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CBS' Greatest Sports Moments

Through the years, CBS Sports has presented us with some of the most thrilling moments in sports. Astonishing victories, tragic defeats, heroic individuals and teams that were greater than the sum of their parts. Now, as we face the start of a new millennium, CBS' Greatest Sports Moments relives these stirring events in a prime time special on December 30 at 8:00 pm.

And You can have a vote in deciding CBS' Greatest Sports Moment. From these five truly defining moments that CBS has brought you over the years, select your choice for the Greatest Moment in CBS Sports and then watch the results announced LIVE on CBS!

The Nominees

1982: Montana To Clark - 'The Catch'

montana It was a continuing journey for an improbable team, a scintillating play that awakened the senses of football fans and hinted at the arrival of football's newest dynasty. The scene was San Francisco's memorable Candlestick Park; the players were the perennially powerful Dallas Cowboys, playoff mainstays for seven consecutive seasons (with a Super Bowl championship and another appearance), and the San Francisco 49ers -- a rebuilding surprise under Bill Walsh. The stakes were high, as both vied for the NFC championship and the right to travel to Pontiac, Mich., for Super Bowl XVI.

San Francisco struck first with a Freddie Solomon TD pass from Joe Montana; Dallas countered with a first-quarter field goal from Rafael Septien and 26-yard Danny White-to-Tony Hill connection. Niners' WR Dwight Clark, a 10th round pick from Clemson, would catch a score from Montana in the second quarter, but Dallas answered with a 5-yard run from powerful RB Tony Dorsett and the Cowboys went into halftime with a 17-14 advantage. With 60,525 roaring fans behind them, the Niners drove to a 21-17 lead after a 2-yard plunge from FB Johnny Davis and ensuing Ray Wersching kick. But the momentum swings wouldn't end. The veteran Cowboys were determined. Septien added another scoring boot to cut the lead to 21-20, and the patient Cowboys would go ahead with less than five minutes remaining when White hit TE Doug Cosbie with a 21-yard strike.

With time ticking away, San Francisco and Montana went to work, picking little pieces of yardage against the Cowboys defense. The Niners milked over four minutes off the clock mounting 'The Drive' before finding themselves at the 6-yard line with 51 seconds remaining. Walsh made the call, a familiar one: Sprint-right option, the same play on which Solomon scored the game's first TD. Only this time, Dallas defenders boxed in Solomon on his out pattern, and Montana saw Clark, covered by Everson Walls, streaking across the back of the nd zone. Montana launched a spiral seemingly headed for the heavens, but Clark leaped and reached for the sky to make 'The Catch' and set the stage for the Niners' first-ever trip to the Super Bowl.

1994: Dan Jansen finally strikes gold

Jansen Dan Jansen's story isn't a unique one. Many people have overcome adversity and personal tragedy, persevered to only grow stronger. But not many have done it under the critical microscope that is the world of sport. Such is the tale of Jansen. A veteran of three-previous Olympics, Jansen finally struck gold in 1994 at Lillehammer in the 1,000 meters, blistering a world record in the process. It took Jansen 10 years and four Olympics to take the victory stand and place gold around his neck.

As a rookie, Jansen placed fourth in 1984 in Sarajevo, and through training and competition, came into Calgary in '88 as a gold favorite. But Jansen's world came crashing down around him hours before he was to take the ice in the 500-meter race: Word came that sister Jane Beres had succumbed to cancer after battling it for over a year. Jansen chose to race anyway, but fell on the first turn. Four days later, Jansen stumbled again in the 1,000-meter contest. One disappointing performance behind him, Jansen tried again in 1992 in Albertville, but came home with another fourth-place finish. Albertville proved the stage for his successful contest, as millions watched Jansen's emotions pour out on the ice as he skated a victory lap carrying his oldest daughter -- named for his sister - in his arms.

1984: Flutie's Hail Mary vs. Miami

flutie Hail Marys have worked before. Everybody throws them. A few work, almost all don't. But considering who threw this one, against whom, at the particular time and place, and with the Heisman Trophy ballots ready to be filled out Â… well, this one was special. This was a wild, back-and-forth game with Bernie Kosar leading defending national champion Miami to an apparent, dramatic, 45-41 victory over upstart Boston College. But the Eagles had one last chance in the game at Miami's Orange Bowl. As the clock wound down and all the way out, Doug Flutie rolled away from the rush (as he always did), waiting for the play to develop and for his favorite receiver, Gerard Phelan, to go the 48 yards to the end zone. And, winding up back at his own 35-yard line, Flutie uncorked a rocket. It didn't look like a Hail Mary, it looked like a pass.

In the end zone, a cluster of Miami players went up after the ball, but it shot through and beyond their arms Â… and soehow, Phelan had slipped behind the defenders, and caught the 50-yard pass, falling backwards into the end zone as Flutie leaped up and down and into the arms of a teammate as America watched. Two weeks later, he won the Heisman Trophy by a landslide.

1997: Tiger Woods Dominates The Masters

Tiger Play golf like no one has ever done before. That's all one 21-year-old Tiger Woods did in April of 1997, posting a four-day total of 18-under-par, breaking by a stroke the Masters record held by legends Jack Nicklaus and Raymond Floyd. To rollicking cheers and waves of affection, the green jacket was draped over the shoulders of not only the first black to win a major professional golf championship -- just two days shy of 50 years after Jackie Robinson became the first black to play major league baseball -- but the youngest winner ever at Augusta (by two years, Nicklaus).

No one finished close to golf's new phenom as the nearest competitor, Tom Kite, was left12 shots back. Woods opened three strokes down after an opening round 70, but quickly grasped control at beautiful Augusta National on the tournament's second day with a 66. A masterful third-round 65 gave Woods a commanding nine-stroke advantage entering the tournament's final day, which Tiger played smartly, but not conservatively. As the crowning moment drew near, an appreciative crowd and relaxed Woods reveled in the spectacle.

Woods beamed when he hit the dangerous 12th green and almost chuckled when he let loose a tremendous drive on 14. Fans hooted, screamed and bowed as he walked by. One young boy even ran up to Woods and patted him on the back after a tough shot out of the rough on No. 15. But for all the maturity Woods showed on the course, he couldn't help but a show a little bit of the kid in him after his final putt as he choked back tears and hugged mentor and father, Earl, and mother Tida. No matter how many victories Woods tucks away in his career, his legacy will always live at Augusta -- especially since the course was altered slightly after Woods seemingly made it his personal playground.

1992: Laettner & Duke Beat Kentucky

Duke team celebrates Some have called it the best NCAA Tournament game ever. It just may be. Kentucky and Duke met in the City of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia in the regional final on the way to the Final Four. Both teams tussled back and forth, to and fro, through the game's 40 minutes of regulation. Duke took a 50-45 lead to halftime, but Kentucky, of course, would storm back. Down by as many as 10 points in the second half, they battled bacto send the game to OT.

In overtime, UK and Duke exchanged the lead six times while losing the ball without a shot only twice. With the clock winding down, the Wildcats took a 103-102 lead thanks to the determination of senior Sean Woods. Woods, who had given Kentucky its first tie of the second half when he nailed just his eighth 3-pointer in 36 games, used a head fake to elude Duke point guard Bobby Hurley and then sunk a 10-foot bank shot with Blue Devils center Christian Laettner in his face with just 2.7 remaining. But Laettner, who made all 10 shots he took in the game and scored 31 points -- including Duke's last 8 points in the final frame -- would be the hero on this night. Duke called timeout to set up the final play as 17,878 fans at The Spectrum created able chaos. UK coach Rick Pitino chose not to front Duke in-bounds man Grant Hill, sending his defense back and placing two players around Laettner. Hill launched a baseball pass to the leaping 6-foot-11 Laettner, who split two defenders, dribbled, turned around and shot a 17-foot fadeaway dagger into the hearts of Kentucky and through the hoop from the top of the key.

When the jubilation cleared the court and the opponents stepped back to take in the carnage, the only pity was that either team had to lose after such a performance. Duke shot 65 percent from the field on the evening, UK 57 percent. Laettner left Philadelphia as not only a hero, but with the most career tournament points in NCAA history. While the Wildcats went home wondering what they could have done differently, Duke advanced to the Final Four and defeated Indiana (81-78) and then Michigan and its Fab Five freshmen (71-51) for the NCAA championship. It was the second title for the Blue Devils in as many seasons.


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