THROWING KNIVES: 2007

by BD, Staff Writer

2007 was... an interesting year for me as a sports fan. It was also the year I began blogging. But the year in sports was by far the greatest that I can remember for a number of reasons. For me personally it was a big sports year. I watched my Gators win both National Championships, including their second consecutive on the hardwood. I watched as one of my favorite players tossed a no-hitter in person and in my first (and still only) trip to the Big House I grinned as the Wolverines fell to Appalachian State. I was shocked when another of my favorite players was traded to my Tigers this winter. Leaving me as ready for spring as I've ever been. It has certainly been a memorable sports year for this fan, but it's been a pretty big one outside of my bubble as well. And with that in mind I decided to share my picks for the top sports stories of 2007 on a sport-by-sport basis.

In baseball I almost feel like I have to pick either the Mitchell reveal or Bonds passing Aaron, but for me neither was the story of the year on the diamond. It was instead the Colorado Rockies unlikely run to the World Series. Sure, it ended about as badly as they could have imagined, but for a team that probably shouldn't have made the playoff at all, it was one hell of a finish. The Rockies managed to (for once) justify the magic number as it stands at one, as they were one loss away from missing out on October. They got there though and from Holliday's (out?) slide to the final strikeout it was as an exciting October run as I can remember.

In the NBA you have the Spurs dynasty, but I'm not sure anything can compete with the Donaghy scandal. The truly amazing part about it is just how forgotten it seems to have become. I've heard barely a wisper of it since the league tipped off it's season in early November. Even as some horrible officiating took place in LA last night I haven't read or heard even a mention of Donaghy. Not even a mention of curruption, but you know some are thinking of it and you'd better believe come playoff time we'll be hearing Timmy's name again.

In the NFL I'd like to say it's been the Patriots march to 16-0, but it's for me it was the fall of Michael Vick. Watching one of the most electric (though overrated) players the league's ever seen fall from grace has been tragic, though deserved. It's a fall that has brought so much debate about decency and the value of an animal's life against a human's that it's been nauseating. But it was a fall that a man brought upon himself by acting and feeling as if his status made him untouchable. And it's Vick's fall that will shape the lives of athletes forever and should improve their actions off of the field as they realize they're not as untouchable as they feel.

In college football it's been the wish for a playoff once again as we were captivated week after week by upsets. Top programs falling on their home turf to teams who many would have argued didn't belong on the same field. Appalachian State and Stanford especially have taught us that anything can happen on anyone's turf on any given Saturday. And until we get a playoff these games will end seasons before they've ever started.

On the college hardwood it's been about one thing and one thing only: the freshman. While the upper-classmen got the last laugh when Florida captured their second-straight title in the face of Mike Conley and Greg Oden, how much longer will the upper-classmen rule the final Monday of the season? Not many if I had to guess. As we bid adieu to Greg Oden and Keven Durant this fall we said hello to even more fabulous freshman. In losing those two we've gained even more dominant (and perhaps one and done) freshman. Among them are Micheal Beasley, Derrick Rose, Jerryd Bayless, OJ Mayo, Kyle Singler, Kevin Love, Donte' Green, and maybe the best of the bunch, Eric Gordon. So as we let go of two it's about time we all got more acquainted with these eight and the many more who've joined them. It's a new game with the NBA age limit and one can only imagine how great it might be if that rule were two years... I can dream can't I?

It's been a great year, but I've got a feeling things will continue to captivate us as they always have. Happy New Year, from Throwing Knives...