Top 5 Craziest Moments In Sports
Sit back, relax and enjoy this edition of Draft Utopia's TGIF Top 5. This week we look at the Top 5 craziest moments in the world of sports.
5. Undertaker Losing to Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 30
Just like the day that Dale Earnhardt finally won the Daytona 500 in thrilling fashion in 1998, we will all remember where we were the day that Undertaker finally suffered a loss to at WrestleMania. WWE's resident Dead man was 21-0 coming into WrestleMania 30 and it seemed almost guaranteed that he would be able to pin Lesnar for win number 22. Things just didn't play out that way however, as Taker suffered two consecutive F-5's and was then pinned by Lesnar. Fans just sat in silence after the match, not knowing what to do or say, as they watched Lesnar celebrate with Paul Heyman. Some fans reactions were even used to create Facebook memes after the event, forever immortalizing the day that Taker fell to the beast.
4. Tim Tebow Defeats The Steelers In Overtime To Win Playoff Game
Tebow might have many detractors in the sports world due to his playing ability, but that didn't stop him from proving them all wrong in a moment of pure glory in the 2011 playoffs. The Broncos were set to play the Pittsburgh Steelers, in what many fans were calling an easy win for Pittsburgh. Tebow didn't let that happen though, passing for over 300 yards in the game, including an 80 yard pass to Demaryius Thomas for the winning touchdown in overtime. If that wasn't enough for critics of Tebow, the game winner was also the first play of the overtime period. While Tebow soon became an afterthought in the seasons to come, he will always have that playoff win under his belt. In spectacular fashion nonetheless.
3. Sterling Marlin Exits his car during Red Flag
You can't work on your car during a red flag! I have heard this rule stated by NASCAR broadcasters for many years, but I never had really never seen the rule in the action before. All that changed in 2002, when race leader, Sterling Marlin, decided to exit his car and check on the right fender damage he had received from contact with Jeff Gordon. His actions were soon caught by an official in the pace car, who ordered the driver to get back in his car. The whole thing was caught on live television during the delay, and race control ended up sending him to the back of the line for the hilarious offense. While I admit that Sterling Marlin would have gotten caught no matter what position he was in, I still think it would have been a bit easier to hide it if he was further back in the pack.
2. Lebron James Goes To Miami
I'm not a huge basketball fan, but I know exactly where I was the day that Lebron James left Cleveland high and drive to go join Wade and Bosh in Miami. I even remember the hour long announcement special that ESPN planned for James to commemorate the occasion. The only thing that was more jaw dropping then James's eventual announcement that he was going to Miami Beach, was how Cleveland took the news just minutes later. I remember seeing jersey burning parties throughout the night, with the occasional interview with a crying Cleveland fan, who kept saying that the town didn't need James to win a title anyway. While I know this moment didn't take place during an actual game, it was still a huge surprise and really shook up the dynamics of the NBA at the time.
1. Dale Earnhardt Wins The 1998 Daytona 500
I was originally going to put the Malice at the palace incident here, but decided to go with another NASCAR entry instead. I don't remember much about the races I watched when I was younger, but this is a moment I will always remember for the rest of my life as a race fan. Earnhardt came into the 500 with a 0-20 record, a statistic that he worried would put a huge asterisk on his career resume. On one hand he had seven championships throughout his career in the Winston Cup Series, but on the other hand, he just hadn’t conquered the biggest race the sport had to offer yet. All that changed that fateful day in Daytona Beach Florida, when Earnhardt successfully beat Bobby Labonte to the line to finally win The Great American Race. Earnhardt then celebrated by high fiving everybody on pit road, before heading to the grass for some well-deserved burnouts. When a documentary was later produced about Earnhardt's life and career, it was revealed that Earnhardt was given a penny by a terminally ill little girl, who told him it would help him win the race that weekend. Earnhardt later taped the penny to the dashboard of his car for good luck. I think that alone makes this moment all the more special.
Brian Thornsburg on 6/5/2015