Entering play at Augusta, Mike Weir had been playing well – he’d won a pair of tournaments earlier in the year, his game was sharp and his style of play suited the reshaped course. Then he went out and won the whole damn thing.
Down two shots heading into the final round, the Brights Grove, Ontario native went four-under for his round and ended up beating Len Mattice in a playoff when the out-of-nowhere veteran bogeyed 18 and shot a two-over six to Weir’s bogey-five on the first playoff hole.
Some hoops heads still want to argue that the Canadian point guard shouldn’t have won one MVP award, yet alone two, but you can’t erase history and Nash’s name is etched on the Maurice Podoloff Trophy for back-to-back seasons.
The Victoria, British Columbia native made everyone better on the court and those first two years back in Phoenix at the helm of Mike D’Antoni’s “Seven Seconds or Less” offense were special. Prior to Nash’s wins, only five guards had taken home the MVP trophy: Bob Cousy, “The Big O,” Magic, Michael and A.I. That’s some impressive company.
An athlete winning five medals over the span of their Olympic career is incredible, but Klassen did that on the ice in Turin, Italy in 2006. The Winnipeg, Manitoba native collected one gold, two silver and two bronze in long track speed skating. She still holds the world record in the 1500m and the 3000m and in December 2006, Klassen won the Lou Marsh Award as Canada’s top athlete.
Want to talk about an emotional, amazing performance? Rochette’s mother died suddenly shortly after arriving in Vancouver, but she decided to press on, recording a personal best in the short program. Two days later, she completed an outstanding long routine to finish third and win the bronze, becoming the fifth Canadian women to win a medal in figure skating and delivering easily the most tear-jerking performance of the games.
We’re a hockey nation and Canada had missed the podium in Turin. Playing on home soil, this was a must-win competition for Team Canada. Pitted against the Americans in the gold medal game, Canada was less than 30 seconds away from victory before Zach Parise dramatic, last minute goal, sending the game to overtime.
At 7:40 of the first overtime period, Sidney Crosby buried a pass from Jarome Iginla into the back of the net, scoring the “Golden Goal.” It may not be as iconic as Henderson or Lemieux’s winners, but it was a massive goal when our hockey-mad nation needed it most.
