Yes, there is a month left in 2016, but it is all but over in the sports world. All the major championships are done, so it is time to look back. 2016 may go down in history as the most forgettable year due to a variety of reasons, but not in the sports world. Too much good happened for 2016 to be forgotten.
Unexpected champions
Remember when the city of Cleveland was the sports market with the longest draught of any major championships. That was the beginning of the year. Now it seems funny as they had two finals hosted this year. By no means was it surprising that LeBrorn James got the Cavilers to the finals. It was surprising that down 3-1 to the Splash Bros. of Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, he managed to win it. Elation for Cleveland, and 3-1 memes galore.
But the cruelty of sport reared its head again and karma struck. Fast forward six months from the Cavs parade and Cleveland is planning another parade for the Indians. No one blows a 3-1 lead, except the Warriors. The Indians melt late and the Curse of the Billy Goat is broken by the Cubs. The longest title draught is gone. This Cubs team was something special, and proved they are loveable losers no more.
The argument can be made that neither of these two were as great as the title from across the pond. Neither of those teams above held 5,000 to 1 odds to win the championship.
Leicester City did though, and the won the Premier League. A team assembled for less than what their opponents, like Manchester City and Arsenal, spend on one player. They did what can only be described as a miracle. This season, the Foxes sit in the middle of the Premier League, where they are usually expected to be.
Perhaps this fairy tale has more coming, as they already punched their ticket to the knockout stage of the Champions League.
Confirmed legends
Thank you, Rio. Thank you for not messing up the Olympics, and allowing two of the greats to cement their legacies.
First off, Michael Phelps. Adding six more medals to the trophy case, bringing the total to 28. Five of the six this time around were gold, making 23 golds in five different Olympic Games. There may have been a metaphorical passing of the torch too. Defeated in his last event by Joseph Schooling, a kid who looked up to Phelps as a young boy in Singapore. Phelps showed that there is some good in the men’s side of U.S. swimming.
Then there is Usain Bolt. Fastest man on Earth, and there is no doubt. Every time he stepped on the track, there was not an electricity in just the stadium, but around the world. For the third Olympics in a row, three events and three golds. There is little doubt he will lose in the finals of any Olympics. He has now called it quits on track, but fingers cross he makes another athletic appearance. He is set for a trial with German soccer club Bourussia Dortmund. Imagine him hooking up with American rising star Christian Pulisic.
The next wave
The new kids on the block look ready for a takeover. The group from the American delegation to the Olympics got two of the brightest.
Simone Biles has been dominating gymnastics for three years already, but Rio proved to be her breakout. Three golds in Rio made her a household name in August. While gymnasts tend to only be relevant for one Olympic Game, Biles may be the one to buck that trend.
Katie Ledecky is right there too. The best word to describe her Rio performance is dominant. Five golds, a silver and a pair world records is what she left Brazil with. Not bad for a freshman in college, who is now dominating at Stanford.
Let’s not forget the pair of quarterbacks setting up shop in the NFL.
Dak Prescott has done something interesting. He seems to have given Dallas hope. 10-1 as a starter before facing the Vikings on Thursday, he seems to be the perfect fit in the Lone Star State. Even a Tony Romo-esque collapse in December should get the Cowboys into the playoffs.
Right there with him is NDSU’s own Carson Wentz. Despite a rough couple of weeks, Wentz is proving to be the leader for the future of Philadelphia. With the right tools around him, there is a high ceiling for the red head from the small school.