March 29, 2020
.
My/Your Most Unforgettable Sports Fan Memories …
###
Sports Fam Memories … In my unceasing commitment to give you’ans “something” to help you thru Corona-mania Solitude, I have devised a little something sure to occupy at least 15 minutes of your increasingly stir-crazy life…
Take a blank legal pad – explain to your pre-adolescent child/grandchild what a “legal pad” is – OR a blank monitor screen and…
.
Give yourself just 15 minutes to come up with Your MOST Unforgettable Sports Fan Memories …
That YOU personally witnessed in Real Time – either you were THERE / or on TV.
.
That last part is critical so that everyone’s list is different… “whose list is better” can then be argued until either – 1 – “the cows come home” … or – 2 – “Diogenes can find three people on Franklin Street who can spell “Doherty” correctly”… whichever comes first.
Again… You had to have seen it in REAL TIME either in-person or on TV.
.
For instance…
My List can NOT include – Skywalker Falls out of the rafters in Reynolds in Feb 1974 – because, although I’ve seen it multiple times in replay, I did not see it LIVE …
Nor did I see – The Greatest Game in ACC Tournament History in 1974 – NC State vs Maryland – in Real Time.
I am also – apparently – The Only UNCCH Alumnus who was NOT in Carmichael Auditorium in 1974 (and has the ticket stub to prove it) for – The epic “8 down with 17 seconds to play” game vs Duke …
Those Sports Moments might make Your List … IF you saw them in REAL TIME.
.
My List – as you will see – even contains a seminal event from my high school days as well as assorted regional / national events.
Rather than limit it to Top Ten or Top Twenty, I went with – “… that you can recall in 15 minutes.” Given more time you will think of obvious ones you left out.
If they don’t come to mind in 15 minutes… maybe they weren’t so Unforgettable?
My List is shown in chronological order… including brief descriptions.
###
.
BobLee’s Most Unforgettable Sports Fan Memories
In Real Time … That I could recall in 15 minutes.
.
1957 UNC v Kansas … watched on small black/white TV in our living room as a very young BobLee struggling to stay awake. “Dad that Kansas guy (Wilt) is too tall… thats not fair”.
.
Mazeroski’s Walk-Off – 7th Game / 1960 World Series … The Pirates were my favorite team and Dick Groat my favorite player. I feigned illness to stay home and watch on TV. Many memorable moments including “the bad hop that hit NYY shortstop Tony Kubek in the throat”… My All Time Favorite Baseball game Until “Game Six” in 2011.
.
Kinston vs New Bern Basketball – Feb 1965… The 64-65 Kinston Red Devils went 51-1 as back/back State Champs… this was “The -1”. … in New Bern High gym 1965. Future UNCer Bill Bunting hit “a Laettner buzzer-beater from the top of the key” 30 years before Laettner did. Kinston defeated New Bern two weeks later to win the 1965 State Championship. WHY is this The Game we all recall so vividly? Aaaaiieee…
.
Miracle on Ice …. Feb 1980… I was at the Lobby Bar of The Crown Center Hotel in Kansas City being “hit on” by a hottie waitress named “Paige”. Whatever happened to “Paige”????
.
1982 … UNC v Georgetown / MJ’s Jumper… I was all by myself in a small apartment in Dallas. Pretty sure I was the only person in Dallas who cared enuff to watch. No one to hug…
.
1983 – Pack vs Phi Slamma Jamma… “Cinderella’s slipper fits” … “Air ball or pass” ??? Who cares… Find someone to hug!
.
Don Denkinger’s Call … WS Royals v Cardinals – Oct 1985 … Blondie and I were living in Worcester MA. I was pulling for Royals… Before Instant Reply … OH MY! Wanna hear a Cardinals fan cuss? Mention Don Denkinger.
.
Nicklaus’ Last Masters Win … April 1986… That classic picture of a 46 y/o Nicklaus following his putt in the hole on the back nine on Sunday.
.
Bill Buckner’s error … vs Mets WS / Oct 1986… We were still in Worcester MA. Had become Boston fans. The entire state of Massachusetts went silent and dark…
.
Laettner vs Kentucky – The Shot … March 1992… Laettner recreates Bill Bunting’s buzzer-beater from 1965. I have never HATED LAETTNER or Duke… Life seems too short for such silliness.
.
Dale Earnhardt Dies at Daytona. … Feb 2001 … I was in a hotel room in Myrtle Beach. The Race was on but I wasn’t really paying attention until that last fateful lap. WHAT JUST HAPPENED?
.
TA’s Knee … Kenan Stadium – Oct 9, 2004 … I was at Kenan but watching on TV in Choo Choo Lounge with Danny Talbott, Gayle Bomar, Albert Long and wives. “Guys, I think Bunting just saved his job…”
.
Connor Barth’s last second FG beats Miami in Kenan – Oct 2004 … a few weeks after TA’s Knee Game. Best comment – “If Connor Barth doesn’t “get laid” tonight, he never will..”
.
GAME SIX … WS Cardinals v Rangers – Oct 2011… from Moline to Memphis along the Mighty Mississippi… say “Game Six” and everyone knows what you mean. MUST WIN Game for Cardinals vs Rangers… 9th, 10th, AND 11th innings, Cardinals down to their last strike … Local boy – David Freese becomes a Cardinal Immortal. Most High Drama Game in MLB History… in My Opinion.
.
Auburn v Alabama Iron Bowl FB … “Kick 6” … Nov 2013 … I had “no dog in this fight”. It was simply – What Did I Just See ???
.
UNC vs NC State Baseball … Durham Bulls Stadium / ACC Trnmnt 2014 … I may be off on the year… 18 innings of nail-biting baseball. Pack Ace Carlos Rodon went 9 innings. A dozen “what if” moments for both teams.
.
Wheaton Thunder vs St Johns Johnnies Div II FB / Dec 2019 … Only reason I was watching was that it mattered to “Pastor Danny”. Thunder was undefeated and on-track to be in Div III Nat Chmp in two weeks. “Those last 30 seconds” was Most Amazing series of WHAA ??? events I’ve ever seen in a FB game.
###
Odd Coincidence … Denkinger’s Call- 1985 / Buckner’s Error 1986 / and Game Six 2011 all resulted in Must Wins for the team that benefitted… and that team went on to win Game Seven in each of those World Series.
.
That’s My List. A Unique combination of Events/Moments. Your List is Most Important because it’s Your List.
You can subdivide this concept further … just involving Your Team … OR sports specific … MLB… ACC… NFL … College FB etc etc. The purpose of this exercise is to – 1 – Have fun while In Corona-Lock Down … – 2 – generate cuss fights between board monkeys.
.
OH… Confirmed by “various insiders who know” – David Glenn’s Abrupt Ouster From The AirWaves WAS “over his on-air Political Rants”. Increasing complaints from advertisers “across the network”. … ignored strong suggestions to “stick to sports”. IF Glenn had been employed by Jim Goodmon’s 99.9 TheFan, he mighta gotten a raise for his radical left-wing screeds… BUT he wasn’t. Now you know.
.
Have Fun with YOUR LIST.
More BobLeeSays… HERE
.
As you might imagine …. SAIDWHAT is En Fuego these days. Obviously a National Crisis did NOT “bring us together” as Pollyannas ‘R Us had been suggesting for the past three years.
BobLee discusses the healing merits of several Plan B’s: The Yellowstone Caldera … or a Rogue Asteroid … or a suitcase nuke in downtown Cincinnati … Yep. SAIDWHAT is indeed En Fuego .
.
UPDATE: “Pastor Danny” Has His Beer. Mission Accomplished!
.
