Q’s Year in Review: The Best of the Sports World in 2012

Welcome back to the Year in Review!  Today we dive into the past year in the sports world.  In the past, I've done a top 10 list of sports events.  However, sports is a complex, varied beast.  There are tons of sports, tons of great moments.  So, this year, I’m going to give a top 5 list of events/moments, and then go sport by sport and talk about the best each sport had to offer.  I’ll list the various champions, give out the athlete of the year, and discuss my choice for the game/match of the year for each one (as applicable).  This way I’ll try not to miss anything!

We’ll try the new format out this year, and if it sucks, we’ll go back to the top 10 list next year.  But I think this will be a much better way to recap the year!

First off, I want to note what an incredible year this has been for the Bay Area.  The Giants won the World Series (annoying for me, but still a Bay Area triumph).  The A's won the AL West, and the hearts of people everywhere.  The Niners got to the NFC Championship game, and are headed back to the playoffs this year.  The Warriors have come alive this year and are firmly in the playoff race.  Even the Earthquakes won the Supporter's Shield for best regular season record in MLS, with Chris Wondoloski tying the MLS record for goals in a season.  Just an incredible year for the team.  All of this combined to make the Bay Area, collectively, Grantland's Sports City of the Year for 2012!  Pretty awesome time to be a sports fan in the Bay Area...unless you're a Raiders fan...

Go Bay Area!  Now, lets move on to the 5 Most Important Sports Events of 2012:

5.  Lance Armstrong Stripped of Titles, Banned from Sport.  My thoughts on this can be found here:  Lance Armstrong and Doping in Cycling.  Basically, I’m not entirely sure what to think about this whole thing…although I think the cycling world is being rather hypocritical in singling out Lance and doing their best to tear down a man who’s done great things for cancer research.  But, yeah, go read that piece I wrote back in October if you haven’t already.  I don’t want to write much more here…this post is going to be long enough as it is!

4.  Jerry Sandusky found Guilty of 45 child sex abuse charges.  Longtime former university football assistant coach Jerry Sandusky was charged with the sexual assault of at least eight underage boys on or near university property.  Based on an extensive grand jury investigation, Sandusky was indicted in 2011 on 52 counts of child molestation dating from 1994 to 2009, though the abuse may have dated as far back as the 1970s.  Per the findings of the grand jury, several high-level school officials were charged with perjury, suspended, or dismissed for covering up the incidents or failing to notify authorities.  Most notably, school president Graham Spanier was forced to resign, and head football coach Joe Paterno and athletic director Tim Curley were fired.  The trial of Jerry Sandusky on 52 charges of sexual crimes against children started on June 11, 2012.  Four charges were subsequently dropped, leaving 48.  On June 22, 2012, Sandusky was found guilty on 45 of 48 counts of sexual abuse.  Sandusky was sentenced on October 9, 2012 to a minimum of 30 years and maximum of 60 years in prison.

The scandal had far-reaching outcomes for the university.  The report of an independent investigation commissioned by the PSU board and conducted by former FBI director Louis Freeh and his law firm stated that Spanier and Paterno, along with Curley and school vice president Gary Schultz, had known about allegations of child abuse on Sandusky's part as early as 1998, and were complicit in failing to disclose them.  In so doing, Freeh stated that the most senior leaders at Penn State showed a "total disregard for the safety and welfare of Sandusky's child victims" for 14 years and "empowered" Jerry Sandusky to continue his abuse.  On July 23, 2012 the NCAA imposed sweeping penalties on Penn State—among the most severe ever imposed on an NCAA member school—including a fine of $60 million, a four-year postseason ban and vacating of all victories from 1998–2011.  This has been a true black mark on the university, and one that won’t be forgotten for quite some time.

3.  NHL Lockout.  The 2012 NHL lockout is an ongoing labor dispute that began at 11:59 PM EDT on September 15, 2012, following the expiration of the National Hockey League's (NHL) collective bargaining agreement (CBA), less than a month prior to the scheduled beginning of the 2012–13 NHL season.  The owners of the league's franchises, led by commissioner Gary Bettman, declared a lockout of the members of the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) after a new agreement could not be reached before their deadline.  The lockout is currently delaying the start of the 2012–13 NHL season, which originally was scheduled to begin on October 11, 2012.  A total of 526 regular-season games through December 30 have been canceled as a result of the continuing lockout.

The dispute is the third lockout in the 19 years since Bettman became Commissioner in 1993, following player lockouts in 1994–95 and 2004–05. And, really, its pretty stupid.  Hockey almost died after their last work stoppage, a mere 8 years ago.  I mean, no one came to games forever!  Finally, over the last few years, hockey found its groove, gained popularity, and had carved out a rather impressive foothold in the sports landscape of the U.S.  The league was wildly successful, making tons of money, and on its way up!  The owners, who cleaned the players’ clocks in the last lockout, decided they wanted even MORE of the pie…so we have a lockout.  The owners, and Bettman in particular, seem willing to lose every single fan they’ve gained since the last lockout, all over their own stupidity.  Unreal.  I know I will not be giving any more money to the NHL, should they ever come back, for quite some time.  My sports budget will be going to MLB, NFL, WWE, and boxing.  Good job, Bettman.

2.  The Saints Bounty Scandal.  This was an incident in which several defensive players on New Orleans Saints were found to have operated a slush fund that paid out bonuses, or "bounties", for in-game performance in violation of NFL rules.  The pool was alleged to have been in operation from 2009 to 2011.  Among other things, Saints players allegedly earned bonuses for inflicting injuries on opposing players that forced them to leave games.  On March 2, 2012, the NFL announced that it had evidence that defensive coordinator Gregg Williams had created the program soon after his arrival in 2009, and alleged that "between 22 and 27 Saints players" were involved.  Williams and the players pooled their own money to pay out performance bonuses.  It also asserted that head coach Sean Payton tried to cover up the scheme, and that he and general manager Mickey Loomis failed to shut it down when ordered to do so by team owner Tom Benson.  Since then, Williams has been accused of operating similar schemes during his tenure as defensive coordinator of the Tennessee Oilers/Titans and Washington Redskins and as head coach of the Buffalo Bills; the NFL briefly investigated these allegations but elected to focus on the Saints.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell responded with some of the most severe sanctions in the league's 92-year history, and among the most severe punishments for in-game misconduct in North American professional sports history.  Williams was suspended indefinitely, while Payton was suspended for the entire 2012 season—the first time in modern NFL history that a head coach has been suspended—and Loomis was suspended for the first eight games of the 2012 season.  Assistant head coach Joe Vitt was suspended for the first six games of the 2012 season. The Saints organization was fined $500,000, and forced to forfeit their second-round draft selections in 2012 and 2013.  Four current and former Saints players were suspended after being named as ringleaders in the scandal, with linebacker Jonathan Vilma being suspended for the entire 2012 season.  The players suspensions were ultimately overturned upon appeal, but the coaches suspensions were upheld.  Coming, as it has, just as the league is getting serious about player safety and concussion awareness, the league wanted to make a statement that intentionally trying to injure players was not ok.  They did so.  This scandal has pretty much run its course now, but has been a big story all season…and a huge distraction to the Saints, who will miss the playoffs this year.

1.  The 2012 Summer Olympics in London.  This was a phenomenal Olympics for the U.S., especially our women…and a very fun two weeks of international competition.  The U.S ended up with the most medals of any country (104) and Gold Medals of any country (46).  2^nd and 3^rd in the medal count was China and hosts Great Britain, whose performance was the best they’ve had in quite some time.  The biggest story of the Olympics was probably Michael Phelps becoming the most decorated Olympian ever.  Michael Phelps came away with 4 gold medals and 6 total medals in 2012 (once again the most successful swimmer of the meet…for the 3^rd Olympics in a row), giving him a career total of 18 gold medals and 22 total medals…the most of all time.  However, Phelps wasn’t the only American to dominate in the pool.  The next wave of great American swimmers all emerged this year, with the arrivals of Rebecca Soni (WR 200m breaststroke), Dana Vollmer (WR 100m butterfly), Missy Franklin (WR 200m backstroke), Allison Schmidt (OR 200m freestyle), Ryan Lochte, Cullen Jones, Tyler Clary, Nathan Adrian, Matthew Grevers, Nicholas Thoman, Katie Ledecky, Haley Anderson, and Elizabeth Beisel.  And, of course, the team of Soni, Vollmer, Franklin, and Schmidt makes a formidable relay medley team, setting a new World Record in the 4x100m medley relay, and a new Olympic Record in the 4x200m freestyle relay!  Just an incredible showing from U.S. swimming.

Not to be outdone, hosts Great Britain had their own memorable moments.  Bradley Wiggins followed up his Tour de France victory with gold in the road race time trial.  Home grown Andy Murray overcame Roger Federer at Wimbledon to capture gold in Men’s Tennis.  Usain Bolt was his own, incredible self…successfully defending his title in the 100m and 200m sprint…the first person to ever do that.  Tack on his 4.100m relay gold, and Bolt had yet another golden Olympics with 3 gold medals in 3 events.  The fastest man in the world, indeed.  And, yes, back to the U.S….the women’s gymnastics team took home the team gold medal, Gabby Douglas took home the women’s individual all around gold, Danell Layva took home men’s individual all around bronze, and McKayla Maroney and Alexandra Raisman took home some individual event medals.  The women’s soccer team captured gold, Ashton Eaton and Trey Hardee took gold and silver in the decathlon (making Eaton, already the world record holder, the world’s greatest athlete), the women’s Water Polo team took home gold for the first time, the men’s and women’s basketball teams took home gold, and the U.S. dominated in track and field (you know, in non-Bolt events).  All in all, it was an incredible two weeks of sport and national pride!  I love the Olympics, and look forward to Sochi 2014 for the Winter Olympics!

After the jump (click “Read More” below to see everything else in this article), I’ve gone through and discussed the best of the year in the world of Baseball, Football, Basketball, Hockey, Soccer, Golf, Tennis, Cycling, Boxing, and Wrestling!

Baseball

2012 World Series Champion:  San Francisco Giants

2012 NCAA College World Series Champions:  Arizona Wildcats

Baseball Player of the Year:  Mike Trout – Trout was the AL Rookie of the Year, should have been the AL MVP, and had one of the greatest seasons in the history of baseball…all at age 20/21.  He broke into the big leagues with the Angels full time this year on April 28, and throughout the rest of the season compiled the following stats:  .326 Batting Average, 30 HRs, 83 RBIs, 182 Hits, 49 Stolen Bases, and 129 runs scored.  Trout became the first player in MLB history to hit 30 homers, steal 45 bases and score 125 runs in one season.  Trout became the first rookie ever to hit 30 home runs and steal 40 bases in the same season.  At age 21, he became the youngest player to join the 30–30 club.  And he did all that without playing the first month of the year!  On top of that, he was, arguably, the best defender in all of baseball in center field.  His 10.7 WAR (wins above replacement) was best in the league by 2.5 WAR…an insane amount.  So, yeah, this was a historic season…and one that earns him the title of Baseball Player of the Year…at least in my eyes.

Baseball Game of the Year:  Texas Rangers vs. Oakland Athletics, October 3.  A’s win 12-5.  On the final day of the year, the A’s completed an improbably comeback, both in the game and in the division, to win the AL West Division crown.  The A’s were 5 games back in the division with 9 games to play.  They chipped away at the division lead, winning 2 of 4 in Texas before returning home for their last 6 games.  After sweeping Seattle to get their deficit down to 2 games, Texas came to the Oakland Coliseum for a 3 game series to finish the season.  The A’s needed to sweep the Rangers in order to win the division, and they did just that!  A 4-3 win on Monday, and a 3-1 win on Tuesday meant that Wednesday afternoon’s game would be for the division crown…winner take all!  This also happened to be my 29^th birthday, so I skipped out on work and went to the Coliseum to be a part of the madness!  The game was sold out, and the crowd was raucous.  Even when the A’s got in an early 5-1 hole, the crowd never faltered.  6 runs in the 4^th, 1 in the 5^th, and 4 in the 8^th…all unanswered…gave the A’s a 12-5 win, and the most improbable division crown in their history!  Maybe I’m biased, as I was at this game and the A’s gave me the most incredible birthday present…but, tell me, was there any environment in all of baseball that was more electric, dramatic, and incredible than this sunny afternoon day in Oakland?  Not a chance…game of the year, by a mile!

Football

2012 Super Bowl Champion:  New York Giants

2012 BCS Champions:  Alabama Crimson Tide

Football Player of the Year:  Adrian Peterson.  There were many possible choices here.  Peyton Manning is having a hell of a season.  Robert Griffin III has taken the league by storm, and has revitalized football in Washington.  Andrew Luck has brought the Colts back.  Aldon Smith has a chance to break the single season sacks record, and is off to the best career start by any pass rusher ever!  But, Adrian Peterson’s return from an ACL tear to become the best running back in football again has been incredible.  He has not missed a step.  Through 15 games this year, Adrian Peterson has rushed for 1,898 yards, putting up a gaudy 6.3 yard per carry average.  He is 208 yards shy of setting the record for rushing yards in a season, with one home game left against Green Bay.  Prior to week 16, his previous three weeks saw AP rush for 210 yards, 154 yards, and 212 yards!  He is a man on a mission…and the team seems to want to help him get to this record.  He deserves it…as he is clearly the best running back of our generation.  Will he do it?  We will see.  But for his incredible comeback from ACL surgery, and helping lead Minnesota to a great season where they might make the playoffs, AP is clearly the football player of the year.  All Hail AP!

Football Game of the Year:  San Francisco 49ers vs. New Orleans Saints, January 22.  49ers won 36-32 in Divisional Round of Playoffs.  This game had absolutely everything you could want in a football playoff game. Big hits, long passes, lead changes, and a 34-point fourth quarter.  The Saints turned the ball over five times and still managed to put up 32 points against a great San Francisco defense.  On the other side of the ball, Alex Smith came of age on one of the biggest possible stages in the game.  While Brees put up video-game numbers, it was Alex Smith that kept a clean sheet, with no turnovers and an incredibly clutch last-minute drive to win the game.  Games as good as this one are few and far between.

Basketball

2012 NBA Champions:  Miami Heat

2012 NCAA Men’s Champions:  Kentucky Wildcats

2012 NCAA Women’s Champions:  Baylor Bears

Basketball Player of the Year:  LeBron James.  After years of (legitimate) criticism of his lack of performances when his team needed him most, LeBron finally came through in the clutch and led his team to an NBA Championship.  Two moments stand out to me as to why James deserves to be called player of the year, though.  The first moment that stands out to me is Game 4 in the second round against Indiana.  Miami, down two games to one, needed to win.  Had to win.  Games like this are usually where LeBron had shrunk away.  But not on this night.  James turned in one of the best all-around performances of his career, registering 40 points, 18 rebounds, and 9 assists in a winning effort on the road, becoming only the second player to ever do so in NBA history.  To prove it wasn’t a fluke, facing elimination in the Conference Finals, James lead Miami to victory by scoring 45 points in Game 6, while also contributing 15 rebounds and 5 assists.  When the Heat needed him most, James finally rose to the occasion and put the team on his back.  In the NBA Finals, James was once again outstanding, garnering Finals MVP honors by averaging 28.6 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game.

Besides, as I wrote back in June, I’m starting to like the guy.  He seems, for all intents and purposes, to be a pretty fun loving, laid back guy.  He doesn’t get stand offish with the media or the fans.  He hasn’t been in any police reports, hasn’t cheated on his girlfriend (that we know of), and has generally kept his nose clean.  He hasn’t called out his teammates for their poor play.  He hasn’t gotten his coach fired.  He hasn’t been fined for criticizing refs; hasn’t asked to be traded, released or named general manager.  He seems like a supremely talented superstar athlete who is actually a good person and a likable figure.  How often do these kinds of guys come around?  And now he’s an NBA Champion, an NBA Finals MVP, and a 3 time NBA Most Valuable Player.  He had a hell of a year, and finally seems to be embracing his role as leader of a Championship team.

Basketball Game of the Year:  No. 15 Norfolk State vs. No. 2 Missouri, NCAA Tournament.  The upset of upsets in the first round of the tournament, Norfolk State became the first No. 15 seed to win an NCAA tournament game since 2001 (Lehigh joined them later in the day when they knocked off Duke).  Missouri was one of the nation's top teams all season.  The Tigers were the most efficient offense in college basketball.  They beat Kansas.  They knocked off Baylor three times.  Missouri was also the Big 12 tournament champion, and considered a legitimate Final Four threat.  Norfolk State used out-of-this-world three-point shooting and an incredible performance from center Kyle O'Quinn (26 points, 14 rebounds, 2 blocks) to change everything.  On the outside, the Spartans lit up the Tigers on 10-of-19 shooting from three.  On a wild and crazy day in the Tournament, Norfolk State gave us all something to remember from this tournament!  And their star’s name is O’Quinn!  How can I not pick this game!

Hockey

2012 Stanley Cup Champions:  Los Angeles Kings

2012 NCAA Men’s Champions:  Boston College

2012 NCAA Women’s Champions:  Minnesota Golden Gophers

Hockey Player of the Year:  Jonathan Quick – It kills me to say this, since I’m a Sharks fan and, thus, hate the Kings…but Quick had a hell of a year.  For the 2011-2012 season, Quick Won 35 games, with 10 shutouts, a 1.95 GAA and a .929 SV%.  Just incredible numbers.  He should have won the Vezina, but came in second to the East Coast.  In the playoffs, Quick stepped his game up to another level, winning 16 games, losing only 4, and posting a 1.41 GAA and a .946 SV% in leading the Los Angeles Kings to the Stanley Cup.  For his outstanding play throughout the postseason, Quick won the Conn Smythe Trophy for Playoff MVP.  Quick cemented himself as one of the premier goaltenders in hockey…and, being as he’s American, should be in line to be the US starter come the Winter Olympics in 2014…good news for the stars and stripes!

Hockey Game of the Year:  Phoenix Coyotes vs Columbus Blue Jackets, April 3, 2012.  Coyotes win 2-0.  Mike Smith set a record for most saves in a shutout, with 54!  It was Smith’s third straight shutout, as well, and just an incredibly tense game.  I know, you don’t expect Phoenix and Columbus to put on the best game of the year, but there it is!  Some people might clamor for a high scoring barnburner, but give me brilliant goaltending in a playoff race any day!

Soccer

2012 Men’s Olympic Gold Medal Winner:  Mexico

2012 Women’s Olympic Gold Medal Winner:  United States

2012 European Cup Champions:  Spain (the third straight major tournament they’ve won in a row)

Soccer Player of the Year:  Lionel Messi – In 2012, Lionel Messi has scored 91 goals.  91.  This is more than anyone in history.  Which is absurd.  91 goals is a ton.  Messi is the best football player in the entire world.  He is magic to watch on the pitch.  His finish has such touch, his movements, such grace.  He really is a joy to watch play.  The only thing his career is really missing is a World Cup win.  We’ll see how he and Argentina do in 2014…but he’s really come into his own as the best player in the world…and has a chance to be considered among the best players of all time by the time he hangs em up.  He’s that impressive.  Even if you aren’t a soccer fan…watch Messi.  He’s that impressive.

Soccer Match of the Year:  United States vs. Japan, Women’s Gold Medal Match, London Olympics.  The United States won its third straight Olympic gold medal Thursday, beating Japan 2-1 in a rematch of last year's World Cup final and avenging the most painful loss in its history.  Carli Lloyd scored early in both halves, Hope Solo made a lunging late save as the Japanese pushed frantically for a tying goal, and the entire roster found the redemption it had been seeking since that penalty kick shootout loss in Germany last year.  The teams put on a back-and-forth, don't-turn-your-head soccer showcase, that kept your pulse racing until the very final minute!

Golf

2012 Masters Champion:  Bubba Watson

2012 U.S. Open Champion:  Webb Simpson

2012 British Open Champion:  Ernie Els

2012 PGA Champion:  Rory McIlroy

2012 FedEx Cup Champion:  Brandt Snedecker

Golfer of the Year:  Rory McIlroy.  He won a major, he won 4 tournaments overall (of the 16 he entered), he lead the money list ($8,047,952), and he was part of the winning European Ryder Cup team.  Uh, yeah, he had a great, great year.  With the absence of a dominant Tiger Woods (although he had a very good year himself), Rory has stepped up and become THE golfer to follow in 2012.  He’s young, he’s charismatic, and he’s very, very good.  Rory McIlroy had a heck of a year, and he’s only going to get better!  Stay tuned.

Tennis

2012 Australian Open Champion:  Novak Djokovic

2012 French Open Champion:  Rafa Nadal

2012 Wimbledon Champion:  Roger Federer

2012 U.S. Open Champion:  Andy Murray

Tennis Player of the Year:  Andy Murray.  Over the past several years, men’s Tennis has been a world of The Big 4…or the Big 3 plus Murray…depending on whom you asked.  Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic had been the unquestioned top of the mountain.  Murray had always been right there…but never able to break through and win a Grand Slam tournament!  This year, though, the breakthrough happened!  And I think it is thanks to the Olympics!  Murray, in true Andy Murray fashion, Murray lost in the semifinals of the Australian Open, lost in the quarterfinals at the French Open, and lost in the finals at Wimbledon to Roger Federer, after becoming the first male British player to reach the final of Wimbledon since 1938.  But that last loss…where he came so close to winning a major on his home soil seemed to awaken something in Murray.  Next up was the Olympics, being held at the very same venue, Wimbledon.  Murray was a man on a mission, losing only one set on his way to the Gold Medal Final, where he finally defeated Federer, and won the Gold Medal in his home country!  He also took home the Silver Medal in mixed doubles at the Olympics with his partner, Laura Robson.  He took that momentum into the U.S. Open, where he defeated Djokovic in five sets making him the first British man to win a Major final since Fred Perry in 1936.

A Wimbledon runner up, an Olympic mixed doubles Silver and an Olympic singles Gold at Wimbledon, and his first Grand Slam championship at the U.S. Open.  He finally cemented his place among the Big 4 of tennis, and announced to the world that he was a force to be reckoned with!  A hell of a year for Andy Murray, and hopefully a sign of things to come in what is a very competitive and entertaining men’s draw in tennis.

Tennis Match of the Year:  Djokovic vs. Nadal, Australian Open Finals.  Coming off of an incredible victory over Andy Murray in the semifinals (another match of the year candidate), Djokovic faced Nadal yet again in a Grand Slam final match…and yet again, Djokovic triumphed.  When Nadal grabbed the first set, he was on his way to avoiding a third consecutive reverse in a Grand Slam final to Djokovic.  But Djokovic would rally for a 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5 win in 5 hours, 53 minutes, the longest Grand Slam final (in time) in history, to thwart Nadal once more.  It was bruising, not scintillating, tennis, yet still highly memorable:  Djokovic bossed proceedings for most of the second, third and fourth sets; Nadal played his most aggressive tennis ever on a hard court to come back in the fourth; Nadal sunk to his knees after the fourth, as if he'd already won the match; and Djokovic was floored in the fifth following the umpteenth exhausting rally.  The momentum shifted in the fifth when Nadal missed a backhand sitter at 4-2, 30-15, and Djokovic went on to win.

This was the third Grand Slam tournament victory for Djokovic in a row.  His bid for the Novak Slam (holding all 4 titles at the same time) came to an end at the French Open, though, as Nadal finally broke through in a final against Djokovic to capture his 7^th French Open Title (in a match that almost earned Match of the Year honors from me).

Cycling

2012 Tour de France Champion:  Bradley Wiggins

Twenty-three years ago, Bradley Wiggins marveled as Greg LeMond blazed a trail as America's first Tour de France winner. Now, Wiggins has blazed his own.  Wiggins became Britain's first winner of cycling's greatest race this year, ending a 75-year drought for his country in the Tour de France.  This 99th Tour will be remembered for successes of other Britons, too, like all-rounder Christopher Froome, who was second overall, Cavendish and Scottish veteran David Millar -- who won seven stages between them, a Tour record for Britain.

Wiggins had come into the race as the favorite, but he knew all too well how anything can happen over more than 2,100 miles of racing over three weeks.  Crashes, sickness and doping scandals all thinned the pack.  Questions were rife about the unity of his powerful Sky team -- Wiggins put those to rest.  His victory was all the more remarkable because it culminated the transformation of Wiggins from three-time Olympic champion on the track to road-race star.  His early years had given him the sustained power for the Tour time-trial -- which he dominated twice this year -- but his ability to scale Alps and Pyrenees ascents was in question.  There too, Wiggins came through.

His victory for Britain was no tiny feat. It's not just the first British victory, but the first podium finish -- and this year, Britain has two -- since Britons began riding in the race in 1937. A total of 59 have competed since then.  Sky was methodical in its march to victory -- evoking at times some uncomfortable comparisons with the dominant teams of Lance Armstrong.

This Tour, as in many in recent years, took its licks from doping.

On the first rest day, Remy Di Gregorio of Cofidis was arrested and ousted from the race in a French anti-doping probe.  The bigger bombshell came on the second rest day: Frank Schleck, the RadioShack Nissan Trek leader from Luxembourg who placed third last year, was ousted after he tested positive for the banned diuretic Xipamide on July 14. In the past, Wiggins too has borne the impact of doping's ravages on the sport.  In 2007, one of the most scandal-ridden Tours in recent memory, his Cofidis team pulled out after rider Cristian Moreni tested positive for testosterone -- incensing Wiggins so much that he swore he'd never wear its jersey again.

If this year's Tour was boring compared to others in recent years -- when use of performance enhancers juiced up many riders -- Wiggins said it may be because the sport is changing amid the fight against doping, and that fans perhaps should not expect as many incredible performances as in years past. He has been a vocal critic of doping in cycling.

Bradley Wiggins followed up his Tour de France victory by winning the Road Cycling time trial Gold Medal in his home country’s Olympics.  Countryman and teammate Chris Froome took bronze, completing an incredible year for these two, and British cycling in general.  Bradley Wiggins was the best cycler of the year, and seemingly has done it without the aid of performance enhancing drugs.  Assuming he stays clean, his year will have to be looked upon as one of the all time greats!

Boxing

Boxer of the Year:  Nonito Donaire - Donaire completed an impressive year that makes him Q’s fighter of the year.  In an era when top pound-for-pound fighters rarely fight more than twice annually, Donaire (31-1, 20 KOs) fought four times in 2012 and easily beat four quality opponents as he moved up to junior featherweight and won two world title belts.  In February, after giving up his bantamweight belts, Donaire moved up to 122 pounds, then promptly knocked down Wilfredo Vazquez Jr. and won a decision to claim a vacant belt.  Then, Donaire rolled past Jeffrey Mathebula, scoring a knockdown, breaking his jaw and winning a lopsided decision to unify two titles in July.  Donaire later gave up one of the belts but followed with a two-knockdown, ninth-round stoppage of former titleholder Toshiaki Nishioka in October.  Then, Donaire blew away former titleholder Jorge Arce in December, cementing his year as the best in the sport in 2012.  4 fights in a new weight class, 4 dominant victories.  He’s going to finish the year hovering around the top 5 in the pound for pound rankings…and he deserves it.  Hell of a year for The Filipino Flash!

Fight of the Year:  Pacquiao-Marquez 4 – Did you see this fight?  It was 6 rounds of pure action and excitement…punctuated by the most unlikely and unexpected knockout in the last decade…at least!  Pacquiao hadn’t been knocked down cleanly in the U.S. in over a decade.  That ended in the 3^rd round, when Marquez caught him flush with a powerful right hand countershot.  Pacquiao recovered, and in the 5^th round, knocked Marquez down and broke his nose.  Throughout the 6^th, Pacquiao continued to dominate, battering Marquez.  It looked like it would be over for Marquez…until Pacquiao got greedy, tried to finish it by the end of the 6^th…and with one second left in the round, walked right into yet another powerful right hand counter from Marquez.  And the rest, well…you know the rest…

The most exciting fight we’ve had in a long, long time…and definitely the fight of the year!

Wrestling

Wrestler of the Year:  CM Punk.  He has been WWE Champion for over a year now…the longest reign in the modern era.  By quite a bit.  He’s defeated everyone from John Cena to Dolph Ziggler to Daniel Bryan to Ryback.  He’s had as good a year as anyone can have in the business.  And yet, he’s still consistently overlooked, disrespected, and unappreciated.  CM Punk had broken the barrier that smaller, more technical wrestlers have had in getting to the top of the wrestling world.  In a business that’s overrun with muscle bound freaks with limited in ring ability, its refreshing to see someone who is smaller and has unparalleled in ring ability rise to the top and hold that spot for so long.  CM Punk has been the WWE Champion for the entire calendar year, and then some.  For that reason alone, he has to be the Wrestler of the Year.

Wrestling Match of the Year:  Undertaker vs. HHH, Wrestlemania. – Billed as the “end of an era,” these two fading warriors put on a show for the ages, inside Hell in a Cell.  No matter how much HHH tried, Undertaker just would not stay down.  A superkick from referee Shawn Michaels couldn’t keep him down.  Repeated blows from HHH’s sledgehammer couldn’t keep him down.  In the end, after both of these men had left everything they had in the ring, Undertaker mustered enough strength to tombstone HHH and grab the victory, remaining unbeaten at Wrestlemania…20-0.  Just an incredible match, incredible in ring storytelling, and an incredible finish.  Both of these men are future WWE Hall of Famers, and some of the best we’ve ever seen lace up the boots…and they gave us a match to remember this year at Wrestlemania.