*All athletes have that one game, that one contest, that ranks as the most unforgettable of their lives. It can be memorable because of a personal or team achievement, a dramatic finish, a sentimental moment, or a number of any other factors.
Continuing a series begun last summer, Packers.com caught up with the members of the 2008 draft class to ask them about the game they'll never forget. It could be a game at any level of competition that took place at any time. They're all hoping their new NFL careers will give them new memories and new games to cherish, but for now, these rank at the top.*
Rivalry games are often memorable because of the emotions involved. When a rivalry game includes a career day statistically, they become that much more special.
Tight end Jermichael Finley, drafted by the Packers in the third round this past April (No. 91 overall) out of the University of Texas, enjoyed that type of game in last year's "Red River Shootout" with Big 12 Conference arch-rival Oklahoma.
Last Oct. 6, at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Finley set a school record for a tight end with 149 yards receiving on four catches in the Longhorns' tough 28-21 loss to the Sooners. He also became the first Texas tight end with two 50-yard receptions in the same game, and his yardage total topped the 40-year-old school record of 126 yards by Randy Peschel vs. Rice in 1967.
"Every Texas player, that's the game they call out, Texas-OU," Finley said. "It's a big honor to earn a spot in Texas history, because they've got so much history at that school. I was pretty excited."
Finley did almost all of his damage in one quarter that day. In the second period, with Texas trailing 7-0, he hauled in a 55-yard pass from Colt McCoy on the opening play of a drive, taking the ball all the way to the Oklahoma 6-yard line. On the next snap, McCoy hit Jordan Shipley for a touchdown to tie the score.
Then on the Longhorns' next possession, McCoy again found Finley, this time for 58 yards to the OU 27. Three plays later, Finley finished the drive himself, snagging a 22-yard TD pass from McCoy to give Texas the lead.
According to Finley, the big plays were all about taking advantage of a matchup the Longhorns were looking for.
"They put me on a linebacker, and when I saw the linebacker on me, I was like, 'Oh yeah, I'm going to beat this guy,'" he said. "That's all it took to get the ball over the top, and that's how I got the 50-yarder both times."
Finley added that he and McCoy anticipated the linebacker matchup and were prepared to exploit it.
"Every team going against their rival, you practice way harder during the week, so that's what we did," Finley said. "We practiced that play over and over, and in the game it was like a dream."
{sportsad300}Finley had three catches for 135 yards by halftime and looked ready to keep rolling in the second half, catching a 14-yard pass on the Longhorns' opening drive of the third quarter. But that possession, begun with the score tied at 14, ended with a Jamaal Charles fumble inside the OU 5-yard line.
The Sooners eventually took the lead for good early in the fourth quarter, and their defense also adjusted. Finley didn't have another pass thrown his way, which hurt all the more when his team came up seven points short.
"It stung a whole lot," Finley said.
Still, Finley believes that game had a significant impact on his draft status as an early entry, having decided to leave Texas after his junior year. Oklahoma was ranked 10th in the country and Texas 19th at that time, so Finley proved he could produce in big games against top-flight opponents.
"The OU defense was Top 5 in the country," Finley said. "That game helped me tremendously."
