It was certainly a year of highs and lows in the world of sports with big performances, big upsets, and big personalities dominating the landscape. TSN revealed today the network's Top 10 list of sports stories for 2008. TSN will officially name the Top Sports Story of 2008 during its popular year-end feature SPORTSCENTRE: YEAR IN REVIEW on Christmas Eve, December 24 at 7 p.m. ET.
TSN's Top 10 Sports Stories of 2008 were selected by a panel of TSN commentators, reporters and producers. The following ten sports stories (listed in alphabetical order) are among the contenders for top sports story of 2008. Sports fans can make their picks by voting at TSN.ca.
Brett Favre's departure from the Green Bay Packers
When Brett Favre decided to retire after the 2007 season, Packers fans feted him as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time. When rumours started to surface that he might change his mind, the debate began in earnest. Should he be welcomed back or should the Packers continue to move on with promising young quarterback Aaron Rodgers? When Favre finally unretired, the Packers' training camp exploded into a media frenzy that fuelled a battle between the quarterback and the front office - with fans clamoring on both sides of the fence. The increasingly ugly dispute was not settled until the Packers made a controversial trade - sending Favre to the New York Jets – and officially ended an era in Titletown, USA.
Brian Burke making daily headlines and taking over the Leafs' top job
Perhaps no man in hockey was quoted more often than Brian Burke in the last year. Even when saying he had nothing to say, Burke was a goldmine for the media. From his very public blow-up with Edmonton Oilers general manager Kevin Lowe during the NHL's free agent frenzy, to the rumours about Burke's future as the general manager of the Anaheim Ducks, and his eventual touchdown in Toronto, he was a lightning rod for controversy in 2008.
Boston Celtics return to glory
Heading into last season it had been more than 20 years since the Boston Celtics last captured the Larry O'Brien Trophy as the NBA's top team. They were coming off a campaign in which they finished dead last in the East, and the fan base that once followed the team religiously had turned their attention instead to the New England Patriots or the Boston Red Sox. General manager Danny Ainge turned it all around with two trades, acquiring Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, who teamed up with Paul Pierce to form a terrific trio that could not be stopped.
Historic Olympic performances from Michael Phelps and Usain Bolt
The Olympic Games captured the attention of the sporting world in the summer, and no athletes captured hearts like American swimmer Michael Phelps and Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt. Phelps won a record eight gold medals in the pool, some in dramatic fashion, and emerged as the most decorated athlete in Beijing. Bolt won three gold medals, dazzling fans with his casual style of sprinting, smashing world records without appearing to break a sweat.
Roger Clemens' fall from grace
It's possible that no athlete has fallen from greater heights as quickly as Rogers Clemens did in 2008. Once a sure-fire Hall of Famer, Clemens was accused of using performance enhancing drugs by a former trainer, Brian McNamee, in the Mitchell Report on drugs in baseball. A high-profile congressional hearing in February, followed by lawsuits and endless tabloid reports, only added to the intrigue, while adding anchors and anvils Clemens' rapidly accelerating fall from grace.
Sean Avery's exploits
Sean Avery is nothing if not colourful, but his rainbow personality went offside in 2008. His goal-crease antics in the Stanley Cup playoffs resulted in a new NHL rule to prevent a repeat performance. He took an internship at Vogue magazine in the summer, dated movie stars, and then signed a four-year, $15 million deal with the Dallas Stars. It all came crashing down in December when Avery made some disparaging remarks about NHLers dating his former girlfriends, earning a 6-game suspension from the league and a banishment from his team. What's next? With Sean Avery, you never know.
Super Bowl upset – Giants end Patriots' bid for a perfect season
Was there a stronger favourite than the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl? After marching through a perfect 16-0 regular season, setting offensive records along the way through Tom Brady and Randy Moss, the Patriots rolled into Super Bowl with two more resounding playoff victories. The Giants fought their way through the NFC and were heavy underdogs against the Patriots. With the help of an incredible clutch catch from an unknown receiver named David Tyree, though, the Giants defied the odds and shattered the Patriots dream of a perfect season.
Tampa Bay Rays' rise from worst to first
Maybe the "Devil" made them do it. After finishing with the worst record in baseball in 2007, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays dropped the demonic part of their nickname and promptly turned in a season from heaven. The Rays won 97 games in 2008 and up-ended the big-money Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees in the race for the AL East Division title. Then the Rays dropped the Chicago White Sox and the wild card Red Sox to claim the championship of the American League. Although Cinderella's glass slipper finally shattered against the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series, the Rays' ride to the top of the American League mountain was one for the ages.
Tiger Woods' courageous win at the US Open
As he winced his way to the U.S. Open championship, Tiger Woods was criticized by many for playing up the injury for the cameras. To the astonishment of the nay-sayers, it ended up being his last tournament of the year, as Woods needed to have reconstructive surgery on his wounded knee. The severity of the injury only made his accomplishment at Torrey Pines more impressive, especially the fact that he needed to play an extra 19 holes beyond the regulation 72 in order to finally beat Rocco Mediate. His line on the year: six tournaments, six top five finishes, four wins.
Wimbledon: Nadal vs. Federer – maybe the greatest tennis match ever played
How epic was this four hour and 48 minute marathon? When it was finally over, England's power grid suffered from a massive spike in demand for electricity. A spokesperson said fans were "so transfixed by the tennis, they could not move from the sofa to switch the lights on until the end." Indeed, none other than John McEnroe, a four time champion, called it the greatest match he'd ever seen. Few would argue the sentiment.
SPORTSCENTRE: YEAR IN REVIEW has become a holiday tradition on TSN. Hosted by Darren Dutchyshen and Jennifer Hedger, the hour-long special features the year's most engaging sports stories along with the Top 10 highlights, Top 10 sound bites, and the fan favourite Ultimate SC of 2008.
James Duthie will once again join the show with his annual look at the lighter side of sports with The Good, The Bad and The Duthie.