I was watching the UK-Arkansas game yesterday. I really wasn't emotionally invested in the game, but something else struck me. During halftime, CBS ran a promo for their "75 years of March Madness" series, where they highlight certain aspects of the tournament. In this particular spot, they showed a certain play. At this point, I'll allow my friend and co-worker, Bob Herzog, fill you in.
@Bob_Herzog: Just ONCE... ONE TIME... I would like to watch a UK game on
The shot he's referring to is the infamous "Grant Hill tosses a 3-quarter court baseball pass to a wide-open Christian Laettner who pivots, shots, and drains the game-winner" shot. It is considered by many sports observers to be one of the best game-winning plays in history. But I have a feeling Kentucky fans don't feel that way. I have friends who live in the Commonwealth who shudder at the mere mentioning of the name "Laettner".
So, my premiss for this post is simple. There are many "Greatest Plays of All-Time". Many elated fans have watched their teams climb to the top of the mountain. However, the beauty and the curse of sport is that in order for these teams to reach their pinnacle, other teams must fall. And this is what fuels my curiosity. What "Great Sports Moments" drive you crazy to watch, every time they play it, because your team was on the losing end of the incredible feat? Does the pain increase as the importance of the feat increases?
And also, what do you believe is the play that a losing fanbase is most vocal about? Who gets most indignant about their team's misfortune? Is it Laettner's shot? "The Catch"? "The Music City Miracle"? "The Immaculate Reception"? "Michael Jordan's game-winner in game 6 in 1998? Fisk waving his homer fair in Game 6 of the '75 World Series? Stanford/Cal's "The Play"?
Or is it something else that I didn't list?
As an aside, at nearly the same time Bob sent out his lamentation of "The Shot", I personally said this:
@BrianWedge88: Haha. CBS did it again. Halftime of a UK basketball game, they show the Laettner shot. Classic.
So, remember. One man's pain is often another man's pleasure. That's schadenfreude.
Being from Cleveland, there's a TON of moments like this. Red Right 88, Elway's drive, Byner's fumble, Jordan over Ehlo, David Justice in '95, Renteria in '97. I don't feel THAT bad for Kentucky fans, because they've had their share of winning over the years. The worst part about the moments that happened against Cleveland is because they are in three different sports, you could catch the Woeful Cleveland Montage at any time of the year. Just brutal.
ReplyDeleteGreatest game of all time. It was an honor for both teams just to be there! (That's called looking at the silver lining. You're welcome. #Shaddup)
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