Transport Me into the Skin of...

[SoxJox]

I've always wondered what it would be like to be enveloped in a moment in sport of memorable, even historic consequence.  Professional, collegiate, other worldly.
 
For me, I've enjoyed the [virtual]  moment of riding Affirmed; wondered what Dave Roberts must have felt with what arguably has now been characterized as the  most famous theft: "The Steal" in 2004; considered how Jesse Owens must have felt, as Mabrowndog pointed out at What Record in Sport Will Never be Broken, a surrealistic performance within a 24 hour period; thrown the Flutie "Hail Mary", or even joined Doc Ellis on his trip to Neverland.
 
Many of you might choose moments that you witnessed personally.  Others might suggest moments of enduring memory from historic and/or extemporaneous records.
 
So, the question is posed: If you could place yourself in the body of an athlete, professional, amateur, or otherwise, please answer:
 
1) What is the event?
2) What is the personal or historic significance?
3) What enjoyment would you derive from having taken their place?
4) [Ahem] Do you think (OK, even wish or could suggest) that you could have done better?
 
Qualifier: I define moment as a single event or series of events of short duration (e.g., Jesse Owens in one day).  This is not a CAREER question.

 

[Kliq]

I've always thought that scoring a goal during the World Cup would be the greatest thrill in sports. I think I would love to switch places with Andres Iniesta in the world cup final against the Netherlands back in 2010. Just the pure joy of putting in a winner on the biggest stage in sports and that overwhelming excitement is just incomprehensible for any non-athlete.

 

[mascho]

Joe Montana during the drive to win Super Bowl 23 against Cincinnati. I would in no way be able to improve on what he did, but that drive was perfection.

I love this anecdote from that drive. Before they started they were in a TV timeout. Niners were huddled up, and Montana got all excited. He pointed towards a tunnel and was shouting "hey, that's John Candy!" Sure enough, along the end line just crushing popcorn was John Candy. The TV timeout ended, and the rest was history.

Another fact is that Montana hyperventilated during that drive and Bill Walsh nearly burned a timeout as a result. But Montana played through it.

 

[bibajesus]

Does Tom Brady impregnating Gisele count? If not than I would pick Jackie Robinson walking out of the dugout for the first time. To be that brave and confident in your abilities all while the crowd berates you would be pretty awesome.

 

[The Talented Allen Ripley]

Bill Mazeroski or Joe Carter. Doesn't get any better than hitting a World Series winning homer.

 

[Eddie Jurak]

David Tyree so that I could drop that fucking ball.

 

[WayBackVazquez]

Tiger at the '97 Masters. Historic accomplishment (first non-white to win the Masters, youngest to win), historic performance (largest margin of victory)...it was less of a coronation than a king seizing power and meeting no resistance.

 

[Fred not Lynn]

Any first time Major Leaguer, NBA, NFL or NHL player - stepping onto the field of play for the very first time, after the enormous journey it took to get there. To think to myself, "I am there. No matter what happens moving forward from here, no one can ever take THIS away from me."
 
Except Daniel Nava, because I would have done the wrong thing. I would have dropped my bat, run the bases, sauntered though the dugout and clubhouse and out the door to the parking lot announcing simply, "My job here is through...", and driven away to never pick up a bat or ball every again in my life.

 

[SoxJox]

Does Tom Brady impregnating Gisele count? If not than I would pick Jackie Robinson walking out of the dugout for the first time. To be that brave and confident in your abilities all while the crowd berates you would be pretty awesome.

That is most definitely sport.

 

[curly2]

Bill Mazeroski or Joe Carter. Doesn't get any better than hitting a World Series winning homer.

 
Good call, but I'd have to give the edge to Mazeroski. Carter's was great, but his team was the defending World Champions, Mazeroski was playing for a team that hadn't won since 1925 and was a huge underdog against the Yankees of Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Whitey Ford, Roger Maris, Elston Howard etc.
 
 
Being Mike Eruzione in 1980 must have been great, from the Soviet game through being on the medal stand as the anthem was being played.
 
 
Being Chris Moneymaker as Sam Farha folded on Moneymaker's bluff would have been amazing.

 

[ernieshore]

A great premise. I’ll exclude the obvious Boston-related ones that spring to mind: Fisk in ‘75, Ortiz from ALCS Game 4 to ALCS Game 7 in 04, Ortiz in the '13 playoffs and WS, Orr in ‘70, Brady just about any day, Vinatieri in the Snow/Super Bowls, Bird calling out his team the in the ‘84 Finals and then delivering.
 
A few I considered:

• Nicklaus at the '86 Masters.
• Ayrton Senna winning his home race in Brazil with only one gear left.
• Fabio Grosso kicking the deciding penalty kick in the 2006 World Cup.
• Riding Secretariat in the Belmont.
• Roger Bannister breaking the 4 minute mile.
• Michael Thomas scoring the last second miracle title-winning goal for Arsenal in 1989.

 
But to be Edmund Hillary descending Everest with Norgay must have been a pretty awesome feeling. Though that doesn’t have the crowd noise/celebration aspect of some of the ones above, which really appeals to me. So maybe it is Nicklaus in 86, with all the great shots he hit, the crowd going bonkers, doing that at one of sports' great venues when you think your time may be up, and all with your son on the bag.    

 

[Plantiers Wart]

Ali (or rather, Cassius Clay) after knocking out Sonny Liston in their rematch in Lewiston, Maine for the heavyweight championship.