BEST OF 2005: The Games

It's time to re-hash 2005 now that the end of the year approaching (and I mean the true end of the year. Why do so many media outlets put out early "year-end" lists without waiting to see what happens during December?). To begin, I'll use an idea that would be perfect for Sports Illustrated (each year they think up a new way to screw up the year-end issue): the year's best games.

10. Texas 25, Ohio St. 22
Everyone forgets that before the season, this was the college football game that everyone was anticipating. The contest didn't disappoint, with the previously choke-artist Longhorns coming back to win at the Horseshoe. And you won't see a prettier ball than the TD pass Vince Young threw to win the game.

9. Pittsburgh Steelers 20, NY Jets 17
It looked like the Jets were about to win their second straight playoff game on a last-second field goal. But instead, Cal alum Doug Brien shanked himself out of a job. This game was more than just a wacky finish, as the Jets got their only TDs from two long returns.

8. Michigan St 94, Kentucky 88
The Patrick Sparks Game. Michigan State looked dead on the momentum meter after Sparks's three-pointer bounced, bounced, bounced and finally bounced in to send the game to a second OT. But Izzo's boys didn't quit, and the Spartans prevailed to reach the Final Four.

7. Andre Agassi d. James Blake
The U.S. Open crowd didn't know which storyline to pull for: the aging legend gunning for one last chance at glory or the ultimate comeback story of a guy returning from unthinkable adversity. Even the commentators knew best to just shut up and watch.

6. West Virginia 111, Wake Forest 105
A classic NCAA tournament game. A ton of scoring, a future NBA star (Chris Paul), a huge upset (Wake was a #2 seed) and the emergence of two folk heroes (Mike Gansey and Kevin Pittsnogle). If only I hadn't missed this game. Sigh.

5. Houston Astros 7, Atlanta Braves 6, Game 4 NLDS
An absolute gem of a postseason game-- and they did it without any Yanks or Sox! While this game will be remembered for going 18 innings (and for Clemens coming out to pitch three of them) let's not forget about the home runs in the 8th and 9th innings that brought the Astros back from a 5-run deficit to force extra innings.

4. San Antoino Spurs 96, Detroit Pistons 95, Game 5 NBA Finals
The Robert Horry Game... the latest edition of it. The Pistons deserved to lose this game and this series, if only for being foolish enough to not triple-team Horry for the entire fourth quarter of an NBA playoff game.

3. Phoenix Suns 130, Dallas Mavericks 126, Game 5 Conf. Semifinals
The least appreciated game on this entire list. Here you had two juggernaut offenses trading buckets like it were 1985. Amare Stoudemire had about 19 tomahawk jams in this game, which went into overtime and was easily the most entertaining of the 2005 playoffs. Ultimately though, this will go down as the game where Steve Nash got revenge on his old stomping grounds, vaulting his new team into the conference finals.

2. Illinois 90, Arizona 89
I remember watching Illinois erase a 15-point defecit at the end of this game and thinking: "I just watched it, but I still don't understand how they did it."

1. USC 34, Notre Dame 31
There was endless hype before this game and enless hype after it, but all for good reason. To recap, this contest featured the following:
A) A storied rivalry that had been yearning for any sort of buzz for a good decade.
B) Three touchdowns from Reggie Bush, including a 45-yard cross-the-field dazzler that would have been the highlight of any other game.
C) A brilliantly-executed drive to give the Irish the go-ahead touchdown.
D) USC converting on a 4th-and-9 with an audible that went for 61 yards.
E) Notre Dame fans prematurely rushing the field.

and

F) A balls-of-steel decision to forgo a field goal attempt for a quarterback sneak with three seconds left.

So yeah, that pretty much constitues the best game of the year.