The "What If?" game in sports is always played on apps like Twitter, or Instagram. As well as it might be the most played game at your local bar if you listen closely to the friend group catching up and bonding over a pitcher or two of beers. That is a part of what makes sports fun. With that in mind, I will break down some of the championship matchups I believe we as a society were robbed of witnessing throughout our lives.
5. 2014 World Cup Final: Brazil Vs Argentina
If you know me, you know that I usually could not care less about soccer. But, like the rest of the world, I always rush to the TV for the World Cup.
This matchup would have been electric for many reasons. For starters, it would have been Neymar going up against at the time Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi, who was still seeking a World Cup Championship in 2014.
To go along with that, the tournament was being held in Brazil, perhaps the most storied country in the Soccer world. Could you have imagined the two biggest rivals in national soccer going up against each other in South America, with the two countries' superstars being teammates for another club, for World Cup supremacy?? Chills.
4. 2016 World Series: Chicago Cubs Vs Toronto Blue Jays
Cubs vs Indians ended up being a great series but I believe that matchup did lose a bit of lust because the Cavaliers in June of that year ended up breaking the city of Cleveland's 52-year championship drought when LeBron and company won the NBA title.
If the Blue Jays were the ones who had beaten Cleveland in the ALCS of that year, we would have seen the Chicago Cubs who ended up breaking their 108-year championship curse in 2016 by beating Cleveland in the fall classic, facing the Toronto Blue Jays who would have seeking to bring the first pro sports title to Canada since 1993.
The stakes would have been at an all-time high and would have been a ratings bonanza.
3. 2013 Stanley Cup Final: Pittsburgh Penguins Vs Chicago Blackhawks
It is cruel that the two franchises that defined hockey throughout the 2010s never battled for the Stanley Cup. Although we were close multiple times to this matchup, 2013 was the year it seemed destined to happen.
In the shortened 48-game season due to the lockout that delayed the start of the season, Chicago was by far the best team in the league throughout the regular season. While in the East, the Penguins finally had a healthy Sidney Crosby and the team loaded up at the deadline by acquiring Crosby's Olympic teammate from 2010, Jarome Iginla.
The Blackhawks held up their end of the bargain by punching their ticket to the Final (where they ended up winning the Stanley Cup), but unfortunately, the Penguins were swept in the Eastern Conference Final by the Boston Bruins.
What a shame.
2. 2009 NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers Vs Cleveland Cavaliers
The rivalry that never truly kicked off. Almost every NBA era has seen the two biggest stars in the league go up against each other in the NBA Finals. Russell Vs West, Bird Vs Magic, Jordan Vs Magic, Shaq Vs Iverson, and then LeBron Vs Durant & Curry.
LeBron and Kobe never truly got their moment to dance on the game's biggest stage. 2009 was the best chance for this potential hardwood classic. Sadly, LeBron and the Cavaliers ended up getting upset by the Orlando Magic in the Conference Finals, whom Kobe's Lakers ended up making quick work of in the NBA Finals that year.
We would have gotten LeBron seeking his first career title while Kobe was searching to win his first championship post-Shaq.
My goodness, that would have been cinema.
Super Bowl LI: New England Patriots Vs Green Bay Packers
Even though most people would say 2014 was our best chance at seeing this matchup in the Super Bowl, and they would be correct, as a Seattle Seahawks fan who witnessed the miracle comeback in the NFC Championship game, I rightfully have to go with 2016 as my choice for a Brady-Rodgers Super Bowl.
That said, I believe 2016 would have been the better time for this duel. You would have seen Tom Brady, who was out for revenge after sitting out his ridiculous four-game suspension for "deflategate", while Aaron Rodgers and the Packers were playing their best football of the year. After starting 4-6, Rodgers uttered the famous words "I think we can run the table". To Green Bay's credit, they did run the table and found a way to the post-season, but Rodgers got the flu the night before the NFC Championship, and the Packers were blown out by the Atlanta Falcons
Sure, Super Bowl LI perhaps was the greatest Super Bowl ever played with the Patriots coming back from a 28-3 deficit against the Falcons but could you have imagined the two weeks of build-up going up until kickoff if it was Rodgers Vs Brady? Once again, chills.
We deserved this game.
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