If I Could Get A Ticket...

Sports bless us on regular occasion. Buzzer beater threes for national titles, chase down blocks to seal a city's long-awaited title, walk off home runs to beat a rival -- we crave that kind of drama and heroism. Lately, sports has provided some instant classics, and as a viewer of many games each week, I've loved every second.

Still, for all the games and plays that have made me say wow and for all the moments I've relished the Twitter explosion, I wish I could go back in time. I wish I could have been there for the biggest of games because there is truly nothing better than witnessing it all. So, here's the deal: I've made a list of five games I wish I could have been present at. Some of these I watched on television while others took place long before I was even thought of on this Earth. But if I could go back in time and somehow get a ticket then here's where I would go...

Boston Braves 3 - Brooklyn Dodgers 5 - April 15, 1947
Just over 26,500 fans were in attendance at Ebbets Field on April 15, 1947 and if I could have been one of them I would certainly have taken the opportunity. Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier that day, starting at first base and batting second. It was a monumental moment in history at the time, but it seems even bigger now as we look around sports today. African Americans have provided some of the finest play we've seen and Robinson blazed the trail for all of them, suiting up for the Dodgers on that April afternoon. Robinson was not particularly great in the opener, finishing 0-for-3 with a run scored, but there are some things that go beyond the box score and this certainly qualifies as one of them.

Villanova Wildcats 77 - North Carolina Tar Heels 74 - April 4, 2016
You really don't need a play-by-play for this one because certainly you remember. Even before Marcus Paige hit his acrobatic three-pointer to tie the game with six seconds left and before Kris Jenkins made the greatest shot maybe ever, this game was magical. Carolina took a five-point lead into the break, and Villanova led by five with three minutes to go. Paige's three may be forgotten as time passes, but it was one of the greatest clutch shots we've seen. The only problem: Jenkins topped it on the other end of the floor with a buzzer-beating three to give the 'Cats their second national title.

Texas Rangers 9 - St. Louis Cardinals 10 - October 27, 2011 (11 innings)
Texas and St. Louis gave baseball fans arguably the greatest World Series game ever in Game 6 of the 2011 Fall Classic. With Texas leading the series 3-2, the Cardinals were facing elimination in their own ballpark. Needing a win to force a Game 7, the Cards led 2-1 after the first inning in a game that featured at least one run in every inning but one. The Rangers chased Jaime Garcia after three innings and led 7-4 after seven innings. St. Louis got one back in the eighth and went to the ninth trailing by two. Down to their last strike in the ninth, David Freese unloaded a deep fly to right that Nelson Cruz couldn't handle. Freese wound up with a triple and drove in Albert Pujols and Lance Berkman to tie the game and force extra innings. Josh Hamilton homered in the 10th to give Texas the lead again, but Berkman singled on a 2-2 count in the bottom of the frame to tie the game at nine. In the bottom of the 11th, Freese played the role of hero again, launching the walk off home run to centerfield, forcing a Game 7 which the Cardinals would win for their 11th World Series.

Florida State Seminoles 34 - Auburn Tigers 31 - January 6th, 2014
One of the greatest BCS National Championship games in history featured a 21-point comeback and a game-winning touchdown pass with 13 seconds left on the clock. The Seminoles entered as the top-ranked team with Jameis Winston fresh off a Heisman trophy win, but Auburn looked impressive out of the gate, leading 21-3 late in the first half. FSU scored a touchdown right before the half to trim the lead to 11 and then connected on a field goal in the third quarter to make it 21-13. Then things got fun in the fourth. Winston threw a touchdown pass with 11 minutes to play to make it a one-point game, but Auburn pushed it to four with a field goal at the 4:42 mark. However, on the ensuing kickoff, Florida State ran it back 100 yards to take a 27-24 lead. The Tigers didn't give in though, scoring a touchdown with 1:19 to play to take a 31-27 lead. That set the stage for Winston's signature moment. The Heisman winner drove the Seminoles down the field and threw a two-yard TD pass to Kelvin Benjamin with 13 seconds remaining to win the game.

Chicago Bulls 87 - Utah Jazz 86 - June 14, 1998
After failing to close out the Jazz in Game 5 at the United Center, Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls had to go back to Utah for Game 6 to try and complete the franchise's second three-peat. The Jazz won the first three quarters and led by five heading into the fourth quarter. Jordan, playing in his last game as a Chicago Bull, poured in 45 points on 15-of-35 shooting, but saved his best for last. Down by one with under 10 seconds to play, Jordan drove left and pulled up for his final shot as a Bull. He sank it and sealed the win as only the greatest to ever play could do it. Six rings, six Finals MVPs and one lasting memory for Bulls fans.

These five games were something special that fans still talk about today. However, there are hundreds of others that could be talked about. What are yours? Leave a comment with games that you wished you could have attended...

Battle L.A.: Dodgers or Angels Bigger Disappointment?

2013 has not been kind to Los Angeles sports teams. No, not one bit. The Lakers failures this season were well-chronicled and even the Clippers took a disappointing first round exit in the playoffs. Now the future of the team is uncertain with Chris Paul potentially departing. In the college ranks, UCLA capped a less-than-stellar season by losing in the first round of the NCAA Tournament and then firing coach Ben Howland. And now, maybe worst of them all, the Dodgers and Angels are struggling mightily as the MLB season nears the 50-game mark. Thank God for the Los Angeles Kings. That's all L.A. has going for them right now.

They say money can't buy happiness, but that doesn't mean it can't buy a few championships. Just ask the Yankees. However, that's not the case for the Dodgers and Angels. Both clubs haven't been shy about spending big and several superstars have made the trek west. For the Angels, the signings of Albert Pujols, C.J. Wilson and Josh Hamilton has translated over to a 20-27 record this season. The Dodgers are 19-26 despite signing Zack Grienke and Hyun-Jin Ryu and having the services of Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford for the entire season.

So what's the problem? Let's start with the Angels. Don't point the finger at Mike Trout because the young phenom has been nothing short of superhuman. Last year's AL Rookie of the Year is batting .302 with 10 home runs and 35 RBI. All of those home runs have come in the month of May and Trout leads the team in batting average, RBI, on-base percentage and hits, slugging percentage and stolen bases. No, Mike Trout is not the problem at all.

Pujols, while his average is low for his standards, isn't playing poorly. His .253 batting average is uncharacteristically low, but he does have eight home runs and 29 RBI. He's also batting .317 in his last 10 games and it appears he might be turning it around. Hamilton is a different story. The big summer signing is batting just .220 with six home runs and 16 RBI. He has struck out 53 times already and even his on-base percentage is low at .279. Hamilton is not even reaching base, however he does have a hit in eight of his last 10 games.

As a team, the Angels are middle of the pack in nearly every statistical category offensively and the pitching staff isn't any better. The staff ERA of 4.57 ranks 12th in the American League and, even worse, they rank 10th in strikeouts yet third in walks. It would appear that the pitching has held this team back from reaching expectations. Offense can only cover up so much.

For the Dodgers it's a similar issue. L.A. is in the top five of the National League in batting average and on-base percentage while ranking 14th and third in strikeouts and walks, respectively. As a whole, the Dodger offense has been producing. However, that doesn't mean their biggest stars have carried the load.

Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier are off to rough starts and Kemp has struck out 17 more times than the next closest teammate, who happens to be Ethier. Together the two combine for just six home runs and 32 RBI while both batting below .270. Gonzalez, usually a home run threat, has hit just four, but he does have a .309 batting average with 30 RBI. Crawford has also produced after the debacle that was his brief career in Boston. He is batting .302 with team-highs in home runs (5) and stolen bases (9).

On the pitching staff, Clayton Kershaw and Ryu have been magnificent, but the others on staff have been less than impressive. Both Kershaw and Ryu are 5-2. Kershaw's ERA is a league-low 1.35 and Ryu's is a respectable 3.30. After that things get hazy. Josh Beckett is currently on the disabled list and he couldn't be the ace of staff on the Bad News Bears. His 0-5 record and 5.19 ERA is a far cry from the guy we've seen lead teams to World Series victories. Outside of Kershaw and Ryu the Dodgers pitchers are a combined 9-19. The return of Grienke can't come soon enough.

Both clubs are missing pitching and their offense can only cover up so much. The stars also must perform to the level they are expected to. A lot of money has been spent in SoCal, but that hasn't meant wins. If the Dodgers are to compete for the playoffs they need Kemp and Ethier to start producing more and they need a healthy Grienke. For the Angels, Hamilton must get going and the pitching staff has to pick it up.

If not, the two clubs will cap off a disastrous 2013 for the city of Los Angeles. 

Hamilton Tearing Apart AL Competition

If you haven't taken notice of what Josh Hamilton has been doing the past week then now would be a good time to do so. The Rangers have won four of their last six heading into the Sunday Night Baseball showdown against the LA Angels and Hamilton has been tearing the cover off the ball. Over the course of those last six games he has hit nine home runs with a four-homer game on May 8th the highlight. Hamilton is hitting .402 with 18 home runs and 41 RBIs just 34 games into the season. As of now he is running away with the Triple Crown race, which has not been won since 1967 by Carl Yastrzemski. Hamilton's .402 average is thirty points higher than Derek Jeter's, who is in second place and he has eight more dingers than the next closest player. He also has 11 more RBIs than second place Miguel Cabrera. His Rangers are 22-12 and leading the American League and it appears this could finally be the year that he leads Texas to that elusive World Series title.

The Texas Rangers had the World Series almost wrapped up last season before David Freese and the St. Louis Cardinals performed one of the great Fall Classic miracles, stealing Game 6 and winning it all in Game 7. In the offseason the Angels and Detroit Tigers dominated the headlines by signing power hitters Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder. Yet it is Hamilton who has been called the best player in the American League by several analysts this season. Consider these numbers: Fielder and Pujols have combined for just six home runs this season. Hamilton has hit three times that amount. The two also combine for 27 RBIs compared to Hamilton's 41. Pujols is hitting just .195 while Fielder is below his normal average at .266. While the two new AL sluggers get accustomed to their new homes their teams continue to suffer. Detroit is .500 while the Angels are at the bottom of the AL West. Another stat worth mentioning is the fact that the entire San Diego Padres team has hit just 13 home runs.

We can expect Hamilton to come back down to Earth, but the fact of the matter is that he will most likely finish the year .330/50/150 if he stays healthy. Sure, there will be slumps, but Hamilton is hitting at such a torrid pace right now that his stats will still be above average. Healthy is the key word though as that has been a problem for Hamilton. He is one of, if not the most, talented players in the game of baseball when 100 percent. He can hit for average and power, run the bases, and play a stellar centerfield. He is well protected in the Rangers lineup with bats like Ian Kinsler, Elvis Andrus, Adrian Beltre, and Nelson Cruz surrounding him.

Still, the personal stats are nice and the trophies and accolades will add to his legacy, but the Rangers big prize would be a World Series trophy. The two-time defending AL champs have come up short the past two seasons and one must wonder how much longer they can keep this team together. They are a complete team with a potent lineup and a pitching rotation that's solid from top to bottom. The loss of C.J. Wilson was offset by the addition of Yu Darvish, who has been lights out thus far. Right now, the Rangers are clicking on all cylinders, and if it keeps up they will be World Series champions and their star should win the American League MVP and perhaps the Triple Crown. Stay tuned.

Cards Cap Unbelievable Comeback For 11th World Series Title

Sports are made for fairy tale endings. We see it all the time in movies like Rudy, Remember the Titans and others, but sometimes it seems that there are no such endings in the real sports world. Hollywood can make a great fake fairy tale ending but none of that could come close to what took place in St. Louis late Friday night. The St. Louis Cardinals completed one of the most incredible comebacks in sports history, defeating the Texas Rangers 6-2 in Game 7 of the 107th World Series. The victory wrapped up the 11th World Series for the franchise and it's their second since the millenium hit.

Written off in August, the St. Louis Cardinals made a furious comeback in the final weeks of the regular season to overtake the Atlanta Braves and clinch the Wild Card on the final day of the season. What did that get them? A date in the NLDS with the MLB-best Philadelphia Phillies and their lights out pitching staff. Trailing 2-1 in the series and with their backs against the wall, the Cards pulled out two tight games in a row to win the series. By now, Chris Carpenter's legendary Game 5 pitching performance against Roy Halladay has found it's place in Cardinal baseball folklore and the win was easily the playoffs biggest upset. Division rival Milwaukee was standing in the way of the pennant but, again, St. Louis found a way to win. The offense averaged over seven runs a game in the series and it seemed like Tony La Russa almost averaged that many trips to the mound to change pitchers every game.

It's safe to say that the Cardinals were underdogs in the LDS and LCS and that didn't change in the Fall Classic. Texas lost last year's World Series to San Francisco but was back again with a powerful lineup and a bullpen that had been pitching extremely well. Many experts picked the Rangers in six games and the Cardinals seemed to just be a nice story but a team that was going to finally run out of October magic. Wrong. In one of the best World Series in a long time, the two teams went back and forth and four of the games were decided by two runs or less with only one game being decided by more than four runs. For the Cardinals it usually wasn't one of the stars who played the role of hero, but rather one of the role players. Allen Craig won Game 1 with a clutch pinch hit and nearly won Game 2 in the same way. Game 3 was a slugfest that became Albert Pujols' game to write his name into World Series record books. After dropping Games 4 and 5 the Cardinals once again found themselves with their backs against the wall.

A better script couldn't have been written. Relentless team battles back time and time again with the hometown kid hitting a clutch triple to tie it up. Then that same kid blasts the walkoff homerun a few innings later. Talk about a fairy tale ending. Trailing 7-4 in the eighth inning, Allen Craig hit a solo homer to cut the lead to two. At the time it seemed irrelevant but hindsight is always 20/20 and if Craig doesn't hit that home run than David Freese may not even get the chance to be a hero...for the first time. The Cardinals were down to their last strike but Freese's two run triple in the ninth tied it up and forced extras. Josh Hamilton promptly launched a two run homer to put Texas up by two again but St. Louis rallied one more time. This time Lance Berkman had the game-tying hit and that set the stage for Freese's 11th inning leadoff home run to dead center, sending the city of St. Louis into a frenzy. There would be a Game 7 in the World Series for the first time since 2002.

There was only a quick moment of doubt that the Cardinals would win Game 7. Texas took a two run lead in the top of the first but Freese erased it with a two run double in the bottom half of the frame. Allen Craig homered an inning later to give his team the lead and later on, leaped up to rob Nelson Cruz of a home run. Up four in the top of the ninth, Jason Motte delivered the pitch to David Murphy who hit a fly out to left. Craig twisted around before getting under the ball. He caught it, raised both arms in the air and hugged Jon Jay. On the infield Yadier Molina leaped into Motte's arms while Pujols and others ran to join the dog pile on the mound. They hugged, high-fived and put on their championship shirts and hats. The St. Louis Cardinals had, perhaps, just completed the greatest comeback story in the history of sport. Down 10.5 games with a month remaining, coming back in all three postseason series including the World Series where they were down to their final strike twice.

How did they do it? The stars performed well like they should have but the St. Louis Cardinals are not the World Series champions if it isn't for Freese, Craig and the bullpen. Craig wasn't even supposed to be in the lineup for Game 7 but he wound up hitting the go-ahead home run and taking away another. Freese made a critical error in Game 6 but made up for it with his two clutch hits. The bullpen was atrocious at times during the regular season but, with a few exceptions, was lights out in the postseason. La Russa wore a path to the mound, making 3-5 pitching changes a game and he made the right move almost every time.

There will always be talk about the baseball postseason struggling to get viewers on television and many will say it can't compete with the NFL. That might be true but here's what I know: America just witnessed one of the best postseasons any sport has ever offered. Baseball is a special game and what makes it special is hard to describe. Those who love it can relate and those who don't will never understand the true beauty of the game. The 107th World Series will go down as one of the all-time greats and one that truly showed the beauty of baseball.

The only sadness in my heart now is that the season is over. Start the countdown now: 100 days until Spring Training begins. Congratulations to the St. Louis Cardinals on winning their 11th World Series title.