As the year begins to end, everyone and their mother will be making the "of the last deacade" lists.
My partner in crime and I have decided to get a head start on this, so expect to continue to see this as the year moves along.
I now present the
20 Greatest Sporting Events since the turn of the century.20.
2003 NCAA Basketball Tournament
Thursday March 18th – Monday April 7th, 2003 
This tournament would be defined by the emergence of 2 future NBA mega-stars, whom managed to simply dazzle in the tournament. Dwayne Wade of Marquette and Carmelo Anthony of Syracuse would both lead respective teams to the Final 4. Anthony would get the better part of it by helping the Orangemen defeat Kansas in a thrilling 81-78 victory to win the National Championship. Anthony would also receive Most Outstanding Player honors.
19.
2002 World Series
Saturday October 19th – Sunday October 27th, 2002
All hail the Rally Monkey! The west coast World Series as it was called was very back and forth
for the first few games. In game 6 the San Francisco Giants were leading the Anaheim Angels 3 games to 2. The Giants had just won game 5 by a score of 16-4 and Barry Bonds was having a monster series. Trailing 5-0 in the bottom of the 7th, the Angels needed a spark to get going. With 2 on and 1 out, the Rally Monkey came on the Jumbotron and lit up 45,000 Angels fans. Scott Spiezio hit a 3 run home run and the rally was on. The Angels put up 3 more runs in the 8th and were able to hold on 6-5 forcing a game 7. Garret Anderson would hit a bases loaded double in the 3rd inning of game 7 and the Angels would go on the win the game 4-1 and the series 4-3. This would be the first World Series championship in the history of the Anaheim Franchise.
18.
2008 US Open
Thursday June 12th – Monday June 16th 2008A course tough enough that the after 72 holes, 2 people tie for the lead with a score of -1. Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate have to play a full round of golf on Monday. Through 10 holes of the playoff, Woods has a 3 stroke lead. Mediate would roll 3 straight birdies to have a 1 stoke lead going to the 18th. Just like the day before, Woods makes a good put to birdie the hole and we have to play 1 more. Mediate would bogey the sudden death hole and Woods would walk away with the US Open Championship that took 91 holes to settle. Shortly after, we would find that Tiger was playing with a double stress fracture on his left tibia and require surgery on his ACL as well, meaning he played through pain for nearly the entire tournament.
17.
2008 NCAA Basketball Championship
Monday April 7th, 2008
For the first time since they began regional seeding teams in the tournament, all four #1 seeds
made it to the Final 4. Memphis, UNC, UCLA and Kansas all won their regions, and in the Final 4, Kansas rolled UNC and Memphis defeated UCLA. Memphis was yet to trail in the second half of a game the whole tournament and Kansas had just destroyed the top overall seeded UNC Tarheels. A back and forth game had Kansas leading 33-28 as they entered the locker room at half time. Memphis came back and built a 7 point lead with 5 minutes left and a 9 point lead with 2:12 remaining. Kansas would continue to foul as Memphis, who had struggled all season and all tournament with free throw shooting, missed 4 of 5 free throws in the last 2 minutes. Kansas would put up 9 points to close the gap to 3. With 2.1 seconds left, Kansas guard Mario Chalmers made an amazing 3-pointer over a defender to tie the game and send it to overtime. In OT, Kansas would ride that momentum to take the championship 75-68.
16.
Super Bowl XXXVI
Sunday February 3rd, 2002
Entering the game the New England Patriots were 14 point underdogs. But everyone was amazed when they were leading 14-3 at halftime and 17-3 into the 3rd quarter over the “Greatest Show on Turf” St. Louis Rams. However, Kurt Warner and the Rams charged back in the 4th scoring 2 touchdowns and tied the game at 17. QB Tom Brady took the Patriots 53 yards in 9 plays and 1:23. With 7 seconds left K Adam Vinatieri kicked a 48 yard field goal as time expired. It is the only time in Super Bowl history a game has ended with a score on the last play.
15.
Lance Armstrong wins 7th Tour de France 
Saturday July 2nd to Sunday July 24th, 2005
This actually began in 1999 when Lance Armstrong, after recovering from cancer, rode to his first Tour de France. But in 2005, he rode and won his record setting 7th (consecutive) Tour. 21 stages over 3,607KM (2,241 miles). That’s the exact same distance as riding from Detroit, MI to Seattle, WA!! He attempted a comeback this year but finished a modest 3rd.
14.
2006 World Cup Final
Sunday July 9th, 2006With Germany as the host country, they were eliminated from the tournament by Italy. They did however defeat Portugal in the 3rd place consolation game. Italy entered the final to take on France and arguably the best player in the game, Zinedine Zidane. He would score early but Italy would respond with a goal 15 minutes later. Despite a few close
calls, the score remained 1-1 at the end of regulation. In the extended time, Italy’s Marco Materazzi made a comment to Zindane, upsetting him enough to head butt Materazzi in the chest are receive a red card. (It was later determined that Materazzi tugged on Zidane’s shirt. Zidane said “you can have it after the game”. Materazzi replied “I would rather have your whore of a sister.” Side note: it is usually tradition to exchange jerseys with the other team after the game) It would go all the way to penalty kicks and Italy would win that 5-3 and take the World Cup championship back to Rome.
13.
2007 AFC Championship Game
Sunday January 21st, 2007The 2 elite QBs of the decade clash on the national stage again. New England Patriots vs. Indianapolis Colts. Brady vs. Manning. Brady had taken the previous 2 encounters as Manning
struggled every time he played in snowy Foxboro, MA. This time Indy had home field advantage and was hoping to change their stars. NE started out with a lucky break and had an offensive fumble recovered in the endzone by guard Logan Mankins. Then a Manning INT taken back for a touchdown and a rushing touchdown for NE and it quickly looked liked like it was same story different chapter at 21-3 Patriots. Manning kept a cool head and drove the team 80 yards to get a field goal before half time. In the second half, the Colts got 2 touchdowns then got a break as C Jeff Saturday landed on a fumble in the endzone to tied the game at 28. Down 34-31 with 3:49 left, Manning marched the Colts down the field and a Joe Addai 3 yard TD rush with 1 minute remaining gave Indy a 38-34 lead. They were able to hold on and Peyton Manning was able to finally exercise the demons of the New England Patriots.
12.
2008 Wimbledon Final
Sunday July 6th, 2008
Another meeting between the 2 best tennis players on the planet. #1 Roger Federer vs. #2 Rafeal Nadal. Federer was ranked #1 in the world for an unprecedented 237 consecutive weeks coming into the match. Nadal had long been a thorn in the side of Federer, and was ready to take over as the world's #1 player. Nadal jumped out to a quick 2 set lead, but Federer would fight back and tie it going into the 5th and final set. They exchanged one great hit after another until a 9-7 tiebreaker finish that Nadal would finally arrive the victor. The match lasted 4 hours and 48 minutes due to 2 separate rain delays throughout the match. Nadal would become #1 in the world after this, but would loose the rankings when he was injured earlier this year.
11. 
Game 3 of the 2001 World Series
Tuesday October 30th, 2001
Just 49 days after the attacks of September 11th, President George Bush throws out the ceremonial first pitch at Game 3 of the World Series in Yankee Stadium. In front of 57,000 fans, George Bush stands on home plate, waves and smiles at the crowd, and throws a perfect strike. That pitch was more important than any other pitch… ever.
10.
Super Bowl XXXIV
Sunday January 30th, 2000The first major professional championship of the new millennium came down to 1 yard. The surprise St. Louis Rams and former grocery boy Kurt Warner rolled into the Atlanta Georgia Dome with a high flying offense a record of 15-3. The Tennessee Titans got there on a series of tricks and good defense but had a record of 16-3. Defense was the name of the game for the first half as St. Louis lead 9-0. They lead 16-0 until Tennessee mounted a comeback and tied the game at 16. Late in the 4th, a Kurt Warner 73 yard touchdown pass to Issac Bruce gave the Rams a 23-16 lead. The Titans took the ball at their own 10 with 1:54 remaining. They managed to march 80 yards to the St. Louis 10 with 6 seconds left. Steve McNair then completed a pass to WR Kevin Dyson but was wrapped up at about the 2 ½ yard line by LB Mike Jones. Dyson stretched out with the ball but ended up 1 yard short as time expired. MVP honors would go to Warner (24 of 45, 441 yrds 2 TDs) in one of the closest Super Bowls ever, by yardage at least.
9.
Games of the XXIX Olympiad
Friday August 8th, 2008 – Sunday August 24th, 2008
The world’s greatest athletes not playing in an American professional sport gather every 4 years to run, jump, swim and throw shit against each other. Despite the looming concept of the Chinese Communist Government and the extreme pollution of Beijing, it managed to be quite amazing. 2 athletes will stick out from this year more than any other. The amazing Usain Bolt, whom broke the World Record in the 100m dash (6.69sec) and the 200m dash (19.30sec). The most amazing thing about him is that he won and was so far ahead he cruised through the
finish line. The other is the incomparable Michael Phelps, who won a record 8 gold medals and broke 7 World Records in the pool. 2 of the victories were won by fractions of seconds. Also, Nastia Luikin was the first American to win the Women’s All-Around Gymnastics Gold since Mary Lou Retton, and made us all register on Megan’s Law. (Nastia Liukin --->)
8.
The Tuck Rule Game
Saturday January 19th 2002
If you live in the New England area, this game is simply know as the “Snow Bowl”. With the New
England trailing the Oakland Raiders 13-3 at halftime, NE QB Tom Brady leads his team down the field and scores on a rushing touchdown to cut the lead to 3. Running the 2 minute drill, Brady takes the Patriots down field but is hit on a cornerback blitz and fumbles, which is recovered by Oakland. The play is reviewed, reversed and ruled to be an incomplete pass, birthing the “Tuck Rule”. Brady then completes a pass to David Patton to the 29 yard line. At this point there were several inches of snow and intense winds, but Adam Vinatieri kicks an amazing 45 yard field goal to tie the game at 13. In overtime, Brady would march 65 yards down the field and Vinatieri would make a 23 yarder to win the game.
7.
2003 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl (BCS National Championship Game)
Friday January 3rd, 2003 
The University of Miami Hurricanes entered the National Championship as 11½ point favorites over the Ohio State University Buckeyes. However, Ohio State defense was better than people expected and was leading 17-7 in the third quarter. Late in the 4th quarter and trailing by 3, Miami forced OSU to punt. That punt was returned 50 yards by Roscoe Parrish and Miami kicker Todd Sievers kicked a 40 yard field goal as time expired to force overtime. OSU converted 2 4th downs and the teams exchanged touchdowns. Then in the 2nd OT, OSU scored and was able to stop Miami despite have 1st and goal on the 1 yard line. It would be the first National Championship for Ohio State since 1970.
6.
Super Bowl XLIII
Sunday February 1st, 2009The surprise Arizona Cardinals make a ridiculous run to reach their first Super Bowl in franchise history. The Pittsburgh Steelers are going for their 6th Super Bowl victory. 98 million Americans watch the game making it the most watched game in Super Bowl history. With Arizona driving at the end of the first half down 10-7 at the Pittsburgh 1 yard line, QB Kurt Warner was intercepted by Pittsburgh LB James Harrison who returned it 100 yards for a touchdown and the longest play in Super Bowl history. Down 20-7 to start the 4th quarter, Arizona’s offense came alive. Larry Fitzgerald caught 2 touchdown passes included a slant pattern that went untouched for a 64 yards to take a 23-20 lead. Pittsburgh took the ball with at their
own 22 yard line with 2:37 left. QB Ben Roethlisberger marched the Steelers down the field to the Arizona 6 yard line after a 40 yard completion to WR Santonio Holmes. After a dropped pass in the left corner of the endzone by Holmes, Roethlisberger found him in the right corner. Holmes was able to barely get both feet in and it is ruled a touchdown. (The play was reviewed but the call stood) Pittsburgh won 27-23 and Holmes was rewarded MVP with 9 catches for 131 yards and 1 touchdown.
5.
Super Bowl XLII
Sunday February 3rd, 2008The New England Patriots were 18-0. They had NFL MVP Tom Brady and the highest scoring
offense of all time. The Giants were a Wild Card team that managed to work its way through the playoffs, so naturally New England was a 2 touchdown favorite. However, New York’s defensive line gave Brady fits all day as the score of the game was a surprising 7-3 NE heading into 4th quarter. The teams exchanged scores and NE lead 14-10 with 2:39 remaining and NY at its own 17 yard line. The Giants would drive but stall at their own 44. On 3rd and 5 with 1:44 remaining NY QB Eli Manning barely avoided a sack and completed a preposterous 32 yard completion to David Tyree. Tyree used his helmet to catch the ball while being mauled by safety Rodney Harrison. This play would then be known as “The Helmet Catch.” Manning would then find receiver Plaxico Burress in the endzone with :35 left on the clock and NY would pull of one of the biggest upsets in Super Bowl history 17-14.
4.
2009 Stanley Cup Finals
Saturday May 30th – Friday June 12th, 2009
A grueling 7 game series was a repeat of the finals from 2008, when the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 4 games to 2. The face of the NHL, Sidney Crosby, lead the
Penguins into battle, but Detroit took a 2-0 series lead after the opening weekend. Pittsburgh tied the series at 2 after the games were played at home in Mellon Arena. Game 5 would be a blow out as Detroit would roll 5-0 and it seemed like the Red Wings would be raising the Cup in Pittsburgh for the second straight year. The Penguins would come back strong and force a game 7 in Detroit after a 2-1 victory at home. Game 7 would live up to the hype. Max Talbot scored 2 2nd period goals giving Pittsburgh a 2-0 lead. Crosby, the captian of the team, would be injured when checked hard into the boards mid-way through the 2nd. Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury playing brilliant in the net as the Penguins would one take only 1 shot on net in the 3rd period. Detriot would get 1 goal, but Fleury continued to stand tall facing sevaral shots in a 6 on 5 in the final minute of the game. Pittsburgh would be victorious 2-1 and win the Stanley Cup. This would mark the return of hockey in the USA, as game 7 drew the highest US television ratings since game 6 of the 1973 Stanley Cup finals.
3.
2006 BCS National Championship Game
January 4th, 2006 
The way the BCS was supposed to work. #1 USC vs. #2 Texas. Both teams were undefeated so there were no questions to ask, no reason to debate. Stars everywhere. Leinert, Bush, White, Young, Huff. This game was full of talent. 94,000 people filled the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA to watch an amazing game. It was like a heavyweight fight. Teams were exchanging blows back and forth all game. USC takes a 38-26 lead with 6:42 left on the clock, but Texas would charge back and QB Vince Young would run it in to on 4th and 5 with :19 left to take a 39-38 lead . After a successful 2-point conversion, USC got the ball back with only :08 left on the clock and that was it. Texas
wins 41-38. Young would combine for 467 yards throwing and rushing and 3 rushing TDs. Both QBs would go on to be awesome in the NFL… or not.
<--- (At least one made the most of it)
2.
2004 ALCS
Tuesday October 12th – Wednesday October 20th, 2004
Trailing 3 games to none entering game 4 everyone was writing this off as another Red Sox disappointment. Trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the 9th of game 4, Bill Mueller was able to single home Dave Roberts after he stole 2nd. In the bottom of the 12th, David Ortiz hit a 2-run walk off home run
to win the game. In game 5, Boston got 2 runs in the bottom of the 8th to tie the game at 4 again. In the bottom of the 14th, Ortiz singled home Johnny Damon and the Red Sox were back in the series. Game 6 was the infamous “Bloody Sock Game” in which Curt Schilling got the win throwing 7 innings allowing only 1 run with a torn tendon in his left foot. The procedure they used was not strong enough to keep the blood from leaking out. In game 7 Boston rolled to an early 6-0 lead after 2 innings and won the game 10-3. The Boston Red Sox overcame a 3-0 series to defeat the New York Yankees 4-3 and go on to win the World Series. Never before had a team come back from down 3 games to 0. The Yankees had owned the Red Sox since the infamous trade of Babe Ruth on January 3, 1920. The Red Sox had not won a World Series since 1918 when this epic event happened. The Yankees had 26 World Series titles between 1923 and 2000 (including 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000)
1.
2007 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
Monday January 1st, 2007Oklahoma was hyped up to be a National Championship contender entering the 2006 season. After a 2 early season losses, they battled the rest of the regular season to finish 11-2. Boise State again dominated their schedule finishing an undefeated 12-0, but still did not receive the national recognition they felt they deserved. The game started with Oklahoma being a 7 ½ point
favorite. Boise jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead and lead 21-10 at halftime. After an Oklahoma field goal made the score 28-20 BSU, the game turned into the best sporting event of the decade. With 1:26 remaining in regulation Oklahoma QB Paul Thompson completed a 5 yard touchdown pass and converted the 2 points to tie the game at 28. (It would require 3 attempts to complete the conversion. Penalties voided the first 2) Then after the ensuing kickoff, BSU QB Jared Zabransky would be intercepted by Oklahoma’s Marcus Walker and it would be returned 34 yards for a touchdown to give Oklahoma a 35-28 lead with 1:02 left. It would seem that Boise State’s Cinderella chances may have come to an end when they reached the OU 42 yard line. It was 4th and 18 with :18 left needing a touchdown just to tie the game. Zabransky completed a pass 15 yards to Drisdan James and it appeared he would be 3 yards short. However, a designed hook and ladder play has the ball tossed to a crossing Jerard Rabb and he streaked down the sideline 35 yards for a touchdown as time expires to tie the game. Then in OT, Oklahoma scores on their first play with an Adrian Peterson 25 yard rushing touchdown. Bosie State gets to 4th and
2 on the OU 5 and completes a touchdown pass to come within 1 at 42-41. Instead of kicking the extra point, they line up with a single back set. Zabransky would then fake as if passing right and hide the ball behind him to run the Statue of Liberty play. RB Ian Johnson would take the ball and run the 2 yards for the 2 point conversion and Boise State would upset Oklahoma 43-42 in only the second BCS Bowl victory by a non BCS conference school. This would be the beginning of the argument for a BCS playoff system to decide the winner instead of just 1 game.
Defensive Player of the Year: Keith Bullock, TEN
Most Valuable Player: Phillip Rivers, SD 
