The Music City Miracle
It was January 8, 2000, a playoff game between the Buffalo Bills and the Tennessee Titans. Was a hard-fought defensive game with the Titans leading at halftime 12-0. There was just some sort of a feeling, however, that this game was going to go down to the wire. Boy, did it ever!
In the second half Buffalo scored 13 unanswered points to take the lead. With just 1:30 or so to go in the fourth quarter, Al Del Greco kicked a 36 yd FG to put the Titans up 15-13. The atmosphere was electric as it appeared the Titans had pulled it out.
The Bills had other ideas, however. They took the ensuing kickoff and marched down the field to set up a 41 yd Steve Christie FG attempt. The kick was good, and with just a few seconds on the clock the Bills had a sure victory, 16-15.
On the kickoff, with the clock running out, the ball was fielded at the 25-yardline by Lorenzo Neal of the Titans. He took one step forward as if he was going to return the ball, causing the official on the other side of the field to look upfield (this would be critical shortly).
Neal then tossed the ball back to Frank Wycheck, who was standing just behind the 25-yardline. Wycheck then threw a pass all the way across the field to Kevin Dyson, who ran the ball down the sideline for 75 yards and a touchdown! No flags on the field! Titans win!
Well, the emotional roller-coaster had not stopped just yet. The play was to be reviewed to check for an illegal forward pass. Now it looks like the play might be overturned and the Bills would win!
The play stood as called, a good thing as I seriously wonder how the officials would have exited safely had it been overturned. The referee had to be somewhat intimidated by the noise of the crowd.
I have never experienced such dramatic emotional swings at a sporting event before or since. I doubt I ever will. 22-16 Titans!!!
VVV
p.s. My seat was directly on the 25 yardline where the play took place. Upper deck, so I had a great sightline of the "lateral" or "forward pass." Let me just say that what I saw on that play added to the emotions swing, as I clearly could determine the correct call.
p.p.s This play was called "homerun throwback" in the Titans playbook. They practiced it every day, but Wycheck even admitted that nobody really believed it would work in a game!
It was January 8, 2000, a playoff game between the Buffalo Bills and the Tennessee Titans. Was a hard-fought defensive game with the Titans leading at halftime 12-0. There was just some sort of a feeling, however, that this game was going to go down to the wire. Boy, did it ever!
In the second half Buffalo scored 13 unanswered points to take the lead. With just 1:30 or so to go in the fourth quarter, Al Del Greco kicked a 36 yd FG to put the Titans up 15-13. The atmosphere was electric as it appeared the Titans had pulled it out.
The Bills had other ideas, however. They took the ensuing kickoff and marched down the field to set up a 41 yd Steve Christie FG attempt. The kick was good, and with just a few seconds on the clock the Bills had a sure victory, 16-15.
On the kickoff, with the clock running out, the ball was fielded at the 25-yardline by Lorenzo Neal of the Titans. He took one step forward as if he was going to return the ball, causing the official on the other side of the field to look upfield (this would be critical shortly).
Neal then tossed the ball back to Frank Wycheck, who was standing just behind the 25-yardline. Wycheck then threw a pass all the way across the field to Kevin Dyson, who ran the ball down the sideline for 75 yards and a touchdown! No flags on the field! Titans win!
Well, the emotional roller-coaster had not stopped just yet. The play was to be reviewed to check for an illegal forward pass. Now it looks like the play might be overturned and the Bills would win!
The play stood as called, a good thing as I seriously wonder how the officials would have exited safely had it been overturned. The referee had to be somewhat intimidated by the noise of the crowd.
I have never experienced such dramatic emotional swings at a sporting event before or since. I doubt I ever will. 22-16 Titans!!!
VVV
p.s. My seat was directly on the 25 yardline where the play took place. Upper deck, so I had a great sightline of the "lateral" or "forward pass." Let me just say that what I saw on that play added to the emotions swing, as I clearly could determine the correct call.
p.p.s This play was called "homerun throwback" in the Titans playbook. They practiced it every day, but Wycheck even admitted that nobody really believed it would work in a game!
1973 Sugar Bowl - Alabama vs. Notre Dame
The 1973 Sugar Bowl that matched up Alabama and Notre Dame. I was there as part of an honor guard from a New Orleans high school Air Force JROTC unit. It was one of those cool kind of nights with mist rolling in, and the hype surrounding this game was unbelievable. Why? Because it not only pitted 2 undefeated teams, with Bama being ranked no. 1 and ND in the top 3 or 4 that year, it was the first time these 2 teams had EVER played each other. And the coaches? Only Bear Bryant and Ara Parseghian. The crowd was incredible, intense and hung on every play. I won't bore you with all the details, but the honor guard was allowed to go where they wanted, so we were as low as you could go and were standing on the steps.
This was one game that actually outshone the hype. Trailing 14-10 at the half, Bama finally got untracked and took the lead in the 4th quarter on a halfback pass for a TD, but they missed the damn extra point and were up 23-21. I was cheering for Bama, it goes without saying. Anyhow, naturally ND goes down and kicks the go-ahead field goal, score now was ND 24 Bama 23. We were in that part of the field where ND got the ball back late, around 2 or 3 minutes left in the game, and were praying for the Bama defense to stuff em and get the damn ball back.
And Bama did, twice, until 3rd down - and that's when Clements (the ND QB back then) made the pass of his life - something around 40 yards that got them out of the shadow of their end zone and allowed them to eventually run out the time and win the game by a missed extra point.
Back then I had nothing on the game except hope, and after that pass play I lost even that. But what a great game, 2 legendary programs, 2 legendary coaches, great action and it decided the national championship - ND got a share of the title.
The 1973 Sugar Bowl that matched up Alabama and Notre Dame. I was there as part of an honor guard from a New Orleans high school Air Force JROTC unit. It was one of those cool kind of nights with mist rolling in, and the hype surrounding this game was unbelievable. Why? Because it not only pitted 2 undefeated teams, with Bama being ranked no. 1 and ND in the top 3 or 4 that year, it was the first time these 2 teams had EVER played each other. And the coaches? Only Bear Bryant and Ara Parseghian. The crowd was incredible, intense and hung on every play. I won't bore you with all the details, but the honor guard was allowed to go where they wanted, so we were as low as you could go and were standing on the steps.
This was one game that actually outshone the hype. Trailing 14-10 at the half, Bama finally got untracked and took the lead in the 4th quarter on a halfback pass for a TD, but they missed the damn extra point and were up 23-21. I was cheering for Bama, it goes without saying. Anyhow, naturally ND goes down and kicks the go-ahead field goal, score now was ND 24 Bama 23. We were in that part of the field where ND got the ball back late, around 2 or 3 minutes left in the game, and were praying for the Bama defense to stuff em and get the damn ball back.
And Bama did, twice, until 3rd down - and that's when Clements (the ND QB back then) made the pass of his life - something around 40 yards that got them out of the shadow of their end zone and allowed them to eventually run out the time and win the game by a missed extra point.
Back then I had nothing on the game except hope, and after that pass play I lost even that. But what a great game, 2 legendary programs, 2 legendary coaches, great action and it decided the national championship - ND got a share of the title.
In 1988 I sat along the sidelines and watched a football game between 2 diff infrantry platoons @ Camp Lejune NC. This was the most physical game I have ever seen. No holds barred. Lots of injuries and anger. The base commander ceased this type of game after this because of the amount of injuries sustained.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Charlie Maxwell:
Strut/Fish - You were at the game IN PERSON (LIVE) where Babe Ruth called his shot?????????????<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yes, the home run landed about 5-8 rows in front of me. I actually thought he was pointing at me before the pitch.
Strut/Fish - You were at the game IN PERSON (LIVE) where Babe Ruth called his shot?????????????<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Yes, the home run landed about 5-8 rows in front of me. I actually thought he was pointing at me before the pitch.
Inside the USA:
Thursday, Feb. 24, 1983: i was an 18-y/o freshman at Cal State Fullerton. on this day our 4,100 seat gym was going to be the center of the sports universe (before the game i looked at the make shift media area and there were reps from every big name one out there - SI, CNN, ESPN, USA Today, etc.) - for on this day, my beloved titans were hosting the 24-0, and #1 ranked, UNLV Runnin' Rebels. we played them about 1 month ago and lost a close game. there was NO DOUBT we were going to win this game - NONE! i got there 4 hours before tip-off to get the best GA seat possible. they opened the gym earlier than usual to accomodate the crowd. 90 minutes before tip-off the place was PACKED! we stuck 5,005 people in a 4,100 seat gym - so you can imagine what the place was like. people were packed in like sardines. we (students and fans) made more noise the entire game than a 747 taking off. with only a few seconds left in the game - when it was obvious we were gonna win - the place was just a powderkeg waiting to explode. when the game ended it took about 2 seconds to flood the court. 45 minutes later we were still celebrating. this was the greatest sporting event i have ever attended as well as the most dramatic and memorable one ever.
Outside the USA:
1992 - USA/USSR Olympic Ice Hockey game: this was the semi-finals of the 1992 olympics and the FIRST rematch since 1980. i worked for cbs at the albertville olympics and used my credential to get into a game in which i didn't have a ticket. the atmosphere was AMAZING! you couldn't even cut the tension with a chainsaw. realizing what was at stake and this was the 1st game since 1980 was amazing. when USA tied the game at 2 late in the 2nd period - we almost blew the roof off. USSR got 3 goals in the last 20 minutes to win 5-2 - but the atmosphere was amazing!
Thursday, Feb. 24, 1983: i was an 18-y/o freshman at Cal State Fullerton. on this day our 4,100 seat gym was going to be the center of the sports universe (before the game i looked at the make shift media area and there were reps from every big name one out there - SI, CNN, ESPN, USA Today, etc.) - for on this day, my beloved titans were hosting the 24-0, and #1 ranked, UNLV Runnin' Rebels. we played them about 1 month ago and lost a close game. there was NO DOUBT we were going to win this game - NONE! i got there 4 hours before tip-off to get the best GA seat possible. they opened the gym earlier than usual to accomodate the crowd. 90 minutes before tip-off the place was PACKED! we stuck 5,005 people in a 4,100 seat gym - so you can imagine what the place was like. people were packed in like sardines. we (students and fans) made more noise the entire game than a 747 taking off. with only a few seconds left in the game - when it was obvious we were gonna win - the place was just a powderkeg waiting to explode. when the game ended it took about 2 seconds to flood the court. 45 minutes later we were still celebrating. this was the greatest sporting event i have ever attended as well as the most dramatic and memorable one ever.
Outside the USA:
1992 - USA/USSR Olympic Ice Hockey game: this was the semi-finals of the 1992 olympics and the FIRST rematch since 1980. i worked for cbs at the albertville olympics and used my credential to get into a game in which i didn't have a ticket. the atmosphere was AMAZING! you couldn't even cut the tension with a chainsaw. realizing what was at stake and this was the 1st game since 1980 was amazing. when USA tied the game at 2 late in the 2nd period - we almost blew the roof off. USSR got 3 goals in the last 20 minutes to win 5-2 - but the atmosphere was amazing!
my brothers high school homecoming game. he was the starting QB. I think they were losing by 4 or 5 and he threw a desperation pass on the money to a WR (alex) in stride everyone there thought it was an easy TD. however the ball went right through the kids hands like a reggie miller free throw through the net. that resulted in a loss of downs and the opposition just kneeled out the clock. the game tape was mysteriosuly missing before the next team practice and everyone knew it was alex who took it.
Novemeber 1994
Champaign, Illinois
#1 Penn St Vs Illinois
A dramtic game, Illinois was an 11 point dog vs undefeated Penn st with a pro roster (Kerry Colling, Ki-Jana Carter, Kyle Brady...)
Illinois is up big, 21-3. Gets down to the 4th quarter. Illinois up 3 31-28 (no OT in these days), Penn st goes from right in front of my eyes 96 yards converting one or two fourth downs along the way to pull out the victory 35-31. I was crushed as i was a U of I student then and worked on the field at all the games.
Still remember how i felt that day, no money on the game just pure lost emotion for my school. One hell of a game and final drive.
Champaign, Illinois
#1 Penn St Vs Illinois
A dramtic game, Illinois was an 11 point dog vs undefeated Penn st with a pro roster (Kerry Colling, Ki-Jana Carter, Kyle Brady...)
Illinois is up big, 21-3. Gets down to the 4th quarter. Illinois up 3 31-28 (no OT in these days), Penn st goes from right in front of my eyes 96 yards converting one or two fourth downs along the way to pull out the victory 35-31. I was crushed as i was a U of I student then and worked on the field at all the games.
Still remember how i felt that day, no money on the game just pure lost emotion for my school. One hell of a game and final drive.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Charlie Maxwell:
Wow Strut/Fish. Imagine if you could have caught that ball. You could be retired and be a VERY rich man today. Did you think he was pointing to where he was going to hit the ball????<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Charlie- I was just joking. My parents were not even born yet!! Sorry, that was terrible guy.
Wow Strut/Fish. Imagine if you could have caught that ball. You could be retired and be a VERY rich man today. Did you think he was pointing to where he was going to hit the ball????<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Charlie- I was just joking. My parents were not even born yet!! Sorry, that was terrible guy.
