For my very first column for The Saint, I wrote about my love for the game of hockey. As this is my final column for The Saint, I feel it only appropriate that I leave in a similar manner.

With that said, let me take you down the road of greatness.

Inspired by Chris Berman’s “Greatest Moment Ever” on SportsCenter, I have decided to wind down the numerous memorable sports moments in the state of Michigan — at the professional and college levels. Now, of course, I’ve only been a part of this world for 21 years. So it would be inappropriate for me to label anything before my birth as a “great moment.” Therefore, let’s call this the “Greatest Moments Ever in Michigan for College Students That I Can Remember.”

Championships

Let’s start with the championships. On the hard court, we’ve got the Pistons’ 2004 NBA Championship and Michigan State’s NCAA Championship in 2000. Behind a cast of all-stars, and after adding Rasheed Wallace during the trade deadline, the Pistons dominated in the playoffs, beating the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals, 4-1. Chauncey Billups led the cast of Pistons, many of whom had never been heard of before. When the team came together to win, what was truly a great moment in history, and officially puting the “teal era” in the backseat.

Michigan State’s win was likewise a great win, behind the leadership of Mateen Cleaves, who was injured in the final minutes of the championship win against Florida. Cleaves went to the locker room, coming back to the court moments later, and limped for the rest of the game.

On the football field, Michigan dominated in the 90s, sharing a NCAA National Championship by winning the Rose Bowl in 1997. Charles Woodson led the team, and eventually won the Heisman. Brian Griese was behind center, and current New England Patriots’ quarterback was a backup.

That’s right — a backup.

Finally, the hockey rink. The Wings broke a 42-year streak and finally won the Stanley Cup in 1997, sweeping the PhiladelphiaFlyers 4-0. The Wings went on the next year and won a repeat championship, this time for Vladimir Konstantinov, who was injured in a limousine crash only days after the ‘97 Cup win, making him permanently disabled. Under a similar all-star cast, the Wings won again in 2002.

This one’s a no-brainer. As much as I loved the Pistons winning in ‘04, I’ve got to go with the Wings in ‘97. Breaking that kind of streak, which reached back to the days of Gordie Howe, is absolutely amazing and was long overdue.

Most Memorable Game

This one’s a toughie. We’ve got the Pistons’ brawl in 2004 against the Indiana Pacers, which is still talked about often today. Then there’s Michigan State’s “one second victory” over Michigan in football, 26-24, behind the likes of Jeff Smoker and T.J. Duckett. But there’s one that stands apart from all of these.

The timeout.

That’s right — in 1993, Chris Webber called a timeout against North Carolina in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship. The problem? The Michigan Wolverines didn’t have any timeouts left. The result? A technical foul, which resulted in extra points for the Tar Heels, who eventually won the game, propelling them to the Championship win.

But, according to the NCAA, Michigan never even participated in the tournament, after a scandal involving the “Fab Five” (which included Webber) and a Michigan booster wrecked the school of its basketball history.

Most Memorable Players

Michigan has been full of successful athletes in past years, in every aspect of every sport. There are the obvious ones — #20 Barry Sanders of the Detroit Lions, who despite never winning a Super Bowl, is considered one of the best NFL running backs ever. Then there’s #19 Steve Yzerman of the Red Wings, who led the Wings to three Stanley Cups and was the youngest player in NHL history to be named a team captain. And there’s #45 Cecil Fielder of the Tigers, who seemed to hit home run after home run in his time with the team (1990-96). And with the Pistons, there were the “Bad Boys” of 2004. Likewise, with Michigan, there was the “Fab Five” of the early 90s, and with Michigan State, there were the “Flintstones” in the late 90s and 2000.

So who’s the best? That’s an easy one — Stevie Y. One of the most well known sports figures to step foot in our state, let alone the game of hockey, #19 had an amazing career with the Wings. Over his 23 years as a Red Wing, Yzerman scored 692 goals and 1755 points, not to mention three Stanley Cups.

So, there you have it — my list of thegreats. With that, I leave you for my love of the game.