2016 had its up and downs, but one thing we can all agree on is that it was a year to remember in sports. From the Olympics in Rio, to the Cavs and Cubs ending their lengthy streaks, to Leicester City and their near-impossible run to the Premier League title, this year had some amazing moments. Here I give my awards to all those who exceeded in sports this year.
Male Athlete of the Year: Usain Bolt - While it is very easy to make the argument for the likes of Michael Phelps, LeBron James, or Andy Murray, Usain Bolt took the Olympics by storm again this year by becoming the first man to 3-peat the 100m, 200m, and 4X100 m gold. Usain Bolt remained infallible this year and proved that he can’t be beaten at the Olympics. He entertains in his dominance like no other and is a permanent icon of athletics.
Female Athlete of the Year: Simone Biles - Angelique Kerber was a force to be reckoned with in tennis this year, but Simone Biles was the standout female start for 2016. She won four gold medals by taking the All-Around, Vault, Floor and Team gold at the Rio Olympics, and some say she underperformed on her way to breaking the record for most gold by a female gymnast at a single Olympics. She dominates her sport like nobody has ever dominated it before. She’s by far the best gymnast of all time and shined on the world stage this year. If you don’t know who this under 5-foot superstar is, you’ve clearly been living under a rock.
Best Team: Chicago Cubs - This one is a stacked category with the Leicester City odd-shattering Premier League win, Icelandic soccer team making their miracle run, and the Fiji rugby team that won the nation’s first gold, but the best team has to go to the Chicago Cubs. Their win wasn’t the biggest surprise this year, but given their dominance during the regular season and eventual World Series win they have to be named the best. At every position they went head to head with the best in the game and proved to be an unstoppable force all year.
Coach of the Year: Claudio Ranieri - Tyronn Lue did a great job to get help the Cavs over the line to finally winning a title and the Icelandic soccer coach whose main occupation is in dentistry is a story that will never get old, but Claudia Ranieri of Leicester City takes the prize for this one. Leading a team that collectively cost less than most players from other rival title contenders, Ranieri helped Leicester City defy 5,000-1 odds to go and win a title that only five other teams have won in the history of the Premier League. To be top at 38 weeks of play takes more than luck and Ranieri was the focal point of this team’s success.
Newcomer of the Year: Corey Seager - Monica Puig was a star for women’s tennis this year, Max Verstappen will go on to win many Formula 1 races throughout his career, and Karl Anthony-Towns will be a superstar one day, but Corey Seager of the Los Angeles Dodgers is easily the best rookie from 2016. Essentially sweeping the voting for NL Rookie of the Year, Seager was an integral part of the Dodgers team that came within two games of making it to the World Series. Odds are we’ll be seeing a lot more of him in the future.
Biggest Disappointment: England National Soccer Team - England lost to Iceland in the knockout stages of the European Championships. Nothing from this year even compares to the disappointment that loss brought to an entire nation. Truly embarrassing. Every game in the Euros was a struggle for a team that some pundits thought had the potential to go the distance.
Craziest Moment: Leicester City winning the title - There were some baffling things that happened in sports this year. The Rio Olympic pool turning green, Ryan Lochte with his fake armed robbery, Chris Froome running during a Tour de France stage after his bike was compromised, and the Icelandic commentator losing his mind as Iceland made it out of the group stage. But still nothing was as mind-blowing as Leicester City winning the premier league. Honestly, 5000-1 odds to win! That’s just ridiculous. They were favored to finish last but ended up winning the entire thing somehow. It was more improbable than the 76ers sweeping the NBA Finals.
Best Game: Cubs vs Indians: Game 7 - It’s Game 7 of the World Series and nobody can say otherwise. Even people who didn’t watch baseball were engrossed. Home runs, 10th inning drama, an landmark title win for either team on the line, and a rain delay to top it all off.
Best Play: Villanova Buzzer Beater - If you go the length of the floor with less than 5 seconds to go and hit a three pointer to win the National Title at the buzzer, you deserve best play. Just moments after UNC Chapel Hill hit an improbable shot to tie the title game at 74 a piece, Villanova went down the floor, gave the ball to Jenkins, and he handled the rest by draining a 3 at the buzzer to give Villanova the national title.
Honorable mention highlights:
- Iceland and Wales gave great performances at Euro 2016, along with champions Portugal
- Messi’s tears as he failed yet again in Penalty Shootout fashion to win an International title was emotional for any sports fan
- Dustin Johnson's birdie on 18 to help win the US Open was glorious to watch
- LeBron James finally brought a title back to Cleveland with that emphatic block
- Coastal Carolina’s walk off to make the College World Series was inspirational
- Andy Murray ending Djokovic’s nearly 4-year reign as World Tennis #1
