Sporting Highlights of the Year
These are my sporting moments and people of the year, in no particular order:
1. England win the Ashes
A series that won the imagination of the nation and many people in the world. For sheer excitement and desire it could hardly be topped as a sporting spectacle. Who can forget the second test which England squeaked by two runs? Or the obstinacy of Australia's tail end in securing a draw at Old Trafford. Then to top it off, Pietersen smashing seven sixes in the final test, and of course that dropped catch. I remember watching with growing excitement on BBC five live radio over the web in Hong Kong as England inched closer to Ashes victory, and could almost smell the excitement.
2. Liverpool win the Champion's League
A truly and utterly unforgetable final, much greater in quality than Barcelona in 1999 and at least its equal or superior in drama. At half time, it looked a hopeless case - after all nobody had come from 2-0 down in 20 years, yet alone a three goal defecit. My friends and I were stuck in a dodgy pub in Oxford with poor beer and were contemplating going home - thank God we didn't. The turnaround itself was remarkable, the double save from Shevchenko jaw dropping, and then of course it came down to the lottery of the shootout where so many English clubs had fallen before. A tremendous final.
3. Roger Federer wins his Third Wimbledon
As if it didn't need anymore emphasizing. It wasn't the fact that Federer cemented his place among the true greats in winning his third title in succession but the manner in which he did so. To say that he obliterated his opponents would almost seem an understatement and journalists alike seemed to run out of superlatives for his magical grass court tennis. Perhaps the best of the lot was the first set against Roddick in the final when he completely bamboozled Andy and made just one unforced error. Then of course he goes and beats hometown hero Andrea Agassi in the final of the US Open two months afterwards....
4. Game 5 of the NBA Finals
After four consecutive blowouts to open the series, with the home team dominant throughout, no one expected the fireworks in this match. Robert Horry had a reputation as a big time player and clutch shooter, but this performance was crazy, even by his standards. He scored 21 points almost all in the final quarter and overtime and capped an amazing performance by sinking a 3 pointer to win the game with 5 seconds remaining in overtime. This was the defining match in a very tight series given more to tight defense and a distinct lack of drama. Not that I for one am complaining. These two teams deserved to be where they were because they did the fundamentals the best, there were built on tough defence, hard work and team play - if people found it unexciting, then so be it.
5. Wigan Athletic in the Premiereship
Before the start of the season, conventional wisdom had it that Wigan Athletic did not have a chance in hell of staying up. They were lucky enough to get into the Premiereship it was said, and should enjoy it while it lasted. The opening match of the season, against the defending champions Chelsea, gave a foretaste of what was to come. It was not that they managed to pull off a shock win - they were desperately unlucky to lose 1-0 to a injury time winner - it was the courage, determination, teamwork and skill that they showed in the match. Reaching second in the table in November however must be something they cannot have imagined in their wildest dreams. A run of 5 defeats have brought them back down to earth somewhat but the fact that they are still challenging for Europe and the Champions League is a real credit to them.
6.Tiger Woods wins the Masters and Open
Slump? What slump? The true measure of Tiger Wood's greatness is that people deem that he is in a slump when he fails to win in 10 consecutive major tournaments. This is forgetting the fact that a single major championship is often seen as the holy grail for any golfer, and that there are many players with wonderful careers that have never won any - look at Colin Montgomerie's continuing quest, not to mention Phil Mickleson before the 2004 Masters. Tiger showed great determination to win the Masters in a play off after bogeying the final two holes - a setback that would have floored many a lesser golfer. Then he continued his love affair with St Andrews (and in majors that mark Jack Nicklaus final participation) by not so much winning as watching his major rivals wilt. A second place finish in the US open and a T-4 in the PGA just added to his incredible feats at the majors this year. So the record so far: 10 majors before the age of 30, the only man other than Jack Nicklaus to win each major more than once, the only man other than Nicklaus to win multiple majors in three or more seasons. The true sign of greatness is when you compete not with everyone else, but with a sense of destiny. The scary sign is that Tiger Woods gives every indication that he can live up to these expectations.
7. Shaun Murphy wins the World Snooker Title
Sports purist often decray that a sport shouldn't be considered a sport unless you are able to work up a sweat in taking part in the activity. To them cue sports like snooker and pool, not to mention darts and bowling don't qualify as "proper sports". Still, I would challenge them to have a go at Snooker - they will probably find it terribly exacting, not only in the level of skill required to make any substantial break, but also in terms of the mental pressure and concentration needed to succeed. The modern game of Snooker has advanced quite considerably in terms of the quality of play with century breaks no longer at the premium they once were. Even more considerable has been the huge influx of talent into the sport and a much more open field in a game that has been traditionally dominated by a small elite. Nothing personified this more than young Shaun Murphy, ranked 48th in the World at the start of the World Championships but shocked everyone to win the title in some style, beating former champion Peter Ebdon convincingly in the semi-finals by seven frames with a superb display of attacking snooker and then dispatching twice semi-finalist and twice-finalist Matthew Stevens 18-16 in a tense finale. A magnificent and well-deserved victory for this rank outsider, and deservingly remembered as a sporting triumph, semantics be damned.
8. Lance Armstrong wins his Seventh Tour De France
Enough his been written about Lance, particularly after his record breaking sixth consecutive victory the previous year, that anything additional would seem superflous. His indeed is a triumph of will over adversity, of guts and determination overcoming all obstacles. His seventh triumph all but cements his place as probably the greatest cyclist in history (purists would plump for Belgian Eddie Merckx) and adds to a record that seems all but impossible to break. His is a truly inspirational story for a supreme sportsman and it is fitting that his feat should be recognised, even if it seems to lack the emotional resonance and much of the significance of last year's victory (in surpassing the record of Indurain and Merckx). The only dark side to this has been the repeated rumours of drug use that have dogged him, which up to now have remained unproven. Still these malacious rumours (till proven) should not detract from Lance Armstrong's remarkable legacy and ground-breaking seventh (and quite possibly final) win.
9. Fernando Alonso wins the Formula One Title
Formula One was deemed to be getting boring and many had criticized the dominance of Ferrari and Michael Schumacher as being bad for the sport. Few had any doubt that this dominance would continue, though they expected more competition from the rest of the field as the season began. What the pundits did not expect was that Ferrari would struggle badly throughout the season and that unfashionable Renault would clinch the driver's championship. Alonso became the youngest ever formula one champion and in doing so he showed a remarkable amount of consistency and maturity, the likes of which have not been seen in many of the grizzled veterans he was competing against. His win was greeted with great fanfare not just because it ended Ferrari's dominance, but because he was a genuinely well-liked figure in the sport, quite unlike Schumacher who was considered aloof and was dogged by allegations of unsportsmanlike behavious. Alonso however was quite the opposite, always with a ready smile and time for the press, completely with the egotism that seems a natural prerequisite for formula one drivers. That he was Spanish and handsome to boot must be an added bonus for publicizing formula one as a whole.
1. England win the Ashes
A series that won the imagination of the nation and many people in the world. For sheer excitement and desire it could hardly be topped as a sporting spectacle. Who can forget the second test which England squeaked by two runs? Or the obstinacy of Australia's tail end in securing a draw at Old Trafford. Then to top it off, Pietersen smashing seven sixes in the final test, and of course that dropped catch. I remember watching with growing excitement on BBC five live radio over the web in Hong Kong as England inched closer to Ashes victory, and could almost smell the excitement.
2. Liverpool win the Champion's League
A truly and utterly unforgetable final, much greater in quality than Barcelona in 1999 and at least its equal or superior in drama. At half time, it looked a hopeless case - after all nobody had come from 2-0 down in 20 years, yet alone a three goal defecit. My friends and I were stuck in a dodgy pub in Oxford with poor beer and were contemplating going home - thank God we didn't. The turnaround itself was remarkable, the double save from Shevchenko jaw dropping, and then of course it came down to the lottery of the shootout where so many English clubs had fallen before. A tremendous final.
3. Roger Federer wins his Third Wimbledon
As if it didn't need anymore emphasizing. It wasn't the fact that Federer cemented his place among the true greats in winning his third title in succession but the manner in which he did so. To say that he obliterated his opponents would almost seem an understatement and journalists alike seemed to run out of superlatives for his magical grass court tennis. Perhaps the best of the lot was the first set against Roddick in the final when he completely bamboozled Andy and made just one unforced error. Then of course he goes and beats hometown hero Andrea Agassi in the final of the US Open two months afterwards....
4. Game 5 of the NBA Finals
After four consecutive blowouts to open the series, with the home team dominant throughout, no one expected the fireworks in this match. Robert Horry had a reputation as a big time player and clutch shooter, but this performance was crazy, even by his standards. He scored 21 points almost all in the final quarter and overtime and capped an amazing performance by sinking a 3 pointer to win the game with 5 seconds remaining in overtime. This was the defining match in a very tight series given more to tight defense and a distinct lack of drama. Not that I for one am complaining. These two teams deserved to be where they were because they did the fundamentals the best, there were built on tough defence, hard work and team play - if people found it unexciting, then so be it.
5. Wigan Athletic in the Premiereship
Before the start of the season, conventional wisdom had it that Wigan Athletic did not have a chance in hell of staying up. They were lucky enough to get into the Premiereship it was said, and should enjoy it while it lasted. The opening match of the season, against the defending champions Chelsea, gave a foretaste of what was to come. It was not that they managed to pull off a shock win - they were desperately unlucky to lose 1-0 to a injury time winner - it was the courage, determination, teamwork and skill that they showed in the match. Reaching second in the table in November however must be something they cannot have imagined in their wildest dreams. A run of 5 defeats have brought them back down to earth somewhat but the fact that they are still challenging for Europe and the Champions League is a real credit to them.
6.Tiger Woods wins the Masters and Open
Slump? What slump? The true measure of Tiger Wood's greatness is that people deem that he is in a slump when he fails to win in 10 consecutive major tournaments. This is forgetting the fact that a single major championship is often seen as the holy grail for any golfer, and that there are many players with wonderful careers that have never won any - look at Colin Montgomerie's continuing quest, not to mention Phil Mickleson before the 2004 Masters. Tiger showed great determination to win the Masters in a play off after bogeying the final two holes - a setback that would have floored many a lesser golfer. Then he continued his love affair with St Andrews (and in majors that mark Jack Nicklaus final participation) by not so much winning as watching his major rivals wilt. A second place finish in the US open and a T-4 in the PGA just added to his incredible feats at the majors this year. So the record so far: 10 majors before the age of 30, the only man other than Jack Nicklaus to win each major more than once, the only man other than Nicklaus to win multiple majors in three or more seasons. The true sign of greatness is when you compete not with everyone else, but with a sense of destiny. The scary sign is that Tiger Woods gives every indication that he can live up to these expectations.
7. Shaun Murphy wins the World Snooker Title
Sports purist often decray that a sport shouldn't be considered a sport unless you are able to work up a sweat in taking part in the activity. To them cue sports like snooker and pool, not to mention darts and bowling don't qualify as "proper sports". Still, I would challenge them to have a go at Snooker - they will probably find it terribly exacting, not only in the level of skill required to make any substantial break, but also in terms of the mental pressure and concentration needed to succeed. The modern game of Snooker has advanced quite considerably in terms of the quality of play with century breaks no longer at the premium they once were. Even more considerable has been the huge influx of talent into the sport and a much more open field in a game that has been traditionally dominated by a small elite. Nothing personified this more than young Shaun Murphy, ranked 48th in the World at the start of the World Championships but shocked everyone to win the title in some style, beating former champion Peter Ebdon convincingly in the semi-finals by seven frames with a superb display of attacking snooker and then dispatching twice semi-finalist and twice-finalist Matthew Stevens 18-16 in a tense finale. A magnificent and well-deserved victory for this rank outsider, and deservingly remembered as a sporting triumph, semantics be damned.
8. Lance Armstrong wins his Seventh Tour De France
Enough his been written about Lance, particularly after his record breaking sixth consecutive victory the previous year, that anything additional would seem superflous. His indeed is a triumph of will over adversity, of guts and determination overcoming all obstacles. His seventh triumph all but cements his place as probably the greatest cyclist in history (purists would plump for Belgian Eddie Merckx) and adds to a record that seems all but impossible to break. His is a truly inspirational story for a supreme sportsman and it is fitting that his feat should be recognised, even if it seems to lack the emotional resonance and much of the significance of last year's victory (in surpassing the record of Indurain and Merckx). The only dark side to this has been the repeated rumours of drug use that have dogged him, which up to now have remained unproven. Still these malacious rumours (till proven) should not detract from Lance Armstrong's remarkable legacy and ground-breaking seventh (and quite possibly final) win.
9. Fernando Alonso wins the Formula One Title
Formula One was deemed to be getting boring and many had criticized the dominance of Ferrari and Michael Schumacher as being bad for the sport. Few had any doubt that this dominance would continue, though they expected more competition from the rest of the field as the season began. What the pundits did not expect was that Ferrari would struggle badly throughout the season and that unfashionable Renault would clinch the driver's championship. Alonso became the youngest ever formula one champion and in doing so he showed a remarkable amount of consistency and maturity, the likes of which have not been seen in many of the grizzled veterans he was competing against. His win was greeted with great fanfare not just because it ended Ferrari's dominance, but because he was a genuinely well-liked figure in the sport, quite unlike Schumacher who was considered aloof and was dogged by allegations of unsportsmanlike behavious. Alonso however was quite the opposite, always with a ready smile and time for the press, completely with the egotism that seems a natural prerequisite for formula one drivers. That he was Spanish and handsome to boot must be an added bonus for publicizing formula one as a whole.
posted by Caleb Liu | 7:26 PM
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