The 2000s were an excellent ten years to be a sports fan. The following are the most memorable moments for me. Don’t forget to watch the associated clips. In chronological order…

August 28, 2003 - NIU beats Maryland – I was lucky enough to witness this game in person with some of my family members. Great experience.

October 2003, 2007, 2008 – Chicago Cubs – Sports team which caused me the most pain. Let’s just move on.

October 2004 - Red Sox vs Yankees – I am a neither a fan nor a hater of either team, but given the history involved, this series will be in my head for a long, long time.

October 30, 2004 - Michigan beats MSU – I gave up on Michigan at the end of the 3rd quarter. Boy did they prove me wrong. One of the best individual performances in the clutch (by Braylon Edwards) I have ever seen.

March 26, 2005 - Illinois beats Arizona – Deron Williams and Dee Brown. Enough said.

April 10, 2005 - Tiger Woods vs Chris DiMarco – It’s hard to beat watching the magic at Augusta on a Sunday.

October 16, 2006 - Bears beat the Cardinals – I remember sitting in my friend Brendan’s basement watching this epic comeback. My friend Jase got a little “carried away”, we all mobbed each other, and eventually were too out of breath to yell anymore.

Fall 2006 - York Football – You had to be there.

February 4, 2007 - Devin Hester’s kickoff return in Super Bowl XLI – Watched this game at Jase’s house with his mom and some buddies. Although they got trounced the rest of the game, Hester’s opening kickoff return was incredible. I will never forget that feeling of euphoria as we realized he was going to take it to the house.

June 15-16, 2008 - Tiger Woods vs Rocco Mediate – The most nervous I’ve ever been for a sporting event in which I had no involvement in whatsoever.

2008 Olympics - Michael Phelps and the US Men’s Swim Team (skip to 3:30) - Phelps’s come-from-behind win to beat Cavic by a millimeter and the relay team keeping Phelps’s chances at 8 gold medals alive were part of the most memorable non-major sporting event I can remember.