Greatest sports achievements ever

[JohnStOnge]

I already covered Secretariat earlier in the thread, and you haven't even covered his most impressive move to me, which was in the Preakness. Turcotte held him back to last going into the first turn, and he passed every horse on the outside before they even got to the backstretch and STILL set a track record that still stands today. It was insanity. And yes, the Belmont finish is also insanity. That shot of the camera tracking.him to the wire, pausing for a second, and then the cameraman is like "WTF" and pans the camera back to find the second place horse... makes me laugh every time

Yeah I went back and saw that you mentioned Secretariat. The miracle on ice thing you mentioned is also a big one. Only time I ever watched a hockey game from start to finish. I think it may have been broadcast delayed but either way when my college buddies and I watched it we didn't know who was going to win. I remember an article...in Sports Illustrated I think...where the author said it was like if the Canadians put together a high school all star football team and it beat the Pittsburgh Steelers (the dominant NFL franchise at the time). The USSR team was flipping better than anybody in the NHL at the time. They had two challenge series against NHL All Star teams. They won one and tied the other. In fact they won a three game series against NHL All Stars in 1979. That tells you what the true amateurs on the 1980 US Olympic Hockey team were facing. The USSR Hockey team overall Olympic record was 55-5-2 if I'm counting right. That USA team beating them was an upset of mind-boggling proportions.

[93henfan]

The stupid amateur rule at the time and the fact that USSR's career hockey players not receiving a paycheck under communism allowed them to be considered amateurs was completely ridiculous, and yet our college kids still beat them. It's awesome still.

[css75]

I already covered Secretariat earlier in the thread, and you haven't even covered his most impressive move to me, which was in the Preakness. Turcotte held him back to last going into the first turn, and he passed every horse on the outside before they even got to the backstretch and STILL set a track record that still stands today. It was insanity. And yes, the Belmont finish is also insanity. That shot of the camera tracking.him to the wire, pausing for a second, and then the cameraman is like "WTF" and pans the camera back to find the second place horse... makes me laugh every time

Yeah I went back and saw that you mentioned Secretariat. The miracle on ice thing you mentioned is also a big one. Only time I ever watched a hockey game from start to finish. I think it may have been broadcast delayed but either way when my college buddies and I watched it we didn't know who was going to win. I remember an article...in Sports Illustrated I think...where the author said it was like if the Canadians put together a high school all star football team and it beat the Pittsburgh Steelers (the dominant NFL franchise at the time). The USSR team was flipping better than anybody in the NHL at the time. They had two challenge series against NHL All Star teams. They won one and tied the other. In fact they won a three game series against NHL All Stars in 1979. That tells you what the true amateurs on the 1980 US Olympic Hockey team were facing. The USSR Hockey team overall Olympic record was 55-5-2 if I'm counting right. That USA team beating them was an upset of mind-boggling proportions.

Hate to break it to you guys, but I mentioned this in the OP. it is still the greatest amateur athletic accomplishment in the history of our country. Plus, the fact that it came when national morale was very low ( thank you Jimmah). What a boost it gave to the whole country.


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[Gil Dobie]

The Russians and the IOC beating the USA in basketball, 1972 Olympics.

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[css75]

The Russians and the IOC beating the USA in basketball, 1972 Olympics.

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That in itself could have its own thread. What a croc that was.


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