Haven't really watched a lot of sport, so nothing that I was really invested in, but the most "WTAF just happened" was probably Germany-Brazil in 2014.. They just kept scoring! Watched it in a hotel bar in Caen, surrounded by some sort of works trip made up of about 20 Germans and one Brazilian guy 😀
That was like a batting collapse in cricket - psychological contagion, where the whole team just collectively loses their bottle. You can see how it happens in cricket, but quite rare to see in football.timb34 - MemberHaven't really watched a lot of sport, so nothing that I was really invested in, but the most "WTAF just happened" was probably Germany-Brazil in 2014.. They just kept scoring! Watched it in a hotel bar in Caen, surrounded by some sort of works trip made up of about 20 Germans and one Brazilian guy
For pure jaw dropping sporting incident, it has to be Sagan crashing at Flanders this year. We were on the barriers about 10ft from where he clipped a fellas jacket and he went down with Naesen and Van Avermaet. Gilbert's lead was pretty much insurmountable after that. As Inner Ring would say - it was where the race was won. We were on the peasants' side of the course with the VIPs opposite - clearly many of them had a few quid of Sagan or GVA to win - I had a fiver on Gilbert. Pure drama, adrenaline and blind panic. Awesome.
That was like a batting collapse in cricket - psychological contagion, where the whole team just collectively loses their bottle. You can see how it happens in cricket, but quite rare to see in football.
But it's also in several people's moments above - I'm thinking the Instanbul CL Final. We watched the first half in the pub and at halftime my mates said it was done and over and we should go to a quieter pub with better beer / a curry. I said let's give it 5-10 mins, if Liverpool get a goal it could all change. Then at 2 behind, another goal can come anytime and then you're a moment away, the difference between a 3 goal lead and 2 goal lead is huge.
And then Milan just collectively lost their bottle - you could see the body language was 'shit - we were 3-0 up and we might screw this up' and then panic sets in.
It's the aspect of sport that fascinates me, they ALL have the best skills, but who can do it when the pressures properly on, and who crumples. If there was no such thing as pressure, no-one would ever miss a penalty again.
In person
Gazza at Wembley
April 1989: Scores his first international goal to help England to a 5-0 win over Albania.
The ashes series of 2005. A full summer of scintillating, topsy turvy cricket that went to the final day of the final test with everything to play for. After decades of decline we suddenly had a team. A bloody good team that could bat, bowl and catch the bloody ball! And we won the ashes back. I personally don't think there is a sweeter triumph in sport than that. More impressive, more valuable, more important? Perhaps. Sweeter. Nope.
and catch the bloody ball!
every time I see Strauss's catch I have to rewind it and watch again.
'I've got that...... no, it's just a bit too far....... but if I REALLY stretch then......yep!'
Scotland v France to win the grand slam in 84. Spine tingling and first time at Murrayfield.
McRae Wrc in 95 - epic And watched through kielder.
On tv, Stephen Roche almost catching Delgado.
Not everyones cup of tea, but someone mentioned Dennis Taylor above and it reminded me of Cliff Thorburn making the first ever televised 147. I was 9 at the time and seeing the players on the other table stop their match to watch around the screen made you realize just how special a moment it was.
Cleland v Soper at Silverstone final race of the1992 BTCC. Truly epic.
Cleland v Mansel 1998 Donington
Not a big sport fan but do enjoy bits. But I loved this on TV. Watched BTCC at Knockhill a few times motor sport is sometimes better on TV than picking a corner on the track IMO/
In person, Munster winning the Heineken Cup against Biarritz in Cardiff after being the nearly-boys for so many years. I remember the big screen switching to pictures of O'Connell street in Limerick which was just a sea of humanity. The crowd there knew we could all see them. And we knew they were watching us. If there's ever been a moment where a crowd hundreds of miles away influenced a game, that was it. (Of course many said it was unfair on Biarritz which was probably true; not that we gave a shite!)
Also in person, Liverpool absolutely mugging Arsenal for the FA cup in 2001. Outplayed for most of the game. The Henchoz handball and Owen's goal to make it 2-1. All in blazing sunshine, and a brilliant pre- and post-match atmosphere between all the fans.
On TV in a pub...the green machine's Grand Slam and RoI beating Romania on penalties to reach the quarter finals of Italia '90.
gawd, how could I forget this.......
I was at University, had finished my finals 4 days before the start of Italia 90 and the whole remaining term was devoted to watching the football and having fun. No-one had a TV and watching in pubs wasn't really a thing yet, so we were watching in the college TV room, while the Arts Society (tried to) stage open air Shakespeare in the grounds.
Blokes who were only watching the play to appear sensitive (and to get in girls pants) went from dropping in to check the score every now and then, to dropping in and watching a bit under the pretence of going to the bar or having a wee, to dropping in because frankly, it was rapidly becoming the only thing worth watching. So when Platty scored that goal the place went absolutely beserk, and lives were nearly lost as the audience for As You Like It suddenly decided they didn't like it and wanted to watch something else instead and stampeded for the TV room.
I never saw the restart or the final whistle, being near the bottom of a 200 man pile on. Brilliant.
On TV Stephen Roche 1987 La Plagne and Lemond winning v Fignon are up there and also England v Scotland and Gazza's goal in the pub and
In person - Peaty worlds , watching Great Britain v Brazil football with my lad at the Olympics and Graham Noyce at Farleigh Castle on the way to winning the worlds
March 1997 UEFA Cup Quarter Finals, Dundee United -v- Barcelona. United won 2-1 at home and 1-0 away.
Lee Bowyer scoring past Dida in the 2000 Champions League. I was sat parallel to the edge of the area at the Revie Stand end. Its fair to say the place errupted.
I'm a huge Leeds fan and theres not been too much to cheer about in my lifetime but the most amazing sporting event I've not quite witnessed but was listening to on the radio was when Johnny Howson scored against Brizzle to send Leeds up a few years back. My youngest was about 2 at the time and I remember him screaming because he thought something had gone wrong with his dad!
Since I grew up in South Africa:
1992 Cricket World Cup Semi-Final vs England: 22 off 1 ball
1995 Rugby world cup vs New Zealand
Other than that, the comeback by Team Oracle against NZ in the last Americas Cup.
few great northern Irish sporting moments
1982 World Cup beating the hosts Spain with 10 men.
Barry McGuigans world championship fight 1985 and Dennis Taylor's World championship the same year.
Joey dunlops 26th TT
NI qualifying for the euros
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3pATNG0RlxA
