On The Blog: Top Sports Moments of My Life

 

By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com 

(KILJ) — This was a really fun piece, and one that was entirely too hard to narrow down.

Not all of them are Wisconsin ties and a lot of them are up for debate, but that’s what makes things so fun. In each of these moments I can directly remember where I was, how I felt and the impact it had on the sports world.

Let’s start with #5:

“The Kick Six” — Auburn vs. Alabama, November 30th, 2013

  • On of the craziest, bewildering and electric finishes in all of college football history as Auburn shocked top-ranked and undefeated Nick Saban had his Alabama Crimson Tide football team. The game, which was televised by CBS, posted an 11.8 television rating during the final half-hour, which was the highest rating ever achieved during a college football broadcast at that time. You can imagine why. The ironic part was, during the tail end of the game Saban used a challenge that put :01 on the clock, enough, obviously, to attempt a game-winning field goal. From 57-yards out the kick was well short and Chris Davis returned it — the rest is history. Verne Lundquist was absolutely nails on the game-winning call: “NO FLAGS, TOUCHDOWN AUBURN!” and the camera angle was amazing. Watch below:

#4 — Ryan Braun Gives Brewers First Playoff Berth of My Life

  • The Brewers so, so, so stinky my entire life so you can imagine how excited a 14-year old Nathan was when Prince Fielder, Corey Hart, Ben Sheets, Braun and C.C. Sabathia brought the Brewers back to the post-season. I can remember watching this game at home in Green Bay, then watching to make sure the Mets lost — they did — to clinch the postseason berth. Braunie was one of my favorite players regardless of sport growing up and although he did some unspeakable things in regards to performance enhancing drugs, this remains one of my favorite ever moments. Listen to the pure excitement from Brewer play-by-play guy Brian Anderson:

#3 — Ray Allen with ONIONS in 2013 NBA Finals Game 7 

  • This was about the time I started taking my NBA fandom to the next level. This NBA Finals series had it all, you had the villainous LeBron James led Miami Heat gunning for their first title and the complete antithesis to them with the fundamental and professional Gregg Poppovich led San Antonio Spurs. Growing up Ray Allen was always my favorite Milwaukee Buck — before the franchise traded him away for the withered husk of Gary Payton — so seeing him in the twilight of his career sinking one of the all-time great shots in NBA history was beautiful. Again, the commentary was fantastic here by ESPN’s Mike Breen.

#2 — Boise State Shocks OU with Trickeration

  • I remember 13-year old Nathan staying up way past his bedtime to watch this game because I LOVED Boise State quarterback Jared Zabransky and he and the Broncos did not disappoint upsetting Adrian Peterson and the Oklahoma Sooners in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. This game had it all. The Broncos led big, but then coughed up the lead late on a Sooner pick-six. With the odds seemingly stacked against them, Zabransky and whiz kid (at that time) head coach Chris Peterson called — and executed — some of the most beautiful trick plays you’ll ever see. Some say this game spurned the discussion to begin the College Football Playoff. Non Power-5 school’s can win.

#1 — Aaron Rodgers IS A MACHINE, Two Hail Mary’s in One Game

  • OK, this my top moment no matter what for the foreseeable future. Remember, I am taking moments. Not games or full seasons, but sheer moments or plays. These throws made by AR12 are inhuman. Cyborg-esque. Let’s set the stage, no Jordy Nelson, no Randall Cobb and an overweight Eddie Lacy. Down by a touchdown inside his own five-yard line with :55 to play and no timeouts, Rodgers’ heroics struck first with this insane, 60-yard laser beam to something called Jeff Janis:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DY2_T4EB3XM

  • Then just moments later, in arguably the greatest single throw in NFL history, Rodgers’ rolling to his left, uncorks a 55-yard bottle rocket that again, something called Jeff Janis ran underneath. Rodgers was getting blitzed, too. It was the impossible being done before my eyes. Simply so jaw-dropping that you could not believe it. Two Hail Mary’s completed in the same game, LITERALLY minutes apart.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwiBW6j80kI

BEST OF THE REST:

Obviously these are all subjective, but there were so many memorable moments it’s so hard to get down to just five.

Here’s some other notable omissions:

Tiger Woods Wins the 2019 Masters

  • What a comeback tale, the once forgotten star shined once again.

Chicago Cubs Win World Series 

  • Breaking a 100-plus year curse, the Cubs finally won a World Series beating the Cleveland Indians 8-7 in 10 innings in one of the best World Series’ of All-Time. Watching their fans celebrate still gives you chills

Appalachian State Upsets Michigan in the BIG HOUSE

  • Man this game was one of my favorite’s ever. I was watching at my grandparents house (they had Big Ten Network) and I was freaking out. Armanti Edwards — Appy State’s quarterback — was absolutely sick in this game. The Mountaineers blocked two late Austin Gingell field goals to hold on.

Kobe Scores 81

  • What a remarkable performance by one of the greatest to ever play. Bryant going for 81 — second most in NBA History — will be the greatest feat for quite some time. No one is touching his, or Wilt’s.

Brock Lesnar Pins the Undertaker, Ending His WrestleMania Streak 

  • I was SHOCKED when this happened. I thought for sure the company would put the Undertaker over here and let him walk out in a blaze of glory, but Lesnar pinned him to the surprise of the fans, other wrestlers and the announcers — who I guess weren’t in on the ending either. Several within the company maintain that only Vince McMahon, Lesnar, Taker and the ref knew the finish.