Kriegel, who wascoveringthegamewithmeforFOXSports.com,fromawalkwaybehindhomeplate, so thatwehad a head start to get downstairs once thegame ended.Wewere surrounded by nervous, anxiousCardinals fanswhowerewatching theirteamlosetheWorldSeries.Thenthecomebackstarted,andthenoisewasear-splitting.Theyweregiving

AlbertPujolsastandingovationwithoneoutintheninthbecauseitmightbehislast at-bat as a Cardinal, and he doubled. Lance Berkman walks, then AllenCraigstrikesout,bringingupDavidFreese.Withtwooutandtwostrikes,hehitthe ball well, which you could tell themoment hemade contact. Cruz had achance to catch it but couldn’t get there, and it looked like hewasn’tmovingrightbecauseofthatpossibleinjury.Freeseendsuponthirdbasewithatriple,and thegame is tied.JoshHamiltonhomered in the topof the tenth toput theRangersupby twoagain,andagain,everyone thinks theRangersaregoing towin. For some reason, Washington brings in Darren Oliver, rather than sendNeftaliFelizbackoutafterhegaveupthetworunsintheninth,andbeforeyouknewit,thetyingrunswereonbase.TheygotonerunacrossonaRyanTheriotgroundout, bringing up Berkman with two outs and the tying run on second.Withtwostrikes,Berkmanfightsapitchintocenterfieldtotiethegameagain.Inthe11th,Freesedoesitagain,thistimehomeringforthewin.IcoveredtheRangersclubhouseafterthegamewasover,anditwasamixture

ofdespondenceandshellshock.ItwasalmostimpossibletoprocesseverythingintheimmediatewakeofwhathadjusthappenedandIdon’tthinkthegravityofallofithadhitthemyet.IrememberbeingatHamilton’slocker,anditwasoneofthemostmemorablepostgameinterviewsI’veseeninmycareer.Weallknowhisstory,andhetellsusthatGodhimselfhadtoldhimhewasgoingtohitthehomeruninthe10thinning.Whateveryourreligiousbeliefsare,thefactthatheissayingwhathesaidwastremendouslycompelling.Itwasveryrealtohim,andwhenIaskedhimexactlywhatGodhadsaid,hetoldme,“GodsaidIwasgoingto hit the home run.God never toldmewewere going towin the game.” Inmanyrespects,thatwasthestory—notthattheCardinalshadwon,butthattheRangershadlost,andlostinsuchadifficultmanner.

DavidFreesehitsthegame-winninghomerinthe11thinningofGameSixofthe2011WorldSeries.(APPhoto/JeffRoberson)

2014NationalLeagueDivisionSeries,GameTwo,SanFranciscoGiantsatWashingtonNationals,NationalsPark,Washington,DC,October4,2014ThiswasthefirstplayoffseriesIeverworkedasasidelinereporter,sothereis

alotofpersonalsignificanceforme,asIdidtheserieswithMattVasgersianandJohnSmoltzforFOX.Ontopofthatemotioniswhatbecameahistoricgame.Itwas an incredible ballgame, and it is a shame that Jordan Zimmermann’sperformancethatdayreallygetslostintheshuffle.Asthegamewentalong,itlooked likehewasgoing to throwa complete-game shutout. In the topof theninth,withtheNationalsup,1–0,Iwastalkingwithourproducer,BradZager,todiscusswhether thepostgame interviewwasgoing tobe liveor taped.BraddecidedthatifZimmermanncompletedtheshutout,Iwouldgethimonthefieldas quickly as possible, andwewould do it live.As Iwas trying to figure out

whattoaskhim,theGiantsrallied,andhewaspulledwithtwoouts.TheGiantstiedthegameoffDrewStoren,andwewereofftoextrainnings.Now,wehadtobe ready to do a walk-off interview at any moment when Washington washitting, because the game could end on every pitch. It got to bewhere I hadquestionsforeveryplayeron theNationals ready togo,because thegamejustwentonandon,withnoone scoring. I alsohad tobecareful every time theysent itdowntomefora reportwhenever theNationalswerehitting,becauseIdidn’twanttogetcaughtinthemiddleofastorywhilesomethinghappenedonthefieldtoendthegame.IwasstationedneartheNationalsdugout,and,inthetop of the 18th, I had noticed they had swapped out the propane tanks on theheaters in the dugout for the second time.We decided to tell the story afterBrandonBelthitthatinning,butInevergottotellit,becauseBelthomeredtogivetheGiantsthelead.Inbetweeninnings,IranovertotheGiants’sideofthefield, so thatwecouldbe there to interviewhimassoonas thegameended. Iwasononesideofthefieldfor17-1/2innings,thentheotherforthefinalthreeouts.Whenthegameended,IremembersayingtoBeltthatitalmostlookedlikehewasrelievedthathehomered,andhestartedtalkingabouthowtiredhewas,as we all were. And for the record, I ended up using the men’s room once,somewherearoundthetopofthe14thor15thinning.

ChrisMyersBroadcaster,FOXSports

1989 World Series, Game Three, Oakland Athletics at San FranciscoGiants,CandlestickPark,SanFrancisco,California,October17,1989Iwaswith JoeTorre,whowasbetweenmanaging jobsat the timeandwas

doingsomeworkwithChrisBerman,BobLey,andmeatESPN,andwewereintheauxiliarypressboxatCandlestickPark,readytofilereports.Thenweheardthis noise, a loud rumbling. I live in California, so I’ve experienced minorearthquakesbefore.Youcouldalmostseethenoise,andyouthoughtthataplanehadhit thestadiumbecauseof theshakingand thenoise.Then,youcouldseethefieldalmostripple.Thestadiumwasbuiltonbedrock,soitdidn’tcrumble,butyoucertainlycouldfeelthevibrations.Forpeoplearounduswhohadneverbeen through something like this, you could see them turn pale and wonderexactlywhatwasgoingon.Afterthingsstartedsettlingdown,youcouldseeplayerscomeoutonthefield

andstartlookingfortheirfamiliesandcollectingthemsotheycouldmakesuretheywereokayandgetoutofthestadium.IremembertalkingtoTonyLaRussaafter theSeriesendedandhisA’sswept theGiants,andrealizinghowbadwefeltforguyswhoplayedtheirwholecareertomakeittoaWorldSeriesandforthistohappen,wherethegameswerenothingmorethananafterthoughtandsounimportant.

MembersoftheOaklandAthleticslookintotheCandlestickParkstandsforfamilyandfriendsintheaftermathoftheearthquakethatstruckNorthernCaliforniajustbeforeGameThreeofthe1989WorldSeries.(APPhoto)

1990West Coast Conference Semifinals, Portland at LoyolaMarymount,GerstenPavilion,LosAngeles,California,March4,1990I was the West Coast ESPN reporter, and it was my night off. I was out

watching themovieBornon theFourthofJuly,whenIcheckedmymessagesandfoundoutthatIhadgottenacallfromtheassignmentdesktellingmetogetto the gym at Loyola Marymount because something had happened to HankGathers. I rushedover to the gymand foundout that he had collapsedon thecourtandwasbeingrushedtoamedicalcenter inMarinaDelRey,whichwasthefirstindicationtomethatthiswasaveryserioussituation.WhenIgottothehospital,Gatherswasbeingrushedinside.AsIstoodthere,

coachPaulWestheadandallofGathers’steammatesbegantoarriveandgoin,but my camera crew and I waited outside. ESPN went on the air withSportsCenter at this point, and given the fact that I was totally unpreparedphysically to go on the air (I was in such a rush to get to the gym, I hadn’tshavedorgottendressedforTV),IborrowedacoatfromanAPreporterformyreport.Amedicalrepresentativecameouttotellusthatthefamilyandcoacheswere

beinginformedthatGathershadpassedawayandthatitwasbelievedtobefroma heart attack. I confirmed the story with someone else who was inside andbroke the story liveonSportsCenter once I knew that the familywas, in fact,informedofhisdeath.All thishappenedliterallywithinminutesofthedoctorstellingthefamily,soitwasalmostasifwewerepassingthestoryalongasitwashappening.Atthatpoint,amedicalcenterspokesmancameoutside,andIpulledhiminto theshot,whereheconfirmedeverythingandgavemoredetails.ThenLoyolaMarymount’sathleticdirectorcameout,andwedidthesamething.I’vealways been proud of the way we handled the story, not just by breaking itaccurately,butwiththesensitivityitwarranted.

1996SummerOlympics,CentennialOlympicPark,Atlanta,Georgia,July27,1996Iwason therooftopof theCommerceCenter indowntownAtlanta, right in

the thick of all the Olympic activity that night, and was taping a wrapup forSportsCenterwhenweheard a loud “BOOM.” I paused for a secondbut thenkept going on the report, thinking itwas just fireworks or something like that

coming from Centennial Park. Then I turned around and saw the lights andpeople scramblingand realized that itwas somethingserious.Wehadaprettygoodviewoftheparkbutdidn’tknowexactlywhatwasgoingon.As security told us to evacuate, and more information became available, I

stayedwithacameracrewandwasabletogetsecuritytoletmestayandfinishthe reports. Iwas able tomove aroundwith the security people and interviewmedicalpeopleandothersaboutthesituationastheNationalGuardcameintoclear thearea.Weendedupbeing theonlyones there to feedany informationfrominsidethatevacuatedarea.Itlookedlikeavacatedwarzone,andwestayedonprettymuchthroughthenightgivingreports.

2001 Daytona 500, Daytona International Speedway, Daytona, Florida,February18,2001Thiswas the firstDaytona 500 broadcast for FOX.DaleEarnhardtwas the

face of his sport and was actually in a blocking position for his teammateMichaelWaltripatthispointintherace.Whenhehitthewallinthewreck,atthetimeitdidn’tlookpretty,buteveryoneassumeditwasjustanothercrash—Earnhardthadwalkedawaymanytimesfromworse-lookingaccidents.Butthewaythecarhitthewall,alongwiththewaytheseatbeltswereadjusted,ledtohisunfortunatedeath.Youcouldseeinthewaysomeofthetrackpersonnelanddrivers ran over to his car that something was terribly wrong.When they allsteppedaway theway theydid,youcould see theyknewby the lookon theirfaces.On the broadcast, of course, you can’t say anything of that nature untilyouhaveabsolutemedicalclearancetodoso,sopeoplequestionedourdelayinreporting his death. Unfortunately, there was nothing we could do in thatsituation.Justlikethat,thefaceofracingwasgone.

2004 American League Championship Series, Game Four, New YorkYankeesatBostonRedSox,FenwayPark,Boston,Massachusetts,October17,2004IwasthefieldreporterforFOXstartingwithGameFouroftheALCS,when

theSoxweredownthreegamestonone.ItwasarainynightinBostonforGameFour,andI rememberDerekLowecomingoutof thedugoutbefore thegame,seeingtherainandgloom,andcommentingthatitfeltlikeeveryonewascomingtoafuneral.ThatreallywasthefeelingatFenwaythatnight,fromthefansandfrombothteams.AftertheRedSoxpulledoutthegamethatnight,though,youreallycouldfeel theshift inmomentum.TheSoxjustfelt likeadifferentteamafterthat—usuallyadayoffwillstopanyshiftinmomentum,butitdidn’tinthis

case. After they finished off the Yankees by winning Games Five, Six, andSeven,beatingtheCardinalswasalmostanafterthought.

JimNantzBroadcaster,CBSSports

RecipientofBasketballHallofFame’sCurtGowdyAward,2002RecipientofFootballHallofFame’sPeteRozelleAward,2011

The 1986 Masters, Final Round, Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta,Georgia,April13,1986Myfirstbroadcast fromAugustahappened tocoincidewithJackNicklaus’s

epic and historic sixth victory at theMasters. I was twenty-six years old andfrightenedoutofmymind,tryingtoexudenothingbutconfidenceandwarrantbeingapartofthetapestryofthebroadcast.Whatunfoldedthatdaymanyconsider tobeoneof thegreatestmoments in

thehistoryofsports.Nicklausshot30onthebacknine,includingateeshoton16thatverynearlywentinthehole.Iwasstationedrightbehindthegreenandtriedtogetmymindaroundtheenormityoftheevent.IwasdeterminednottosaysomethingunworthyofthemomentandriskCBSneverinvitingmebacktoworktheMastersagain.AfterJackmadeaputtat16forbirdie,Isaid,“There’snodoubtaboutit.TheBearhascomeoutofhibernation.”Afterthetournamentended,Iwaswalkingbacktothecompoundwhenacartpulledupnexttome.ItwasKenVenturi.LittledidIknowthenthathewouldeventuallybemyon-airpartnerforseventeenyearsinthetowerat18.HeaskedmehowoldIwas,andItoldhimtwenty-six.Hesaid,“Jimmy,I’mgoingtomakeaprediction.Someday,you are going to be the first broadcaster to lay claim to broadcasting fiftyMasterstournaments.ButIwilltellyouthis:youarenevergoingtolivetoseeadaygreaterthanthisatAugustaNational.”

1987 NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, Louisiana Superdome, NewOrleans,Louisiana,March28-30,1987I had lived inNewOrleans for three yearswhen Iwas a kid, and the first

game I ever attendedwas the old Sugar BowlBasketball Classicwhen Iwaseightyearsold.MydadtookmetoseetheUniversityofHoustonplaybecause

ofhisrespectfortheirgreatcoachGuyLewis,whowouldlaterbecomeacentralfigureingettingmycareerlaunchedwhileIwasastudentattheschool.In1987,theFinalFourwasinNewOrleans;itwasmysecondFinalFour.Itwasagreatmemoryformebecausemymomanddadcametoit.TheygottositofftothesideandwatchtheirsonhostthebroadcastfromtheSuperdome.Theyearbeforeatmy firstFinalFour inDallas,mydaddroveup fromHouston to attend theopenpracticeonFridayandwatchmerehearseforthebroadcastthenextnight.Hesawallof thesepeoplemakeabigfussaroundhisboy,andhiseyesneverreally left me. He never even turned to watch the teams practice. When thepracticewasover,wesaidourgood-byes,andhedrove rightback toHoustonthesameday.Thatnight,ourdirector,BobFishman,cameovertoaskwheremydadwas sitting for the games, and I told himhehaddrivenhomebecause hedidn’thaveaticket.Hecouldn’tbelieveitandsaid,“Didyouaskanybodyforaticket?”When I asked, “Who?” he replied, “CBS.You know, the people youworkfor.”Ididn’tknowwewereallowedtoask,andhereadmetheriotact.Hesaid, “Jim, you areworking for the network now and hosting the Final Four.Don’t ever let an opportunity like that go by again. For your family and yourfather,CBSwouldhavefoundawaytogetaticketforhim.Allyouhadtodowasask.”Iwassonewtothis,Ididn’tknowwewereentitledtoaskfortickets,somypoordaddrovefivehundredmilesround-trip,justtositofftothesideandwatchhissonrehearse.Thatmadethe1987FinalFoursosweetforme,becauseIwascomingbacktoNewOrleans,whereIhadfirstgonetoabasketballgame.It all came full circle for me, and I got to introduce my folks to networktelevisionandthislifethattheirsonwasjustembarkingon.

The 1992 Masters, Final Round, Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta,Georgia,April12,1992FredCouplesandIweresuitematesattheUniversityofHouston.Wearrived

oncampusonthesamedayin1977androomedtogetheruntilFredleftafterhisjunioryeartoturnprofessional.Iwascompletelyoutofmyleaguewhenitcametogolfability,plusIdidn’thavethepassionthattherestofmyteammateshadtobeaprofessionalgolfer.Iwantedtobeasportscommentatorandstoryteller,sowhile they woke up every day trying to figure out how to get onto the PGATour,IwastryingtofigureouthowtoworkforCBSSportstocallTheMasters.Tome,thatwastheeventthatdefinedgolf,andIwantedtobeavoiceonthattelecast.Bymysophomoreyear,IwasgettinginvolvedintheHoustonmediaasavolunteer,workingat theCBS radio stationand theCBS televisionaffiliate.My golf teammates would huddle around in awe while listening to my

interviews,notbelievingthatIactuallyhadthepresscredentialandwasin thelockerroomthatclose to thesesports figures.Everysooften, Iwould turn themicrophoneonmybuddies, andwewouldplay-actdoing interviews. I alwayshad one role. I was the host of TheMasters. Fast forward to 1992, and FredCoupleswins TheMasters, and I am in Butler Cabin and am the host of thebroadcast.Itwastheexactscenarioweusedtopretendwhenwewereincollege.

SuperBowlXLI, IndianapolisColts vs.ChicagoBears,Dolphin Stadium,MiamiGardens,Florida,February4,2007Iamarealhistorianofthesportsbroadcastingindustryandcaredeeplyabout

mypredecessorsand thevoicesofmyyouth. I’vebeenvery fortunate tomeetmostofthemandunfortunatelyhaveseenmanyofthempasson.JackWhitakerremainsoneofmy all-time favorite people, favorite broadcasters, and favoriteinfluencesinmylife.IknewJackhadneverreallygottenthepropercreditforbeingoneofthebroadcastersforSuperBowlI.Hewaspartofafour-manteamthatcalledthegameforCBS,withRayScott,FrankGifford,andPatSummerall;Scottdidplay-by-playfor thefirsthalf,whileJackcalledit inthesecondhalf.BeforemycallofSuperBowlXLIbetweentheBearsandtheColts,IcalledMr.Whitaker,whowintersinPalmSprings.ItoldhimIwasdoingagolftournamentin SanDiego theweek between theAFCChampionshipGame and the SuperBowlandasked if I couldvisitwithhimafter the tournament. Iwent toPalmSpringsandsatwithhim,andoneofthepiecesofadvicehegavemewastobereadyfortheopeningkickoff.WhenIaskedhimwhy,hetoldmeaboutthestartofthesecondhalfofSuperBowlI.Thekickwasreturnedtoaroundthe40,andall of a sudden, there are arms waving, and the players are getting back intoposition todo thekickoveragain.Theofficialsdidn’twearmicrophonesbackthen,sotherewasnowayofknowingexactlywhatwasgoingon.Allheknewwas that he had just called a kickoff, and the players were back into kickformation again. It troubledMr.Whitaker that he had no explanation for hisaudience as towhy therewas a re-kick. Itwasn’t until after the game that hefound out that NBC, which was also airing the game, was not back fromcommercial in time for the kickoff, so the officials gave them amulligan.Hetoldmethatstory,whichisanamusingoneastimemarcheson,andsaidjustbereadyfortheopeningkick.Ourproducer,LanceBarrow,put uson cameraout of the commercial right

before kickoff. I welcomed everybody back with Phil Simms,mentioned thatCBSwas the network for Super Bowl I, and named the four announcers thatwere there to call it. Iwanted to channel, somehow if I could, JackWhitaker,

becauseIwasgoingtogetreadyforthatopeningkickhewarnedmeabout,soImentionedhimastheballwasbeingplacedontheteebyAdamVinatieri.Philmakesacommentrightbeforethekickoff,andIturnaroundandwatchtheballlandinthearmsofDevinHesteratthe8-yardline.Hesterreturnedtheball92yardsfora touchdownand theonlyopeningkickoff returnfora touchdowninSuperBowlhistory.I’mnotintorankingorratingmyplay-by-playcalls,butitisdefinitelythemostsatisfyingoneI’veeverhadinmycareer.Itfeltsosweettobeontopofthatplayasitunfolded,andIfeltasifJackWhitakerwerepeeringproudlyovermyshoulderforall92yards.

2010NCAAMen’sBasketballTournamentFinals,Butlervs.Duke,LucasOilStadium,Indianapolis,Indiana,April5,2010I had a front-row seat to what nearly became the greatest ending in sports

history. I’m not talking about just college basketball, but any sport. GordonHayward’s midcourt launch at the buzzer very nearly rattled home to giveunderdog Butler the victory over Duke. It was a great Cinderella storythroughout theentireNCAATournament thatamid-majorwasadvancing.Allroadswere leading to Indianapolis, where Butler’s campuswas just sixmilesawayfromLucasOilStadium.ButlerwontheWestbracket,anditwasatitanicachievement for them just to get to the Final Four. Then they beatMichiganState in the semifinals to advance to the title game, and the storyline was soirresistible.Herewas thisCinderellaagainstoneof the iconicprogramsinanysport,MikeKrzyzewski’s Blue Devils. You can’t get a storylinemuch betterthanthatone.Onthedayofthegame,thereisalwaysalittlenervousenergyforeveryone,

includingthebroadcasters.Youwaitaroundalldaytodoaprimetimebroadcast.IreceivedwordthatHaywardhadactuallyattendedclassthatdayandthoughtithadtobethefirsttimethathadhappenedinthehistoryoftheFinalFour.Iaskedaroundbeforethegameandfoundouthehadactuallyattendedtwoclasses.Nowhereweareintheevening,andtheballendsupinhishandsoffamissedfreethrow.Hetakestheshotfromtherightsideofthemidcourtstripe.Becausethegame was being played in a football stadium, the players were actually on araised stage above us, and their sneakerswere atmy eye level.Haywardwascomingtowardus,andwhenhelaunchedtheshot,hewassoclosetomyselfandClarkKelloggthatIcouldhavereachedoutanduntiedhisshoes.Thatgavemethe all-time perfect angle; the only person who had a better view of it wasHaywardhimself.Icouldseethatitwasdefinitelyontherightline,sotheonlyquestionwaswhetheritwastherightdistance.Ithitofftheglass,bangedoffthe

frontoftherim,triedtocomebackintothecylinder,andthenfelloffthefrontoftherim.IfIhadtodothemathonit,I’dsayhewasprobablyaneighthofaninchtoohighonthebackboard.Fromfiftyfeetawaywhenhetooktheshot,thatishowclosehecametomakingashotthatwouldhavewonthetitleandgoneintothehistorybooksastheultimatefinish.

RossNewhanAuthor/Journalist

RecipientofBaseballHallofFame’sJ.G.TaylorSpinkAward,2000

Los Angeles Angels at Baltimore Orioles, Memorial Stadium, Baltimore,Maryland,April11,1961Iwent to school inLongBeach andhadgotten a part-time job at theLong

Beachnewspaperoutofhighschool.Atthattime,theLongBeachIndependentPress-Telegramhadanoutstandingsportssectionandcoveredalloftheeventsthe Los Angeles papers did. When the American League expanded and theAngels started playing in 1961, I was next in line for amajor beat, and theyassignedmetothenewexpansionteam.Itwasthefirstbaseballexpansion,andthehypereallybuiltuptothefirstgameonApril11.Everyonewaspredictingthe seasonwouldbe adisaster for an expansion team,but theywon their firstgame, 7–2. EliGrba pitched a complete game, TedKluszewski hit two homeruns,andBobCervhitone.After thegame in theclubhouse,youwouldhavethoughttheyjustwonGameSevenoftheWorldSeries.Afterthatgame,realitysetin,ofcourse,andtheseasonwentexactlythewayeveryonethoughtitwould.

1973BelmontStakes,BelmontPark,Elmont,NewYork,June9,1973TheLosAngelesTimesdidn’thavearegularracewriteratthetime,andIwas

onanAngelstrip,sotheyaskedmetocovertheBelmontStakes.Iwasexcitedto do it, sincemy parentswere big horse racing fans and I’ve always been adevotee. I was only at Belmont for one day but got to see one of the mostcommandingperformances insportshistory—Secretariatwinningbythirty-onelengths.Whenpeopleoftenaskmewhattheonebigeventisthathasstayedwithmethemost,eventhoughIwasabaseballwriterforoverfortyyears,thisracekeeps popping intomymind. I’d never seen a jockey turn around on a horseduring a race like Ron Turcotte did to look back for the competition andultimately,ashewascomingdownhomestretch,checkingout theboardtoseehistime.Havingtheopportunitytowriteaboutthatreallystandsoutforme.

LosAngelesDodgersatAtlantaBraves,AtlantaStadium,Atlanta,Georgia,April8,1974It wasn’t only the moment Hank Aaron hit home run number 715. I had

coveredtheendofthe1973seasoninCincinnati,whereAaron,forthefirsttime,really started talking about the types of letters he was getting, the types ofencounters he was having on the streets, and the racist atmosphere that wassurrounding his pursuit ofBabeRuth. TheBraves held him out of one of thegamesinCincinnatitogivehimabetterchanceofhittingthehistorichomerunin Atlanta at the start of the 1974 season. It was all about the buildup. Irememberlookingattheclockandtryingtorecordthesceneinmymind,butthehomerunitselfwasn’tasdramaticaseverythingthatsurroundedit.Thefactthatthecommissionerwasn’tthereplayedintothestory,butitwasoneofthegreatmomentsinbaseballhistory.

1977WorldSeries,GameSix,LosAngelesDodgersatNewYorkYankees,YankeeStadium,Bronx,NewYork,October18,1977I’ve coveredmanyWorldSeries inNewYork, and aSeries there separates

itself from any other because of the press coverage, the atmosphere, and thehistory. Reggie Jackson’s performance in this game was so stunning, both inperson and in reflection.Hitting three home runs on the first pitch from threedifferent pitchers was simply incredible. At that time,MLBwasn’t doing theinterview room process, so the clubhousewas just packed and trying to get aquote or two fromReggie afterwardswas an act of survival. Itwas a seminalmomentinmyWorldSeriescoverage.

ReggieJacksonwatchesthepathofhisthirdhomerunofthegameduringGameSixofthe1977WorldSeries.(APPhoto)

2002WorldSeries,SanFranciscoGiantsvs.AnaheimAngels,PacificBellPark, San Francisco, California and Edison Field, Anaheim, California,October19-27,2002Several things stand out tome about theAngelswinning theWorld Series.

Downthestretch,toseeAnaheimStadiumallinredwassomethingnoneofuswho had covered the club formany years ever thoughtwe’d see inAnaheim.Also, in the previous forty-plus years, the philosophy and continuity was soinconsistent. There were a few homegrown players, but the team never keptthem.Itwasalwaysawin-nowphilosophyinAnaheim,but the teamhadonlygone to the playoffs three times,with disastrous results in 1982 and 1986. Sohere was a team in 2002 that had been drafted and came through the systembasicallyasagroup.GarretAnderson,TroyGlaus,DarinErstad,TimSalmon,John Lackey, Troy Percival, JarrodWashburn, Francisco Rodriguez… thesewereallproductsoftheorganization.Towinwiththatcoregroupofplayerswasbasicallyatoddswiththeirpatternfromtheirfirstfortyyears.Thatkindofthingstuck out, and I felt thatwinning that Serieswas going to be a huge buildingblockforthefuture,andtheyhavebeentotheplayoffssixtimesinthirteenyearssincethen.

RobParkerBroadcaster,FOXSports

1986World Series, Game Six, Boston Red Sox at New YorkMets, SheaStadium,Flushing,NewYork,October25,1986IwasayoungreporterfortheNewYorkDailyNewsatthetimebutgrewupa

Metsfanandhad tickets for thegamein theupperdeckon thefirst-baseside.Even though Iwas in the stands, Iwas torn between being a fan and being awriter,butIchosetobeafanthatnight.MygodfathersaidtomethatifIwasabletogetticketstothegame,hewouldgowithme,soitwasspecialtospendthemomentwithhim.EventhoughtheMetsweredowntworunsinthebottomof the 10th, no one had left. When Bob Stanley came in, I turned to mygodfather and told him that Stanley was prone to throwing wild pitches. Ofcourse, he then threw an inside pitch off ofRichGedman’s glove, andKevinMitchell scored the tying run.Now,MookieWilson starts fouling pitches off,and I’m hoping and praying that this team that had steamrolled through theregularseasoncouldwintheSeriesthattheyweresupposedtowin.Wilsonhitthe roller toward first base, and I really felt that he was going to beat BillBuckner to thebag.When itwent throughBuckner’s legs, though, itwas totalpandemonium. It felt like anout-of-bodyexperience, andyou just revel in themomentbecauseyoucan’tbelievewhatyoujustsaw.Theonenessofthecrowdstillgivesmegoosebumps.Tothisday,afterwatchingthereplaysomanytimesover the years, I still know the call by Vin Scully verbatim. That is howimpactfulthatplaywas.ThelastsceneIrememberwastwoRedSoxfanswhoweresittinginmysectiontakingtheirhatsoffastheywereleavingtheirseats.

1989NBAPlayoffsOpeningRound,GameFive,ChicagoBullsatClevelandCavaliers,RichfieldColiseum,Richfield,Ohio,May7,1989The Bulls didn’t win the championship this season, but it was the start of

Michael Jordan’s greatness. When the teams came out on the floor after atimeout with three seconds left, I turned to Clifton Brown of the New YorkTimes, who was sitting next to me courtside, and asked him what Cleveland

coachLennyWilkenswasdoing.TheCavsweren’tguardingtheinboundspass,butevenwiththeextradefender,theyweren’tabletokeepJordanfromgettingfree,andhewasabletomakethegame-winningshotoverCraigEhloinoneofthemostfamousmomentsofhiscareer.Jordanhadbeenmuchmalignedabouthisplayoffperformances to that point.Hewould score a lot ofpoints, buthisteamsultimatelydidn’twin,andpeoplewerealreadysayinghewouldneverwinthebigone.Whenhemadethatshot,itwascompletesilenceinthebuilding;allyouheardwerea coupleofBulls fans in the standsand thecelebrationof theBullsplayersandcoachesonthecourt.Thesilencewastrulydeafening.Itwasoneof thoseshotswhereyouknewtheplayer takingitwasspecial.Theentireserieshingedonthatshot,andifhemissedit,theyweregoinghome.

1993NFCWildCardPlayoffs,GreenBayPackersatDetroitLions,PontiacSilverdome,Pontiac,Michigan,January8,1994ItwasthelastplayoffgameeverattheSilverdome,sothereisalittlehistory

toit.TheLionswonthedivisionthatyear,andBrettFavrewasstillatthestageofhiscareerwherehewouldmakeacoupleofgoodplaysfollowedbyacoupleofbadplays.Withaboutaminute togo,Favre stepped tohis left likehewasgoing to run, which didn’t make any sense because they needed somethingdownfield,andletsgoofahigh,arcingballthatlookedlikeapopup.TheLions’defensive back, Kevin Scott, was covering Sterling Sharpe one-on-one butstopped when Favre started scrambling. That left Sharpe all alone in the endzonejusttowaitforthisfloatertocomedownintohisarmsandwinthegame.Itwas another heartbreak for the Lions but was also one of those Brett Favregunslingingplaysthathewouldbecomesofamousfor.ThiswasthefirstplayoffwinforFavreandsetthetoneforsomanyofthelate-gameheroicsinhiscareer.

2001WorldSeries,GamesFourandFive,ArizonaDiamondbacksatNewYork Yankees, Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York, October 31 andNovember1,2001Aftertheeventsof9/11,itwasaWorldSerieseveryoneassumedtheYankees

weregoing towin,but theywerestrugglingwith theDiamondbacks. InGameFour,whenTinoMartinezhomeredinthebottomoftheninthtotiethegame,Icanonlyrememberafewothertimesinmythirty-yearcareerwherethestadiumshook.Youhearitallofthetime,butthereisnothinglikeahomerunwithtwoouts in the bottomof the ninth. It only tied the game, but it felt like a game-winner.At thevery least, it gave theYankees life. Itwas an amazing feeling,evenassomeonewhoisn’taYankeefan,justtobetheretoseewhatyouknew

wasaspecialmoment thatyouknewyouwouldrememberyourwhole life. Insome ways, Derek Jeter’s game-winning home run the next inning paled incomparisontothehomerthattiedthegame.Thenextnight,forGameFive,alotofwritersweredownstairsinanauxiliary

pressroomandworkingfromtheresotheycouldgettothelockerroomsmoreeasily once the game ended. Everyone was writing the same story they hadwrittenthenightbefore,abouttheYankeestrailingwithtwooutsinthebottomoftheninth,whenScottBrosiuscomesupandhomerstotiethegame.Allofthewriterswhowerefeverishlywritingsothattheycouldfileassoonasthegameended stoppedwritingwhen Brosius tied the game and looked around at oneanotherwith that feeling of déjà vu. It was eerie how everyone did the samething.Nobody said it, but everyone felt the same thing.Theycouldn’t believewhat they just saw. We were underneath the stadium, but once that initialmomentpassed,wecouldhearthecrowdinsidethestadium,anditwasshakingagain.ItwassomethingthatIfeltprivilegedtobeapartofandbeabletosee.

DerekJetercelebrateshisgame-winninghomeruninthe10thinningofGameFourofthe2001WorldSeries.(APPhoto/BillKostroun)

2004 NBA Eastern Conference Finals, Game Two, Detroit Pistons atIndianaPacers,ConsecoFieldhouse,Indianapolis,Indiana,May24,2004

The2004Pistons teamwasvery special.Once theygotRasheedWallace, IthinkthatwasthegreatestteamIeversaw.Therewerenosuperstars,everyoneknewtheirrole,andtherewasadifferentheroeverynight.Itwasalsooneofthegreatdefensive teamsyou’llever seeandhad the rightcoach inLarryBrown.Theydideverythingright.GameTwowas in Indiana,but thePistonscouldn’tafford to loseandgodowntwogamestonone in theseries.Late in thegame,ReggieMiller looked like he had an easy transition basket off of aChaunceyBillupsturnover thatwouldhavetiedthegame,butTayshaunPrinceracedthelength of the court to get back and block the shot. To me, Miller made twomistakesontheplay.Firstwasslowingdownandthinkinghehadaneasylayup.Hewasn’tknownasadunker,butthatisaplaywhereyouhavetodunktheball,because if someone is chasingyou, theworst-case scenariowouldbe thatyouget fouled. You also have to know who is on the floor, because Prince wasknown as a shot blocker. Prince got the ball clean and didn’t swat it out ofbounds. He hit it just hard enough to direct it to the corner, where RichardHamiltonwasabletograbitandsealthevictory.Itwasoneoftheall-timegreatplays.Ihaveanoriginalpaintinginmyhouseofthatplay,aswellasanotheronein the barbershop that I own. It was a signature play for that team and thatfranchise.

GaryParrishBroadcaster,CBSSportsNetwork/Columnist,

CBSSports.com

MikeTysonvs.LennoxLewis,ThePyramid,Memphis,Tennessee,June8,2002ThefightwasinMemphis,whichiswhereI’mfromandlive.Anditwasafter

theTyson-Holyfieldfights.SoTysoncouldn’tgetlicensedinNevada,andtheywerelookingforaplacetodothefight,sincetheyknewitwouldgeneratehugepay-per-view and gate numbers. And there was a small boxing promotioncompany called Prize Fight Boxing based in Tennessee thatmade a run at it.Next thingyouknow, the fight’s inMemphis, and it endedupbeing themostlucrativefightinhistory,atthetime.I was a young reporter at theCommercial Appeal newspaper, and I was a

boxing fan. IgrewupplayingMikeTyson’sPunch-Out!!, so the ideaofbeinginvolved in the coverage of the fight was exciting for me. I spent the weekleadinguptothefightwithTyson’scamp,anditallledtothisnightwhereeverybig-name celebrity you can think ofwas inMemphis.During the preliminaryfights,whileThePyramidwasstillmostlyempty,Iwassittinginthefirstrowofthestandshavingaconversationwithsomeone,whenLeonardoDiCapriocameoverandsatdownintheseatnexttome,andhewaswithTobeyMaguire.Andthough I didn’t realize the significance of it at the time, in the ring, fightingwhileI’mchattingwithLeoandTobey,wasMannyPacquiao,who,ofcourse,went on to be a legend of the sport. I remember the thirty-to-forty minutesleading up to the fight and never experiencing anything else like it. Theelectricity and star power in the crowd were amazing. That night, though, itbecame clear to everyone thatMikeTysonwasn’t going to be the sameMikeTysoneveragain.YoucouldtalkyourselfintoHolyfieldbeingabadmatchup,orthat theear-bitingwasacrazyepisode,but itwasstillIronMike.ButwhenLennoxLewisknockedhimout,hewasbeatenlikehehadn’tbeenbeatensincebeingreleasedfromprison.Thememoriesofthatnightaresuchadichotomy—from all of the celebrities being in Memphis to watching a legend from my

childhoodseehiscareer,forallintentsandpurposes,end.

2005ConferenceUSAChampionshipGame,Louisvillevs.Memphis,FedExForum,Memphis,Tennessee,March12,2005JohnCalipari’steamthatseasonreturnedabunchofplayersthathadplayed

in the NCAA Tournament the year before and added a freshman point guardnamedDariusWashington.SotheywerepreseasonTop20andweresupposedtobegreat.Itdidn’tworkoutthatway,however,andtheyhadlotsofchemistryproblems early in the season. They got better as the season went along, and,whiletheydidn’thavemuchofachanceatanat-largebidbecauseoftheirearlyseason struggles, they still had a good chance of getting into the NCAATournament by winning the Conference USA tournament in Memphis. TheTigersmadeittothechampionshipgameontheirhomefloor,wheretheywerefacingRickPitino’sLouisvilleCardinals,withtheconference’sautomaticbidontheline.MemphiswasdowntwointhefinalsecondswhenWashingtontookathree-

pointshotandgotfouledwithnotimeleftontheclock.Thecrowdwentcrazy,becausethemathwassimple—maketwoofthethreeshotsandthegamegoestoovertime,makethreeandtheTigerswinandgototheNCAATournament.ThiswasakidwhomIhadgottentoknowduringtheseason.Hewasn’ttoopopularamonghisteammatesandwasn’tanaturalpointguard,andhewasreplacingaseniornamedAntonioBurks,whowas.SoWashingtonwastheguywhotookalotoftheheatfortheproblemstheteamhad.Hereheis,though,withachancetoeraseallofthatandbethehero.Becausetherewasnotimeontheclock,hewent to the line by himself, with all of the other players watching from thesideline.Hemadethefirstshot,butthenmissedthesecond.Hewassuchagoodfree-throw shooter that no one expected him tomiss again, but you could seepanicset inonhis faceafter thefirstmiss.Themomentwasclearlygetting tohim,tothepointwhereCaliparihassaidthathewishedhehadcalledatimeoutjusttocalmhimdown,whichiscontrarytoeverythingacoachusuallydoes.Thewayheexplainsitnow,ifhedidthatandWashingtonmissed,theblamewouldnothavefallenontheplayer’sshoulders,andCaliparicouldhavetakentheheatinstead. That was all hindsight, however, and Washington missed and thencollapsed right at the free-throw line.He took his jersey and covered his facewithit,because,ashelaterexplainedtome,hisfatherhadalwaystoldhimthatamandoesn’t letpeople seehimcry. Itwas suchavulnerablemoment—onhishomecourtandonnationaltelevision—thathisinstinctsweretocoverhisface.I’ve never seen a more gut-wrenching moment that didn’t involve a physical

injurythanthatmomentonthatfloorthatday.

2006NCAAMen’s Basketball TournamentRegional Semifinals,Gonzagavs.UCLA,OaklandArena,Oakland,California,March23,2006ItwasmylastyearastheMemphisbeatwriter,andIwasinOaklandcovering

the team in the Sweet 16. The first half of the doubleheader that day wasGonzaga-UCLA. I got there early enough to go out to the court and see thatGonzagawasupby seventeenpoints, and then Iwent back to the press roomunderthearena.Asthegameprogressed,Istartedhearingthesecrazyroars.Feltlike the arenawas going to collapse on top of us. Itwas really loud, and thesound was registering to the point where you knew something amazing wasgoingon.BecausethegamewasinOakland,yousee,therewerelotsofUCLAfansthere,soitwasn’tatypicalneutral-courtgame,anditwasgettingloud.SoIwentouttoseewhatwasgoingon,andGonzagawasnowupjustthreewith20seconds left,andUCLAwasgettingready toshootfree throws. Itwashard tobelieve they had blown the lead, but they were still ahead. And even if theBruinsmadeboth free throws,Gonzagawouldstillhave the leadand theball.ButafterUCLAmadebothfreethrows,theZagscommittedaturnoverthatledto an easybasket thatwouldbeUCLA’sgame-winner.Thewholeplacewentnuts.Thegamehadturnedjustlikethat.Ithappenedsofast.AndthisendedupbeingAdamMorrison’sfinalgameatGonzaga.Hehadbecomeaniconicfigurein the sport by that time. After the game, though, what everyonewill alwaysrememberwashimlyingonthecourt,crying.Youcancryforlotsofdifferentreasons,butwhatthatmomentfeltliketomewasaguyrealizingthatthiswasit.Hewas never going to beAdamMorrison, Rock Star, again. This gamewaswhereallofthehypeledhim,andhewassecondsawayfrombeingintheEliteEightandplayingforaspotintheFinalFour.Andthenitwasallrippedawaysoabruptly. I remember lookingathimand thinkingheunderstoodwhathad justhappenedmorethanmostinhisshoeswouldhave.And,sadly,thatwasthelasttimehewasameaningfulplayerinameaningfulgame.

AdamMorrisonfallstothefloorintearsafterlosingtoUCLAinthefinalsecondsoftheir2006NCAATournamentRegionalSemifinal.(APPhoto/PaulSakuma)

2008 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Finals, Memphis vs. Kansas,Alamodome,SanAntonio,Texas,April7,2008TherehasalwaysbeenaninherentsenseamongthepeopleofMemphisthat

something is going to gowrong, evenwhen things are goingwell. Every bigmomenthad alwaysbeen trumpedby something else.Butwhen JohnCaliparicametocoachtheTigers,becauseheissuchagoodsalesman,hehadconvincedMemphiansthatthecitycouldbemorethanithadeverbeen,andtheprogramcouldbemorethanithadeverbeen,andtheylovedhimbecauseof it.At thattime,therewasnobiggerfigureinthecity,andhehadeveryonebelieving“Whycan’titbeus?”In2008,notonlydid theyhaveDerrickRose,but theyalsohada teamthat

grew up rough, the same way many people from Memphis grow up. Theyweren’t kids fromMemphis, but they all could have been, and they had thatsameattitudethatpeopleinthecityhad.Inthechampionshipgame,theywereup nine with less than two minutes to go, and they were going to win thenationalchampionship.Youcanwatchasmanybasketballgamesasyouwant,andyou’llrarelyseeateamblowaleadlikethat.Iremembersittingthereandthinking that if someone toldmewhile Iwasgrowingup inMemphis that theschool would win a national championship in anything, I never would havebelievedit.Andyetitwashappening.Butthenitallfellapart,and,beforeyouknewit,MarioChalmershitathreetoforceovertime,atwhichpointKansashadmomentumand,ultimately,thewin.Itisonethingtoloseinanationalchampionshipgame,butthiswasdifferent.

Thisgamewasoveruntilitwasn’t.AndIcanstillseeChalmershittingthatshot,whichwasrightinfrontofwhereIwassitting.I’veneverseenatitlegameturnsoquickly,andwhile that shotonlysent thegame toovertime, ifyouwere inthatbuilding,youknewitwasoverthemomentChalmers’sshotwentin.

ProvidenceatCreighton,CenturyLinkCenterOmaha,Omaha,Nebraska,March8,2014IdostudioandsidelineworkfortheCBSSportsNetwork,andwewerelucky

enough tobe inOmaha forDougMcDermott’sSeniorDay. Iwas thesidelinereporter.AndnotonlywasMcDermott going tobe theNationalPlayerof theYearand,statistically,oneofthegreatestcollegeplayersofalltime,buthewasalso going for 3,000 points in the game.His fatherwas also the coach of theteam.Sothegamecheckedsomanyboxes,andyoureallyhopedthedaywouldgo down in a storybook way. In the first half, McDermott went crazy andultimatelyendedthegamewithacareer-high45points,passingthe3,000-pointmarkalong theway.Then,afterwards, theydid theSeniorDayceremony,andhewaswithhisfamily,and,ifyouwerewritingabasketballmovieandlookingforthefinalscene,itwouldbehardtobeatthisone.ItwasprettyrandomthatIwas there that night, but I remember sitting there thinking how neat it was,especiallyinanerawheremostofthebestplayersdon’tevenhaveaSeniorDay.

DavePaschBroadcaster,ESPN

SyracuseUniversityFootballandMen’sBasketball,1999–2000IwenttoSyracuseandwashiredin1999tobetheplay-by-playannouncerfor

theschool.TheschoolwantedtohireaSyracusegradforthespot;thepreviousannouncerwasnotanalumnus,butwas lovedbymanyof theschool’s fans. Iwastwenty-sixatthetimeand,tospicethingsupabitaswellashelpwiththetransition,theydecidedtohavealotoftheschool’salumnicomeback,startingwith the press conference to announce my hiring. So here I am at the pressconferencewith people likeMartyGlickman,MarvAlbert,MikeTirico, SeanMcDonough,IanEagle,andothers.Then,duringtheseason,Ihadthechancetocallgameswithmanyofthem,andotherSyracusegradslikeDickStocktonandBobCostas. Itwasahuge thrillworkinggameswith somany famousalumni.Unfortunately,thatwastheyearMartyGlickmanbecameill,sohewasn’tabletoworkagame.IgrewupintheMidwest,butknewabouthislegacy,bothasanathleteandasabroadcaster,soitwasanhonortosimplymeethimatthepressconference.Itwasoneof thecoolestexperiencesofmylife,spendingtheyearworking with these guys, given the history and tradition of Syracusebroadcasters.

2008NFCChampionshipGame,PhiladelphiaEaglesatArizonaCardinals,UniversityofPhoenixStadium,Glendale,Arizona,January18,2009Ithinkwhatstoodoutthemostfromthatdayishowitdidn’tseemreal.The

Cardinals had squeaked into the playoffs at 9–7 and Cris Collinsworth haddeemedthemtheworstplayoffteamever.TheybeatAtlantaintheirfirstplayoffgame,thenwenttoCarolinaandwontheretomakeittotheNFCChampionshipGame,whichtheywereactuallyhosting.TheCardinalsgotouttoa24–6lead,andIrememberthinkingathalftimethattheywerejustonehalfawayfromtheSuper Bowl. The Eagles came back and took the lead late, but the CardinalsdrovedownthefieldandKurtWarnerthrewascreenpasstoTimHightowertoscore thego-ahead touchdown. I remember thinking that itwasgreat that they

werewinning,buttheystillhadtostoptheEaglesandDonovanMcNabbfromscoring.Phillydrovetoaroundmidfield,butMcNabbthrewanincompletiononfourth down.At that point, it started setting in and our boothwent crazy;wewerealljumpingupanddowninexcitement.Ihadstartedtherein2002,whentheywerereallybadandlostdouble-digitgamesjustabouteveryseason.Theywereplaying inSunDevilStadium,where theyoftendrew just25,000peopleforagame.Allofasudden,itisanew,fullstadium,everyoneischeeringfortheCardinals, and it is so loud that youcan’t evenhearyourself think.Thegameends, there is red confetti all over the place, and theCardinals are celebratinggoingtotheSuperBowl.Thescenewassimplymagical.

Super Bowl XLIII, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Arizona Cardinals, RaymondJamesStadium,Tampa,Florida,February1,2009Iremembertellingmyanalyst,RonWolfley,toenjoytheexperience,because

we never knew if we would ever get back. Normally, we would go to thestadiumonabuswithjuststaff,butthewayitwassetup,therewereabunchofplayersonthebus,aswell.Astheplayersweregettingonthebus,itwasdeadsilent.KurtWarnerwas sitting in the seat in front of us, andRon and Iwerelookingateachotherwhileeveryoneelsewaslookingstraightahead.Wewerejust trying tosoakup theenvironment.TheCardinalshadachance toscoreatthe end of the half, but Warner threw an interception that James Harrisonreturned100yardstheotherwayforatouchdown.Ouranglewasn’tgood,soitwashardtotellwhichplayeritwasfortheSteelersthatcaughtthepass,andbythetimeIlookedbackup,Isawtherewasnotimeontheclock,soalltheyhadtodowastacklehim.Ididn’trealizeuntilafter,butAntrelRollehadcomeoutontothefield,soLarryFitzgerald,whowaschasingHarrison,actuallyhadtogoaroundhimand through theCardinalsbench ifhewasgoing tocatchhim.Hecaughthim,butbythetimehedid,Harrisonhadscored.Asateambroadcaster,yougetemotionally tied to the team,sowhen theplayended, Iwassomad, Ithrewmyheadsetdown.WhenBruceSpringsteencameouttoplayathalftime,Iwasn’tevenabletopayattentiontotheshow.Ihadtoleavetheboothanddidn’tcomebackuntilthestartofthesecondhalf.TheCardinals trailedmostof thesecondhalf,butas thegamewenton,you

could tell that most of the fans there were becoming Cardinals fans. ThenWarner hit Fitzgerald on a slant and he started running towards the end zone,andIrememberhimlookingupatthevideoscreentoseewhowaschasinghim.Ofcourseitdidn’tmatter;Fitzgeraldscored,andtheentirestadiumwentnuts.Iremember looking to the booth to our right, which was full of people that

worked for theNFL, and theywere cheering. TheCardinalswere leading theSuper Bowl with twominutes left. I had not written anything down; I’m notsuperstitiousatall,butIdidn’twanttowritedownthatlineorsentencesIwasgoingtosayiftheywon.Now,herewearewithtwominutesleftandIhavenoidea what I’m going to say. Whatever I do say is going to be recorded andreplayed on NFL Films forever, so I want to make sure I get it right. I startwritingitdownandacoupleofplayslater,BenRoethlisbergercompletesapassandoneoftheCardinalsdefendersfelldowntoput theSteelersintofieldgoalrange and position towin the game.Then came thewinning pass to SantonioHolmes, where you couldn’t believe that Roethlisberger even threw the ball.Ninetimesoutoften,thatballgetsintercepted,butnotonlydidHolmescatchit,he managed to get two feet inbounds. They had to review the play, and wecouldn’t really tellwhether itwasacatch fromourangle, sowewerewaitingandwaiting for the referee tomake the call, and the arms finallywent up tosignify the touchdown. The emotions of that game, with the Cardinals aheartbeatawayfromwinning,and thinking theywere thebetter teamthatday,thenexperiencingthecrushingblowattheend,itwasagiantrollercoaster.Italljusthitatonce.

2009 NFC Wild Card Game, Green Bay Packers at Arizona Cardinals,UniversityofPhoenixStadium,Glendale,Arizona,January10,2010ThestadiumwaspackedagainastheCardinalswoninovertime,51–45.Kurt

Warnerthrewmoretouchdownsthanincompletions(fivetofour),whileAaronRodgersgotstrippedinovertimeandKarlosDansbyrecoveredthefumbleandreturnedit17yardsforthewinningtouchdown.ItwasthesamefeelingthatwehadduringtheSuperBowlruntheyearbefore—thattheplayoffmagicwasbackagain.TheCardinalshadwonmoregamesthanduringtheirSuperBowlseason,andheretheywere,backintheplayoffsagain.MostpeopleremembertheSuperBowl,butforget that theCardinalsmadethepostseasonagain thenextseason,which,forsomereason,doesn’thappentoooftenforteamsthatlosetheSuperBowl.Thiswasagreatgame, though. ItwasWarner andRodgersgoingbackandforth,withneitherdefenseabletostopeitherone.Then,ofcourse,itendedonadefensivetouchdown.ItwasprobablythebestfootballgameI’veeverseen.

Nebraska at Penn State, Beaver Stadium, University Park, Pennsylvania,November12,2011IwasscheduledtoworkthegamewithChrisSpielmanandUrbanMeyer,and

whenwefoundoutonSundaythatwewereworkingthisgame,Iremembered

that the night before therewere reports of an investigation at Penn State intoformer assistant coach Jerry Sandusky. As the week went on, the story gotbiggerandbiggerand,onWednesday,thenightbeforewewerescheduledtoflytothegame,PennStatefiredJoePaterno.IrememberwatchingthestudentsriotonTVandwonderedtomyselfwhatIwasabouttowalkinto.WemetwiththecoachesonFridays, and itwas surreal.Urban’s fatherpassedawayduring theweek,soheendedupnotbeingthere,soitwasjustChrisandmyself,withTomRinaldion thesidelines.Therewasstill limited informationaboutwhatpeopledid and didn’t know and we really weren’t sure what was going to happenSaturday.Wastheregoingtobepicketingorariot?Beforekickoff,bothteamswalkedtomidfieldforaprayerledbyNebraskaassistantcoachRonBrown.Wecoveredtheprayeronthebroadcast,anddidn’tsayanythingoverit.Thewholestadiumwas silent, and the prayerwent on for around aminute and a half. Itendedupbeingagreatgameand therewereno incidents insideoroutside thestadium.I’llneverforget,though,thatwehadtomeasureeverythingwesaid.Itwasameaningfulfootballgame,butthereweresomanyotherthingsthatweremuchmoreimportantthatwehadtobesensitivetowards,withthevictimsandtheirfamiliesbeingfirstandforemost. ItwasprobablythemostdifficultgameI’veeverhadtopreparefor,butforreasonswellbeyondfootball.

JeffPearlmanAuthor,Gunslinger,Showtime,andTheBadGuysWon!

1992NorthAtlanticConferenceChampionshipGame,DrexelatDelaware,DelawareFieldHouse,Newark,Delaware,March9,1992This game will always be my greatest observatory sport moment. I was a

sophomoreat theUniversityofDelawareandwas theassistantsportseditoratthe schoolnewspaper,TheReview.Delawarehadnevermade it to theNCAATournament before. They played in this horrible arena with a rubberizedbasketballcourt,atrackaroundit,andbleachers.TheBlueHensweregreatthatseason,though.WhenyougotoaschoollikeDukeorNorthCarolina,youhaveexpectations and assume that you are going to the NCAA Tournament everyseason. Delaware didn’t have those, however, and on this day, 2,000 fanscrammedintothishot,crappygymnasiumtoseetheBlueHensbeatthestuffingoutofDrexel.Iwassittingatthepresstable,atthefarendofthecourt,andthebuilding was shaking. It was this innocent joy that doesn’t exist at any mid-majorschoolanymore.Itwasreallyraw,intense,andcelebratory.ESPNwouldalwayscoverallof theconferencechampionshipgames,and theysent the lateTomMees to do the game.Tomwas aDelaware graduate, so Imade sure tointerviewhimforthepaperbeforethegame.Delawarewonbytwenty-four,andafterthegame,aguardnamedRickyDeadwylersatontopofthebasketandwasdoingadance.ItwasthelastgamethatIenjoyedasbothafanandamemberofthemedia.IwasaDelawarestudentintheprocessofbecomingamemberofthemediabutstillhadenoughstudentinmetoenjoytheeuphoria.

1992 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament First Round, Delaware vs.Cincinnati,UniversityofDaytonArena,Dayton,Ohio,March20,1992TherewasarestaurantinthestudentunionatDelawarecalledTheScrounge,

and I was there to cover the selection show when it was announced thatDelawarewould playCincinnati in the first round of theNCAATournament.Thefirstthoughtthatwentthrougheveryone’sheadstherewasthat,“Wow,thatisn’tsobad.Thisgameiswinnable.”Delawarehadafrontcourtthathadalotof

sizeandhadonlylostthreetimesallseason,soitreallyfeltliketheycouldwinthatmatchup.Thereweresomebadsigns,though.Earlyintheseason,theBlueHens lost to Bucknell and Delaware State, so the red flags were there. Thestudentnewspapertraveledwiththeteamtothegames,andonthetriptoDaytonforthegame,theseguyswereconvincedtheyweregoingtowin.What’smore,Iwas convinced they were going to win. I had never covered an NCAATournamentandwassittinginthepressrowforthegame,soitwasahugedealfor me. Delaware won the jump ball and scored to go ahead, 2–0, and thatfeeling that they could win kept growing. Then, Cincinnati decided to pressDelaware,anditmakesmelaughthinkingaboutit.Itwasridiculousandwastheequivalent ofDelaware doing that to an intramural team.Cincinnati destroyedDelaware so badly, winning, 85–47. The Bearcats had multiple future NBAplayersontheteamandwereathleticandquick.TheycompletelyshutdownallofDelaware’s best players.Despite all of that, though, itwas still a joy to bethere,andtheannihilationaftercomingintothebuildingwithloftyexpectationsisabetterstorythaniftheyhadlostbyfive.

RoyJonesJr.vs.LouDelValle,TheTheateratMadisonSquareGarden,NewYork,NewYork,July18,1998I used to love boxingwhen Iwas a kid, and thiswas the first fight I ever

covered.SugarRayLeonardwasmyfavoriteboxerwhilegrowingup,andRoyJones Jr. was the closest thing I had seen to Sugar Ray as an adult. LouDelVallehadasisterwhowasalsoaboxer,andwhomIhadwrittenaboutforS.I.andreallyliked,soIwasacutelyawareofthisfightandwasreallyintoit.Iwassittingringside,anditwastheclosestIhadeverbeenatarealfight,tothepointwhereIwasgettingspitonmynotebook.Joneshadneverbeenknockeddownina fightat thispoint, so I thoughthewas totally invincible.Boxingdone reallywell is beautiful, but it usually isn’t. Roy Jones Jr., though, was a beautifulboxer. He doesn’t appear on many lists of the all-time greats, but he reallydeservestobeconsideredone.Hecouldcoverupifhedidn’twanttogethit,andhisopponentwouldbecomecompletelyinconsequential.Everythinghedidwaswithpurpose,everymusclehadareasonwhenitwasmoving.HewasthemostuniqueathleteIevercovered.

1999NationalLeagueChampionshipSeries,GameFive,AtlantaBravesatNewYorkMets,SheaStadium,Flushing,NewYork,October17,1999IwasthenumbertwobaseballwriteratSportsIllustratedatthetime,andboth

theMets andYankeeswere really good, so, generally, TomVerducci got the

YankeesandIgottheMets.TheMetswerereallyfunduringthatera,andaftereverygametheywon,intheclubhouse,theywouldplay“Don’tLeaveMeThisWay”byThelmaHouston.Ilovedcoveringthatteam,buttheycouldneverbeattheBraves.Obviously,thisgamewasmemorableforthewayitended,withthefamousRobinVentura “grand slam single” (Venturawasonly creditedwith asingledespitehittingawalk-offgrandslamhomerunbecausehedidn’ttouchallfourbasesprior to theon-field celebration).But theother thing that stoodoutthat nightwas something that happenedwhilewewere sitting in the auxiliarypressboxduringthegame.Atonepoint,afansittinginfrontofVerducci(whowasalsocoveringthegamethatnight)wasactinglikeajerk.Tomisveryquiet,mild-mannered, and dignified, but the guywas hassling himduring the game,and all of a sudden,Verducci has him in a headlock and the twoof them arefighting.Thefangotkickedout,andVerducciwentbacktolookinglikeamodeltwosecondslater.

Atlanta Braves at New York Mets, Shea Stadium, Flushing New York,September21,2001Iwas living inNewYorkCityandworking forSports Illustrated, and9/11

wasaverytraumaticeventforme.IlivedaroundamilefromtheWorldTradeCenter,andyoucouldsmellitintheairforweeks.Itwasahorriblyemotionaltime—everyonewantedtodosomething,butnooneknewwhattodo.Thiswasthe first event I covered for S.I. after 9/11, and while the game itself wasamazing, themoment whenMike Piazza hit the winning home run off SteveKarsaywaselectric.ItwasasrawandemotionalasanythingIhadevercovered.Tome, though, themoment thatwas truly goose bump-raising and sent chillsdownyourspinewaswhenLizaMinnelligotonthefieldbetweeninningsandsang “New York, New York” and started doing a kick line with the policeofficers on the field. People just went crazy, and as a New Yorker, it wasmonumentalforme.I’llneverforgethowamazingthatwas.

JoePosnanskiExecutiveColumnist,MLB.com

1996 Summer Olympics, Men’s 200 Meter Final, Centennial OlympicStadium,Atlanta,Georgia,August1,1996MyfirstOlympicswas1996inAtlanta,andIhadneverreallycoveredtrack

andfieldoutsideofsomehighschoolstuff,soI’dneverbeenaroundsuchahighlevelofthesport.MichaelJohnsonwasgoingforthedoubleinthe200and400,andwhenIwasinthestadium,ithadneveroccurredtomejusthowexcitingitcouldbetowatchpeoplerun.Johnsonalreadyhadtheleadwhentheracewentinto the turn, andwhenhehit the turn, I’venever really seenor felt anythingquitelikeit.Everybodyinthestadiumwentcrazyatonce.Itwasaneruption.Hewentflyingthroughtheturn,andI’llalwayslikehisdescriptionofit.Hesaiditwaslikebeinginago-kartgoingdownhilltoofast.You’realmostontheedgeofbeingoutofcontrol,andthatishowitfelt.Itwaslikehisbodywasgoingfasterthanitwascapableofgoing.Hejustbleweverybodyaway.Theracetook19.32seconds, and in that time, from the beginning of the race to the end, I feltcompletely different. It is such a shared experience in away that team sportscan’tbe.Everyone is focusedononeperson,andeven ifyouwererootingforsomeoneelse,youwerestillsortofpullingforJohnson,becauseyouwantedtosayyousawsomethingthatyou’llneverforget.

2000 PGA Championship, Final Round, Valhalla Golf Club, Louisville,Kentucky,August20,2000Thiswas the third of the fourmajors TigerWoodswon on theway to the

“Tiger Slam,” and it was far and away the closest of them. I had obviouslyfollowed all of his major championships closely, and there was this legendbuildingaroundhimthatwassooverwhelmingatthetimethatevenhecouldn’tliveuptoit.Itwasn’tjustthathewaswinning,itwasthathewassodominantwhilewinning.Hehad justblownaway theentire field inboth theU.S.Openand the British Open and was the heavy favorite entering the PGAChampionship. Tiger was in position to win, but a golfer named Bob May,

whommost fans had never heard of, forced a playoff withWoods after bothmadedifficultputtson18,withMaymakinghisfirsttoputalotofpressureonWoodstomakehis.ItwasthefirsttimesincehebeganhisdominancethatTigerwasbeingreallychallenged.Thiswasn’t justaboutbeingbetter thaneveryoneelse,butitwasthefirsttimeasaprofessionalthathehadtostandupandshowushisheartwhilebeingdirectlychallenged.Watchinghimbringouthisbestinthosefinalmomentswasveryspecial.

2000 Summer Olympics, Greco-Roman Wrestling Super HeavyweightFinal,SydneyExhibitionCentre,Sydney,Australia,September27,2000Thisisalwaysgoingtobemyfavoritesportsmomentever,andI’vewrittenat

lengthaboutitinthepast.ItwasatotalflukethatIwaseventhere,becausethatnight, theU.S.baseball team ledbyTommyLasordawasplaying for thegoldmedal.Basicallyeveryonewasgoingtothatgame,butIhadwrittenaboutthatteam enough at that point and had enough freedom to cover what I wantedduringtheOlympics.SoIwentinsteadtowriteaboutthegreatRussianwrestlerAlexanderKarelin,whowastheMichaelJordanofthesport.Itwasabignightforhim,ashewastryingtowinhisfourthgoldmedalandhadnevergivenupapointat theOlympics.Theplacewaselectricbecauseof this,notelectricwithAmericans,butwithRussiansandpeoplewhowere fansofwrestling. Ididn’teven know the rules of the event butwas justwatching it to coverKarelin. Idon’t even think I knew that he was wrestling an American that night andcertainlydidn’t knowRulonGardner’s name.Therewas amomentduring thematchwhere thewholecrowdgasped. Ididn’tknowwhat Iwaswatchingbutlooked up at the scoreboard and saw thatGardner had scored a point. I knewenoughthatthiswasararethingandalsoknewenoughtoknowthattimewasrunningoutforKarelin.SuddenlytherewasthischancethatIwasgoingtoseeone of the greatest upsets in Olympics history but didn’t even know how ithappened.Gardnerwon,andIclearlyremember thesceneas thefinalsecondswererunningout,withthearenagoingcrazybecauseitwassounexpected,andKarelinholdingouthishandtoshakeGardner’shandindefeat.Youdidn’thaveto know a thing about sports to get the gravity of it. I didn’t learn aboutGardner’s incredible backstory until his press conference. By the end of thenight,througharunofluckandbumpingintopeople,Ihadtalkedtohismotherandhisfather,andhadcalledhishometownradiostation,andeachtoldmeanamazingstoryabouthim.WhenIfinallysatdowntowrite,myheadwasgoingto explode. I literally had toomuch information. I never could have imaginedthatIwasgoingtowalkintoastoryasgreatasthisonesimplybybeinginthe

rightplaceattherighttime.

RulonGardnerholdsthearmofAlexanderKarelinduringtheGreco-RomanSuperHeavyweightgoldmedalwrestlingmatchatthe2000SummerOlympics.(APPhoto/KatsumiKasahara)

2001 World Series, Game Four, Arizona Diamondbacks at New YorkYankees,YankeeStadium,Bronx,NewYork,October31,2001TheDiamondbackswere leading the series twogames tooneandwent into

theninthinningwithatwo-runlead.IwasworkingfortheKansasCityStaratthetimeandwaswritingonadeadlinethatwasverytight,soIbasicallyhadtohave a column donewhen the game ended. I had alreadywrittenmy columnabout theYankeesbeingdead.Theyhadwontheprevious threeWorldSeries,

but a team that no one expected to end their dynastywas about to do exactlythat,anditwasn’tgoingtobeparticularlyclose.Astheninthinningprogressed,the Yankees got a runner on, and Tino Martinez homered to tie the game.YankeeStadiumwasgoingcrazy,andallIcouldthinkaboutwasthatmystorywasruined.InowliterallyhadnothingtosayandstartedthinkingifIcouldputtheword“not”invariousplacesinthestory,asintheYankeesare“not”dead,andifjustchangingthatcouldmakethestorywork.Iendeduptearingupthatstoryandwritingagain,butnowI’mwritingbasedonnothing,becausethegamewastied.Istartedwritingtwocolumnsatthesametime,oneforeachoutcome,and just going back and forth between two screens, hardly evenwatching thegame.WhenDerekJeterhithis“Mr.November”homer in thebottomof the10th,

myfirstthoughtwasn’teventhatIhadjustseenoneofthegreatmomentsofmylife,butthatIknewIhadtowritethecolumnabouttheYankeeswinning.WhatIendedupsendingwasgibberish;itwasbarelyEnglish.Isentitin,thenhadafewminutes torewrite it for the latereditions,andpeople in thestadiumweresinging along with Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York.” After the songended, it started again, andpeoplewere still singing.Noonewanted to leave.Suddenly, thismomentwas crashingonme.Now I’m seeing it in the lightof9/11, in the lightof all of theseNewYorkerswanting to capture thismomentand in the lightof theYankeesdynastybeingprolongedbyNewYork’smostbeloved player. Itwas overwhelming, and it just kept going. They played thesongoverandover,andeventhoughIwassupposedtobewriting,Iwascaughtupinhowamazingthemomentwas. IknewwhateverIwrotewasn’tgoingtoliveuptothatmoment.

MissouriatKansas,AllenFieldhouse,Lawrence,Kansas,February25,2012Havingbeena columnist inKansasCity for around fifteenyears, I came to

reallyunderstandwhatMissouri-Kansasbasketballmeant.ItwaseverybitasbigasDuke-NorthCarolinaorAlabama-Auburn in football. Itwasso intense,andsomanypeopleputsomuchof theirdaily lives into thatrivalry.MissourihaddecidedtomovetotheSEC,sothiswasthelastconferencegamebetweentheteams.AllenFieldhouseisprobablymyfavoriteplaceinthecountrytowatchasportingevent. Ithasa littlebitofoldanda littlebitofnew,and it isalwayspacked and loud.Missouri ended up building a big lead and looked like theywere going to turn the last game into a mockery, but Kansas started comingback,andthearenastartedgettinglouderandlouder.Ioftentalkwithcolleaguesabouttheloudestplacesthey’veeverbeen,andIthinkAllenFieldhousethatday

wastheloudestplaceI’veevenbeen.Kansascameallthewaybacktowin,butafteritwasover,therewasthissensethatthiswasnevergoingtohappenagain.Ithinkiteventuallywill,butitwasprettycleartherewasalotofbitternessoverMissouri leaving.Kansasneverwanted toplay themagain,and,goingback tothe Civil War, there has always been a little antipathy from Missouri aboutKansas.Youjustfeltlikethiswastheendofsomethingprettygreat,andwhenthingslikethisend,theyusuallydoinundramaticfashion.ThiswasoneofthebestgamesI’veeverseen,though,becauseoftheatmosphereandthegravityofthemoment.

RayRattoColumnist,NBCSportsBayArea

1979 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Finals, Indiana State vs.Michigan State, Special Events Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 26,1979Thiswas one of the last Final Fours before the event became a giant trade

show,butyouknewhow important itwas andhoped thatMichiganState andIndianaStatewouldmeet in the championshipgame.Therewas abuzz in thearena; itwas just crackling.Thiswas thematchup everybody couldn’twait tosee, and itwas theway the seasonwas defined.You couldn’t pick twomoredifferent personalities than Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. Johnson wascharmingeventhen,whileBirdwasperpetuallyuncomfortableinthespotlight.You knewMichigan State had more great players, but the debate didn’t boildowntowhohadthebetterteamorthebettercoachoranythinglikethat.Itwasliterallyabout those twoguys.Thegameitselfwasnotagreatgame,andBirddidnotplayparticularlywell.Assoonasthegameended,IwentrightdowntotheIndianaStatebenchandwatchedhimsiton thebenchwithhishead inhishands. He was beyond crestfallen, because he knew how important the gamewas. It turned out to be the seminalmoment in the history of the Final Four,whichisasbigasitistodaybecauseofthatgame.Itwasn’tthegamethatdidit.Itwasthosetwoguys.Itwasoneofthefeweventsthatliveduptothehype,notthatnight,buthistorically,becausetheyendedupdefiningadecadeoftheNBA,aswell.

LarryBirdhelpsupMagicJohnsonduringthe1979NCAAchampionshipgame.(APPhoto)

Stanford at Cal, Memorial Stadium, Berkeley, California, November 20,1982ItwasJohnElway’slastgameatStanford,andtheyneededtowinforhimto

go to the only bowl gamehewould have played inwhile there.TheCardinalscoredlatetotakeaone-pointlead,butthenthebandthinghappens.Iwasupinthepressbox,andastheplaywasunfolding,youseethebandcomingoutontothefieldbecausetheyweresurethegamewasover.Isawtheplaystillgoingon,butmybraincouldn’tprocess it.Thegamewasclearlynotover,and thebandwasonthefield.Butthebandwouldn’tbeonthefieldifthegamewasn’tover,right?Sothegamemustbeover.Thegamewasn’toveryet,though,sowhywasthebandon thefield?Iwascompletelyconfusedandfigured thegamewasn’tgoingbedecided immediately, so Iwent to theelevatorandwentdown to thefield.BythetimeIfoughtthroughthecrowdandmadeitdownthere,theofficials

haddecided itwasa touchdownand thatCalhadwon.PaulWiggin,whowastheStanfordcoachandasniceapersonaspossible,wasasmadasfivepeoplecouldbe.Hewasbeyondangry,becausehecouldn’timagineawayinwhichhewouldbescrewedoutof thewin.Thegameendedupdamaginghimsobadlythathewasalwaysconsideredatargetforfiringafterthat.Ifollowedhimashewastryingtofindsomeonetocomplaintoabouthowhisteamjustgotscrewed,

andhestartsfollowingtheofficialsoffthefield.Weallendedupbythedoortothe officials’ locker room, and hewas screaming at them the entire time.Theofficialsweretryingnottoengagehim,becausetheyknowtheycan’twinthatargument.Weget right up to the door, andWiggin gets into the room. I startfollowinghim,becauseI’mnotgoingtostopuntilsomebodystopsme.Oneofthe Pac-10 people put his arm out and held me there, the door closes, and asecondlater,Wigginisusheredout,sohenevergetsananswer.Italkedtohim,andhestilldoesn’tknowwhytheydidn’twin.IspentsomuchtimefollowinghimthatInevergottotalktothetromboneplayer.

1989 World Series, Game Three, Oakland Athletics at San FranciscoGiants,CandlestickPark,SanFrancisco,California,October17,1989I had never been in a place where I saw 70,000 people not die when they

probablyshouldhave.Itwasaneventinanold,ricketypark,whichCandlestickParkhadalwaysbeenportrayedasbeing,so thatshouldhavehappened,but itwas built with Russian concrete, so you couldn’t knock it down. It was anunusually hot day for late October, although in the Bay Area, summer runsintermittently,andoneofthetimeswhereitisusuallyhottestislateOctober.Irememberpeoplesayingitwasearthquakeweather,whichisaclassicoldwives’tale.WhenIwenttothepark,Iwasinthepressbox,andallofasudden,whilewe

wereallsittingthere,Ihearwhatsoundslikeatrainrunningrightbythepressbox.A fewseconds later, Iknew itwasanearthquake, since I’ve lived in theBay Area and knowwhat they sound like. This one, though, was bigger andlonger.Thenext thing Inoticedwasallof theout-of-towners in thepressboxgrabbed their stuff and started fleeing like rabbits, because they aren’texperiencedwithearthquakesandweresuretheyweregoingtoplummettotheirdeaths.Ifollowedthemoutbutonlygrabbedanotebook,becauseIknewwhereI needed to bewas downon the field.Candlestickwas one of those stadiumswhereyoudidn’ttakeanelevatordowntothefield;youhadtogodownthroughthe stands.As Iwas heading down to the field, I see people listening to theirtransistorradiosandstarthearingthenewsabouttheBayBridgecollapsingandthefreewayinOaklandcollapsingandtheMarinaDistrictbeingonfire.BythetimeIgotdownto thefield, Iwas incompletedisbelief. Itwas theendof theworld,andIwasatabaseballgame.Istartedtalkingtoplayers,andallofthemwereshell-shockedbecausebythe

timeIgotdownthere,Isawtherewerenolightson.Iknewtheyhavegeneratorsand backup generators, so if those were all out, it was really bad. As I was

talkingtoplayers,InoticedthattheGiantsweremorefreakedoutthantheA’swere,andIwasn’tsurewhyuntilafterwards,whenIfoundoutthattheA’shadmoreplayersfromtheareathantheGiantsdid.AftergatheringasmanyquotesasIcould,Iranbackupstairsandsatdownandpickedupthephone,butitwasdead, so Iwasn’tgoing tobeable to sendmystory to thepaper.Around fiveminuteslater,thephonekickedinandwasoneoftheonlyonesworking—I’mnotreallysurewhyorhow,butmaybebecausewewereinSanFranciscoandIwrote for the Chronicle, we were wired differently. I only called in quotes,though,becausetheyweren’treallysurehowtheyweregoingtopublish.Iwentbackandforthtothefieldacoupleoftimes,andeverytimeIdid,I’mnoticingthere are fewer and fewer writers andmedia people.Many of them left rightaftertheearthquakehitforvariousreasons.Onmultipleoccasions,whileIwason the phone calling in quotes, a police officer would come by and say theyneededtoclearthearea.Ididn’twanttolosethephone,though,soIwouldasktheofficerifhehadcalledhisfamilyyet,andwhenhesaidno,Iofferedtolethimusemyphone,andinreturntheyletmestayandfinishwhatIneededtodo.By the time I finally got kicked out, it was around 8:30 and just about pitchblack.Icouldn’tgetdowntownbecauseofgridlock,soIheadedhome,whereIknew

thephoneworkedandIcouldfinishsendinginquotes.IlivedintheEastBay,though, and the bridge was closed, so I headed south, and every bridge wasclosed. Between distance and traffic, it took around three hours to finally gethome, and by that time, the office was exhausted and told me not to botheranymore.Ispentthenexttendayscoveringpeopleinsuitstellinguswhytherewere no games. It was just surreal, and at the end of the night, with all thepictureswesaw,Ithoughttherewerethousandsofpeopledead,butbecausesomanypeoplewereheadinghometowatchthegame,casualtiesendedupbeingalotlowerthantheyotherwisewouldhavebeen.

2000U.S.Open,PebbleBeachGolfLinks,PebbleBeach,California,June15-18,2000I’mnotabiggolfguy,butthiswasthemostcomprehensiveass-kickingI’ve

everseeninanysport,andthatincludesboxing.TigerWoodswasattheheightof his powers, and it was clear that the sport was just him and then a lot ofpeoplewhoplayedgolf.PebbleBeachisadifficultcoursewhereyoucanputtheball in thewater on almost every hole, and he just destroyed everybody.YoucouldseeonSundaythatnobodyhadthewilltolive,andtheonlyquestionwaswhetherhewasgoingtowinby10,15,or20.Washegoingtoputhisfooton

everybody’sthroatandmakethisahumiliatingexperience?Hedid.Tothisday,it takespeoplea lot torememberwhofinishedsecond,andIonlyrememberitbecauseIwroteasidebaraboutthetwoguyswhodid.Idon’tspeakSpanish,soI’mnotreallysurewhatMiguelAngelJimenezsaid,butErnieElslookedlikehehad seen pterodactyls fly overhead. He played as well as he could, but TigerWoodsateanentiregolffieldallweekend.Yousatthereaskinghowbaditwasgoingtogetfortherestofthefield,anditgotworsethananybodycouldhavefigured.

2001WorldSeries,NewYorkYankeesvs.ArizonaDiamondbacks,YankeeStadium, Bronx, New York and Bank One Ballpark, Phoenix, Arizona,October27-November4,2001I don’t think it was the best Series I ever saw, except for the fact that

everythingwas backloaded because of 9/11. It turned out to be a greatGameSeven,oneofthebestIeversaw,rightuptherewiththeonein1991.Arizonawas basically playing without a closer, but they won a close game in GameSeven.TheYankeeswere justdrainedat theendof theSeries,especiallyaftergoing through thenightmareof9/11.You sortofgot the sense that their timehadcomeandgone.TheyhadwonfourWorldSeriesinfiveyears,andyougotthefeelingthatitwastheendandthingsweregoingtoberadicallydifferentfortheminthefuturebecausetheywerejustoutofgas.EverythinghadtogorightforArizonajusttogetthere,evenwithRandyJohnsonandCurtSchilling.TheywonbecauseLuisGonzalezhitaballofftheknobofhisbat,anditwasalmostanaccident for them tohavewon.Allof those factors reallymake thisWorldSeries standout. Itwasagreat reminder tome thateverythingyouare sure isgoingtohappendoesn’talwayshappen,sodon’tsitthereandpretendyouknowthe outcome ahead of time. Itwas one of those rare timeswheremost peopleweretrulysurprisedathowitended.

KarlRavechBroadcaster,ESPN

1999HomeRunDerby,FenwayPark,Boston,Massachusetts,July12,1999The Home Run Derby in 1999 was part of probably the greatest All-Star

celebrations, with Major League baseball parading the greatest players of alltime, including TedWilliams, on the field. At that time, steroids were beingwhisperedabout,but therewasnothingthatmadepeoplestandupandwant totakenoticeoractuallytakenotice.OnabeautifulnightinBoston,withFenwayParklitupandanticipatingamagicalshow,MarkMcGwireandKenGriffeyJr.absolutelybeatbaseballsovertheGreenMonsterontothestreets.Thereweresomanypeoplechasingbaseballsdown,andithadafeel-goodvibetoit.Whenyoutalk about being in themoment in 1999 and the sheer strength and power oftheseguys,itwaslikewatchingTigerWoodsdrivegolfballs.Thepitchwouldcomeinandjustexplodeoffthebatandnotcomedown.Theseguyswere,aswehave since learned, larger than life, to be able to put on a show like theydid.Many people are critical of theHomeRunDerby, but this onewas different,becausetheseplayershad,inalotofways,savedbaseballandputitbackonthemapwiththeirawesomedisplaysofpower.

129thOpenChampionship,FinalRound,TheOldCourseatSt.Andrews,Fife,Scotland,July23,2000IwasalwayspartofESPN’scoverageofthefallPGAtour,soIwasblessed,

becauseIgottogotoHawaiiinJanuaryformanyyears.ButitalsomeantIgottocoverotherPGAevents,likethemajors.I’manavidgolfer,soitwasamazingtoseethepassionthatthepeopleofScotlandhaveforgolfandTigerWoodsathispinnacle.St.AndrewsisfamousfortheSwilcanBridgeonthe18thhole,andpeoplearelineduponthestreetsandrooftopsaroundthehole.AsTigermadehiswayupthefairway,withthetournamentneverreallyindoubt,andcrossedthebridgetowalktothegreen,hundredsofpeopleranthroughthewaterinthefairway.Iwasblownawaybythecult-likereverenceforTigerWoodsfromthebellyofgolf.ItwaslikeaparadecelebrationforateamthatjustwontheWorld

Series,andhehadthemwalkingthroughwatertofollowhimandchroniclethemoment.IwasluckyenoughtobeinthepositiontodothefirstinterviewwithhimforAmericantelevision,andhehadnowwonallfourmajorsandcompletedthe career Grand Slam. He was still young, and there was still an innocenceabouthim.Thesmilewasgenuine.Tobepartofhistory,andwitness itwheregolfwasbornanditthoughtofasreligion,letsyouknowthatyouwerepartofsomethingspecialandveryunique.

2001WorldSeries,NewYorkYankeesvs.ArizonaDiamondbacks,YankeeStadium, Bronx, New York, and Bank One Ballpark, Phoenix, Arizona,October27-November4,2001IwastherecoveringtheSeriesforESPN,andChrisBermanwasalsoheavily

involvedwithbaseball at that time.Themorningbefore theSeries started,weweregivenatourofGroundZero,oratleastasmuchastheycouldshowyouatthetime.WehadseenitonTV,buttogotherewithNewYorkCityofficialsandabsorbthemassivedestructionandtragedy,andseesmokeandsmelltheodorinthatareawasstartling.Iwasshakingformostofthatday.ThenmarrythattothemostexcitingWorldSeriesthatI’vebeenapartof—andI’vebeenateveryonesince 1995—in a cruel but very real way. It would have made sense for theYankees to win. In the end, though, the Diamondbacks were able to beatMarianoRivera.ThereareTVshowsthataretryingtomimicreality,butrealityis that the storydoesn’t always followwhatmost thinkwouldbe the script. Itwouldbenaïvetocallitacrueltwist,becauseweallhadwitnessedcrueltyonalevel we had never seen, but the idea that Arizona would come back againstMarianoRiverawasn’t in anyone’smind.Curt Schilling tells the story all thetimeaboutwhenhegaveup thego-aheadhomerun to theAlfonsoSoriano inthe topof theeighth inning,he lookedat theYankeesbullpenandsawRiverawarmingupandsaid tohimself thathe just lost theWorldSeries.Thatwholecombinationofevents is something I’llnever forgetandaffectedme inawaythatnoothereventhaseveraffectedme.

JayBellscoresonahitbyLuisGonzalezintheninthinningtowinGameSevenofthe2001WorldSeries.(APPhoto/LennyIgnelzi)

2004World Series, Game Four, Boston Red Sox at St. Louis Cardinals,BuschStadium,St.Louis,Missouri,October27,2004IgrewupinNeedham,Massachusetts,soIgrewupaRedSoxfan,andallof

myfriendsandfamilywerestilllickingourwoundsfromthe1986WorldSeries.

Thereweren’talotofgoodyearsforBostonsports,andtheyearbefore,AaronBoone(whomIworkwithnow)haddestroyedthelatestefforttoendthiscurse.In 2004, after theRed Soxwere able to rally and come back from the three-games-to-nonedeficittotheYankeesintheALCSandgettotheWorldSeries,itreally felt like therewasnocompetition for them.Therewas somethingaboutbeatingtheYankeesthat,asaNewEnglanderbutsomeoneobjectivelycoveringthe series, you knew itwas going to happen. Iwasn’t one of thosewho everbelievedthat theywerenevergoingtowin.Therewasa leveloffaith inTheoEpsteintobuildateam,andhewentoutandgotanotherNewEnglanderinCurtSchillingintheoffseason,andyoujustknewitwasdestinedtohappen.Maybenot in 2004, but in 2005 or 2006, itwas going to happen.Therewas nothingaboutitinmymindthatmademefeelotherwise.ThegamewasonFOXandnooneelsecangetonthefield,soalloftheother

reporterswereherdeddowninsideatunnelleadingtothedugout,thenoncethefinaloutisrecorded,youcanrunoutonthefieldtodoyourinterviews.Ihavethis vivid memory of running onto the field and seeing, for the first time upclose,grownmenintearsaboutwhattheyhadaccomplished.Atthatpoint,theyweren’tjustcelebratingtheWorldSeries.Theyhadbecomethatself-proclaimedgroupofidiots.TheyhadbecometherealfabricofwhatBostonrepresented.Insomeways, theywere theBadNewsBears.Theywerekindofgoofyandhadadopted the personality of their fan base. Getting on the field, after havingwatchedthemwhilegrowingup,wasasurrealmomentformewhereIrealizednot onlywas Iwitness to it, but Iwas also in charge of chronicling it for thepreeminentsportsnetworkintheworld.Thatwasoneofthosemomentswhereyoupinchyourself,becauseyoucan’tbelieveyouwerethereforit,andthattheteam I grew up rooting for had just defeated a curse that was almost ninedecadeslong.

2014LittleLeagueBaseballWorldSeries,LamadeStadium,Williamsport,Pennsylvania,August14-24,2014This was one of the most mind-blowing, eye-opening events I’ve ever

covered. Iwas fortunate enough to be inBristol for theMid-Atlantic regionalchampionships, and Mo’ne Davis was pitching then. I hadn’t heard anythingabout Mo’ne to this point, and ESPN didn’t get involved in the regionalchampionshipsuntilthesemifinals,butwehaveallbeenexposedovertheyearstogirlsplayingLittleLeaguebaseball.Manyofthemwereskilled,butnoneofthemwerethebestplayerontheteamorthepersoneveryonewouldgravitateto.At first blush, itwas allwell andgood, andwe looking forward to seeingher

play,andshewasgoingtopitchinthechampionshipgameiftheycouldsetitupthatway.Thenwetriedtofigureoutwhatthequirkwashere.Didshethrowaknuckleball?What’sthetwist?In the championship game, she faced a team fromDelaware that had gone

prettyfartheyearbefore,andifyougettothatpoint,youhavetobeprettygood.Mo’ne comes out, and there is nothing thatwould put her in a categorywithother girls that I had seen play Little League. She threw with a deliveryreminiscentofeveryreally,reallygoodLittleLeagueplayerIhadeverseen.Shewasmechanically and fundamentally tremendous, and then you recognize thatsheisn’tgivingupanyhitsandisthrowingfastballsbythehitters.Itwasoneofthose things thatyou justknewwasdifferent.Shepitchedacompletegame tohelp the team advance to Williamsport, and I knew then that the story wasspecial.However, Ialsoknewthatshewasabout toface teamsfromtheWestCoast,wheretheyplaybaseballyear-round,andthattheMo’neDavisstorywasgoing to end. She was going to come up against boys that were going to hitfastballsandbreakingballs.In her first game, it was no problem at all, and with her team being from

Pennsylvania,wewerestarting toseemassivecrowds. I toldmyproducer thatthiswaswaybiggerthanbaseball,andthatthiswasgoingtobeaculturalstory,solet’ssitMo’nedownandmakehertheESPNSundayConversation.Theyhadplayed on Sunday, and she agreed to do it. After SportsCenter ran it, hernotorietyblewup.Itwasalreadyblowingup,butthatinterviewreallypushedittonewheights.She justcontinued todo things thatnoonehadeverseen,andnationalnewsorganizationsanddaytimetalkshowswerejumpingonthestory.Shewastranscendenttotheevent,andtheeventhadanotheruniquestorywithanallAfrican-AmericanteamfromChicago.Therewerethesetwostories,bothcentered on African-Americans—one a full team, one a girl pitcher. Theenormityofit,andthe40,000peopleatthegamesandthemillionswatchingontelevision, were unprecedented for the Little League World Series. It was,withoutquestion,themostdominantLittleLeaguestorythatIhadeverseenorevenheardof,evenbigger thanwhenAmerican teamswon thechampionship.Mo’neDavisthrustherselfintoAmerica’sconscience,notjustinsports.Everygirl.Equalopportunity.Inner-city.Shecheckedoffeverysinglebox,andshediditinaclassy,composed,dignifiedway.

DaveRevsineBroadcaster,BigTenNetwork

New Orleans Saints at Chicago Bears, Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois,October7,1984Thiswas the gamewhereWalterPaytonbroke JimBrown’s all-time career

rushingrecord.SomefriendsofourscalledthatmorningandaskedifIwantedto gowith them to the game.We didn’t go tomanyBears games, and Iwasfifteen, so thenotionofbeing thereand that therewashistoryon the linewassignificant to me. I vividly remember the run that broke the record and thestandingovation,andbeingapartofthehistory.GrowingupinChicago,WalterPaytonwasallwehad.Theteamsweresobadforsolong,soPaytonwasitforus.Hewastheguyweallhungourhaton,soitwascooltowitnessit.

1996RoseBowl,Northwesternvs.USC,RoseBowl,Pasadena,California,January1,1996MyfatherhadthreedegreesfromNorthwesternandwasaprofessortherefor

around thirty years. My mother went there and I went there, so we were aNorthwestern family through and through. We started going to games in themid-1970s,andtheywerejusthorrible.TheywonthefirstthreegamesIwentto,then lost something like seventy-four of the next seventy-seven. It wasridiculous. Then, out of nowhere, the 1995 season happens. They beat NotreDame, but lost the next game to Miami of Ohio, which was a completecatastropheandmadeitfeellikeeverythingwasbacktonormal.Thentheyranoff nine straight wins and went to the Rose Bowl. It was an incredibleexperience.Allofmycollegebuddieswentandwewereliterallythefirstpeopleintheparkinglotjusttosoakuptheentireday.Itjustseemedoutoftherealmofpossibilitythattheywereplayingthere.IgrewupintheMidwest,andthatgameevokedcollegefootball.ItwasalwaysMichiganorOhioState,soforittofinallybeNorthwestern,itwascrazy.Asforthegame,Northwesterntooka32–31leadin the fourth quarter, but USC came back to win. But for all of us that hadsufferedthroughalloftheleanyears,itwasamazing.

New Jersey Devils at New York Rangers,Madison Square Garden, NewYork,NewYork,September19,2001Thiswas the firstprofessionalgameplayed inNewYorkCityafter9/11. It

was an exhibition game at Madison Square Garden. I was doing a story for“OutsidetheLines”inChicagoonSeptember10,andafterthemaininterview,ItoldthepersonthatthestorywouldrunthenextSundayunlesstheworldends.ThatwasthelinethatIalwaysused,justincasethestoryneededtogetbumpedforsomethingmoresignificant.Unfortunately,weallrememberwhathappenedthe next day. I was still in Chicago and did some reporting from there whiletrying to figureouthow togetback toConnecticut,which Ieventuallydidbycar.ESPNdecidedtokeepmeon9/11storiestherestoftheweek,andIcoveredthisgame.I’llneverforgethowinsanesecuritywasattheGardenthatnight,andtherereallyweren’tmanyfansthere—itfeltmorelikeamediaeventthanafanevent.Thatwhole timemade you realize how insignificant sports are. I knowthat sounds a bit trite, but at that time, you were thinking so much bigger.However, with the anthem being played, it also made you think about howimportantsportsare,too.Therewasthisfeelingthatsportsrepresentednormalcyandpartofwhatyoulookforinlifeiswhatcomfortsyou.Initsownsmallway,thatgame,aspointlessasitwas,wasareturntonormalcyforpeople.

2005WorldSeries,GameTwo,HoustonAstrosatChicagoWhiteSox,U.S.CellularField,Chicago,Illinois,October23,2005IamalifelongWhiteSoxfan,mainlybecausemyfatherwasaWhiteSoxfan,

eventhoughIgrewupontheNorthSideofthecity,whichisCubsterritory.IhadsomeotheropportunitiestogototheWorldSeries,butdecidedthatIwasn’tgoingtogounlesstheWhiteSoxwereinit.IwasworkingforESPNatthetimeandhadcoveredagameinAustinthenightbefore, thenflewintoChicagoforthegame.Mydadhadbeendiagnosedwithleukemiaaroundtwelveyearsbeforeand was living with it for a long time. We went to the game, and it was amiserable day; it rained all day andwas freezing cold.But itwas an amazinggame.PaulKonerkohitagrandslamoffChadQuallsonthefirstpitchafterapitchingchange.Then,inthebottomoftheninth,ScottPodsednik,whowasaslight-hitting a guy as you could ever find, hit awalk-off home run towin thegame. Itwas so significant to be therewithmydad and to share itwith him,sincetheSoxhadn’twonaWorldSeriesinhislifetime.Itturnedouttobethelastgameweeverwenttotogetherbeforehepassedawayin2007.

2006RoseBowl,Texasvs.USC,RoseBowl,Pasadena,California,January

4,2006Idid thepregame,postgame,andhalftimeforESPNRadio,and, tome, this

wasprobably themostanticipatedcollege footballgameever.USCandTexaswereonacollisioncourseallyear.Theywerethetwobestteams,thiswasthematchupeveryonewantedtoseeandtherewasincrediblestarpower.IalsolovegoingtotheRoseBowl,sothatwasasignificantpartofit,aswell.Butthethingthatreallystandsouttomefromthatgame,andIwroteaboutitintheafterwordinmybook,wasfromTexas’lastdrive.Wewereseatedintheradioboothrightbythe50yardline.BobDaviewasthecoloranalystonESPNwithRonFranklinand as the Longhorns drove, Bob wrote something on a piece of paper andturnedaroundandhandedittome.Iopeneditupanditsaid“Bestgameever.”Iagree.Thisgamehadeverything.TherewassomethingaboutthewaytheTexasfansresponded,andwhatitmeanttoVinceYoung.Doingtheinterviewsonthefieldafterthegamewasunreal,andyoureallywalkedoutofthebuildingafterthe game feeling like thismay have been the best college football game everplayed.

ChrisRoseBroadcaster,MLBNetwork/NFLNetwork

1986 AFC Championship Game, Denver Broncos at Cleveland Browns,MunicipalStadium,Cleveland,Ohio,January11,1987This was the first time in my lifetime that the Browns were in the AFC

ChampionshipGameandonestepawayfromtheSuperBowl.Myfamilywereseason ticket holders since the Browns came into existence, and we plannedvacations around theBrowns; from1979 until the teammoved after the 1995season,Isaworheardeverysinglegameeitherinperson,onTV,orontheradioexceptforone,andthatisbecauseIwasflyingtoafuneral.TheBrownshad justcomeoffanamazingvictoryagainst theJets theweek

before,afterbeingdown,20–10,withjustunderfiveminutestogo,thenforcingovertime andwinning in double overtime. The game against theBroncoswastiedat13inthefourthquarter,whenBernieKosarhitBrianBrennanforaTDpass.IrememberturningtothebuddyIwassittingnextto,DaveAlbright,andsaying, “We’re fuckinggoing to theSuperBowl!”After theBroncos fumbledthekickoffandrecovereditatthe2,itreallystartedtogetmoreapparentthattheBrownswereheadedtotheSuperBowl.Ninety-eightyardsagainstthatBrownsdefensejustwasn’thappening.And then, someone just started sticking the pins in the Cleveland Browns

voodoodoll.Ifitwasthird-and-9,theygot10.Onathird-and-18,Elwayhadabigpass toMark Jackson.Eventually, they scored,of course.Everyone thinksTheDrivewon the game, but it only tied it. TheBrowns got the ball first inovertime,andonthird-and-2,theygaveittoHermanFontenot,whowasathird-downback,andthemomenttheygaveittohim,weallcouldhavewalkedoutofthestadium.Weknewthegamewasoverrightthere.Sureenough,theBroncosstopFontenotfornogain,gettheballback,andgorightdownthefieldforthewinningfieldgoal.If it ispossible for80,000peopleall tobesilentatone time,except for the

sixty-five or soBroncos players and coaches on the field, thatwas it. I neverthoughtI’dbeabletohearwhatwasgoingondownonafootballsidelinewhileIwashundredsoffeetaway,butIheardit.Itwasjustawful.Wetookatrainto

andfromthestadium,andthatridehomewasbrutal.ItwasthefirsttimeI’dhadthesportscarpetpulledoutfromunderme.Unfortunately,ithasn’tbeenthelast.

1989NBAPlayoffsOpeningRound,GameFive,ChicagoBullsatClevelandCavaliers,RichfieldColiseum,Richfield,Ohio,May7,1989IshouldhaveknownitwasgoingtobeabaddaywhenIwasdrivingtopick

up my then-girlfriend and got pulled over for my first speeding ticket whilelisteningtoJohnFogerty’s“Centerfield”(andshewasnotworthrushingfor; Idid not end upmarrying her). That season, theCavs dominated theBulls anddidn’t lose to them in the regular season, andwonGame Four in Chicago toforceGameFivebackinCleveland.Thiswasagreatup-and-comingteamthatwe thought reallyhada chance tobeatnot just theBulls, but thePistons, andevenbringhomeachampionship.Attheendofthegame,CraigEhloinboundstheball,getsitback,anddrives

inforalayuptogivetheCavsaone-pointlead;Istillthinkhewasfouledontheplay, but it wasn’t called. After the timeout, the Bulls come out, and BradSellers, who was a seven-footer who actually grew up in Cleveland, wasinboundingtheballandhadLarryNanceonhim,andwasforcedtocallanothertimeout.Onthenextinbound,though,allofasudden,Nanceisnotontheball.HehashisbacktoSellers,andtheyare tryingtodouble-teamMichaelJordan.I’mscreaming fromSection131,RowT,Seat15, “Youcannotdo that!Put amanontheball!Makehimthrowtheballwhereyouwanthimtothrowit!”SoI’mscreamingatLennyWilkens,andallofthepeoplearoundmearegivingmethat look like,“Hey,kid, shutup.”WhenSellersgot theball toJordan, itwasthreesecondsthatfelt likethreehours.Jordanwentupfortheshot,anditwasliketherewerePeterPanstringsattachedtohisbodywithpeoplepullingthemtokeep him floating in the airwhileEhlo andNance fell to the ground.He justlevitated,hittheshot,andstartedcelebrating.Iremembergrabbingmygirlfriendandrushingoutof there. I justcouldn’t take itandstartedrunningthroughtheconcoursechanting,“HerewegoBrownies,herewego!”YousitthereandstarttorealizethatClevelandsportsfansare90percentscar

tissue,anditisbecauseofmomentslikethat.AtleastwecansayweweredoneinbyElwayandJordan,though.

2000U.S.Open,PebbleBeachGolfLinks,PebbleBeach,California,June15-18,2000This was really the height of Tiger-mania.My wifeMichele was pregnant

withourfirstchild,soshecametothetournament,whichwasfourspectacular

daysatPebbleBeach.Tiger justkilled the field. Iwascoveringgolf forFOXSports Net at the time and watched himwin by 15 shots over Ernie Els andMiguelAngelJimenez.ThethingIrememberthemost,though,waswatchingtheothergolferscome

offthecourseaftertheirround,lookatthescoreboard,andshaketheirheads.Ithink they all were questioning whether the score was a mistake. Had theyaccidentallyputaoneinfrontofTiger’sscore?Washereally12-underandnot2-under?Hewasbringingproathletestotheirkneesunlikeanythingwe’deverseen before. I had a chance to interview him one-on-one, and he was soconfidentandcalm.Thethingthatstuckwithmefromitwasthatheexpectedittogolike that.Hedidn’texpect it tobeclose.Hewasfullyaware thathehadjustbeatenthefieldby15strokes,anditwasn’teventhatclose.Ilovebeinginthepresenceofhistory,becausepeopledon’tappreciate it.But Ihad to takeastepbackandunderstandthatthiswasunlikeanythingwehadeverseenbefore,andwearenevergoingtoseeitagain.

2007FiestaBowl,BoiseStatevs.Oklahoma,UniversityofPhoenixStadium,Glendale,Arizona,January1,2007Now,BoiseStateisahouseholdnameincollegefootball,butbackthen,they

werethequirkyteamthatplayedontheSmurfTurf,soeveryonewonderedhowthey were going to compete in a bowl game against a powerhouse such asOklahoma.Well,theycameoutandpunchedtheminthemouth,andtheytookittotheSoonersearly.Thegreatthingaboutabowlgameisthattherearefanstherewhodon’thave

arootinginterestineitherofthetwoteams,sotheminuteanunderdogstartstoshowsomefight, thefansreallyget intoit.BoiseStatebuildsahugelead,butthentheOklahomaathletesstart to takeover.TheSoonerscamebackto tie it,andyoucouldfeel theairgooutof thedomeinGlendale. Itwassuchagoodstoryforawhile,buttheteamwiththepedigreewasgoingtowinthisthing.Ihadthechancetowatchthefourthquarterofthegamefromthesidelineandwasstanding right around the 20-yard line. Boise State’s quarterback, JaredZabransky, threw a pick-six to give theSooners their first lead, andwhen theOklahomaplayerranpastme,IsawthelookonZabranksy’sface.Hehadrolledhiseyesupandcouldn’tbelievehehadjustthrownthatpassthatprobablycosttheBroncos the game after all of that hardwork. I felt so bad for him that Iwantedtogivehimahug!Boise got the ball back, and itwas fourth-and-18,when they ran the hook-

and-lateral,and thebuildingwentnuts. Iknowyouaren’tsupposed toreact to

thesegames,butIdidn’tgiveadamnthattime.Iwasjumpingupanddownonthesidelines,pumpingmyfists,high-fivingourproducers,notbelievingthatwejustsawthat.Andtheninovertime,theBroncosgetthetwo-pointconversionontheStatueofLibertyplay,andtheplacegoesberserk.Thegamewasn’tforthenationalchampionship,butwewerethereforoneofthegreatupsetsinhistory.

IanJohnsonrunsinthegame-winningtwo-pointconversioninthe2007FiestaBowl.(APPhoto/MattYork)

2013NFLHallofFameAnnouncement,NewOrleansConventionCenter,NewOrleans,Louisiana,February2,2013Ihad thechance tohost theProFootballHallofFameannouncementshow

forNFLNetworkin2013.Wehadnoideabeforetheshowwhowasgoingin.Themedia and fans don’t know howmuch the game, and getting the game’sgreatest honor, really means to these guys. This was the class that includedJonathan Ogden, Larry Allen, and Warren Sapp. These were some of thetoughest guys ever, and theywerebrought to tears by thenews.WarrenSappactuallycameoutandgavemeabigkissonthecheek.Iliveformomentslikethat,wherepeoplearehappyfortherightreasons.ItwasCrisCarter’ssixthtimeasafinalist,andforhimtofinallygetin,afterbeatingthekindsofdemonsthathe did just to stay in the league, let alone be honored as one of the greatestplayers in the history of the game, was amazing. He couldn’t get through aquestionwithouttearsstreamingdownhisface.Whatafantasticmomentitwasforeverybody.

BobRyanBroadcaster,ESPN

RecipientofBasketballHallofFame’sCurtGowdyAward,1997ElectedtoNationalSportsMediaAssociationHallofFame,2011

MinnesotaTwinsatBostonRedSox,FenwayPark,Boston,Massachusetts,October1,1967Beinginthestandsbehindhomeplateforthisgamewillalwaysresonatewith

me.Itwasthelastdayoftheseasonandtheculminationofagreatpennantrace.TheRedSoxweren’tpickedtodomuchthatyearandhadn’twonthepennantsince1946,andhadalreadystartedtocompilethelistofwoesaboutnotwinningtheWorldSeriessince1918.Forme,IwasastudentatBostonCollegeandwasspending the summer in Boston for the first time, and rekindled my love ofbaseballastheRedSoxwentthroughthepennantrace.Theworldwasdifferentthen, and Fenway Park was not the iconic stadium it is today; it wasn’t acathedral,butanoldballparkthatTomYawkeywasdesperatetoleave.TheRedSoxneededtowinbothgamesovertheweekend,andtheybeatthe

Twins on Saturday in a dramaticwin,withCarlYastrzemski homering in theseventhinningoffJimMerritt,aleftybroughtinspecificallytofacehim.ItwasYaz’s44thhomeroftheseason,enroutetoapartialTripleCrown(hefinishedtied in home runs with Harmon Killebrew, who ironically hit his 44th in thesamegameonSaturday).TheSundaymatchupwasJimLonborgagainstDeanChance,andwiththeRedSoxtrailing,2–0,inthebottomofthesixth,Lonborgbeatoutabunttostartafive-runuprising,withthekeybeingatwo-runsinglebyYastrzemski.AfterRicoPetrocelli caught the final out in the ninth inning,everyonestillhadtowaitfortheoutcomeoftheTigersandAngelsgame,whichwasthesecondoftwostraightdoubleheaderstoendtheseasonforthoseteams.IftheTigerswon,therewouldbeaplayoffgameonMondayinBoston,andtheonlywaytofollowthegameinthosedayswasontheradio.TheRedSoxstationpatched in the game, andwhile the Red Sox listened in the clubhouse, I waslisteningonatransistorradioonthetrolleygoingbacktomygirlfriend’shouse

in Brighton, as the Tigers lost to make the Red Sox American Leaguechampions.

1975WorldSeries,GameSix,CincinnatiRedsatBostonRedSox,FenwayPark,Boston,Massachusetts,October21,1975IwasthebeatwriterfortheCelticsfortheBostonGlobebuthelpedcoverthe

home games of theWorld Series for the paper andwas assigned to cover thevisiting clubhouse. There were somany greatmoments in this game, startingwiththeBernieCarbohomeroffofRawlyEastwicktotiethegameintheeighthinning, the Dwight Evans catch off a vicious JoeMorgan line drive, and thedoubleplay theReds turnedwhen they threwDennyDoyleoutathomeplate.ThatallleduptotheCarltonFiskhomerun,whichIalmostmissed.Therewasaphone call forme from the office, and Iwas sitting in the left field auxiliarypressbox.Imadeittothephoneinthemainpressboxbehindhomeplatejustintimeandhadagreatviewof thehome run from there.Everyonewill tell youwhatanepicgamethatwas.

1976 NBA Finals, Game Five, Phoenix Suns at Boston Celtics, BostonGarden,Boston,Massachusetts,June4,1976Theserieswassupposed tobeawalkover for theCeltics,but the teamsplit

thefirstfourgamestosetupGameFiveinBoston.Inthefirstpartofthegame,theCelticsplayedtheirbestbasketballoftheentireplayoffs,notjusttheFinals,andwereupeighteenpointsafter the firstquarter.Phoenixwouldn’tgoaway,though,and justchippedawayat the leadandgotclose,but theCelticsuppedthe lead back to nine with around three minutes to go. The Suns came backthough, and everyone remembers the same play—PaulWestphal’s 360-degreeleft-handedbanker—duringthecomeback.Thesequenceofeventsattheendofthe first overtime, of course, are unforgettable. John Havlicek made whateveryonethoughtwasthegame-winnerwithashotrightfrominfrontofme—aNolanRyan fastball-type shot thatwent so fast, it is hard to figureouthow itwentin.Thefansstormedthecourtthinkingthegamewasover,buttherewasstillonesecondontheclock.With theSunsdownone,Westphalwentover tothescorer’s table tofindoutwhatwouldhappenif theycalleda timeout,eventhough they didn’t have one.When he found out theywould get called for atechnical foulbutwouldget theball atmidcourt, theycalled the timeout.TheCelticsmade the free throw, but the Suns inbounded from halfcourt, andGarHeardtiedthegamefromaroundeighteenfeet.Amidallofthewildness,afancameout of the stands to attack refereeRichiePowers after the first overtime

ended.InthethirdOT,PaulSilasfouledout,andGlennMcDonaldcameintoscore six vital points in just over aminute as the Celtics hung on towin thegame.Wedidatwenty-fifthanniversaryshowonthegamein2001,inwhichPeter

MayandIdugupeverysingleparticipantinthegamewhowasstillalive,withthe tworefereesbeingtheonlyoneswhohadpassedaway.Itwas justanepicgamefilledwithsomeamazingperformances,anditstillstandsupasoneofthegreatestgamesinNBAhistory.

1992NCAAMen’sBasketballTournamentRegional Finals,Kentucky vs.Duke,TheSpectrum,Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,March28,1992I believe that even if this game didn’t have the storybook ending,with the

passfromGrantHilltoChristianLaettnerandtheensuinggame-winningbasket,itstillwouldhavebeenthegreatestgameI’veeverseen.Thisgamewasplayedat thehighest levelpossible,with lotsofbackandforth,and thefinalscoreofDuke 104,Kentucky 103 tells you all you need to know.But the endingwassomethingspecial.First,SeanWoodsmakesaplaythatwouldhavemadehimaKentuckylegendfortheages.Thebaskethemade,whichisalmostimpossibletodescribe,wasanamazingshot.Dukestillhadonemoreshot,andRickPitinowill have to go to his grave answering to the fact that he didn’t guard theinbounds pass. That gave Hill a free look down the court, where he foundLaettner,whowassomethodical.Hethought,puttheballonthefloor,spun,andwascompletelyundercontrolandcalmandeasy.Youdon’teventhinkaboutituntilyou lookat thestat sheet,but that shotmadehim10-for-10 in thegame,andhewasalso10-for-10fromthefreethrowline.Thatisaprettygoodgame.Thatgamewasutterlyspectacular.

ChristianLaettnershootsthegame-winningbasketinovertimetowinthe1992NCAAEastRegionalFinal.(APPhoto/CharlesRexArbogast)

1999RyderCup,DayThree,TheCountryClub,Brookline,Massachusetts,September26,1999One of the greatest things about sports is that you just never know when

somethinggreat isgoingtohappen.Hypedgamessoseldomliveupto it; it isthe ones that you don’t expect. I cannot exaggerate the dramatic nature andenergy that was present on the golf course that day as the United States waslaunchingacounterattackagainst theEuropeans.Theyweretrailing,10–6,andallofthedialoguewasthattheEuropeanswereplayingtogetherandtheUnitedStatesdidn’t like teamplayanddidn’t careasmuchas theEuropeans.WealllaughedonSaturdaywhenBenCrenshawsaidthathehadagoodfeelingaboutSunday.Rightaway,though,theU.S.takestheleadinthefirstsixmatches,andthat got everyone’s attention. All throughout, there were these individualmoments,butyoudidn’tknowwheretobe.OneplaceIwas,though,wasatthe14thhole,wherea lotof thedrama tookplace, includingDavidDuvalclosingouthismatchanddancingajig.There were two crucial matches back-to-back. First was Justin Leonard

against Jose Maria Olazabal, followed by Payne Stewart and ColinMontgomerie.Weallthoughtthesecondonewasgoingtobethepivotalone.Iwasinwiththefirstone,whichwasinthefairwayon17,asthesecondteedoffright behind it, and was about one hundred yards below the green. I sawsomeoneIknewsittinginanNBCgolfcartwhomIknewalittleandwatchedwithhimasLeonardsankhis famousputt. ItwasMichaelJordan. I rememberwriting that it was almost as if golf had become a contact sport. There wassomethingabouttheatmospherethatmadeitthemostmemorable,excitingdaysthat I’ve had covering an event in forty-six years. I never, ever would havebelievedthatgettingoutofbedthatmorning,whichiswhatmakeshavingajoblikeminesogreat.

SamRyanBroadcaster,MLBNetwork

2007NFCChampionshipGame,NewYorkGiantsatGreenBayPackers,GreenBay,Wisconsin,January20,2008Thiswas the season that shouldn’t have been for theGiants. InNovember,

theywereannihilatedbytheVikings,andeveryonewrotethemoffatthatpoint…includingme.IbookedatriptoTurksandCaicosfortheweekaftertheAFCandNFCchampionshipgames,figuringneitherNewYorkteamwasgoingtobeplayingatthatpoint.Butallofasudden,theGiantsfinishstrongandmaketheplayoffs.Then theywin inTampa, and then again inDallas to advance to theNFCChampionshipGame inGreenBay.Aswith theotherplayoffgames,noonegavethemashotatwinning.Not only were the Giants the underdog against the Packers, but the

temperaturewas below zero, and thewind chillmade it feel like itwas thirtybelow. Just to stand in that coldwas ridiculous. I couldn’t believe howmanylayersIwaswearing,anditstillwasn’tenough.Anyexposedskinfeltlikeitwasburning.The images ofTomCoughlin andhis red face are unforgettable, andtherewerelinemenplayingwithnosleeves.ThatcoldissomethingIdon’tthinkI’ll ever experience again, so to play under those conditions, and to stun thePackers and advance to the Super Bowl, was unfathomable. The Giants hadbecomeroadwarriorsthroughtheplayoffs,andtobethereeverystepofthewaythrough theplayoffswas somemorable.Noone couldhave anticipated that itwouldhappen.

TomCoughlinlooksoninthebittercoldofGreenBayduringthe2007NFCChampionshipGame.(APPhoto/DavidStluka)

Army vs. Navy, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,December6,2008ThiswasthethirdtimeIworkedasthesidelinereporterforCBSSportsatthe

Army-Navygame,andGeorgeW.Bushwasgoingtobeatthegameandagreedto be interviewed while there, marking the first time a sitting United Statespresident was interviewed live at that game. Vice presidents and formerpresidents had been interviewed at the game, but this was the first sittingpresidenttobeonthepregameshow…andIwasgiventheassignmentofdoingtheinterview.Aseveryonestressedtomethatthiswasthefirsttime,Ibecameabundleofnerves.Itwasaneatexperiencetobeapartofandtoseethescaleofthat operation, and the safety procedures surrounding the president. Theybroughtus toaback roomunderneath the stadium—itwasmyself and severalmilitarydignitarieswhowerethereforthegame.SohereIaminthisroomwithallofthesepeoplethatyouhavetohavetheultimaterespectfor,givenalltheydoforourcountry.When the president came in, therewas a receiving line, and heworked his

way down the line, one by one.Hewould shake everyone’s hand and have awordortwowitheachperson,andwhenhegottome,heaskedmeifIrealizedjustwhoIwasintheroomwith.TheonethingthatIrememberaboutPresidentBushwasthathewasreallyfunny.Whenyoumeethiminperson,hereallyhasalotofpersonalityandisabletomakeeveryonefeelalotmorecomfortable.Myproducerwastakingpictures,andthepresssecretaryactuallycameovertotell

usnot toworryabout it, theywould takeplentyofpictures forus.Onemonthlater,theysentmeapictureoftheinterview,andhehand-signedit.Thatpictureishangingonmywall,andIlooklikeastarstrucklittlegirl.

NewYorkYankeesTickerTapeParade,NewYork,NewYork,November6,2009Thiswassoneattobepartof.IwasworkingforWCBSinNewYork,soIgot

thechancetocoverthatteamonalocalbasis.Iwasinthestudioforthegameshostingpregameandpostgameshows,soitwasgreattogetoutofthestudioandcovertheliveparade.Ididn’tknowuntilthatmorning,though,thatIwasgoingtoco-anchor thecoveragewithChrisWragge.Itwascool justwatchingas thefloatswentbyandtalkingaboutallofthedifferentplayers,andwhattheyhaddone,andthentobeatCityHallfor theactualceremony,andlookingoutandseeingalloftheYankeesfansandtheirexcitement.Youjusttakeitinandviewit differently, regardlessofwhat teamyou root for,whenyou see a city showtheirloveandadmirationforoneoftheirteams.

2011WorldSeries,GameSix,TexasRangersatSt.LouisCardinals,BuschStadium,St.Louis,Missouri,October27,2011IwasassignedtocovertheCardinalsfortheSeries,whileMattYallofwason

theRangers.Thewaywewouldworkthepostgamewasthatonecameracrewwouldcomeoutanddotheinterviewwiththewinner.SoMattwasgettingreadyto interview the Rangers when they were one strike away from winning theWorld Series, while I waited in the tunnel, just in case. Well, just in casehappened. And for the next two innings, it just went back and forthwith themicrophone,sothatwecouldbothbereadyforwhatevertheoutcomewas.TheDavid Freese home runwas such a greatmoment for him, after not being aneveryday player earlier, and overcoming injuries. He flourished at the mostimportant timeof the season. It is baseball.Younever knowwhat is going tohappen, so for as much to happen in that game as it did, in a game of thatmagnitude,wassimplyunbelievable.I’llneverforgetBobCostascominguptomeafteritwasoverandtellingmethatIhadjustwitnessedoneofthegreatestgamesinbaseballhistory.AndIsatbackandreallyletitsinkinandappreciatedit.

San Francisco Giants at Cincinnati Reds, Great American Ball Park,Cincinnati,Ohio,July2,2013

When you watch a no-hitter on TV, the anticipation of that final out is somuch fun. For this one, though, Iwas sitting in a camerawell in the stadiumcoveringitforMLBNetwork.Wegotthroughsixinnings, thenseveninnings,andyoucanstarttofeelthetensionbuilding.ThecamerawellwasrightnexttotheReds’dugout,andMatLatoskeptwalkingovertowhereIwassitting,andwewerehavingconversations,keepingmeupdatedonwhatHomerBaileywasdoingbetween inningsandhowhewasn’tchanginghis routine.Ofcourse,weallknewthisno-hitterwasgoingon,butthatitcouldendatanymoment.Afteritendedandhecompletedtheno-hitter,Iwasthefirstpersontointerviewhimonthe field.What a greatmoment to be a part of, both as a sports fan and as abaseball broadcaster. I don’t think we exhaled until we returned to theproductiontruckafterthebroadcastended.

JeremySchaapBroadcaster,ESPN

New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park, Boston,Massachusetts,October2,1978Weallknowwhathappened:BuckyDenthomeredtoleadtheYankeesover

the Red Sox in a one-game playoff after trailing by fourteen games in July,earningaprofanenickname(atleastintheBostonarea)intheprocess.Ihadjustturned nine years old andwas a crazyYankees fan.Thatwas the first seasonwhereIreallyfollowedtheteameveryday,anditwasaspecialtreattogowithmyfathertoBostonforthegame.WeflewupontheEasternAirlinesshuttleonthedayof thegame.During the flight, Iwas sittingnext toAmericanLeaguepresidentLeeMacPhail.Iwasabigbaseballfanbutdidn’tknowwhohewasatthe time. We spent the flight just talking about baseball, which amused myfather.AtFenway,Iwastooyoungtositinthepressbox,andmyfatherhadnotsecured any tickets. So he was asking the players around the batting cage ifanyonehadany ticketshecoulduse.Oneof theplayerswasn’tusinghis, andthat’showIendedupsittinginBuckyDent’sseatswhenhehithisfamoushomerun.Ihadneverreallyexperiencedbeinginenemyterritory,andfromwhereIwas

sittingupinleftfield,Icouldn’treallytelliftheballwasfairorfoul.Ofcourse,theRedSoxfansdidn’treacttothehomerun,andsinceIwasaccustomedtoaYankees homer being greeted by thunderous applause, I thought itwas a foulball. Then I realizedwhat itwas andwent crazy…until I realized that evenbeingnineyearsolddidn’treallyprotectmefromthewrathofthehomefans.Itwasagreatmoment,andIgottospenditwithmyfatherinBuckyDent’sseats.WheneverIseeBucky,westilltalkaboutit.

1986World Series, Game Six, Boston Red Sox at New YorkMets, SheaStadium,Flushing,NewYork,October25,1986By1986,IhadswitchedfrombeingaYankeesfantoaMetsfan,whichhadto

dowithmyfather’srelationshipwithGeorgeSteinbrennergoingsouthafterhe

wrote an unauthorized biography of the Yankees’ owner.Mymother’s fatherwasabigMetsfan,andhediedonSeptember6ofthatyear.MygrandfatherandIwereextremelyclose,whichmade thenextsixweeksevenmoremeaningfulforme, since Iwas grieving.Wehadhad theMets connection and a baseballconnectioningeneral.Itmadethe1986WorldSeriesveryemotionalforme.IwasatGameSixwithmyfatherintheSportsChannelbooth,andwestarted

walking out after KeithHernandezmade the second out in the bottom of the10th.ButthenGaryCartersingled,andwelookedateachotheranddecidedtostickaround.Sowewentbacktoourseatsbutwererealisticanddidn’tgetourhopesup.Butyouneverforgetthesequence:Carter,Mitchell,Knight,Wilson.WhentheMetswon,itwasjustacrazynight.Thatwasjustamagicalmomentforme.

Super Bowl XXV, Buffalo Bills vs. New York Giants, Tampa Stadium,Tampa,Florida,January27,1991IwasaseniorincollegeandwasworkingformyfatherattheSuperBowl.I

wasahugeGiantsfan,andeventhoughIwasmoreofabaseballguy,theGiantsteam that won Super Bowl XXI got me into rooting for that team. I went toschoolinupstateNewYork,wheretherewasabigmixofGiantsandBillsfans,butforthegame,Iwasabletogetacredentialandworkformyfatherasagofer.Hespent thegameup in thepressbox,but Iwaspartof theABCNewscrewdown on the field for the game, helping the cameramen with their gear. Ofcourse,ifyouwanttowatchafootballgame,theworstpossibleplacetodoitison thefield,especiallyat theSuperBowl,where thesidelinesarepackedwithcameramen.WhentheBillsmovedtheball intofield-goal rangefor thegame-winningfield-goalattempt,Icouldn’treallytellwheretheballwasanddidthemathwronginmyhead.Insteadofitbeinga47-yardattempt,Ithoughtitwas37 yards, so I thought it was a foregone conclusion that Scott Norwood wasgoing to make it. After he missed, there were still a few seconds left on theclock,butallofthemediastormedontothefieldtogetinposition,andinthatmoment, I was so excited, I high-fived Ottis Anderson, which, of course, isprofessionallyfrownedupon.Ijustcouldn’thelpmyself,and,inmydefense,hewaslookingforsomeonetohigh-five.I’mgoingtoblamehimforit.Then,allofasudden,everyonestartsyellingtogetoffthefield,becausetheGiantsstillhadtotakeonemoresnapforthegametoend.Butthatwasprettycool,tobethereinthatmoment,whenyouthinkallhopeislost(albeitduealmostentirelytomyownpoormath)andthentoseethemactuallywin.

Colorado at Michigan, Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan,September24,1994IgrewupinNewYork,wherenoonehascaredaboutcollegefootballsince

the Army-Notre Dame rivalry in the 1940s. So college football never reallymeantmuchtome,andIhadneverevenbeentoaDivisionI-AfootballgameuntilESPNassignedmetobeaproducerforthisgameatMichiganStadium.IwasworkingwithSteveCyphers,whodidapregamehitforCollegeGameDay.He left to work on another story that night, but I stayed around to cover thegame.Iwasonthefieldforthegamewithourcrewandwasstandingaroundthe3-yard linewhenKordellStewartdroppedbackand theballgoesup in theairfrom65yardsaway. I’msure this is something I’ve recreated inmymemory,but it felt like theplacewent silent; inmymind, 105,000people inMichiganStadiumwentdeadsilentwhilethatballwastravelingintheair.Ifyouwatchthehighlightsfromthegame,youcanseemestandingrightthere,anditfeltlikeIcould reach out and touch the ball as it was coming down,when aMichigandefender tipped it to Colorado’s Michael Westbrook, who caught it for thewinningtouchdown.Fromthere, itwasinstantpandemonium.Itfelt likeIwasfive feet away from Westbrook when he caught it, so I had an incredibleperspectiveontheplay.Weranoutontothefieldtogethisreactionandgetinthe scrum, and all of a sudden, I got hit in the back—and hit hard—bysomething. I turn around to see what was going on, and to this day I’m notcompletelysure,butIthinkmaybetherefhadthrownapenaltyflagandhitmewith it. So I picked it up and kept it as a souvenir. This was the first majorcollegefootballgameIhadbeentoinmylife,anditendedwithoneofthemostfamousplaysofthedecade.

MikeTysonvs.LennoxLewis,ThePyramid,Memphis,Tennessee,June8,2002I had a very good relationshipwith bothMikeTyson andLennoxLewis. I

thoughtLewiswasgoingtowin,whichhedidconvincingly.Itwasn’tDempsey-Tunneyanditwasn’tAli-Frazier,becausebothfighterswereoverthehill,butitwastheclosestitwillcomeinmycareercoveringboxing.Thereisnothinglikethe anticipation before the bell rings for a big fight like this, and there aren’tmanyofthemanymore.AfterMikegothisasskicked,Iwasinthelockerroominterviewinghim,andIaskedhim,“Mike,wheredoyougofromhere?”Andhesaid, “I might just fade into Bolivian.” It’s kind of memorable. During theinterview,hewascradlinghistwo-month-oldsonMiguelinhisarms,andhehadbeen totally pummeled.Hewas beaten up unlike he had ever been beaten up

before,anditalljustspilledoutofhim.Hekepttalking.Thatwasaninterview,andanight,Iwon’tforget.

RefereeEddieCottonrestrainsLennoxLewisafterhescoresaknockdownonMikeTysonduringthefourthroundoftheirchampionshipfightin2002.(APPhoto/MarkJ.Terrill)

JonSciambiBroadcaster,ESPN

1980 NFC Championship Game, Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles,VeteransStadium,Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,January11,1981IgrewupafanofallofthePhiladelphiateams,buttheEaglesweremyteam.

IthinkIcanstillnamealmostallelevenstartersondefensefromthatseason.Ofcourse, as an Eagles fan, I also disliked the Cowboys. Something that reallyjumpsout atme from thatgamewas that theCowboyshad towear theirbluejerseysthatday,andtheyhatedwearingthem.Itwaslikeajinxwhentheydidn’tweartheirwhitejerseys.SoeventhoughtheEaglesneverworewhiteathome,theydidthatdaytomaketheCowboysweartheblue.IknowI’llsoundlikethe“Getoffmylawnguy”whenIsaythis,butyoujustdon’thearstoriesofteamsdoingthingslikethatanymore.Itwasfreezingthatday,andwewerebundledupinthestandsunderblankets.

Theenergyat theVetwas insane.TheCowboysgot theball first,went three-and-out,andontheEagles’secondplay,WilbertMontgomerywent42yardsforatouchdown.Ihavegoosebumpsjustthinkingaboutit.Weweresittinginthecorner of the other end zone, so hewas running away fromus, andwehad agreatviewoftheplay.Thegamewasoverafterthat,withtheEagleswinning,20–7.Asaten-year-oldkid,though,Ijustlovedthatteamsomuch.

1997WorldSeries,GameSeven,ClevelandIndiansatFloridaMarlins,ProPlayerStadium,MiamiGardens,Florida,October26,1997Iwashosting theMarlins’pregameandpostgameshowson the radioat the

time,soasthegamewenton,Iwasbasicallyjustafanwatchingthegamefromthebackofthebroadcastbooth.Therewere67,000verytensefansthere,andasthegamegetslateandeventenser,itfeltlikeIwascurledupinaball.Itwasaone-run game until Florida’s Craig Counsell tied it up in the ninth with asacrificeflytosendittoextrainnings.AfterEdgarRenteriagotthewinninghitinthe11th,Iwentdownstairstodo

thepostgameinterviews.ThewaywegotontothefieldwasthroughtheMarlins

dugout,andIremembergoingupthestepsouttothefieldwherethecelebrationwasgoingon,andthesoundofthecrowdhitmeandstoppedme.Forthatonesecond,yougottofeelwhatitmusthavefeltliketobeplaying.Thesoundofthefanscheeringpunchedyouintheface.Tome,thatgameisagreatexampleofwhynothingcansimulatethedramaofpostseasonbaseball,especiallyaGameSeventhatgoesintoextrainnings.Thegamecanendonanygivenpitch,andtheuntimed aspect of the gamemakes it somuch different than any of the othersports.

2003NationalLeagueChampionshipSeries,GameSix,FloridaMarlinsatChicagoCubs,WrigleyField,Chicago,Illinois,October14,2003Peoplecall this theBartmangame,butasaMarlinsbroadcasterat the time,

looking at it from theMarlins’ perspective, what really jumps out is that theCubs were five outs from the World Series and the Marlins were beingdominated by Mark Prior. It was 3–0 going into the eighth inning, but theMarlinsscoredeight runs in the inning. Itwas justhitafterhitafterhit.TherewillalwaysbeadisputeoverwhetherMoisesAlouactuallycouldhavecaughtthe ball that Cubs fan Steve Bartman interfered with, but the Alex Gonzalezerrorwasmorecrucial.IwasonthecallwithDaveVanHorne,andthewaybroadcastsgowhenthere

are two play-by-play guys, you alternate doing play-by-play. So that was hisinning,andIwasdoingcolorcommentary. Itwas remarkable towatcha teamrisefromthegravethewaytheMarlinsdid.WewentfromtryingtofigureouthowweweregoingtogetoutofWrigleyFieldduringtheCubs’celebrationtositting in a building that was deathly quiet. The turn of events in that inningcompletely sucked all of the energy out of the fans, but when we werebroadcastingthegame,itwastheerrorthatwasourfocalpoint,nottheBartmanplay.Thatisreallywherethegameturned.

2004AmericanLeagueChampionshipSeries,GamesThree-Five,NewYorkYankeesatBostonRedSox,FenwayPark,Boston,Massachusetts,October16-18,2004IhadticketstoallthreeofthegamesthatwereplayedinBoston.TheYankees

justpoundedtheRedSoxinGameThree, to thepointwheremyfriendsandIleftearly.Wewalkedbacktoourhotelandstoppedatafewbarsalongtheway,andeachtimewestopped,theYankeeshadscoredmoreruns.Boston is all about baseball and the Red Sox, and history has changed so

much with the teamwinning threeWorld Series. And it all turned around in

GameFourwith theDavidOrtiz home run.Wewere sitting in the right-fieldcorner,wherethehomerlanded,soinmymind’seye,thatmomentreallystandsout. ForGameFive,we sat on theGreenMonster, and to be up there for thehomerunthatOrtizhitofftheVolvosignwasawesome.Afterhehitit,Iturnedtomyrightandtherewasatotalstrangerrunningatme,andhejumpedintomyarms.Ididn’thavearootinginterestintheseries,butbeingthereandfeelingtheemotionofallofthepeoplearoundmewasreallycool.

DaveRobertsslideshomewiththetyingrunintheninthinningofGameFourofthe2004ALCS.(APPhoto/EliseAmendola)

2010 National League Division Series, Game One, Cincinnati Reds atPhiladelphia Phillies, Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,October6,2010I’vebeenat fourno-hitters,but thiswasoneof thosedayswhereyouknew

prettyearlyinthegamethatyouweregoingtoseeano-hitter.RoyHalladaywasthatgoodthatday.TheonlyguywhohittheballhardfortheRedswasTravisWood,whoisagood-hittingpitcher.Itmighthavebeenalittleextremetosayitafterthethirdinning,whenWoodmadethebestcontactoftheday.Butafterthefifth, you could start to saywith confidence that hewas going to throwa no-hitterthatday.TheRedsreallyjusthadnochanceagainsthim.For me, there wasn’t all that much tension to it. I wasn’t broadcasting the

gamewonderingifhewasgoingtodoit,Iwasjustthinkingabouthowlongitwouldtakeustogettotheend.Itwassoneattoseesomeonesogoodinagame,anditwasfuntotellpeoplejusttostickaround,becausetheyweregoingtoseeano-hitteriftheydid.

CharleySteinerBroadcaster,LosAngelesDodgers

Larry Holmes vs. Muhammad Ali, Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, Nevada,October2,1980Thiswas thefirstheavyweightchampionshipfight that Icovered,andIwas

working for the RKORadio Network. It was the first fight to be held in theCaesarsPalaceparkinglot,wheretheyerected15,000bleacherseats.Obviously,it was the tail end of Ali’s career and was a wonderful story. I spent a fairamount of timewith both fighters at their respective training camps. Ali waslarger than life, probably the largest in life of any athlete of the twentiethcentury,andherewashisformersparringpartnerchallenginghimfor the title.Thiswasinthedaysofthemega-eventinboxing,whichdon’texistanymore,sofolkswouldshowupinVegasearlyintheweekofthefight,becausetherewassomuch stuff going on. In addition,Ali drew a huge crowd from around theworld.At thatpoint, Iwas thirty-oneyearsoldandRKOwasa relativelynewnetworkatthetime,sothereIgowithmySonyover-the-shouldertaperecordertodointerviews.WhenIgottoCaesarsPalace,Ifeltlikethisrubewhohadjustgottenoffsomevegetabletruckandsawstarsandmorestars.Duringthefight,Alijustgotcrushed.Helookedgoodgoingintotheringand

wasingreatphysicalshape,buthehadtakendiuretics,soitwasanartificiallysculptedbody.Hetookanunmercifulbeating,andtothisdayitmighthavebeenthesaddesteventthatI’veevercovered.Toanyonemyage,Aliwasanidol,soto watch all of that, that particular event tugged at every emotional string.Holmes,whoisa lovelyfellow,didn’twant tobeat theshitoutofhismentor,butthatwashisjob,andhedid.

The 1981 Wimbledon Championships, Gentlemen’s Semifinals, JohnMcEnroe vs.Rod Frawley, TheAll EnglandLawnTennisClub, London,England,July2,1981AllyoureallyhavetodoisGoogleme,Wimbledon,andMcEnroe,andyou’ll

get theentirestory.Itwasmyfirstoverseasassignment.JohnMcEnroewasat

histempestuousbest,andheandBjornBorgwereinthemiddleofashort-livedbut remarkable rivalry. McEnroe at the time was going out with a youngAmericantennisplayernamedStacyMargolin,andtheywerehavingissues,soevery day, the Fleet Street tabloids in London would ask whether they werebreakingup.Thepress roomwasbarely bigger than a phonebooth and couldcomfortablyseataroundtwenty-fivepeoplealongwithsometables.TherewasaBritish writer named James Whittaker, and his previous assignment beforeWimbledon was whether the then-Lady Diana was a virgin and thereforesuitable forPrinceCharles.Wimbledonwaswhere sports andgossip all cametogether as one.McEnroe is a very bright, articulate guy, but the old folks ofGreatBritainfoundhimtobereprehensible,whiletheyoungpeoplelovedhim.There was never any middle ground. After each match, following theperfunctory tennis questions, Whittaker would always ask, “Is it true, Mr.McEnroe, that you andMissMargolin are splitsville?” I had never heard thetermsplitsvillebefore,but theBritswerehavingagreat timewithit.McEnroewouldn’tansweranyofthequestionsabouthispersonallife,though.Afterthesemifinalmatch,Whittakeraskedthequestionyetagain“onceand

forall,”andMcEnroewentberserkandstormedout,yellingandcursingatthewritersashedidit.Astheroundswentonduringthetournament,thislittleroomwouldhavemoreandmorepeopleinit,andallitneededwasonematchforthekindlingtoexplode.AfterMcEnroestormedout,ayoungBritishreporterfromLifemagazineandIwentovertoWhittakertotellhimhewasscrewingitupforeveryoneelse,andthatwejustwantedourquotes.Atthatpoint,anotherBritishreporternamedNigelClarke insertedhimselfandstartedpointinghis finger inmyface, tellingme,“Thisisnoneofyourbusiness.”Isaid,“Getyourfuckingfingeroutofmyface,”andnowitisstartingtoheatup.Allofasudden,outofnowhere,Nigelstepsonachairandsays,“Doyouwanttosettlethisoutside?”and even before he utters theword “outside,” he jumps onme. Now all of asudden, I’m ina fight. Ihadbeen inonefight inmy life,duringa juniorhighschool footballgame.Therewasonecameraallowed in thatpress room,butafreelancerhadanothercameragoing,andwithinhours, this fight isbeingseenaround theworld.Thepolice came in and cleared the room, andHBO’sRossGreenburg grabbedme, gotme out of the room, and literally hidme in theirproductiontruckfortwohourswhilethebobbieswerecleaningupthemess.IwentbacktothehotelthatnightnotknowingwhetherIwasgoingtohavea

jobornot.Icalledintotheoffice,andayoungKeithOlbermannansweredandtoldme therewas a story on thewire about anAmerican reporter. Before hecouldevenask,Isaiditwasme.ItmadetheNewYorkTimesfrontpagethenextday.Because itwas July 4weekend, the storywas spun that Iwas defending

American honor in themother country, which sounds a whole lot better thanbeing in a fistfightwith aBritish guy. The next day, Iwas summoned to theofficesof theAllEnglandLawnTennisClub,whereIassumedIwasgoingtohavemycredentialtakenaway.Instead,Iwastoldthatinmanyways,theywereglad this had happened because they had so many problems with those thatshouldn’thavecredentials.Theyofferedmesometeaandsentmeonmyway.Apparently, a littlewhile later, Clarkewas also summoned andwas told theywere glad he took care of that American. At the post-tournament pressconference, Billie Jean King came up to me and said, “That was the bestgoddamnedthingI’veeverseenatWimbledon.”

George Foreman vs.MichaelMoorer,MGMGrand, Las Vegas, Nevada,November5,1994GeorgeForemanwasattheapexofhisunbelievablecomeback,andIwasat

just about every one of his fights for ESPN. He had become, not unlike Alififteen years earlier, a larger-than-life figure. I spent every day with him,especially the week leading up to the fight. Onemorning, he was off havingbreakfast,andIsatdownandjoinedhim.Hewassellingthisfightlargelybasedonhiscravingforcheeseburgers(thiswasbeforetheForemanGrillcameout),but what was he having for breakfast? Oatmeal, bananas, and prunes. Heobviouslygotcaughtbutaskedmenot to sayanythingabout it, andwehadagreatlaugh.Moorer had just beatenEvanderHolyfield for the heavyweight title and the

question was whether the underdog Foreman could land just one big luckypunch. Round after round, in the center of the ring, Foreman is just gettingpummeled. This wonderful, larger-than-life comeback story that capturedeverybody’sattentionlookedlikeitwascomingtoanend.AllMoorerhadtodowas stand ten feet from this guy, even three feet, and he would have won,becausehehadwoneveryroundofthefightuntilthatpoint.Thenhegetsnailed.It was the most dramatic reversal of fortune I had ever been around. Out ofnowhere … BAM, it is over! The forty-five-year-old, now-lovable GeorgeFormanhadcompletedthemostimprobablesportscomebackinboxinghistorywithonebigpunch. I’llnever forgetmeetinghimoutsideofhis suite thenextmorning, before he left to go back to Houston. He left his room, with hisgarmentbagoverhisshoulder,whileavalethadtherestofhisbags.Whilewewerewalkingoutandtalking,Ikeptthinkingthat,forhim,itwasabusinesstrip.Hecouldhavebeenanyonejustleavingahotelaftersometimeontheroad,andhewantedtobehomeintimeforaSundaychurchsession.

Atlanta Braves at Philadelphia Phillies, Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,September17,2001Baseball had obviously been shut down after 9/11, and I was tasked with

doing the first game back in Philadelphia. Nobody quite knewwhat to think,how to feel, orwhat reference point to fall back on for the first game after ahideous national tragedy. I was with ESPN at the time, and I didn’t knowwhetherIwasgoingtotakethetraindowntoPhiladelphiafromNewHavenordrive.Itwasthedayofthegame,andIwasn’tgoingtomakethedecisioneitherto get off I-95 in NewHaven for the train or just keep driving until the lastminute. I wound up taking the train, and when I boarded, everybody waszombie-like, while I’m going to do a baseball game. I got there in the earlyafternoonfora7:00start,andeverybodyfeltthesameway.Wasitappropriateforustobeheretonight?ScottRolenofthePhilliesandIwillalwaysbefriendsforthemomentswesharedbeforethegame.Wewerejustsittinginthestandsduringtheafternoon,andweprofoundlydidn’tknowhowtoreacttoallofit,sowe had this deep conversation about things. At the end of the day, he reallydidn’twanttobethere.Aroundfive,IwashavingabitetoeatwithSkipCarayandHarryKalas,andwearetalkingtooneanotherabouthowtodothisgame.Whatexactlyarewesupposedtosayanddo?IthinkitwasHarrywhosaid,inthatbigdeepvoiceofhis, “Just tell themwhatwe see.” It sounds simple,butsomebodyhad tosay that tousandforus.Whenwewenton theair, itwasafeeling unlike any assignment I’ve ever had. The first few innings werenondescript,anditwasasifeverybodyweregoingthroughthemotionsjust togetsometractionemotionallyandphysically.Inthefourthinning,ChipperJonescomesupforthesecondtime,and,GodblessthePhilliesfans,theyboothehelloutofhim.Iremembersayingontheairthatthismaybeourfirststepback.Fastforward to the end of the game, and the guywho did notwant to play, ScottRolen, hit two home runs and was the star of the game. It was one of thosethingswherenobodyknewwhattodoexceptgooutanddowhatwealldidforaliving.Thatiswhenitreallycrystallizedformethatourbusinesscanreallybeanelixirtohealthepainoratourniquettostopawoundfrombleeding.

2003AmericanLeagueChampionshipSeries,GameSeven,BostonRedSoxat New York Yankees, Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York, October 16,2003In 2003 and 2004, theYankees andRed Sox played twenty-six times each

year,includingthepostseason.Twenty-sixtimes.Theseyearsweretheheightofthe Yankee-Red Sox rivalry. And in 2003, the difference between those two

teams was one pitch. I was working Yankees radio at the time with JohnSterling, and the way it worked was that after the ninth inning, we wouldalternateplay-by-playeachinning,withhimdoingthe10th,medoingthe11th,andsoon.GradyLittlestayedwithPedroMartinezlongerthanmostfansthinkheshouldhave,butgoingintothegame,heknewhehadnobullpen,whichhetoldmethatafternoon.Littleeventuallybrought inTimWakefield topitchthe10th and kept him in to start the 11th. So we’re coming back from thecommercialbreak,whichisalittlelongerintheplayoffsthantheregularseason.WCBS,whichcarried thegamesonradio inNewYork, tackedonafewextrasecondstothebreak,though,andwewerestillincommercialsasAaronBoonewaswalkingfromtheon-deckcircletothebatter’sbox.Iwaslookingdownonthefieldandlisteningtothecommercial,andstartedthinkingthatwecouldhavea“HeidiBowl”momenthere.AsJohntookthegameoutof thebreak,Iknewthiswasn’t good, because the first pitchwas about to be thrown.AndBooneendeduphittingthefirstpitchintotheleft-fieldbleacherstowinthegameandthe series. The call ended up being fine, but we were within milliseconds ofmissingthatpitch.Happily, thecallhasstoodup,but itwaswithin inchesandsecondsofbeingcompletelydifferent.

AaronBoonehitstheseries-winninghomeruninthebottomofthe11thinningofGameSevenofthe2003AmericanLeagueChampionshipSeries.(APPhoto/DickDruckman)

DickStocktonBroadcaster,FOXSports

RecipientofBasketballHallofFame’sCurtGowdyAward,2001

1954WorldSeries,GameOne,ClevelandIndiansatNewYorkGiants,PoloGrounds,NewYork,NewYork,September29,1954MyfatherwasagreatinfluenceformeandisthereasonI’minthisbusiness.

WhenIwasgrowingupinKewGardensHillsinQueens,hewouldtakemetothePoloGrounds,wherewehad season tickets forNewYorkbaseballGiantsgames.Thatwas the first sport Iwaseverattached to.He tookme to the firstgameofthe1954WorldSeries,whenIwasstillateenager,anditwasthefirstgreatmomentthatIeverwitnessed.TheClevelandIndianshadwon111gamesandsnappedtheYankees’stringoffivestraightAmericanLeaguepennants,andwereheavy favorites tobeat theGiants.Our seatswere eight rowsbehind thevisitors’ dugout, so our seats faced out toward the right-field line.WhenVicWertzhitthelongflyballtocenterfield,mydadtoldmetogetupandstandonmy seat, and when I did, I saw Willie Mays make one of the most famouscatches in baseball history. You always thoughtMays had a chance to catcheveryballhittocenter,becauseheusuallydid.Thisballwashittothedeepestpartoftheballpark;centerfieldatthePoloGroundswas483feetdeep.Ididn’tknowthathewasgoingtoneedto turnaroundandrun likeawidereceiver tocatch it over his shoulder, though. Dusty Rhodes won the game in the 10thinningwithwhatlookedlikeapopuptothefirstbasemanbutactuallylandedintheoverhanginrightfieldforagame-winning,three-runhomerun.TheGiantswonthegame,5–2,andendedupsweepingtheIndians.

Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers, Convention Hall, Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,1965to1967I was working at KYW radio in Philadelphia and will never forget the

matchupsbetweenBillRussellandWiltChamberlain.ItwasmyfirstjoboutofcollegeandIwasworkingtheovernightshift,soIwouldgoseethe76ersplay

beforeworkwheneverIcould.WhentheCelticswereintown,itwasfuntoseethe two great giants face each other. It was the same thing every time theyplayed—itwasthebattleofthebehemoths.Chamberlainwasbiggerphysicallyand could do more things offensively, while Russell was a shot blocker andbetterdefensiveplayer.

1975WorldSeries,GameSix,CincinnatiRedsatBostonRedSox,FenwayPark,Boston,Massachusetts,October21,1975ThethingthatwasgreataboutthisgameformewasthatitwasthefirstyearI

haddonebaseball,andNBChadselectedmetobeoneoftheannouncers.Theyusedhometownannouncers for thegamesat the time, and itwouldalwaysbeoneannouncerfromthehometeampairedwithCurtGowdy,TonyKubek,andJoe Garagiola. It was great fortune that I was assigned to this game. CarltonFisk’s home run capped an incredibly dramatic game. The Reds were on thebrink of winning the World Series before the Red Sox came back to win.Baseballhadbeenonadowncyclethepreviousthreeyears.NottocriticizetheOakland A’s, who won all three, but baseball was in a certain state where itreallyneededashotinthearm.IthinkthisSeriesdidthat,andthisgamewasthemost memorable moment of it, even though the Reds wound up winning inGameSeven.WhenFiskhitthehomerun,Iwasn’tsureifitwasgoingtobefairorfoul,justlikeeveryoneelseinthestadium,includingFisk.Thatisoneofthemoredifficultcallstomake.ItwaslikeJoeBuck’scallofMarkMcGwire’s61sthome run. Itwasn’t oneof those dramatic “Wayback,wayback, deep to leftfield,it’sgone”homeruns.Itwasashotdownthelineandittookasecondortwotoseeifitwasgoingtobefairorfoulandwhetheritwasgoingtoclearthewall.Ithinkthatwasadramaticcallinthatyoujustreacttowhatyouseeandsaywhatisinyourheadquickly.Youdon’thavetimetothink,soallIsaidwas,“And there itgoes, if it stays fair…homerun!” Ididn’t sayanythingasFiskroundedthebases,becausethewholescenewaselectricontelevision.

CarltonFiskattemptstowilltheballfairwhilefollowingtheflightofhis12th-inninggame-winninghomeruninGameSixofthe1975WorldSeries.(APPhoto/HarryCabluck)

1981NBAEasternConferenceFinals,BostonCelticsvs.Philadelphia76ers,Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts and The Spectrum, Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,April21-May3,1981Forsomereason,CBS’snumberonecrewofGaryBender,RickBarry,and

BillRussellwasassigned theWesternConferenceFinalsbetween theHoustonRocketsandKansasCityKings,whileKevinLougheryandIwereassignedthisseries.ItwasthefirstmeaningfulplayoffseriesbetweentheteamssincethedaysofRussell andChamberlain.Of every series I ever covered orwitnessed, thiswas the greatest one of them all. The 76ers led three games to one, but theCelticscamebacktowininsevengames.Therewereacoupleoffights in theseries and a lot of great drama,with five of the seven games decided by twopoints or less. Game Seven was in Boston Garden, and Larry Bird hit thewinningshottogivetheCelticstheone-pointvictory.ThiswasthebeginningoftheLarryBirdvsJuliusErvingrivalrythatdominatedthe’80sintheEast.

1983NCAAMen’sBasketballTournamentFinals,NorthCarolinaStatevs.Houston,UniversityArena,Albuquerque,NewMexico,April4,1983

IwasassignedtotheWestregionalearlyroundgamesinCorvallis,Oregon,withformerMichiganplayerSteveGrote.NoonegaveNorthCarolinaStateachance to do anything in the tournament, but they defeated Pepperdine andUNLVtoadvancetothesecondweekend.WethendidtheWestfinalinOgden,Utah,wheretheybeatRalphSampson’sVirginiateamtogettotheFinalFour.We all know what happened at that Final Four, of course. Houston was theheavy favorite in the championship game, but therewas something about thisteamofdestiny.IwassittinginthestandsinAlbuquerqueandfeltthatIhadavestedinterestinN.C.State.Iwasn’tworkingthegamebuthadbeenwiththemfromthebeginningofthetournamentandsawthewaytheycamefrombehindagainandagain,soIfelt,“Whynot?Whycouldn’tthishugeunderdogbeatthePhi Slamma Jamma team?” And they did it. When Lorenzo Charles hit thewinningbasket,IgottoseeJimValvanorunningaround,lookingforsomeonetohug.ItisoneofthosegreatmomentsthatIcarrywithmetoday.

RobStoneBroadcaster,FOXSports

MinnesotaVikingsatTampaBayBuccaneers,Houlihan’sStadium,Tampa,Florida,October13,1996I worked in the Tampa market at the station that was the home of the

Buccaneersgamesanddid theircoaches’show.In1996, theBucshiredanewcoachbythenameofTonyDungy,whomnooneknewmuchabout.TheBucsstarted the season 0–5, and while people liked Dungy, they didn’t love himbecausehehadn’twonyet, and it felt like theywere still the sameoldYuck-aneers. He eventually got his first win against the Vikings, and only around32,000peoplewerethere,buteveryonewhohadcoveredtheBuccaneersfeltadifferentbreezeblowingfromthatpoint. I rememberbeingon thefieldduringthe game and going into the locker room afterwards, and feeling an immensesense of pride, happiness, and satisfaction forDungy.Hehad this power overyouwhereyoulistenedtohim,youadmiredhistone,andyouwantedhimtolikeandappreciateyoubecauseyouappreciatedhimsomuch.Youcouldreallyfeelthatvibeafter thegame that theplayersweresohappyfinally towin forhim.Being there for that first win, as he began turning that franchise around, hasalwaysstayedwithme.

1998 FIFA World Cup Group Stage, United States vs. Iran, GerlandStadium,Lyon,France,June21,1998Itwasbilledasthemotherofallgames,becausethepoliticaltensionsbetween

thetwocountrieswasoffthecharts.Mostimprobably,thecountrieswerepairedtogether in the group stage in Lyon. I was working sidelines and rememberhearingallofthestoriesaboutthesecurityconcerns.Therewererumblingsthattherewasgoingtobeahugeprotest,bannersbeingunfurled,orpeoplestormingthe field. I was positioned between the two benches and, during warmups,lookedupintothestandsandsawmilitarypersonnelwithriflesatthetopofthestadium and helicopters buzzing around. I had never experienced this kind offeelaroundagame.Therewerequestionsaboutwhethertheteamswouldshake

handsbeforethegame,andtheIranplayersweretoldnottobudgeandtomaketheUnitedStatesplayerscometothem.TheU.S.hadareallypoorperformanceinthematchandlost,2–1,essentiallybeingeliminatedfromtheWorldCup.Itwas the first time I saw sports being bigger than just the game.Therewas somuchmore on the line to this one than in a normal game. It impacted lives,politicians,andcountriesandwaswaybeyondthedepththatIwaspreparedfor.

1999 Women’s World Cup Final, United States vs. China, Rose Bowl,Pasadena,California,July10,1999Iwas the sideline reporter for the third-placegame,whichwasplayed right

beforethefinalattheRoseBowl.Weknewthiswasbecomingsomethingbiggerthan we could ever have imagined and had to think about things like thepresidentcomingto theRoseBowlandhowthatwasgoingtoaffectourdailyschedule.Therewasacrazyswarmofenergyandanticipation,butIdidn’thaveaplacetowatchthechampionshipgame.Allofthepasseswerebeingused,soifyou didn’t have one, you were out of luck, and my duties ended when myinterviewsafterthethird-placegameweredone.Somehow,Iwasabletofinaglemywayback into thegates—Iwentoutand foundawayback in.After Igotinside, I found one ofmyproducers andwent frombeing on the field for thethird-placegametobeingintheverylastrowoftheRoseBowl.Iwasinoneofthecornersat theotherendof the stadiumfromwhere thepenaltykicksweretakingplace,buttobeinthatatmosphereforthegreatestmomentinAmericansoccerhistorywasabsolutelyunforgettable.ThepowerofthatteamstillprevailsovereverygirlwhoplayssoccerintheUnitedStatestothisday.

BrandiChastaincelebrateshergame-winningpenaltyshootoutgoalinthe1999Women’sWorldCupFinal.(APPhoto/TheSanFranciscoExaminer,LacyAtkins)

2009 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Finals, North Carolina vs.MichiganState,FordField,Detroit,Michigan,April6,2009For a brief time growing up, I lived inChapelHill. Itwas those formative

years from preschool through third grade, and all I knewwas Carolina Blue,Dukesucks,andUNChoopsisthegreatestthingever.Thathasn’tleftme.Asitturned out, my sister got a job in the UNC basketball office, so she hadincredible access to the program. The Final Four team that year had TylerHansbrough,theywerenumberoneinthepreseason,andeveryonesaidthiswasthe team to beat. So I said if theymade it to the championship game, I wasgoing.AftertheywononSaturday,IhadtofigureouthowtogettoDetroitforMonday’sgame. Igot there,andmysisterwasable toget tickets forme,her,andourparents,soourwholefamilythatlivedinChapelHillsattogetherwithgreat seats.We had better seats thanCarolina basketball legends likeAntawnJamison and Phil Ford. The Tar Heels just dismantledMichigan State in thegame.Whenyouareafanofateam,youalwaysgetstressedoutwatchingthem,particularlyinbiggames,butCarolinajumpedouttoa36–13leadandcruised.So we could sit and relax and enjoy every basket and every second with nostress.Wewereable toenjoyoneof thegreatestcollegebasketball teamseverputtogetherandseetheircrowningachievementinarelaxedsetting.Ialsogottodoitwithmyfamily,whichIcherish.

2010PBATournamentofChampions,RedRockLanes,LasVegas,Nevada,January24,2010Itwasthe45thTournamentofChampions,whichisoneofthePBA’smajors.

A woman named Kelly Kulick had made the television broadcast. A womanmakingtheTVpartofabowlingtournamenthadhappenedonceortwicebefore,butinthiscase,shewasthenumberoneseed,whichwascrazy,sincenowomanhadeverwononthetour.Notonlydidshewinthewholething,butshethrottledformerPBAPlayeroftheYearChrisBarnesinthefinal,winningby70pins.Itwasoverintheninthframe,andtheplacewasjustelectricwiththeappreciationofwhatwashappening.Awomanwaswinninginamale-dominatedsport.Notonlydidawomanwinatournament,butitwasoneofthebiggestofallofthem.Shewasveryemotionalafterwards,hermomwas there tocelebrate,and Igotemotionalcalling it. Justwatching it againonYouTubegetsme teary-eyed. Itwas a Billie Jean King-type moment for women’s athletics, where a woman

conqueredthemen,anddiditindominatingfashion.I’msoproudtohavebeenapartofit.

RickTelanderColumnist,ChicagoSun-Times

Super Bowl XX, Chicago Bears vs. New England Patriots, LouisianaSuperdome,NewOrleans,Louisiana,January26,1986This gamewas complete and utter dominance, led by the defense. Itwas a

teamfullofcharacters,withMikeDitka,JimMcMahon,MikeSingletary,DanHampton, SteveMcMichael, and, of course,Walter Payton and the Fridge. IremembertheBearssayingtheydidn’twanttoknockPatriotsquarterbackTonyEason out of the game because they just wanted to abuse him, but they didanyway.The46–10outcomewasreallywhateveryoneexpected.Thatteamhadahugefollowing,becausetheyweresocharismatic.

1996 NBA Finals, Seattle SuperSonics vs. Chicago Bulls, KeyArena atSeattle Center, Seattle,Washington and United Center, Chicago, Illinois,June5-16,1996ThiswasMichael Jordan’s first championship after returning frombaseball,

butitwasalsooneofthegreatestteamsofalltime,going72–10intheregularseason.MichaelmadeSpaceJam in the summerbefore the seasonstartedandhadafloorinstalledatthestudiosothathecouldworkoutandgetreadyfortheseason.Well,when the season started, he justwent insane.HepunchedSteveKerrandgavehimablackeye,andwhilehewasveryapologeticaboutit,KerrknewthatitwasjustMichaelgoingononeofhislunaticthings,andnothingwasgoingtogetinhisway.Hedidn’tmissasinglegameinthenextthreeseasons,regularseasonorplayoffs.Hewasjustonamission,andthatseason,itwasasifnoneoftheotherteamsintheleaguehadanybusinessevenbeingonthefloorwiththem.Whentheywererolling,theiropponentscouldbarelygettheballuptheflooragainst them.Itwasn’t just the72wins,but itwasliketheBeatlesattheirpeak.Itwasateamfullofstars—Jordan,Pippen,Harper,Rodman,Kukocoff the bench, Phil Jackson coaching—and when they came to town, theyperformed.Whentheywonthechampionship,forJordan,itwasareaffirmationofhisgeniusanddesire.

1998NBAFinals,GameSix,ChicagoBullsatUtahJazz,DeltaCenter,SaltLakeCity,Utah,June14,1998The Bulls had never been to a Game Seven in the Finals, but they were

trailinglateinthegameandtherewasasensethattheJazz,ontheirhomecourtwiththelegendarytandemofKarlMaloneandJohnStockton,hadashottogetthere. But then Jordan stole the ball fromMalone and dribbled up court. Hecouldhavepassedordoneanumberofotherthingsbutinsteadskiddedtoastop,pushedBryonRusselloutoftheway,andmadeoneofthemostfamousshotsinhistory.Whenhetooktheshot,itseemedtolingerintheairinmid-arcforever,andwhenitwentthrough,hekepthisarmstraightoutintheairforamoment.Heclaimshewasn’tdoing it foravictorysaluteand that itwas justa follow-through,andIkindofunderstandwhathemeansinthatifyoukeepyourarminthe air like that, nothing is going to interfere with the shot. If he could haveendedeverything like that, andwalkedaway frombasketball forever, itwouldhavebeenthegreatestexitever.Ofcourse,hetarnisheditbycomingbackwiththeWizards.Butthatdefinitivestatement,thatstakeintheheartofpeoplewhohadhope,wastheessenceofMichaelJordan.Hewasahandsomeguy,butjustastone-coldkillerwholovedtodothesethingstopeople.

2000 Summer Olympics, Greco-Roman Wrestling Super HeavyweightFinal,SydneyExhibitionCentre,Sydney,Australia,September27,2000Alexander Karelin was a Russian Greco-Roman heavyweight wrestler and

wasbeaten in thismatch for the firstandonly time inhiscareerbyAmericanRulon Gardner. It was the most unexpected, stunning thing I’ve ever seen insports. Karelin was absolutely terrifying, both to everyone he faced and theaudience.Hewasamonster, likeGrendel fromBeowulf.Peopleknew thathetrainedinwaist-highsnowinSiberia.Hehadthishorrifyingbodyslamwherehewouldliftguysupwhoweighed285poundswithease,andhefacedopponentswho would give up rather than be slammed. He just looked fearsome. As itturnedout,hewasaverygoodsport,butthismonstrousimageandvaporaroundhim was terrifying. When it looked like Gardner had a chance to win, Irememberpeoplerushingintothearena,whichwasn’tverybig,toseeit.PeopleweretheretoanointKarelinasthegreatestGreco-Romanwrestler,butitneverhappened.Gardnerwassotoughandhadsuchahugechest,almostcircularlikeabarrel,andhebrokeKarelin’sgriparoundhim,andthatwastheonepointthathe used to win that event. I knew nothing about Greco-Roman wrestling butrememberthesetwohugeguysgoingateachother,anditwasjustamazing.

2004 SummerOlympics,Athens,Greece,August 13-29,2004

Therewere twoevents inAthens that standout forme.Firstwas themen’smarathon, where the leader, Brazil’s Vanderlei de Lima, was tackled by aprotestoraboutfourmilesfromthefinishline.Iwasclosertothefinishlinethanwhereithappened,soIdidn’tseeit,butwhendeLimapassedbyme,hewasnolonger in first place. When he came running by, no one realized what hadhappened,buthehadthishorrifiedlookonhisface.Hehadexperiencedoneofthe great breakdowns in civic trust, and it happened at one of the biggestmomentsofhislife.WhenIfoundoutlaterwhathadhappened,itwasshockingbeyondbelief.Theothereventwastheshotputcompetition,whichwasheldat theancient

Olympia.Theathletescameoutthroughtheoldruinsandthrewtheshotonthelawn where the ancient Greeks had competed. The sense of history was justoverwhelming.

CharissaThompsonBroadcaster,FOXSports

AppalachianStateatMichigan,MichiganStadium,AnnArbor,Michigan,September1,2007Itwasmyfirstgameworkingasasidelinereporter.Michiganwasexpectedto

make a run at the national championship that season but struggled in the firsthalf. I tried to get Lloyd Carr to answer a question on the way to the lockerroom,butheblewmeoff,andIcouldn’thelpthinkthatthiswasn’tgoingverywellformyfirstgame.Iknewthingsweren’tgoingwellfortheWolverinesbutthoughtthatcoacheswererequiredtostoptodotheinterview.As the game was reaching the sequence at the end, featuring Thom

Brennaman’snow-iconiccall,IknewIwaswatchingsomethingspecial.Ithadthe chance to be one of the biggest upsets in college football history, withAppalachianStatebeinganFCSschool,andIneededtofigureoutwhatIwaspotentially going to ask their coach after thismonumentalwin. Then I had tofigureoutwhattoaskCarrthistimeiftheywon,aswell.Whenitfinallyended,you couldn’t believe the silence in the Big House. There was this tiny littlesectionofAppalachianStatefans,andthatwasallyoucouldhear.IremembertalkingtooneoftheMountaineersplayersbeforethegame,andhetoldmethewholecityofBoone,NorthCarolina,wasbasicallyshuttingdownforthegame.It was the biggest game they were going to be a part of, and they ended upwinningit.

AppalachianStaterunningbackKevinRichardsoncelebratestheMountaineers’2007winoverMichiganinAnnArbor.(APPhoto/DuaneBurleson)

Afteritwasallover,wewereinthecarbacktothehotel.ThelastgameThomandCharlesDavishadcalled thepreviousseasonwas thefamousBoiseState-OklahomaFiestaBowl, andnow theyhad thisone.Theystarted talkingaboutwhereit rankedin thegamestheyhadseen, thenaskedme,andthat iswhenIfinallytoldthemthatitwasmyfirstgame.

San Diego Padres at Colorado Rockies, Coors Field, Denver, Colorado,October1,2007IhadbeenthesidelinereporterforRockiesgamesthatseasonbuthadjustleft

tojoinTheBestDamnSportsShowPeriodinLosAngeles.TheRockieswentonthis huge run at the end of the season just to get to a one-game playoff todetermine theNationalLeaguewild-card team. Iwas there as a fan, but therewasthisemotionalattachmentformetothisteamaftercoveringthemallseason.Itwassuchagreatgroupofguys,andforthemtowinsoemotionally,withMattHollidayslidingintohomeonareallycloseplaytocapathree-runrallyinthebottomofthe13th,reallymeantalottome.

2007NFCChampionshipGame,NewYorkGiantsatGreenBayPackers,LambeauField,GreenBay,Wisconsin,January20,2008Thisonehasanasterisknexttoit.IwasworkingforTheBestDamnSports

Show Period, and we were in Green Bay for one of the coldest games ever.Duringthepregame,wewereonthefield,andEliManningwalksoutontothefield.Eliisgoodatplayingalongwithstuff,soIstartedyellingtohimtothrowmeapasstostarthavingacatchwithhim.BestDamnwasallabouthavingfun,soIwasrunningaroundonthefielddoingstupidstuff like that. Itwasmaybe

twohoursbeforekickoff,and, ifwewere lucky, itwas fivedegreesoutat thetime.All of a sudden, I look over toward midfield, and Packers coach Mike

McCarthy isout therewatchingme,andIwaveathimandkeepactinggoofy.Aroundfifteenminuteslater,abunchofsecurityguardscomeoverandaskmeto leave the stadium. McCarthy had requested that I be kicked out of thestadium.IhadbeengoingbackandforthfromthefieldtotheFOXpregamesettotalkwithTerryBradshaw,HowieLong,andtheguysthewholetimeIwasonthe field, so it was obvious I was with FOX, but they insisted I leave. Myproducer, Joel Santos, told our cameraman to keep rolling, and I’m beingescorted out of Lambeau Field, while the security guards are yelling at thecameraman to stop filming (he said he wasn’t recording it, but he was). So,whileeveryoneinthestadiumfroze,weallsat inahotelbarnearby,watchingthegame,drinkingsomewine,whereitwasniceandwarm.

SuperBowlXLII,NewYorkGiantsvs.NewEnglandPatriots,UniversityofPhoenixStadium,Glendale,Arizona,February3,2008Iwas standing inoneof the tunnels that leadout to the field, so I couldn’t

reallyseetheDavidTyreecatchbutwatchedit,andeverythingthatensued,onthe big screen in the stadium.After PlaxicoBurress scored the game-winningtouchdown, I rememberwatchingBillBelichickandotherPatriotspeoplestartwalkingoffthefield.Buttherewasstilltimeremainingontheclock,sotheyallhadtowalkbackouttothesidelineagain…exceptforRandyMoss,whojustkept walking. That look on their faces, after having lost the game, and theirperfect season, the way they just had was unforgettable. I was still new toworking in sports at the timeandwas covering thegame forFOXSports.com,but I knew I had seen something special. It was the first Super Bowl I everattended,andIwasabletogetmydadticketsforthegame,too,soforittoendthewayitdidreallymadeitextraspecialforus.

SuperBowlXLIX,SeattleSeahawksvs.NewEnglandPatriots,UniversityofPhoenixStadium,Glendale,Arizona,February1,2015I’mfromSeattleandwasatthegameworkingforExtra,notFOX,somyjob

all week was to talk to celebrities and work parties and report on theentertainmentpartoftheweekend.Sowhenthegamerolledaround,itwasgreatfinallytobeabletotalkaboutsportsagain.Iwasonthefieldbeforethegamewithmyco-host,A.J.Calloway,anddidn’thavemyFOXhaton(notthatIeverreallytempermyenthusiasmfortheSeahawksanyway),andthenwewenttothe

differentsuitesduringthegametodointerviewssoIcouldwatchthegame.WhenJermaineKearsemadethatcatchnearthegoallineonthelastdrive,I

thought,“Herewego.This is it.”But then, the feeling turned just like that, inthatsplitsecond,withtheMalcolmButler interceptionat thegoal line.Itwentfrompureelation todisappointmentsoquickly,youcouldn’tbelievewhathadjust happened. I’m good friends with RussellWilson and was talking to himafterthegame,andhetoldmehecouldn’tbelievehowthatgamehadjustended.

MikeVaccaroColumnist,NewYorkPost

1999NBAEasternConferenceFinals,GameThree,IndianaPacersatNewYorkKnicks,MadisonSquareGarden,NewYork,NewYork,June5,1999Alotoftimeswhenyoucoveragame,whatyouremembermostisthenoise.

I’veneverheardsportssoundlouderthanthemomentLarryJohnsontiedGameThreeofthisserieswiththePacerswithalatethree-pointer.ItwasacrazydayinNewYork sports. Charismaticwas going for the TripleCrown at BelmontPark,andtheMetsandYankeeswereplayingaSubwaySeriesgame.ThiswasaKnicks playoff run that had fallenout of the sky, but thePacerswere heavilyfavored in theseriesand theKnickshad just lostPatrickEwing toanAchillesinjury.IfthePacershadwonthisgame,itbasicallywouldhavebeentheendofthestring.ThenJohnsonmadetheshot.Heprobablywasn’tfouled,andifyoulookatthevideoonehundredtimes,onninety-nineofthem,youwon’tseeanycontact, but a foul was called. I’ve watched this play so many times, andvisually,itissouniquebecausewhentheballgoesthroughthebasket,yousee19,000pairsofarmsimmediatelyreachingtothesky.Mostimportant,though,Ican still rememberwhat it sounded like. I remember turning to IanO’Connor,whowas sitting next tome on press row, andwanting to say something, butknowing hewasn’t going to hear it.Mywordswere literally absorbed by thesoundaroundus.

2001 World Series, Game Five, Arizona Diamondbacks at New YorkYankees,YankeeStadium,Bronx,NewYork,November1,2001Part of what makes this game so special is that what happened this night

happened the night before against the same pitcher, so it is remarkable that ithappened again.Afterwaiting to filemy columnuntil the endofGameFour,resulting in logistical issuesgettingdown to the locker roomafter thegame, Ifiled thisonea littleearlierandwentdownstairs,never thinking thatwecouldpossibly see a repeat.We were amassed outside the Yankees’ clubhouse andwatching on TV, where there was a delay of a few seconds between what

happenedon the fieldandwhatwesawon themonitor.WesawByung-HyunKimgettingreadytopitchtoScottBrosius,whenallofasuddentherewasthisimplosionofnoiseandjoy.TheoldYankeeStadiumhadaspecificsound.Youknew when something special was happening, and the sound alone told usBrosiushadjusthitahomerun.ThenweactuallysawthehomerunontheTV,andthepicturescaughtuptothesound.Myfirstreactionwasthatitwassimplyincredible.Mysecondreaction,though,wastotryandgetholdofmyofficetomakesuretheydidn’trunthecolumnIhadsubmitted.ItendedupbeingthefirsttimeinmycareerthatImissedmydeadlinefromanevent,becausewhatIhadsentoverwascompletelyworthless.Partofthereasonyoudothisisjustforthechancetoseesomethingyou’veneverseenbefore,sotoseeitonback-to-backnightsisjustpreposterous.

SuperBowlXLII,NewYorkGiantsvs.NewEnglandPatriots,UniversityofPhoenixStadium,Glendale,Arizona,February3,2008Itiseasytosayitnow,becauseithappened,buteventhoughIhadpickedthe

Patriots towin in the paper, Iwasn’t shy about telling people that theGiantscould win the game. At the very least, I didn’t think the Giants would gethumiliated, as a lot of people thoughtwould happen. I thought it would be agoodgame,and through the first threequarters,youreallydidn’tknowhowitwasgoingtoend.Onthefinaldrive,Iwenttowritedownthetimeontheclockwhen EliManning got sacked, only to look up and realize the play was stillgoingon.ThatisthepartoftheDavidTyreeplaythatstayswithme,becauseofhowmuch it stunned me. Obviously, you don’t expect a guy to catch a ballagainsthishelmet,butevenbeyondthatwasManning,whoisasstone-footedasyoucanget,gettingawayfromthisfranticpassrush.Whenyouwritecolumnsforlongenough,yougetafeelandrhythmforhowthingsaregoingtogo,andItoldtheotherwritersthereforthePostthatIwasgoingtowriteaboutthatfinaldrive,winorlose.Itwaseithergoingtobeagame-winningdriveorendinbitterheartbreak, andeitherway, itwouldmakeagoodcolumn.So I focusedonasmanydetailsonthatdriveasIcould,andthatistheonethatstoodoutthemost.WhenPlaxicoBurresscaughtthewinningtouchdownpass,itwasotherworldly,because all of a sudden, this impossible dream was suddenly within reach.Sometimes this job is incredibly easy.Thiswas one of those times. Itwas allrightthereinfrontofyouandwaseverythingyoucouldwantinabigevent.

2012 Atlantic 10 Championship Game, St. Bonaventure vs. Xavier,BoardwalkHall,AtlanticCity,NewJersey,March11,2012

Whenyouare as fortunate as I am toget a job in thisbusiness in the townwhere you grew up, you have to suspend a lot of the things you love aboutsports.Youenduprootingforstoriesasopposedtotheteamsyougrewupbeingafanof,becausesometimesitinvolvesthoseteamslosing.Becauseofthat,myrooting interests are now confined to St. Bonaventure basketball, which for avery long time was a fruitless task. It is a small school that had a hard timeadjustingtomoderncollegebasketballandhasn’thada lotofsuccess.WhenIwas there, they had four terrible years. I covered them for two years aftergraduating, and theywere both epically bad seasons. It all came to a head in2003,whentheygotcaughtupinanacademicscandal.Then came2012,when theBonnieswent on a hot streak late in the season

headingintotheAtlantic10tournament.TheywonathrillinggameagainstSaintJoseph’s,then,inthesemifinals,hadahugeleadagainstUMass.Iwasonaroadtrip covering the Knicks and remember watching on my computer in theMilwaukeeairport,andasmyplanewasboarding,UMassstartedcomingback.We pulled away from the gate, and I was trying to figure out a way to keepwatching the game while we were moving, and just as we took off, UMassmissed adesperation shot, andSt.Bonaventureheldon towin.Afteryearsoffrustration, evenwith a trip to the NCAA tournament in 2000, the feeling ofgoingtotheconferencetournamentfinalwasveryemotional.ImadeacallwhenIgotbacktoNewYorkandgotacredentialforthegame.IspecificallywantedacredentialinsteadofticketssothatIwouldn’troot.Icouldn’tbringmyselftobeemotionalatagamelikethis,andIendedupactuallywritingsomethingformyoldpaperwhilethere.TheBonniescontrolledthegamefromthestart,butitwasstillverynerve-wracking.Whenpeopleaskmewhysportsmatter,Ipointtothelast15secondsofthisgame.Thebuildingwastotallysilent,becauseeveryonetheretorootforSt.Bonaventurewasweeping.Therewerethousandsofmenandwomenbawlinglikebabies.AndI’llconfess:Iwasthesameway.

SuperBowlXLIX,SeattleSeahawksvs.NewEnglandPatriots,UniversityofPhoenixStadium,Glendale,Arizona,February1,2015WhenMalcomButlerinterceptedRussellWilsontoclinchthewin,itwasso

sudden that there was difficulty processing it. Everyone started to talk aboutwhataterribleplaycallitwasbyPeteCarroll,whichovershadowedwhatagreatplayButlermade.Ittookeveryoneinthepressboxasecondortwotofigureoutwhat really happened. There was a half-beat of silence followed by thecorrespondingnoises,dependingonwhichteam’sfansyouwerehearing.Tome,agameisn’tgreatjustbecauseyouthinkitisgreat.Itisalsobecauseyoucan’t

waittotalkaboutthatgamewithyourfriendsandfamily.Thatiswhatthisgamewas,andyoudidn’thavetohaveadoginthefighttofeelthatway.Dayslater,peoplewerestill talkingaboutiteverywhereyouwent.Peoplejustdidn’twanttoletthisgamego.

MalcolmButlerinterceptsaRussellWilsonpasstosealSuperBowlXLIX.(APPhoto/BenLiebenberg)

AdnanVirkBroadcaster,ESPN

New England Patriots at New York Giants, Giants Stadium, EastRutherford,NewJersey,December29,2007Maybe it was Randy Moss staring me down after I asked a relatively

innocuousquestionandsaying,“I’mjusthappytoshutYOUpeopleup.”Maybeitwastheperversejoyofsittingthroughthereliablyterse,admirablyblandBillBelichick pre-and postgame pressers.Ormaybe itwas seeingTomTerrific inthe prime of his career. The Patriots, even with the asterisks of Spygate,Deflategate,etal., areoneof thedynastic teamsofmodernprofessional sport,andbeingabletobeapartofhistoryandseethemrunthetable in theregularseason,culminatinginthe38–35winatGiantsStadium,wasmemorable.

The2008Masters,AugustaNationalGolfClub,Augusta,Georgia,April10-13,2008I amnot agolf guy, andour entire station inToronto found it uproariously

funnythatIwasselectedtocover theMasters in2008.TheeventwaswonbyTrevor Immelman, andTigerWoodswas the runner-up, but that’s immaterial.What’s noteworthy about this experience was getting a taste of why this isritualisticheavenforgolffans.Thelusciousgreenery,theplentifulazaleas,andeventhe$1.50and$2sandwiches.TheentiretournamentinAugusta,Georgia,actsasatimecapsuleforwhenlifemaynothavebeenbetter,butrightdowntothegentilityandcivilitythatabounds,itdidseemalotsimpler.AmentoAmenCorner.

Baltimore Orioles at New York Yankees, Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NewYork,September21,2008Ifyou’reabaseballguy,asIam,youcan’thelpbutappreciatethenostalgia

and appeal of a place likeYankeeStadium. Itwas theRomanColossus of itsday, and during that JoeTorre-ledYankees run in the late ’90s, therewas nobetterplacetowatchabaseballgame.Icoveredthefinalweekendthereandwas

luckyenoughtochatwithsuperstarsfromReggieJacksontoMarianoRiveratoevenmy favorite broadcaster, KeithOlbermann. They all waxed poetic aboutwhathadmadethisbuildingsoindelibleandcasuallyreflectedonthememoriesthere thatwould never leave them.Beyond just the stars that I interviewed, Itookjoyintalkingtothehard-workingstadiumworkersbehindthesceneswhohadtoiledinobscurityenhancingsomanypeople’sexperienceandreceivingsolittle acclaim for doing so. They all collectively shared in what made theYankeessuchanationalbrand,lovethemorhatethem,andknewhowyoucannever replaceyourhomewithsome luxurious,money-making facsimileacrossthestreet.Therealfanscanalwaysspottheimposter.

2009 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Finals, North Carolina vs.MichiganState,FordField,Detroit,Michigan,April6,2009Sports at its best can be an inspiration for the downtrodden and actual

escapism for those suffering through tough times. That’swhatmade the 2009Final Four in Detroit so special and the marvelous run by Tom Izzo and hisMichigan State Spartans. Every day as wewalked to Ford Field to cover theFinalFour,wesaw,upcloseandpersonal,thedeclineofoneofAmerica’sgreatcities.ButwhatwasalsoundeniablewasbeingsweptupintheeuphoriaoftheSpartans’run.I’llneverforgetsittingcourtsideastheSpartansroaredoutofthetunnelforthechampionshipgameversusheavilyfavoredNorthCarolinaandthecathartic eruption of noise that burst forth from the crowd of 73,000 at FordField.ThememoryofIzzo,withhisraspyvoiceandregular-guycharm,givingathumbs-up to the rabidcrowd isone that is frozen inmymemory.Alas,TylerHansbroughandtherestofRoyWilliams’sTarHeelswereoffandrunningfromthe beginning, but the state ofMichigan seemed to earn a hard-fought victoryevenifthefinalscoreboardsaidotherwise.

2010NHLEasternConferenceSemifinals,GameSeven,PhiladelphiaFlyersatBostonBruins,TDGarden,Boston,Massachusetts,May14,2010Thereisnothingthatcancapturetheexcitementofplayoffhockey.Thewild

swingsinmomentum,thevisceralintensity,themarathonovertimesthatcanendwithoneflickofthewristoronescreenedshotthat ticklesthetwine.Through2013,onlythreetimesin175tries(amicroscopic1.7percent)hadateamcomeback from down 3–0 in a playoff series to win. The TorontoMaple Leafs in1942, 33 years later the New York Islanders, and 35 years after that thePhiladelphia Flyers over the Boston Bruins. The Los Angeles Kings alsoaccomplishedthefeatagainsttheSanJoseSharksin2014,butI’llneverforget

being in Boston for the Flyers’ miraculous comeback. I had just moved toConnecticutandhadstartedworkingatESPN.OncetheFlyersralliedtomakeita3–2series,mywifeandIwentontoStubHubandprocuredsometickets.Forthelow,lowpriceof$150includingtickets,gas,andparking,IcansayIwasatone of the rarestmoments in hockey history. The game itself lived up to thehype;theFlyersweredownjustastheyhadbeenallseriesbutclawedbacktowin.Ialsowon’tforgetaboutfilingoutofthearenaandseeingaFlyersfanwhoclearlywas a little too overzealous in his taunting being jumped and his JohnLeClairjerseybeingpulledineverydirectionpossible.Thankfully,weavoidedany such violent altercations, with my two-year-old son serving as the likelydeterrent!

LesleyVisserBroadcaster,CBSSports

RecipientofFootballHallofFame’sPeteRozelleAward,2006ElectedtoNationalSportsMediaAssociationHallofFame,2015

1983NCAAMen’sBasketballTournamentFinals,NorthCarolinaStatevs.Houston,UniversityArena,Albuquerque,NewMexico,April4,1983Tome,thiswastheultimateMarchMadness.IcoveredallofNorthCarolina

State’s games in the tournament andhadknowncoach JimValvano formanyyears; I’vebeenon theboardof “VFoundation” for cancer research formorethan twenty years now. It was insanity for him to get to that title. Theywonsevenofninegamesafter trailingwithaminuteleft thatseason,andthat teamhad adopted the mindset that it didn’t matter if they were trailing late in thegame, theywere going towin anyway.Houstonwas a dominant team, led byAkeemOlajuwon,whowon the tournament’sMostOutstanding Player awardeventhoughhisteamlost.Istillseealotoftheplayersfromthatteamtoday—IworkedwithTerryGannonatABC,whileDereckWhittenburgisalsoonthe“VFoundation”board.Tothisday,ifyouaskhim,Dereckstillcallshisplayonthewinningbasketapass.

NorthCarolinaStatecoachJimValvanoholdsthenetaloftafterhisteamdefeatedHoustonforthe1983NCAAChampionship.(APPhoto/LeonardIgnelzi)

1985 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Finals, Villanova vs.Georgetown,RuppArena,Lexington,Kentucky,April1,1985WhenpeopleaskmewhyIdowhatIdo,Isay,“Villanova66,Georgetown

64.”IwastheleadwriterfortheBostonGlobeatthetime,andwhileIwasalsoworkingforCBS,IwastheretocoverthisonefortheGlobe.IhadcoveredtheBigEastallseason,so,withthreeteamsfromtheconferenceintheFinalFourthatyear,Iknewmostoftheplayersonthefloorintimately(withMemphisStatebeingtheexception).VillanovacoachRollieMassiminotoldhisteamtheyweregoing to have to play a perfect game to win the title, and they basically did,missing just one shot in the second half. Georgetown was the defendingchampionandwantedtojointeamslikeKentucky,UCLA,Cincinnati,andSanFranciscoasteamstowinconsecutivetitles.Theyweresostrongandpowerful,butVillanovaplayedthemallthetimeinconferencegames.TheWildcatsknewthemverywellandhadnofearofthemeventhoughtherewasahugedisparityin talent.Massimino knew that if he hadEdPinckney slash to themiddle, hecould score against the Hoyas from there, which is what he did all game.GeorgetowncoachJohnThompsonspreadthefloor,anditstartedtobecomeamarchto thefoul line, just likemostBigEastgameswere. Itwassopowerfulafter thegamewhen theWildcatswerecutting thenetdownandput itaround

theneckoftheirtrainer,JakeNevin,whowasconfinedtoawheelchairbecauseofLouGehrig’sDisease.

1992NCAAMen’sBasketballTournamentRegional Finals,Kentucky vs.Duke,TheSpectrum,Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,March28,1992There were three of us on the broadcast for CBS—Verne Lundquist, Len

Elmore, andmyself.This game is considered one of the greatest games of alltime, for obvious reasons, even though it wasn’t for the championship. IrememberGrantHillsayingthatpeoplehadforgottenthatheknewhowtoplayfootball,soheknewhowtomakeapasslikehemadeonthefinalplay.Iwasthesideline reporter, so I got to listen to the huddle before the final play, and allcoach Mike Krzyzewski said to them was, “Grant, can you throw it, andChristian,canyoucatch it?”Hedidn’taskLaettner ifhecouldmake theshot.KentuckycoachRickPitinooptednottocoverHillasheinbounded,optingtodouble-team Laettner instead, which is a move that will always be debated.Pitinohassaid,though,thatitneededtobetheperfectpass,theperfectshot,andtheperfectguyfortheshotforittowork,anditwas.Assoonasthegamewasover, beforehe evendid thepostgame interviewwithme,KrzyzewskiwalkeddowntoshakehandswithKentucky’s radioannouncer,CawoodLedford,whohad announced he was retiring when the season ended. It has been an honorknowingbothof thecoaches in thisgame formanyyears. In fact,RickPitinointroducedmetomynow-husband,BobKanuth,attheKentuckyDerby.

SuperBowlXXXIV,St.LouisRamsvs.TennesseeTitans,GeorgiaDome,Atlanta,Georgia,January30,2000IwascoveringthegameforABCandwasontheRams’sidelineinsidethe5-

yard line forMike Jones’sgame-saving tackle,whichwill alwaysgodownasoneof thegreatestplays inSuperBowlhistory.TheRamswere the“GreatestShowonTurf,”andthiswasbilledasabattlebetweenquarterbacksKurtWarnerofSt.LouisandtheTitans’SteveMcNair,soitisironicthatthemostimportantplay of the gamewas by one of the defenses.As that last play started, Iwasthinkingthatafterallofthis,theRamsweren’tgoingtogetitdone.McNairhitKevinDysononaslant,butJonesstoppedhimayardshortofscoringtoendthegame.Itwassoprofoundtobestandingsoclosetothatplayasithappened.Thebiggestmemory formewasDickVermeil finallywinning a Super Bowl andhowemotionalhewasaboutitafterwards.

SuperBowlXXXVI,NewEnglandPatriots vs. St.LouisRams,LouisianaSuperdome,NewOrleans,Louisiana,February3,2002ThiswasthefirstSuperBowlafter9/11.Irememberthefirstweekendafter

they resumed playing, the Giants played in Kansas City, and Giants ownerWellingtonMara askedme if Iwanted to flywith the teamon their charter. Iattended a number of funerals for 9/11 victims. The whole season was verypowerfulforme.Intheearlytomid-’70s,IwasthefirstwomanbeatwriterforanNFLteam,andtheteamIcoveredatthattimewasthePatriots.Puttingallofthat together, along with their team name being the Patriots, added so manylayersformethatday.IwasonthefieldwhenAdamVinatierikickedthegame-winningfieldgoalforNewEngland,andwhenthegameended,itstartedrainingred,white, andblue confetti and streamers in theSuperdome. I think that daywas one of those that helped pull the whole country back together after thetragedyafewmonthsearlier.

DanWetzelColumnist,YahooSports

2004AmericanLeagueChampionshipSeries,GameSeven,BostonRedSoxat New York Yankees, Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York, October 20,2004ThedramaoftheRedSoxcomingbackwasunbelievable,anditwasthefirst

timeyoucouldsensefearintheYankees.IwasstayinginmidtownManhattan,and even walking around there during the day, there was this palpable senseamongYankeesfans that they thought the teamwasgoingtoblowthis,whichtheYankeesthemselvesneverfelt.Itfeltlikeeverygameinthecomebackwentto the end, until David Ortiz would do something to win it for Boston. Thewholeserieswasgettingridiculous,withCurtSchillingandthebloodysockthenightbefore.JohnnyDamonhadbeenhorribleintheseries,butTerryFranconastuckwithhim,andhehitagrandslam thatwasheaded right to theoverflowpressareainrightfieldwhereIwassitting.Whenhehitthatslamtogoup,6–0,itwasobvioustheRedSoxweren’tgoingtolosethatgame.ItalsosuckedalloftheairoutofYankeeStadium,aseveryonerealizedtheYankeesweregoingtoblowthe3–0series leadthat theyhad.Thatserieshada lotofgreatmoments,butI’llneverforgetthatone,becausethatwasthemomentweallrealizedthiswasactuallygoingtohappen…orwasgoingtoleadtotheworstchokejobinRedSoxhistory.

2006RoseBowl,Texasvs.USC,RoseBowl,Pasadena,California,January4,2006That gamehad somany stars—MattLeinart,ReggieBush,LenDaleWhite,

PeteCarrollforUSC,andVinceYoungandMackBrownwithTexas.Thatthisgamewas in theRoseBowlmakes it evenbetter, since that is the best venuethere is for college football. I was standing near the end zone where Texasscoredonthefinaldrive.USCjustcouldn’tstopYoungonthatdrive.Hewassomuch better than anyone on the USC defense, and on the last play, he camechargingrightintothecornerwhereIwasstanding.Theroarofthecrowdand

thescreamsofhorrorfromtheUSCsideashescoredwereprettyawesome.Anditwascomingrightatme.Everythinghappenssoquickdownonthefield,andyoudon’t realizehowbig and fast theseguys really are until youwatch fromdownthere.

2008 U.S. Open Playoff, Torrey Pines Golf Course, La Jolla, California,June16,2008IfollowedTigerWoodsaroundeverydayduringthetournament.Attimes,he

wasplayingoutrageouslywell.OnSaturday,hechippedoneinon17,andafterhehitit,hejuststoppedandsmiled,becauseheknewitwasridiculous.Hehurthis knee during the tournament, but on Monday during the playoff, he hadeverythinggoing.YouhadthisjourneymangolfernamedRocco(Mediate),andthenyouhadTiger,themostdominantguyonthetour.ItwasjustthetwoguysplayingonMonday,andeveryholewasjustjammedwithpeoplewatchingtheultimatematchplay.Tigerwasplayingonthebadwheel,andyoudidn’tknowwhetherhewouldbeabletomakeitthrough,howmuchitwasaffectinghim,orwhether therewasa littlegamesmanshipbyTigerandifhewasjustplayingitup.HisfirstMastersmighthavebeenhisgreatesttriumph,butthisOpenwinisaveryclosesecond.Itwasalsothelastglimpseattheold-schoolTigerWoods—sodominantandcharismatic,andcapableofsuchgreat theater,buthe’sneverrecapturedit.

TigerWoodskissesthechampionshiptrophyafterwinningthe2008U.S.Openinasudden-deathplayoffagainstRoccoMediate.(APPhoto/ChrisCarlson)

2012 Summer Olympics, Men’s 100 Meter, Olympic Stadium, London,England,August5,2012Iwasatthe100meterinbothBeijingandLondon,andwillneverforgetthe

overwhelmingsenseofexcitementinthestadium.Andeventhougheveryoneinthestadiumhasdifferentinterests,becausetherearemultipleeventsgoingoninanygivensession,Boltwassounbelievableandwassuchacharismaticpresencethatthewholeplacejuststoppedtowatchhim.Itdidn’tmatterwhoyouwereorwhereyouwerefrom,youwanted towatchUsainBolt run.The100 issuchaprimal sport, and sobasic, like twopeople saying, “I’ll raceyou to that tree.”Buthere’sBolt,withhisabilityafter30or40meterstohitfullspeedwhenhegetsuprightandtakesoff,who'sjustutterlyunbelievable.Thewholeplaceendsupgaspinginawe.InLondon,theracefeaturedthemostaccomplishedfieldofrunnersever.Theywereallgreatathletesandhadspentfouryearspracticingjustto beat Bolt, and he just destroyed them all. A number of runners had theirpersonal-best times in the race,but it didn’tmatter.Theseguyshad run fasterthananyonehadeverrun,andtheystillgotsmokedbyBolt.Itwastheultimatedomination,with thewhole stadiumcheering forhim,because everyoneknew

theyhadjustseensomethingunbelievable.

2014WinterOlympics,Men’sHockeyPreliminaryRound,UnitedStatesvs.Russia,BolshoyIceDome,Sochi,Russia,February15,2014Whatwillalwaysstandouttomefromthisgamewastheshootout.Itwasa

hugelyhypedgame, and theRussianswereobviouslyhugelypopularwith thegamebeingheldintheirhomecountry.Astheshootoutwentintoextrarounds,theU.S.keptputtingT.J.Oshieouttoshoot,andeverytimehegotthepuck,hestarted doing his sweeping, round, peculiar approach toward the net. TheRussians were screaming every time, like they were watching a car accidentabout to happen. He would just come in and score almost every time. I alsonoticedthatalloftheconcessionworkersinthearenahadleft theirstandsandwerewatchingtheplay.Ifyouwantedtostealahotdog,youcould.Everyarenaworkerhadfloodedthestairwaysandopenareasbecausetheywerenotgoingtomissthis.AndeverytimeOshiewentbackoutforanothershot,theyallhadthat“Nothimagain”lookontheirfaces.Itwasjustagreat,dramaticending,andtheOlympicsatitsbest.

TreyWingoBroadcaster,ESPN

Los Angeles Dodgers at St. Louis Cardinals, Busch Stadium, St. Louis,Missouri,May26,1992IworkedinSt.LouisforsixyearsbeforecomingtoESPNandwascovering

the Cardinals when Ozzie Smith got his 2,000th hit. It was on an inside-outswingwheretheballfellintoplaydowntheright-fieldline,andheendeduponthirdbasewithatriple.Thereliefonhisfacewhenhegotthereresonatedwithme.Ozzie cameupas adefensivewizardwhocouldn’thithisweight, andheweighedabout140.The idea that he couldget 2,000hits, tohim, I thinkwasverysignificant,becauseitprovedinhismindthathewasalegitimatehitter.Heworkedreallyhardthroughouthiscareeronhishitting.Thedefensecameeasyforhim,butheworkedhardatbecomingaprofessionalhitter.After thegame,wedidallofournormalinterviewsbutstillhadn’tgoneonairyet.Iaskedhimifhewouldcomeontodoaliveshotatthetopoftheshow.Itwasbasicallyjustthe two of us left at the stadium, and hewas beaming.We talked about howgreatthenightwasandthendidtheliveshot.Irememberleavingtogobacktothestationthinkingthatwasprettycool.Hestuckaroundafterwardtohangoutwithmeandshared themomentwithme inaveryprivateway.Somedaysatworkarebetter,andthatwasareallygoodday.

SuperBowlXXVII,DallasCowboysvs.BuffaloBills,RoseBowl,Pasadena,California,January31,1993IgrewupaDallasCowboys fan.Bothmyparentsandallofmy familyare

fromTexas, even though I grew up inConnecticut. TheCowboyswere greatwhen I was a kid, then they were a disaster for a while after that, but I wasalwaysafan.Whentheymade theSuperBowl, Isaid that if Iwasable togettickets, I was taking my dad. He isn’t a huge sports fan, but he likes theCowboys.TherewasatimewhenIwasakidthatmydadwassobusywithhisjob thatwedidn’t talkmuch,butwecouldalways talkabout football, andwecouldalwaysfindtimeto talkabout theCowboys.SowhenIgot the tickets, I

invitedhim.WehadbetterseatsthanJackNicholson.Wewereonthe50-yardlineattheRoseBowl,andhewaswalkingupandsatdownfiverowsbehindus.Iturnedtomydadandsaid,“WehavebetterseatsthanTheJoker.”ThentoseetheCowboysgooutanddestroytheBills,itwasjustgreattobetherewithhimwhen that happened. I’ll always remember that.Wewound up going the nextyear,andthenagainacoupleofyearslater,somydadandIwenttoallthreeoftheSuperBowlstheCowboyswon.Theywereallgreat,buttheysayyouneverforgetthefirstone,andtobetherewithhimwasawesome.

1996NHLWesternConferenceSemifinals,GameSeven,St.LouisBluesatDetroitRedWings,JoeLouisArena,Detroit,Michigan,May16,1996JonCaseywasingoalfortheBluesbecauseGrantFuhrhadinjuredhisknee

earlierintheplayoffs,butheblankedtheRedWingsinregulationandthegamewent toovertime tied,0–0.Early in thesecondovertime,SteveYzerman letashotripthatwentjustoverCasey’sshoulderandjustunderthecrossbarfortheonlygoalofthegame.Thatshotwasarocket,andIhadneverinmylifebeenanywherewhereIfeltastadiumshakelikeJoeLouisArenadidatthatmoment.ThiswaswhentheRedWingswereatthepeakoftheirpowerandwasalsothelastgameinWayneGretzky’sshorttenurewiththeBlues.TheBlueshadputsomuchemphasisonthatseasonbecauseGretzkywasgoingtobeafreeagent,butwhenYzermanrifledthatshot,theJoeerupted,anditjustsanktheBlues.

2003 NBA All-Star Game, Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia, February 9,2003ThewholeweekendwasreallyanhomagetoMichaelJordan,whowasinhis

finalgo-round, so itwasneat tobe there. I satnext toBillWaltonduring thegame,whichisanexperiencebyitself.ThegameitselfwasnutsandwentbackandforthbeforetheWestfinalwonindoubleovertime,155–145.KevinGarnettwontheMVP,andIdidthepostgameinterviewwithhim.IaskedhimifhefeltbadaboutstealingMichael’smoment,andhetoldmethattheywereouttheretowinagame,andhedidwhathecould.Earlier that week, I was at the Ritz and started talking to Stuart Scott but

didn’t notice whom he was sitting with at the bar. It turned out to be TigerWoods,andthetwoofthemwereholdingcourt,butIdidn’tevenrealizethatiswhoStuartwaswith.Wesaidhitoeachotherkindofawkwardly,sothatwasalittleweird.Onmywaybacktomyroomafterthat,Iwastextingmydadtotellhim what had just happened, and my head was down as the elevator dooropened,sowhenIwalkedin,Iranrightintosomebodywhosays,“Hey,Wingo,

watchwhereyou’regoing.”ItwasMichaelJordan.IwassoflummoxedaboutthefirstsituationthatIwalkedrightintoMichael.

SuperBowlXLII,NewYorkGiantsvs.NewEnglandPatriots,UniversityofPhoenixStadium,Glendale,Arizona,February3,2008At the SuperBowl, after the game they shepherd you down from the press

areastoawaitingareainthebowelsofthestadiumsothatyouarereadytogoouton thefieldassoonas thegameends.Halfwaythroughthefourthquarter,hundredsofmediamembersstartheadingdownstairs,butnoneofusarenearaTVmonitor, so we can’t see the game. I calledMark Schlereth, who was athome,andtoldhimthatsinceIwasn’tnearaTV,Ineededhimtotellmewhatwasgoingoninthegamesoweknewwhattodowhenthegameended.Ashegavemedetails,Iwastellingeveryoneelsearoundmewhatwashappening.Soheisgivingmedetails,butstartstalkinginfootballlanguage,like,“Itlookslikeafiredrilltwo-manzone.”Itoldhimtostoptellingmewhattheoffensivelinewasdoingandjustfocusonwheretheballgoesandwhathappens.Hedoesthat,andsays,“Elidropsback,scramblesaround,madethepass,firstdown.”Bythispoint,wewereinaspotwherewecouldseeamonitor,soItoldhimIwasgoodand thanked him for the help, then watched the Giants score the winningtouchdownonthecatchbyPlaxicoBurress.Afterthegameendedandtheyletusonthefield,ImakeabeelineforBurress,andI’mtheonlyonetalkingtohim.Igetthisgreatinterviewwithhim,theguythatcaughtthegame-winningpassintheSuperBowltoendthePatriots’unbeatenseason.Afterwearedone,Iseeanenormousmob aroundDavidTyree and askmyself, “Why are they talking tothat scrub?” As it turns out, the play that Schlereth described to me was thefamous Tyree catch, in which he basically pinned the ball against his helmetwhilebeingtackled.ThatwasalltheinformationmygoodfriendSchlerethwasable to giveme.Not thatEliwas almost sacked or thatTyree caught the ballagainsthishelmet.JustcompletionandfirstdowniswhatmyfriendMarktoldme.IlovehimandthinkheisoneofthebestanalystsI’veeverworkedwith,buthewillneverbeaplay-by-playguy.

TracyWolfsonBroadcaster,CBSSports

1998 Winter Olympics, Women’s Figure Skating, White Ring, Nagano,Japan,February20,1998Thiswasmy first big job atCBS, and Iwas a tape librarian for the figure

skatingevents.MichelleKwanwaseveryone’sfavoriteandyoureallywantedtosee herwin the gold, but Tara Lipinski came in that night and stole the goldawayfromher,whichwasshocking.Iwasn’tareporteryet,soIdidn’thavetobe unbiased during the event. I’ll never forget how emotional it was in thebuilding that night, and feeling really bad for Kwan. I’m not going to lie; Idefinitelyshedatear.Tothisday,Icanstillfeelthatdisappointmentforher.IhavehadthechancetotalktoKwanaboutthatnightandtoldherIcriedaboutit,andshesaid,“Youandmeboth!”WhenpeopleaskmewhateventsIwouldliketocoverinmycareer,theOlympicsisdefinitelyoneofthem,andmyexperienceinNaganobeforemyon-aircareerstartedisoneofthereasonswhy.

2005 U.S. Open, Men’s Quarterfinals, James Blake vs. Andre Agassi,ArthurAsheStadium,Flushing,NewYork,September7,2005Igrewupabig tennisfanandwent to theU.S.Openmanytimes,so itwas

cool being able to cover it early in my career. The match went well pastmidnight, ending at 1:15 in themorning, but thebuildingwas still almost fullwhenAgassiclosedoutthefive-setvictory.TheemotionofthecrowdcheeringfortwoAmericansonAmerica’sbiggesttennisstagemadeitevencooler,and,atagethirty-five,itwouldendupbeingAgassi’slastU.S.Openrun(hewouldlose to Roger Federer in the final). There is something special with the NewYorkcrowdwhenanAmericanfanfavoritemakesalongrunlateinhiscareer,andthisnightbroughtthatoutofeveryoneinattendance.

SuperBowlXLVII,SanFrancisco49ersvs.BaltimoreRavens,Mercedes-BenzSuperdome,NewOrleans,Louisiana,February3,2013Thegame itselfwasn’tanythingspecialbutwasmadememorablewhen the

lights went out in the Superdome. I never expected to be on the Super Bowlbroadcast and was told I wasn’t getting on unless the lights went out. Sureenough, that is exactlywhathappened, and there I am trying to figureout thestory.The49ers’second-halfcomebackafterthelightscamebackonwasfuntobearound,aswell,eventhoughitfellshort.ThatwasthebiggesteventI’veeverbeenapartofontheair,evenifIwasn’tsupposedtobe.

2013 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four, Georgia Dome,Atlanta,Georgia,April6-8,2013BeingaMichigangrad,itwasanicesurprisewhenMichiganmadeit tothe

nationalchampionshipgameandhavingthechancetocoveritforCBS.Itwasabigchallengetotryandstayunbiased,but,atthesametime,rootforthemunderthe tablewhere no one could see. There is always that fine line I have to becarefulnottocrosswheneverIcovertheWolverines.IhadmyfamilywithmeinAtlantafortheFinalFourforthefirsttime,andeveryoneIknewfromcollegewasthere,too.ItturnedouttobeatremendousgameandagreatFinalFour.

AlabamaatAuburn,Jordan-HareStadium,Auburn,Alabama,November30,2013This game stands out not just because of the enormity of the game, but for

how it ended. Iwason the sideline for somanybiggames that season,but towitness the ending of this game—in which Auburn’s Chris Davis returned amissed field goal 109 yards with no time remaining to win the game—wassomethingelse.Ihadalreadygottenmyinterviewsreadyinmyhead.IknewIwasgoingtotalktoNickSabanandAJMcCarronafterthegameended,butasthe winning play unfolded, you just couldn’t believe it was really going tohappen. Thatwas followed by that reaction of “What do I do now?” and theimmediacy of having to switch ends and trying to find the Auburn people Ineededtotalkto.Asasidelinereporter,thatisthebiggestchallenge.Youneverwanttoletthatinterviewgetaway,sobeingabletoreportonitfromthecenterof the mayhem after the game, trying to tackle Davis to talk to him, andinterviewing Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn, this was one of the biggestmomentsI’vebeenapartof.IwasalwaysacollegefootballfangrowingupandwenttoMichigan,butneverknewjusthowpassionateSECfanswere.Agamelikethisoneshowsjusthowimportantcollegefootballistopeopleinthatpartofthecountry.

ChrisDavisreturnsamissedfield-goalattempt109yardstoscorethegame-winningtouchdowninthe2013IronBowl.(APPhoto/DaveMartin)

MattYallofBroadcaster,MLBNetwork

1999AFCWildCardPlayoffs,BuffaloBillsatTennesseeTitans,AdelphiaColiseum,Nashville,Tennessee,January8,2000I was covering the Bills for WKBW in Buffalo and was assigned to do

pregameandpostgamereports.Tobeperfectlyfrank,thedetailsofthegamearevague,asidefromthefinalminuteofplay.Iwasstandingwithmycameramanbehind thegoalpostwhenSteveChristiekicked the fieldgoal togive theBillsthelead.Irememberthisbecausewewerewalking,gettingourpostgamestoryready,andtalkingtoeachotheraboutgoingtothegameinthenextround.WeweretalkingaboutwhomtheBillsmaybeplayingnextandwherewemightbegoing—allthosethingsyougetexcitedaboutwhenyouarecoveringateamthatisadvancingintheplayoffs.So, I wasn’t even watching the kickoff, but we could hear, as we were

walking from the end zone to the sideline, the crowd start to swell.And it isgettinglouderandlouderandlouder,toapointwhereitwasnearlydeafening.Iturnedaroundtoseewhatwasgoingon,justintimetoseeKevinDysoncominginto the end zone. He ran out of the end zone toward the sideline, right pastwherewewerestanding.Thiswas,formymoney,theloudestfootballstadiumI’veeverbeenin.AlotofpeoplewhereIwasstandingdidn’tknowwhatwasgoingon.IknowIdidn’tknowwhatwasgoingon,becauseIdidn’tseethestartoftheplay.Wejustassumedthegamewasover.

KevinDysonscorestocompletethe“MusicCityMiracle”ina1999AFCWildCardplayoffgame.(APPhoto/AlMesserschmidt)

After the celebrationon the field dieddown,wewent into theBills’ lockerroom,andyoucouldhear apindrop. Itwascompletelyquiet, except, allof asudden,youheardthiswailingandscreamingbehindacloseddoor,anditwasBills head coach Wade Phillips having a complete meltdown in the visitingcoach’soffice.

2000NationalLeagueChampionshipSeries,GameFive,St.LouisCardinalsatNewYorkMets,SheaStadium,Flushing,NewYork,October16,2000The pandemonium started when Todd Zeile cleared the bases in the fourth

inning with a double. I was sitting in the overflow media section in themezzanineofShea,andthathitputthegameoutofreach.TheMetshadn’tbeentoaWorldSeriessince1986,so therewasanentire legionof fans thathadn’tseentheMetsplayintheSeries.Theresthadwaitedfourteenyearsforthemtogetback.Personally,IgrewupaMetsfanbuthadneverwitnessedthemclinchanything in person. I remembered 1986 andwatching onTV, so itwas prettycooltobeapartofthat.WhatIremembermostwasafterZeile’shit,lookingup,andseeingtheupperdeckofSheaStadiumliterallymoving.Theconcretewasmovinglikeawave.ItiswhatIimagineitwouldlooklikeifaminorearthquakehit NewYork, where the stadiumwas built to have a little give. And it wasgiving.Aseveryonewascelebrating,Ikeptthinkingaboutwhetherthestadiumwasgoingtofall.Itreallyhadthefeelingthattheupperdeckwasgoingtofallonthemezzanine.

Afterthegame,itwaslikeafratpartyintheclubhouse.WhentheMetswin,theydoitright.WhentheYankeeswin,itismorebusinesslike.SointheroomwerealltheMets,andafewcelebrities,aswell.TwoofthepeopleIsawassoonas I walked in the room were Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins, who werestandingontheside,drinkingchampagne.MetsmanagerBobbyValentinewasbreak dancing in themiddle of a circle of players. Therewas probably a halfinchofchampagneonthefloor,soeveryone’sfeetweresoaked.Theclubhousewas justdestroyed. Itwas rightaround the time the song“WhoLetTheDogsOut”waspopular,andIaskedLennyHarrisforaninterview.Allhewantedtodo,though,waslookinthecameraandyell,“Iletthe(bleeping)dogsout!”

2002 NFC Championship Game, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at PhiladelphiaEagles,VeteransStadium,Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,January19,2003Ihavealmostnomemoryofthegame,butitwasthemostraucouscrowdI’d

everseen.TheEaglesfanswereangry,because the teamhad lost thepreviousyearintheNFCChampionshipGame,andthiswassupposedtobetheiryear,inthelastyearofVeteransStadium.TheEaglesweresupposedtowinthisgameandmake it to theSuperBowl.Mid-game, itwas clear theyweren’t going towin,andthefansstartedtoactup.Therewerepeopleinthebathroomstryingtorip urinals off thewall. I sawguys trying to pull seats out of concrete.But itwasn’tjustabouttryingtogetasouvenir.Thesefansweremad.Itwasthecombinationofalotofbadthings.Itwasacoldwinterday,there

wasalotofalcoholflowing,theEagleswerelosingagametheywereexpectedtowin,itwasthelastgameinastadiumthatwasn’tthemostpopulartobeginwith,anditwasthatfanbase(whichIlove,afterworkinginPhiladelphiaforsixyears).After thegamewasover,wewereoutside,gettingready todoour liveshotforComcastSportsNetpostgamecoverage,anditwastheonlytimeinmytwenty-five-year TV career where I was truly scared. Someone actuallythreatenedmylife—me,a5-foot-9guyfromLongIslandwhohadnothingtodowith the outcome of this game. That was just one disaster of a day forPhiladelphia.

2011WorldSeries,GameSix,TexasRangersatSt.LouisCardinals,BuschStadium,St.Louis,Missouri,October27,2011Iwas assignedbyMLBNetwork to cover theRangers for the entireWorld

Series.Asthereporterforthewinningteam,youcan’twaitfortheend,becauseallofyourworkhasahappyending.Wewerepositionedinthetunnelthatleadsintothedugout,sothatwecouldgetallofourpostgameinterviewsonthefield

as soonas thegameended.Obviously,our stay in that little areawasdelayedanddelayed,becausethegamekeptgoingandgoing.Iremembertalkingtomyproducerwhilewewerewaiting,andwewereboth

sayingthattheRangersoutfielderscouldn’tallowanyhitstogoovertheirheads.Unfortunately for them, that is exactly what happened, starting the incrediblesequenceofeventsat theendof thegame.ThetriplebyDavidFreese tied thegameinthebottomoftheninth,butJoshHamiltoncamebackintheverynextinningandhitahugehomeruntoputtheRangersbackahead.EveryWorldSerieshasasignaturemoment,andweallassumedtheHamilton

homerwasgoingtobeit.Whatastoryitwouldhavebeen,witheverythingthatHamiltonhadgonethroughtogettothemajors.Thatdidn’thappen,ofcourse,asFreese came throughonce again.The fans inSt.Louis are different.Therewasn’tanyangerbetweenthemomentsofexcitement.Therewasn’tanypanic.Theywerejustwatching,asiftheyweresittingintheaudienceataplay.Itwasjustaveryniceatmosphere.Therewasn’tanyvisceralangeraftertheyblewthelead.Therewasn’tanypanicwhentheyweredowntotheirfinalstriketwice.Itwasjustexciting,anditwassomethingthatstruckme.Thereweretwoimagesthatstuckwithme.Onewasababywhowassleeping

onhisfather’sshoulderasthiswasallunfolding,andthinkingtomyselfthatthiskidwasgoing togrowupbeing toldhewasat thisgame,yet slept through it.Theother imagewasafter theRangersblewit twice. IsawNolanRyan in theRangers’ tunnel. At the time, he was the team’s president, and he was ashenwhite. He looked like he had just seen a ghost.We knew there was a GameSevencoming,butIdon’tthinkanyoneatthatpointbelievedtheRangerscouldcomebackfromwhattheyjustwentthrough.

2014 World Series, Game Seven, San Francisco Giants at Kansas CityRoyals,KauffmanStadium,KansasCity,Missouri,October29,2014About an hour before the game, I was lucky enough to get Madison

Bumgarner to do an interview with me for MLB Network. The big questionleadingintothegamewaswhetherhewasgoingtopitchoutofthebullpenandhowmuchhewouldpitchiftheteamdecidedtousehim.WhenIaskedhimtotalkforafewminutes,hewasasaffableandaseasygoingashewouldbeinthemiddleofFebruary.Iaskedhimifhewasgoingtostartthegamesittinginthebullpenorsittinginthedugout,andhesaidhedidn’tknow,andthathehadn’ttalkedtoGiantsmanagerBruceBochyaboutityet.AllIcouldthinktomyselfwas,“Whatdoyoumeanyoudidn’ttalktohimaboutityet?”Weallknowwhatunfoldednext.Inningafterinning,wewerealljustamazed

bywhat this guywasdoing.Hewasn’t just pitching, hewasdominating.Thegameends,andeveryoneisputtinghisperformanceintohistoricalcontext,asfarasnumbersareconcerned.Thatpartisinstantaneousnow,withresearchersandsocialmedia.Weheadoutontothefield,wheretheGiantsarecelebrating,andhewasthethirdguyIwasabletointerviewonthefield,beforemovingintothelocker room, and his pacing and his cadence in the interviewwas exactly thesameasitwasinourinterviewbeforethegame.Ilookedathimandaskedhimifheunderstoodwhathehaddone,andhowhistoricitwas,andallhecouldsaywas,“Thanks forsaying that.All Iwas trying todowasmakemypitches.” Itwasthecalminthefaceofwhatheaccomplished,notjusttheperformance,thatwassomemorableforme.

INDEX

TheTourdeFrance:JasonGay

Chicago Bears at Baltimore Colts, Memorial Stadium, Baltimore,Maryland,September27,1953:FrankDeford

1954WorldSeries,GameOne,ClevelandIndiansatNewYorkGiants,PoloGrounds, New York, New York, September 29, 1954: Dick Stockton LosAngeles Angels at Baltimore Orioles, Memorial Stadium, Baltimore,Maryland,April11,1961:RossNewhan

Princeton vs.Michigan,Madison Square Garden, New York, New York,December30,1964:FrankDeford

Boston Celtics at Philadelphia 76ers, Convention Hall, Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,1965to1967:DickStockton

The 1967 Masters, Third Round, Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta,Georgia,April8,1967:DaveKindred

MinnesotaTwinsatBostonRedSox,FenwayPark,Boston,Massachusetts,October1,1967:BobRyan

1967 NFL Championship Game, Dallas Cowboys at Green Bay Packers,Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin, December 31, 1967: Bob MillerChicagoWhite Sox at NewYorkYankees, Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NewYork,June8,1969:BobLey

Grambling vs. Morgan State, Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York,September20,1969:FreddieColeman

1970 NBA Finals, Game Five, Los Angeles Lakers at New York Knicks,MadisonSquareGarden,NewYork,NewYork,May4,1970:HarveyAraton1970NBAFinals,GameSeven,LosAngelesLakers atNewYorkKnicks,MadisonSquareGarden,NewYork,NewYork,May8,1970:MarvAlbert,Jerry IzenbergMuhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier, Madison Square Garden,NewYork,NewYork,March8,1971:DaveKindred

Philadelphia Phillies at Cincinnati Reds, Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati,Ohio,June23,1971:HalMcCoy

1973BelmontStakes,BelmontPark,Elmont,NewYork,June9,1973:JerryIzenberg,DaveKindred,RossNewhan

1973NationalLeagueChampionshipSeries,GameFive,CincinnatiRedsatNew York Mets, Shea Stadium, Flushing, New York, October 10, 1973:Freddie Coleman 1973 South African Open, Ellis Park Tennis Stadium,Johannesburg,SouthAfrica,November14-27,1973:FrankDeford

LosAngelesDodgersatAtlantaBraves,AtlantaStadium,Atlanta,Georgia,April8,1974:RossNewhan

WisconsinatIowa,KinnickStadium,IowaCity, Iowa,November9,1974:JohnAnderson

Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys, Texas Stadium, Irving, Texas,November28,1974:JohnAnderson

Oakland A’s at Milwaukee Brewers, County Stadium, Milwaukee,Wisconsin,June12,1975:JohnAnderson

Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier, Araneta Coliseum, Quezon City,Philippines,October1,1975:JerryIzenberg

1975WorldSeries,GameSix,CincinnatiRedsatBostonRedSox,FenwayPark,Boston,Massachusetts,October21,1975:HalMcCoy,BobRyan,DickStockton1975World Series,Game Seven,CincinnatiReds atBostonRedSox, Fenway Park, Boston,Massachusetts, October 22, 1975: Hal McCoyGeorgiaTechatNotreDame,NotreDameStadium,SouthBend, Indiana,November8,1975:TerryGannon

1976 Daytona 500, Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach,Florida,February15,1976:DaveKindred

1976 NBA Finals, Game Five, Phoenix Suns at Boston Celtics, BostonGarden,Boston,Massachusetts,June4,1976:BobRyan1977WorldSeries,Game Six, LosAngelesDodgers atNewYorkYankees, Yankee Stadium,Bronx,NewYork,October18, 1977:E.J.Hradek,RossNewhanNewYork

YankeesatBostonRedSox,FenwayPark,Boston,Massachusetts,October2,1978:JeremySchaap

1979 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Finals, Indiana State vs.Michigan State, Special Events Center, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 26,1979: RayRattoColoradoRockies atAtlantaFlames,TheOmni,Atlanta,Georgia,March1,1980:JiggsMcDonald

1980 Stanley Cup Finals, Game Six, Philadelphia Flyers at New YorkIslanders, Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, New York, May 24, 1980: E.J.Hradek The 1980 Wimbledon Championships, Gentlemen’s Final, BjornBorg vs. John McEnroe, The All England Lawn Tennis Club, London,England, July 5, 1980: Frank Deford Larry Holmes vs. Muhammad Ali,CaesarsPalace,LasVegas,Nevada,October2,1980:CharleySteiner

1980 NFC Championship Game, Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles,Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, January 11, 1981: AndreaKremer, Jon Sciambi1981NBAEasternConferenceFinals,BostonCelticsvs. Philadelphia 76ers, Boston Garden, Boston, Massachusetts, and TheSpectrum,Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,April21-May3,1981:DickStocktonThe 1981 Wimbledon Championships, Gentlemen’s Semifinals, JohnMcEnroe vs.Rod Frawley, TheAll EnglandLawnTennisClub, London,England, July 2, 1981: Charley Steiner 1981 AFC Wild Card Playoffs,Buffalo Bills at New York Jets, Shea Stadium, Flushing, New York,December 27, 1981: Steve Levy 1982 Smythe Division Semifinals, GameThree, Edmonton Oilers at Los Angeles Kings, The Forum, Inglewood,California, April 10, 1982: Bob Miller 1982 World Series, Game Seven,Milwaukee Brewers at St. Louis Cardinals, Busch Stadium, St. Louis,Missouri,October20,1982: JoeBuckStanfordatCal,MemorialStadium,Berkeley,California,November20,1982:RayRatto

1983 Big East Conference Championship Game, Boston College vs. St.John’s,Madison SquareGarden,NewYork,NewYork,March 12, 1983:FreddieColeman1983NCAAMen’sBasketballTournamentFinals,NorthCarolinaState vs.Houston,UniversityArena,Albuquerque,NewMexico,April4,1983:DickStockton,LesleyVisser1983StanleyCupFinals,GameFour, Edmonton Oilers at New York Islanders, Nassau Coliseum,Uniondale, New York, May 17, 1983: Jiggs McDonald 1984 SummerOlympics, Los Angeles, California, July 28-August 12, 1984: Freddie

Coleman

1984SummerOlympics,Greco-RomanSuperHeavyweightFinal,AnaheimConvention Center, Anaheim, California, August 2, 1984: Jerry IzenbergNew Orleans Saints at Chicago Bears, Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois,October7,1984:DaveRevsine

1985 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Finals, Villanova vs.Georgetown, Rupp Arena, Lexington, Kentucky, April 1, 1985: Bob Ley,Lesley Visser San Diego Padres at Cincinnati Reds, Riverfront Stadium,Cincinnati,Ohio,September11,1985:HalMcCoy

Super Bowl XX, Chicago Bears vs. New England Patriots, LouisianaSuperdome,NewOrleans,Louisiana,January26,1986:RickTelanderThe1986Masters,FinalRound,AugustaNationalGolfClub,Augusta,Georgia,April13,1986:JimNantz

1986World Series, Game Six, Boston Red Sox at New YorkMets, SheaStadium, Flushing,NewYork,October 25, 1986:MikeBreen, BobCostas,Steve Levy, Rob Parker, Jeremy Schaap 1986 AFC Championship Game,DenverBroncosatClevelandBrowns,MunicipalStadium,Cleveland,Ohio,January 11, 1987: Chris Rose 1987 NCAAMen’s Basketball Final Four,Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 28-30, 1987: JimNantz

1987 NCAAMen’s Basketball Tournament Finals, Indiana vs. Syracuse,Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana, March 30, 1987: ScottFerrall1987PatrickDivisionSemifinals,GameSeven,NewYorkIslandersat Washington Capitals, Capital Centre, Landover, Maryland, April 18,1987: Jiggs McDonald Indiana at Northwestern, Welsh-Ryan Arena,Evanston,Illinois,January11,1988:MikeGreenberg

LosAngelesDodgers atCincinnatiReds,Riverfront Stadium,Cincinnati,Ohio,September16,1988:HalMcCoy

1988WorldSeries,GameOne,OaklandAthleticsatLosAngelesDodgers,Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California, October 15, 1988:Marv Albert,Bob Costas 1988 World Series, Game Two, Oakland Athletics at LosAngeles Dodgers, Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, California, October 16,1988: Doug Gottlieb 1989 NBA Playoffs Opening Round, Game Five,

ChicagoBullsatClevelandCavaliers,RichfieldColiseum,Richfield,Ohio,May7,1989:RobParker,ChrisRoseLosAngelesKingsatEdmontonOilers,Northlands Coliseum, Edmonton, Canada, October 15, 1989: JiggsMcDonald,BobMiller1989WorldSeries,GameThree,OaklandAthleticsatSanFranciscoGiants,CandlestickPark,SanFrancisco,California,October17,1989:BobLey,ChrisMyers,RayRattoFloridaatAuburn,Jordan-HareStadium,Auburn,Alabama,November4,1989:GreggDoyel

1989 AFC Wild Card Playoffs, Pittsburgh Steelers at Houston Oilers,HoustonAstrodome,Houston,Texas,December31,1989:ScottFerrall1990West Coast Conference Semifinals, Portland at Loyola Marymount,GerstenPavilion,LosAngeles,California,March4,1990:ChrisMyers1990NCAAMen’sBasketballTournamentFirstRound,LoyolaMarymountvs.NewMexicoState,LongBeachArena,LongBeach,California,March16,1990:DougGottliebSuperBowlXXV,BuffaloBills vs.NewYorkGiants,TampaStadium,Tampa,Florida,January27,1991:MarkFeinsand,JeremySchaap 1991 NCAAMen’s Basketball Tournament Semifinals, UNLV vs.Duke,HoosierDome,Indianapolis,Indiana,March30,1991:ColinCowherd1991 U.S. Open, Fourth Round, Jimmy Connors vs. Aaron Krickstein,NationalTennisCenter,Flushing,NewYork,September2,1991:IanEagle1991 World Series, Game Seven, Atlanta Braves at Minnesota Twins,Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota, October 27,1991:DaveKindred1992NorthAtlanticConferenceChampionshipGame,Drexel at Delaware, Delaware Field House, Newark, Delaware,March 9,1992:JeffPearlman1992NCAAMen’sBasketballTournamentFirstRound,Delawarevs.Cincinnati,UniversityofDaytonArena,Dayton,Ohio,March20,1992:JeffPearlman1992NCAAMen’sBasketballTournamentRegionalFinals, Kentucky vs. Duke, The Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,March28,1992:BobRyan,LesleyVisserDinneratSteveSpurrier’sHouse,Gainesville,Florida,March28,1992:GreggDoyel

The 1992 Masters, Final Round, Augusta National Golf Club, Augusta,Georgia,April12,1992:JimNantz

Los Angeles Dodgers at St. Louis Cardinals, Busch Stadium, St. Louis,Missouri,May26,1992:TreyWingo

1992 NBA Finals, Game One, Portland Trail Blazers at Chicago Bulls,Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois, June 3, 1992: Andrea Kremer 1992

Summer Olympics, Men’s Basketball, Palau Municipal d’Esports deBadalona, Badalona, Spain, July 26–August 8, 1992: Kenny Albert, MarvAlbert 1992 Summer Olympics, Men’s 4x100 Meter Relay Final, EstadiOlimpicdeMontjuic,Barcelona,Spain,August8,1992:FrankDeford1992SummerOlympics,Men’sBasketballFinal,PalauMunicipald’EsportsdeBadalona,Badalona,Spain,August8,1992:HarveyAratonArmyvs.Navy,Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, December 5, 1992: FreddieColeman

SuperBowlXXVII,DallasCowboysvs.BuffaloBills,RoseBowl,Pasadena,California, January 31, 1993: Mike Greenberg, Trey Wingo 1993 NCAAMen’s Basketball Tournament Finals, North Carolina vs. Michigan,LouisianaSuperdome,NewOrleans,Louisiana,April5,1993:JeffriChadiha1993PatrickDivision Semifinals,Game Six,WashingtonCapitals atNewYork Islanders, Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale, New York, April 28, 1993:Jiggs McDonald 1993 Patrick Division Finals, Game Seven, New YorkIslanders at Pittsburgh Penguins, Civic Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,May 14, 1993: Jiggs McDonald 1993 Campbell Conference Finals, GameSeven, Los Angeles Kings at TorontoMaple Leafs,Maple LeafGardens,Toronto,Canada,May29,1993:BobMiller1993NBAFinals,GameThree,PhoenixSunsatChicagoBulls,ChicagoStadium,Chicago,Illinois,June13,1993:RicBucherClevelandIndiansatNewYorkYankees,YankeeStadium,Bronx,NewYork,September4,1993:KeithLaw

Philadelphia Eagles at NewYork Jets, Giants Stadium, East Rutherford,NewJersey,October3,1993:KevinBurkhardt

RiddickBowe vs.EvanderHolyfield,Caesars Palace,LasVegas,Nevada,November6,1993:ColinCowherd

Miami Dolphins at Philadelphia Eagles, Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,November14,1993:AndreaKremerPhoenixSunsatGoldenState Warriors, Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena, Oakland,California,November16,1993:RicBucherOaklandRaidersatGreenBayPackers,LambeauField,GreenBay,Wisconsin,December26, 1993: JohnAnderson

1993NFCWildCardPlayoffs,GreenBayPackersatDetroitLions,PontiacSilverdome, Pontiac,Michigan, January 8, 1994: Rob Parker 1994Winter

Olympics, Men’s 1000Meter Speed Skating Final, Vikingskipet OlympicArena, Hamar, Norway, February 18, 1994: Harvey Araton MinnesotaTwinsvs.ChicagoWhiteSox,EdSmithStadium,Sarasota,Florida,March14,1994:MikeGreenberg

Vancouver Canucks at Los Angeles Kings, The Forum, Los Angeles,California,March23,1994:BobMiller

1994NHLEasternConferenceFinals,Game7,NewJerseyDevilsatNewYork Rangers,Madison Square Garden, New York, New York,May 27,1994: Kostya Kennedy 1994 Stanley Cup Finals, Game Seven, VancouverCanucksatNewYorkRangers,MadisonSquareGarden,NewYork,NewYork,June14,1994:KennyAlbert,MarvAlbert,IanEagle,SteveLevy1994NBAFinals,GameFive,HoustonRockets atNewYorkKnicks,MadisonSquareGarden,NewYork,NewYork,June17,1994:MikeBreenChicagoCubs at Cincinnati Reds, Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio, July 16,1994:ThomBrennaman

Colorado at Michigan, Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan,September24,1994:JeffriChadiha,JeremySchaap

George Foreman vs.MichaelMoorer,MGMGrand, Las Vegas, Nevada,November5,1994:CharleySteiner

Morgan State at Georgetown, Capital Centre, Landover, Maryland,November30,1994:ChrisMcKendry

ChicagoBulls atNewYorkKnicks,Madison SquareGarden,NewYork,NewYork,March28,1995:MikeGreenberg

California Angels at Baltimore Orioles, Camden Yards, Baltimore,Maryland,September5,1995:KostyaKennedy

California Angels at Baltimore Orioles, Camden Yards, Baltimore,Maryland,September6,1995:KennyAlbert

1996RoseBowl,Northwesternvs.USC,RoseBowl,Pasadena,California,January1,1996:DaveRevsine

1996 Fiesta Bowl, Nebraska vs. Florida, Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe,

Arizona,January2,1996:ColinCowherd

1996 NHL Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, Game Four, PittsburghPenguins at Washington Capitals, USAir Arena, Landover, Maryland,April24,1996:SteveLevy1996NHLWesternConferenceSemifinals,GameSeven, St. Louis Blues at Detroit Red Wings, Joe Louis Arena, Detroit,Michigan,May16,1996:TreyWingo1996NBAFinals,SeattleSuperSonicsvs. Chicago Bulls, KeyArena at Seattle Center, Seattle, Washington andUnited Center, Chicago, Illinois, June 5-16, 1996: Rick Telander ABCDCamp, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Teaneck, New Jersey, July 8-11,1996:BruceFeldman

1996 Tour de France, Stage 17, Pamplona, Spain, July 17, 1996: TerryGannon

1996 Summer Olympics, Opening Ceremonies, Centennial OlympicStadium,Atlanta,Georgia,July19,1996:BobCostas

1996SummerOlympics,CentennialOlympicPark,Atlanta,Georgia,July27,1996:ScottFerrall,ChrisMyers

1996 Summer Olympics, Men’s 200 Meter Final, Centennial OlympicStadium,Atlanta,Georgia,August1,1996:KostyaKennedy, JoePosnanski1996 Summer Olympics, Women’s Basketball Finals, Georgia Dome,Atlanta,Georgia,August3,1996:MikeBreen

1996AmericanLeagueChampionshipSeries,GameOne,BaltimoreOriolesat New York, Yankees, Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York, October 9,1996: Mark Feinsand Minnesota Vikings at Tampa Bay Buccaneers,Houlihan’sStadium,Tampa,Florida,October13,1996:RobStone

WacoWizardsatAustinIceBats,LuedeckeArena,Austin,Texas,October19,1996:MichelleBeadle

USCatUCLA,RoseBowl,Pasadena,California,November23,1996:DougGottlieb

1996NFCChampionshipGame,CarolinaPanthersatGreenBayPackers,LambeauField,GreenBay,Wisconsin,January12,1997:E.J.Hradek1997PhoenixOpenThirdRound,TPCScottsdale,Scottsdale,Arizona,January

25,1997:JohnAnderson

1997 NHL Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, Game Four, PhiladelphiaFlyersatPittsburghPenguins,CivicArena,Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania,April23,1997:ScottFerrall1997NBAFinals,GameFive,ChicagoBullsatUtahJazz,DeltaCenter,SaltLakeCity,Utah,June11,1997:MarvAlbert1997World Series, Game Seven, Cleveland Indians at Florida Marlins, ProPlayer Stadium,MiamiGardens, Florida,October 26, 1997:GreggDoyel,JonSciambiVillanovaatDuke,CameronIndoorStadium,Durham,NorthCarolina,December10,1997:GreggDoyel

Chicago Bulls Home Game, United Center, Chicago, Illinois, 1997-98season:MichelleBeadle

1998 U.S. Women’s Figure Skating Championships, CoreStates Center,Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, January 11, 1998: Terry Gannon 1998WinterOlympics,Women’sFigureSkating,WhiteRing,Nagano,Japan,February20,1998:TracyWolfson

1998NBAFinals,GameSix,ChicagoBullsatUtahJazz,DeltaCenter,SaltLakeCity,Utah,June14,1998:HarveyAraton,RicBucher,BobCostas,IanEagle,RickTelander1998FIFAWorldCupGroupStage,UnitedStatesvs.Iran,GerlandStadium,Lyon,France,June21,1998:RobStone

1998 FIFAWorld Cup Final, Brazil vs. France, Stade de France, Saint-Denis,France,July12,1998:BobLey

RoyJonesJr.vs.LouDelValle,TheTheateratMadisonSquareGarden,NewYork,NewYork,July18,1998:JeffPearlmanArizonaDiamondbacksat Pittsburgh Pirates, Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,September3,1998:KeithLawPittsburghPenguinsatNewYorkRangers,Madison Square Garden, New York, New York, April 18, 1999: KostyaKennedy

1999NBAEasternConferenceFinals,GameThree,IndianaPacersatNewYorkKnicks,MadisonSquareGarden,NewYork,NewYork,June5,1999:Mike Vaccaro 1999Women’sWorld Cup Final, United States vs. China,RoseBowl,Pasadena,California,July10,1999:ChrisMcKendry,RobStone1999HomeRunDerby,FenwayPark,Boston,Massachusetts,July12,1999:KarlRavech

SyracuseUniversityFootballandMen’sBasketball,1999-2000:DavePasch

1999RyderCup,DayThree,TheCountryClub,Brookline,Massachusetts,September26,1999:BobRyan

1999NationalLeagueChampionshipSeries,GameFive,AtlantaBravesatNew York Mets, Shea Stadium, Flushing, New York, October 17, 1999:KostyaKennedy,JeffPearlman1999AFCWildCardPlayoffs,BuffaloBillsatTennesseeTitans,AdelphiaColiseum,Nashville, Tennessee, January 8,2000: Mike Hill, Matt Yallof Super Bowl XXXIV, St. Louis Rams vs.TennesseeTitans,GeorgiaDome,Atlanta,Georgia,January30,2000:MikeHill, LesleyVisser2000NHLEasternConference Semifinals,GameFour,Philadelphia Flyers at Pittsburgh Penguins, Mellon Arena, Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania, May 4, 2000: Steve Levy 2000 NBA Western ConferenceFinals,GameSeven,PortlandTrailBlazersatLosAngelesLakers,StaplesCenter, Los Angeles, California, June 4, 2000: Colin Cowherd 2000 U.S.Open,PebbleBeachGolfLinks,PebbleBeach,California,June15-18,2000:RayRatto,ChrisRose

129thOpenChampionship,FinalRound,TheOldCourseatSt.Andrews,Fife,Scotland,July23,2000:KarlRavech

2000 PGA Championship, Final Round, Valhalla Golf Club, Louisville,Kentucky,August20,2000:JoePosnanski

2000 Summer Olympics, Greco-Roman Wrestling Super HeavyweightFinal, Sydney Exhibition Centre, Sydney, Australia, September 27, 2000:Joe Posnanski, Rick Telander 2000 National League Championship Series,GameFive,St.LouisCardinalsatNewYorkMets,SheaStadium,Flushing,New York, October 16, 2000: Matt Yallof 2000World Series, New YorkMets vs. New York Yankees, Shea Stadium, Flushing, New York, andYankee Stadium, Bronx, NewYork,October 21-26, 2000:Mike Hill 2001Daytona500,DaytonaInternationalSpeedway,Daytona,Florida,February18,2001:ChrisMyers

Seattle SuperSonics at New York Knicks, Madison Square Garden, NewYork,NewYork,February27,2001:MikeHill

2001NCAADivision IIIMen’sBasketballFirstRound,Hampden-Sydneyat William Paterson, William Paterson Recreation Center, Wayne, New

Jersey, March 3, 2001: Kevin Burkhardt Atlanta Braves at PhiladelphiaPhillies,VeteransStadium,Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,September17,2001:CharleySteinerNewJerseyDevils atNewYorkRangers,MadisonSquareGarden,NewYork,NewYork,September19,2001:DaveRevsine

Atlanta Braves at New York Mets, Shea Stadium, Flushing, New York,September21,2001:JeffPearlman

BernardHopkinsvs.FelixTrinidad,MadisonSquareGarden,NewYork,NewYork,September29,2001:MikeHill

2001AmericanLeagueDivisionSeries,GameThree,NewYorkYankeesatOakland Athletics, Network Associates Coliseum, Oakland, California,October13,2001:MarkFeinsand2001WorldSeries,NewYorkYankeesvs.ArizonaDiamondbacks,YankeeStadium,Bronx,NewYork,andBankOneBallpark, Phoenix, Arizona, October 27-November 4, 2001: ThomBrennaman, Ray Ratto, Karl Ravech 2001 World Series, Game Three,Arizona Diamondbacks at New York Yankees, Yankee Stadium, Bronx,New York, October 30, 2001: Joe Buck 2001 World Series, Game Four,Arizona Diamondbacks at New York Yankees, Yankee Stadium, Bronx,NewYork,October31,2001:JoePosnanski2001WorldSeries,GamesFourandFive,ArizonaDiamondbacksatNewYorkYankees,YankeeStadium,Bronx, New York, October 31 and November 1, 2001: E.J. Hradek, RobParker2001WorldSeries,GameFive,ArizonaDiamondbacksatNewYorkYankees, Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York, November 1, 2001: MikeVaccaro 2001World Series, Game Seven, New York Yankees at ArizonaDiamondbacks,BankOneBallpark,Phoenix,Arizona,November4,2001:Mark Feinsand, Jerry Izenberg 2001 GMAC Bowl, Marshall vs. EastCarolina, Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Alabama, December 19, 2001:SteveLevy

SuperBowlXXXVI,NewEnglandPatriots vs. St.LouisRams,LouisianaSuperdome, New Orleans, Louisiana, February 3, 2002: Jeffri Chadiha,Lesley Visser 2002 Winter Olympics, Men’s Ice Hockey Finals, UnitedStatesvs.Canada,ECenter,SaltLakeCity,Utah,February24,2002:E.J.Hradek Yao Ming’s Final Home Game with Shanghai Sharks, PudongYuanshenGymnasium,Shanghai,China,March,2002:RicBucher

2002 NBA Playoffs Opening Round, Game Five, Indiana Pacers at New

JerseyNets,ContinentalAirlinesArena,EastRutherford,NewJersey,May2, 2002: Ian Eagle 2002 NHL Western Conference Finals, Game Seven,Colorado Avalanche at Detroit Red Wings, Joe Louis Arena, Detroit,Michigan, May 31, 2002: Jon MorosiMike Tyson vs. Lennox Lewis, ThePyramid,Memphis,Tennessee,June8,2002:GaryParrish,JeremySchaap

2002 FIBA World Championships Finals, Yugoslavia vs. Argentina,ConsecoFieldhouse,Indianapolis,Indiana,September8,2002:MikeBreen2002WorldSeries,SanFranciscoGiantsvs.AnaheimAngels,PacificBellPark, San Francisco, California, and Edison Field, Anaheim, California,October19-27,2002:RossNewhan2003FiestaBowl,OhioStatevs.Miami,SunDevilStadium,Tempe,Arizona,January3,2003:StewartMandel

2002 NFC Championship Game, Tampa Bay Buccaneers at PhiladelphiaEagles, Veterans Stadium, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, January 19, 2003:Matt Yallof 2003 NBA All-Star Game, Philips Arena, Atlanta, Georgia,February9,2003:TreyWingo

2003 NBAWestern Conference Finals, Game Six, San Antonio Spurs atDallasMavericks,AmericanAirlinesCenter,Dallas,Texas,May29,2003:Doug Gottlieb USC Football Practice, Howard Jones Field, Los Angeles,California,August6,2003:BruceFeldman

Detroit Tigers at Toronto Blue Jays, SkyDome, Toronto, Canada,September6,2003:KeithLaw

TampaBayDevilRaysatTorontoBlueJays,SkyDome,Toronto,Canada,September25,2003:KeithLaw

2003NationalLeagueChampionshipSeries,GameSix,FloridaMarlinsatChicago Cubs, Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois, October 14, 2003: ThomBrennaman,JonSciambi2003AmericanLeagueChampionshipSeries,GameSeven,BostonRedSoxatNewYorkYankees,YankeeStadium,Bronx,NewYork,October16,2003:KennyAlbert,MarkFeinsand,CharleySteiner2003NFC Divisional Playoffs, Green Bay Packers at Philadelphia Eagles,Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, January 11, 2004:Kevin Burkhardt, Mike Garafolo 2004 Aaron’s 499, TalladegaSuperspeedway,Talladega,Alabama,April25,2004:ScottFerrall

Massachusetts at Syracuse, Carrier Dome, Syracuse, New York, May 1,

2004:LiamMcHugh

2004NBAWesternConferenceSemifinals,GameFive,LosAngelesLakersatSanAntonioSpurs,SBCCenter,SanAntonio,Texas,May13,2004:RicBucher2004NBAEasternConferenceFinals,GameTwo,DetroitPistonsatIndianaPacers,ConsecoFieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana,May24, 2004:RobParker2004BelmontStakes,BelmontPark,Elmont,NewYork,June5,2004:LiamMcHugh

2004SummerOlympics,Athens,Greece,August13-29,2004:RickTelander

2004EasternLeagueChampionship,GameThree,AltoonaCurveatNewHampshire Fisher Cats, Gill Stadium, Manchester, New Hampshire,September 18, 2004: Keith Law 2004 American League ChampionshipSeries, New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox, Yankee Stadium, Bronx,NewYork,andFenwayPark,Boston,Massachusetts,October12-20,2004:JoeBuck2004AmericanLeagueChampionshipSeries,GamesThree-Five,New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox, Fenway Park, Boston,Massachusetts, October 16-18, 2004: Jon Sciambi 2004 American LeagueChampionshipSeries,GameFour,NewYorkYankeesatBostonRedSox,FenwayPark,Boston,Massachusetts,October 17, 2004:ChrisMyers2004American League Championship Series, Game Seven, Boston Red Sox atNewYorkYankees,YankeeStadium,Bronx,NewYork,October20,2004:KennyAlbert,DanWetzel2004WorldSeries,GameFour,BostonRedSoxat St. Louis Cardinals, Busch Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri, October 27,2004: Karl Ravech 2005 Conference USAChampionshipGame, Louisvillevs.Memphis, FedEx Forum,Memphis, Tennessee,March 12, 2005: GaryParrish2005NationalCollegiatePaintballChampionship,Floridavs.OhioState,Disney’sWideWorldofSportsComplex,Orlando,Florida,April17,2005:GregAmsinger134thOpenChampionship, SecondRound,TheOldCourseatSt.Andrews,Fife,Scotland,July15,2005:TerryGannon

2005 U.S. Open, Men’s Quarterfinals, James Blake vs. Andre Agassi,Arthur Ashe Stadium, Flushing, New York, September 7, 2005: TracyWolfsonUSCatNotreDame,NotreDameStadium,SouthBend, Indiana,October15,2005:StewartMandel

2005World Series, Game 2, Houston Astros at ChicagoWhite Sox, U.S.CellularField,Chicago,Illinois,October23,2005:DaveRevsine2006Rose

Bowl, Texas vs. USC, Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California, January 4, 2006:Greg Amsinger, Michelle Beadle, Colin Cowherd, Bruce Feldman, StewartMandel, Dave Revsine, Dan Wetzel 2006 NCAA Men’s BasketballTournament Regional Semifinals, Gonzaga vs. UCLA, Oakland Arena,Oakland, California, March 23, 2006: Gary Parrish 2006 NCAA Men’sBasketball Tournament Regional Finals, George Mason vs. Connecticut,VerizonCenter,Washington,DC,March26,2006:StewartMandelAtlantaFalcons at New Orleans Saints, Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans,Louisiana, September 25, 2006: Mike Greenberg 2007 Fiesta Bowl, BoiseState vs. Oklahoma, University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona,January 1, 2007: Thom Brennaman, Chris Rose Super Bowl XLI,Indianapolis Colts vs. Chicago Bears, Dolphin Stadium, Miami Gardens,Florida, February 4, 2007: Jim Nantz UFC 68, Nationwide Arena,Columbus,Ohio,March3,2007:GreggDoyel

Milwaukee Brewers at Detroit Tigers, Comerica Park,Detroit,Michigan,June12,2007:JonMorosi

2007 Women’s British Open, The Old Course at St. Andrews, Fife,Scotland,August2-5,2007:TerryGannon

AppalachianStateatMichigan,MichiganStadium,AnnArbor,Michigan,September 1, 2007: Thom Brennaman, Charissa Thompson Texas Tech atOklahomaState,BoonePickensStadium,Stillwater,Oklahoma,September22,2007:LiamMcHugh

San Diego Padres at Colorado Rockies, Coors Field, Denver, Colorado,October1,2007:CharissaThompson

LSUatKentucky,CommonwealthStadium,Lexington,Kentucky,October13,2007:GregAmsinger

New England Patriots at New York Giants, Giants Stadium, EastRutherford,NewJersey,December29,2007:AdnanVirk

2007NFCChampionshipGame,NewYorkGiantsatGreenBayPackers,Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin, January 20, 2008: Sam Ryan,Charissa ThompsonSuper BowlXLII, NewYorkGiants vs. NewEnglandPatriots, University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona, February 3,2008: Joe Buck, Jeffri Chadiha, Mike Garafolo, Charissa Thompson, Mike

Vaccaro, Trey Wingo 2008 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Finals,Memphisvs.Kansas,Alamodome,SanAntonio,Texas,April7,2008:DougGottlieb, Gary Parrish The 2008 Masters, Augusta National Golf Club,Augusta,Georgia,April10-13,2008:AdnanVirk

2008 U.S. Open Playoff, Torrey Pines Golf Course, La Jolla, California,June16,2008:DanWetzel

2008 Summer Olympics, Men’s 4x100 Meter Medley Finals, BeijingNationalAquaticsCenter,Beijing,China,August17,2008:AndreaKremerBaltimore Orioles at New York Yankees, Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NewYork,September21,2008:AdnanVirk

Army vs. Navy, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,December6,2008:SamRyan

2008NFCChampionshipGame,PhiladelphiaEaglesatArizonaCardinals,UniversityofPhoenixStadium,Glendale,Arizona,January18,2009:DavePasch Super Bowl XLIII, Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Arizona Cardinals,RaymondJamesStadium,Tampa,Florida,February1,2009:DavePasch,MikeGarafolo,AndreaKremer2009NCAAMen’sBasketball TournamentFinals,NorthCarolina vs.Michigan State, FordField,Detroit,Michigan,April6,2009:RobStone,AdnanVirkThe2009WimbledonChampionships,Gentlemen’s Final, Andy Roddick vs. Roger Federer, The All EnglandLawn Tennis Club, London, England, July 5, 2009: Harvey Araton NewYork Yankees Ticker Tape Parade, New York, New York, November 6,2009:SamRyan

2009 NFC Wild Card Game, Green Bay Packers at Arizona Cardinals,UniversityofPhoenixStadium,Glendale,Arizona,January10,2010:DavePasch2010PBATournamentofChampions,RedRockLanes,LasVegas,Nevada,January24,2010:RobStone

2010 Winter Olympics, Men’s Hockey Final, United States vs. Canada,Canada Hockey Place, Vancouver, Canada, February 28, 2010: KennyAlbert2010NCAAMen’sBasketballTournamentFinals,Dukevs.Butler,Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana, April 5, 2010: Ian Eagle, JimNantz2010NHLEasternConferenceSemifinals,GameSeven,PhiladelphiaFlyersatBostonBruins,TDGarden,Boston,Massachusetts,May14,2010:

Adnan VirkCleveland Indians at Detroit Tigers, Comerica Park, Detroit,Michigan,June2,2010:JonMorosi

2010 Stanley Cup Final, Game Six, Chicago Blackhawks at PhiladelphiaFlyers,Wachovia Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 9, 2010:MikeGarafolo2010NationalLeagueDivisionSeries,GameOne,CincinnatiRedsat Philadelphia Phillies, Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,October6,2010:JonSciambiAuburnatAlabama,Bryant-DennyStadium,Tuscaloosa,Alabama,November26,2010:BruceFeldman

2011NCAAWrestlingChampionships,WellsFargoCenter, Philadelphia,Pennsylvania,March17-19,2011:JasonGay

2011WorldSeries,GameSix,TexasRangersatSt.LouisCardinals,BuschStadium, St. Louis,Missouri,October 27, 2011:GregAmsinger, JoeBuck,JonMorosi,SamRyan,MattYallofNebraskaatPennState,BeaverStadium,UniversityPark,Pennsylvania,November11,2011:DavePasch

WWE Survivor Series, Madison Square Garden, New York, New York,November20,2011:MichelleBeadle

2012AustralianOpen,Men’sFinals,RafaelNadalvs.NovakDjokovic,RodLaver Arena, Melbourne, Australia, January 29, 2012: Chris McKendryMissouri at Kansas, Allen Fieldhouse, Lawrence, Kansas, February 25,2012:JoePosnanski

2012 Atlantic 10 Championship Game, St. Bonaventure vs. Xavier,BoardwalkHall,AtlanticCity,NewJersey,March11,2012:MikeVaccaroSt.LouisCardinalsatNewYorkMets,CitiField,Flushing,NewYork,June1,2012:KevinBurkhardt

2012StanleyCupFinal,GameSix,NewJerseyDevilsatLosAngelesKings,Staples Center, Los Angeles, California, June 11, 2012: Bob Miller 2012SummerOlympics,Men’sTennisSemifinals,TheAllEnglandLawnTennisClub,London,England,August3,2012:JasonGay2012SummerOlympics,Men’s100Meter,OlympicStadium,London,England,August5,2012:DanWetzel

2012 Summer Olympics, Men’s Keirin, London Velopark, London,England,August7,2012:JasonGay

2013NFLHallofFameAnnouncement,NewOrleansConventionCenter,NewOrleans,Louisiana,February2,2013:ChrisRoseSuperBowlXLVII,SanFrancisco49ersvs.BaltimoreRavens,Mercedes-BenzSuperdome,NewOrleans,Louisiana,February3,2013:TracyWolfson2014FIFAWorldCupQualifier, United States atMexico, Estadio Azteca,Mexico City,Mexico,March26,2013:BobLey

2013 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four, Georgia Dome,Atlanta,Georgia,April6-8,2013:TracyWolfson

2013 NBA Finals, Game Six, San Antonio Spurs at Miami Heat,AmericanAirlines Arena,Miami, Florida, June 18, 2013:Mike Breen SanFranciscoGiantsatCincinnatiReds,GreatAmericanBallPark,Cincinnati,Ohio,July2,2013:SamRyan

AlabamaatTexasA&M,KyleField,CollegeStation,Texas,September14,2013:BruceFeldman

2013 World Series, Game Six, St. Louis Cardinals at Boston Red Sox,FenwayPark,Boston,Massachusetts,October30,2013:JasonGayAlabamaatAuburn,Jordan-HareStadium,Auburn,Alabama,November30,2013:TracyWolfson

TorontoMapleLeafsatDetroitRedWings,MichiganStadium,AnnArbor,Michigan,January1,2014:LiamMcHugh

2014 BCS Championship Game, Florida State vs. Auburn, Rose Bowl,Pasadena,Coliseum,January6,2014:StewartMandel

2014WinterOlympics,Men’sHockeyPreliminaryRound,UnitedStatesvs.Russia,BolshoyIceDome,Sochi,Russia,February15,2014:LiamMcHugh,DanWetzelProvidenceatCreighton,CenturyLinkCenterOmaha,Omaha,Nebraska,March8,2014:GaryParrish

2014 Stanley Cup Final, Game Five, New York Rangers at Los AngelesKings, StaplesCenter, LosAngeles,California, June 13, 2014: BobMiller2014NBAFinals,Game Five,MiamiHeat at SanAntonio Spurs, AT&TCenter, San Antonio, Texas, June 15, 2014: Michelle Beadle 2014 LittleLeague Baseball World Series, Lamade Stadium, Williamsport,Pennsylvania,August 14-24, 2014:ChrisMcKendry,KarlRavech2014U.S.

Open, Women’s Final, Caroline Wozniacki vs. Serena Williams, ArthurAshe Stadium, Flushing, New York, September 7, 2014: Chris McKendry2014NationalLeagueDivisionSeries,GameTwo,SanFranciscoGiantsatWashingtonNationals,NationalsPark,Washington,DC,October14,2014:JonMorosi2014WorldSeries,GameSeven,SanFranciscoGiantsatKansasCityRoyals,KauffmanStadium,KansasCity,Missouri,October29,2014:Kevin Burkhardt, Jeffri Chadiha, Matt Yallof Super Bowl XLIX, SeattleSeahawks vs. New England Patriots, University of Phoenix Stadium,Glendale, Arizona, February 1, 2015: Bob Costas,Mike Garafolo, CharissaThompson,MikeVaccaro