Arena 2012 in Review

We've not got much time left in 2012, so I thought a thread was in order for us to look back on the moments, athletes, coaches, games, and fans that made this year memorable. My plan is to post some superlatives in different posts as jumping off points for discussion. But, you can use it however you'd like.

I'll start with my choice for Best Game of 2012.

USA 4, Canada 3 Women's Soccer, Olympic Semifinal

Boy, this game had just about everything you could ask for:

A gritty comeback - the US fell behind on three different occasions.
High Drama - the winning goal was scored at the death.
The emergence of a superstar - Alex Morgan scored that game winning goal.
A highly controversial decision - the referee awarding an indirect free kick to punish GK time wasting
A highly controversial non-call - the red card that should have been on Canada
The clash of rivals - USA-Canada now has the potential to be the women's version of USA-Mexico
High Stakes - Winner got to go to the Gold Medal game.
A great venue - Old Trafford. Just amazing.

This is the game tape I pull out if someone tells me soccer is boring. It's also the game tape I pull out of someone tells me women's sports are inferior and unwatchable. It's also the game tape I'll pull out if I ever find myself wondering why I care about sports so much. Just a phenomenal game all around.

Honorable Mention to:

Giants 21, Patriots 17 (Superbowl)
Norfolk State 86, Missouri 84 (NCAA Tournament)
Federer d Murray - Wimbledon Final
Mariners 1, Rays 2 - Felix Hernadez' perfect game
Alabama 32, Georgia 28 - SEC Title Game

 

Can't disagree with your choice and will add a couple reasons it's an amazing game:

Christine Sinclair scored a hat trick on the #1 goalkeeper in the world...and still lost.
Rapinoe, Rapinoe, Rapinoe. Morgs scored the winner, but Pinoe was Player of the Match in my opinion. She tied it up twice and was just all around awesome.

There was even a bit of post game drama when FIFA suspended Sinclair for 4 games due to her comment, "We feel like we didn't lose, we feel like it was taken from us. It's a shame in a game like that that was so important, the ref decided the result before it started." Um, Sinclair gets a 4 game suspension for implying that the ref fixed the game, but Lady Andrade only gets a 2 game suspension for PUNCHING ABBY WAMBACH IN THE FACE. Seems a bit backwards to me.

I guess my second favorite game of the year would be the UW-Stanford game, when the Huskies defied the odds and eked out a win.

 

Not sure about my favorite game, but the Superbowl was definitely my least favorite. In somewhat related news, the next day was my least favorite morning/early afternoon of the entire year.

 

Yeah, Superbowl was definitely a fave of mine too.

 

My second category:

Athlete of the Year

This one was a much more difficult choice for me. It involves way too many apples-to-oranges kind of comparisons. So, first things first, I'm going to rule out some of the folks I considered, but past on:

• Messi - Couldn't give it to him despite his record goals in a calendar year simply because his team didn't win the two biggest prizes they set their eyes on. Damn impressive and hard to not give it to him, though.
• Michael Phelps - Another wonderful showing at the games, but unfortunately it was nowhere near was '08 was for him, and that took some of the shine off of it.
• Miguel Cabrera - I don't care that modern people poo poo on the stats, the first triple crown in baseball in 45 years is amazing.
• Lebron James - NBA Title, Olympic Gold, and he's still a butthead in my book
• Gabby Douglas - wow. phenomenal at the games

So, with those folks off the board, I went with someone a little off the radar who captured the year for me. Someone who was my favorite breakout star of the signature event of the year - the Olympics. Someone who embodied the Olympics, and ignited the passion of a nation behind him. I give my vote to Athlete of the Year to Mo Farah

 

Gotta go with hometown girl Gabby. Although Cabrera is a very very close second due to the Triple Crown. Amazing achievement indeed.

 

according to your op the mariners lost felix's perfect game, which would have been quite a feat indeed! that was probably my favorite game, if only because it was a random afternoon game during the week and i just happened to turn on the tv just as it was starting then watched the whole thing.

as for athlete of the year, i would have to say lebron. probably one of the greatest athletes ever performing at his absolute peak.

 

Best game for me was the CL final.




Best performance by an athlete for me would have to be John Terry in the CL final. Immense. Not sure how he was overlooked for Man of the Match.

 

Messi had a phenomenal year. I just can't get past his goal scoring record.


But, ultimately, I think that I'd have to go with LeBron or Cabrerra.

 

My pick for athlete of the year is Brad Wiggins. Won the Tour de France and the Olympic TT. It's incredibly hard to be in top shape just a month after winning (imo) the most grueling athletic competition in the world. Most cyclists chose to focus on either the Tour or the Olympics, but Brad managed to do both.

Honorable Mentions:
Messi for obvious reasons
Phelps, Douglas, and Missy Franklin for having phenomenal Olympics
Alex Morgan for going from WC substitute to rivaling Abby Wambach as #1 forward

 

I was gonna say the same person, Bradley Wiggins. Phenomenal.

 

Game of the year for me was hands down the April 22nd Pittsburgh Pirates game. It was the first baseball game I got to take my son to and with my Dad there too. Three generations of my family together at the same time was a blast. We all have the same name too so it's every cooler

The athlete of the year for me is Andrew Luck. He's done an incredible job in his rookie season as a starter. Honorable mention to Mike Trout.

 

Wow ... yup, I screwed that one up

 

Time for my Team of the Year

I found myself a bit underwhelmed as I looked at the possible team of the year choices. The New York Giants won the Super Bowl, but not much else to put themselves in the category. Alabama had a good year in college football. Spain made it three in a row on major international tournaments in soccer. Chelsea took the Champions League, but not much else. Corinthians was the closest I could come to a soccer club, with the CWC and the Copa Libertadores. But even that didn't have the right oomph. The Giants won the World Series, but I don't think they were the best team in baseball all year.

Which means I really had no choice but to go with a title-winning basketball team. This team, with it's star power, was head and shoulders above the rest talent wise. With their recruiting tactics and showmanship, they split the sporting world into those who loved and respected them for talent and awe, and those who resented them for acting like 8-time champions before winning a single title. And, the leader of the pack is among the most polarizing characters of all, leaving his previous stop in a world of hurt. And, a team that in winning the title caused me a little bit of pain, due to personal connections. Despite that, I have to give credit where credit is due ...




My 2012 team of the year ...










The Kentucky Wildcats




(What, you thought I'd go with the Heat?)