OLYMPICS (Non-Track)
1. THE SPARROW: The enchanting range of motions and emotions of Soviet pixie Olga Korbut (most notably the TV close-up of her in tears) captivates audiences worldwide and vaults gymnastics to prominence.
2. EIGHT IS (MORE THAN) ENOUGH: Michael Phelps eclipses swimming great Mark Spitz, going eight-for-eight in Beijing and setting the standard for the most golds won in a single Olympics.
3. ‘10’: In ‘76, 14-year-old Romanian Nadia Comaneci scores an Olympic first when she earns a perfect 10.0 and becomes the youngest gymnastics all-around champion ever.
4. ‘WE WUZ ROBBED’: A helter-skelter finish complete with mind-bending calls and overreaching officials enables Russia to steal (errrrr, win) the ‘72 basketball gold on their third try. As for their silver medals, the Americans pull a Sarah Palin, saying, “Thanks, but no thanks.”
5. THE KLAMMER EXPRESS: Never the most elegant downhiller, 22-year-old Franz Klammer nevertheless skis his way to victory in dramatic fashion in front of his fellow Austrians in ‘76.
6. PAVLOVA OF THE ICE: Norwegian skater Sonja Henie, 15, wins the first of three consecutive Olympic golds at St. Moritz in ‘28.
7. Strug’s Struggle: Gymnast Kerri Strug badly sprains her ankle on her first vault in the ‘96 all-around. Then, on her last and deciding vault, she sticks a gutsy, one-footed landing to give the U.S. gold over Russia. Tears flow as coach Bela Karolyi poignantly carries her to the medal stand.
8. TAKE THAT, TONYA!: A month after she was clubbed in the knee (an assault masterminded by fellow competitor Tonya Harding and her ex-husband), Nancy Kerrigan skates her way to a silver medal in the ‘94 Lillehammer Games.
9. ICE MAN: Speedskater Dan Jansen wins the 1,000-meters in ‘94, ending a decade-long Olympic medal drought that saw him fall on two occasions at the ‘88 games while mourning his sister’s death.
10. BLOOD IN THE POOL: Political turmoil between Hungary and the Soviet Union spills over into the pool in ‘56 in the most famous water polo match ever. Only a month after the Soviets crushed the Hungarian Revolt, the match turns bloody and violent before Hungary prevails.
SOCCER
1. WAR AND GAMES: In a classic sport-imitates-life match of the post-war era, Germany ties England in the final minutes of the ‘66 World Cup, but England wins in OT.
2. UPSET: The U.S. defeats England 1-0 in ‘50, the biggest World Cup upset in history.
3. BIG: In the largest women’s sporting event in history, the U.S. women beat China on penalty kicks in the ‘99 World Cup final before over 96,000 at the Rose Bowl.
4. UNITED!: Manchester United scores two goals in the final three minutes to beat Bayern Munich in the ‘99 Champions League Final.
5. GET REAL!: Real Madrid completes five consecutive European Championships by drubbing Eintract Frankfort in front of 127,000 in Glasgow.
6. LIBERTE, EGALITE, FRATERNITE: The World Cup was conceived in ‘30 in France, but no French team won until a dynamic French squad, with both African and Algerian descendants on board, emerges as if to celebrate a new multi-ethnic France, which would rout Brazil for the ‘98 World Cup.
7. HAND OF GOD: Maradona’s “Hand of God” goal puts Argentina past England and into the ‘86 World Cup semi.
8. TEEN IDOL: Pele, just 17, leads Brazil to its first World Cup in ‘58.
9. HUNGARY FOR VICTORY: Germany defeats Hungary in the ‘54 World Cup 3-2, the Hungarians’ only international loss in between ‘50 and ‘56.
10. AMERICAN WOMAN: The U.S. wins the first Olympic Gold Medal in women’s soccer in ‘96.
