What Would Jesus Watch?

So as Christmas morning ends and gives way to the realization that the day we have all waited so long for is almost over i find myself far more excited by the Lakers-Celtics match up later today than I am at looking at any of the shiny new toys I got today. As we near the end of 2008 I have begun to look back at the year that was in sports and I have decided on what my 10 favorite events were. These are events, that whether or not I was happy with the outcome, lived up to, or vastly surpassed the hype. So here they are, my top ten moments in sports for 2008.

#11 (Honorable Mention) - Euro Cup 2008

Yes, i know...soccer. But if you aren't a fan and didn't watch this tournament, then you simply can't understand. If soccer always looked like this, not only would it more popular in America, it'd be considered one of the major sports. Spain's offensive explosion, along with the cardiac Turks NUMEROUS miraculous comeback's and some truly amazing endings made this, quite possibly the best soccer tournament I have ever seen played. I know most of my readers will look at this and think I've lost my mind, but I'm telling you, right through the final and Spain's beautiful game against the hated Germans, this tournament was sport at its finest. Here's to hoping the 2010 World Cup can be as good.

#10 - Sharks v. Stars - Game 6 -2007/08 Stanley Cup Playoffs

I had to put hockey in here. I had to. God I hope hockey makes a comeback. The league has two rising stars in Crosby and Ovechkin, it is by far the best game to see live and the playoffs show a level of intensity rarely achieved in any other sport. This game proved the last of those points beautifully. I rarely watch hockey anymore and only watched this game because the NBA was off entirely on this particular night, but boy am I glad that I did. The sharks faced elimination against a stars team that was not expected to give them much trouble. The game was a see-saw affair and was tied at the end of regulation. There are few things more exciting than playoff hockey. Even fewer more exciting than a potential elimination game, but when it goes to sudden death overtime, then you have seen what hockey is all about. One overtime wasn't enough for these teams though. I watched this game until well past 3 A.M. when finally in the 4th overtime Dallas scored to win the game and the series. Over the course of this overtime there were incredible saves, slapshots that I still don't know how they were not game winners and some of the best, fast paced hockey I've seen since Devils and Rangers in 94. Nobody, unfortunately, seems to have seen this game though, and so the NHL continues to languish on the brink of extinction. This spring and summer, when playoff hockey is in full swing, make sure you catch some games. I promise you will not be disappointed.

#9 - Superbowl XLII

This one hurts just to think about. My beloved patriots were mere minutes away from a perfect 19-0 season, that would cement them as one of the greatest franchises in league history, and would finally free all football fans from the menace that is Mercury Morris. Unfortunately it was not meant to be. This game made the list less for the quality of the game itself, and more for the build up and sheer shock that came from its outcome. I would be surprised if even the entire Giants team thought they had a chance in this game. They played a masterful defensive game and out executed the Pats across the board. Even after what seemed like patented last second magic by Brady, "My Brother" Eli marched the Giants down the field and took the ring with less than a minute to play. I think we will always remember the image of David Tyree dragging down that ball, and the first thought we all had....David Tyree?? In the end, as painful as it was for me, I must admit this was one for the ages.

#8 - John Lester's No Hitter

Yes, it was early in the season. Yes, it was against the lowly Royals. Yes, I'm a total homer. But all this aside, this very much belongs on the list. Not just because throwing a no hitter is no small feat. Not only because John Lester went on to prove he is an elite pitcher this year. The reason this makes the list is because this 24 year old man overcame cancer just a year and half earlier. Since coming back from cancer John Lester has won the deciding game of a world series and thrown a no hitter. Maybe I'm alone, but I find that incredibly inspiring. Since battling Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma John Lester has not only come back to form as a pitcher but he has worked with and served as an inspiration to cancer patients and survivors in New England and throughout the country. His triumph over such a horrible disease serves as a reminder that hope is not lost and great things can be accomplished. So, maybe I'm a homer, but you go ahead and argue this isn't one of the best moments someone could have playing a game.

#7- Rafael Nadal v. Roger Federer - 2008 Wimbledon Final

This my friends, is why tennis is on TV. This was, without a doubt, the greatest tennis match I have ever seen. And from what I hear it may have been the greatest ever played. 5 Sets, tiebreakers, rain delays, and most importantly, the two best players in the world. By the time they finished it was nearly too dark to play, but finally Rafa made it over the mountain and seized his first Wimbledon. This match was amazing beginning to end, and the delays and darkness only added to the suspense. Most importantly, these two men are the BEST in the world at what they do and they were at their BEST that day. This was what tennis should look like.

#6 - Memphis v. Kansas - 2008 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Game

This game was terrific. Tons of stars and lottery picks. A back and forth struggle. A late comeback. A couple buzzer beating shots and an overtime in a national championship game. This game lived up to the hype and was a perfect microcosm of what is great about march madness. Terrfically entertaining from the opening whitsle to the final buzzer and, perhaps more importantly, they were the two teams I predicted in the finals....had Kansas winning too. I know, I'm a genius.

#5 - USA Basketball - 2008 Olympic Games

FINALLY, The US has come back to basketball. How refreshing was it to see our Olympic team filled with stars finally live up to their billing. It truly had a feel almost akin to the 92 Dream team. You expected a 30 point win, and you almost always got it. While I still believe the 92 team was the greatest ever assembled, a strong argument could be made that the 08 team achieved a greater accomplishment as the level of talent on the opposing teams has risen so significantly in the last 16 years. Regardless, this team, Coached by Coach K, was a thrill to watch. And we got an early showing of the return of Dwayne Wade. Cap it all off with some gold and once again, all is right in the basketball world.

#4 - Texas v. Texas Tech

#1 team, on the road, gets behind by a bunch early, then comes all the way back...only to lose on a last second touchdown by the best college football player in the country. Tell me it gets any better than that. This was a great game. After Tech got up by several scores in the first half at home it seemed they would turn this game into a blowout...like seemingly every big time college football game ends up being. Instead they failed to go for the jugular and Texas slowly climbed their way back in and took the lead late in the 4th Quarter with only a few minutes left to play. Texas Tech took an amazingly long time to move up the field and it appeared their efforts would be too little too late, but then, Michael Crabtree showed everyone in the nation what all the fuss was about. Amazing route, great throw, better catch, and then the power to stay on his feet and find the end zone. Game, Set, Match. AWESOME.

#3 - Tiger Woods v. Rocco Mediate - 2008 US Open of Golf

72 holes wasn't enough to decide this one. Through the first three rounds Tiger made some simply unbelievable shots just to stay near the top and then struggled through Sunday needing a final putt to force another round. Of course, with the pressure on, Tiger nailed a very long putt (complete with signature fist pump) to force the US Open to fifth round. There he would face Rocco Mediate who was surprisingly game. Even 18 extra holes wasn't enough. It was not until the 19th hole of the day, and the 91st of the tournament that Tiger was finally able to claim the championship.

As amazing as the tournament was on its face it is what we learned shortly afterwards that makes this moment so high on the list. Not only had Tiger turned in a great performance...he had done it on one leg. After the Open Tiger underwent a serious knee surgery and has not played since. He was in excruciating pain for all 91 holes and still managed to beat the best golfers the world has to offer. What seemed like just another Tiger victory may well have been the greatest and gutsiest performance in the history of golf.

#2 - Celtics v. Lakers - 2007/08 NBA Finals

The rivalry is renewed. OH how bad the Celtcs had been. 15 wins, are you serious. Danny Ainge not fired? Really? Doc Rivers is getting another year? Come on! Oh how quickly things change. Trade for Ray Allen and get a gift of KG from an old friend and suddenly your team finds itself with 66 wins.

Across the country an offseason rife with controversey and trade demands gave way to a terrific start. And after a gift from an old friend from Memphis the Lakers found themselves as the #1 seed in the West.

We all hoped (except those with another horse in the race, of course) that Boston and LA would meet, but few really thought it would happen. Especially after Boston's struggles against the Hawks in round one, and the hated Spurs still alive in the West. But lo and behold there we were. The two greatest franchises in the league's history meeting once more with a championship at stake. Six games later Boston's defense had allowed them to once again claim their throne as the ruling monarchy of the NBA. Now with the finals behind us the rivalry is reaching fever pitch and everyone is hoping to see a rematch in this year's finals. It's great for Boston, great for LA and frankly great for the NBA. Here's to hoping the latest iteration of this rivalry can last for a few good years.

#1 - Michael Phelps - 2008 Olympic Games

8 Events, 8 Golds....I'm gonna let that sink in for a second. We all talk about Jordan and Tiger dominating their sports. They don't have anything on Michael Phelps in terms of dominance. This man beats everyone in every discipline. He is a physical freak and workout monster. Going in we all wondered whether he could possibly have the stamina to make it through all 8 events. We wondered how he could get every single one with such a huge bull's eye on his back. And we wondered if he would get the help he needed from his teammates in the relays. All of these questions were answered with a resounding "YES!". Early on Phelps gold hopes were kept alive when Jason Lezak swam the leg of his life and snatched victory away from the trash talking French. Then Phelps captured his seventh gold by out reaching Serbia's Milorad Cavic to win the 100-meter butterfly by an astonishing .01 seconds. Phelps' quest for 8 golds was rife with excitement and was simply amazing to watch as the sheer dominance of his performance became apparent. Say what you will about whether or not Mark Spitz was a better swimmer, what Michael Phelps did at the Olympics in 2008 (and 2004 for that matter) is one of the most amazing feats I've seen in my 25 years on this Earth. There is no doubt its the top moment, of 2008.