ESPN Zone is celebrating 10 years of operation at Ohio and Wabash today. They're giving out free desserts with a $10 Game Card purchase, but more important, they're unveiling their list of the Top 10 Chicago Sports Moments of the past 10 years. They polled their customers both online and in the restaurant over the past month, and the result is this Top 10 list they emailed to us earlier today....1. 8th Inning Nightmare / 10.14.2003
Five outs from the World Series, the Cubs suffer nightmare 8th inning of Game 6 of the NLCS as fan Steve Bartman interferes with Moises Alou's attempt to catch a foul ball, followed by Alex Gonzalez muffing an inning-ending double-play ball; Marlins win the game and later the series.
2. Hester, You Are Ridiculous / 02.4.2007
Following a regular season in which he returned six kicks/punts for touchdowns, Bears rookie Devin Hester returns the opening kickoff of Super Bowl XLI for a touchdown, the first time in Super Bowl history that feat is accomplished.
3. Series Champs / 10.26.2005
In the only run of the game, Jermaine Dye hits a game-winning RBI single and after an 88-year drought the White Sox become World Series Champions, sweeping the Astros in four games.
4. Say It Ain't So(sa) / 06.3.2003
Sammy Sosa is caught with a corked bat and ejected from the game; claims he mistakenly used a batting practice bat.
5. Cross-town Quarrel / 05.20.2006
Cubs catcher Michael Barrett ignites a bench-clearing brawl by sucker punching the White Sox's A.J. Pierzynski after a collision at the plate.
6. Desert Miracle / 10.16.2006
Trailing 20-0 at halftime of Monday Night Football vs. the Cardinals, the Bears' defense stages an incredible fourth quarter comeback; Mike Brown and Charles Tilllman both return fumbles for touchdowns and Devin Hester returns a punt 83 yards for a touchdown and the Bears win 24-23.
7. One for Sweetness / 11.7.1999
In their first Bears game since the shocking passing of NFL legend Walter Payton, the Bears defeat their storied rival Packers 14-13 (the team's first win over the Packers since 1993) on a blocked field goal by DT Bryan Robinson.
8. One for the Ages / 04.30.2009
Bulls force a game seven in its first round playoff series with defending NBA Champion Celtics with a triple-overtime, 128-127 thriller that features Joakim Noah's steal, full-court drive, dunk and three-point play that fouls out Paul Pierce with 35 seconds left.
9. Big Z, Big No-No / 09.14.2008
Carlos Zambrano throws the first no-hitter by a Cubs pitcher in 36 years, against the Astros, at neutral Miller Park in Milwaukee.
10. Don't Stop Believin' / 10.23.2005
First, what I agree with - the Bartman incident definitely has to be #1. People will be talking about those events for the end of time. And poor Steve Bartman, the man had to go into hiding. If the Cubs ever win it, they better let this guy ride on the parade float or something.
The Crosstown Cagefight should be on the list. It's an inner-city rivalry that reached hilariously brutish levels. As a Cubs fan, I was happy to see Michael Barrett go, but he'll remain a figure of Cubs lore forever.
A few things I don't agree with - Sammy Sosa's corked bat is too high on the list. Devin Hester's Super Bowl return was definitely list-worthy, but bigger than the White Sox winning the World Series? Come on!
And how can we not have one mention of the Blackhawks? What about the Winter Classic that turned Wrigley Field into an ice rink on New Year's Day? Or the team making the Conference Finals after a whirlwind season? That's bigger than the Bulls series they ended up losing.
But what do you think? Was something left off the list? Leave a comment and let me know!
I like the top ten, but i disagree with some selections. For example, number 3 should be number 1, and 1 changed to 3 is a sure changer. Thank you.
it's mostly been a rough ten years for the hawks, but not one moment? what about kane's shootout goal to beat the wings in his career debut? toews' colorado goal? for me personally, i was lucky enough to be in section 219 with my dad when the hawks clinched the series this year against vancouver in game 6. for two hopeless souls with lifelong addictions to the game of hockey who've watched the hawks suffer all these years, kane's hat trick goal was an extremely emotional moment for both of us.
I am actually very surprised with this list. 1.) No Blackhawks! They made it all the way to the Western Conf. finals against those nasty Red Wings! I figured P. Kane's hat trick in the Vancouver series would at least get on the list. 2.) White Sox World Series winner as number 3?! If I remember correctly, that was the only Chicago all-the-way championship in the past ten years. (and I also thought Paul Konerko's grand slam in game 2 should make the list; it's not everyday that you see you're favorite baseball player put it on the board during the world series) 3.) Steve Bartman as number 1?! That poor guy couldn't catch a break. Curses don't exist, and I truly think that it is an excuse for the Cubs blowing the season; however, I understand a century of losing can put thoughts like that into a Cubs fan's brain [: . and finally 4.) Mark Buehrle's no-hitter. Not only did he not allow any hits, but the only base-runner he allowed (one of Chicago's favorites: Sammy Sosa) was picked off. I think that calls for a deserving spot on the list. Although I disagree with some of the things placed on the list, I think it was a good way to recall some of Chicago's finest sports moments.
once again the cubs sucking is more important thant the white sox winning....some things that should be changed--replace devin hester touchdown with the nfc championship game to go to the superbowl, again losing is more important than winning, take out the desert miracle, should not be on this list, make pod's homer and konerko's homer into game 2 and put that up way higher than it is right now, mark buehrle threw a no no also so why is zambrano's more important, and he also did it before zambrano, put something with the hawks, they havent been much these last ten years but these last two years have given enough to put on this list, a bad list that could have been so much better