2008 Best Sports Moments

Like any important reporter, it is that time of the year when I look back and reflect on the year that was and offer my inane opinion on the events that transpired these past 366 days. Since this is a highly professional website devoted to all that is sports, I will limit myself to the scope of that topic. With sports comes competitiveness, this article is no exception, each experience is ranked based on awesomeness.

#5 I win Football Picks

Having completely demolished my opponents in fantasy football for the 2007 season, I carried that momentum to a Nutcan.com Football Picks Championship title in February. Some might say it was luck, others might say picking the Packers every week made all the difference, but really it was just all my mad skillz besting everyone else.

#4 Giants beat the undefeated Patriots to win the Super Bowl

Everybody hated the Patriots after SpyGate, especially since after the scandal they felt the need to stick it to every team they played by running up the score. The improbable wish on everyone’s mind was a Super Bowl loss for the 18-0 Patriots. With the Packers not able to reach the big game, it would be up to the Giants to do the impossible. The regular season finale between these two teams had been one of the harder fought battles of the year, with the Patriots barely coming out of the game with a win to complete their 16-0 season. Karma came around though just in time for the February game between these two teams. Thank goodness too, because the Red Sox had just won the World Series and the Celtics were to win the NBA Championship in the summer months. Massachusetts’s Sports Cup was starting to runneth over, but Eli Manning and David Tyree decided that enough was enough. Watchers were treated to The Catch, a play that had so many juicy elements to it, it will probably be remembered as the best ever. In the end, the scoreboard declared that the Giants were the winners and that the Patriots would have to go home without another ring to add to their collection. It was a feel good story, for in the end, good had prevailed.

#3 Nutcan wins a close one against their undefeated rival

A Nutcan softball season is split into two rounds. The first round involves some losses, since there is no spring training for the team. By the second round, the team has gelled, with the defense coming together and the offense getting the bats going. There’s always one team that shouldn’t be in our lower level league, they always crush the teams they play and it just doesn’t seem right. Nutcan has never been that team, yet they always manage to play upset. The year before, we managed to beat the regular season undefeated champs to knock them out of the championship game. This year, things seemed to click a little sooner, but we were by no means the best team out on the field. However, when it was time to play the undefeated team this year, Nutcan rallied and won a close one 11-10. That win helped us to become second round champions, (still waiting on those t-shirts) and even though we didn’t beat them the third time we played them for the league championship, it was still a great season.

#2 Packers beat the Seahawks in the playoffs

Things were bleak, Ryan Grant had fumbled twice in the first few minutes, leading to a 14-0 Seahawks lead. I had already slumped down in my seat, despair filling my heart where hope had once been. But like the whole 2007 season, a magical thing happened that night in the snow. The score would end up being 42-20 in the Packers favor, but the numbers don’t really tell it all. It was exciting and fun, something this Packer season is sorely lacking. Favre was vintage, completing amazing passes, including a shovel pass to Donald Lee as he tripped over his own feet. That throw is very defining of Favre, and it was great to watch. It would’ve been even better if Fox had decided to implement HD a week earlier so we could get the full effect of the snow, but there‘s no need to be picky when your teams gifts you a game like this.

#1 Taking in a Brewers game at Miller Park


This won’t be considered in anyone else’s list but mine, but on June 1, I got to take in my first Brewer game at Miller Park with 20 members of my family. I could not have cared less about the outcome of the game (the Brewers crushed the Astros and hit about 10 homeruns) but the experience was unbelievable. As I’ve already mentioned before, Corey Hart threw a practice ball up to the 3rd level where we sat because we chanted his name during every half inning break. It made my day and I’m pretty sure it made his, as he laughed after we cheered because he had tossed up the ball to us. I would like to go again in 2009, maybe when the Twins play there.

So there you have it, some top sports moments from the year that was 2008. A list would not be complete without having a few dishonorable mentions. The Favre debacle, Twins losing to the White Sox to miss the playoffs, and the currently 0-15 Lions are a few bad things that come to mind. But ‘tis the holiday season and I see no need to dwell on them at this time.

Here’s to 2009, may there be more incredible moments, both sports and life related.

Sarah can't believe she wrote another article.