Saturday Night Open Thread: My Top Five…. Non-Major Sporting Events

Tonight’s post category was suggested by RTD’s comment last week requesting, “your 5 best non-major U.S. sports (i.e. NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL) memories.” Thank you to all that provided suggestions and I will be incorporating those into future posts.

As I mentioned in the first post, the plan is for this to be an ongoing off-season series on Saturday nights in which I present to you my five favourite somethings and then you comment and tell me:

• How I’m wrong
• Your Top Five
• Suggestions for the next top five list

I have followed RTD’s definition of “Non-Major US sports” to allow for soccer games to be included. Specifically, we are excluding games from the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB. Everything else is on the table.

Without further ado, I present to you my Top Five Non-Major Sports Events!

1 – Women’s World Cup at the Rose Bowl

The Sports Bra that started it all. I did not watch that game live. However, I watched a double header with Nigeria beating North Korea and Germany and Italy tying.

The atmosphere was a lot of fun and there were plenty of good-looking athletic female soccer players in attendance.

Pros:

Two games for the price of one!

Great crowd and atmosphere.

Major international event that set the stage for women’s sport success.

Cons:

The Rose Bowl DJ played the Beastie Boys’ “Girls” over the PA prior to the game. Inappropes!

It was June in Pasadena. It was hot as fuck.

2 – Men’s World Cup at the Rose Bowl

I was there for the USA-Colombia game! Yes, that game where the Colombian defender scored an own goal that led to the team’s loss and got him murdered back home after the tournament.

At least some things never change. I was truly an asshole and made the comment at that moment that he shouldn’t go back to Colombia any time soon. I, as usual, was right.

It was the biggest international sporting event on US soil to date and since. Until 2026!

Pros:

Amazing game. Crazy circumstances.

Huge crowds and a great atmosphere.

Cons:

See above. Summer in Pasadena is hot as hell.

Parking was a bitch so we took a shuttle full of sweaty and stinky people.

3 – European Championship in Belgium and Netherlands

I traveled to Europe with a group of friends in 2000 with some games mixed in, a lot of adventures, and a lot of good times.

I remember seeing games in Belgium, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam. It was all very well organized and the atmosphere was a lot of fun. There is nothing quite like Group Stage games at the World Cup and the European championships. You meet people from different places. Everyone is friendly and gets along. It’s a lot of fun.

Pros:

Amazing trip.

Very friendly people

Cons:

Europe was not as advanced in air conditioning technology, so it was pretty ripe out there.

4 – NASCAR race in Fontana

Have you ever been to a sporting event where you don’t just watch and hear it but you can FEEL it in your gut? Go to a NASCAR race. It is something unlike anything you’ve ever experienced.

The experience is heightened by the fact that you can rent radios that not only protect your ears from the noise but let you listen in on any team’s communications and on broadcasters’ narration of the action. It is a level of involvement that is unseen at other major sports

Seriously, it is a bucket list item to go to a NASCAR race. Unfortunately, there may not be more races at Fontana, at least not in the current 2 mile configuration, so my experience may never be duplicated, but it is still worthwhile.

Pros:

Unique sensory experience.

Many things to focus on. Much more interesting than watching on TV.

Racing days are incredibly fun and go by super fast.

Cons:

Did I mention it was loud?

The track is in Fontucky. It’s a drive just to get there.

5 – NHRA in Pomona

Take what I wrote about the noise at a NASCAR track, multiply it by ten, and add in the fact that you will feel the noise in your guts.

That’s what you get if you go to the drag races.

It is a bucket list experience. My stomach literally felt the cars driving by. Ear protection is not optional. But the spectacle is unreal. The cars go so fast it’s really hard to comprehend.

Pros:

Once you’ve been there once, you will never forget it.

How many times can you say, “Holy shit!”?

Cons:

You need ear protection.

Hard metal seats are not the most comfortable.

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What say you in the comments?