2010 was a big year in sports, ranging from solid rookies, blown calls, and perfection. The staff of 85% Sports is going to bring their Top 5 moments of the year. This won’t be your typical Top 5, as each writer will pick there moments, not the biggest moments nationally.
5. Armando Galarraga – Now many would consider this moment in the Worst of the Year, but I see if differently. Yes, human error cost Galarraga one of the most rare feats in baseball; but it brought out the best in a person. Galarraga, obviously disappointed by the botched call, embraced Jim Joyce the next day with no hard feelings. Joyce also manned up and said he made the wrong call. I think Galarraga is going to be better known for the botched call than if he would have had the perfecto.
4. Roy Halladay’s Playoff No-Hitter – The main question for Game 1 of the NLDS between the Reds and Phillies was “How would Roy Halladay do in his first taste of the playoffs?” Many were worried that the pressure would get to the man. He proved them wrong by not give up a hit. He made the “pressure of playoffs” appear to be a myth.
Add in his Perfect Game earlier in the season, and Halladay had an unforgetable season.
3. Mizzou Beats Oklahoma – Oklahoma has owned Missouri for as long as I can remember, so I had a bad feeling about this game coming into it. Oklahoma was #1 in the Nation and Mizzou had some questions marks. Well, Mizzou went out and handled the Sooners. The win moved Mizzou back up with the Big Boys in College Football and into the National Title picture (temporarily).
The win was great, but also lifted the expectations of the fans. So, many people ended the season being disappointed with 2 losses and an invite to the Insight Bowl. Remember that there were many questioning Blaine Gabbert, the loss of the running game, and lack of defense the year before; ending with 2 losses was pretty impressive.
2. The Rams Draft Sam Bradford – On this past draft day, I was very disappointed that the Rams took Bradford over Suh, especially after Jimmy Clausen dropped to the second round. Bradford was coming off a serious shoulder injury and played in a Big 12 offensive set up (a sure-fire sign of failure). I was wrong. Bradford has more wins under his belt than the team has had in the last 2 season. Add in the second round pick of Saffold, and the Rams had the first solid draft in recent memory.
1. The Cardinals/Reds Brawl – The Cardinals were trailing the Reds by a few games in the standing when they went to Cincinnati in Mid-August. The team needed a jump start, and Brandon Phillips provided it. Phillips called the team “bitches” and it set up a huge series. Cardinal catcher Yadier Molina called out Phillips and started a bench clearing brawl. It included Chris Carpenter looking like a bully, Johnny Cueto kicking Jason LaRue in the head, and more. Cueto received a short suspension and LaRue received a career ending concussion. The Cardinals ended up winning the battle by sweeping the series, but Cincinnati won the war and division.
An added bonus, The Bottom 5:
5. The Weak NFC West - Sure, the Rams are a win away from making the playoffs, but do we really want to see a .500 team playing for a chance at the Superbowl? I don’t know if there is a right way to do the playoffs, but the West is pretty much an embarrassment.
4. Cam Newton and the ATM – Cam Newton gets off with a slap on the wrist for having his dad accept bids for his talent. It’s pretty bad that the NCAA didn’t do more. Add in the potential for Auburn supplying ATM cards to players to access a slush fund, and things don’t look good for the team and college football.
3. The BCS System – All season we wondered what would happen if/when Boise State went undefeated. That didn’t happen, so that concern gets pushed back another year. This situation is what’s going to end up changing the BCS system and we need it sooner rather than later.
2. LeBron’s The Decision Fiasco – LeBron James pretty much crapped all over his home town with The Decision. Sure, the money from it went to charity, but LeBron came off looking like an ass when he said he’d be playing in Miami rather than Cleveland. I can’t blame the city for the jersey burning.
1. Tiger Woods – How the mighty has fallen – Woods lost his number 1 ranking, his family, and his world-wide respect. He’s lost sponsorships and his swing. Now we can only hope that he’s at the bottom and works his way back up.