NFL: Carolina Panthers: The Panthers are probably the team I follow the most. However I have never been to a game. My best memories from the Panthers are definitely from the 2003-2004 season when they made the Super Bowl. Particularly I remember the NFC divisional, double- overtime game against the Rams where the Rams missed a field goal about a foot short of the crossbar and Steve Smith caught a 60 yarder for the win. The Super Bowl was just painful. I also root for the Bengals in the AFC because they had two Oregon State players, Ocho Cinco and Houshmandzadeh. Housh is gone but I still like them and I WILL stick to them. However I don't have a strong emotional attachment like I do to the Panthers.
NBA: Portland Trailblazers- You're probably saying, why does this guy like the Blazers if he's from North Carolina? The answer is that I like Oregon teams because my extended family is from and lives in Oregon so I have rooting interests. The Hornets were my team until they moved to New Orleans (How's the money situation there?) and prevented the good people of NC from watching Chris Paul's potential Hall of Fame career unfold. I do like the Bobcats, but when the Hornets moved the Bobcats didn't come until a couple of years later so I had already switched to being a Blazers fan. I don't have too many memories of these teams at the moment. The Blazers are making a great run right now so I have been following them with very keen interest this year. I guess the best memory I have is this one of Brandon Roy's buzzer beater against the Rockets.
MLB: Florida Marlins- There is sadly no MLB in North Carolina. I like the Marlins because they have a double- A team about 20 minutes from my where I grew up. I really got hooked during their 2003 world series year because I remember watching Dontrelle and Cabrera just earlier in the season. I did not jump the bandwagon, They have been my favorite team for almost seven years now and I don't have another logical team, (except maybe the Rays because the have a Triple- A team in Durham.)
NHL: Carolina Hurricanes- I do not follow hockey very closely, but I LOVE the Canes. Going to a hockey game is so much fun and the roof gets blown off when the Canes play, its deafening! My favorite memories from this squad are obviously from their Stanley Cup run a few years ago. The Staal goal with 3 seconds after the Devils scored with thirty seconds. Game 1 of the finals when they were in a three- zip whole in the middle of the second and somehow won on a crazy goalie miscommunication. I remember Game 5 in overtime when they got a power play, thinking the series was over, and was crushed after a stupid mistake led to an Oilers breakaway winner. Finally I remember Cam Ward's amazing save in the third period of Game 7 to preserve a one goal lead. These a vivid memories that will last me a lifetime, from a hockey team no less.
NCAA: NC State Wolfpack/ Oregon State Beavers- I am an NC State fan first and foremost because I am from there and I have been to many games. Nothing tops ACC basketball and NC State has great tradition. They have had one of the best players in NCAA history in David Thompson,they have had one of the greatest upsets and buzzer beaters in the '83 title game. The football program has brought me some memories I have actually lived through however, particularly Philip Rivers. I saw his first game, an overtime thriller against Arkansas State where Rivers started and never missed a game after that. They have given me Mario Williams, the first player from NC State to be picked number one in the draft. Now those guys are studs in the pros. They've also produced Torry Holt who has been one of the best receivers of the past decade. OSU on the other hand has not given me basketball memories like NC State. However, the football memories are there. I vaguely remember the 2000 Fiesta Bowl where they pummeled Notre Dame with the likes of Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh. They always win their bowl games and thrilled with upsets of USC. Plus they had a good almost run to the Rose Bowl this year that intrigued the Nation. Also Oregon State won back to back baseball titles, and to my great pleasure against NC State's ACC rivals UNC. While baseball doesn't get the coverage as basketball and football, I was getting coverage for the Tar Heel side and loving every minute of Oregon State's mini- dynasty.
Now you know my sports story, hopefully I will be diligent in writing material and eventually achieve my goal of become a sportswriter.
No comments:
Post a Comment