Top sports stories of 2012

OK, time to make your list and check it twice. Most significant sports stories of 2012.

 

Young black quarterbacks with braids and tattoos take over the NFL.

 

Amended list:

1) College conference re-alignment.

2) NHL lockout cancels first half of season.

3) LeBron James wins first NBA title, MVP.

4) New Orleans Saints' bounty scandal.

5) Michael Phelps becomes top all-time Olympic medalist.

6) Miguel Cabrera wins triple crown in baseball.

7) LA Kings become first No. 8 seed to win Stanley Cup.

8 ) Usain Bolt repeats as Olympic triple gold medalist.

9) Notre Dame football team has undefeated season.

10 (tie) Jevon Belchar suicide/ Josh Brent accident kills teammate.

 

What happened to Jevon Belchar?

 

Depends on where you're from. In Canada it is depressingly the top story. In major hockey centres in the U.S. it should certainly be in the top 5.

 

I guess, in theory, this should be a big story. But, truth is, I can't find anyone who seems to care. You have to remind people that it's even happening. No. 2 is WAY too high in terms of actual attention and discussion the story has generated. I really don't even see it in the Top 10.

 

I live in a fairly strong NHL market and I don't think people here would put it on their top 10. Maybe if they're forced to ponder it they would out of guilt or "it must be big" or something, but on a day-to-day basis it has almost no bearing.

Shocking, I know, that sports fans would favor the games that are being played over the games that aren't.

 

I think these lockouts and strikes were a much bigger deal to fans in the days when there wasn't wall-to-wall games on television every night of the year. No Blackhawks? That's fine. Illinois-Gonzaga tips off at 3. Arizona-Florida to follow. And then a late-night bowl game.

 

BTW I finally read Mark's list. It is really fucked up. Two NHL stories? Uh, no. The Saints bounty scandal is the NFL's biggest story? Uh, no. And college conference realignment was huge last year, not this year.

 

Agreed. I also live in a strong NHL market. It's not near a top 10 story. It barely gets a mention in the daily paper.

Now, if it continues and it becomes the first league to cancel TWO seasons in less than 10 years, it might move into the top 10, barely.

 

Texas A&M fails to suck in SEC, but Missouri does.

 

Here in Boston, certainly a hockey town, NHL lockout a topic of minimal interest as far as I can tell. No Bruins? People talk about the Patriots more.