The most incredible public moment you have seen in person

[TrueBlue4ever]

Thought about this topic after Mike Bossy’s passing, watching the fans react to his “50 in 50” moment and re-living Teemu’s rookie season in my mind. Also appropriate with Mike Gray in the kickoff countdown today and his “Immaculate Interception”. So the question today for the board: What is the most incredible thing you have seen in person? And obviously, the more limited the opportunity to see it (being one of the twelve people to see Earth from the surface of the moon would be a high bar to match) the more impressive. It can go beyond just Bombers or even sports (I had a college classmate who was in Florida as an 8 year old and witnessed the Challenger shuttle explosion from the grandstands), but I figured since many will involve the Bombers this was the place to put this post. 

My top 5 off the top of my head (I am sure I’ve forgotten a big one somewhere):

Runners-up: 1997 flood - living inside city limits but in a low-lying area that was completely evacuated. Could never fathom that the river could get that high, especially with the floodwaters in place,  or that south of the city was one giant ocean. Not exciting but just surreal to see that level of flooding.

Halley’s Comet - nothing shocking, and something very common for pretty much anyone who was around, but it is almost certainly a once in a lifetime event, so glad I did not miss it.

5. Milt 4 catches 4 TD’s  - the definition of unstoppable.

4. 2019 West Final - went to Sask and still trying to process the last 3 minutes of that classic, right down to the crossbar. 

3. 2021 Grey Cup - the first time I have ever seen “my” team (be it Bombers, Jets, Moose, Goldeyes, Jays, Raptors, or Team Canada) win the championship game in person. 

2. Dunigan’s 713 game: it was near the end of the second quarter when l got the sense we were going to see a record smashed that day. Fans all around me trying to add up the numbers as we all admired the spectacle, knowing this was an “I was there as it happened” moment unfolding. 

1. Teemu breaks the rookie record - I was at the game against the North Stars where he potted 4 to get to 51. I ran to the box office right after the game to get tickets to the next game against Quebec because it was clear he was going to will himself to break the record at that game and I was not going to miss the chance to see it in person. Kind of like rooting for Bossy, or McGwire’s home run chase, these are events where the player rises to such an unreal level of performance that breaking the record becomes inevitable, even in an “any given Sunday” world. Loudest I have ever heard the arena in person, including any playoff game. 

My big miss - Stegall’s TD record. Season tickets for 40 years, yet I was on holidays in Halifax when this moment happened against the Tiger-Cats. Rats. 

Edited April 20, 2022 by TrueBlue4ever

[SpeedFlex27]

Being a father & witnessing the birth of my 2 sons.

[Bigblue204]

This should either be only about the bombers or moved to the general discussion. 

[TrueBlue4ever]

1 minute ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Being a father & witnessing the birth of my 2 sons.

True that. But perhaps I should have clarified with “most amazing PUBLIC moment seen live”. Unless you sold tickets or shot a video to post on the web. Both of which I’m sure your wife would have loved. 🤣

[SpeedFlex27]

Just now, TrueBlue4ever said:

True that. But perhaps I should have clarified with “most amazing PUBLIC moment seen live”. Unless you sold tickets or shot a video to post on the web. Both of which I’m sure your wife would have loved. 🤣

I just answered based on the perameters of your question.

[TrueBlue4ever]

1 minute ago, Bigblue204 said:

This should either be only about the bombers or moved to the general discussion. 

I’ll leave that to the mods to decide. But figured it would probably have a bunch of Bomber moments in it given the demographic of this site, and would reach more eyes in this thread. 

[SpeedFlex27]

Okay, "The Agony Of Defeat"....

 

 

[TrueBlue4ever]

4 minutes ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Okay, "The Agony Of Defeat"....

 

 

That’s pretty cool! Any back story? What led you to be there?

[Noeller]

Definitely please move to the Gen Forum, and start a "Favourite Bombers Moment You Saw Live" thread here...

[MOBomberFan]

I'll limit my responses to stadium related sights.

 

1994, 9 years old, watched the Goldeyes win the championship in their inaugural season. Before the game Dad took us to buy brand new baseball gloves. Little bro left his sitting there in the stands after the game and we didn't notice til we were halfway through the parking lot. Dad was so pissed. We went back to look for it and amazingly it was still there undisturbed on the seat. Dumb lucky kid.

 

The 2011 'Last TD at Canad Inns' was a nice way for Chris Garrett to cap off nearly 200 yards rushing.

 

2013 Front row end zone, Aaron Kelly caught a corner TD, jogged directly beneath me, looked me dead in the eyes, and faked tossing the ball up to me. It still hurts. Even more amazing we managed any passing TD's at all that season

[SpeedFlex27]

Last year's Grey Cup win on the final play... It doesn't get any better than that.

Secretariat winning.... Hell no.... DOMINATING... the Triple Crown in 1973. One of the greatest athletic achievements ever done... even for a horse.

New York Jets defeating the Baltimore Colts 16-7 to win SB3 & hasten the merger of the AFL & NFL.

The Montreal Canadiens knocking off the heavily, heavily, heavily favoured Boston Bruins in the first round of the 1971 Stanley Cup Finals.

The inexperienced Americans knocking off the Soviet Union to win gold in hockey at the Lake Placid Olympic Games in 1980.

Bob Labonte's burnt rock at the 1972 Silver Broom allowing Canada (Orest Meleschuk) to steal a single point in extra ends to win the world curling championship.

Team Canada winning the 8 game "Summit Series" with the Soviet Union in 1972.

22 minutes ago, TrueBlue4ever said:

That’s pretty cool! Any back story? What led you to be there?

Seeing that poor ski jumper fall every week for years. How can he live it down if ABC won't let him? Lol.... People used to talk about the guy all the time. This is the actual footage with commentary of the incident.

 

Edited April 19, 2022 by SpeedFlex27

[SpeedFlex27]

15 minutes ago, Noeller said:

Definitely please move to the Gen Forum, and start a "Favourite Bombers Moment You Saw Live" thread here...

.

You mean, like any number of Bomber threads that go sideways when you get involved? Lol... I keed. I keed.

Edited April 19, 2022 by SpeedFlex27

[TrueBlue4ever]

2 hours ago, SpeedFlex27 said:

Last year's Grey Cup win on the final play... It doesn't get any better than that.

Secretariat winning.... Hell no.... DOMINATING... the Triple Crown in 1973. One of the greatest athletic achievements ever done... even for a horse.

New York Jets defeating the Baltimore Colts 16-7 to win SB3 & hasten the merger of the AFL & NFL.

The Montreal Canadiens knocking off the heavily, heavily, heavily favoured Boston Bruins in the first round of the 1971 Stanley Cup Finals.

The inexperienced Americans knocking off the Soviet Union to win gold in hockey at the Lake Placid Olympic Games in 1980.

Bob Labonte's burnt rock at the 1972 Silver Broom allowing Canada (Orest Meleschuk) to steal a single point in extra ends to win the world curling championship.

Team Canada winning the 8 game "Summit Series" with the Soviet Union in 1972.

Seeing that poor ski jumper fall every week for years. How can he live it down if ABC won't let him? Lol.... People used to talk about the guy all the time. This is the actual footage with commentary of the incident.

 

Sorry if my description was unclear. These are moments you were there in person to see. Not live on TV, or most amazing moments ever seen in sports on replay, but something you saw live on person. Unless you did see all of these on location, in which case wow you have travelled well and been present for some pretty amazing moments. 

Edited April 19, 2022 by TrueBlue4ever

[Jpan85]

Limit it to sports but here is my list.

1. Milt Stegall 4 for 4 Thanksgiving Game

2. Adrian Peterson breaking single game rushing record (same game longest ever kick returned happened to Antonio Cromartie)

3. Nelson Emerson throwing a puck into the net in overtime against Blackhawks ref counts the goal as a good goal.

4. Milt Breaking all time TD record

5. 1999 World Junior Gold Medal game Loungo stood on his head the whole game.

6. Just getting to see the 2005 World Junior team live might be the best ever Junior team

                

[WildPath]

6 minutes ago, Jpan85 said:

3. Nelson Emerson throwing a puck into the net in overtime against Blackhawks ref counts the goal as a good goal.

I wasn't there in person, but wow, you just revived a memory I never knew I had. I remember watching with a friend and we couldn't believe it was allowed. No word if the replay officials later migrated to the CFL Command Centre.

 

[Noeller]

2019 GC at McMahon.... Nothing in my life will ever top it. 

[SpeedFlex27]

Live? Well, let's see... Watching Bobby Hull score (something like) four goals to match Henri Richard's 50 goals in 50 games at the old Arena.

[SpeedFlex27]

I actually think he broke that stats. Scored 51 goals in 50 games.

So many great Bomber moments over the years... Hard to remember one or two that really stand out.

[TrueBlue4ever]

5 hours ago, WildPath said:

I wasn't there in person, but wow, you just revived a memory I never knew I had. I remember watching with a friend and we couldn't believe it was allowed. No word if the replay officials later migrated to the CFL Command Centre.

 

Sean McIndoe did a hilarious write-up of this whole scene in a Grantland article reviewing an old YouTube clip. I’ll put the link to the whole thing here:

https://grantland.com/the-triangle/nhl-grab-bag-the-ref-should-be-seen-not-heard/

but one part I loved was the explanation of why the goal counted. At that time the video review could explore how a goal went in (kicked, thrown, high stick, headed, whatever) but the video review guy could only review what the on-ice official requested and not add anything else. So Morel only asked “did the puck cross the line or not?” and the video guy couldn’t say anything else. Here is how McIndoe imagined that discussion:

“OK, so here’s what actually happened: It turns out the replay booth could only rule on whether the puck entered the net, not how it went in. Once they determined it was across the line, the rest was up to Morel, who’d somehow missed Emerson’s toss.

• I would have loved to have overheard that conversation, as the replay guy desperately tried to tip Morel off without overstepping his authority:

Morel: OK, so the puck did cross the line?

Replay guy: Well, on the one hand, yes. But on the other hand …

Morel: OK, so it’s a goal, got it.

Replay guy: Look, I’m just going to toss this out there, but maybe you could …

Morel: I’m going to let the players know, thanks.

Replay guy: Really? Because I would glove to discuss this further … [dial tone] … He’s a dead man.”

I was at this game too, and with no in-house replay except for the small TVs in the corners, it was hard to make out in live action what happened. Thought Emerson just got tangled up with Belfour crashing the net and the debate was goalie interference. Thought the Hawks were silly for being so upset. Then got home and saw the highlights and said to myself “Oh. Yeah, I would have been supremely pissed too.”

That incident actually led to changing the goal review rules and establishing a central war room in Toronto. 

 

[iHeart]

I'm betting the Super Bowl would cost more considering it's one game, the World series is a best of seven series (but I guess it would depend on how many games you see)

Edited April 20, 2022 by iHeart

[TrueBlue4ever]

1 hour ago, Mark H. said:

Fair enough - my definition of 'live' is somewhat looser than yours

 

I have changed the title of the thread since some apparently did not read past the headline and misunderstood what I was looking for. 

[HardCoreBlue]

On 2022-04-19 at 9:04 AM, SpeedFlex27 said:

Being a father & witnessing the birth of my 2 sons.

You witnessed that in public?

Kidding. Mine as well, a father to a daughter and son.

From a sports point of view, I was in the crowd when Dave Ellett scored the winner in OT.

The building rocked hard and I'm not kidding.

[SpeedFlex27]

July 1966. I witnessed the fire at St. Boniface Basilica. Watched the St B & Winnipeg Fire Depts vainly try to save the roof on that old church. My Dad's auto body shop was just a few blocks away on Marion Street right beside the Norwood Hotel. I happened to be at the shop when the fire started. Hearing the sirens, I walked down to see what was going on. 

 

Edited April 21, 2022 by SpeedFlex27