Why two Giants 2012 playoff-clinching games were hard to choose between

Programming note: Watch the re-air of Game 7 of the 2012 NLCS between the Giants and St. Louis Cardinals tonight at 8 p.m on NBC Sports Bay Area.

There's no easy way to decide which Giants title was the best. Some prefer 2010 because it was first, because it finally led to a parade down Market Street. Some prefer the comebacks of 2012. Some are drawn to Madison Bumgarner's heroics in 2014. 

I don't know which one I would choose, but I've always thought there was something that stood out about the middle title. The run in 2012 seemed to be filled with the most iconic images. 

No Giants fan will ever forget Buster Posey's slam, or Marco Scutaro's moment of pure joy in the rain, or Sergio Romo's celebration as Miguel Cabrera stood stunned at home plate, trying to figure out how the final pitch of the World Series was something other than a slider. 

So when NBC Sports Bay Area decided to run a poll to figure out which classic clincher to air Friday night, it was hard to make a decision.

Game 5 against the Reds featured Posey's slam and an all-time reaction from the Reds. Game 7 against the Cardinals was highlighted by that incredible ninth inning, the loudest I've ever heard Oracle Park. The rain kept going up another notch and every time the drops got thicker, the crowd got louder. That was awesome. 

It's like choosing between two children. 

Ultimately, Giants fans selected Game 7 of the NLCS, but I clicked on Game 5 of the NLDS. Here are three reasons why:

Ryan Hanigan

Just say the words Ryan Hanigan to a Giants fan and they'll know exactly what you're talking about. This is one of the funniest images in Giant history:

The Giants signed Ryan Hanigan, which is a good move because now I get to tweet this: pic.twitter.com/Ay3e4NHDe3

— Grant Brisbee (@GrantBrisbee) May 6, 2018

Then throw in the fact that the slam came off Mat Latos, who perfectly played the part of villain and used to sign baseballs with the phrase "I hate SF!" on them? This is truly a perfect baseball moment if you're a Giants fan. 

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Romo vs. Bruce 

As tense as the NLCS was at times, the final game was a laugher. The Giants were up 9-0 when Scutaro looked up at the sky and spread his arms. But Romo's battle with Jay Bruce was as dramatic as it gets, and the game truly was on the line. Bruce fouled off nine pitches before flying out on the 12th pitch of the at-bat. Romo was so physically and emotionally drained that he spent the first part of the clubhouse celebration bent over in a corner, his eyes filled with tears. 

"I couldn't let them down," he said that day. "It's easy to be emotional about things like this because it's good emotion."

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A true team effort

That 2012 team really did get contributions from all corners, and I think Game 5 is a pretty good representative of that. 

Watch it back and you'll see a young George Kontos get a huge out to end the sixth. You'll see Brandon Crawford leap for a line drive in the eighth years before he would win his first Gold Glove Award. You'll see a healthy Angel Pagan end that inning with a sliding catch that morphed right into a celebration. 

Look, there are no wrong answers here. Both of those games were memorable. Game 5 is the choice I made, but click on the link above and make your own call, then tune in and relive a fun performance from a team that refused to be counted out.