Top Five Sports Viewing Experiences

Continuing my sports theme from the past week, today's top five list covers my five personal favorite sports viewing experiences, defined as having taken place somewhere besides the stadium where the event was occurring.

1. Red Sox vs. Cardinals; Game Four, 2004 World Series (Kings, Boston)
I wasn't even planning on going into Boston for this game, but my roommate reminded me that it's not every day (or every year or every decade) that the Red Sox are in a position to win the World Series. So, courtesy of a slick maneuver and a blatant lie to the bouncer, we found ourselves inside this packed-to-capacity bar in the Back Bay (with my old co-workers, but that's another story). After Johnny Damon's lead-off home run, the excitement just kept building and building. When Keith Foulke threw to Doug Mientkiewicz for the final out in the bottom of the ninth, the bar erupted in celebration. Then, as if following some primordial instinct, every bar in Boston emptied and Red Sox Nation converged on Fenway Park to revel in the glory of breaking the curse. It was the first and only time I've ever lost my voice.

2. England vs. Brazil; Quarterfinals, 2002 World Cup (some pub, Shepherd's Bush, London)
What better place to watch the World Cup than in the country that invented The Beautiful Game? My brother and I walked down the street early one English morning looking for a pub that was showing that morning's fixture against the Brazilians. The early hour of kickoff may have led to the English fans being more subdued than I had hoped, but I did not let the 7:30AM start time keep me from enjoying a Guinness for breakfast with my football.

3. Patriots vs. Rams; Super Bowl XXXVI (AEΠ House, Brown University, Providence)
For the first three years I was at Brown, I faithfully attended my fraternity's Super Bowl party, regardless of whose team was playing. Finally, my senior year, it was my turn. With several Rolling Rocks under my belt already, I made an ill-advised (at the time) bet with a brother from St. Louis that if your team were to lose, you would have to wear the other guy's jersey for the next 24 hours. When the Pats jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead, I was thrilled. When the Rams tied things up in the fourth quarter, I got a bit nervous. But once Tom Brady ignored John Madden's advice and drove down the field with a minute left, and once Adam Vinatieri set up from 48 yards back with 0:07 to play, I was euphoric. The improbable victory was celebrated with many high fives, chest thumps, and man hugs.

4. Patriots vs. Jets; Week 16, 2004 NFL Regular Season (Bellagio, Las Vegas)
There is no scene quite like watching sports inside a Las Vegas sportsbook. You are guaranteed to have other people there rooting for your team, even though their motivations might be different. But the fact that half a dozen games are being shown simultaneously, leading to random people cheering or cursing at random times, guarantees an orgy of football on an NFL Sunday afternoon. What made this particular experience so special was that my mom and brother were watching the game with me, all of us decked out in our Patriots attire with drinks in hand.

5. Mike Tyson vs. Kevin McBride; Boxing (Paddy O's, Boston)
Boxing is best enjoyed in a large group, since the collective bloodlust of a large viewing audience makes it much easier to let yourself get caught up in the pugilism. I now understand why the Romans loved their gladiators, because I witnessed the modern equivalent. The entire bar was rooting for McBride (because he's from Boston) and against Tyson (because he's a punk). When Tyson failed to answer the bell for the sixth round, the bar erupted in cheers. And we weren't even there to watch the fight -- there was a band playing afterward.