SC Year in Review: Top 10 stories of the year

Sometimes, it doesn’t have to make sense. That just makes for a better story.

It didn’t make sense when the Toronto Raptors erased years of playoff disappointment by riding an enigmatic superstar coming off a serious injury to their first championship in franchise history. Or when 19-year-old Bianca Andreescu took down one of the greatest of all-time to bring a Grand Slam trophy home to Canada for the first time. And how about when Tiger Woods – coming off his fourth back surgery – rallied in the final round to win at Augusta for his first major in 11 years? Don’t forget the St. Louis Blues, last place as late as Jan. 3 but the last team standing six months later.

None of it would have seemed possible at this time a year ago. And that’s what made the past year so special. As December winds down with a new decade waiting around the corner, SportsCentre counts down the top 10 sports stories from 2019 that made it one of the wildest and most unforgettable years yet. 

---

10. National Champs

The Washington Nationals didn’t have a lick of post-season success once they arrived in D.C. after 35 seasons in Montreal. If four straight losses in the Division Series weren’t bad enough, consider trying to finally get over the hump without the help of their former MVP.

When Bryce Harper departed for the Phillies in February, it threw the Nats’ plans in limbo. And when they sat in fourth place at 19-31 on May 23, their future was even murkier. Ace Max Scherzer was on the trade block. Manager Dave Martinez was on the chopping block.

But they kept pushing and went 74-38 the rest of the season. Just like they kept pushing when trailing 3-1 in the eighth inning of the NL wild-card game. Or when they were down by that same score facing Clayton Kershaw with their season on the line in Game 5 of the Division Series. And they didn’t give up either when they went down 3-2 to the Houston Astros in the World Series with Justin Verlander and Zack Greinke lined up to finish them off – at home no less.

All season, the Nats’ mantra was ‘stay in the fight.’ Many times, it looked like the fight was over.

“Guess what? We stayed in the fight. We won the fight!” Martinez said after the World Series victory.

“We were down and out. We were 19-31. We didn’t quit then, we weren’t going to quit now.”

 

9. The Rivalry

Three seasons ago, Toronto FC got their first shot at the MLS Cup against the Seattle Sounders. But goalkeeper Stefan Frei had other ideas, denying shot after shot in regulation, extra time and penalty kicks to put an end to TFC’s run. A year later, the two teams met again in the final, but this time it was Toronto who got their revenge and brought the franchise their first title, capping an already memorable season that included a Canadian Championship and Supporters’ Shield. With the head-to-head at one title apiece, fans didn’t have to wait long to get the final episode of the trilogy.

Seattle and Toronto were back at it again in mid-November, this time in the Pacific Northwest. Like the first two matchups, this one lived up to its billing – until the second half, that is.

Call it a collapse, a culmination of bad luck or something in between, TFC allowed three goals in the final 45 minutes with the Sounders getting on the board in the 57th minute and then adding two more in a span of 14 minutes to ice it late in the match. It wasn’t completely one-sided as Toronto had 65 per cent of possession in the second half and a six-to-five edge in shots on target, but the end result wasn’t as kind.

“When you lose a final like that there’s no solace, there’s no consolation prize, and that part hurts,” captain Michael Bradley told reporters.

Indeed, there isn’t a consolation prize, but with three championship meetings in four years, it’s quickly become one of the more intriguing rivalries in sports.

 

8. Dynamic Duo

The sports world has always loved its dynamic duos. Jordan and Pippen, Ruth and Gehrig, Montana and Rice, Gretzky and Messier… you get the picture.

No, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl aren’t there yet, (and may never get there) but they might be the best one-two punch in sports today. If not, they’re certainly in the mix.

Edmonton’s superstar tandem has the Oilers in playoff contention almost solely off their scoring. Consider this: In 40 games played so far this season, McDavid has 62 points and Draisaitl 61. They’re one-two in the league in points by a long shot and have contributed almost 40 per cent of their team’s collective point totals. The season before, McDavid’s 116 and Draisaitl’s 105 were second and fourth in the league, respectively, scoring nearly 36 per cent of their team’s points.

According to Oilers head coach Dave Tippett, their offence isn’t the only thing that makes them valuable.

“They’re obviously vital cogs to what we’re trying to do, but they’ve really bought in to a team atmosphere, the way we want to play as a team,” Tippett said after a November win.

For the Oilers’ tandem to ascend to the level mentioned earlier, they’ll need to win a Stanley Cup – or two, or three – but they’re well on their way to something special. Time will tell just how special.  

 

7. Redemption

Andrew Harris couldn’t believe it when the test results came back.

“Throughout my four years playing here in Winnipeg, I have been drug tested more than any other player on our team to the point that it has become a running joke within out locker room. I’m still in shock and disbelief at the news,” he told reporters after being handed a two-game suspension for a positive drug test.

Despite his insistence he made an “unintentional mistake,” the suspension could have been a death blow to the reputation of most players in the Canadian Football League. But not Harris.

After losing Weeks 12 and 13 to the suspension, Harris returned and played well down the stretch as the Winnipeg Blue Bombers found themselves in the 107th Grey Cup looking for their first win since 1990. Sensing the perfect opportunity to redeem himself, Harris was magnificent.

The Winnipeg native ran for 135 yards and two total touchdowns in the Bombers’ dominant win over the Tiger-Cats, becoming the first Canadian since Russ Jackson in 1969 to win Grey Cup MVP. With everything he’d been through and every reason to gloat after his historic performance, Harris kept his focus on the broader accomplishment.

“The only trophy I want is the big silver one,” he said. “I’m so proud to be a Winnipegger. I can’t wait to get back and share this with all of them.”

 

6. Worst to First

The Blues threw everything they had at Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist last New Year’s Eve but to no avail. The loss dropped St. Louis to 15-18-4 and as their next game on Jan. 3, they sat in dead last in the league.

Whether it was a coaching change in mid-November, an improbable surge from a rookie goaltender or a Laura Branigan synth-pop hit from 1982, the Blues moved up the standings and kept climbing all the way to the Stanley Cup Final.

In a post-season where all four No. 1 seeds were ousted in the first round – including the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Lightning being swept – the Blues became the first team in professional sports history to be in last place after a quarter of the season and go on to win the title. Over the Boston Bruins in Game 7 no less, who came in riding a 107-point regular season and six Stanley Cups compared to zero from the Blues.

“These are the memories I’ll never forget,” St. Louis native Pat Maroon said. “This will be something that we can talk about for the rest of our lives.”

They also have a song they can listen to for the rest of their lives, too.

 

5. The Dynasty

With Father Time eating away at Tom Brady and Bill Belichick and Rob Gronkowski seemingly in constant pain last season, the Patriots looked as beatable as they had in a long, long time.

It didn’t matter one bit.

It also didn’t matter that the Super Bowl shootout everyone expected between New England and the L.A. Rams became the very opposite, with the Pats grinding their way to a 13-3 win for their third title in five years. The game itself was underwhelming, but what it represented was anything but.

The Patriots tied the Steelers as the only franchise with six Super Bowl titles and passed them for the most playoff wins in league history. The Pats were the first team since 1972 to win a title after losing the Super Bowl year before. Belichick became the oldest coach to win a Lombardi Trophy. Brady earned his sixth ring, something no player has ever done.

“This whole year, it was the biggest team win, the biggest team Super Bowl that I’ve ever been a part of,” Gronkowski said.

Just one more chapter in a story that never seems to end.

 

4. Kawhi Watch

In true Kawhi Leonard fashion, there was almost nothing to go off during free agency. Rumours, sure, but were they accurate? Nobody seemed to know.

It wasn’t until July 3 that there was finally some action. Lots of it, in fact.

In the early afternoon, a private plane thought to be owned by Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment touched down at Toronto’s Pearson Airport and multiple reports indicated Leonard was on board. As the passengers made their way into a group of nearby SUVs, that’s when things got crazy.

As the vehicles made their way toward downtown, a local news outlet followed overhead in a helicopter. Word got out the convoy was headed to an upscale hotel in Yorkville, so dozens of people waited eagerly to try and catch a glimpse of someone they didn’t even know for sure was inside, illustrating how badly Raptor fans wanted Kawhi to re-sign.  

No dice. The Los Angeles Clippers pulled off one of the most unexpected off-season heists in NBA history when they landed both Leonard and Paul George within minutes of each other to change the landscape of the entire NBA. While both the league and the future direction of the Raptors shifted in mere moments, the love and admiration fans north of the border had for Kawhi stayed the same.

“Those guys on the team, the players, the coaching staff, still have love for them and wish them the best,” Leonard said after his Clippers beat the Raptors in Toronto earlier this month.

It seems Raptor fans feel the same way.

 

3. Return to Glory

To fully understand what Tiger Woods did in 2019, let’s look at everything he had to overcome.

There were the injuries, the multiple surgeries, the sex scandal and subsequent divorce, the sponsors disappearing, the DUI arrest and the effects of aging. All of it looked to take its toll on Woods in some way or another whether it was personally or professionally.

At the time of his last major championship victory 11 years ago, it seemed like a matter of if and not when Tiger would eclipse Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 majors. But as the years wore on and Woods fell further and further from what he once was, another major – let alone Nicklaus’ record – grew increasingly more unlikely. That’s what made Sunday at The Masters one of the most special moments of the year.

With three solid rounds under his belt, Woods put himself in the final group at a major on Sunday for the first time in nearly 10 years. When his group got to the 15th, there was a five-way tie for the lead. Then Tiger turned back the clock.

On the Par 3 16th, Woods pulled off one of the most legendary shots of his career, riding the slope at 16 green – which he’s done before – to within two feet of the hole. “C’mon,” Woods told it over and over as it rolled toward the cup, giving him the easy birdie. Tiger would tap-in for the Green Jacket two holes later and fittingly celebrated with one of his patented fist pumps.

“It’s overwhelming, just because of what has transpired,” Woods said.

“This is definitely, probably one of the greatest comebacks I think anybody’s ever seen,” runner-up Brooks Koepka said. “I think 18 is a whole lot closer than people think.”

 

2. She the North

Canada’s Bianca Andreescu began 2019 as the 152nd ranked player in the world. She’s ending it at No. 5. Talk about a meteoric rise.

Already with a win at Indian Wells under her belt, Andreescu defeated Serena Williams to win the Rogers Cup after back spasms forced Williams’ retirement. Injury-tainted or not, Andreescu said winning a title on home soil made her “speechless.” What came soon after was life-changing.

As fate had it, Williams and Andreescu met in the U.S. Open final one month later. A 19-year-old against the greatest of all-time on one of tennis’ biggest stages? Given their history, it wasn’t quite David versus Goliath, but it was close. The final was anything but.

Andreescu took down Williams in straight sets to become the first Canadian to win a Grand Slam singles title. With it, she jumped 10 spots in the WTA rankings, took home $3.85 million USD and established herself as one of the best in the world. And remember – she’s 19 freaking years old.

Andreescu was the unanimous choice for the Lou Marsh Trophy, becoming the first-ever tennis player to take home Canada’s athlete of the year.

“The idea of fame never really crossed my mind – I’m not complaining though – it’s been a crazy ride this year,” she said after her U.S. Open victory. “I can definitely get used to this feeling.”

Canada can, too.

 

1. We the Champs

Change had to come.

Despite years of record-setting campaigns, Toronto could never get past LeBron James as his Cavaliers ended the Raptors’ season every year from 2016 to 2018.

Change came all right.

Trading away franchise cornerstone DeMar DeRozan for Kawhi Leonard in his walk-year gave the Raptors a clear objective – the Larry O’Brien Trophy. A solid regular season and first-round gentleman’s sweep over the Orlando Magic had fans believing. But it was all in danger of falling apart as Toronto battled the Philadelphia 76ers in Round 2, finding themselves tied in the dying seconds of Game 7. By now, we all know the story.

The Shot may not have won the Raptors the championship by itself, but it was the highlight of Toronto’s magical run to immortality. Down went league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks in the next round. Down went the dynasty of the Golden State Warriors in the Finals and up went the banner at Scotiabank Arena.

“It’s amazing. Everybody’s out. Look at it, it’s crazy,” Leonard said at the parade.  

More than one million people lined the streets of downtown Toronto for a celebration that lasted hours longer than expected. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was there. Part of the city’s transit system shut down. Plant guy finally got to give Kawhi his housewarming gift. Marc Gasol had some, uh, fun. Neither Toronto, nor Canada as a whole, was shy about celebrating.

“Thanks all of Toronto, the city, the country. It was a great, amazing season,” Kawhi said.

Truly, it was.

 

 

Editor's Note: Over the last couple of months, hockey has gone through a period of reckoning over the conduct of former coaches, players and team employees at all levels. This important and developing story was given its own coverage outside of the Top 10 in our SportsCentre Year In Review.