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.
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 by TrueBlue4ever