In anticipation of ESPN’s Monday Night Football season finale – Atlanta Falcons vs. San Francisco 49ers, the final regular-season NFL game at Candlestick Park, ESPN commentators and contributors share their memories of one of sports’ most iconic venues.
Goodbye Candlestick Park, the site of “The Catch” among many other notable moments.
“I have a plethora of memories, phenomenal memories of championship games won and lost, Monday Night games, big games, December games, games that decided the home field advantage almost every year it seemed like. The locker room dripping down from condensation. The high tide would come in and you’d get that smell on the field, really soggy when it started to rain. The infield, when the Giants were playing there, with crushed rock you’d get skinned up all through September and early October. The wind obviously early in the season was always a factor. The stadium needs to close. She’s gone as far as she can go, it needs to be done. But for me, obviously it’s hard to see her go, it’s hard to see it end, and I’ll always miss playing at Candlestick Park. I missed it the second I left the 49ers and I still miss being in that park. It will be fun to be there Monday Night and see the last game.”
–ESPN NFL analyst and Hall of Fame 49ers quarterback Steve Young on Candlestick
“My first NFL start was at Candlestick against Steve Young’s 1994 49ers team — and I was pathetic. But it was going home to the Bay Area close to where I grew up, buying 75 tickets for family and friends. At the time, you try not to get caught up in the nostalgia, the history and who you are playing because they were just awesome. Though I didn’t play well, it’s still a great memory that I was able to have my first NFL start there.”
–ESPN NFL analyst Trent Dilfer, a northern California native and resident who played his first NFL game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Candlestick in 1994
Paul M. Banks is the owner of The Sports Bank.net, an affiliate of Fox Sports. He’s also an analyst for multiple news talk radio stations across the country; with regular weekly segments on NBC and Fox Sports Radio. Follow him on Twitter (@paulmbanks) and RSS Catch him Tuesdays talking Illini and Northwestern for KOZN 1620 The Zone, Fridays talking Chicago Bears for WAOR 95.7 The Fan