ESPN's Top 25 Games of the Decade

[SpongeWorthy]

http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/rank?versionId=1&listId=440

 

Pretty good list I think. My biggest disagreement would be putting in the 100 meter butterfly over the 4x100 freestyle relay with the monster Jason Lezac comeback on the final leg. But I guess that wasn't Phelpsy enough.

 

Best: 2007 Fiesta Bowl. This game still boggles my mind.

[Wilson A2000]

I hate to say it (maybe it isn't a top game), but game 6 of the NLCS in 2003 could be an omission.

[SouthSideRyan]

No 2005 Regional Final means no list of value.

[SpongeWorthy]

No 2005 Regional Final means no list of value.

 

Ohh yeah. That's an oversight for sure.

 

I'm going to watch all of these games on YouTube.

[shnsajax]

I hate to say it (maybe it isn't a top game), but game 6 of the NLCS in 2003 could be an omission.

 

Nothing about that game was really great or at least anything that the players did on the field, just highlighted by a fan/curse/collapse.

[SouthSideRyan]

Granted, I'm not a big golf fan, but those two matches listed don't seem too special to me.

[bukie]

Disappointing that there wasn't a single Chicago/Illinois-related game in the list.

 

What games would even be ballpark in a list like that from a Chicago POV? Illinois-Arizona '05, for sure (hey, it even took place in Chicago), probably some of the 2005 World Series, some of the 2003 NLDS/NLCS, some of the 2005-06 NFL playoffs, and some of the crazy games in the 2001 Bears season.

[SpongeWorthy]

If Watson had won the British it would've been bigger. The only golf tournament that probably approaches those two would've been Mickelson's first major victory in the Masters. That was a huge deal at the time.

[SouthSideRyan]

Disappointing that there wasn't a single Chicago/Illinois-related game in the list.

 

What games would even be ballpark in a list like that from a Chicago POV? Illinois-Arizona '05, for sure (hey, it even took place in Chicago), probably some of the 2005 World Series, some of the 2003 NLDS/NLCS, some of the 2005-06 NFL playoffs, and some of the crazy games in the 2001 Bears season.

 

Yeah how does the Astros NLDS marathon make it, but not the Astros-White Sox marathon in the actual world series??

[SpongeWorthy]

Disappointing that there wasn't a single Chicago/Illinois-related game in the list.

 

What games would even be ballpark in a list like that from a Chicago POV? Illinois-Arizona '05, for sure (hey, it even took place in Chicago), probably some of the 2005 World Series, some of the 2003 NLDS/NLCS, some of the 2005-06 NFL playoffs, and some of the crazy games in the 2001 Bears season.

 

Games 2 or 3 of the 2005 World Series, maybe. No one really cared about that series though. Heh, if it had been the Cubs breaking the curse one of them would've been on there for sure.

 

Game 6 of the Boston/Chi series, as a pure game was amazing, but no first round game was gonna get on there.

[UMFan83]

I'm sad my favorite baseball game of the decade isn't on here. That was Rockies/Padres one game playoff. I know it's not even the first round of the playoffs, but it was a terrific drama filled game and the winner ended up going to the World Series.

[UMFan83]

How is a regular season Texas/Texas Tech game on the top 25 list. Granted it was a great game, I remember watching it. But it wasn't any sort of playoff game, neither of the teams won the championship that year (although the loss kept Texas out of the title game). I think there were bigger games that could have gone on the list.

[Terp]

I'm surprised to see only one hockey game on the list.

[SpongeWorthy]

It was the best regular season game of the decade between two teams ranked really high. Back and forth all game with an amazing finish. And the regular season of college football is a quasi-playoff game (BCS still sucks).

 

I think college football has the most games of any sport where you could make an argument for being on that list.

[Andy]

It was the best regular season game of the decade between two teams ranked really high. Back and forth all game with an amazing finish. And the regular season of college football is a quasi-playoff game (BCS still sucks).

 

I think college football has the most games of any sport where you could make an argument for being on that list.

Not that I want to see it on the list, but the Bush Push game could just as easily be on it, and I'm sure there are a slew of examples that fans of other teams could come up with too.

[UMFan83]

I'm surprised to see only one hockey game on the list.

 

I'm not given the source.

[CubbieBum]

There are two massive omissions that would both be in my top ten. The tuck rule game and the Titans/Rams Super bowl. The tuck rule game had bad weather, a back and forth battle decided on the last play and a single play that will be remembered forever. The Super bowl is still by far the best one. It was decided on the last play that wasn't a field goal and it was decided by half a yard where it was unclear for a longtime whether or not Dyson actually scored.

 

Oh and speaking of those playoffs I would say the Music City Miracle should be in there. Somewhere around 20 I would say.

[CubColtPacer]

It was the best regular season game of the decade between two teams ranked really high. Back and forth all game with an amazing finish. And the regular season of college football is a quasi-playoff game (BCS still sucks).

 

I think college football has the most games of any sport where you could make an argument for being on that list.

Not that I want to see it on the list, but the Bush Push game could just as easily be on it, and I'm sure there are a slew of examples that fans of other teams could come up with too.

 

I agree that ND-USC game should be on there. That game had it all and it had the added pressure of supposedly being a USC team for the ages. Big plays on offense, defense, and special teams. Both coaches went for 4th down gambles (Carroll went for a 4th down inside his 20 yard line). The huge drive by ND to take the lead with just a couple minutes left. The 4th down conversion by USC to get it down near the goal line, then the fumble out of play that originally ended the game, and then the Bush push after time was put back on the clock. In my biased opinion, it was definitely a better game than Texas-Texas Tech.

 

They probably didn't put it on there because the USC-Texas game was just as good and that game was for the title.

 

The games that stood out for me from that list as the best are the 2006 Rose Bowl, the two Patriots super bowls, the Colts AFC Championship victory, the 2001 World Series game 7, the 07 Fiesta bowl, the 08 Olympics, and the 09 Big East game.

[CubColtPacer]

There are two massive omissions that would both be in my top ten. The tuck rule game and the Titans/Rams Super bowl. The tuck rule game had bad weather, a back and forth battle decided on the last play and a single play that will be remembered forever. The Super bowl is still by far the best one. It was decided on the last play that wasn't a field goal and it was decided by half a yard where it was unclear for a longtime whether or not Dyson actually scored.

 

Oh and speaking of those playoffs I would say the Music City Miracle should be in there. Somewhere around 20 I would say.

 

I don't think the Titans-Rams Super Bowl is as good because of how boring it was for the first two and a half quarters. It was field goal try after field goal try and several of them weren't made. Plus the Rams were dominating on the scoreboard (16-0). The last 3 minutes were amazing, but it just doesn't match some of the other Super bowls in this decade.

[mul21]

 

Game 6 of the Boston/Chi series, as a pure game was amazing, but no first round game was gonna get on there.

 

Yeah, this was ridiculous. My dad wasn't able to watch and I must have texted him 5 or 6 different times that the game was over one way or the other. That game was probably more exciting than any Jordan era Bulls game I can remember, and I lived and died with those teams.

[CubbieBum]

There's also th 7 OT games in CFB. For my taste I'll take a big game between ranked teams or playoff games over any game against two mediocre teams but some might have it in the top 25.

[Outshined_One]

Disappointing that there wasn't a single Chicago/Illinois-related game in the list.

 

What games would even be ballpark in a list like that from a Chicago POV? Illinois-Arizona '05, for sure (hey, it even took place in Chicago), probably some of the 2005 World Series, some of the 2003 NLDS/NLCS, some of the 2005-06 NFL playoffs, and some of the crazy games in the 2001 Bears season.

 

Yeah how does the Astros NLDS marathon make it, but not the Astros-White Sox marathon in the actual world series??

 

Heck, you could make a strong case for Game 2 of the 2005 ALCS when Pierzynski advanced to first base after striking out in the bottom of the 9th.

[UMFan83]

 

Game 6 of the Boston/Chi series, as a pure game was amazing, but no first round game was gonna get on there.

 

Yeah, this was ridiculous. My dad wasn't able to watch and I must have texted him 5 or 6 different times that the game was over one way or the other. That game was probably more exciting than any Jordan era Bulls game I can remember, and I lived and died with those teams.

 

If Syracuse/UConn, as a Big East tourney game can be on there, why not that game?

[ISUCubsFan]

If we're talking semi-obscure games that should be on the list, the 2001 GMAC Bowl should be included somewhere. I'd also agree that Padres-Rockies Game 163 should be on there, along with the US>France relay and Arizona-Illinois. 2007 Fiesta Bowl is my #1 as well.

[SpongeWorthy]

I'm sure the Titans/Rams Super Bowl wasn't on there because it was the 1999 season.