The "Hail Manning"

[Marmel]

"Steve Sabol of venerable NFL Films has called the grab, preceded of course by Manning's wondrous escape from a collapsed pocket, "the greatest play the Super Bowl has ever produced," and there's no sense in even debating the point."

So, considering the setting (The Superbowl) and the opponent (18-0 Patriots) and the time left in the game (1 minute), is this the greatest catch in NFL history? Is it the greatest single play?

[TroyF]

As a Denver fan, I love the helicopter play.

But as a football fan? You'd be hard pressed to come up with a bigger play. It had everything you could ever look for. A great escape, a remarkable catch, it was the key play in a drive that beat an undefeated team, it happened in the final minute of the game. . . I mean, I don't know what more you can ask for.

It wasn't pretty like the Warner to Bruce bomb to win the Super Bowl, but I have to agree with Steve, I don't think it's even worth debating. It's the greatest single play in Super Bowl history for me.

[Radii]

I think it is the greatest single play in NFL history yes. I don't think its really even close, because of the fact that it was in the final 2 minutes of a Super Bowl. The moment in which it occurred elevates it to levels that i don't think anything else can reach. And at the same time, listen to the call:




Is this the worst call of a great play in the history of all sports by Joe Buck? The asshat is practically giving it to us in monotone. Just imagine the Gus Johnson treatment of a play like this.

[Lathum]

I would put it second behind a great 3 yard run Brandon Jacobs had in the second quarter.

[Lathum]

Gives me chills to watch it, the single greatest day of my life as a sports fan.

[Ksyrup]

Eh. That was only 3rd down.

[stevew]

No sense in debating it? Really?

Holmes in the corner of the Endzone to win the game, or Harrison engineering a 10 point swing with a pick 6 on the goalline were at least on par.

[Warhammer]

I don't know, that Warner to Bruce bomb was big too. I mean the Rams were grounded in the second half, Titans had tied the game up, and then BOOM!

[Anthony]

I think it was the greatest play in SB history, but as a Giants fan I'm biased. I think someone would hesitate to name anything "the greatest" these days cuz deep down no sports fan wants to believe it. We hold the previous greatest plays in such high esteem that we'd never allow ourselves to admit that in our modern times we witnessed something even better. Its as if all the iconic greatest plays are written in stone and if we say a play from 2008 is the best it'd cheapen Montana's endzone touchdown or Elway's helicopter dive into the endzone or the Immaculate Reception.

Manning's play to me is the greatest play in SuperBowl history or just plain ole football I ever saw.

[Warhammer]

Even as greatest play in plain old football, I'd give it to Steve Young's scramble against the Vikings, or Roger Craig's run against the Rams where he broke 7 or 8 tackles.

[molson]

I'd have to say "greatest" even though it wasn't necessarily #1 in any individual category (most important, most impressive, etc). But it has the best combination of factors.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by stevew

No sense in debating it? Really?

Holmes in the corner of the Endzone to win the game, or Harrison engineering a 10 point swing with a pick 6 on the goalline were at least on par.

I realize I am a total Giants homer but I really disagree with this. Those two plays are run of the mill plays made every week in the NFL, they just happened to be made at crucial times in the big game.

The Manning play would be an incredible play at any given time of the season, factor in all the other intangibles and IMO the two plays you mention don't even compare. The Holmes catch is more comparable to the game winning catch Plax made 45 seconds later.

[stevew]

What?

Lathum, i dunno what the fuck you're watching.

[Lathum]

In the context of an NFL play what was so special about the Holmes catch?

The Harrison play was a big play and a great play, but not anything never seen before.

[Lathum]

Here is the Holmes catch. Granted it was the gamewinner and he did a great job getting his feet down, but there was nothing special about the throw or the catch, similar plays are made every week in the NFL.

[Ksyrup]

Cris Carter made that catch seemingly every week of the NFL season (except the SB, of course).

[Butter]

Yes, it is the single greatest play in pro football history.

Any arguments to the contrary are likely by deluded Steeler fans.

Oh hi stevew!

[stevew]

hai.

I wish Brandon Jacobs would do something exceptional so i could bask in the aura of his penis.

[Kodos]

Not a Giants fan, but I agree that it is the single greatest play in Super Bowl history.

[Logan]

Probably will hold the #1 spot until an actual Hail Mary wins a SB at the last second. Or something similarly outlandish...like someone blocking a last second chip shot FG, when up by 1 or 2 points.

[jeff061]

I'm going to go ahead and disagree, because I don't believe it happened.

[Kodos]

Sarah Connor: It's like a giant strobe light, burning right through my eyes, but somehow I can still see. Look, you know the dream's the same every night, why do I have to...(the doctor encourages her to continue) The children look like burnt paper, black, not moving. And then, the blast wave hits them and they fly apart like leaves...It's not a dream, you moron, it's real. I know the date it happens...on August 29th, 1997, (exploding with panicked hysterical rage) it's gonna feel pretty FUCKING REAL to you, too! Anybody not wearing two million sunblock is gonna have a real bad day, get it?!...You think you're safe and alive. You're already dead. Everybody, him, you, you're dead already. This whole place. Everything you see is gone. You're the one livin' in a FUCKING dream, Silverman! Because I know it happens. IT HAPPENS! (the video is paused on her angry hysterics)

[johnnyshaka]

Pffft...wasn't as pretty as this one...he wasn't seemingly trapped in the endzone with Bruce Smith hunting him down nor did the play result in a TD. Lame.



I kid, of course, and as much as I despise Eli the play was huge but I think Tyree should get just about all of the credit as Eli threw up a prayer that is likely an interception 50% of the time, an incompletion 49% of the time, or hauled in by Tyree 1% of the time.

[Ronnie Dobbs2]

Tyree's last catch, if I'm not mistaken.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by johnnyshaka

I kid, of course, and as much as I despise Eli the play was huge but I think Tyree should get just about all of the credit as Eli threw up a prayer that is likely an interception 50% of the time, an incompletion 49% of the time, or hauled in by Tyree 1% of the time.

I give Eli virtually zero credit for the pass but a ton of credit for getting out of the sack.

[McSweeny]

I should not have opened this thread

[Blackadar]

The Immaculate Reception is the no-brainer, hands-down greatest play in NFL history. Not only was it an unbelievable, unplanned, amazing play to win a playoff game at the last second; it also helped start a dynasty, ended 40 years of futility for a franchise, kicked off a HoF career for two participants and to this day is debated as whether or not it was even a legal play.

I'd give the Tyree catch the greatest play in SB history. It's certainly an amazing play, but it didn't go for a TD nor was it even 4th down.

[JediKooter]

I have to say, given the parameters:

1. Patriots 16-0 (regular season)
2. Clock winding down
3. QB under extreme pressure
4. A desperation pass
5. A hell of a lucky catch
6. A close game for a Super Bowl (as opposed to them usually being blow outs)

I'd be hard pressed to find a better butt clinching play in a Super Bowl.

[molson]

Originally Posted by Blackadar

The Immaculate Reception is the no-brainer, hands-down greatest play in NFL history. Not only was it an unbelievable, unplanned, amazing play to win a playoff game at the last second; it also helped start a dynasty, ended 40 years of futility for a franchise, kicked off a HoF career for two participants and to this day is debated as whether or not it was even a legal play.

You do have to give it points for the name, too.

You'd think with 500 billion media outlets they'd be better these days at coming up with nicknames for players and famous plays. Maybe the good ones are all used up.

[Jughead Spock]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Not a Giants fan, but I agree that it is the single greatest play in Super Bowl history.

Yup yup.


Coincidentally, I thought the greatest Super Bowl play prior to that was also by a Giant. Mark Ingram against the Bills. If you lived through that and actually saw the game, it was right up there with Tyee's catch.

[Sun Tzu]

[Groundhog]

I'm not a fan of anyone in particular, but I'd say it's the greatest. Probably the greatest single sporting moment I've watched live (...on tv). I'm just happy that after seeing so many highlights of great plays from the history of the NFL, I was able to watch that play the moment it happened.

[Autumn]

Originally Posted by Jughead Spock

Yup yup.


Coincidentally, I thought the greatest Super Bowl play prior to that was also by a Giant. Mark Ingram against the Bills. If you lived through that and actually saw the game, it was right up there with Tyee's catch.

That was a great one in my memories too.

It seems to me that any play which has a Superbowl win on the line is at one level, bigger than most any other play in football. Given that this was not only a Superbowl win on the line but defeating a 17-0 team attempting to make history, that has to elevate it to a level beyond a "normal" Superbowl win.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by Autumn

That was a great one in my memories too.

It seems to me that any play which has a Superbowl win on the line is at one level, bigger than most any other play in football. Given that this was not only a Superbowl win on the line but defeating a 17-0 team attempting to make history, that has to elevate it to a level beyond a "normal" Superbowl win.

Yah. I think that it also represents the greatest underdog moment as well as one of the greatest superbowl moments is what puts it at the top.

[EagleFan]

The play that starts around the 1:55 mark, much better...

[EagleFan]

This one is better if you are talking Super Bowl. An underrated play by the defender. Add that it was the last play in the game with the game in the balance and it is a much better play, just not as "flashy".

[EagleFan]

This definitely beats it if you are talking football history...

[EagleFan]

The 14 second scramble was good too...

[Axxon]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

I'm not a fan of anyone in particular, but I'd say it's the greatest. Probably the greatest single sporting moment I've watched live (...on tv). I'm just happy that after seeing so many highlights of great plays from the history of the NFL, I was able to watch that play the moment it happened.

Probably the greatest single sporting moment I've ever watched live on tv was Kirk Gibson's home run. That had everything this play had ( 2 outs, bottom of the ninth, team down, 3-2 count, world series ) and it was done by a badly injured player.

[EagleFan]

Here's another good one, if talking all-time. and not just Super Bowl....

[JPhillips]

Sun Tzu: I say this with the greatest respect.

Fuck off and die.

[cthomer5000]

My sentimental fave would probably be the Elway helicopter play. It was the context of that guys entire career riding on that game in many ways... and the realization he would have literally run through a brick wall if it would have won him a title.

That Giants catch is probably a bigger play in singular game context and surrounding season context.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by Axxon

Probably the greatest single sporting moment I've ever watched live on tv was Kirk Gibson's home run. That had everything this play had ( 2 outs, bottom of the ninth, team down, 3-2 count, world series ) and it was done by a badly injured player.

Yeah, but baseball sucks.

[Glengoyne]

I guess the greatness of this particular play never struck me. I guess I so wanted the patriots to have the perfect season. Prior to this thread I'd have answered the pass from Montana to Taylor or the Mike Jones' tackle on the one. The steeler's touchdown reception getting an honorable mention.

One thing is for certain. The name doesn't work because let's face it when I hear the name Manning, I think of Peyton and Archie before I think of...What's the other Manning's name anyway?

[Karlifornia]

Pick a great play from my favorite team

/thread

[RendeR]

Originally Posted by Lathum

In the context of an NFL play what was so special about the Holmes catch?

The Harrison play was a big play and a great play, but not anything never seen before.

You mean besides the fact that both were fucked up non-calls by the officials?

[RendeR]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Sun Tzu: I say this with the greatest respect.

Fuck off and die.

+ infinity

[OldGiants]

Originally Posted by EagleFan

This one is better if you are talking Super Bowl. An underrated play by the defender. Add that it was the last play in the game with the game in the balance and it is a much better play, just not as "flashy".

Not really a better play when you consider all it might have done is tie the game and send it into OT.

It might have setup the greatest play in SB history if the Titans had scored and chosen to go for two in order to win. Everything would have ridden on that one play, just like Nebraska-Miami.

[Sun Tzu]

actually...

[Sun Tzu]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

Sun Tzu: I say this with the greatest respect.

Fuck off and die.

Originally Posted by RendeR

+ infinity