Your coolest sports experiences

[Homer Bailey]

This thread idea came to me after reading the "Sports Bucket List" thread. What are the coolest sports experiences in your lifetime? Basically, what have you already crossed off your bucket list? Great chance for us all to brag about our stories and experiences. I figure that RZ will have plenty of great stories to share.

Some of mine:

1. Attended a WVU final 4 game (WVU lost obviously).

2. Attended the 2006 Sugar Bowl (WVU 38 - UGA 35)

3. Attended the 2008 Fiesta Bowl (WVU 48 - Oklahoma 28)

4. Attended the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach

5. Attended the OSU/UM game in 2001 (year OSU won the title).

6. Attended WVU @ Auburn in 2009 (I had never been to an SEC stadium. Will also be going to the WVU/LSU game in Death Valley this year).

7. Played Muirfield Village Golf Club 3 times.

8. Played Scioto Country Club 4 times.

9. Played Riviera (L.A.) once.

10. Attended the Memorial tournament about 13 times.

11. Attended the 2008 MNC (OSU-Florida)


Used to work at a golf course that Kent Mercker was a member of, and used to chat baseball with him for hours about baseball stories. Guy has some absolute doozies. Phil Mickelson is a friend of my uncles, so I've gotten to talk to him a few times over the years. A few years back, Fil3232 and I threw back many a beer with former British Open champ Todd Hamilton at a local establishment in Dublin, and I whooped him in pool 3 times. We followed him the next round and he told me to come back to the bar that night, and this time we were going to play for some money! We ended up not going back that night. I don't have too many cool athlete-interaction stories.

I'm sure I'll think of more things I've done, but that's all I've got for now. Let's hear yours!

[MWM]

Had an on-field pass for Game 1 of the 2006 World Series in Detroit. Was there watching batting practice and rubbing shoulders with players and media personaliies. Got to meet Ernie Harwell and Jon Miller and was interviewed by MLB.

Also got to spend an afternoon hanging out with Tony Gwynn a few years back. Super nice guy and one of the funniest people I've met.

[westofyou]

Just a few

1971 AS Game
1972 Tigers clinch AL east
1972 Joe Coleman K's 15 in playoffs
1975 Every Home UM game
1976 - Game 2 World series
1978 - Stingers season tickets - watching a dieing league is interesting
1981 - Freezer Bowl
1988 - Bo Knows baseball - oakland
1989 - Rowdy Roddy vs The macho man
1996 - Schilling vs Maddux - 2 hour 2-1 game

[Boston Red]

Wimbledon "People's Sunday" in 2004 (likely the last one ever). Spent the night in the park for the right to sit four rows off Centre Court to watch Serena Williams, Roger Federer and Tim Henman play. Also snuck to an outside court to watch Martina Navratilova play doubles.

[bucksfan2]

1. Playing St. Andrews
2. Playing Pebble Beach
3. Playing Carnoustie
4. Playing Torrey Pines
5. Playing Turnburry
6. Attending the 2002 OSU Michigan game.
7. Going to Wrigley to watch the Reds play. Ended up staying in the same hotel as the Reds and got my picture taken with Barry Larkin
8. Went to a game at Fenway the same day Boston clinched the division in 2008. Talk about an atmosphere
9. Skiing the Birds of Prey run.

[BuckWild03]

By far my greatest sports experience was attending the Game of the Century (2006 Ohio State/Michigan game) when Ohio State won 42-39. I was a student at the time.

I Stormed the field with everyone else and stared up at 105,000 people who had all witnessed the same thing that I had. It was a very surreal moment.

This was the last game with real grass so everyone was tearing up the field.

During the senior introductions before the game, I got the heisman chant going through the south end zone student section for Troy Smith.

Number 2 on the list would probably be my first baseball game with my dad when I was little. Got to meet Pete Rose and got his autograph. Even to this day, when you walk through that tunnel, and see the field and all the players...it's awesome.

I attended the infamous "Bush Push" game in 2005. My girlfriend went to school there and got me tickets about 3 rows up in the student section. I wore my buckeyes jersey to the game so whenever it is on ESPN classic you can see me in my white amongst a sea of yellow Notre Dame students. Before the game, some USC guys offered me $800 bucks for my ticket. I was tempted to say the least but I'm glad I kept it and saw what was an amazing game.

Next would be meeting Allen Iverson and getting his autograph at a Cavs/Sixers game during his rookie season.

I've also toured Daytona International Speedway. Got to ride around the track so that was pretty cool. I also met Rusty Wallace and got his autograph. He was always my favorite driver.

So to recap:
1. Game of the Century--2006 Ohio State/Michigan game
2. First Reds game with Dad--Met Pete Rose
3. The Bush Push
4. Meeting Allen Iverson
5. Daytona Int'l Speedway and meeting Rusty Wallace

This year, through my alumni tickets for Ohio State, I was lucky enough to get the Ohio State/Miami game so hopefully I will be able to add that to this list come September.

[Redsfan320]

Was there for the Tuesday night game @ home against the Phillies this season, the one where we ended up losing with about a billion errors in the 10th, Stubbs was afraid of the wall, and Rhodes' streak ended, BUT that was after Votto hit the 3-run shot in the 9th to tie it up. As the Reds were down by 3 heading into the 9th, me and my dad moved from our View Level seats down to standing behind the field level seats. You could hear Votto kill it, and the place was electric. It was awesome. Not on near as grand a scale as some things on here, but still amazing!!

320

[BuckeyeRed27]

By far my best was the "Holy Buckeye" game which was OSU vs. Purdue in 2002.

OSU/UM games in 2002, 2005 and 2006 were also all very cool.

I was at the Adam Dunn walk off grand slam game which was the coolest thing I have ever seen at a baseball game.

I went to the UCLA/USC game in 2006 when UCLA upset USC at the Rose Bowl and kept them from going to the NCG.

[savafan]

In 1988, I was with my family visiting my grandpa in the hospital. Hospital rooms always gave me a funny feeling, and I had a tendency to pass out in them, so I went down to the snack room in the lobby where they had vending machines and a TV. I can almost remember this plain as day. My dad came down and bought me some banana bread and fruit out of the vending machine so I'd have something in my stomach. There was a Reds vs. Expos game on the television, and I believe Johnny Bench was doing the announcing.

In walked this oldtimer, and he sat at a table by himself for a while with a newspaper listening to my dad and I talk about the game. Eventually, he came over to the table and asked if he could join us. He told us his name was Arthur, which was the same name as my grandpa that we were visiting in the hospital, and if I liked baseball. I said that I did, and he told us that he had played for the Cubs back in 1923, and then proceeded to entertain us with stories about baseball from a time long before I was born.

He may have been an old crazy man who was just lying to us, I don't know, but his stories were fascinating, and gave me a timeless perspective on the game. I'll never forget that.

[westofyou]

Originally Posted by savafan

In 1988, I was with my family visiting my grandpa in the hospital. Hospital rooms always gave me a funny feeling, and I had a tendency to pass out in them, so I went down to the snack room in the lobby where they had vending machines and a TV. I can almost remember this plain as day. My dad came down and bought me some banana bread and fruit out of the vending machine so I'd have something in my stomach. There was a Reds vs. Expos game on the television, and I believe Johnny Bench was doing the announcing.

In walked this oldtimer, and he sat at a table by himself for a while with a newspaper listening to my dad and I talk about the game. Eventually, he came over to the table and asked if he could join us. He told us his name was Arthur, which was the same name as my grandpa that we were visiting in the hospital, and if I liked baseball. I said that I did, and he told us that he had played for the Cubs back in 1923, and then proceeded to entertain us with stories about baseball from a time long before I was born.

He may have been an old crazy man who was just lying to us, I don't know, but his stories were fascinating, and gave me a timeless perspective on the game. I'll never forget that.

Only 5 Cubs from 1923 lived past 1988, 2 died before spring in 1988, one in 1989 and then there was one guy who lived until 1997.. his real name was Arthur.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/pl...weisbu01.shtml

[NorrisHopper30]

UC @ Pitt football game last year in Dec

[savafan]

Originally Posted by westofyou

Only 5 Cubs from 1923 lived past 1988, 2 died before spring in 1988, one in 1989 and then there was one guy who lived until 1997.. his real name was Arthur.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/pl...weisbu01.shtml

Interesting find. The face of the gentleman, who definitely appeared to be in his 80's, was very weathered and wrinkled, but as it was burned into my memory as a child, I can see some resemblance to that young ballplayer pictured there and the old man who sat across from my father and I at the table. I think I'm inclined now to believe it was all true.

[reds44]

I was 15 when I attended this game, and I have a hard time believing it will ever be topped.

YouTube - Illinois/Arizona '05

[Caveat Emperor]

I was at Yankee Stadium this game: http://www.baseball-almanac.com/boxscore/07181999.shtml

They honored Yogi Berra (for "Yogi Berra Day") before the game, and Don Larsen threw out the first pitch.

David Cone took it from there.

[Roy Tucker]

I think my coolest sports experience was when the Reds won game 3 and clinched the Division Series against the Dodgers in 1995.

We had our old season ticket seats at Riverfront/Cinergy so we were 4 rows back from the Reds dugout and right next to Marge Schott. Mark Lewis hit a grand slam to win the game and I saw Dodger owner Peter O'Malley come down the aisle and congratulate Marge. Sitting just down the row from us was then-governor George Voinovich.

The coolest part was that I was with my then-7 yr. old son and he was just drinking it all in. His eyes were THIS big the whole game and he was thrilled beyond words.

After the game, we saw and heard all the Reds on the field with the their post-game celebrating and we stood behind the dugout and watched all the TV lights and cameras and NBC guys do the post-game interviews. It was so cool because we felt like we were right in the middle of it all.

I remember telling my son (who is now 22) to not get used to all the success since it doesn't come along often. Unfortunately, I think that was the last post-season game the Reds have won up to now. It was the Roy kiss of death.