Felger & Mazz: 10 Most Important Plays In Boston Sports Of Last 15 Years
BOSTON (CBS) - It's been one hell of an era in Boston sports, some would even say an embarrassment of riches.
This great region is about to celebrate it's ninth championship parade, the latest duck boat rally being held on Wednesday in what is an unprecedented decade-plus run that's envied across the map.
Starting with the underdog Patriots in 2001, the Boston sports teams have made 20 trips to the semifinals, 13 trips to the finals and have secured nine total championships.
Malcolm Butler's interception in the waning seconds of Super Bowl 49 was just the latest big play in a string of memorable moments for us passionate fans over the last 15 years.
To celebrate and relive these moments in time, 98.5 The Sports Hub's Felger & Massarotti show revealed their most important plays over the last 15 years.
Mike Felger, Tony Massarotti and Marc Bertrand each came up with their own list of 10, but could not agree on the order, so here is a compiled list (sort of in order) of the 10 (ish) Most Important Plays In Boston Sports Over The Last 15 Years.
10. "Bergeron! Bergeron! Bergeron!"
"I still get chills by the call," said Mazz.
During the 2013 Stanley Cup run, the Bruins came back from a three-goal deficit in Game 7 of the first round of the playoffs to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs in overtime thanks to Patrice Bergeron.
9. Brady-to-Branch For Key 1st Down Late In Super Bowl XXXVIII
"I think this is one of the forgotten plays in Patriots history," said Felger. "The game is tied at 29 points with 14 seconds left. The Pats are facing a 3rd-and-3 at the Carolina 40-yard line. You don't pick that up, you punt the ball away and you're going to overtime, back in the day when first score wins. So who the hell knows? You lose the kickoff, they get into field goal range [and you lose]. It was a 17-yard pick up to Deion Branch in the deep right flat. The next play, Adam Vinatieri hits from 41 yards and the Patriots have their second championship."
8. Ray Allen's Layup vs. Lakers In Game 6 of 2007-08 NBA Finals
"Game 4 of the '08 Finals the Celtics erased a 24-point Lakers lead in the second half. The Celtics were leading at that point, but that basket was the dagger that gave you that game and that championship," said Felger.
"That was your classic break-your-ankles kind of moment," said Mazz. "Allen took him right out of his shoes."
7. Curt Schilling's Bloody Sock vs. Yankees In Game 6 of 2004 ALCS
"Curt Schilling in Game 6 of the 2004 ALCS, obviously the bloody sock game, pitched seven innings, allowed four hits and one run allowed as the Red Sox got one step closer to completing that comeback," said Felger.
"Schilling's performance was an all-timer. An absolute all-timer," said Mazz. "The performance, the game, was off the charts."
6. (tie) Tim Thomas' Save On Tampa Bay's Steve Downie In 2011 Eastern Conference Finals
"Ten and a half minutes to go, third period with the Bruins up 2-1 in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals, and he makes that save. If you're looking for a moment to sum up that playoff run, which in my mind was the greatest goalie run in the playoffs ever, that was it. That was a ridiculous save," said Marc Bertrand. "That's the one that's going to live in the highlight reels forever."
6. (tie) Nathan Horton Nets The Game 7 Overtime Winner Against Montreal In 2011 Quarterfinals
"The 2011 Stanley Cup run, if you've got to pick one single play from it, it's not easy to do. This is the one I chose," said Felger. "I went with this one because if the Bruins don't win that game, Claude [Julien] is fired, Peter Chiarelli might be fired, they might blow up that roster and change the entire direction of the organization."
5. Ty Law Pick-Six In Super Bowl XXXVI vs. Rams
"That [interception] was when you first believed that the Patriots could win it, because I think going into it the mentality was, 'This one is going to be tough.' I'm not sure how many people truly believed they were going to go in there and win that game," said Bertrand. "When that play happened, you said to yourself, 'Boy, they can win this thing.'"
4. Ortiz Grand Slam vs. Tigers In Game 2 Of 2013 ALCS
"The Sox were trailing 5-1 in the eighth inning on the verge of going down 2-0 to Detroit in the ALCS in 2013. David Ortiz steps up to the plate with two outs and bases loaded. Closer Joaquin Benoit throws a first pitch changeup on the inside part of the plate and the rest is history. Sox tie the series 1-1, beat Detroit and go on to win the World Series," said Felger.
"Phenomenal," added Mazz.
3. Malcolm Butler Intercepts Russell Wilson To Clinch Super Bowl XLIX
https://vine.co/v/OtEvZjdte5D
"I think you could make the argument it's the single biggest play in the history of Boston sports, because again, if he doesn't make it not only do you not have four Super Bowls, but you have another loss. That's a win-lose equation!" said Felger.
2. Dave Roberts Steals Second Base In 2004 ALCS Game 4
"To me, there's largely a symbolic thing there," said Mazz. "That is when the axis on which it all started to turn. There was so much to come after it, but when you add up the 86 years of history, and where you were, we all understand the significance of that play."
1. "It's Good! It's Good! It's Good! And The Patriots Are Super Bowl Champions!"
"For me, it altered the way I think and believe about Boston sports forever. It's not about negativity or cynicism. It's about believing you could actually win it, and that it was actually an option. A lot of the negativity now comes from you know you can win it, and then something goes wrong and you get frustrated. Back then? I didn't think they had a prayer," said Mazz.
"Boston hadn't won a championship in 15 years going back to 1986, and further than that, boil it down to who it was . . . it was the Patriots! They were the laughingstock of professional sports for crying out loud. They were a joke for the large majority of their existence. Vinatieri lined up to make that kick, the ball goes through the uprights and I remember thinking, 'Now what do I do?' That was the face that launched a thousand ships. This era began with that kick."
