Sorts of Sports

2010 Top Sports Stories: 10-6

Sorts of Sports takes a look at the top 14 sports stories of 2010. Why 14? Because we couldn't agree on anything else.

10. UConn: Let's spend a few minutes to appease Gene Auriemma. The women's team won a record 89 games and counting. It means something, but it isn't as good as Trinity's squash team who hasn't lost in a million years. Once Gene and the team top that record I'll give them some more credit.

9. Olympics: Yawn, another win overall for the United States. But what stands out in the Olympics this year was what the US did not win, which was Gold in hockey. It was a classic battle of US vs Canada for Gold and bragging rights. This wasn't US vs the world like they portrayed in previous NHL All-Star games, this is the Olympics. Nearly 35 million people tuned in for this game, more than the Super Bowl. How many times does a sporting event live up to the hype? Not LeBron vs Cleveland. For those who don't follow the NHL, it is made up of mostly foreigners, especially Canadians, so again the United States was an underdog. The game went to overtime and one of the most popular NHL players ended it... with Canada winning.

8. Vick: Recently, one radio host said that he should have been executed. The thing with America is that we allow most to have a second chance after they have done wrong. A lot of times it comes down to who has the most money (i.e OJ Simpson, Dante Stallworth et. al). Vick was given a real second chance this year, supplanting Kolb, the Eagles so called future, at starting quarterback. And what did Vick do with that opportunity? He put up numbers to qualify him as the second best player in the NFL. Much like Tiger Woods, the sporting world has forgiven, because the only thing that matters is what happens between the lines. Vick is in position to take his team deep in the playoffs. The question is, does the NFL give him comeback player of the year, or is that reserved for Chad Pennington?

7. NCAA: Seems like the NCAA is trying to crack down on schools paying athletes in some shape or form. The only people allowed to reap the benefits of the athletes is the NCAA. The major cases this year included Reggie Bush, Cam Newton, and the Ohio State Buckeyes. Other minor cases included basketball mishaps with Tom Izzo, Bruce Pearl, and Jacob Pullen. The bottom line is that there is no standard for what is worthy of punishment or even who is the almighty decision maker when it comes to the judicial center of the NCAA. It comes down to what works best for the NCAA and how the NCAA can make the most money. As if money wasn't the focal point of the NCAA, Mark Cuban wants to create his own college football playoff system, anteing upwards of $500 million. I give it a few years before athletes are being payed, legally.

6. Pitching Dominates: This is often misinterpreted as the year that steroids were finally clear from baseball. But I don't believe in that moniker. Did we forget the names of Roger Clemmens and Andy Pettitte amongst other pitchers who were caught taking some sort of drug? Pitchers were on the juice too. This year though was an anomaly. From Roy Halladay to Dallas Braden to Roy Halladay, it was a special year for the pitcher. It didn't dilute the idea of throwing no-hitters, it only offered us more reason to tune in and watch baseball. If chicks love the long ball, then baseball fans love seeing something special.