| | | We will not forget last Tuesday. We must not forget last Tuesday. We cannot forget last Tuesday.
|  | | "The Catch" sent the 49ers to their first Super Bowl. |
But today, at least for a few minutes, we need images besides a plane crashing into the World Trade Center, voices besides broadcasters and officials describing the toll. Today, at least for a few minutes, we need other images, other sounds, other voices. Today, at least for a few minutes, we need images and sounds that once made us cheer, made us laugh, made us gasp in amazement and, most importantly, made us put aside our troubles for a while.
Today, at least for a few moments, let's briefly comfort ourselves with familiar images and memories of sports. ...
Carlton Fisk waving his home run fair. Michael Jordan taking the final shot against Utah. Dwight Clark snaring Joe Montana's pass in the end zone. Brandi Chastain ripping off her top. Muhammad Ali standing over Sonny Liston. Bobby Orr flying in front of the net. Franco Harris catching The Immaculate Reception. Cal's Kevin Moen racing through the Stanford band. Babe Ruth pointing to center field. ...
|  | | Michael Jordan won his sixth NBA title on the last shot he took in the NBA. |
Punching out an All-Star ballot until the chads cover your lap like a very bad case of dandruff. Arguing over who belongs in the Hall of Fame until the bartender yells, "Drink up! Closing time!" Buying a $10 square in the office Super Bowl pool and getting the numbers 2 and 5. Draining the office toner supply while copying off the NCAA Tournament bracket. ...
The Hanson Brothers starting a fight during warm-ups. Bullwinkle taking a football scholarship at Whatsamatta U. Leslie Nielsen moon-walking while posing as an umpire and calling balls and strikes. Chico Esquela saying, "Baseball ... been berry, berry good to me." Bill Murray teeing off against a row of flowers, mumbling about the "Cinderella story at Augusta." ...
Al Michaels asking, "Do you believe in miracles?" John Facenda's voiceover on an NFL Films slo-motion replay of "Mustard-helmeted gladiators on the frozen tundra of Green Bay." Johnny Most shouting, "Havlicek stole the ball! Havlicek stole the ball!" Lou Gehrig telling fans, "Today, I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the Earth." Russ Hodges screaming, "The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant! The Giants win the pennant!" ...
The Camden Yards warehouse. Touchdown Jesus. The championship banners hanging in Pauley Pavilion. The ivy walls at Wrigley Field. The Green Monster. The columns at Soldier Field. The Celtics parquet floor. Monument Valley at Yankee Stadium. The glow of Friday night lights from a high school stadium. ...
|  | | The 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team made everyone believe in miracles. |
Two 350-pound linemen trying to sneak up on a head coach while lugging a jug of Gatorade to pour over his head. The Harlem Globetrotters pulling the old "confetti in the water bucket" routine. John Madden diagramming a play on the telestrator. Lucy yanking away the football when Charlie Brown comes running up to kick it. ...
Joe Jackson and the 1919 White Sox walking out of the cornfield. The Olympic track team running along the beach to the Vangelis' theme from "Chariots of Fire." A bleeding Roy Hobbs slamming a home run into the light towers. Jimmy Chitwood sinking the basket to win the Indiana state championship. Rocky Balboa running up the steps to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. ...
"Take Me Out to the Ballgame." "Hail to the Victors." "Rock and Roll, Part II." "On Wisconsin." "Y-M-C-A." "One Shining Moment." "The Notre Dame Victory March." "The Star Spangled Banner." ...
|  | | Rulon Gardner's remarkable upset ranks as one of the top moments from the Sydney Games. |
Mark Spitz diving into the water. Carl Lewis racing down the track. Marion Jones sprinting away from the field. Dan Jansen skating around the oval with his child. Rulon Gardner ending Alexsandr Karelin's reign. Bob Beamon leaping to the edge of the sandpit. Bela Karolyi carrying Kerri Strug. Jesse Owens winning four gold medals at Berlin. ...
The Red Sox and the Yankees. Chamberlain and Russell. The Bears and the Packers. Connors and McEnroe. The Giants and the Dodgers. Martina and Chrissie. Auburn and 'Bama. The NCAA and Jerry Tarkanian. ...
Bear Bryant's porkpie hat. Ken Griffey Jr.'s backward cap. Tom Landry's fedora. Deion Sanders' doo-rag. Slick Watts' headband. Jordan's shaved head. Allen Iverson's cornrows. Pete Rose's haircuts. Rockin' Rollen's rainbow wig. ...
The Stanford Tree. The Philly Fanantic. The St. Joseph's Hawk. Youppi! Bevo. Uga. Herbie Husker. Purdue Pete. Ralphie the Buffalo. The Mariner Moose. Traveler. Rock Chalk Jayhawk. ...
Eddie Gaedel taking four high ones. A line drive knocking Charlie Brown's clothes off. Steve Lyons pulling his pants down. The baseball bouncing off Jose Canseco's head for a home run. Don Zimmer. ...
|  | | Who could forget John Elway walking up to the line in the fourth quarter? |
The Masters green jacket. The world heavyweight belt. The Stanley Cup. An Olympic gold medal. A Super Bowl ring. The Heisman Trophy. ...
Mark McGwire stepping into the cage for batting practice. Jordan with the ball at the top of the key and two seconds left. John Elway walking up to the line in the fourth quarter. Wayne Gretzky skating toward the goal with the puck on his stick. Tiger Woods stepping up to the tee at Augusta. ...
"I am the greatest!!!" "Fummmmmbbbbllllleee!!!!!" "These are the saddest of possible words ..." "Now batting, the shortstop, Derek Jeter. No. 2, Jeter ..." "Are you ready for some football?" "We're No. 1!" "The winner and still champion ..." "Upon further review ..." "Play ball!"
"... The land of the free and the home of the brave."
Jim Caple is a senior writer for ESPN.com.
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