By Jordan Long
Today it’s Halloween and time for a spooky edition of Sports-Scoop.com. These are sports memories that have haunted me and will never go away.
The first is the best and worst football game I have ever been to, occurring in the 2012 NFL playoffs when Denver hosted Baltimore in the Divisional Round. It was the first playoff game for Denver with Peyton Manning as quarterback. The temperature for this game was 13 degrees which was scary enough. This game was back and forth. The Broncos lead by 35-28 with 41 seconds left in regulation. Baltimore faced a 3rd and 3 at their own 30. For whatever reason, the Broncos’ defense played prevent defense. Well, safety Rahim Moore was too far off of his man. Ravens’ quarterback Joe Flacco found a wide-open Jacoby Jones who raced 70 yards for a touchdown tying the game at 35.
Denver got the ball back with 30 seconds left with Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning. Instead of having him try to get into field goal range, they kneeled with the ball. Denver ended up losing this game in double overtime 38-35. Moore still haunts me on why he didn’t stay behind Jones on the desperation heave.
The Colorado Avalanche faced the Minnesota Wild in the first-round of the 2003 NHL Playoffs. Colorado looked like they had the series in the bag up 3 games to 1. In the first 4 games of this series, Colorado outscored Minnesota 11 to 7. In game 5, Minnesota kept their season alive, winning the game 3-2. Game 6, it took overtime but the Wild won 3-2 to force a winner take all game 7.
Colorado looked like they were in great shape in game 7, up 2-1 with 6 minutes and 45 seconds left when Captain Joe Sakic scored. Well, the Wild tied the game with 4 minutes and 28 seconds to go in regulation. The game went into overtime tied at 2. In overtime with 3 minutes and 25 seconds gone, Andrew Brunette skated on a breakaway and beat Patrick Roy, as the Wild won the game 3-2. It was the first playoff series win for Minnesota in their history. It still haunts me how Colorado allowed this goal. It ended Patrick Roy’s career and in 2005 to 2008 Andrew Brunette would play for Colorado.
For the Denver Nuggets, they faced the L.A. Lakers in the Western Conference Finals in 2009. The Nuggets were searching for their first appearance in the NBA Finals in franchise history while the Lakers were trying to get back to the NBA Finals where they lost to the Celtics the year before.
Game 1, the Nuggets were down 101-99 with 30.5 seconds left. Denver allowed Anthony Carter to inbound the ball. Well, he tried to find Chancy Billups but for whatever reason, instead of a bounce pass, he threw it up for grabs. Trevor Ariza stole the ball who then passed the ball to Kobe Bryant. Bryant made both free throws to extend the Lakers lead to 103-99. On their next possession, the Nuggets hit a three to make the score 103-102. Kobe Bryant again made both free throws. The score stood at 105-102. Instead of letting the Nuggets hit a three, they fouled J.R. Smith. Smith made the first to cut it to 105-103 but missed the second. The Lakers grabbed the ball and ran out the clock for a 105-103 victory.
In game 3, Denver was down 97-95 with 37.1 seconds left. The Nuggets had Kenyon Martin inbound the ball. He tried to find Carmelo Anthony but it was another bad pass, stolen by Trevor Ariza. The Lakers went on to win the game 103-97. Those two passes cost the Nuggets a chance to advance to the NBA Finals. There is no doubt in my mind had the Nuggets made two great passes, they would have beaten the Lakers and then knocked off the Orlando Magic in the NBA Finals.
These are a few of the games that will always haunt me. Happy Halloween.
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