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RockyMtDevil
07-18-2007, 01:51 PM
With The Open starting tomorrow at Carnoustie, it made me wonder which sporting contest I most look forward to and enjoy watching between the British Open and the Final Four... I must admit I have an affinity for the Open over the Final Four, though my passion is clearly college basketball.

Anyway, What is your favorite sporting event to watch and why...Poll Away

Lord Ash
07-18-2007, 01:55 PM
Uh, as long as there is no Duke/Carolina game at Cameron, then I won't be voting in your poll.

:)

SilkyJ
07-18-2007, 02:33 PM
1st off, I definitely enjoy watching the US Open (golf) more than the British Open, and depending on where the British is being played, I usually prefer the Masters as well.

2nd - Amen to Lord Ash.

3rd - I enjoy watching the 1st weekend (thurs-sun) of the tournament at LEAST as much, if not more (if Duke isnt playing), as the final four. You get 12 straight hours of college basketball for FOUR STRAIGHT Days, and you have a stake in each game if you fill out a bracket. I can't even describe to you how much I love those four days. Without a doubt my favorite weekend of the year.

4th - I think you could make a case for the Preakness, aka the Freakness/Preaknasty? Thats a ton of fun to watch, and even more fun to go to...of course, if you attend you usually dont remember the actual race...(if you've never gone, I can't even describe to you what you are missing)

DukeDude
07-18-2007, 02:41 PM
If my team is in the FF, super bowl, or BCS title game, then those would jump to the top. Otherwise, I'd rather go to the Master's.

riverside6
07-18-2007, 03:12 PM
1st off, I definitely enjoy watching the US Open (golf) more than the British Open, and depending on where the British is being played, I usually prefer the Masters as well.

2nd - Amen to Lord Ash.

3rd - I enjoy watching the 1st weekend (thurs-sun) of the tournament at LEAST as much, if not more (if Duke isnt playing), as the final four. You get 12 straight hours of college basketball for FOUR STRAIGHT Days, and you have a stake in each game if you fill out a bracket. I can't even describe to you how much I love those four days. Without a doubt my favorite weekend of the year.

4th - I think you could make a case for the Preakness, aka the Freakness/Preaknasty? Thats a ton of fun to watch, and even more fun to go to...of course, if you attend you usually dont remember the actual race...(if you've never gone, I can't even describe to you what you are missing)
I think I agree with every point in this, especially #3.

The Thursday and Friday of the ACC Tournament and NCAA tournament are another holiday for me. Can't remember the last time I worked on those days.

dukemomLA
07-18-2007, 03:45 PM
If Duke is in the FF, then it's a no brainer for me. If not, the British Open comes close (GO TIGER!!) I've been to 3 Super Bowls and although that's great, I have to admit that watching on the telly gives a better view. Been to a couple of BSC champ/games as well, and again, the telly seems superior (rather than the atmosphere of frenzy).

Aside from the FF, I have experienced the greatest rush being there in person for the final game of the baseball World Series. Been there twice -- and oh, my God----------beautiful.

mapei
07-18-2007, 04:00 PM
I almost can't stand to watch UNC-Duke, because the pressure is just too intense!

For me, there is nothing like le Tour de France. The sport has gone through horrible times, it's true, but that event has a special majesty for me.

Honorable mention: NCAA tournament, World Cup soccer, Wimbledon.

greybeard
07-18-2007, 04:05 PM
1. The Willis Reed game, 13th row behind the Knicks' bench.

2. The Joe Willie Namath-daryl Lamonica shoot out at Shea in the AFL Championship game the year the Jets won it all;

3. The game in which Edie (can't spell has last name, something like) Gocovine (the former NY Ranger goalie) first returned to the Garden as a Red Wing. Having been ripped by Ranger fans for years, when the Red Wings took the ice, the Garden shook with, "Edie, Edie." Went on for five minutes at least. Edie standing in front of his cage, leaning on his stick, tears streaming down his face.

It's been all downhill since.

Super Bowls suck (only been to one), and I agree with Silky on no. 3 (yikes).

mapei
07-18-2007, 04:09 PM
The Super Bowl seems too much about spectacle - and cheesy spectacle, at that - and not really about sport, even if the game is OK. But I do like the conference championship games.

greybeard
07-18-2007, 04:38 PM
As for wish list things, I'd actually pay to see Real Madrid play Barcelona, especially in an end of season game.

A world cup final, if played in a European Stadium with two great European sides playing like last year.

Either of those would top my list. What is present in those contexts is oh so absent at Super Bowls.

Closest thing to them on the list I would have to think is a World Series, depending upon where it is. As an old Brooklyn Dodger fan it pains me to say this, a Yankee Stadium seventh game would probably be up there; ditto for Fenway, even though I swore off baseball after 1956.

mgtr
07-18-2007, 05:37 PM
Well, I voted for the final four, which is not too surprising. However, even though I am not a golfer, I think the Masters should be in the list -- exclusivity, if for no other reason. Plus, it is a beautiful, beautiful course.

greybeard
07-18-2007, 08:39 PM
Well, I voted for the final four, which is not too surprising. However, even though I am not a golfer, I think the Masters should be in the list -- exclusivity, if for no other reason. Plus, it is a beautiful, beautiful course.

Much better watching on the tube, er, lcd or plasma screen. You know, if you go, you either sit or stand in one place for an entire day (does grade school ring any bells), or walk for miles.

Mgtr, if you are half the man your writing suggests you are (hope you're not a she like Stray), you take your pleasures with much greater comfort and like your action to well, be active. I've never been, but does the final four get the crowd buzzing the way say the ACC finals do?

VaDukie
07-18-2007, 08:42 PM
I voted for the Final Four because of the sheer ectasy of when Duke plays

but...

a Duke-UNC game in person is like nothing else in the world. I've seen 4 at the ACC Tournament and 3 in Cameron...what a rush.

Record is 5-2 by the way.

SilkyJ
07-18-2007, 09:19 PM
Super Bowls suck (only been to one), and I agree with Silky on no. 3 (yikes).

Greybeard and I have agreed twice in the last 2 days, so clearly I need to criticize something soon...

The poll is for events, not specific games, other wise I would have put a lot of other things like Cowboys vs 49ers in 82 and in 95 (I am a niners fan). Also I THOUGHT it was for yearly events, otherwise I would have put World Cup and BOTH olympics on there too like Mapei...I used to watch wimbledon, but just dont have any interest anymore...



Honorable mention: NCAA tournament, World Cup soccer, Wimbledon.

mgtr
07-18-2007, 09:20 PM
Greybeard -
I am totally confused. Are you saying that Stray is a female, or that he is a "girlie-man," to quote the governator?
I do agree that a large HDTV is the way to see the Masters, however.

greybeard
07-18-2007, 09:40 PM
Greybeard -
I am totally confused. Are you saying that Stray is a female, or that he is a "girlie-man," to quote the governator?
I do agree that a large HDTV is the way to see the Masters, however.

Actually, neither; gender confusion regarding Stray, either on Stray's part or the other posters, became a recurring way to break the tension (you think things get testy here) on the LAX board. I forget who started it, and whether it was my masculine or femine side that found it so amusing.:cool:

greybeard
07-18-2007, 09:49 PM
Greybeard -
I am totally confused. Are you saying that Stray is a female, or that he is a "girlie-man," to quote the governator?
I do agree that a large HDTV is the way to see the Masters, however.

Neither: you will recall that everyone had great fun playing with the issue of gender confusion, either attributing it to Stray about his/herself or the rest of us about him/her as a means of breaking the tension on the LAX board. Call it a peace offering.

mgtr
07-18-2007, 10:33 PM
Right! Gotcha. It was all about the Los Angeles airport.

OZZIE4DUKE
07-19-2007, 12:00 AM
1. The Willis Reed game, 13th row behind the Knicks' bench.

2. The Joe Willie Namath-daryl Lamonica shoot out at Shea in the AFL Championship game the year the Jets won it all;

3. The game in which Edie (can't spell has last name, something like) Gocovine (the former NY Ranger goalie) first returned to the Garden as a Red Wing. Having been ripped by Ranger fans for years, when the Red Wings took the ice, the Garden shook with, "Edie, Edie." Went on for five minutes at least. Edie standing in front of his cage, leaning on his stick, tears streaming down his face.

It's been all downhill since.

Super Bowls suck (only been to one), and I agree with Silky on no. 3 (yikes).

1. I'm jealous.

2. I'm jealous.

3. You mean this guy? Eddie Giacomin
http://store.thegoaliesden.com/servlet/-strse-170/Eddie-Giacoman-Autographed/Detail

The Rangers of Giacomin, Brad Park, Jean Ratelle, Vic Hadfield, Rod Gilbert, Walt Tkaczuk, Billy Fairburn and Dave Balon (who recently died) were my guys.

Didn't we just do this in another thread last month? I've been to 2 Super Bowls, 2 Final Fours, 1 World Series game, 2 weekends at the Masters and several rounds at 2 US Opens at Pinehurst.

OZZIE4DUKE
07-19-2007, 12:02 AM
Much better watching on the tube, er, lcd or plasma screen. You know, if you go, you either sit or stand in one place for an entire day (does grade school ring any bells), or walk for miles.

Mgtr, if you are half the man your writing suggests you are (hope you're not a she like Stray)

Stray Gator is NOT a she.

mgtr
07-21-2007, 09:22 PM
No, I understand now that Stray works at the Los Angeles airport. Not, however, as a she.

cspan37421
07-21-2007, 10:44 PM
As great as the Final Four is on TV, I wonder how well it translates to the oversized arenas in which it is played. You might be in a loud Duke section but most of the place is likely to be so anti-Duke, I can't see it being as great as it could be. The saving grace is, of course, a championship is on the line, so the excitement level is there in terms of school pride. But if the crowd isn't into it, in unison, something must really feel lacking - compared to the frenzy that is Cameron. Can anyone speak from experience?

I went to the GA Tech - UConn game at the Georgia Dome this year. It should have been a marquee matchup but UConn wasn't its old self. Anyway it was a warmup run-through for CBS since the Final Four was to be there. It was cavernous and the crowd was a big mix of old and young, too few of college age. The student sections were quite small by comparison and even though it was essentially a home game for GA Tech, it might as well have been in the LA Superdome. It was a mortuary in there, and Tech actually won.

I had hoped by going to that nationally-televised game I'd give my son a taste of how exciting college basketball can be. What a terrible choice! I explained that he'd really have to see them in the Thrillerdome or wherever they play now.

JBDuke
07-21-2007, 11:23 PM
As great as the Final Four is on TV, I wonder how well it translates to the oversized arenas in which it is played. You might be in a loud Duke section but most of the place is likely to be so anti-Duke, I can't see it being as great as it could be. The saving grace is, of course, a championship is on the line, so the excitement level is there in terms of school pride. But if the crowd isn't into it, in unison, something must really feel lacking - compared to the frenzy that is Cameron. Can anyone speak from experience?

I went to the GA Tech - UConn game at the Georgia Dome this year. It should have been a marquee matchup but UConn wasn't its old self. Anyway it was a warmup run-through for CBS since the Final Four was to be there. It was cavernous and the crowd was a big mix of old and young, too few of college age. The student sections were quite small by comparison and even though it was essentially a home game for GA Tech, it might as well have been in the LA Superdome. It was a mortuary in there, and Tech actually won.

I had hoped by going to that nationally-televised game I'd give my son a taste of how exciting college basketball can be. What a terrible choice! I explained that he'd really have to see them in the Thrillerdome or wherever they play now.

I attended the 2001 Final Four in Minneapolis, and sat in the Maryland section for the semi-final. The first 10-15 minutes were pretty tough, but it got much easier after that. :D

For the final, it wasn't really a Maryland section any more....

DukieInKansas
07-22-2007, 12:20 AM
I would pick the Tour de France - specifically the finish line on the Champs. I was present for the team presentations, prologue, and first stage in 2003. Want to go back for some mountain stages.:)

DukeDevilDeb
07-22-2007, 11:45 AM
What if Duke is not in the Final Four and Tiger is not in the Masters (Hah!) or whatever... then what?

mapei
07-22-2007, 06:14 PM
I would pick the Tour de France - specifically the finish line on the Champs. I was present for the team presentations, prologue, and first stage in 2003. Want to go back for some mountain stages.:)

Very cool, Dukie. I tried to go to the team presentations in Dublin in 1998, but because of security precautions it was all closed off. We found our way to the staging area, though, where the buses would pull up and, in a way, it was even better since we got to mingle with the riders, Didi the devil, and other TdF fixtures. Great fun, and then we watched the prologue and first stage.

OZZIE4DUKE
07-22-2007, 07:05 PM
No, I understand now that Stray works at the Los Angeles airport. Not, however, as a she.

Stray Gator is a barrister and lives in the state of his namesake Gators. Who's giving you all this false information? Mike Nifong? (Just kidding.)

Channing
07-22-2007, 07:12 PM
I voted for the final four, but if Duke is not playing I generally find that I do not want to watch. I agree with the Masters, and would add the Grand Prix of Monaco and the Daytona 500 to the list.

burnspbesq
07-23-2007, 12:08 AM
Best sporting event I've ever been to: 2003 Women's World Cup final at the Home Depot Center.

Sporting events I hope to attend someday: Man United vs. Chelsea at Old Trafford, Duke-Carolina at Cameron, USC-Notre Dame at the Coliseum, England vs. Australia cricket at Lord's or the MCG.

Best sporting event I can imagine: Game 7 of a Subway Series.

mgtr
07-23-2007, 07:25 AM
Stray Gator is a barrister and lives in the state of his namesake Gators. Who's giving you all this false information? Mike Nifong? (Just kidding.)

Well, greybeard wrote that Stray appeared on the LAX board, so I just assumed that meant that he worked at Los Angeles airport. Perhaps he has two jobs, and splits his time. Or there are two completely differently Strays.