DOES it ever ... this is why television executives spend billions on sport, the perfect unscripted "reality TV".
Australian football certainly does deliver a fair bit of the crazy. It probably has a fair bit to do with the particular shape of the Sherrin. Ask Angus Monfries.
That last Showdown at Football Park in 2013 certainly was crazy for the finish that includes Monfries' ridiculous bouncing shot at goal at the northern end. There was no way Port Adelaide was supposed to win that derby on August 4, 2013 when time-on of the last quarter began with Adelaide scoring its third unanswered goal in eight-and-a-half minutes to lead 103-83. What do they say of the first team to score 100 points in a match?
Port Adelaide did all the scoring during time-on. Robbie Gray for 89-103. Then Chad Wingard, 95-103. The Monfries' kick from just inside the 50-metre arc for 101-103. And Wingard completed the "miracle" for 107-103.
Crazy it was.
Port Adelaide closed the Showdown story at West Lakes with a 19-16 lead of the derby ledger. The first Showdown in 1997 was decided in Port Adelaide's favour by 11 points. Of the 35 derbies that followed at Football Park, 14 were decided by two goals or less.
And the crazy stuff has followed the Showdown to Adelaide Oval.
Ken Hinkley on Friday reminded all that no-one should ever give up, even after starting an AFL season at 0-5 with 17 home-and-away matches still to play. For Port Adelaide to have responded with an 8-3 win-loss count since giving so many of its rivals a five-win start says much of the healthy state of the football program at Alberton.
"Port Adelaide had the horror start, but I am not writing them off for finals," said former Fitzroy captain Matt Rendell last week. "They are capable of doing anything. What I have seen over the past nine weeks is a team that is really putting in - and that is kudos to the coach and what they have done to turn (form) around."
While there is life, there is hope.
How often, particularly as a Port Adelaide supporter, has the game tested faith - both in a higher power and what is the Port Adelaide spirit? Crazy stuff does indeed happen to remind all that the game of Australian football - and the belief of those representing Port Adelaide on the field - defies logic and limitations.
In 1994, Port Adelaide could not have made a worse start to the SANFL grand final while the AFL executives sat in the plush seats at Football Park wanting to convince themselves that the newest national league licence should be based at Alberton. But crazy stuff did happen.
Woodville-West Torrens, the defending champion, had beaten Port Adelaide by 73 points in the second semi-final a fortnight earlier - and appeared capable of winning by even more in the grand final when it led by 35 points deep into the first term.
Step up captain Tim Ginever with a crazy bit of football folklore.
"What I loved about my era," recalls Ginever, "was the players' unbelievable belief that we could win from any situation. Daryl Borlase said to me (in time-on of the first term) that we would win."
Ginever's recollection of the moment that changed the game sounds more like testimony for a tribunal hearing ....
"Shortly after a boundary throw-in," says Ginever, "my opponent lost the art of control and tried to violently attack me. I unknowingly defended myself and caused a good, ol' fashioned brawl. To my delight, I get the free kick - and converted our first major.
"The ball comes back straight away for a Scott Hodges' one-hander - and his opponent, still infused with rage from our earlier altercation, gives up a 25-metre penalty. Another goal ..."
The rest is history. From 35 points down, Port Adelaide won by 37 points - outscoring Woodville-West Torrens, 11 goals to two during the second half - and two months later the club was celebrating the terms of agreement to be the 16th entry to the AFL national competition.
"Belief, courage and persistence," says Ginever of a theme that applies to both the 1994 SANFL grand final and Port Adelaide's determination, after the turmoil of 1990, to rise from suburbia to the national league.
There is the 1996 SANFL preliminary final against Norwood - and Magarey Medallist Scott Hodges' crazy kick from 55 metres out in the north-western pocket at Football Park in the last moments of the match.
After 29 minutes of the last term, Norwood led by two points when Hodges is awarded a free kick after being hit high by rival Trevor Growden.
"Three free kicks," says Hodges, "Holding the man, in the back and too high ..."
Hodges had kicked 2.3 in the match - and missed some of the most basic shots. This was one of the most difficult ... and most critical for a club on the eve of its national league debut.
"And I knew there was not much time left," recalls Hodges. "Stephen Carter came up to me and said, 'Scotty, you can kick this .. you do it at training all the time from this distance. No worries.'
"Right, no worries ..."
Hodges' goal is part of the folklore of Port Adelaide's 34th SANFL premiership. It is as memorable as Peter Mead's goal after the siren - with Port Adelaide ruckman Steve Traynor holding back the crowd of South Adelaide fans and players in the goalsquare at Adelaide Oval's southern end - that decided the 1965 second semi-final against South Adelaide.
Or the antics at the end of the 1936 SANFL grand final at Adelaide Oval when Port Adelaide had to overcome a 28-point deficit at half-time ... and needed a bit of "crazy stuff" to stop Sturt's great spearhead of the era, P. T. "Bo" Morton, from scoring the match winner from 30 metres during the last minute of the match.
It was Port Adelaide back pocket Bobby Meers' sharp wit while standing the mark that distracted Morton whose kick missed everything. Port Adelaide won the premiership by three points.
And the crazy moments in the 1977 SANFL grand final - including defender Ivan Eckermann being injured early in the match, returning from the changerooms with a heavily strapped leg ... and kicking three goals to play a crucial part in ending Port Adelaide's 12-year premiership drought.
Sometimes you just need to believe.
