My Bucket List

I was reading through SI's lists of all of their writers top 5 bucket lists of sporting events they would to go to as well as the best event they have ever covered. So in honor of that I have complied my own list, its about 20 deep and is in no particular order, although the ones that came first to me are at the top and they are of a little more importance than those at the bottom of the list. So here we go:

Matt's Sports Bucket List

1. The Masters- I have always wanted to go this event. It is in my home state, so maybe one day this can happen.

2. World Cup- I started playing soccer at 4 and played for 10 years. I would say my knowledge of the game has grown so much since then. I have paid more attention to what goes on in the world of soccer over these last few years. So why not try and attend the top level event for this sport. It doesn't even have to be the U.S. playing. Brazil in 2014 seems like a likely destination for me.

3. Kentucky Derby- Ever since 1997 I have followed the Triple Crown. Every year since then my desire to attend this event increases.

4. English Premier League- Any game it doesn't matter which one. Preferably a rivalry game.

5. Fenway Park- I have been outside of this famed stadium, but never inside. A regular season game would be fine, it doesn't even have to be the Yankees, but I think it would make it better.

6. Iron Bowl- A game near and dear to my friends heart. This is the top rivalry in college football, not Ohio St-Michigan, this one, where your neighbor of the rival team lives next to you for 365 days out of the year.

7. College Football Stadiums- Some of the bigger ones I want to see a game at are: Penn State, Michigan, the Rose Bowl, Nebraska, Texas A&M, Ohio State, Notre Dame, just to name a few.

8. SEC Football- I want to see a game in every stadium in this conference. Only been to a game in one, 11 to go.

9. UGA National Championship- I want to witness this in my lifetime, doesn't have to be in person, but I think that would make it better.

10. Tour de France- Like soccer and horse racing my knowledge and appreciation of this sport has grown incrementally over the last decade or so. Lance Armstrong's success has a little to do with that. I think I would enjoy the scenery of the area more than race, but I am sure the race would be exciting as well.

11. Duke-UNC- I have been inside both of these arenas when no games were being played, I'd like to see one during the season. These games are rarely dull.

12. Wimbledon- I really just want to go to England, this would just happen to be going on at the same time.

13. Boston Marathon- A friend just told me he wants to run Boston next year. Well in order to do that you have to qualify. I know the work it takes to put in for one of these, just getting motivated to enough mileage to qualify and get in. I have been 50/50 on this for awhile, sometime within the next 2-3 years would be the best bet. It wouldn't matter how fast because I would be running the streets of one of my favorite cities in a historical event.

14. NCAA Tourney Game- First round, second round, sweet 16, elite 8, final 4, it doesn't matter as long I'm there and the game is good.

15. Wrigley Field- Not as high a priority as Fenway but still one to see. (day game)

16. Heyward Field- Nestled away in a corner of the country I want to explore. This jewel of track and field and absolutely legendary place would give me goosebumps.

17. No-hitter or some other historical event- In live and in person, something that rarely happens would be something cool to see.

18. British Open- Preferably St. Andrew's, but any course would do. It would be another excuse to get me to go to the U.K. Then I would go to a pub afterwards and share a drink with the locals.

19. See a game at every MLB park- Dodger Stadium would be at the top of my list. I have been to games in Baltimore, Detroit, and St. Louis.

20. See a sporting event in every state- Self explanatory and just an excuse to accomplish one of my goals of visiting every state in the U.S.

21. College World Series- Just so I can say I went there.

Best event ever attended: Without a doubt Game 4 of the 1995 NLCS. Braves sweep the Reds to go onto win the World Series. Just me and Dad in a packed house at Atlanta-Fulton County chanting "SWEEP, SWEEP, SWEEP, SWEEP," over and over again.