In the 10 years of its existence, FSN Arizona has televised a number of memorable games involving teams from the state of Arizona.
The network has a poll on its Web site at www.foxsports.com/arizona for viewers to vote on the best game ever televised on FSN Arizona, a poll that started Aug. 9 and ends tomorrow. After the votes are counted, FSN will replay the games from No. 10 to No. 1 over a five-month stretch starting in September.
Besides Randy Johnson’s 20-strikeout game against Cincinnati in 2001 during the Diamondbacks’ run to the World Series, there was also the game the Wildcats beat ASU 50-42 to cap an 11-1 regular season, which ended in Arizona’s last bowl appearance in 1998.
The Arizona men’s basketball team beating Stanford on last-second shots by Jason Terry – in 1999, when the Cardinal ranked No. 3 – and Michael Wright – in 2001, when Stanford was No. 1ÿ- also should rank high on the list, but here are my top five:
No. 5 – ASU football beats No. 1 Nebraska 19-0 (Sept. 21, 1996)
Call me a traitor, but this game, which ASU used to get the momentum for a Rose Bowl run, was huge for a kid growing up in the Phoenix area. Good thing the Rose-Bowl-every-10-years thing for ASU ends this year. (The Scummies made it in 1986 as well.)
No. 4 – Arizona football beats Washington/Ortege Jenkins flip (Oct. 3, 1998)
Again from that magical 1998 UA football season, I still remember watching Ortege Jenkins flip into the end zone late in the game to beat Washington, keeping alive Rose Bowl hopes that later turned into a Holiday Bowl appearance. If you haven’t seen that play, do yourself a favor and find it on YouTube.com.
No. 3 – Phoenix Suns beat Los Angeles Lakers in OT in NBA Playoff No. 6 (May 4, 2006)
Shazam! With Raja Bell suspended for the Kobe clothesline, the Suns managed to stay close enough for a Tim Thomas 3 to send the game to overtime before the Suns won and eventually closed out
the series.
No. 2 – Randy Johnson’s perfect game against Atlanta (May 18, 2004)
I started watching in the middle innings and stayed glued to what has got to be the most impressive single-game achievement in any sport. The crowning achievement for the best free agent signing in sports history.
No. 1 – Arizona football upsets No. 7 and 8-0 UCLA 52-14 (Nov. 5, 2005)
It’s a no-brainer that I didn’t even watch live on FSN. I’m sure you all remember storming the field during Homecoming last year when Arizona destroyed undefeated No. 7 UCLA, a day when everyone in the stands thought they had to be watching Southern California playing in Arizona red and the only question after halftime was if the goalposts really are impossible to bring down (they are).
Agree or disagree, make your picks at the FSN Arizona Web site.
