Greatest Moment in Sports History!

[PatsFanSince74]

Who knew indeed? Personally, I've always been grateful to Madden for making it extra clear for the ages what a gutsy move that winning drive was.

well said. the conventional wisdom was take a knee.

 

[signbabybrady]

My favorite piece of Patriots merch is the Superbowl 36 champs tshirt I got on Bourbon St after the game. It's completely torn up now from the fact that I think I wore it every day for about 6 months so it just sits in my top drawer as to not get totally ruined but I love the damn thing even though I can never wear it. Best night ever.

That's ok because the only shirt I could find on bourbon st was an xl it didn't fit me when I bought it but I rocked it on bourbon st that night like Farley in a little suite. Then gave it my father when we got home and found some that fit. I bought 2 the first one wore out but the second is still going strong though starting to fit like the original.

 

[shmessy]

Greatest moment in Pats fans history. Two things I love about it as well, when Madden says "what Tom Brady is doing is giving me goose bumps", and Gil and Gino's call of the kick and Gil saying "it's good ! It's good !". Both personally give me chills.

Pat Summerall and his bored and listless call of that game is NOT what I want to remember.

Gil and Gino's great call is.

Gil & Gino Call Patriots Super Bowl XXXVI - YouTube

Comparing just the the two audios (Summerall vs. Santos and the crowd sound levels) is like listening to two completely different games.

 

[RodThePat]

Let's put it this way....

There's a wheel that can land on any one of ten spaces. If only one of those spaces is a winning space (allowing you to double your money), would you play?

Your friend says he wants to play $100 on this game, but asks you if you think it's a good idea. You say 'no', but he plays anyway. He ends up winning.

Can he really turn around and call you an idiot?

I feel like that's what people do with Madden.

Actually, I think people do it because of what Belichick and Brady represent now. They look at the situation and think "duh, Brady has more than a minute to get a FG to win the game? Why would you take a knee?". The problem with that is, Brady wasn't Brady back then. Sure, he made the ProBowl and played pretty well over the course of the season, but he wasn't wowing anybody back then, especially not in the SuperBowl at that point.

 

[pwes]

Yeah this game made me a Pats fan. It was a bonding day with my dad and I beat him out of some money by picking the Patriots before the game. The first football game I ever sat and watched and I really had no idea what was going on.

 

[Steve102]

My favorite piece of Patriots merch is the Superbowl 36 champs tshirt I got on Bourbon St after the game. It's completely torn up now from the fact that I think I wore it every day for about 6 months so it just sits in my top drawer as to not get totally ruined but I love the damn thing even though I can never wear it. Best night ever.

Mine too. We sat up in the upper decks, and Adam came out to kick it, and all the Red sox blood in my veins was telling me he was going to miss it. I looked down at him, and he looked so small, he might as well been kicking it from across the Mississippi River. I still get chills listening to Gino's call "It's Good, It's Good!"

 

[TruthSeeker]

I still love in the Super Bowl Video, Ricky Proehl (Rams receiver) before the game says, "tonight, a dynasty is born", boy, was he right lol, though he did catch the game tying TD pass. Oddly enough, he played for the Panthers, and caught the game tying pass before some more of Brady/Vinatieri magic to win SB 38. Proehl must hate Brady/Vinatieri and the rest of the Pats.

 

[Zeus]

I couldn't agree more. While I would have been very disppointed to see Brady take a knee, I do understand WHY Madden would say that. As you pointed out, the offense was NOT lighting it up that day (quite the opposite actually). The seven points that the offense did get credit for started with a forced fumble that gave them the ball on the Rams side of the field. Needing at least 45 yards with only 1:19 left and no timeouts, the odds actually were greater that the Pats would make a mistake that would cost them than executing a game ending drive that would result in no points.

This is hypothetical, but I imagine these to the be odds given the conditions.....
Pats score points, win game: 5%
Neither team scores: 85%
Mistake that leads to Rams score: 10%

The biggest reason why I give the defense the edge in this scenario is....

1.) Rams D also knows the Pats have no timeouts. So they need to pass and they need to pass to the sideline. Knowing this increases the chances of an interception or sack/fumble.

2.) Pats likely need to string together multiple well executed plays to get in FG range. it only takes one mistake to give the Rams the ball in scoring position.

Based on the way the 4th quarter had gone, it's not unfair to think the the Patriots' defense was pretty well gassed. If you kneel on the ball and then lose the coin toss, it's probably time to turn off the TV and go to bed because you weren't going to particularly enjoy what was going to happen next.

Going for it was the Patriots' bet chance to win the game. I love that they had the guts to go for it especially when the conventional wisdom is to let the clock run out and take your chances.

I certainly don't fault Madden for thinking otherwise. That's what most coaches not named Bill Belichick would do.

 

[Mountain_Commando]

I still love in the Super Bowl Video, Ricky Proehl (Rams receiver) before the game says, "tonight, a dynasty is born", boy, was he right lol, though he did catch the game tying TD pass. Oddly enough, he played for the Panthers, and caught the game tying pass before some more of Brady/Vinatieri magic to win SB 38. Proehl must hate Brady/Vinatieri and the rest of the Pats.

Except that 3 years later, Proehl and AV as teammates beat Brady in the AFCCG and won SBXLI.

 

[PatsDeb]

I had the privilege and the pleasure of being there for that unbelievable game, 2 rows from the top of the Superdome on about the 20 yard line towards the endzone where both Ty Law ran back the INT and where the kick happened. Just an unbelievable night. Many Pats fans, including myself, in tears (of joy) at the end.

 

[TruthSeeker]

I had the privilege and the pleasure of being there for that unbelievable game, 2 rows from the top of the Superdome on about the 20 yard line towards the endzone where both Ty Law ran back the INT and where the kick happened. Just an unbelievable night. Many Pats fans, including myself, in tears (of joy) at the end.

I'm very jealous, I've never been fortunate enough to go to a Pat's Super Bowl, especially a win, and especially their first ever NFL Championship. I'm sure you will cherish that moment forever. I remember the exact moment after the kick went through, there was a split second of silence, then complete bedlam (I was alone with my wife at the time, ex-wife now), she couldn't understand why I screamed "It's good !!!" and then had tears in my eyes. After being a fan since 1975, after the infamous 1976 playoff loss to the Raiders, after getting destroyed in SB XX, after losing to Green Bay in 1996, she just didn't understand what jubilation a championship season brings a person after 26 years of mediocrity (most of those years). It's so hard to describe to a non-sports fan, they just don't get it. On a side note, after 26 years of futility, I was looking for a yellow flag after the field goal, OR expected time to be left on the clock for a possible kick return. Being a long time Patriot's fan, you'd understand my disbelief when I saw neither, and realized the kick counted, no time left, Champions of Pro Football !

 

[sly24]

Pat Summerall and his bored and listless call of that game is NOT what I want to remember.

Gil and Gino's great call is.

Gil & Gino Call Patriots Super Bowl XXXVI - YouTube

Comparing just the the two audios (Summerall vs. Santos and the crowd sound levels) is like listening to two completely different games.

Thanks for that link!! I can only imagine what it was like in that booth when AV made the FG. I bet they were hugging each other. You'll never hear that kind of excitement on a TV broadcast..

 

[stevedogc]

Other then the final drive, my favorite part of the game. After seeing this, I really said to myself: I think they have a chance. And correct me if I am wrong, the Pats started a trend with this.

Go to 4:17 of video.

Super Bowl 36 Patriots-Rams pt 3 - YouTube

I also think I remember hearing a few years later that the NFL threatend to fine Kraft if the Pats did this and he told them to go pound sand.

 

[brdmaverick]

Yup, I'm guilty of shedding tears of joy after each Super Bowl. I even shed tears of joy after they beat the Chargers in the 2006 playoffs (we really pulled a rabbit out of our hat there with a Troy Brown forced fumble).

 

[sly24]

Yup, I'm guilty of shedding tears of joy after each Super Bowl. I even shed tears of joy after they beat the Chargers in the 2006 playoffs (we really pulled a rabbit out of our hat there with a Troy Brown forced fumble).

That was something, I still have a screenshot I took of nfl.com (headlines) after we beat the chargers.

 

[MUFC7]

I live in Europe and wasn't really into football that time. I've watched very it very often in youtube and thought damn how much I would've loved to see it live. But I had the 99s CL final (kinda like the Superbowl for you just in Soccer) so I can't complain

 

[BananaRepublican]

Patriots victory over the Rams.

It must be in the conversation, but I don't know how it objectively beats Ali beating Foreman, Mazeroski's homer to beat the Yanks, or Bobby Thompson's homer. Even the Colts beating the Giants or the Jets beating the Colts had to have more impact on the NFL. Actually, how about the Giants beating the Patriots? I don't know how anybody could ask for more bizarre and interesting plays on a final SB drive. You just had to have your face painted that shade of blue to appreciate it.

And what about Maradona beating the Brits? That certainly tweaked more people than anything besides maybe Ali beating Foreman, or maybe The Thrilla in Manilla.

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

It must be in the conversation, but I don't know how it objectively beats Ali beating Foreman, Mazeroski's homer to beat the Yanks, or Bobby Thompson's homer. Even the Colts beating the Giants or the Jets beating the Colts had to have more impact on the NFL. Actually, how about the Giants beating the Patriots? I don't know how anybody could ask for more bizarre and interesting plays on a final SB drive. You just had to have your face painted that shade of blue to appreciate it.

And what about Maradona beating the Brits? That certainly tweaked more people than anything besides maybe Ali beating Foreman, or maybe The Thrilla in Manilla.

I guess I could have said "The Greatest Moment in Sports" then gone with "Lake Placid where the US Hockey team beats the USSR. One of the clearest cut cases of David beating Goliath in sporting history". You also mention some great moments in sports. But what are those examples missing? They didn't involve the Patriots. I am decidedly un-objective about what is my greatest moment in sports. For me it was the victory over the Rams on the SB. I saw the replay of it, recalled that being the most insane, over the top 10 minutes of sports I watched, and posted about it thinking some other posters might also enjoy remembering that game. But whatever is objectively or subjectively your greatest moment is entirely up to you. But raining on the moment that TB, BB (among others) landed on the dynasty map IMHO seems oddly out of place on a Patriots forum.

 

[E1Downey]

Lol funny you say this. I just downloaded the entire game piece by piece from youtube. Its ****ty quality, but i couldnt help myself. Had a strong urge the other night to rewatch this masterpiece!!!

-Sent from the device that is held in my hand-

 

[Steve102]

I had the privilege and the pleasure of being there for that unbelievable game, 2 rows from the top of the Superdome on about the 20 yard line towards the endzone where both Ty Law ran back the INT and where the kick happened. Just an unbelievable night. Many Pats fans, including myself, in tears (of joy) at the end.

sounds like we were in the same section. I'll have to check my ticket when I get home. We were about 10 rows from the top. I remember discussing my seating arrangement with my 70ish mother, to which she said "those aren't very good." I said "I am closer than you. At least I am in the room."