My Sports Moment of the Year 2011

Last year it was Goal Goal USA with Landon Donovan sending the United States to the top of the group and into the knockout stages of the World Cup.  This year its back to business as usual, Michigan.  However, its not the moment you might suspect. 

Michigan's first night game under the lights in Michigan Stadium produced agruably the most entertaining game of the year in college football.  Michigan came back from a 24-7 deficiet in the 4th quarter only to blow the lead with 30 seconds left, then Jeremy Gallon used his cloaking power up to disappear and set up a 22 yrd touchdown throw to Roy Roundtree to defeat Notre Dame.

Highlights

It was the best game I had witnessed live in my lifetime, but its still not the moment of the year.

No the sports moment of the year can only be reserved for ending the nearly 3,000 day drought to Ohio State.  When Courtney Avery intercepted Braxton Miller's 4th down pass to seal the game for Michigan I couldn't control my excitement.  I was uncontrolablly shaking my brother up and down and jumping around.  It was the kind of pure ephoria that only 7 straight defeats to your bitter rivals could produce.  Michigan finally became Michigan again. We slowly made our way onto the field to celebrate to commerate the moment and the best trip ever to Ann Arbor.

2011 Sports Moment of the Year: Michigan beats Ohio State - Zero Day in Ann Arbor

Other more national moments of the year:
-Derek Jeter hits 3,000 and goes 5 for 5 in Yankees win- Lou, myself, and half the readership took this in from the rightfield bleachers and it was probably the most excited I have ever been at an event where I had no rooting interest.

-The last day of the baseball regular season saw the Red Sox choke, and the Rays complete a wild comeback to go to the postseason

-Game 6 World Series-the Cardinals were down to their last strike twice and facing elimination but David Freeze was always there to save the day.

-Wisconsin and Michigan State played two classics this fall.  MSU beats Wisconsin on a Hail Mary then blows the Big Ten Championship on a roughing the punter penalty.

-Butler Pitt NCAA Tournament Second Round (Not calling it Third round)- Two inexplicaple fouls in the last 1.4 seconds saw a crazy finish and a worthy winner in Butler.

-Mavericks defeat Heat in NBA Finals- The Heat were expected to get it done, but instead it was the Mavs playing well late in games and capturing their first title.

There are plently more to mention, but I will allow you to mention your favorite in the comments.

My Sports Moment of the Year

I am an American.  I love sports.  Rooting for United States Men's National Team (USMNT) is natural.  Next to rooting for Michigan, it's the only thing I feel that I was born into.  Supporting the United States soccer team is different from supporting the U.S. in the Olympics.  Outside of US Men's hockey, the Olympics rarely suffice when because they don't seem competitive and they are largely individual.  You know Michael Phelps is going to dominate before you watch.  The US Softball team will destroy teams, and the medal count feels like a forced tally that largely people don't care about.  The US Men's basketball team is so good but they rarely bring their best players and anything less than Gold is unacceptable.  This is why I enjoy US Soccer so much.  The team is good, but rooting for them doesn't feel like jumping on the bandwagon.  I'll rock a Claudio Reyna or Clint Dempsey jersey any day of the week and scoff at Americans that wear a jersey of a country they have never been to.

The USMNT is America in its infancy.  They haven't quite reached world dominance but you want to be there when they do.  It will probably feel something like the 1980 US Hockey team defeating USSR in the Olympics.  I want to be there to watch the team grow into that and deliver a moment we will never forget.  2010 South Africa was a start.

The team was minutes away from heading out of the World Cup in what would have been failure.  Then suddenly, it's Howard to Donovan to Altidore to Dempsey, and Donovan for the goal.  Success, jjubilation, relief, top of the group.  It was ugly, but it was done the American way with hard work, belief, and desire.    For me, this was the sports moment of the year and well worth scheduling a "doctors appointment" months in advance to watch this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbn3rOPmR9w  US Reaction
http://mgoblog.com/content/get-kids   The Goal

What was you favorite sports moment of the year?  Roy Halladay no hitter in playoffs? Eagles score 28 points in 7 minutes to beat Giants? The Flyers chase for the cup? Auburn's comeback against Bama? Something else?