It didn't take long to lock onto the single best moment of the decade, and it was no surprise that it occurred at Wrigley Field. Another big shocker: it was bittersweet.
But there's no question in my mind that my favorite sports moment of the decade was the seven-and-one-third-inning stretch that preceded the worst sports moment of the decade. Game 6 of the NLCS between the Cubs and the Marlins.
My oldest son was not even a month old. I had just received a promotion at work. I was standing up in my living room watching the Cubs play in front of red ivy at Wrigley, and they were five outs away from the World Series. That was the most excited I have ever been watching a sporting event. It seemed unreal, like my life was being transformed. I could hear Whtiney Houston singing, "One Moment in Time." Best sports moment of the decade.
And then . . . you know. Horror. Pestilence. Weeping/gnashing of teeth. Whitney's voice changed to . . . well, it changed to pretty much what it sounds like now. Moment gone. Champagne, unopened. Suckville, population: me.
It's pretty pathetic that the moment I remember most (and even most fondly) is something that ended in tragedy. Such is the life of a Cubs fan.
I remember everything from that night, down to the smell in the college dorm basement I was in and the cheap beer I almost choked on. I was gloating, getting ready to spring off the couch in celebration, and then... Yea. Definitely most memorable moment, not sure about best.
ReplyDeleteGood point, Katie. Its memorableness probably exceeded its greatness. That feeling of actually winning a playoff series against the Braves . . . it's hard to even remember what that feels like. Would be nice to be reminded, don't you think?
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