Sports — these somewhat meaningless feats of athletic achievement that seize our emotions all the same — are on an all-time run of championship games. Nearly every postseason finale over the past nine months has lived up to expectations, blown past them, and turned into moments we couldn’t forget if we tried.
Super Bowl 51 completes a historic streak of sports having incredible championships
Almost every sport has featured a title game for the ages in the last nine months.
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
It started with the NCAA National Championship last April, when Villanova won the 68-team tournament on a buzzer-beating shot, and has lasted through until Sunday’s Super Bowl. In that nine-month span, the only major sport that disappointed us was the NHL, where the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the San Jose Sharks in six games last June. It wasn’t even a bad series. It just didn’t go to a Game 7, or an overtime, or have any of the dramatics to appease the sensationalistic parts of us.
Super Bowl LI on Sunday was incredible, setting 24 records and tying seven more in a historic Patriots comeback. It was also, technically, decided by six points at the end. Of all the games we’re counting, that’s actually the largest margin of victory of any of the sports. In total, seven games that decided the championship were decided by 19 points.
Here’s a look back at this amazing run of championship games.
Villanova beats North Carolina at the buzzer
It might not be fair that college basketball is decided by a series of win-or-go-home matchups in a 68-team tournament, but it’s what fans love about March Madness. Occasionally, it feels like the teams could keep playing forever and the score would never be more than five points.
Down three, North Carolina’s Marcus Paige tied this game with one of the most difficult shots I’ve ever seen with those kind of stakes.
Villanova had to go the length of the court to get a shot, but they did just that for a Kris Jenkins three-pointer. The buzzer sounded as the ball went through for the championship.
We’re off to a great start.
Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
The Cavaliers complete a 3-1 comeback against Golden State
LeBron James cemented his legacy and won one for “The Land” with back-to-back 41-point games, followed by a 27-point triple-double in Game 7. There was The Shot from Kyrie Irving, and The Stop from Kevin Love on reigning MVP Stephen Curry, and The Almost-Caused-The-World-To-End-Missed-Dunk that Jamesneeeearly threw down on Draymond Green.
The NBA uploaded the final three minutes and 39 seconds of game play. Here it is.
This series, of course, spawned the 3-1 memes that have become culturally ubiquitous over the past nine months.
Game 5 of the WNBA Finals ended up a buzzer-beater
The Los Angeles Sparks and the Minnesota Lynx had THREE lead changes in the final 20 seconds of a decisive Game 5. The series itself or the individual performances may not have lived up to the other games, but this ending was arguably better than any of the rest of them.
Cubs vs. Indians gives us our second blown 3-1 lead and a historic Game 7
The 2016 World Series was already going to be a series for the ages, because Cleveland and Chicago had been waiting YEARS to break their championship droughts. One of them had to keep on suffering, making it the cruelest series ever. Then, of course, Game 7 went to a 10th inning, had a brief rain delay, featured some of Bill Murray’s finest moments, and gave us another blown 3-1 lead.
When Game 7 gives you headlines like this ...
... then Game 7 did something right.
The Sounders beat Toronto FC on penalty kicks
Even the penalty kicks went down to the wire, with Seattle winning, 5-4. But it was all set up with this incredible save by goalkeeper Stefan Frei in the 108th minute.
Jozy Altidore damn near had the winner right there. Frei said no, and his team won the MLS Cup Final.
Clemson beat Alabama, who had been ranked No. 1 the entire season
When the Tide gave Clemson the ball with 2:07 left in the game, we all knew it was too much time for Dabo Swinney and Deshaun Watson. Alabama had led 24-14, only to see Clemson lurch back ahead with consecutive scores. When Jalen Hurts ran it in from 30 yards out to put Alabama back on top, it set up this:
There were so many What If’s that we know either team could have won in a coin flip. That’s how close they were, and how tight this game was played. It was the National Championship rematch we deserved, and we loved every second of it.
Photo by Elsa/Getty Images
And that brings us to Super Bowl 51
The Atlanta Falcons had it. They had pushed New England into the ropes, they were really just one more score away from making their lead insurmountable, and then they left the door cracked open. Don’t leave any doors open around Tom Brady, or he will burst through them like the Kool-Aid Man and refuse to leave until you know he’s the greatest quarterback ever — even if he won’t admit it.
The Patriots rallying from down 28-3 was the greatest comeback in Super Bowl or playoffs history, and it completes our circle of championship games. The next one will be college hoops again, and maybe it’ll keep the streak going.
But it feels like this magic has run its course — like sports saw how bad 2016 was in every other area, and for once, decided to come along at just the right time and say, “We got y’all.”
Unless you’re a Falcons fan. Sorry about that.
