Over the past five years, American sports fans have been blessed with the greatest era we have ever seen in professional and collegiate sports. From teams blowing 3-1 leads to World Series droughts ending, we are truly living in one of the best times to be a sports fan.
1. The Seahawks didn't run the ball?
In the 2015 Super Bowl, the Seahawks had the ball on the one-yard line with the clock under 30 seconds. Do they give it to Marshawn Lynch, or do they attempt a pass? You run the ball, right? Well, the Seahawks threw the ball, a pass Malcolm Butler anticipated, and Brady's fourth-quarter charge earned his fourth Super Bowl ring.
2. Brady wins his 5th Super Bowl in overtime
On February 5, 2017, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots fell behind 28-3 to the Atlanta Falcons. Along with some questionable Falcons coaching, Brady brought his team back with a clutch performance to send the game to overtime, the first time a Super Bowl had ever gone in into overtime.
3. The most clutch shot in NBA history
In Game 6 of the NBA Finals, the Miami Heat were on the verge of losing the NBA until Ray Allen hit one of the most clutch shots in NBA history. When Chris Bosh passed to Allen, and the three went in the air, the entire Heat fanbase held its breath. The shot went in, and the Heat sent the game to overtime. The Heat would go on to win games 6 and 7 and win its second consecutive NBA title.
4. The Warriors blow a 3-1 lead to the Cavaliers
Before the 2016 NBA Finals, no team had ever come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the title. The Cavaliers won games 5,6, and 7 to win Cleveland's first title in 52 years. The first six games were relatively blowouts, but Game 7 was unforgettable with Kyrie Irving's three-pointer to win the game for Cleveland.
5. Kevin Durant joins the Warriors
Following the 2016 NBA Finals in free agency, the NBA world suddenly saw its darling, Kevin Durant, join the team that eliminated him in the Playoffs, the Golden State Warriors, and turn the NBA upside down. The former MVP Durant joined the two-time MVP, Steph Curry, and the 73-9 Warriors and dominated LeBron and the Cavaliers in the following year's finals.
6. Cubs break their 108-year drought
From the Billy Goat Curse to Steve Bartman, the Cubs suffered their fair share of heartbreak over the twentieth century. In the 2016 World Series, the Cubs overcame a 3-1 deficit to defeat the Cleveland Indians and won the club's first World Series since 1908.
7. Alabama wins, Saban gets his 5th
In the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship, Nick Saban shocked the sports world when he attempted an onside kick when his team was tied at 24 in the fourth quarter. One of the most conservative coaches caught everyone off guard, but it paid off as the Tide would go on to win 45-40 in a true football classic.
8. Clemson gets last-second revenge
The 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship saw a rematch of Alabama and Clemson. But this time, Deshaun Watson and the Clemson Tigers got their revenge when Watson found Hunter Renfrow in the end zone with a second left on the clock to defeat the Tide and win the championship.
9. A backup QB wins Saban his 6th title
In the 2018 National Championship, Nick Saban made a gutsy move just as he did two years prior. He benched his two-year starter at quarterback, Jalen Hurts, and gave the nod to freshman Tua Tagovailoa. In overtime, the freshman took a 16-yard sack, and a Georgia win looked probable. But the very next play, Tagovailoa immediately made up for the sack with a 41-yard touchdown to DeVonta Smith to win the national championship.
10. The prayer in Jordan-Hare
In 2013, Auburn was ranked in the top 10 in the nation and was looking to stay in contention for a national championship, but Georgia had the Tigers on the ropes. On fourth down late in the fourth quarter, Auburn was at its last down when Nick Marshall threw a hail mary to Ricardo Louis that went off the hands of two Georgia defenders. Auburn would follow up with a second miracle the next week against Alabama.
11. Auburn's pick six
It may not have won a championship, but the Kick Six was the single-greatest play in Iron Bowl history and maybe college football history. To the dismay of Auburn fans, the referees put one second on the clock, and Alabama attempted a field goal to win the 2013 Iron Bowl. The winner had an excellent chance of making the national championship. Chris Davis took the missed field goal back the length of the field, and the Tigers would go on to win the SEC Championship and compete in the BCS National Championship.
