World Cup: Best moment ever!
Jun 23, 2010, 5:54 PM | Updated: May 23, 2011, 8:12 pm
That was the most exciting sports moment of my life.
I am putting it
out there right now. There has never been another
sporting moment that
has exceeded Landon Donovan’s extra time miracle goal. I
am not sure if
there ever will be.
I remember the Oakland A’s 1989 World Series win. (The
A’s are the
number three love of my life behind my wife and my
daughter. Yes, my
immediate family has moved to number four. I’ve lived
without them since
I was 18. I talk to them regularly but I’m cool not being
around them all
the time. I need to know my A’s scores. I check the
offseason info. every
single day. I LOVE THE A’s.) I was at the Oakland
Coliseum for Ramon Hernandez’s walk off bunt
in
Game 1 of the 2003 ALDS against the Red Sox. I literally
jumped up a row
from my seat with that play. I watched the most dominant
football team of all time. I
cried when Ray Bourque hoisted the Stanley
Cup. I
watched Miracle. None of those many
moments stack
up.
I will remember the USA getting a goal in the 91st minute
of the final
group stage game in South Africa to advance to the
knockout round. It all
started with an Algerian header to Tim Howard who threw an
outlet pass to
Landon Donovan at mid-field. Let me say that again. The
US goal keeper
Tim Howard threw the ball to mid-field. (That is 60
yards) Donovon led a
four on two break, passing to Jozy Altidore, who crossed
to Clint Dempsey,
who was denied by an incredible save from Rais Bolhi.
Then Landon
Donovan who was trailing, buried the goal.
I jumped from my chair at the KTAR Studio’s and screamed.
Jumped again
and the next jump landed me up against Eric Sorenson
(Gambo & Ash’s
Producer) who had stood up to presumably give me a high
five. I high
fived him and ran around the studio’s screaming. That was
remarkable. I
calmed down, relatively, looked up and realized the
English were shaking
hands to with the Slovenians. Donovan’s goal just knocked
out the
smallest country in the tournament. Sad for them. But
who cares, the USA
won.
About five minutes after the goal I realized something
else. The Starred
Eagles won the group. They had the goal differential on
England and
would take on the runner up in Group D. The US hadn’t won
it’s group
since before World War II.
No matter what happens in the Knockout Round I will always
remember
that goal. The US could probably win the World Cup, and
that goal will still
be the number one memory for me. Great plays happen all
the time.
Memorable plays happen daily. Time stopping, world
changing, I will tell
my kids about where I was, plays happen maybe only once in
a lifetime.
Much more on this game and this play to come.
Please send any comments or questions to gheinrich@ktar.com.
