Every few weeks the lineup of THE GAME 103.7 Lafayette and 104.1 Lake Charles — Southwest Louisiana’s Sports Station will share a little something about themselves.
This week the team answers the question:
“What were your Top 5 favorite sports moments of 2022?”
Hannah Five Names (Morning Producer)
1) MARINERS CLINCH PLAYOFF BERTH: Watching my baseball team end their post-season drought and going to the playoffs tops my list. Though that 18-inning game was totally nerve-wracking and stressful, I think at one point both Kenneth and I had the rally shoe on our heads with our dog looking at us puzzled. Though we weren’t able to secure a postseason series win, it was still fun talking smack with Foote for a little bit.
2) FIRST LSU FOOTBALL GAME: Being able to go to my first ever LSU football game — even though it was raining — was a big highlight. I even got my new bookbag for work! Was able to use my new camera and meet Brian Kelly. Man, it was a little extra though trying to navigate around the stadium.
3) BEING A SIDELINE PHOTOGRAPHER: Getting to be on the field for my first football game to take pictures at Cajun Field was amazing. I got to take a ton of photos and I even spoke to people like Coach Ed Orgeron and other players. Also, it was cool when some Ragin’ Cajuns player came up to me after a big turnover to get a picture taken.
4) PICKING MY MLB TEAM: Deciding to root for an MLB team was a great time because we were able to get our listeners involved. My mom got into it later in the season when she got me my first bit of Mariners’ merch. Think the guys were tired of me talking about them after a while, hey new fandom! Think the best part of choosing them is that my favorite player was signed to their team, Julio Rodriguez, the same day that I did my drum roll and officially chose the team.
5) WITNESSING FOOTE’S FANDOM: Just being in the room with Foote when he watched the Astros game and being 110% nervous he was going to have a heart attack at some point. Made me feel a lot more for his wife and kids for being with him for the other 180 games and even the Saints games.
Matt Miguez (Host of Crunchtime with Miguez & Meche)
1) ASTROS WIN WORLD SERIES: Watching the Houston Astros win their second World Series title. I grew up with the Astros during the 2005 WS sweep and then about 10 years of 100+ losses. So to see them win two titles in a five-year span was incredible.
2) U.S. AT WORLD CUP: The United States Soccer Team in the 2022 World Cup was amazing. Christian Pulisic’s goal against Iran was absolutely amazing and one of those moments that’s hard to forget.
3) PLAYOFF PELICANS: Watching the New Orleans Pelicans show signs of life in the 2022 NBA Playoffs. Since Zion Williamson joined the team, this is the closest they’ve been to having success. Now in 2022, they’re atop the Western Conference and that’s just wild to even say.
4) CFP CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: This was a back and forth affair between two juggernauts as Georgia took on Alabama in the title game. As a college football junkie, it doesn’t get better than that.
5) LSU BEATS ALABAMA: So many people doubted Brian Kelly, myself included, and he was able to prove a ton of people wrong in year one, and no win was bigger than the overtime win over Alabama.
Clint Domingue (Host of Under the Dome)
1) ASTROS WIN WORLD SERIES: Need I say more? After all the years of the Astros first World Series win being tainted by the sign-stealing scandal, the narrative can finally die and we can just move on. It was amazing to see Justin Verlander finally win a game in the World Series and getting home just in time for what would be the series-clinching hit is a great sports moment I’ll probably never forget.
2) AEW ROAD TRIP TO DALLAS: It’s not often I take a road trip, but this was a special one as I got to experience AEW for the first time in person in Dallas. It was the first show I saw in person since before COVID and the energy I felt that whole afternoon/evening had me remembering why I became a fan. That and seeing a Texas Deathmatch in Texas is always a big plus.
3) LSU BEATS ALABAMA: I said it for weeks that November 5th had a chance to be the most important day in sports. From Georgia-Tennessee to Astros Game Six, it all hit a crescendo with LSU’s enthralling OT victory. Brian Kelly did something that no one ever thought would happen but that was a moment we’ll be talking about for years when we look back at Kelly’s coaching career.
4) CAJUNS BASEBALL WINS SBC: To see Matt Deggs break through and guide the Ragin’ Cajuns back into a NCAA Regional by winning the Sun Belt Conference Tournament was amazing.
5) WARRIORS BACK ON TOP: I’ve never been a big fan of the Golden State Warriors but I was rooting for them with my hard-earned dollars, putting $35 on them at the All-Star Break to win it all. That was one of the few bets that paid off and did so in spades and put an extra $200 in my pocket and that’s something I’m still riding with in terms of my weekly parlays (always gamble responsibly).
Raymond Partsch III (Host of RP3 & Company)
1) FINAL FOUR IN NEW ORLEANS: To be able to be inside the Superdome for my first ever Final Four was special enough to be placed on this list, but to witness North Carolina take on Duke for the first time in NCAA Tournament history was something else. To be there in the press box as Coach Mike Krzyzewski coached his final game — a really good game at that between bitter rivals — was nothing short of phenomenal.
2) BRAVES WIN NL EAST: The New York Mets appeared primed to runaway with the NL East championship — many a national news outlet had already crowned them my midsummer. But baseball is a funny sport and the Atlanta Braves caught the Mets to win the division. Did my beloved Braves get elimianted by another division rival in the postseason? Yes, but at least we didn’t blow a 10.5-game division lead like the Metropolitans.
3) LSU BEATS ALABAMA: When Tiger Stadium is electric there isn’t a better venue to watch a college football game. This past year’s battle against Alabama was an all-time classic. Watching the two teams duke it out for four quarters wasn’t enough, as the game headed to overtime. Being in the press box as Jayden Daniels completed the game-winning two-point pass, and watching 100,000-plus pour onto the field was impressive.
4) FITZPATRICK WINS U.S. OPEN: I loved watching Scottie Scheffler win The Masters or Justin Thomas mounting the biggest 54-hole comeback at the PGA Championship, but Matt Fitzpatrick winning the U.S. Open at Brookline stands above. The emotion displayed between he and his caddie Billy Foster — who had never been on the bag for a major win in four decades — was powerful.
5) ASTROS AT WHITE SOX: No, this wasn’t a playoff game or even a significant game but anytime I get a chance to watch a MLB game in a ballpark that I have never been to then it is special. Being able to walk up to Celluar Field on the southside of Chicago, buy a ticket for $8, eat a couple of hot dogs and then watch the Astros play the White Sox on Wednesday night was great.
Jordy Hultberg (Host of The Jordy Hultberg Show)
1) PROUD DAD MOMENT: Watching my daughter Catherine lead her St. Joseph Academy basketball team to the state playoffs and then hitting the big three-pointer to win the quarterfinals against their rival Dominican. A proud dad moment for yours truly.
2) ANOTHER PROUD DAD MOMENT: Watching my daughter Caroline lead her Red Storm Elite volleyball team to a tournament title. She was named MVP.
3) LSU BEATS ALABAMA: It wasn’t Nick Saban’s best team, it wasn’t LSU’s best team….but on a magical night in Tiger Stadium it was one of the best games I have ever witnessed.
4) GAME 4 STEPH: Steph Curry showing his brilliance game after game leading the Golden State Warriors to another NBA title, and he was at his absolute best in Game 4 of the NBA Finals.
5) WORLD CUP: I love watching greatness and I caught the fever of the World Cup this past year. Messi & Mbappe, greatness playing their greatest on the biggest stage was truly captivating.
James Meche (Afternoon Shows Producer)
1) A SUPER BET: I correctly predicted the score for Super Bowl LVI between the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals. I felt so good about it, I decided to place a few bets on FanDuel since at the time it became legal to bet on sporting events. Not only did I place the bet for the score and win big, but I also correctly bet that a non-QB would throw a touchdown in the game to win big there.
2) CELTICS IN FINALS: Watching the Boston Celtics make it to the NBA Finals. It was a rough start for the C’s in the 2021-2022 season. Midway through the regular season though, they picked up steam and played much better as they swept the Nets, then beat the Bucks and Heat in seven games each. They fell to the Warriors in the finals, yet it was still good to see them lead 2-1 in that series which has helped lead to this really good start in the 2022-2023 season.
3) LSU BEATS ALABAMA: Even though I’m not as much of a die-hard LSU fan as some others are, I still enjoy watching the Tigers. Easily the greatest thing they did all year was upset the program that has been the Purple and Gold’s biggest kryptonite for over a decade now in Alabama 32-31. What made it even crazier was that this was just Brian Kelly’s first year in Baton Rouge and he was able to accomplish what a previous couple of coaches could do just once each.
4) ASTROS WIN WORLD SERIES: On the same night that we witnessed LSU’s big win in Death Valley, the Houston Astros also secured their second World Series championship as they defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in six games. In the series, it was wonderful to see the future Hall of Fame pitcher Justin Verlander finally get the monkey off of his back and get credited with a win as a starter on the biggest stage, and Jeremy Pena made a name for himself in just his first year in the majors.
5) SAINTS ROOKIES: There haven’t been many things that have gone great for the New Orleans Saints in 2022. One thing that has been huge for the future of the organization was trading up to go get wide receiver Chris Olave out of Ohio State in the first round of the NFL Draft. The kid has already shown tremendous growth throughout the season and is on his way to being the focal point of this offense. They also selected other players that I think can make a real impact in future seasons for this team including offensive tackle Trevor Penning and defensive back Alontae Taylor.
Kevin Foote (Host of Footenotes)
1) ASTROS WIN WORLD SERIES: This title was just so satisfying. After losing twice in the World Series since the last crown, it was nice to do it again. For all those who thought the only reason Astros won in 2017 was because of banging on trash cans, perhaps it got them a little closer no longer being blind. For Dusty Baker, it was great to see him finally get his missing title. Most of all, it was great to see my daughter Rylie go through the whole season and be able to enjoy it ending with a dogpile with her favorite player making one of the most memorable plays of the series.
2) ASTROS SWEEPING YANKEES: Another postseason, another series victory over the New York Yankees.
3) JEREMY PENA: From him hitting a homer in his first game to all of his walk-offs during the season, the kid is special.
4) ALVAREZ HOMER: Landing in Arnoldville (Charlotte) just seconds after El Perro Grande (Yordan Alvarez) hits game-winning homer to beat Seattle in the ALDS was glorius.
5) JAVIER DEALING: Christian Javier looking unhittable in Game 4 of the World Series – both shifting the momentum of the World Series and hinting that the staff is going to be just fine after Verlander leaves.