...More Top 5's

My physics homework is bugging and I need a break. Plus yesterday I had a lot of fun making that list, but I was a little disappointed that my favorite sport to watch, college basketball, didn't have a representative to make the cut. Therefore, I thought I should do another list of "Top 5 most memorable college basketball moments." And maybe while I am here, I'll do some other top 5 lists, probably until I get bored of this too and realize I need to get back to physics. I don't think I'll give the detailed explanations this time though; those took too long.

My Most Memorable College Basketball Moments (again, only those I saw live)

5. Arizona's Miles Simon three quarter shot at the buzzer - one of the first times I remember thinking, "Wow, college basketball is sweet!"

4. Hampton's coach being bear hugged and lifted up after their 15 over 2 upset over Iowa State - classic upset and the one I remember most (sorry Gonzaga, George Mason, and Davidson).

3. Mario Chalmer's buzzer beater - Even though I wanted Memphis, you just don't expect things like that to happen in the Championship game (just like the NBA finals, they're notorious for being anticlimactic compared to the rest of the tournament).

2. Tyus Edney's coast to coast lay-up in 5 seconds to save UCLA's title season - I really liked that UCLA team so it made me quite happy even though I was a little guy.

1. Illinois' 4 minute comeback - This wins because I really hated this Arizona team and wanted Illinois to take it this year. I was so surprised and ecstatic. The single game comeback ranks as the best in my memory, right there with Boston's 9th inning heroics in the '04 regular season and Reggie Miller's multiple sweet wrestling moves, stolen passes, and clutch shots in just 18 seconds against the Knicks in the playoffs.

More lists...

Favorite College Teams

5. 2000 LSU - the first bracket I ever filled out, I loved the name Stromile and took them all the way to the Championship I think. Thanks Swifty, for not even making it out of the first round.

4. The previously mentioned 2005 Illinois team.

3. 2008 Tennessee - With that many Smith's, an eccentric coach, and a cancer survivor, I had to love 'em.

2. 2002 Ducks - The best Luke-Luke duo ever!!!

1. 2003 Kansas Jayhawks - They were so close, but of course, couldn't pull it out in the big game.

Favorite College Players

5. Miles Simon - After that shot, I loved him, despite not really liking Lute or the AZ program.

4. Dan Dickau - the original shaggy haired Gonzaga star; the rest are just copy-cats.

3. Stromile Swift - I still wonder why he never turned out in the NBA. Probably drugs, and that's not a racist comment, it just had to have been something like that with his natural ability.

2. Luke Riddnour - The Steve Nash of the early 2000 college scene.

1. Jeff Boschee - What a shot and what a face? I'm not gay, but I'm just saying...

Let's move to the NBA...

I want to do some all-time lists but I always think it is stupid when you have a young 30 year old analyst ranking players he has only heard stories about, seen old videos of, or looked through his stats. I think you get a better feel as you experience their career with them. So my lists will be only judged off my lifetime (people I actually saw play). Although it should really be only 90's and 2000's players because I don't think my fist 4 years I really watched basketball, I still included Larry and Magic despite their fade outs by 91-92. They, for some reason, leave me with profound memories from when I was a "young buck" sports fan (so sorry Kareem and Isaiah for not really doing that to me).

We'll go by position first, and then to the top 10 overall of my era.

Centers

5. Dwight Howard - His shoulders are really the only reason I let him beat out Dikembe already.

4. Patrick Ewing - the best shooter on the list

3. David Robinson - His ring and 70 point game are the only edges he had on Mr. Chewing.

2. Hakeem Olajuwon - Still, he has the best post moves I've ever witnessed. In one move, he'd have more "fakes" than Michael Jackson and Paris Hilton combined.

1. Shaq - the most dominant I've seen.

Power Forwards

5. Dirk Nowitzki - Maybe the best European ever, but Arvydas might not like that statement.

4. Charles Barkley - Easily the best undersized 4 man to play the game.

3. Kevin Garnett - Anything is POSSIBLE!!!

2. Karl Malone - I don't really like him, but it's hard to argue his numbers.

1. Tim Duncan - Mr. Consistent can thank his 4 rings for beating out the others.

Small Forwards

5. Grant Hill - Too bad he got injured, but for about 3 or 4 years I thought he was a top 5 player in the league. He can also fight D-Rob and Stock for the classiest guy on any of my lists, but I think David might win that fight, even if John and Grant teamed up.

4. Dominique Wilkins - He was past the "human highlight" stage by the time I got to watch him but he was still good.

3. Lebron - Will probably be number one in just five more years but not yet.

2. Scottie Pippen - "Look, I'm Scottie Pippen", fifty cents to anyone who can tell me the reference.

1. Larry Legend - Recently I researched his career numbers; easily he takes the cake for best fair-skinned player all time.

Shooting Guards

5. Allen Iverson - the best pound for pound, inch for inch player ever

4. Dwayne Wade - My personal favorite and I've heard his finals performance was one of the greats,;I was on my mission at the time though.

3. Clyde the Glide - my first video game was Bulls vs. Blazers; Clyde was legit.

2. Kobe Bryant - The top 2 on this list were as clear as they get.

1. MJ

Point Guards

5. Chris Paul - He's already impressed me enough to get past Gary, Chauncey and Mark Price.

4. Steve Nash - another personal favorite

3. Jason Kidd - In spite of Steve having some better seasons, Jason has had a better career.

2. John Stockton - What could make a point guard any better than the career leader in assists and steals?

1. Magic - Well, I guess the answer is 6'9", multiple rings, and a career cut short by HIV.

Top 10 by the year 2018 (this makes it a 30 year era- 1988 to 2018)

10. Kevin Durrant - I had to make one bold prediction. If he gets a championship or two, and his numbers keep improving the way they have, then why not?

9. Dwayne Wade - I'll remember him as this good, I hope others will too.

8. Duncan - He'll make the list like he does everything else... quietly.

7. Hakeem The Dream - Again, what moves!!

6. The Shaqtus

5. Larry Bird - The only white guy on the list, although Dave Chapelle would probably trade Duncan over any day.

4. Kobe - Magic will beat him out because people other than Lakers fans will like him a little more than Bryant. If you look at when he reached his prime compared to other players around his draft years (which includes Tracy McGrady and Jermaine O'neal who are both younger than Kobe), his durability is pretty incredible though.

3. Magic - If you ask Kornheiser, he may say number 1 though.

2. King James - Even though I don't like it, it's pretty inevitable, but I don't think he'll reach Mike.

1. MJ

***maybe I should do Physics now.

TOP 5 ALL TIME

Well, last week's blog got me thinking about other memorable sports moments I have seen, and I thought I should write about some. Then I remembered how much I love rankings and "top 5" or "top 10" lists, and thought I should rank my sports memories in order of one to five.

Before I go into it, first I will give my criteria. The criteria for this list is that I had to have witnessed the event live or at least thought I was witnessing it live, because that's when you truly get the feel of how great it was and it really sticks in your memory. Other factors to making the list or where they rank include how overjoyed or in awe I was at the moment it occurred, how much I talked about it afterward, how vividly I still remember it now, and how significant the event was to me and to the world. Now we can get on with the list.

5. Michael Jordan's Last Shot (I don't care, his stint with the Wizards doesn't count for his legacy.) - The significance of this shot is tremendous. He is the greatest basketball player and maybe even the greatest athlete in any sport to ever live. He won six titles in eight years, and that could have probably been eight for eight if he wouldn't have left for a year and a half. In his final game of that sixth championship though, he hits the game winning shot and does one of the most memorable poses ever afterwards. It was one of the first finals I remember watching and probably the last one that actually entertained people, with an exception to Dallas - Miami that I heard was great, but unfortunately missed because I was in Korea. Plus those teams really hadn't done anything before or since so its not really a big deal, but anyways, back to Jordan. I know I feel privileged, as most do, to have been able to watch him and especially this game and this shot. It left everyone without any doubts that he is the greatest, but I wouldn't say it really left many of us in awe because well, it's Jordan! The only reason this didn't make it higher on my list is because I kind of wanted the Jazz to win and I was a bit younger, so the memory is still there but not as vivid as some of the others.

4. David Tyree's Improbable Super Bowl Catch (By the way, where is that guy now?) - This edges out Jordan because more than wanting the Giants to win, I really wanted the Patriots to lose this game. My joy was a little greater with this one because the outcome was as I wanted. This was truly incredible though. The undefeated, cocky as can be Patriots against the "How the heck did they get here?" New York Giants. They were trailing and driving the field with a quarterback who up until that playoffs, probably hadn't ever heard his name even associated with the term "clutch", unless someone was talking about his car. Somehow, something special was happening that game and those playoffs though, and almost everyone could sense it, even the Patriots probably. They get to a fourth and forever play, and Manning throws to a guy who no one had ever heard of, and he catches it with half a hand and a helmet. They score and pull one of the biggest upsets I have ever seen. I remember that play the most and watching it with two other anti-Patriot (which pretty much just means anti-Bill Belicheck & Tom Brady) fans. We pounded the floor, cheered, and they went a little more bizerk while I just kind of took the moment in (just a difference in personalities, that's all). Believe me, I was just as happy!

3. The Detroit Brawl - This one doesn't make it because of joy or because of its positive impact of course (although I could watch that Jermaine O'Neal perfect punch for hours and probably still be amused every time), but it makes the list because of awe and how much I talked about it after. I don't think there is another sporting event in history that made me think "I can't believe what just happened?" more than this one. I believe it was a weekend night and I came home early, turned it on, and actually caught it just in time, which helps make it so memorable. I was shocked, and because I was alone when I saw it, I was antsy the rest of the night to tell everyone I could how crazy it was. Every time I think about it I can still feel some of those feelings, so I knew this one had to be on the list.

2. Lezak's miracle last lap to save Phelps - This one makes it so high because of how unexpected it was. I never thought I could ever care so much, or yell so much, or be so elated over swimming. Before 2008, I had never watched a swimming relay, race, or event that I could recall and here I was enthralled in this Michael Phelps' quest for the gold medal record. Watching it, everyone in the room thought the U.S. had lost this one, and the mood was in the process of switching from team U.S.A. swimming pride to "I can't believe we ever really cared about swimming." But before it totally switched, everyone's eyes were glued back to the TV and the cheers returned. Thoughts suddenly came that this goofy kid might come back. He got closer and closer and adrenaline started pumping faster and faster. Then the last stretch of his arms that still looked like he lost, but nope, they won by a fragment of a second. The room erupted with screams, high fives, chest bumps, fist pumps, pelvic thrusts, and any other celebration you could think of. Wow, what a moment and memory?

1. One of my teams finally won!!! No more Curse!! - Having my two favorite teams as the Philadelphia Eagles and Phoenix Suns, you can see what I have to put up with-teams that are consistently good, but never good enough. Well, in the late 90's, I started watching baseball more and didn't really know who to like. My dad and brother kind of liked the dodgers, but they didn't really have any body special. I thought Barry, Griffey, Kirby Puckett, and Chipper Jones were all fun players to watch (or at least had cool names), but their teams didn't intrigue me. Than I thought about it, and for some reason, I have never liked consistent championship winners or popular dynasties in any sport. I still don't and some examples are the Bulls, Lakers, Spurs, Cowboys, Patriots, and of course... the most historic franchise, the Yankees. When I was trying to figure out which team I would like, it was right at the heart of the Yankees dominating baseball. They seemed to just be buying everything they could get with no limit, and I hated it. Then in the early 2000's, the Red Sox started to compete with these Yankees, and I thought what better way to hate the them than by liking the Sox. Plus, I already liked Nomar, and I started to fall in love with the rest of this scrappy team. In 2003, never had I wanted any team to win a series as much as I wanted the Sox to beat the Yanks that year, and then lucky Aaron Boone had to came along and ruin it.

In 2004, it looked at least like it was gonna be a blowout in the series, which they're never as much of a heartbreak as close losses. But then game 4 felt magical, and after the forever memorable walk-off by Ortiz, I remember thinking, "what if they came back?" Then game 5's extra-inning miracle, Schilling's over-dramatized sock (sorry Curt, but like most sports injuries in big games, it was), and finally the game 7 slaughter. I was so on top of the world after that victory over the Yanks that it almost cost me a friendship because I called a Yankee-liking friend taunting him at a not very appropriate time. The world series was then a walk in the park and a spit in the face at any notion of some so-called "curse". I remember exactly where I was when they won it all, and I remember dancing and cheering and even hitting random things to make noise as other Red Sox fans came around with pots and pans. The real series was with the Yankees, but the whole thing was awesome. A team I loved finally won a championship. And if they can do it with the greatest series comeback ever and by staring a 86 year curse square in the eyes, then it gives me hope for my other teams like the Eags and my first love, the Suns.

Yata!!!

Well, the other night I was reminded why I like sports so much. It's because it is one of the few things in life where it's real, but you actually feel like you're watching a movie. It has true heartbreaks, miraculous moments, and storybook endings. Some of you may already know what I'm talking about by the title of this entry, but yes, it was the Jazz game the other night and Sundiata Gaines that reminded me of my love for sports. What a game, and what a story!

Just think about it; it's almost unreal. Here is a guy that wasn't even well known in college - I'd never even heard of him, and college basketball is pretty much life for me in March (alright, maybe that's a little exaggerated, but I love 'the Madness'). Then he went and played in Italy after graduating from Georgia, moved on to the D-league this year, and then gets called up only because the Jazz randomly traded away a solid, young back-up point guard with a bright future, and Deron Williams gets injured days later (it still doesn't make sense to me, but I'm glad it happened now). He'd only played a few games before playing one of the greats in basketball right now, Lebron James, and the Cavaliers on national TV. He plays in the second half only because Deron gets injured again, and quickly wins over an energetic Utah crowd by hustling and hitting a few big shots in the fourth quarter. So coach Sloan puts him in for the last shot after a late blown lead by the Jazz and then a last minute comeback from them thanks to poor free throw shooting from the Cavs. They don't design the original play for him, but another hustler and guy to come from practically nowhere, Ronnie Price, feeds him the ball in desperation. Sundiata gets it and strokes it from 25 feet with a guy right in his face to beat the buzzer win the game!

Now as he shot it, I remember thinking, "there's no way this shot goes in, it would be just too good to be true. Things like that just don't happen in real life!" But they do... in sports! When I saw it go in, I jumped off my seat and yelled with my fists in the air, and I'm not even a huge fan of the Jazz. I think anybody watching that game, even a Cavs fan has to appreciate what happened. The best part, in my opinion, wasn't even the shot, but what happened afterward. His reaction was awesome. In the NBA, you see guys always making some face or hitting their chest or just doing something to show "I'm the man" after hitting these kinds of shots. But Sundiata just fell on the floor and rolled around in joy as if to say, "I can't believe what is happening. My life has probably just changed forever after tonight." When he got up, he went over to the fans, and started slapping fives with tons of people who'd never even heard an utterance of his name two weeks earlier. At this point, I almost felt a tear sneaking out. Even his post game interview was tender. Sure he said a few confident comments (all legit athletes have to have that little swagger though), but you could tell he was a humble, good guy, and he was just so happy that I couldn't help but smile real big either.

It was great! Thanks Yata!! What a player?! (Shout out to "Slumdog".)What a shot?! What a game?! I love sports!!

My First Blog

I had to start this blog for a writing class, but I am very excited about the new experience. I usually enjoy writing when the topic is something I am passionate about. I don't really care if no one ever reads this, but I believe that writing things down is a great way to truly understanding yourself, which is so important to accomplishing goals and becoming what you want to become. Also, its interesting to see where your true passions lie.

My passion is mostly found in religion, sports, and music; so I am thinking that is what most of my entries' subjects will be. I really love music, and not just stuff that sounds cool, but music that makes you think, feel what someone else is feeling, or understand better what you are feeling. I wanted to give my blog a title that came from lyrics of significance and so after thinking about it just briefly (I didn't want to spend too much time just coming up with a title), this song came to my mind, and I especially like this short phrase. It comes from a Brett Dennen song called "Heaven", which in my opinion is one of the best songs ever written, and Brett is one of the best artists out there. His emotion, talent, originality, and ability to express himself yet still connect with his listeners are incredible. If you're reading this, check him out!

Anyways the phrase "failure keeps us humble" is something I have thought about a lot in my life. I think all of us fail at many things; it is just a part of life, and I think it is for a reason. Just like if we never knew cold, we couldn't know hot; or like scripture teaches that without evil, there is no good; if we never failed in life, success would also mean nothing to us. An athlete that never lost a game wouldn't enjoy a championship like an athlete that spent the previous 10 years of his career on a losing team.

And luckily, the failure does keep us humble too. Humility has many aspects, but I think its most important aspect is recognizing a greater being involved in your life. As we fail at things (and ultimately one would fail at all things without help from the Savior), we realize we need help, and hopefully we realize we need the most help from up above. When we have failed and realize we need Him, when we succeed, it is easier to remember who the glory goes to (although we always seem to remember God more in failure than success). One of my favorite athletes right now is Colt McCoy. It broke my heart that he didn't play the other night, but I love how he always gives credit to the Lord, and you can actually tell he is sincere about it. For him to say God always has a plan and a reason after that freak injury and his inability to play in the biggest game of his life showed a lot of humility. I hope he has a great NFL career ahead of him!

Well, that was a good first blog I think. I could have talked a lot more about the subject of failure and humility, but I got other things to do now; yet I am pretty satisfied that I got to rant about all three of my passions all in one blog entry.