Charmoli's Top Ten Images of 2008

by GPC

Number 10:

Michael Crabtree's last second catch to beat Texas. A dramatic comeback by Texas has Texas Tech on the ropes with 9 seconds to go until Graham Harrell found Crabtree down the sideline where he was able to shake off two Longhorn defenders and fight his way into the end zone for the winning score.

Reaction: After several other dramatic plays that lead to this catch, my emotions were running high. This play literally made say: HOLY SHIT! and place a phone call to a buddy to make sure he was sharing the experience.


Number 9:

Mario Chalmers three-pointer with 4 seconds left to send the NCAA Championship game into overtime. Several miscues on behalf of Memphis in the last two minutes allowed this shot by Chalmers to give new life to Kansas as they ended up taking home the crown
in OT.

Reaction: Considering what was at stake, I thought I would have had more of an emphatic reaction to this shot. However, it did still bring me out of chair and shout WOW! UNBELIEVABLE!


Number 8:

The Americans, with local Kentuckians J.B. Holmes and Kenny Perry leading the charge, bring home the Ryder Cup at Valhalla despite Tiger Woods watching from home with an injury.

Reaction: Having had the opportunity to be at the event made me realize how different it is from a regular golf tournament. It was a supercharged atmosphere and the roars throughout the golf course were numbing. One of the best sporting
events I have ever attended. I was totally pumped and excited for everything about the Americans (and Kentuckians) success and win. I think I may have even belted out Lee Greenwood's lyrics to "Proud To Be An American" when we locked up the cup. Very neat experience on several levels.


Number 7:

The Derby favorite, Big Brown, chews up the field and runs away with the roses from the 20 spot. In the meantime, the philly, Eight Belles, Big Brown's stiffest competition during the race, breaksdown after the finish line and has to be euthanized on the track.

Reaction: I was in attendance at the race and located high above the first turn where the horses run out after the race. I was totally pumped with adrenaline about the performance I saw from Big Brown, and equally, dejected by the sobering circumstances with Eight Belles...especially considering the huge race she had just run.


Number 6:

Despite not having played in a major for three year, 53 year old Greg Norman leads the British Open after 54 holes.

Reaction: I was at Pine Valley for a weekend of drunken golf of my own but seeing Norman hold it together for 3 days to take a 2-stroke lead into the last day of what had been a brutal event due to whipping winds and cold weather was bittersweet. I have always felt for him given the Goliath-type collapses he has suffered in front of millions of people time and time again in major tournaments. Part of me was thrilled that he had another opportunity, when least expected, to bring home one last major. The other part of me was devastated because I knew he had set himself up, yet again, to go through the same agony he had been subjected to before. Unfortunately, he fell on his sword yet again. It's amazing that this guy has everything in the world you could possibly want and most of the sporting world, including me, wants to just give him a hug.


Number 5:

Josh Hamilton belts 28 home runs in the first round of the MLB home-run contest. Hamilton hit 13 in a row at one point.

Reaction: Yankee stadium became an amphitheater of electricity as Hamilton wowed everyone watching. I was on the verge of falling asleep when I sat up in my bed with my jaw open. I called Lippy to make sure he was watching because it was unlike any other home run performance I had seen. Hamilton's troubled background, overcoming improbably odds to even be in this position, his pitcher that night, Yankee Stadium's last year and the sheer power that was on display was the perfect storm of AWESOMENESS!


Number 4:


My Top Ten Sports Moments/Images of 2008David Tyree somehow fights off Rodney Harrison to keep the Giants' drive alive by holding on to the ball while it was trapped against his helmet.

Reaction: I first thought Eli's "Houdini" act was the remarkable aspect of the play until I saw Tyree come down with the improbably grab under extreme duress with the Super Bowl against the undefeated Patriots in the balance. HOLY SHIT! NO FUCKING WAY!


Number 3:

Tiger Woods, on one leg, birdies the 72nd hole of the U.S. Open to force an 18 hole playoff with Rocco Mediate. The slightly downhill, right-to-lefter from 14' was literally do-or-die for Tiger.

Reaction: Did you expect anything else? I just remember thinking: UN-FUCKING-BELIEVABLE!...this guy is superman! There is no way he can capture these kinds of moments time and time again and convert basically 100% of the time.


Number 2:

Usain Bolt blows away the field in the men's 100 meter dash in Beijing.

Reaction: The most awesome performance of the year. I was mesmerized by Bolt and his performance this night. This was a one-man show that was literally electric. LIGHTNING BOLT!


Number 1:


The photo-finish of the men's 100 meter butterfly final where Michael Phelps staged an unbelievable comeback to win the gold medal and keep his dream alive of winning eight golds during the Beijing Olympics.

Reaction: I look at this photo sequence and I still can't believe he did it.



Phelps' reaction after realizing he had won be 1/100th of a second!

Reaction: This was as pumped as I could get watching a sporting event - especially swimming. However, you put an American flag on it and feelings come out during your cheering and excitement that don't normally reveal themselves. I was literally on the edge of my seat, pounding the bed and cheering him on. Phelps never had the lead and was beat with 5 meters to go. Hearing the announcers and watching him just gobble up the leader with massive strokes as they approached the wall was sensory over-load. After turning to Kelly and saying "oh my God...he lost", the crescendo came when the number 1 popped up in Phelps land and they had announced he had won by 1/100th of a second. You would have thought Phelps was my own son. I was literally jumping up and down and saying, FUCK YEAH! I have watched this race probably 50 times since. This moment was a hands-down winner for me in '08!