I like overblown statements like "the greatest of all time". I loved when Rickey said, "now I'm the greatest". It is entirely subjective and unscientific. There is not going to be a sabermetric stat to calculate the greatest game, or is there? Here are some of my criteria:

1) Excitement.

2) Close game with uncertain outcome

3) Importance of game

4) Late inning lead change

5) A's win!

I was thinking about whether these 5 attributes are the correct 5 attributes of a great game? The game where Giambi didn't slide can never really be called a great A's game can it? I suppose it could be called a great game, a 1-0 playoff game, but the result was very dissapointing. It had 4 of the 5 items listed above.

My vote is game 4 of the ALDS this year! I was there, and it was surreal. The crowd was in a frenzy all game, that might be another criteria, "great ballpark atmosphere." Sherzer was making the A's flail over and over all game. My daughter really lost hope when the lead went to 2 runs. Then...for the first time in my 50 times at the Coliseum, it started to rain. Even the rain was surreal.

Then came the bottom of the 9th. With the season on the line. And all of a sudden everything was a line drive. 8 innings of weak ABs immediately forgotten. When I read about it I didn't think the people covering the game correctly identified the big hit, it wasn't Smith's double, it was the 2nd double that really made the crowd believe. The Donaldson laser off the wall. All of a sudden it was 2nd and 3rd with the winning run on 2nd. Then came Coco's hit and the eruption was the loudest thing I have ever heard in that stadium. The momentum shift was of planetary proportions. I'm still getting goose bumps just thinking about it. This team...how were they even in that position. They won the AL WEST?!?! How can it ever be this great again. I can't wait to find out.