Top 5 Moments of the 2013 Sports Year

Without the greatest sports moment of 2013, the San Antonio Spurs would have been having a parade instead of the Heat. By Michael Kain, via Wikimedia Commons

Can you believe that it is almost 2014? It seems like just yesterday 2013 started and we were looking forward to another great sports year and it lived up to the hype indeed. There were many great sports moments and memories this season but only five can make my list. Here for my Top 5 Moments of the 2013 Sports Year:

5. October 13, 2013. Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts. 2013 ALCS Game 2

Heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, it looked as the Detroit Tigers would come into Fenway Park and take the first two games of the ALCS, heavily swaying the series in their favor heading back into Detroit. But David Ortiz had other ideas. Trailing 5-1 with two outs left, David Ortiz stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded to face Tigers closer Joaquin Benoit. Nothing had gone the Red Sox’s way on this night but with one pitch, one moment, that would change. Ortiz rocketed a pitch over the outstretched arm of Torii Hunter over the wall in right field to tie the game up. In that, “moment” I knew that this was the Red Sox’s year. Fenway was rocking and all the momentum swayed back to Boston. It was an “I don’t believe what I just saw” type of moment and makes it way onto my list at #5.

4. June 24th 2013. TD Bank Garden. Boston, Massachusetts. 2013 Stanley Cup Finals Game 6

Trailing 2-1 in the game with under two minutes to play it seemed that the Blackhawks would be forced back to Chicago for a series deciding game 7. But the miraculous happened, with 1:16 left to play the Blackhawks tied the game up at 2, stunning the crowd in Boston. The game looked like it would go to overtime yet again, only to have the Blackhawks score another goal only 17 seconds later. Watching this game live, I didn’t believe what I had witnessed. Down by one not even a minute ago, the Blackhawks were up by one with under a minute to play. After the game winning goal went into the net, I knew it was over. The Bruins were shocked to a level that was unseen before and the Blackhawks would finish up that final minute and claim another Stanley Cup trophy for the city of Chicago.

3. November 30, 2013. Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn, Alabama. 2013 Iron Bowl

One of the most incredible sports moments in history only makes it as #3 on my list because it wasn’t for a championship but it was still such an amazing and shocking play that it makes the list nonetheless. Coming into the Iron Bowl both Auburn and Alabama still had a chance to make the BCS Title Game and the winner would more than likely make it there. Trailing by a touchdown late in the fourth quarter, Auburn tied the game at 28. Alabama then drove the ball down the field only to set up what would be the game winning field goal. The field goal went wide right and was improbably returned for a touchdown by Chris Davis to win the game and stun the college football world. An incredible play, incredible moment and hopefully won’t be for nothing as long as Auburn can claim another National Championship.

2. February 3, 2013, Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA. Super Bowl XLVII

The blackout game. Leading 28-6, the Ravens seemed as if they were running away with the Super Bowl title until a mysterious blackout happened and swayed the entire game in favor of the 49ers. In what was legendary linebacker Ray Lewis’s final career game, it was only fitting that the game would end on a defensive stand, something the Ravens have been known for in their history. San Francisco made it interesting, driving the ball down to the goal line only to be stopped four times in a row leading to a Ravens victory. In one of the more memorable Super Bowls in recent memory and it goes on my list as the #2 sports moment in 2013.

1. June 18, 2013. American Airlines Arena, Miami, Florida. NBA Finals Game 6

In what might be the greatest NBA Finals game in history, it not only defined the series but the legacy of LeBron James. One rebound, one boxout and the San Antonio Spurs would have been the world champions but Chris Bosh and Ray Allen saved the Miami Heat’s season and the legacy of the “Chosen One”. The Heat were trailing most of the game and it seemed as if they would not repeat as champions. Even their fans believed they would lose as many of them left the stadium early only to attempt to return as the Heat made something of the game. Down by three, Lebron missed what would have been the tying three pointer only to have Chris Bosh snag the ball out of the air and throw it back in the corner to the best three point shooter in NBA history in Ray Allen. Of course Allen was going to make the tying three, of course he was and he did. Sending the Spurs into disbelief, something we had never seem before from San Antonio. The Heat would go on to win the game in overtime and then eventually win game 7 to claim their re-peat. If that Ray Allen three doesn’t fall, LeBron falls to 1-3 in the NBA Finals and we all look at him differently. But what a game. What a series.