Growing up just outside of Boston and being a Boston sports fan, there have been so many iconic sports moments in my very short time alive. So I decided to make a list of the most iconic and memorable Boston Sports moments of my life.
All these events take place starting in 1996, the year I was born, until now. Sorry about all years prior to 1995; I wasn’t alive back then.
Here are my top 27 Boston sports moments I will never forget.
1. The Boston Red Sox Win the 2004 World Series
The 2004 World Series just had such a family meaning to me, which is why it is No. 1 on my list. My grandfather worked for the Red Sox for years, and they always came up short and never won. Then finally, in 2004, they did it. They ended a 86-year curse and won the World Series. The one thing I will never forget about that game is my dad came and woke my brother and I up because he wasn't sure we would ever see a Red Sox World Series win again. Not to mention, the 2004 Boston Red Sox is just such a great group of characters they may be my favorite team ever.
2. Malcolm Butler's Interception, Super Bowl 2014
Now this was a tough one for me, but a moment I'll never forget is from the 2014 Super Bowl and Malcolm Butler's interception. I don't know what more you can say outside of thank you, Malcolm!
3. David Ortiz, WalkOff Homerun, Game Four, ALCS
Next up, how the game ended in Game Four. In extra innings, a man that Red Sox fans have adored for years came up to bat. Ortiz got a good pitch, and goodbye baseball. And you then you hear the famous quote, "And we'll see you later tonight." That quote is something I will never forget about that game because it kept the Red Sox season alive and gave Red Sox Nation hope that we could come back and win this series. Here is the Home Run that started the comeback.
4. Dave Roberts Steals Second Base, Game Four, ALCS 2004
Here is the video if you want to relive it.
5. Final Out, Game Seven, ALCS 2004
6. 2001 Super Bowl, Patriots Win Over the St. Louis Rams
If you are gonna talk about 2001, you also have to mention the Super Bowl that the Patriots won. This was the first Boston sports team I ever saw win a title, and it was all thanks to, once again, the clutch leg of Adam Vinateri. Also, you have to add in the fact that the Patriots were the underdog and knocked off the St. Louis Rams who people called, "The Greatest Team on Turf."
7. The Snow Bowl Game, Patriots vs Raiders, Playoff Game 2001
8. Boston Red Sox Win the 2013 World Series
In 2013, the Boston Red Sox came out of nowhere and won the World Series. They went from worst to first and walked away with a title. This run was made by just the players' mindset of playing for Boston after the Marathon bombings. These guys really tried to give the city something to be happy about, and boy, did they ever. This team was a bunch of guys who were under-appreciated by most teams, and they came to Boston with one thing on their mind to shock the world. And they did.
9. Kevin Garnett, "Anything's Possible"
I am a big Celtics fan, so that's probably why this moment is so high up on my list. It's Kevin Garnett's words post-game after the Celtics won the NBA finals in Boston. "Anything is possible!" People will never forget that phrase that KG screamed — it just showed all the happiness and joy that he had in winning a title and helping bring banner 17 to Boston. Here is the video if you need a refresher.
10. Adam Vinatieri Game-Winning Field Goal to Win 2003 Super Bowl
Now here we go at No. 10, we got the Patriots beating the Carolina Panthers in the 2003 Super Bowl. Once again, the game was down to the final seconds, and, once again, the great Adam Vinatieri won it for the Patriots.
11. David Ortiz, Grand Slam, Game Two, ALCS 2013
Now we go to 2013 for the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox were playing the Tigers and trailed 5-1. David Ortiz stepped up with the bases loaded. Ortiz got a good pitch to hit and hit a boom toward the bullpen. Tori Hunter tried to make the catch, leaping over the wall, but couldn't. The iconic moment that everyone remembers from that game is the police officer who was in the bullpen that game. He threw his hands up in celebration of Big Papi's home run. That is a moment that people won't forget.
12. Curt Schilling, Game Six, ALCS 2004
This one could be higher up on my list. It was a hard choice, but I put it at No. 12. It was in Game Six of the 2004 ALCS with the Red Sox trailing 3-2 in New York. Curt Schilling had a chance to redeem himself. Schilling, who was pitching with a ruptured tendon in his foot, had said before the series that he "can't think of any scenario [other] than making 50,000 people from New York shut up." In Game One, that didn't go so well for him. Schilling was killed by the Yankees and lasted two and two-thirds 3 innings before he was taken out of the game. But this time, with a chance to redeem himself, Schilling went out there and pitched well. He helped the Red Sox force a Game Seven, aiding them in coming back from being down three games to none.
13. David Ortiz, Walkoff Base Hit, Game Five, ALCS 2004
At No. 13, it has to be from the 2004 ALCS. This time it's Game Five of the ALCS. The game had gone to extra innings, and in the bottom of the 14th inning with two outs, David Ortiz hit a base hit. That scored Johnny Damon from second, and forced a Game Six in New York. And with that win, the Red Sox had cut their three games to nothing defect to three games to two.
14. Staring Lineup for Celtics NBA Finals, Game One, 2008
When the Big Three of the Boston Celtics made it to the NBA Finals in their first year together, it was crazy. The NBA Finals was back in Boston, and I just remember the experience of watching the game. The atmosphere was crazy because the NBA finals were finally back in Boston. Just watching them announce the starting lineups still gives me chills to this day.
15. David Ortiz's Speech After Boston Marathon
After the Boston Marathon Bombings, and all the madness that went on, the Red Sox honored all the people who did so much to protect the city of Boston. This speech from David Ortiz is so high up on my list because I think everybody remembers where they were when David Ortiz dropped an F-bomb live on TV. But in case you need a refresher, just click right here.
16. Bruins Comeback in Game Seven, vs Maple Leafs, 2013 Playoffs
Now, sadly, this is the last Bruins moment I have on the list. The Bruins were trailing 4-1 against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2013 Playoffs. What makes it better was that it was also a Game Seven. The Bruins just made a incredible comeback, so it's got to be on the list. Even though the Bruins would come up short and not win the Stanley Cup that season, this was still a iconic moment in the season. Watch the remarkable comeback right here.
17. Patriots win Second Straight Super Bowl in 2005
In 2005, the Patriots won their second straight. That's right, I'm talking about the Patriots beating the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl. The Eagles had Donovan McNabb and Terrell Owens, but Owens was hurt in the Super Bowl. It really didn't seem like the game was even that close. But hey, if any Boston team wins a title, it's always got to be on the list.
18. Red Sox Win 2007 World Series
The 2007 Red Sox was an interesting team. They really were great, and it felt like Red Sox Nation just expected them to win, and they had a sweeping win over the Colorado Rockies. This was a great bunch of guys. It's still not even close to my all time favorite Red Sox team, but it's still a good one.
19. Bruins Win 2011 Stanley Cup
I know people may think I have forgotten about one Boston team on this list, but I haven't. So at No. 19, a moment I will never forget is the Boston Bruins winning the Stanley Cup in 2011. Not only was this the Bruins first cup in 29 years, but now I had seen every sports team in Boston win a title. I was still only 15 years old. The Bruins had a remarkable run through the playoffs, thanks to amazing goalie play from Tim Thomas. This Bruins team was great because they were just young, scrappy and would do anything to win. My favorite player from that team is still Tyler Seguin, who was about 18 or 19 when the Bruins won it all. He couldn't even legally drink unless they were in Canada, so that's just awesome. I miss you, Tyler.
20. Aaron Boone, Game Seven, Walkoff Homerun, 2003 ALCS
Now at No. 20, this moment is one of the few moments that is on the list in which the Boston team actually lost. I will never forget this moment, and I think this was the first time as a kid that I experienced heartbreak. Just to refresh everyone’s mind, I am talking about Game Seven of the 2003 ALCS extra innings. Aaron freaking Boone. You caused me heartbreak. I don't suggest you watch the video, but I'll leave it here anyway.
21. Drew Bledsoe Gets Hurt
This is another moment that changed the face of a franchise. I'm talking about how Brady got his chance. In the 2001 NFL season, the Patriots were led by a good quarterback in Drew Bledsoe, but Bledsoe’s career took a sad twist. It was never the same again after he was hit by Jets linebacker, Mo Lewis. But if this play never happened, who knows if Brady would have ever got his chance. Here is the video of the play if you don't remember it.
22. Celtics Get the Big Three
In the summer of 2007, trader Danny Ainge made blockbuster moves that forever changed the Boston Celtics. In the 2007 season, the Celtics were awful. In fact, it was embarrassing to be a Celtics fan. The Celtics fans were outraged and wanted change and, boy, did they get it. Ainge’s first move was trading Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak and Jeff Green, who had been the fifth pick in the NBA draft on Draft night, to the Seattle SuperSonics (now Oklahoma City Thunder). In exchange, they got Ray Allen and a second round pick, which the Celtics would use to take Glen Davis. I'm referring to the Celtics getting the Big Three. This was one of the biggest moments for the Celtics in going from irrelevance to prominence. But the final piece of the Big Three still needed to be acquired. The Celtics then traded Ryan Gomez, Gerald Green, Al Jefferson, Theo Ratliff and Sebastian Telfair, and the right to swap picks with the Celtics in the 2009 NBA draft. That was all sent to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Kevin Garnet, and that was it. Those two trades were huge and turned the Celtics into an actual team that could contend for a title, and they did every year that the Big Three were together.
23. Jason Varitek and Alex Rodriguez Fight, 2004
Another classic Red Sox Yankees fight comes at No. 23, really just because I hate Alex Rodriguez that much. In 2004, the Red Sox and the Yankees got into a fight after Sox Pitcher Bronson Arroyo hit A-Rod, who complained about being hit, then he and the captain Jason Varitek got into with an exchange of words. Then, next thing you know, benches-clearing brawl. I loved it. Varitek was not taking any of A-Rod’s crap. That is why the captain JV will always have a special place in my heart.
24. Pedro Martinez Throws Don Zimmer to Ground
In the 2003 ALCS between the Red Sox and Yankees, both teams showed their dislike for each other. I remember the series like it was yesterday, and both teams hated each other. The good old days of baseball were when the Red Sox and the Yankees actually hated each other. In Game Three of the ALCS, a series of back and forth throwing of at-batters led to a fight. But the part about it I will never forget is Pedro Martinez throwing the Yankees' 72-year-old coach, Don Zimmer, to the ground.
25, Patriots Comeback, Beat Broncos, Regular Season 2013
This at No. 25 only because it was a regular season game! If it were a post-season game, it would have been higher on my list. In a 2013 game, the Patriots trailed 24-0 at halftime against the Denver Broncos in New England. The Patriots played awfully, but they looked like a totally different team in the second half. They would eventually get the game to overtime, where they would win 34-31. In the second half, Tom Brady was just a man on a mission and was not going to be denied. Relive the comeback.
26. Celtics Draft Paul Pierce
With the 10th pick in the 1998 NBA draft, the Celtics selected Paul Pierce. In my mind, it was one of the greatest Celtics players my generation has ever seen. No, I’m not saying he is better than Bird, but he was a true Celtic and the face of the franchise from 1998 through 2013. I’m still hoping Pierce might come back and play his final season in Boston. I think it's his true home.
27. Patriots Draft Tom Brady
With the 199th pick in the 1999 NFL Draft, the New England Patriots drafted Tom Brady. Granted, I was only 3 years old when this happened. But if the Patriots never drafted Tom Brady, who knows how the Patriots would be? So the Patriots taking Tom Brady has to be on the list.
Those are the top 27 Boston sports moments of my life. What are yours?
