Memorium - The 2006 Sporting Moments Thread

As the title suggests, what are you going to remember most about sport from this year. It can be Professional, Amateur or your own weekend sporting Achievements

Two things for me. Australia's excellent World Cup - our first in 30 odd years and we made the round of 16 and were only beaten by eventual winner Italy on a contentious call.

The Second was just last week. Australia, trailing by 500 runs early on day three, and then requiring to take ten wickets andmake 150 runs on the final day came back and one - I was transfixed to the TV for the last 2 hours.

I'm going to vividly remember the ups-and-downs my Steelers put me through this year.

From the amazing trick play against the Bengals in the first round of the playoffs.

To the Bus' Fumble, followed by the Vanderchoke.

Then the first half domination of Denver, followed by Bill Cowher promising Mr. Rooney "one more win", and Jerome Bettis joyfulling screaming on the sideline "we're going home".

After that, it was the Super Bowl week, and the build up and hype. Trying to not allow myself to get wrapped up in the thoughts that my team was a team of destiny.

Willie's record breaking run, the Randle El Touchdown pass, and then the presentation of the Lombardi trophy ... all gave me goosebumps, which return as I write this.

Then there was the offseason, the (expected) departure of Randle El, the (somewhat less expected) departure of Chris Hope, the exciting trade-up in the draft to get Santonio Holmes ... and then the motorcycle accident. A reminder of the frailty of humanity, even in our "heroes". The coverage was insane, especially where I live, which happens to be Ben's hometown.

Then, we had Ben's inspiring return, only to be setback at the 11th hour by his appendix ... and we had no idea at the time, but that was a precursor to how our entire season would go. Ben struggled coming out of the gate, then seemed to be steadying himself, looking like the Ben of old (and better!), only to get a concussion in the Atlanta game, and then look lost in the Oakland game. Up and down since, highlighted by a thrilling come-from-behind win over the archrival Browns.


I'll post more for other sports later, but the Steelers really did highlight and define my memories for the sports world of 2006.

Personally, it'll be when my high school won the State Tournament in Baseball. And they said my class couldn't compete in anything. Ha. Anyway's the Twins had a magical season, till it came crashing to the ground in a spectacular spectacle, I'm still in utter shock to this day. I mean now we have to wait another WHOLE year to get back to where we were.

Absolutely nothing good happened to my sports teams this year. Uconn got bounced in the NCAA by Mason, Patriots blew that game against Denver, the Red Sox tanked the end of the season, and the US national team did awful in the world cup.


So I'll remember this as the anti-2004, when only good things happened.

Devils sweeping the Rangers in the NHL playoffs.

[image=http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/7583/martysweep7ho.jpg]

lol

Texas A&M basketball team making a name for themselves in the NCAA tournament. Gig 'em!

Also Texas A&M football team beating tu 12-7 in Austin for the first time in 12 years.

Mavericks making the NBA finals, and then chocking after having a two game lead in the series.

Cowboys finally finding their franchise QB.

The Superbowl controversy.

The Texas Rangers failing at keeping half of their great players.

What about the Phil Mickelson collapse in the U.S. Open? Just when you think Phil finally might be The Guy to challenge Tiger and take the mantle of World's Best from him, he reverts back to the old Sunday Surprise Phil. All he had to do was hit it into the fairway on 18, and he hits the hospitality tent! Being a lefty and therefore really pulling hard for Phil, I couldn't believe what I was watching.

For games I attended:
David Wright ends a fourteen inning thriller against the Braves with a walkoff double (after Floyd tied the game a few innings earlier with a home run)
Wright is the hero again as he smacks a Mariano Rivera pitch over Johnny Damon's head.
Game 2 of the NLDS - a classic gem from Glavine.

For games I watched:
Endy Chavez' catch - screw the Cardinals, this was the only highlight of the NLCS.
Jagr leads the Rangers back to the playoffs (the season as a whole).

Lets see..

USC dominating the eventual national champion Florida, then going on to win the NIT for the second straight year.

and all the Football memories I put in the other thread, begining with Wide Left, Jad Dean missing a potentially game-tying FG to give USC the victory over Clemson.

The Season that the Detroit Tigers put together. They came out of nowhere, really. Even the most ardently positive of Tiger fans would only promise "a .500" season.

But the way they dismantled the Yanks and the A'S in the playoffs, i actually believed that they were gonna win the whole thing. Still a great season, but man did it end in bitter disappointment. I'm still really angry about that.

Also we had the retirement of the great Michael Schumacher from F1. He's my favourite driver of all-time, so...i'll miss him.