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NBA podcaster Tom Read gave me the inspiration for this article when he tweeted that he was there in person to see Carmelo Anthony’s 37-point explosion at the 2012 London Olympics.
For the uninitiated, Team USA smashed Nigeria 156-73 and ‘Melo’ caught proverbial fire.
In just 14 minutes he went crazy, scoring 37 points and hitting 10 three pointers.
That’s right, 37 points in 14 minutes. Staggering. Even typing that sentence makes me shake my head.
It’s one of those sporting moments etched in my memory, even though I was simply watching on TV. You can only imagine the exhilaration one would feel if they were actually at the game.
Except Tom doesn’t have to imagine. He was there. He witnessed this iconic moment in the flesh. Lucky bastard.
Though jealousy was indeed the first emotion I experienced, the next one was delight. To realise someone I knew was there for that moment was actually pretty cool. And my thoughts immediately turned to The Roar, because I knew this nutbag community of sports fans would have their own similar stories that would blow me away.
And I want to hear about them.
As a little inspiration, I’ll list the iconic sporting moments that I was fortunate enough to be present at:
At long last, the Waratahs!
Waratahs versus Crusaders, Super Rugby Final, Homebush, August 2014
This one is fresh in the memory, but I can assure you, as a long-suffering Tahs fan, it won’t be erased any time soon. To be there at the very moment that Bernard Foley’s kick wobbled over the crossbar, and then hearing the final siren a few seconds later, was nothing short of amazing.
It was emotional. It was exciting. It was nerve-wracking. Above all, it was fantastic to be there to help dull the pain of every Waratahs defeat, and every season of unfilled potential.
The greatest game of rugby ever played
Wallabies versus All Blacks, Bledisloe Cup, Homebush, July 2000
What more needs to be said? Though Australia ended up on the wrong side of the scoreboard, any time a game is described as the ‘greatest’, you should feel pretty lucky to be there.
The strangest thing about this Test is just how bad it started. The All Blacks led 24-0 after nine minutes, with tries to Tana Umaga, Christian Cullen and Pita Alatini, along with an Andrew Mehrtens penalty.
However, the Wallabies fought back, and the game went right down to the wire, before a Jonah Lomu try sealed a famous victory for New Zealand in front of a crowd of 110,000, of which I was blessed to be one.
LJ pulls Lisa Leslie’s hair out
Opals versus Team USA, Sydney Olympics, Homebush 2000
Though the result of the gold medal game didn’t go the way Australia wanted, it was a thrill to see the Opals give the mighty USA team all they could handle.
This game will forever be remembered for Lauren Jackson getting tangled up with her arch-nemesis Lisa Leslie, and pulling her hair out. To be more accurate, Leslie was wearing hair extensions, and LJ accidentally yanked one out. It startled her, and she screamed before throwing it away. It’s comical in hindsight, but it was surreal live.
This memory is even more special for me, because post-game the Opals did a lap of honour with their home crowd, and Annie La Fleur – a long-time family friend – spotted me, and ran over to give me a hug. I can tell you, it’s quite the buzz to be recognised and hugged by a silver medalist.
Joey Johns’ Origin masterclass
State of Origin Game 2 , Homebush, June 2005
I’m still in awe when I think about this match, as rarely have I seen one player have such an impact on a game of sport. Joey absolutely dominated.
The champion halfback was coming back from serious injury, having only returned to the NRL ten days earlier, and there was plenty of talk that he wasn’t ready for Origin football. Adding to the drama, the Blues were already down one-nil and facing a series loss.
Joey responded by almost single-handedly dismantling the Maroons in a performance for the ages. It was a special moment in rugby league, and I was proud to be there for it.
England – finally – win back the Ashes
England versus Australia, The Oval in Surrey, September 2005
I can’t believe three of my iconic sporting events are when Australia lost, and as an Australian, this was easily the least fun of all of them to be at. Yet I can’t deny how momentous it felt at the time.
After years of one-sided Ashes series and Australian domination, Freddie Flintoff, Michael Vaughan, Kevin Pietersen and the rest of the English gang finally won back the famous urn in 2005, and unfortunately I was there to experience cricket history on days one and five.
Warne, McGrath and Langer’s last Test
Australia versus England, Sydney Cricket Ground, January 2007
The pain of 2005 was soon partially erased by the euphoria of winning the Ashes back in convincing fashion, courtesy of a 5-0 drubbing in the summer of 2006/2007.
The euphoria of the revenge against England was matched by the sadness of saying farewell to three of the greatest players to ever wear the baggy green, as Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer played their last Test in Sydney.
Though the Test itself is fairly unmemorable, saying goodbye to Warney and Pigeon – two players who make a lot of people’s all-time best XI – added a strong sense of history to the occasion.
I’ve got a few more, but it’s time Roarers made me jealous.
What iconic sporting events were you lucky enough to be at?