05-22-2015, 07:06 PM
It's the offseason, so there's a lot of filler while we wait for games to actually happen. In anticipation of those games, I thought it would be nice if we had a chance to look backwards and share our most memorable experiences at sporting events. Here are my top 3 (brace yourself, mine are all Ohio State football games):
#3 September 5, 2009 #6 Ohio State v. Navy
By all means this should not have been a good game, but Navy's triple option is always tough to defend. Late in the 4th quarter, Ohio State was up 29-14. Game over, right? But with just over six minutes left, Navy completes an 85 yard TD pass (that's right, Navy completed a pass
) to bring the score to 21-29. 5 plays later, Pryor throws deep and gets intercepted, setting Navy up in Buckeye territory with nearly 4 minutes to go. Navy goes back to the running game and ends up scoring a few short plays later. They set up for the 2 point conversion to tie the game, and for some reason they abandon the run game. The pass gets intercepted in the end zone and run all the way back for the longest 2 point play I've ever seen. Aside from the dramatic finish, this game was especially memorable for me because roughly half of my coworkers are Naval Academy graduates.
#2 October 31, 2009 #17 Ohio State v. New Mexico State
With over two decades of regular game attendance, I'm as surprised as you are that two of my top three came from the same year. What's even more shocking is that I only bought one ticket for this entire season (v. Navy), and the only other OSU game I attended that season was this one because a friend of mine didn't feel like going. Now, the game itself wasn't actually all that memorable aside from the fact that the team pitched a shutout. As a football fan, I have to appreciate how difficult that is to achieve against any opponent. That said, the halftime show was the best I've ever seen. TBDBITL lived up to their name by executing a flawless Halloween-themed show that incorporated Ecto-1 (the Ghostbusters' vintage ambulance), a hoarde of M!ch!g@n zombies seeking brains, and the entire brass section dropping their instruments to dance to "Thriller". I only wish the AV department taped that halftime show with the same quality that their modern counterparts do so I could share it with you here.
#1 January 1, 2015 #4 Ohio State v. #1 Alabama
This one is the obvious choice for #1 because it carries the weight of history and the magic of a fairy tale. I'm sure you are all familiar with the storylines by now, the first ever college football playoff, playing the #1 seed in the heart of the south, the 3rd string QB, the epic performance by Elliott (over 200 yards against a defense that had not given up 100 yards on the ground in years), and no one in the media giving OSU a chance. Combine all that with my first trip to New Orleans, New Year's Eve, and a free Train concert, and it was definitely a cool place to be.
#3 September 5, 2009 #6 Ohio State v. Navy
By all means this should not have been a good game, but Navy's triple option is always tough to defend. Late in the 4th quarter, Ohio State was up 29-14. Game over, right? But with just over six minutes left, Navy completes an 85 yard TD pass (that's right, Navy completed a pass
) to bring the score to 21-29. 5 plays later, Pryor throws deep and gets intercepted, setting Navy up in Buckeye territory with nearly 4 minutes to go. Navy goes back to the running game and ends up scoring a few short plays later. They set up for the 2 point conversion to tie the game, and for some reason they abandon the run game. The pass gets intercepted in the end zone and run all the way back for the longest 2 point play I've ever seen. Aside from the dramatic finish, this game was especially memorable for me because roughly half of my coworkers are Naval Academy graduates.#2 October 31, 2009 #17 Ohio State v. New Mexico State
With over two decades of regular game attendance, I'm as surprised as you are that two of my top three came from the same year. What's even more shocking is that I only bought one ticket for this entire season (v. Navy), and the only other OSU game I attended that season was this one because a friend of mine didn't feel like going. Now, the game itself wasn't actually all that memorable aside from the fact that the team pitched a shutout. As a football fan, I have to appreciate how difficult that is to achieve against any opponent. That said, the halftime show was the best I've ever seen. TBDBITL lived up to their name by executing a flawless Halloween-themed show that incorporated Ecto-1 (the Ghostbusters' vintage ambulance), a hoarde of M!ch!g@n zombies seeking brains, and the entire brass section dropping their instruments to dance to "Thriller". I only wish the AV department taped that halftime show with the same quality that their modern counterparts do so I could share it with you here.
#1 January 1, 2015 #4 Ohio State v. #1 Alabama
This one is the obvious choice for #1 because it carries the weight of history and the magic of a fairy tale. I'm sure you are all familiar with the storylines by now, the first ever college football playoff, playing the #1 seed in the heart of the south, the 3rd string QB, the epic performance by Elliott (over 200 yards against a defense that had not given up 100 yards on the ground in years), and no one in the media giving OSU a chance. Combine all that with my first trip to New Orleans, New Year's Eve, and a free Train concert, and it was definitely a cool place to be.
