Top 5 Greatest Sports Performances of My Lifetime

Number 1:

Tiger Woods defeats Rocco Mediate on torn ACL in 19-hole playoff to win US Open - June 16, 2008

Why this made the list:   So I  have mentioned it before, but there are certain times in your life when you know you are watching greatness happen right before your eyes.  Certain times when you know that your kids and grandkids will not only hear about this, but will ask what it was like to see it happen.

Never in my life have I been so excited about golf.  Multiple times during this epic match I jumped up out of my seat and cheered for the greatness that was Tiger.  Seeing Tiger smile, laugh, and drop his head into his hand after chipping in for birdie was one of those classic expressions that we will see over and over again, and rightfully so. 

Tiger and Rocco Mediate gave us a golf match for the ages that will be remembered forever.  Tiger came back and played so strongly to win and did it all on one knee.  You just knew Tiger would not let himself lose this tournament.  Rarely ever can an athlete overcome an injury as such to completely will himself to victory.  Mediate did not crumble under the "Tiger pressure," rather Woods rose to the occaision and firmly planted himself as the defining athlete of my generation.  This is the stuff greatness comes from.  That is why this made the list.

The Top 5 Greatest Sports Performances of My Lifetime

Number 2:


Vince Young - 2005 Rose Bowl National Championship - January 4, 2006

Stats:  30/40, 267 yds, 19 rushes, 200 yds, 3 td

Why this made the list:  Watching this game was complete and utter disbelief.  Everyone was certain USC was by far and away the greatest team in the country.  Mack Brown had a bad history in big games, nobody really trusted Vince Young to make it happen.

However, as often is the case "everyone" was wrong.  The game was tight for the first half and part of the third quarter.  Then, USC started to pull away, and the game was going to end up just like everyone thought.

Just when you thought it was all over for the Longhorns, Young just took the game over.  The Trojans just had no answer for Young on this night.  Besides picking apart the Trojan secondary, he simply could not be tackled.  Watching this it was like I flashed back to the '97 NFL playoffs when the Brocos had vaseline all over their uniforms.  This was insane, could anybody tackle this man?  No they couldn't, especially not on the final drive that went for a touchdown and then the two point conversion that followed.

I will admit, I did not want Texas to win this game, winning three National Championships in a row is something no school has done in the modern era and was something I wanted to witness.  While I didn't get to see that, I did get to see possibly the best Championship game performance ever, and it only seems to get better as each year passes.  That is why this made the list.

The Top 5 Greatest Sports Performances of My Lifetime

Number 3:


Michael Jordan - The Flu Game - Game 5 - 1997 NBA Finals

Stats:  38 pts, 7 reb, 5 ast

Why this made the list:  This was one of those scenarios where you knew while watching that you were witnessing greatness.  We had been hearing all day about how MJ was sick and might not be able to play.  He had been on fluids all day.  The series was tied at 2-2 and the Bulls needed to win this game so they could take control of the series.

When game time came Jordan was on the court, but only the bench.  Word was he would play but may be limited.  Only time would tell how effective he would be.

Jordan started off slow in the first quarter, but after hydrating at every possible break, he began to start playing well.  He started to become the Jordan of old and eventually found himself taking over the game as everyone had come to expect.  Jordan was the player everyone knew he would be on offense and defense.  When it was all said and done he had scored 38 points and led his team to a 2 point victory to take a 3-2 series lead and eventually win the series.

Rarely does someone find a way to overcome nature and take an entire team on his back and will them to victory.  Jordan couldn't even stand up during time outs and had to take fluids every chance he could, yet was still able to get up enough to lead his team in scoring and get a victory.  This was truly an epic performance, and that is why it made the list.

Top 5 Greatest Sports Performances of My Lifetime

Number 4:

Steve McNair - 1999 Super Bowl - January 30th, 2000


Stats:  22/36, 214 yds; 8 rush, 64 yds

Why this made the list:  Well, his stats don't look the greatest but they don't even begin to tell half the story. In his prime McNair may have been one of the most dynamic players in the NFL and this game provided further proof of such.

McNair (with some help from Eddie George) was able to take this team on his back and bring his team all the way back and to within one yard of making this the first ever overtime Super Bowl in history.

What sells this for me was the last drive of the game that almost took this to overtime.  McNair literally took the team on his back and drove them down the field.  The one play that really made me stand back and say "wow" was the one where McNair just refused to go down, avoided nearly every Ram defender on the field and made the throw to Derrick Mason to get them down to inside ghe 10 yard line with just seconds to go.

McNair solidified himself as one of the most dynamic players in the league with that play alone and I came away feeling the Titans should have based on his performance.  If only that was the case.  All in all, it was a courageous performance by a man who refused to give up and wanted to will his team to victory.  That is why this made the list.

Top Five Greatest Individual Sports Performances of My Lifetime

Number 5:

Larry Fitzgerald - Super Bowl XLIII - February 1st, 2009

Performance Stats:  7 rec., 127 yds., 2 td

Why this made the list:  Rarely do I come away from a game, especially a Super Bowl, thinking the MVP should come from the losing team, however, this game made me rethink that. 

Never had I seen a wide receiver take over a game like Fitzgerald did.  Never had I seen a wide receiver will his team to take the least after trailing heavily in the second half.  This is what Fitzgerald did.  If there was ever a doubt that he was the best receiver in the league it was quited by his superb performance in Super Bowl XLIII. 

His stats are great but not overwhelming.  What they don't show is how much of an impact Fitzgerald had on this game.  He outplayed nearly everyone on the field and nobody wanted to win the game more than he did.  Had Arizona won he would have been the hands down MVP of the game, and I am sure still garnered some consideration anyway.  In fact, had Santonio Holmes' catch at the end not been so spectacular and had somebody else scored the winning touchdown, I submit Fitzgerald was not only worthy but would have had a good chance at winning the MVP without question.