Most famous game you attended

I already listed the Gibson HR game as #1, but will add Game 5 of the Angels-Red Sox ALDS in 1986 as #1B.

I had a credential that would only allow me into the interview room and was trying to figure out how to sneak into the Angels clubhouse when Henderson took Donnie Moore deep.

 

I was at that one too. Was pretty amazing, until Game Six of the Series kind of took priority.

 

That was a crazy year with the Angels coming so close to their first World Series then the Red Sox coming just a close to breaking their curse, both to be foiled one out away.

 

I went on a panel show on the local PBS outlet after it was over and summed it up by saying "Ah, two weeks on the road with a .500 ballclub." Everyone laughed, but I was never invited back

 

I attended the only NFL Playoff game where a Vince Lombardi coached team lost the game.

 

Patriots vs. Raiders, 1976 divisional playoff game when Kenny Stabler scored on a 2-yard sneak with 10 seconds left for the win. Also saw Willie McCovey hit his 500th career home run in Atlanta in 1978.

 

I'm sure there are reporters or photographers will more impressive lists, but for mostly an inside guy I've got three pretty good ones. I was at American Pharoah's Belmont victory. But that wasn't nearly as exciting as the first Giants-Patriots Super Bowl (Helmet Catch) or the Buckner game in '86 (with my Dad), which probably still tops the list because of its suddenness.

 

The mention of Michael Jordan jogged my memory, and I can't believe I actually forgot it, but my brother and I were in the nosebleed seats at the Superdome for the '82 NCAA Final, UNC vs. Georgetown. Hardly anyone knew who Jordan was (James Worthy was the stud for the Heels), and what stood out was not Jordan's game-winning shot, but Sleepy Floyd throwing the ball away on the ensuing possession.

 

I was there, too. Behind the basket where Jordan made the shot, but about 200 feet up in the upper deck.

It's quite the exaggeration to say hardly anyone knew who Jordan was. He was a celebrated freshman -- one of the first freshmen ever to start for Dean, as I recall -- and was the ACC rookie of the year. He wasn't the team's biggest star, but he was certainly not an unknown.

I was also at the Superdome for Keith Smart's NCAA-winning shot in 1987. My seat for that one was right next to the press box, where the concrete wall jutting out prevented my friend and I from seeing half the court. So we spent the game wandering around the lower deck, watching from the entrances to the seating area. We'd stand at one entrance for a few minutes until the event staff chased us off, then move on to the next one.

 

Those are pretty good indeed.

 

Yeah, it's probably overstating quite a bit it to say hardly anyone knew who Jordan was. Basketball fans certainly knew who he was, but he hadn't become MICHAEL JORDAN yet. Your strategy for the '87 final sounds like what we did for the regional final in 1981. We come on the Friday night to see Kansas play Wichita then came back on Sunday afternoon to watch LSU and Wichita in the final. We had seats in the terrace, but we found a stairwell and wandered down to the lower level and hung out there for the entire game.

 

I was there with my brother. Back when you'd send away to get in the lottery for tickets. I was still in college and my brother had his first real job. We were sitting in the upper deck for the Providence game and we were way the fuck up there. We said, "fuck this" and bought a couple of concession passes from some kids selling cokes. I swear, we paid them five dollars each. We walked around anywhere between games. I was in the bowels of the Superdome and walked by Tarkanian 15 minutes before the second semi started. He was wearing a brown suit, as I recall.

We used our upper deck tickets to get into the Monday game as well, and the same passes to sit down low. I have the pass somewhere here in my office, for some reason.