Lifting spirits: Tell us about your best sports day!

[Spoonman]

What was your best sports day? Could be one game, multiple games in different sports, whatever was your best sports day.

Were you at the game? Watching on TV? Radio?

[LGR4GM]

https://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/332710061

LSU v. Georgia in 2013. I was at a bar not in the stadium but I was standing on their 2nd floor outdoor patio watching on a TV. We could hear the stadium when Georgia scored (about .5miles away) while the ball was in the air for the go ahead TD. One of the best games I have ever watched and the atmosphere in Athens, GA was nuts. After the game the friends who were at the game met up with a big group of us who were not and we all relived the game over again, while being in what I can only describe as a Mardi Gras like atmosphere. Absolute blast. 

[Sabres Fan in NS]

My wife and I were watching on TV.

[Buffalonill]

I was at the game Probably the best feeling and moment in sports history for him 

 

[PASabreFan]

It hasn't happened yet. Maybe today will be the day.

[Scottysabres]

1984, TNT game, George J. Vetter Stadium. Lost my......errr, ummm, innocents? On the bleachers after the game and the crowd had gone home. A cherished sporting memory, as I scored well in to the early AM. One of, if not my finest stamina performances as the legs tired, but never gave out. 😀

[DarthEbriate]

XXXI. My sister was driving us home after the game and we drove home through downtown (as opposed to how we'd normally go along the river). The street was lit up for the holidays. Folks were laughing, dancing, and singing. Many horns were honking. All with a gentle snowfall and night-pink sky.

It was a positive culmination (this was before it got too late and the bars let out; we were kids at the time) of knowing for the entire season that we had been ascending step-by-step for 4 straight years and this year we were hands-down the best all-around team in the league. We were going to win that game... and we did.

And the drive home was a bit surreal and dreamlike.

Edited December 1, 2023 by DarthEbriate

[Night Train]

 Finishing up college and going to a local tavern for lunch with my late father to celebrate my birthday. Canadian TV has a live hockey game on from the Olympics in Lake Pacid. Russia vs. USA. February 22, 1980. ( America had the game on tape delay in the evening) 

 The place went nuts and it's a good memory of spending time with a WW II hero..my father.  

[Mb278]

I saw Gretzky get his 60th in 60 games at the Aud (against Don Edwards I believe), I know its not really a thing but so what - haha. I remember sitting in the golds and my memory still cannot believe how crisp and vivid those iconic EDM jerseys were back then.   Plus to see Gretzky that close back then was akin to seeing a god; not to mention his plethora of future hall of fame teammates.

Playing at the Aud on Super Sunday was fun also; and I played one game before sabres open practice when they used to do that at the aud. our team got the Bruins locker room from the night before where I learned - at least back then - that NHL players only use a role of tape once and then leave it. Pretty sure I brought about 12 rolls of tape home with me - all yellow or white. I was playing for West Seneca so that worked 😆

 

[shrader]

This was fun. And as crazy as it sounds, with the way that entire season went, I was not the least bit surprised that this happened. 
 

 

[pastajoe]

Coaching my son’s peewee hockey team as we won the league championship 20 years ago.  All the kids celebrated like they won the Stanley Cup.

As a fan, game 7 AHL playoff game between Rochester and Syracuse. Game was a sellout, and in overtime the Amerks won with Ryan Miller in net.

[CallawaySabres]

Personally, it was going to the Nationals in college for tennis

Pro sports was close between being at the Raiders 51-3 AFC Championship game and being at the Oilers comeback game. Honorable mention to stepping foot into the arena for Game 3 of the Cup vs Dallas.....so emotional.

[Marvin]

5 hours ago, Sabres Fan in NS said:

My wife and I were watching on TV.

I was in the last row of the highest deck behind 1st base at the Skydome with the guy who got me the ticket.  He got interviewed by The Christian Science Monitor after the subway ride back to my car and appeared in an article that Monday.

I sat in section D-2, Row 4, Seats 3 and 4 with a friend to the Houston Comeback.  In the video on YouTube, on Andre Reed's 3rd TD, you see her orange hunting cap in the stands at something like the 5 yard line.  Memorably, at halftime, Sherry wasn't worried because, "the Oilers always choke it away."  People were reaching out to touch her head at the end of the game.

[Gatorman0519]

Raiders/Bills AFC championship… for a week I believed we were witnessing the birth of a dynasty. 

[Pimlach]

6 hours ago, Gatorman0519 said:

Raiders/Bills AFC championship… for a week I believed we were witnessing the birth of a dynasty. 

Yup.  Good one.  

I can remember Dec 26, 1965 very well.  Day after Christmas, which is always a good day.   

AFL Championship Game:   

Bills 23  -  Chargers  0 

I watched it with my Dad and my Uncles. My Bills and Chargers football cards out of the shoebox, and spread out on the living room carpet.  Mesmerized by it on TV.  

I cannot remember what I did last week with as much clarity as that particular afternoon.  

 

Edited December 2, 2023 by Pimlach

[Thorny]

7 hours ago, Buffalonill said:

I was at the game Probably the best feeling and moment in sports history for him 

 

For me it’s this, the 7-6 game, or the game 1 OT winner by Danny B against Philly 

[French Collection]

Personally it was shooting my best ever round of golf, 5 under 67, to lead the men’s open championship after the first round at my home course. Finished 4th, a personal best.

My first NHL game was a great memory, the buildup was a 4 hour car ride followed by a 12 hour train ride to Toronto. First time in a subway, Maple Leaf Gardens and my uncle gave me a drink at the hotel.

[msw2112]

I've had many over the years.  One great, fairly recent 24-hour span was last October.  I have not lived in Buffalo for many years, but like to come back and visit.  I had 2 buddies who live in another state drive in, and I flew in, to Buffalo for a sports weekend.  On Saturday evening, we pre-game partied near the arena, then went to see the Sabres come back in the 3rd period, down by 2, against the Blackhawks, then they won it in OT.  Went out to Buffalo bars after that.  Got up the next morning, went to Wegmans, loaded up with food and beer and were at Hammer's Lot at noon.  Partied there all day long (sunny and 60 degrees), other than stopping by the Big Tree Inn to get some wings to add to our tailgate.  Did shots out of the bowling ball and all of the other Bills tailgate stuff.  Went into the stadium around 7:30 PM and saw the Bills beat the Packers on Sunday night football.  My friends are huge sports fans, but had never been to Buffalo.  They were familiar with all of the national media coverage of the Bills Mafia, but didn't know that much else about the city.  We all had a blast, and a year later, they talk about it all the time and say what an amazing time they had.  They've both been to sporting events all over the country and agree that Buffalo tailgating was beyond anything they've ever seen (including Green Bay).  They also loved the Sabres game and have both adopted the Sabres as their NHL team and the Bills as their 2nd NFL team (they live in Wisconsin and are Packers fans).  All 3 of us are dads with wives, multiple kids and busy jobs, so the chance to get away with the guys and do this was incredible.  I felt very proud that my hometown and its teams stepped up in a big way and exceeded expectations (that were high coming in).  We're hoping to do another trip next year - maybe a college football weekend.

[GoPre]

My best was being in attendance for the unranked Mississippi State vs Florida game in 2000.  Steve Spurrier and his team were ranked number 3.  State won 45-35.  Got to storm the field and tare down the field goal posts…. Bad idea.  The pushing, shoving, and body heat were terrible.  But seeing Spurrier slam his visor numerous time was priceless. 😁

[Thorny]

Sort of surprised so few mentioned Sabres moments 

[Scottysabres]

38 minutes ago, Thorny said:

Sort of surprised so few mentioned Sabres moments 

To be fair, with each "thrust" in to the offensive zone, Gilbert's "net front presence may, and I stress may, have crossed my mind. Along with RJ's voice throughout the entire.....ummm....match, ya match 😀

Edit: and you think I kid, but, I was keeping my own score sheet folders at 10 yrs old of every Sabres player. 4 years later, in 84, ya, I still kept them. I added 1. And I ended up marrying her 2 years ago 😉

That's a very real life story by the way. The song "OH What A Night" is definitely on my mind 🤣 

Edited December 2, 2023 by Scottysabres

[TheAud]

It was December 3rd, 1994. I was living in Georgia when my friend who I shared an apartment with, and a visiting college friend had what we still refer to as "The Day". 

The Day started with an excellent tailgating session outside the Georgia Dome. Great food and spirits, tossing the football around in the parking lot, and meeting many friendly fans and socializing. Then we attended a thrilling SEC Championship game where #6 ranked Florida defeated #3 ranked Alabama 24-23. My housemate graduated from Florida so we all rooted for the winning team. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjrS_XFMtYU

When that ended, we decided to head 'across the street' and scalped tickets to see the Atlanta Hawks host the Orlando Magic. Rooting for the Hawks, we saw another thrilling contest with the home team lead by Stacie Augmon and Mookie Blaylock win 107-105 despite 27pts & 15 rebounds from Shaq and 26 from Penny Hardaway. 

https://www.espn.com/nba/game/_/gameId/141203001

After that, we kept on walking and ended up in one of Atlanta's finest ballet dancing establishments. I'll refrain from going into details on this board but suffice to say, it was an awesome end to The Day. 

Both sporting events occurred in venues that no longer exist (Georgia Dome and the Omni). I am unsure on the current status of the strip club...

Edited December 2, 2023 by TheAud

[nfreeman]

In person:

- Bills defeating KC in the 4th AFC Championship game, sitting with my best friend from childhood, with Cornelius knocking Joe Montana out of the game in Montana's last NFL game.

- My son's first NHL game, coinciding with the rebirth of the Sabres in the glorious 2005-06 season -- early that season at the old Nassau Coliseum vs the Islanders, with Tim Connolly, also undergoing a rebirth, playing a beautiful brand of hockey and starting his best season as a pro, tying it up on a sweet goal with a couple of minutes left and Big Al Kotalik winning it in the SO.

- Later that season:  game 3 of the conf. finals, at home, vs Carolina with my brother.  The Sabres won to take a 2-1 series lead and it felt like we were coming to the end of the desert (although Tallinder broke his arm in that game, the first or second in a catastrophic series of injuries on the blue line).  At one point in the 2nd period, someone (maybe McKee) laid out one of the Hurricanes with a big hit, the Sabres came down right away and Kotalik blasted in a one-timer from the high slot to put the Sabres up 4-1 and the building felt like it was gonna explode.  That was the loudest crowd I've ever heard at a hockey game.

- Hasek and Sabres squeaking out game 4 vs Ottawa, 2-1, to complete the sweep in the 1st round of the 1999 playoffs.

- 1993 NBA Eastern Conference Finals, Knicks vs Bulls, game 2:  I was relatively new to NYC and got a group together to share Knicks season tickets.  This was peak Michael Jordan vs Pat Riley, Pat Ewing, Charles Oakley and the brutal Knicks.  With a couple of minutes left in a very close game, John Starks, a guard who was bagging groceries before Riley rescued his career, went flying down the baseline for a huge dunk and the Knicks hung on for the win. 

- A bunch of fantastic college basketball games.

[Thorny]

1 minute ago, nfreeman said:

In person:

- Bills defeating KC in the 4th AFC Championship game, sitting with my best friend from childhood, with Cornelius knocking Joe Montana out of the game in Montana's last NFL game.

- My son's first NHL game, coinciding with the rebirth of the Sabres in the glorious 2005-06 season -- early that season at the old Nassau Coliseum vs the Islanders, with Tim Connolly, also undergoing a rebirth, playing a beautiful brand of hockey and starting his best season as a pro, tying it up on a sweet goal with a couple of minutes left and Big Al Kotalik winning it in the SO.

- Later that season:  game 3 of the conf. finals, at home, vs Carolina with my brother.  The Sabres won to take a 2-1 series lead and it felt like we were coming to the end of the desert (although Tallinder broke his arm in that game, the first or second in a catastrophic series of injuries on the blue line).  At one point in the 2nd period, someone (maybe McKee) laid out one of the Hurricanes with a big hit, the Sabres came down right away and Kotalik blasted in a one-timer from the high slot to put the Sabres up 4-1 and the building felt like it was gonna explode.  That was the loudest crowd I've ever heard at a hockey game.

- Hasek and Sabres squeaking out game 4 vs Ottawa, 2-1, to complete the sweep in the 1st round of the 1999 playoffs.

- 1993 NBA Eastern Conference Finals, Knicks vs Bulls, game 2:  I was relatively new to NYC and got a group together to share Knicks season tickets.  This was peak Michael Jordan vs Pat Riley, Pat Ewing, Charles Oakley and the brutal Knicks.  With a couple of minutes left in a very close game, John Starks, a guard who was bagging groceries before Riley rescued his career, went flying down the baseline for a huge dunk and the Knicks hung on for the win. 

- A bunch of fantastic college basketball games.

I think Briere scored our third goal in that game (before Kotalik) on a breakaway. I remember thinking at that point, it was our year 

[JoeSchmoe]

Novice house league hockey. Team down 2-0 in the quarter final of our 24 team league. Season on the line.

Something clicked in me on the bench that if we didn't score 3 goals, the season was over. I remember grunting on the bench between shifts... I was so determined to win. I scored the hatty to get us the 3-2 win.

Won player of the game which included a free burger at the pub down the street from the arena.

We went on to lose the semis by a goal. In the last couple minutes of the game we had zone pressure. The puck came back to our d-man who after an entire season still didn't understand what offside was... all despite me trying to coach him about it before each game. Anyhow, he had been standing just on the wrong side of the blue line as per his usual. When the puck came to him, he immediately shot it in the zone and the ref blew it offside. There I knew it was my last shift of the season.

Me, being the class act 9 year old I was... went up to him on the ice....and in front of a packed arena, gave that teammate the hardest shin slash a 9 year old could muster. My coaches never said a word.

Almost 40 years later I'm still that a-hole... I just mask it better.