Well, that was triumph to disaster and back again in a matter of minutes, wasn't it ?
The new wooden floors meant that when I jumped up and punched the air in my socks, I nearly went flat on my arse. Got me to thinking - what other top sporting conclusions have had me pacing around this living room and punching the air, and where does this rank ?
5...Germany 1 England 5, 2001
Sven takes over with England struggling to qualify after Keegan's disastrous reign, and this is the penultimate scene in the play. Owen hat-trick supported by Gerrard and Heskey. We didn't even play that well, we just took every chance. Meh...who cares ? Dancing around the room with son number one (then aged two).
4...Rugby World Cup Final 2003 - England v Australia
Astonishing that this is fourth, but I suppose the long period of English dominance made this seem almost expected, and we'd already won the game twice and had it pulled away by the referee. And then Saint Johnny, on his wrong foot. Tears in eyes, lump in throat. Marvellous.
3...Superbowl XXXVI - New England Patriots v St Louis Rams, 2002
17 years of following the perennially awful Patriots finally paid off in this upset over the "Greatest Show on Turf", who has been champions two years earlier and were expected to win easily again. The Patriots got well ahead but were pegged back by the experienced Rams. A superbowl had never been won by a field goal as time ran out before - it has now ! It may have been 3am, but I still jumped up, punched the air, and smashed my hand on a light fitting.
2...Brazilian Grand Prix 2008
Cruising to the finish with 6 laps left and the heavens open. Hamilton finds himself in exactly the spot he needs after the pit-stops, but disaster strikes with two laps to go when Vettel (surely a world champion in waiting himself) overtakes and looks good to hold it to the finish. Massa crosses the line for the win, but with two corners to go, Hamilton overtakes a limping Glock, who'd not changed his dry tyres for a memorable finish. Felt genuinely sorry for the Ferrari team, who thought they'd won when Vettel crossed first.
1...2nd Ashes Test, Edgbaston, 2005
Big crowd in expectation of an England victory, with the Aussies still a hundred away with only two wickets remaining. The defecit is reduced and reduced and reduced, for the loss of just one. Big Harmy rouses himself for one last effort, and sends a bouncer down the leg side to Kasper. A slightly thicker glance and it's four and the Ashes virtually secured for Australia, but Geraint Jones clings on. Technically it's not out, as the batsmen's glove was not on the bat at point of contact, but nobody cares. I wore a groove in the carpet for this one, and its top of the list because it was slow agony for two hours, and despair flipped to ecstacy with one ball. Amazing.
Anyone else want to submit their top 5 armchair moments ?
I will follow this up with the top 5 "I was there" and top 5 "I was in a pub" shortly...
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2 comments:
Surely the penalty shoot out against Tranmere in the 1994 Coca Cola Cup semi final was better than England vs Germany in 2001?
Or the 3-1 drubbing of Manchester United in the final that followed?
Don't get me wrong beating Germany is always nice but that was the first silverware I'd seen Villa get.
With the obvious exception of the Superbowl (as I didn't watch it) I wholeheartedly agree with the rest (and in that order)
The 2002 Ryder Cup at the Belfry was a pretty good moment too as the Americans were the hot favourites and were such bad winners 3 years earlier (Something they definately weren't guilty of this year - thanks guys)so I'd personally swap that with Superbowl.
For moments you've seen I'm guessing 3-2 vs Chelskea in 2004 would be in your top 5? It's on mine but then I don't watch as much live-live sport as you.
I did say in *this* living room, which restricts it to 2001 onwards. Perhaps I need a pre-2001 list too.
I didn't see the 2002 Ryder Cup, because I was away for the weekend somewhere.
And sorry, but no, fine though that Chelsea game was, it doesn't get anywhere near the Top 5.
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