# Greatest sports play(s) you've ever seen **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 3, 2011, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-play-s-youve-ever-seen/601739 "2011-11-03T13:59:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ReticulatingSplines](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@ReticulatingSplines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReticulatingSplines)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-play-s-youve-ever-seen/601739/21 "2011-11-03T17:27:24Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > The one play that I saw live that just had me agog in awe was the Bears’ [decoy punt return](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6R5FhFgsD2M). Amazingly creative play that worked to a T, except for the holding of course. It was the Bears after all. WTF? Where is the hold on that play? Terrible. Personally, one that sticks out for me is Reggie Miller’s[8 points in 18 seconds](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtPaMgyz4ec) to beat the Knicks in the '95 playoffs (points 7-8 were just free throws and not in the video). ---
**Author:** ![ReticulatingSplines](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@ReticulatingSplines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReticulatingSplines)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-play-s-youve-ever-seen/601739/22 "2011-11-03T17:30:42Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > I love sharing [this video](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5BFaykcxGg) because it’s so crazy as to be awesome. Relevant facts: in the CFL, a rouge (“touchback”) is worth a point, and you can always kick! I love the top comment: “What the fuck is this” ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-play-s-youve-ever-seen/601739/23 "2011-11-03T17:36:04Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Pittsburgh Steelers - [Franco Harris Immaculate Reception.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xMDIcsUMmA) I was going to do that but this piece of crap iPad that I’m reduced to using for the moment won’t let me C&P URLs. I hate this thing. But I digress. The link I was going to use was [this one](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJEp2imUlJE&feature=related), because it shows how remarkably butthurt the Raiders are to this day. Atkinson and Villapiano can kiss my ass, Tatum hit that ball. Newtonian physics are well-established, and if Frenchy Fuqua hit that ball backwards with that much force the universe will collapse, because it’s the football equivalent of dividing by zero. Ironically, their butthurt for bad calls disappears completely when they address the [Holy Roller](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04XOeLowAzo&feature=related), a masterpiece of intentional rules breaking if I’ve ever seen it. But to them it’s a great play. Imagine that. Wow, that’s quite the tangent I took there. I’m pretty wound up for some reason. Anyway, that play is great both for what it is and for what it signified the start of. It’s almost always considered the greatest play in NFL history, and I’ve no reason to argue with that. ---
**Author:** ![brewha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@brewha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brewha)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-play-s-youve-ever-seen/601739/24 "2011-11-03T18:20:32Z")
Not the greatest play evah! But, I saw it in person and was pretty darn amazing. Farve tries his trademark game ending interception, but the Viking defender drops it. The ball bounces off of Antonio Freeman’s shoulder pad as he hits the ground and he managed to catch the ball on the bounce, get up, and run into the endzone for the W [Freeman Catch](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_dQrqiFIKI) ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-play-s-youve-ever-seen/601739/25 "2011-11-03T18:59:55Z")
Since we’re going with rampant homerism, here’s a selection of nice (recentish) Bama plays that stick in my mind: “The Catch”, by [Tyrone Prothro](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53imC4zojfc) Another nice catch, this time by [Julio Jones](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVV70efL26Q&feature=related) Trent Richardson’s [ankle breaker](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HaGJaJOjQw) against Ole Miss a couple of weeks ago. Marcell Dareus in last year’s [Capital One Bowl](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gc_tFjmih7k&feature=related). This is one of many. He and Courtney Upshaw brutalized Kirk Cousins all game long. Trent Richardson’s crushing TD run against Arkansas in [2009](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dn6WkoOwQds) Mark Ingram’s corner screen run on Florida in the 2009 [SEC Championship](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_reOvK1v9A&feature=related). This was one play after Tebow had finally led Florida down the field to score a TD, and the game looked like it could be close. This play broke the Gators’ back, and Alabama exploded in the second half. ---
**Author:** ![Intelligently\_Designed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intelligently_designed/32/20957_2.png) [@Intelligently\_Designed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intelligently_Designed)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-play-s-youve-ever-seen/601739/26 "2011-11-03T19:29:26Z")
I agree with **Inthewater** : the [David Tyree catch](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27XeNefwABw) is the most spectacular football play I ever saw. Also, [Marshawn Lynch’s touchdown](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynn7VGY2Asc) last year. [Alex Ovechkin’s goal](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAiuLynJhjs) while on his back. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-play-s-youve-ever-seen/601739/27 "2011-11-03T19:43:09Z")
> [@Intelligently\_Designed](#): > > I agree with **Inthewater** : the [David Tyree catch](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27XeNefwABw) is the most spectacular football play I ever saw. > > Also, [Marshawn Lynch’s touchdown](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynn7VGY2Asc) last year. Not to be a spoilsport, but in my humble opinion, neither play is really “great”. Exciting? Sure. Important? Definitely. But “great”, again to me, means being … well great. Tyree’s catch was nice, but the play itself was made because of piss poor tackling and luck. And Marshawn’s run wasn’t “great”, it was just an example of some of the worst tackling over and over that I’ve ever seen. So, yes, spectacular definitely fits, but they were both, to me, rife with bad play. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-play-s-youve-ever-seen/601739/28 "2011-11-03T20:05:26Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Two far better horse races: > > Forgo in the [1976 Marlboro Cup.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMJjiWXCM3s#t=01m30s) Note his position at the top of the stretch. > > And the classic matchup between Jaipur and Ridan in the [1962 Travers](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rKCAhELwhc). (Bonus: Fred Capocella) > > Secretariat dominated, but both of these were far more exciting. Fine finishes both, but [Kiwi’s run home in the 1983 Melbourne Cup](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vl-j6Em-Y78)beats both for my money. Have a look at the [head-on view](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_LGamUzQQc&NR=1)too, so you can appreciate how much traffic the jockey had to weave through. ---
**Author:** ![soulmurk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@soulmurk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulmurk)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2011, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-play-s-youve-ever-seen/601739/29 "2011-11-03T20:06:19Z")
[Sweet backhand pass by Patrik Elias to Jason Arnott in double-OT](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6szYBqMq_6k) to win the Stanley Cup in 2000 against the Dallas Stars. Gary Thorne and the crowd’s reaction still gives me chills every time I see it. Made all the sweeter because it was Derian Hatcher, one of my least favorite players of all time, that let the pass get through. [Zach Parise’s OT breakaway goal against the Canadiens](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xknU6X9qSk). He’d broken his stick blocking a shot by Andrei Markov and went to the bench to get a new one, getting it just as Travis Zajac recovered the puck and in time to receive a long pass at the far blue line. Doc Emrick’s cracking voice and the crowd at the Bell Centres cheers turning to boos cracks me up. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Girlfriend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.girlfriend/32/193_2.png) [@Dr.Girlfriend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Girlfriend)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-play-s-youve-ever-seen/601739/30 "2011-11-04T01:05:09Z")
This may not mean much to anyone but me, but this is one of the coolest things I’ve ever had the good fortune to see. If there’s any other minor league hockey fans here you might have heard about this. The play itself isn’t really outstanding or anything, but the backstory leading up to it is. Game Seven (yes, it must be capitalized!) of the International Hockey League Turner Cup Finals. My team is the Fort Wayne Komets, and they were heavily favored going into the finals against the evil Port Huron IceHawks, but had fallen behind in the series 3-1. The K’s fought back to tie the series 3-3, and had the lead late in the 3rd period of Game Seven. Port Huron tied up the game late, and the game went to triple overtime. It’s about 12:30 am on a Tuesday morning when this video was taken, ane there’s still over 10k people in the arena. [http://fwnextweb1.fortwayne.com/ns/video/komets/](http://fwnextweb1.fortwayne.com/ns/video/komets/) ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-play-s-youve-ever-seen/601739/31 "2011-11-04T01:08:59Z")
[Major Harris versus the entire Penn State defense](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Owyy2mDwKsU) (seriously, he runs around 7 guys en route to the end zone). Actually looked that one up to post to the Tebow thread. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-play-s-youve-ever-seen/601739/32 "2011-11-04T01:19:43Z")
As a Redskins fan, I have to point to Kenny Houston stopping Walt Garrison on the 1 yard line to preserve a win. Or maybe it’s John Riggins on 4th-and-1 in the Super Bowl? ---
**Author:** ![Wargamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@Wargamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wargamer)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-play-s-youve-ever-seen/601739/33 "2011-11-04T01:30:33Z")
Some guy named Jordan won some game back in '82. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/-suuy_tgOjo/hqdefault.jpg "1982 UNC Basketball Championship") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-suuy_tgOjo) ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-play-s-youve-ever-seen/601739/34 "2011-11-04T02:02:00Z")
Game 5 of the 1985 NL playoffs. Ozzie Smith, who had hit a grand total of 13 home runs in his professional career, none of them left-handed, [tees off](http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=13062871)against the Dodgers’ Tom Niedenfuer. Super Bowl XXXIV. The Rams take a 23-16 lead with 1:48 left. Then Steve McNair went to work, leading to [The Tackle](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQZZVH-gVk0). ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-play-s-youve-ever-seen/601739/35 "2011-11-04T02:12:38Z")
As a Minnesota fan, I concur on the previously posted plays. I watched the Vikings against the Browns, and the last two plays were incredible. The 1991 World Series was named the best World Series a few years ago by ESPN, and I don’t think things have changed. Gopher hockey, enough said. Great program. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-play-s-youve-ever-seen/601739/36 "2011-11-04T09:39:10Z")
Oh yeah, almost forgot…Tayshaun Prine’s 5 threes in a row against UNC many moons ago…with the last three being from somewhere in downtown Frankfort… “he’s not a prince, he’s a KING!” 🙂 [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9EGMtbucFD0/hqdefault.jpg "Tayshaun Prince 5 3's IN A ROW!") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EGMtbucFD0) ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-play-s-youve-ever-seen/601739/37 "2011-11-04T13:58:59Z")
My nominations are: (2) Dave Logan of the Browns’ one-handed catch while being covered by Mel Blount of the Steelers in 1979. No video, but it made the cover of the Sports Illustrated football preview issue in 1980. [Link](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/cover/featured/8709/index.htm) and (1) NC State’s airball to game winning dunk in the 1983 NCAA championship game. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-play-s-youve-ever-seen/601739/38 "2011-11-04T15:00:04Z")
Oh, come now. The answer is clearly [The Play.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fZCCAqoSwY) ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-play-s-youve-ever-seen/601739/39 "2011-11-04T15:04:40Z")
I was at the Talladega race where Dale Earnhardt went from 18th to win with only 3 laps left. I wasn’t impressed and didn’t care, I never liked him and still don’t. Everyone else thinks it’s one of the greatest things ever though. The most impressive racing thing I can think of off the top of my head is when Bill Elliott made up two laps at Talladega with no cautions. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-play-s-youve-ever-seen/601739/40 "2011-11-04T15:06:36Z")
Tracy McGrady scoring 13 points in 35 seconds to beat the Spurs by 1. They weren’t even “plays” per se, it was just unstoppable talent dominating a very tough defense. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-play-s-youve-ever-seen/601739.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/greatest-sports-play-s-youve-ever-seen/601739.md?page=3)