One year. 12 months. 52 weeks. 366 days. 8,784 hours. 527,040 minutes. 31,622,400 seconds. It looks like a lot of time. However, looks can be deceiving as 2012 feels like it came and went in the blink of an eye. The only real difference between now and this time a year ago is that I’m writing about a brand new multitude of highlights, lowlights, rising stars, falling duds, glorious anthems, epic failures, and moments that will be forever associated with 2012.
People will remember 2012 as a year of highs and lows. America felt great pride over the summer with patriotism flowing freely during the Summer Olympics while sorrow and pain clouded our country in the aftermath of many mass shootings including The Dark Knight Rises shooting in Aurora, Colorado and the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. Our nation flirted with civil war over everything from Obama and Romney to taxes to gun control and gay marriage.
The Giants (both New York and San Francisco) hoisted their respective world championships while Brad Keselowski and Ryan Hunter-Reay reigned supreme at the speedway. Even LeBron James won a championship in 2012 despite the cloud of NBA corruption looming high overhead. Michelle Beadle took Beadlemania to NBC universal while Tim Tebow took Tebowmania to the New York Jets’ bench. McKayla Maroney was not impressed at the Olympics but the rest of the world was in watching the accomplishments of Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, Missy Franklin, Gabby Douglas, and the rest of Team USA. Everyone possible stripped Lance Armstrong of accomplishments while he lost relevance while NFL commissioner / Fuhrer Roger Goodell stripped the New Orleans Saints of any competitive chance before the season started.
TNA Wrestling continued to establish itself as the premiere professional wrestling company in the country while Ring of Honor struggled to find itself. Meanwhile, World Wrestling Entertainment finally reached its nadir with the celebration of their own David Arquette moment and the emphasis of a skipping tart over the most important championship in the company.
Taylor Swift gave the music world another amazing album and another batch of relationships finally rendering her into a bad joke nobody wants to hear anymore. Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert continued to reign as the Queens of country music while Lady Antebellum rocked on the road and Little Big Town rocked the airwaves with a little “motor boating.” Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, and Eric Church’s stars rose while Brad Paisley and Kenny Chesney remained as successful as ever in the country world. Carly Rae Jepsen unleashed a musical juggernaut with “Call Me Maybe” as NBC’s The Voice failed to establish new talent but made bigger stars of judges Blake Shelton and Maroon 5 lead singer Adam Levine. Rihanna returned to her abusive relationship with Chris Brown while Lady Gaga remained weird as ever.
Zombies, throwbacks to a past era of law enforcement, crude comedians, unique families, and musical reality television dominated the television landscape. The cinematic world saw everything from male strippers and a foul-mouthed teddy bear to the last stand of the Caped Crusader and a pair of heroes (one political and one “unchained”) from the slavery days of American history capture the imaginations of moviegoers. Channing Tatum, Jennifer Lawrence, Emma Stone, and Anne Hathaway all reached new levels of popularity while Twilight’s Kristen Stewart reached notoriety for her adultery as much as for her horrendous acting.
The world said goodbye to many familiar faces in 2012. We lost the world’s oldest teenager in Dick Clark, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Sally Ride, disgraced Penn State coach Joe Paterno, and America’s sheriff turned elderly lawyer in Andy Griffith. The acting world mourned the passing of Michael Clarke Duncan, Sherman Hemsley, Ben Gazzara, Ian Abercrombie, Charles Durning, George Lindsey, Jack Klugman, Jonathan Frid, Larry Hagman, and Ernest Borgnine. The music world lost Whitney Houston, Kitty Wells, Robin Gibb, Donna Summer, Adam Yauch, Davy Jones, Etta James, Andy Williams, Ravi Shankar, and Earl Scruggs. The sports world mourned the deaths of Sarah Burke, Junior Seau, Alex Karras, Rick Majerus, Hector “Macho” Camacho, Johnny Pesky, Beano Cook, Emanuel Steward, Angelo Dundee, Gary Carter, and Art Modell. The wrestling world said farewell to Brad Armstrong, Buddy Roberts, Bobby Jaggers, Doug Furnas, and Chief Jay Strongbow. The literary world lost Nora Ephron, Gore Vidal, and Ray Bradbury. In addition, the world lost well-known celebrities Phyllis Diller, Don Cornelius, Rodney King, Henry Hill, Richard Dawson, Mike Wallace, and General Norman Schwarzkopf.
2012 was a year filled with triumph and tragedy, joy and pain, heartbreak and redemption, and insanity best described as uniquely 2012. For a year where the world was supposed to end (twice), the world is still spinning while we continue to try to understand the mysteries of life on the third rock from the sun. The following edition of The Highlight Reel is my attempt to sum up the best and the worst of 2012. Here is the only year in review that matters (to me): The 2012 Highlight Reel Year in Review. It begins… now.
The Highlight Reel: 2012 Year in Review
WRESTLING
Match of the Year
4. WWE Champion CM Punk defeated Chris Jericho – April 1st – Before World Wrestling Entertainment completely tarnished the WWE Championship by having it play second fiddle to a mediocre Diva, CM Punk and Chris Jericho competed in a series of terrific matches for the WWE Championship. At WrestleMania 28, lost in the shuffle of a match between the face of the WWE and a Hollywood action star and a battle between two legends booked as the End of an Era for the second year, two of the best professional wrestlers in the world put on a clinic in front of a crowd yearning for sports entertainment. Punk and Jericho battled for over 20 minutes in a great match that told a story and showed the desire for the WWE Championship that every performer should have. Punk won as Jericho’s 2012 run was nothing but jobber duties. However, on the night, Jericho showed signs of greatness as these two delivered a rarity in 2012 WWE – a great wrestling match void of predictability.
3. ROH World Champion Davey Richards defeated Michael Elgin – March 31st – On Day Two of Ring of Honor’s Showdown in the Sun event, Davey Richards defended the ROH World title against “Unbreakable” Michael Elgin in one of the best pure wrestling matches in recent memory. For almost 30 minutes, Richards and Elgin hit one another with everything in their respective repertoires as Richards continued to shine while Elgin established himself as one of the premiere young stars in the business. After countless near falls and Elgin hitting Richards with everything but the kitchen sink, Richards retained the gold after a series of vicious kicks to Elgin’s head. Richards retained the title but Elgin’s star was born in a classic.
2. Austin Aries defeated TNA World Heavyweight Champion Bobby Roode – July 8th – At Destination X, Austin Aries forfeited his X-Division Championship for a shot at the TNA World title. The gamble paid off as Aries ended the longest reign in TNA World title history with a victory over Roode in a 20+ minute classic. The styles of Aries and Roode clicked to perfection in this match as Aries’ quickness and high risk / high reward style blended perfectly with Roode’s solid mat-based offense and classical heel tactics. Despite seeming to have no chance, Austin Aries shocked the world with his victory – the culmination of one of the most impressive yearlong periods in wrestling history. It was an incredible match from beginning to end. The emotion that came with Aries’ seemingly unbelievable victory only added to the second best match of 2012.
1. James Storm defeated Bobby Roode in a Street Fight – October 14th – At Bound for Glory in October, James Storm and Bobby Roode’s epic rivalry reached its pinnacle within the confines of one of the most brutal street fights in professional wrestling history. On the biggest stage in TNA Wrestling, the former Beer Money partners shed blood and battered each other for almost 20 minutes. Storm wore the famed crimson mask for a majority of the match after Roode blooded him early on. The introduction of thumbtacks and beer bottles late added to the climactic finale in which James Storm’s second Last Call super kick looked like something out of the final scenes of a movie. That kick closed the chapter on one of wrestling’s greatest rivalries and ended the best match in 2012. The Cowboy and the It Factor gave us a fight for the ages at Bound for Glory.
Tag Team of the Year
4. Samoa Joe and Magnus – Starting 2012 as a makeshift tag team in a number one contender’s tournament, Samoa Joe and Magnus quickly breathed new life into their stale careers with a tournament victory and rivalry with Matt Morgan and Hernandez over the TNA World Tag Team Championships. Joe and Magnus dominated the tag team division throughout the spring with big wins over the teams of Jeff Hardy and Mr. Anderson and the Motor City Machine Guns before dropping the titles to Christopher Daniels and Kazarian in May. Despite only remaining a team for half of 2012, Samoa Joe and Magnus accomplished enough to place fourth on my list of the top teams of 2012.
3. Team Hell No – Feuding throughout the middle of 2012, Daniel Bryan and Kane went from a rivalry with WWE Champion CM Punk primarily over AJ Lee (and the WWE title as a secondary prize) to therapy segments and a makeshift tag team that quickly ran through the WWE tag team division. Bryan and Kane won the WWE Tag Team Championships from Kofi Kingston and R-Truth in September and never looked back. In addition, the duo brought something rarely seen on WWE television in 2012 as the two delivered genuine entertainment to the fans through their uniquely odd couple relationship.
2. The Briscoe Brothers – Jay and Mark Briscoe had a tremendously successful year in Ring of Honor Wrestling. The Briscoes continued their rivalry with Wrestling Greatest Tag Team throughout the spring of 2012 before losing the ROH Tag Team Championships to Shelton Benjamin and Charlie Haas in May. The Briscoes became involved in rivalries with The Headbangers (known most of the year as the Guardians of Truth) and S.C.U.M. (Jimmy Jacobs and Steve Corino) before finishing the year with their eighth ROH Tag Team Championship reign after winning the gold at Final Battle. 2012 will not go down as the best year for Jay and Mark Briscoe. However, the chicken farmers from Sandy Fork still scored enough success to deserve recognition as the second best team in professional wrestling in 2012.
1. Christopher Daniels and Frankie Kazarian – Starting 2012 as a duo of former friends turned rivals for AJ Styles, Daniels and Kazarian began their dominance over tag team wrestling in 2012 with their first TNA World Tag Team Championship victory over Samoa Joe and Magnus at May’s Sacrifice pay-per-view. Throughout the summer and fall, Daniels and Kazarian swapped the titles with Kurt Angle and AJ Styles while participating in the ghastly blackmail angle known best as the “Claire Lynch Saga.” Despite losing the titles to Chavo Guerrero and Hernandez at Bound for Glory in October, the World Tag Team Champions of the World maintained their stranglehold on the spotlight in TNA with more excellent segments, promos, and domination over former friend AJ Styles. Daniels and Kazarian – the Bad Influence of TNA Wrestling – dominated tag team wrestling in 2012. Raise a glass, or perhaps an appletini, to the World Tag Team Champions of the World.
Diva / Knockout of the Year
4. Eve Torres – While AJ Lee was the most prolific Diva in World Wrestling Entertainment, no Diva was more entertaining in her role than Eve Torres was. Eve started the year by using Zack Ryder’s crush to manipulate her way into a high profile spot on television alongside John Cena. Then, she donned business suits and became John Laurinaitis’ assistant in the People Power Era of Monday Night RAW. From there, Eve finished the year with the Divas Championship and the mannerisms of Madison Rayne’s gimmick. While a far cry from the glory days of WWE Divas, Eve Torres showed there are still talented women who blend beauty with in-ring ability in the WWE.
3. Tara – Like fine wine, Tara only gets better with age. Starting 2012 as part of the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship fight alongside partner Brooke Tessmacher, Tara became lost in the shuffle through the middle portion of 2012 as she stood in the background while mentee and friend Brooke Tessmacher established herself as a star. Then, in September, Tara struck on her own again with an assault of her friend. Tara won the TNA Knockouts Championship, her record-tying fifth reign, from Tessmacher at Bound for Glory and scored victories over Mickie James, ODB, and Gail Kim throughout the remainder of the year. Despite being one of the older women in the business today, Tara continues to thrive with fans in and out of the ring as her legendary career continues.
2. Gail Kim – Gail Kim opened 2012 as the TNA Knockouts Champion. Kim scored big wins over Tara, Mickie James, Madison Rayne, and Velvet Sky before losing the TNA Knockouts Championship to Brooke Tessmacher at June’s Slammiversary pay-per-view. Kim spent the remainder of 2012 flirting with the championship and participating in great matches with James and Tessmacher. While I am not a big Gail Kim fan, I cannot take anything away from an outstanding year for the original TNA Knockout.
1. Brooke Tessmacher – Without a doubt, no woman had a better year in 2012 than Brooke Tessmacher. Starting the year as a tag partner to Tara, Tessmacher established herself as a wrestler with big wins over Madison Rayne and non-title wins over then-Knockouts Champion Gail Kim. In her home state of Texas, Miss Tessmacher scored the biggest win of her career and won the TNA Knockouts Championship from Kim in a terrific match. Over the summer, Tessmacher dominated the Knockouts scene and swapped the Knockouts title with Madison Rayne briefly in August before entering a mentor/mentee rivalry with mentor Tara over the fall. While she was unable to regain the title after losing to Tara at Bound for Glory, Brooke Tessmacher remained one of the most popular women in the business today thanks to her growing in-ring skills and incredible “assets” that are among the most appealing in all of professional wrestling. Brooke Tessmacher shined brightly in 2012 as one of the brightest stars in the business and the female performer of the year.
Wrestler of the Year
4. CM Punk / Jeff Hardy (TIE) – Two polar opposites in terms of lifestyles yet two very similar years in 2012, CM Punk and Jeff Hardy rode the roller coaster of epic highs and lows of mediocrity in the last year. For CM Punk, he remained WWE Champion throughout the entire 2012 calendar year. Punk started the year riding the wave of his career-elevating 2011 with incredible matches against Dolph Ziggler, Chris Jericho, and Daniel Bryan. However, in May, Punk’s rivalry with Bryan took a bad turn with the addition of a love angle involving AJ Lee. As WWE booking devalued the WWE Championship in favor of Lee, Punk and Bryan’s epic matches became convoluted messes. Punk later entered a rivalry with John Cena over respect and added Paul Heyman as a sidekick while turning heel. As 2012 continued, Punk’s character devolved into the opposite of everything entertaining about the man a year earlier. Meanwhile in TNA Wrestling, Jeff Hardy started 2012 locked in a rivalry with Kurt Angle that culminated in an excellent cage match at April’s Lockdown pay-per-view. Hardy’s late spring/early summer featured solid matches but a lack of direction. Once in the heart of the Bound for Glory Series, Hardy started an incredible roll. Victories over Samoa Joe and Bully Ray at September’s No Surrender event clinched the Bound for Glory Series victory for Hardy. Then, Hardy won the TNA World Championship for the third time with a victory over Austin Aries in an instant classic. Hardy finished 2012 with additional wins over Aries and Bobby Roode. With one man’s stock rising and the other falling, Jeff Hardy and CM Punk crossed paths here in a tie for fourth place in my 2012 rankings.
3. Kevin Steen – Known as “Wrestling’s Worst Nightmare,” Kevin Steen ends 2012 as the focal point of Ring of Honor Wrestling with a stranglehold on the ROH World Championship. Winning his place on the roster again at the end of 2011, Steen quickly rose up the ranks with wins over El Generico and Eddie Edwards before winning the gold from Davey Richards in Toronto on May 12th at Border Wars. Steen won the subsequent rematch and continued his war on Ring of Honor management, namely Jim Cornette, by defeating every challenger thrust upon him throughout the remainder of the year. These victories included wins over Rhino, Homicide, Eddie Kingston, Michael Elgin, Eddie Edwards, a win in an epic ladder match over El Generico at Final Battle, and a controversial no contest with Jay Lethal in New Jersey that made headlines for the near-riot afterwards. Kevin Steen will not win a best body contest or become the face of a company known for a family friendly image. However, he is the best brawler in the business today. Kevin Steen’s star reached new heights in 2012, as he was the premiere star of Ring of Honor Wrestling.
2. Austin Aries – The career of Austin Aries reached its greatest heights yet in 2012 as “the Greatest Man Who Ever Lived” lived up to that moniker. Starting 2012 as TNA X-Division Champion, Aries dominated the division before starting a rivalry with Bully Ray in April. This rivalry culminated with a huge win for Aries at May’s Sacrifice pay-per-view. Aries followed that with a successful defense of the X-Division title over Samoa Joe at Slammiversary. On July 8th at Destination X, Aries forfeited the X-Division title in exchange for a shot at Bobby Roode’s TNA World Heavyweight Championship. Aries won the match and the title. Retaining over Roode in subsequent rematches, Aries feuded briefly with Aces and 8’s before dropping the title to Jeff Hardy in a classic at Bound for Glory in October. Despite coming up short, Aries was in another show stealer with Hardy at November’s Turning Point event. Rekindling the rivalry with Bully Ray, Aries finished 2012 with a victory over the Bully at Final Resolution. As his status as one of the premiere heels in the business grows, 2012 will go down as the year Austin Aries’ star fully ascended to the top of the wrestling stratosphere.
1. Bobby Roode – 2012 was the year of the “It Factor” of professional wrestling. Starting the year as TNA World Heavyweight Champion, Roode fought all comers in the early part of 2012. Roode earned victories over AJ Styles, Jeff Hardy, Bully Ray, Rob Van Dam, Mr. Anderson, and notable victories over bitter rival James Storm at Lockdown in April and Sting at Slammiversary in June. While Roode lost the title to Austin Aries at Destination X in July and failed to retain the gold, Roode remained a key figure in the TNA main event picture thanks to his role in the best rivalry in recent professional wrestling memory. Roode cost former Beer Money partner-turned-rival James Storm the Bound for Glory Series at No Surrender in September. At Bound for Glory, their rivalry reached a climax with Storm defeating Roode in a bloody, violent Street Fight. Roode ultimately earned a TNA World Heavyweight Championship opportunity with a win over Storm in November but lost to champion Jeff Hardy at December’s Final Resolution event. Bobby Roode ends 2012 in the thick of the TNA World title picture; a place he dominated throughout a majority of the year. Eloquent and effective on the microphone, impactful and impressive inside the ring, Bobby Roode is something that others claim to be when trying to sell t-shirts – the Best in the World. Bobby Roode was the best professional wrestler in the world in 2012.
SPORTS
Sports Story of the Year
4. The End of Lance Armstrong – In the fall of 2012, the governing bodies of profession cycling decided to do what they had strived a decade for when they stripped American cyclist Lance Armstrong of his seven Tour de France Championships. Allegations of doping clouded Armstrong’s victories in the years since his glory but failed tests never popped up. In fact, there are no failed drug tests on public record yet. However, Armstrong’s refusal to fight anymore stands as an admission of guilt in the court of public opinion. Endorsements left and Armstrong’s own Livestrong cancer foundation abandoned him. Lance Armstrong, once an American sporting hero, suffered a fall from grace that made Tiger Woods and Joe Paterno say, “Damn!”
3. Linsanity takes New York – For a three-week period in February, New York Knicks guard Jeremy Lin took the sports world by storm. Coming off the bench thanks to injuries and necessity, Lin started a huge run of 20+ point performances and led the Knicks on a huge winning streak. Thanks to his Asian-American ethnicity, Lin became a media sensation as much for his skin color as for his Cinderella story. Ultimately, Linsanity ended much as its precursor – Tebowmania – with Lin traded to start the next season. Now a Houston Rocket, Linsanity is still a somewhat mentionable story within basketball circles. However, for a brief period in February 2012, Jeremy Lin and Linsanity captured the imagination of the sports world.
2. The removal of Joe Paterno from college football history – Not since World Wrestling Entertainment’s treatment of Chris Benoit in the wake of the Benoit double murder-suicide has a burial of this level occurred. In the aftermath of the Jerry Sandusky sexual molestation story, heads rolled at Penn State University. In June, the Freed Report revealed that then-head coach Joe Paterno knew more than he let on regarding Jerry Sandusky’s misdeeds with young men on the Penn State campus. The public vilified Paterno, who died in January 2012, even more. Penn State University removed his statue from in front of the stadium while students renamed the student gathering ground known as Paternoville. The NCAA stripped Penn State of wins from 1999-2011, the time period when Paterno knew of Sandusky’s crimes and did nothing, allowing former Florida State coach Bobby Bowden to reclaim the top spot on the all-time coaching wins list. In addition, the NCAA stripped Penn State of scholarships, bowl opportunities, and essentially killed the football program for the next four years with moves that the Nittany Lions will feel decades from now. As for Jerry Sandusky himself, he received over 400 years in prison from multiple counts of sexual misconduct with minors. While the wounds remain, those with the power to do so did everything possible to erase one of the greatest coaches in college football history from the game because of misdeeds that go beyond our comprehension.
1. Bountygate and Replacement Officials – the missteps of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell – Throughout 2012, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell appeared to be a man on a mission. Much like the horrible tag team with that same name, Goodell’s mission has featured nothing but brutal sound bites and terrible actions detrimental to all involved. In March, an investigation concluded that the New Orleans Saints participated in a bounty program that rewarded hits that took opposing players out of games. The situation divided the football world as many former players said this occurred in every locker room at every level while others cried about the perceived violence. Goodell suspended four players, head coach Sean Payton, defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, and general manager Mickey Loomis while fining the organization. Ultimately, former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue stepped in and exonerated the players of their crimes when he found the players not guilty of any wrongdoings. Despite their suspension uplifted, Saints head coach Sean Payton’s yearlong suspension remained intact. Without their leader, New Orleans took a playoff team to an 8-10 record because of Roger Goodell’s seemingly petty vendetta against the Saints. As if this did not tarnish the league enough, Goodell also allowed the officials to go on strike. While the regular officials are far from perfect, they looked like the late Curt Hennig in comparison to the high school officials and Lady Foot Locker employees who served as the NFL replacement officials. From a general lack of knowledge of the rules to not knowing which teams were playing, these officials became a national punch line. Seeing how horrible they were throughout five weeks of preseason football, Goodell allowed them to continue officiating into the regular season. Mistakes piled onto of more mistakes and the 2012 season appeared to be lost when a Monday Night Football game between Green Bay and Seattle changed everything. As these officials called a clear interception a touchdown and gave the win to the Seahawks, the nation lost its mind with outrage. The real referees were back on the field by Thursday. The NFL is still America’s game. However, it will not be for much longer if the missteps of 2012 are any indication of what Roger Goodell has in store for the National Football League.
Sports Game / Event of the Year
4. Green Bay Packers vs. Seattle Seahawks – September 24th – In this week three Monday Night Football matchup, the Packers faced the Seahawks in Seattle. This game was the moment we knew would happen in the era of replacement officials. This game was the moment we dreaded as football fans because we all feared our team would be the victim, the sacrificial lamb, needed to finally get America to say “Enough is enough and it’s time for a change.” Seattle rookie quarterback Russell Wilson threw a ball deep in the closing seconds. In the back of the end zone, Seattle receiver Golden Tate and Packers safety M.D. Jennings both appeared to catch the ball. Replays showed that an interception occurred. However, on the field – before and after visits to the replay booth – the replacement officials called the play a touchdown for Seattle. The nation raged on social media and sports media finally reached their boiling point with Roger Goodell’s incompetent replacement officials. Green Bay/Seattle was a meaningless, mediocre game until that final play turned it into a game that will live forever in infamy. Seahawks 14 – Packers 12.
3. #17 Stanford vs. #7 Notre Dame – October 13th – On a week where top ranked teams were dropping like flies, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish appeared poised to join their peers in the loss column against rival Stanford. In a fierce rainstorm, offense remained a minimum throughout this struggle between the two schools. In overtime, Notre Dame scored a touchdown to take a 20-13 lead. Then, the Irish defense stopped Stanford running back Stepfan Taylor twice in a goal line stand that kept the Cardinals from forcing a second OT period. It was an epic finish to another chapter in this classic college football rivalry. Fighting Irish 20 – Cardinals 13 (OT).
2. Team USA vs. Team Japan – August 9th – In a rematch from the 2011 World Cup finals, the US women played the Japan women in the Gold Medal match at the 2012 Summer Olympics. While I am far from a soccer fan, there is something about the women’s game, especially on the international stage, which draws the inner hooligan out of me. Carli Lloyd scored two goals and goalie Hope Solo made some impressive saves late to help Team USA win the gold medal with a 2-1 victory. It was a terrific match and one that had the world watching as women’s soccer, for the second year in a row, crashed social media sites like Twitter. The atmosphere was electric and the game lived up to the spotlight. On this day, America reigned supreme. Team USA 2 – Team Japan 1.
1. New Orleans Saints vs. San Francisco 49ers – January 14th – Super Bowl XLVI may have featured the New York Giants and New England Patriots but the best football game of last postseason was the NFC Divisional Round matchup between the Saints and the 49ers. This was a matchup between the Saints’ high-powered offense and the 49ers’ smash-mouth defense, the experienced and battle-tested Saints and the young and hungry 49ers. Instead of playing it safe as they had throughout the regular season, San Francisco allowed quarterback Alex Smith to throw the ball with reckless abandon and he did. Smith threw for three touchdowns and 299 yards. Jumping out to an early 17-point lead, Drew Brees passed for four touchdowns and 462 yards as he led the Saints back into the game. In the final two minutes, New Orleans and San Francisco traded the lead multiple times before a Smith to Vernon Davis 14-yard touchdown pass with nine seconds left gave the 49ers the victory. Not only was this the best football game of 2012, this matchup was one of the best football games of all-time. The excitement and energy in this game transcended team loyalty as this was the kind of football game that made you proud to be a football fan. 49ers 36 – Saints 32.
Athlete of the Year
4. Michael Phelps – At the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, American swimmer Michael Phelps concluded his legendary Olympic career with another successful Olympic games. Phelps won six more medals in London – four golds and two silvers – bringing his career total to 22 medals. With 22 medals, Phelps retires from Olympic competition as the most decorated Olympian of all-time. Considering the added interest in swimming created by Phelps’ outstanding career and the legacy he leaves behind, Michael Phelps’ successful 2012 was a fitting final chapter to the career of the most successful Olympian ever.
3. Peyton Manning – After missing the entire 2011 season recovering from four neck surgeries, the Indianapolis Colts released Peyton Manning on March 2nd. Manning signed with the Denver Broncos 18 days later amidst questions concerning his arm strength and health. I was one of many to doubt Manning would return to a level of productivity fans and teams were used to seeing. I was another person Peyton Manning showed up. Leading Denver to a 13-3 record, Manning threw for 4,355 yards with 34 touchdowns and only 11 interceptions in one of Manning’s most incredible seasons yet. While Indianapolis has not missed Manning thanks to the success of Andrew Luck, Peyton Manning has shown the world he is anything but done.
2. Miguel Cabrera – In 1967, Boston Red Sox Carl Yastrzemski earned the Triple Crown. No man accomplished that feat until this year when Detroit Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera did it. In his American League MVP season, Cabrera led the league with 44 home runs, 139 runs batted in, and a .330 batting average. Not only did Cabrera have individual success, Cabrera’s leadership helped lead the Detroit Tigers to their second World Series berth in six seasons (Cabrera’s first with the team). I have nothing but respect for Miguel Cabrera – baseball’s first Triple Crown winner in 45 years.
1. Adrian Peterson – One year ago, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson had surgery to repair a torn ACL and MCL. The injury was devastating and potentially detrimental to the remainder of his career. One year later, Peterson carried his Minnesota Vikings team on his back to a victory over the Green Bay Packers while coming up nine yards short of a 28-year old NFL record. As impressive as Peyton Manning’s comeback was, I am that much more impressed with Adrian Peterson’s comeback. Leading the league with 2,097 yards rushing, Peterson ultimately came up nine yards short of Eric Dickerson’s record for most yards in a single season. His 12 touchdowns helped lead the Vikings to a surprising 10-6 season, well enough for a Wild Card berth in the playoffs. Peterson’s leadership, both on and off the field, helped turn a 6-10 team into a playoff team. Not only does Adrian Peterson deserve Comeback Player of the Year honors, AP deserves the NFL MVP honor as well. He is definitely my choice for 2012 Athlete of the Year.
For the next part of The Highlight Reel 2012 Year in Review, click here…
No comments:
Post a Comment