Ten Great Moments from '93

The new year is here. It's time to take one last look at 1993. Immediate thoughts come to mind. Tragic deaths...The infamous timeout...Air Jordan flies no more...James B. Orthwein lies some more...Bill Lambeer cries no more...But let's just, for today, dwell on the positive. Despite the seemingly inordinate amount of tragedy, 1993 had its share of greatness. It had its share of excitement. And it certainly had its share of heartwarming stories. All in all, as other years, it reduced grown men to tears, sent young children dancing in the streets, and confirmed once again the sublime nature of sport.

Here, then, are ten great moments of 1993:

.Bill Parcell is named head coach of the New England Patriots. At last, Boston's most laughable franchise had a big name coach. From drug problems, to sex scandals, to Victor Kiam dressed as Santa on national television, the Patriots had been characterized by turmoil, instability and ridicule. Now a man with two rings roams the side lines. The future of the Patriots finally looks bright. Let's just hope the team's future is in Boston.

.Mario Lemieux's return to hockey. The heir to the Great One met his biggest challenge. In the midst of his greatest season, on pace to break Gretzky's single season scoring record, Lemieux was diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease. But just six weeks later he was back on the Igloo ice in Pittsburgh, and he scored a goal. Lemieux went on to win the scoring title, garner some more personal awards, and add thousands to his fan club.

.Larry Bird Night at the Boston Garden. On the floor where he performed his magic for 13 seasons, Larry said good-bye. Despite the emotion of the evening, the event did not deteriorate into a sappy and teary farewell to number 33. Instead, it offered a memorable look back at the man and the athlete. The highlight came when Magic and Larry met at center court and shared their own personal good-byes will all Beantown watching. Magic told Larry he wished it could go on forever. No one in the audience could disagree.

.Massachusetts defeats North Carolina in college basketball. Sure, there's regional bias on this one. But who cares. The victory was big inside and outside Massachusetts. UNC was hailed as possibly the best college team ever. And the Tar Heels jumped out to an 11-0 lead. But UMass, playing under fiery coach John Calipari, didn't back down. It took UNC into overtime and then took over. The nation was shocked, and at last, UMass had the national respect it deserved.

.Dennis Byrd walks again. Last year, the New York Jets offensive lineman was injured and told he would never walk again. But this year, at the Jets home opener, Byrd crutched his way to center field. For pure inspiration, this was the moment of the year. He had defied the odds and beat his injures.

.Joe Carter' home run. Most viewers were pulling for the blue collar Philadelphia Phillies over the Toronto Blue Jays. But with one swing of the bat, Carter made the 1993 series memorable. The vision of Carter jumping around the base paths, with his arms flailing and that wide-eyed-seven-year-old-Christmas-day grin on his face, will go down as one of the truly great moments in baseball history.

.The Buffalo Bills' comeback victory over the Houston Oilers in the 1993 playoffs. For the truly remarkable, this one has to be included. Trailing 35-0 early in the third quarter, the Bills rallied to beat the Oilers in the biggest comeback in the history of the playoffs. While one particular player does not stand out, the whole series of events that transpired was simply amazing. Houston's collapse may have aided the comeback, but Buffalo' display of determination merits a spot on this list.

.Michael Jordan's playoff performance. For the most spectacular play by an individual, Jordan wins easily. With nothing left to prove in the NBA, with a one-way ticket to Springfield, Ma. already secure in the near future, Jordan nevertheless took his game to new heights. He set a playoff record by averaging over 40 points a game while driving his Bulls to a third straight NBA title. And in the process, he secured his position as the best athlete ever to play the game.

.Joe Restic's farewell tour. Sure, outside of Cambridge this would make few people's list. But then again, outside of Cambridge, not many people recognize Joe Restic. He struggled this year as the team lost some close games. But it doesn't matter. He left the game the same way he coached it for 23 seasons, with class, dignity, and modesty. In small time college athletics, Joe Restic is up there with the best of them.

.Boston College's victory over Notre Dame. I saved my favorite one for last. This game had excitement, it had great individual play, and most importantly it had a fantastic finish. The kick, as it will be remembered in Boston, became the stuff of legend. A 21-year-old struggling kicker, thrust into the often cruel and unforgiving national spotlight with the pressure of countless teammates and fans hoping and praying for victory, calmly sent the ball sailing through the uprights into the opening arms of Touchdown Jesus. So there you have it. A taste of what 1993 had to offer. There were amazing upsets, fantastic finishes, spectacular individual and team efforts, touching tributes, and most significantly inspiring stories. Let's hope 1994 can bring much of the same.

--John C. Ausiello is a Crimson Staff Writer.