Clinching Games and You

thealmighty · 10-16-2011, 01:12 PM

arlington Stadium. October 15, 2011. Section 237, Row 10, Seat 10.

Mount Rushmore of $200 purchases- don't know about the other three, but last night's ticket will be on there forever, seeing as how it was my first clinching game in person (and I'm even older than Bucc

).

If you've been to a game like that, you understand how it is exponentially cooler in person than on TV. Obviously the drama was over relatively quickly, but it's just plain sweet how the fans become best buds, high fiving and hugging with every hit, every out that brings your team closer to the goal that many never reach. Awesome^10!!

So, any other FOFCers and clincher stories?

Glengoyne · 10-16-2011, 02:01 PM

No Clinchers, but

Quote:

Originally Posted by thealmighty

... (and I'm even older than Bucc

).
...

At first I doubted, but after reconsidering your name, I guess God could be older than Bucc.

sterlingice · 10-16-2011, 02:11 PM

Young Drachma · 10-16-2011, 03:11 PM

Game 3 of the 2007 NLDS Phillies @ Rockies. It was cool, specifically because I went to a Rockies game during the regular season -- first time I'd set in a luxury box -- when it was the last time they'd lost before they went on that torrid winning streak. We went back a few weeks later when the win streak was going on and got to see Greg Maddux on the hill which was a treat when he was a Padre and then I managed to get playoff tickets extremely easily because since it was the first time the Rockies had made the postseason; baseball fans locally didn't really do the normal mad rush to get tickets.

If I'd wanted to, would've gotten NLCS tickets too...but I didn't end up doing that and by the time my friends decided they wanted to go too, folks had figured out the process a bit better. Still, that game was especially fun. Coors Field was packed, face value club seats were quite nice and worth it if you don't want to get up and miss any of the action and it worked out that the people around me were actual baseball fans which doesn't always happen at Coors; so we could have actual baseball chat. For a while, I felt like I was at Fenway except for the cramped seats. It was that good.

Radii · 10-16-2011, 04:16 PM

2003 Game 5 NLDS, Chicago beat Atlanta in Atlanta (the series before Chicago/Florida and the Bartman game). I went to all three of those games in Atlanta. The stadium was full of Cubs fans, stories were everywhere from guys who flew down or drove down from Chicago b/c they couldn't get tickets to the games at Wrigley. The Cubs won the game rather easily. More than anything I'll never forget waving my Cubs hat in the air and singing take me out to the ball game during the 7th inning stretch and shouting "Root root root for the CUBBIES" at the top of my lungs and realizing that everyone else in the stadium was singing it that way too.

JonInMiddleGA · 10-16-2011, 04:41 PM

I've told the story before, but ... I was there The Night Sid Slid, sending the Braves to the WS.

The most memorable parts of that moment to me are feeling the vibration of the stadium under my feet (I wasn't completely sure the upper deck wasn't going to come down) and realizing that it was the first time I ever said "motherfucker" in front of a parent (as in "slide, motherfucker, slide !")

molson · 10-16-2011, 05:33 PM

I've been to two, I drove down from Oregon to Oakland for Red Sox/A's ALDS game 5 in 2003...That was an eventful game, Johnny Damon got taken off on a stretcher after an outfield collision and Derek Lowe came out of the bullpen to save the game, striking out Terrence Long with the bases loaded and a 1-run lead in the bottom of the 9th.

Then I was at game 3 and the clinching game 4 of the 2007 Sox/Rockies World Series in Denver.

I got tickets for both through the regular online sale, and a lot of other Red Sox fans did also - in both games the stands were filled with New England transplants, so that part was fun too - going to a rooftop bar in Denver before the game and running into dozens of people who grew up near where I did, sometimes finding people with friends in common, etc.

JonInMiddleGA · 10-16-2011, 06:11 PM

I was also on hand the night the Atlanta Knights won the Turner Cup, still no more enjoyable sports moment in person for me than that one. The single most memorable moment didn't happen on the ice, or at least,it wasn't supposed to involve the ice. Here's a blogger's description of the event, which is better than what I could have managed anyway.

Quote:

Richard Adler, Knights VP, had hired this guy "Claude the Happy Trumpeter" (from Quebec, I think) to wear a Knights jersey, blow his horn, and lead cheers during the Playoffs. Early in the 2nd period of the clinching game, he announces himself with a fanfare, runs down the aisle to the plexiglass, throws himself up against it...and crashes through to the ice below, knocking himself out. The game was delayed about twenty minutes as they collected him off the ice and replaced the panel he'd shattered (he was okay...he came back near the end of the game wearing a neckbrace; it was hilarious). All I could think of, other than trying to keep from spilling my beer and pissing myself with laughter, was that the whole thing was just so utterly "Slap Shot"-esque...and that somewhere Up There, Strother Martin had to be smiling.

JetsIn06 · 10-16-2011, 06:25 PM

2003 ALCS, Yanks Sox Game 7, Aaron Boone. Absolutely incredible.

Vince, Pt. II · 10-16-2011, 07:02 PM

Not quite a clincher, but Game 1 of the World Series last year was easily the best sporting moment of my life.

sterlingice · 10-16-2011, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

I was also on hand the night the Atlanta Knights won the Turner Cup, still no more enjoyable sports moment in person for me than that one. The single most memorable moment didn't happen on the ice, or at least,it wasn't supposed to involve the ice. Here's a blogger's description of the event, which is better than what I could have managed anyway.

For minor leagues, I was at the NBADL championship game a couple of years ago when I was at training in Boise. It was game 3 of the best of 3 and Boise won it, so it was pretty fun. We were still able to find really good seats for $10 the day of, so I don't think it was as big an event as they were hoping.

SI

General Mike · 10-16-2011, 07:47 PM

Closest I've been was Game 162 of the 1999 regular season for the Mets, but that only forced a play-in game with the Reds.

Toddzilla · 10-16-2011, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radii

2003 Game 5 NLDS, Chicago beat Atlanta in Atlanta (the series before Chicago/Florida and the Bartman game). I went to all three of those games in Atlanta. The stadium was full of Cubs fans, stories were everywhere from guys who flew down or drove down from Chicago b/c they couldn't get tickets to the games at Wrigley. The Cubs won the game rather easily. More than anything I'll never forget waving my Cubs hat in the air and singing take me out to the ball game during the 7th inning stretch and shouting "Root root root for the CUBBIES" at the top of my lungs and realizing that everyone else in the stadium was singing it that way too.

I think that was the game Joe Borowski struck out the side in the 9th and looked as unhittable as any reliever I'd ever seen. Chipper and Andruw - arguably in their primes - had no idea what was coming and struck out with ease.

Peregrine · 10-16-2011, 10:07 PM

Not really a clincher, or baseball related, but for me:

June 19, 2006 - being in the RBC Centerin Raleigh for the 7th game of the Stanley Cup finals and watching my Hurricanes take the Cup - don't think I'll ever have another sports experience that comes close to that.

kcchief19 · 10-17-2011, 04:11 AM

Technically a clincher, but without a doubt the most amazing crowd experience I ever had was when Missouri beat Kansas at Arrowhead Stadium to win their first Big 12 North title.

The circumstances of the game being for the No. 1 ranking, our first No. 1 ranking in nearly 50 years, the Border War rivalry game and the first time at Arrowhead with a sold out crowd made it amazing. Strangers hugging strangers, dogs and cats living together ... mass hysteria.

Suburban Rhythm · 10-17-2011, 07:29 AM

I've been on the wrong side of a clincher. I was at game 6 of the SCF, Pittsburgh-Detroit 2008. So I saw the Wings clinch. Wasn't so great

I've been at other clinching games, in earlier series/years.

The three games that stand out most are:

Game 6 SCF 2009, same as above, different outcome this time, Pens win game 2-1, go on to win game 7.

Game 6 ECQF 1999, Penguins-Devils. Devils lead series 3-2, and this was the beginning of the bankruptcy stuff for the Pens. Devils led 1-0 and 2-1.
Jagr scored with about 2 minutes left to tie 2-2, then he scored in OT. Pens went on to win series.

dfisher · 10-17-2011, 07:40 AM

2008 World Series - Game 5; both parts. My wife got me a Sunday season ticket package for Christmas, which gave us the right to purchase playoff tickets. When I got game 5 for the World Series, I knew there was a chance it might be a clincher. Leaving from the first part of the game after Hamels gave up the lead was depressing, compounded by being completely soaked and cold. Plus, my wife went to try to buy a sweatshirt 20 minutes before they called the game and didn't make it back, so we were trying to call each other among a mass of people.

Then, we made it back for the rest of the game, and it was the greatest moment of my life watching sports. We stayed until the kicked us out and then joined the party outside.

Honolulu_Blue · 10-17-2011, 07:48 AM

I saw the Wings win the Stanley Cup in D.C. in 1998.

That was pretty awesome.

I remember we hung around, dancing in the streets, after the game. I got my Wings jersey signed by Don Cherry and Ron MaClean of Hockey Night In Canada fame. I then I saw the Wings in their bus and ran along side cheering and waving.

Good times!

Philliesfan980 · 10-17-2011, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dfisher

2008 World Series - Game 5; both parts. My wife got me a Sunday season ticket package for Christmas, which gave us the right to purchase playoff tickets. When I got game 5 for the World Series, I knew there was a chance it might be a clincher. Leaving from the first part of the game after Hamels gave up the lead was depressing, compounded by being completely soaked and cold. Plus, my wife went to try to buy a sweatshirt 20 minutes before they called the game and didn't make it back, so we were trying to call each other among a mass of people.

Then, we made it back for the rest of the game, and it was the greatest moment of my life watching sports. We stayed until the kicked us out and then joined the party outside.

I was also at that game - easily the best sporting event of my life.

Glengoyne · 10-17-2011, 12:00 PM

I've been to NFL championship games in San Francisco, but oddly they don't stand out as much as even baseball series that I've watched on TV. I guess that is an inherent difference between the two sports.

Some of my fondest sports memories were of the NCAA baseball regionals that Fresno State used to host. At those events I saw Mark Mcgwire, Rodney Peete, John Olerud, not to mention all of Fresno's own future major leaguers do spectacular things on the baseball field. OK Peete's actions weren't spectacular, but he was famous at the time.

In what turned out to be essentially a three game series ending the 88 regional where Fresno State beat USC two out of three games to make it to the CWS. One of those went seventeen innings, one of those games was won by the score of 18 to 17.

Some great memories there. My favorite is a Fresno State runner trying to score the winning run against Notre Dame. He was on second base and the batter drove a line drive into the left field corner. The ball caromed cleanly to the left fielder who drilled a throw to the shortstop, who in turn relayed a frozen rope to the plate. The result is a new unit of measure known only to my close friends and I. Base runners can be thrown out by a "Vondran", which is about 25 feet. I swear he must have been dragging an anchor.

Commo_Soldier · 10-17-2011, 08:50 PM

Not so much a playoff game, but I was at game 163 of the Tigers/Twins in 2009 which was also sweet as it was the last official regular season game in Metrodome history.

I've never been in such an atmosphere as crazy as that was. I can honestly say that was the only time I've ever just instinctually high-fived random strangers.

JS19 · 10-17-2011, 09:08 PM

2000, Game 5 of the Subway Series. Sitting in history class, teacher tells me I have a phone call and head down to the main office. Pick up the phone and my mom says, "Get your bag, I won tickets on the radio and you and your brother are heading to Shea for Game 5." I'm a diehard Mets fan so it was bittersweet, but it was a competitive game and the overall atmosphere was something I'll never forget.

lungs · 10-17-2011, 09:10 PM

I was on the wrong side of the clincher last night.... Cardinals beating the Brewers. I stayed around for the last pitch but got out of there fairly quickly after that.

JeeberD · 10-18-2011, 10:55 AM

I was at Game 6 of the 2000 Stanley Cup finals in Dallas and saw the Devils get to skate with the Cup. It was an interesting thing to experience, but wasn't all that joyful...

10-16-2011, 02:11 PM	#3
sterlingice Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Back in Houston!	SI __________________ Houston Hippopotami, III.3: 20th Anniversary Thread - All former HT players are encouraged to check it out! Janos: "Only America could produce an imbecile of your caliber!" Freakazoid: "That's because we make lots of things better than other people!"

10-16-2011, 03:11 PM	#4
Young Drachma Dark Cloud Join Date: Apr 2001	Game 3 of the 2007 NLDS Phillies @ Rockies. It was cool, specifically because I went to a Rockies game during the regular season -- first time I'd set in a luxury box -- when it was the last time they'd lost before they went on that torrid winning streak. We went back a few weeks later when the win streak was going on and got to see Greg Maddux on the hill which was a treat when he was a Padre and then I managed to get playoff tickets extremely easily because since it was the first time the Rockies had made the postseason; baseball fans locally didn't really do the normal mad rush to get tickets. If I'd wanted to, would've gotten NLCS tickets too...but I didn't end up doing that and by the time my friends decided they wanted to go too, folks had figured out the process a bit better. Still, that game was especially fun. Coors Field was packed, face value club seats were quite nice and worth it if you don't want to get up and miss any of the action and it worked out that the people around me were actual baseball fans which doesn't always happen at Coors; so we could have actual baseball chat. For a while, I felt like I was at Fenway except for the cramped seats. It was that good. __________________ Current dynasty: Hard Knocks Tennis Sim Dynasty \| OOTP Mod: Managerial Strategy Files \| GM Excel Competitive Balance Tax/Revenue Sharing Calc \| FBCB Mods on Github Last edited by Young Drachma : 10-16-2011 at 03:13 PM.

10-16-2011, 04:41 PM	#6
JonInMiddleGA Hall Of Famer Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Behind Enemy Lines in Athens, GA	I've told the story before, but ... I was there The Night Sid Slid, sending the Braves to the WS. The most memorable parts of that moment to me are feeling the vibration of the stadium under my feet (I wasn't completely sure the upper deck wasn't going to come down) and realizing that it was the first time I ever said "motherfucker" in front of a parent (as in "slide, motherfucker, slide !") __________________ "I lit another cigarette. Unless I specifically inform you to the contrary, I am always lighting another cigarette." - from a novel by Martin Amis Last edited by JonInMiddleGA : 10-16-2011 at 04:42 PM.

10-16-2011, 05:33 PM	#7
molson General Manager Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: The Mountains	I've been to two, I drove down from Oregon to Oakland for Red Sox/A's ALDS game 5 in 2003...That was an eventful game, Johnny Damon got taken off on a stretcher after an outfield collision and Derek Lowe came out of the bullpen to save the game, striking out Terrence Long with the bases loaded and a 1-run lead in the bottom of the 9th. Then I was at game 3 and the clinching game 4 of the 2007 Sox/Rockies World Series in Denver. I got tickets for both through the regular online sale, and a lot of other Red Sox fans did also - in both games the stands were filled with New England transplants, so that part was fun too - going to a rooftop bar in Denver before the game and running into dozens of people who grew up near where I did, sometimes finding people with friends in common, etc. Last edited by molson : 10-16-2011 at 05:34 PM.

10-17-2011, 07:29 AM	#16
Suburban Rhythm Pro Starter Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Pittsburgh	I've been on the wrong side of a clincher. I was at game 6 of the SCF, Pittsburgh-Detroit 2008. So I saw the Wings clinch. Wasn't so great I've been at other clinching games, in earlier series/years. The three games that stand out most are: Game 6 SCF 2009, same as above, different outcome this time, Pens win game 2-1, go on to win game 7. Game 6 ECQF 1999, Penguins-Devils. Devils lead series 3-2, and this was the beginning of the bankruptcy stuff for the Pens. Devils led 1-0 and 2-1. Jagr scored with about 2 minutes left to tie 2-2, then he scored in OT. Pens went on to win series. __________________ "Do you guys play fast tempos with odd time signatures?" "Yeah" "Cool!!"

10-16-2011, 04:16 PM	#5
Radii Head Coach Join Date: Jul 2001	2003 Game 5 NLDS, Chicago beat Atlanta in Atlanta (the series before Chicago/Florida and the Bartman game). I went to all three of those games in Atlanta. The stadium was full of Cubs fans, stories were everywhere from guys who flew down or drove down from Chicago b/c they couldn't get tickets to the games at Wrigley. The Cubs won the game rather easily. More than anything I'll never forget waving my Cubs hat in the air and singing take me out to the ball game during the 7th inning stretch and shouting "Root root root for the CUBBIES" at the top of my lungs and realizing that everyone else in the stadium was singing it that way too.

10-16-2011, 06:25 PM	#9
JetsIn06 Pro Rookie Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Rahway, NJ	2003 ALCS, Yanks Sox Game 7, Aaron Boone. Absolutely incredible.

10-16-2011, 07:02 PM	#10
Vince, Pt. II Pro Starter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Somewhere More Familiar	Not quite a clincher, but Game 1 of the World Series last year was easily the best sporting moment of my life.

10-16-2011, 07:47 PM	#12
General Mike Pro Starter Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: The State of Rutgers	Closest I've been was Game 162 of the 1999 regular season for the Mets, but that only forced a play-in game with the Reds.

10-16-2011, 10:07 PM	#14
Peregrine Pro Starter Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Cary, NC	Not really a clincher, or baseball related, but for me: June 19, 2006 - being in the RBC Centerin Raleigh for the 7th game of the Stanley Cup finals and watching my Hurricanes take the Cup - don't think I'll ever have another sports experience that comes close to that.

10-17-2011, 04:11 AM	#15
kcchief19 Pro Starter Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Kansas City, MO	Technically a clincher, but without a doubt the most amazing crowd experience I ever had was when Missouri beat Kansas at Arrowhead Stadium to win their first Big 12 North title. The circumstances of the game being for the No. 1 ranking, our first No. 1 ranking in nearly 50 years, the Border War rivalry game and the first time at Arrowhead with a sold out crowd made it amazing. Strangers hugging strangers, dogs and cats living together ... mass hysteria.

10-17-2011, 07:40 AM	#17
dfisher High School JV Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Hatboro, PA	2008 World Series - Game 5; both parts. My wife got me a Sunday season ticket package for Christmas, which gave us the right to purchase playoff tickets. When I got game 5 for the World Series, I knew there was a chance it might be a clincher. Leaving from the first part of the game after Hamels gave up the lead was depressing, compounded by being completely soaked and cold. Plus, my wife went to try to buy a sweatshirt 20 minutes before they called the game and didn't make it back, so we were trying to call each other among a mass of people. Then, we made it back for the rest of the game, and it was the greatest moment of my life watching sports. We stayed until the kicked us out and then joined the party outside.

10-17-2011, 07:48 AM	#18
Honolulu_Blue Hockey Boy Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Royal Oak, MI	I saw the Wings win the Stanley Cup in D.C. in 1998. That was pretty awesome. I remember we hung around, dancing in the streets, after the game. I got my Wings jersey signed by Don Cherry and Ron MaClean of Hockey Night In Canada fame. I then I saw the Wings in their bus and ran along side cheering and waving. Good times! __________________ *Steve Yzerman*: 1,755 points in 1,514 regular season games. 185 points in 196 postseason games. A First-Team All-Star, Conn Smythe Trophy winner, Selke Trophy winner, Masterton Trophy winner, member of the Hockey Hall of Fame, Olympic gold medallist, and a three-time Stanley Cup Champion. Longest serving captain of one team in the history of the NHL (19 seasons).

10-17-2011, 12:00 PM	#20
Glengoyne Grizzled Veteran Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Fresno, CA	I've been to NFL championship games in San Francisco, but oddly they don't stand out as much as even baseball series that I've watched on TV. I guess that is an inherent difference between the two sports. Some of my fondest sports memories were of the NCAA baseball regionals that Fresno State used to host. At those events I saw Mark Mcgwire, Rodney Peete, John Olerud, not to mention all of Fresno's own future major leaguers do spectacular things on the baseball field. OK Peete's actions weren't spectacular, but he was famous at the time. In what turned out to be essentially a three game series ending the 88 regional where Fresno State beat USC two out of three games to make it to the CWS. One of those went seventeen innings, one of those games was won by the score of 18 to 17. Some great memories there. My favorite is a Fresno State runner trying to score the winning run against Notre Dame. He was on second base and the batter drove a line drive into the left field corner. The ball caromed cleanly to the left fielder who drilled a throw to the shortstop, who in turn relayed a frozen rope to the plate. The result is a new unit of measure known only to my close friends and I. Base runners can be thrown out by a "Vondran", which is about 25 feet. I swear he must have been dragging an anchor.

10-17-2011, 08:50 PM	#21
Commo_Soldier College Benchwarmer Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: JBLM, WA	Not so much a playoff game, but I was at game 163 of the Tigers/Twins in 2009 which was also sweet as it was the last official regular season game in Metrodome history. I've never been in such an atmosphere as crazy as that was. I can honestly say that was the only time I've ever just instinctually high-fived random strangers. __________________ I killed a wolf and I liked it.

10-17-2011, 09:08 PM	#22
JS19 College Prospect Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: NY	2000, Game 5 of the Subway Series. Sitting in history class, teacher tells me I have a phone call and head down to the main office. Pick up the phone and my mom says, "Get your bag, I won tickets on the radio and you and your brother are heading to Shea for Game 5." I'm a diehard Mets fan so it was bittersweet, but it was a competitive game and the overall atmosphere was something I'll never forget.

10-17-2011, 09:10 PM	#23
lungs Pro Rookie Join Date: May 2002 Location: Prairie du Sac, WI	I was on the wrong side of the clincher last night.... Cardinals beating the Brewers. I stayed around for the last pitch but got out of there fairly quickly after that.

10-18-2011, 10:55 AM	#24
JeeberD General Manager Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: The Town of Flower Mound	I was at Game 6 of the 2000 Stanley Cup finals in Dallas and saw the Devils get to skate with the Cup. It was an interesting thing to experience, but wasn't all that joyful... __________________ UTEP Miners!!! I solemnly swear to never cheer for TO

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