Best of Conversations with Clayton: My Greatest Sports Video Game Victory

All year, I have been asking my “Conversations with Clayton” interviewees to tell me about their greatest sports video game victory.

Here are some of the most interesting responses we’ve had over the past two years.

Travis Hale, novelist and sportswriter: I used to kill all the kids at Tecmo Bowl. 49ers, put Jerry Rice in the backfield and run all over fools. Then blitz Haley from his DE spot on every play and smack some sorry QB’s. It was the best, especially when I played the Raiders and that poseur Bo Jackson.

A.J. Black, football editor, BC Interruption: Beating Mike Tyson in Punchout. It took weeks of torture to get through it, but when I did it was so glorious.

A.J. Kannell, the voice of Siena men’s basketball: Probably when I won a race in Beerio Kart. Beerio Kart is Mario Kart, but you must finish an entire beer before finishing the race. Everyone who plays Beerio Kart has a slightly different strategy, and none of the strategies are usually too effective.

Matt Noonan, Cincinnati Bearcats broadcaster: I should have a better memory of this, but I remember beating one of my buddies in NCAA Football on a Hail Mary at the last second. There were a few epic buzzer beaters in NBA Jam too, both on the winning and losing ends.

Dustin Schutte, managing editor, Saturday Tradition: I mean, anytime you win a game of Mario Party, it’s a significant accomplishment, right? I usually did some sort of Chad Johnson touchdown celebration every time I won...and threw the controller every time I lost...

Reece Kelley Graham, Digital Sports Producer, Dallas Morning News/Sports Day: It was in NCAA Football 2011. Dynasty Mode, playing as the Florida Gators (where my dad’s siblings went to school) vs. Tennessee in Knoxville. 4th quarter, :02 remaining. Score is tied at 0 (not sure how that happened, but I was most likely playing on Heisman difficulty). Volunteers ball at the Gators’ 40. I accidentally forgot to call a prevent defense and instead went with man coverage. Receiver catches the ball at the 10 and is immediately tackled. Fumble. My safety picks it up and somehow gets by everybody, 90 yards for the winning touchdown.

Tell us about your greatest sports video game victories in the comments.

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