2008 has been a crazy year to say the least. Let’s break down some of my most memorable moments of the year that was…
Shock of the Year: 1) Longtime Packer QB Brett Favre signs on with the New York Jets after a summer of contemplating retirement, doing it, coming out, trying to re-sign and start with the Pack, then ultimately being dealt to the Big Apple. Now, Favre is unsure about his plans for 2009. Deja vu?
2) The Giants upset the Patriots undefeated season to win the Superbowl.
Sports Babe of the Year: ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews. Wow.
WTF Moment of the Year: Blue Jackets’ D Mike Commodore’s Facebook photo.
Epic Fail of the Year: Def Leppard placing the Detroit Red Wings’ newly won Stanley Cup upside down. Seriously? Guys, come on. To quote Yahoo! Sports‘ Puck Daddy, “This is what you get for booking a band from England: Drive on the wrong side of the road, place the holiest of holy hockey grails on a pedestal upside down.”
Comeback of the Year: Indians’ LHP Cliff Lee. In 2007, Lee finished 5-8 with a 6.29 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP in 97.1 IP, a year in which he spent time in the minors. In 2008, Lee finished 22-3 with a 2.54 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP in 223.1 IP. And he won the AL Cy Young. And he played on a team with 81 wins.
OMG Moment of the Year: 1) Jeff Hardy’s massive Swanton Bomb on Randy Orton off of the Raw set. Wow.
2) Undertaker chokeslamming Edge to “hell.”
3) Floyd “Money” Mayweather breaks the Big Show’s nose prior to ‘Mania XXIV.
4) Cena returns from a neck fusion surgery to win the World Heavyweight Championship. Impressive – one year, two returns.
WWE Superstar of the Year: Chris Jericho. Jericho won the World Heavyweight Championship twice, and became the most well-rounded heel in the WWE.
Screwjob of the Year: Jays’ RHP Roy Halladay. Halladay was ousted for the AL Cy Young after finishing 22-11 with a 2.78 ERA and a 1.05 WHIP in 246 IP, to go along with 206 K’s and only 39 walks.
Milestone of the Year: Angels’ RHP Francisco Rodriguez. K-Rod, despite lower numbers from last season, broke the single-season save record with 62.
Shock of the Year: 1) John Cena’s surprise entry in the Royal Rumble. In October of 2007, Cena was injured at the hands of Randy Orton & Mr. Kennedy. Cena was expected to be sidelined long after WrestleMania in April, let alone the Rumble in January. Of course, everyone was shocked to hear the familiar music of The Champ, who entered #30 and eliminated Triple H to win the Rumble and secure his spot in the main event at WrestleMania XXIV.
2) Patriots’ QB Tom Brady out for the season. Halfway through the first quarter of the Patriots’ first game, Chiefs’ S Bernard Pollard hit Brady’s left knee – one of the few times that any Kansas City defensive player touched a quarterback this season – and the league’s best pivot goes down. Brady suffered a torn ACL and MCL. Insert backup QB Matt Cassel, and the Patriots become the first NFL team in history to go 11-5 and miss the playoffs.
3) Devils’ G Martin Brodeur injures his elbow,and is sidelined 3-4 months. After 10 straight seasons with at least 70 games played and 38 wins. Sharks’ G Evgeni Nabokov went down next. Canucks’ G Roberto Luongo followed suit weeks later.
4) The Red Sox trade fan favourite OF Manny Ramirez to the Dodgers, while Pirates’ Canadian OF Jason Bay went to Boston in a three-team deal.
Stupidest Moment of the Year: Vince McMahon’s Million Dollar Giveaway. Lame.
Fight of the Year: Brock Lesnar defeats Randy Couture at UFC 91.
Long Overdue Moment of the Year: 1) Jeff Hardy wins the WWE Championship. After failing a drug test in March, and having a faked collapse the day before his match, Hardy reigned supreme at Survivor Series.
2) CM Punk cashes in his Money in the Bank briefcase and defeats Edge to become World Heavyweight Champion.
3) The Legacy forms, with Randy Orton as the team’s leader.
Blown Storyline of the Year: Kane not getting his mask back in his burlap sack. Man, what a disappointment.
Pay-Per-View of the Year: WrestleMania XXIV. Ric Flair’s sendoff. Enough said.
Take care everyone – all the best in 2009.