The Year in Sports: 2013

2013 was a year full of spectacular wins, crushing collapses, and horrific tragedies. A year that sports fans will never forget. And yes, that may be one huge cliché, but 2013 sure left each and everyone of us sports fans yearning for more. 2013 left us hoping that 2014 would be filled with the same amount of nostalgia after a huge win and the same hope for our teams to attain that title. It also left us hoping that the lies, and misfortunes would be left in 2013, and do not creep in and crush us in 2014.

Let’s start with the NHL playoffs. As your typical Toronto Maple Leaf fan, I am obligated to start off by saying that the fact that the leafs made the playoffs for the first time in 10 years is an accomplishment within itself. Everyone took the Toronto Maple Leafs as a complete write-off and that the Bruins would win the first round within 4 games. Essentially having no trouble beating the leafs at all. WELL, ALL YOU LEAF HATERS, YOU WERE MISTAKEN.  The team that gave the Boston Bruins the hardest struggle to get to that Stanley Cup Final was THE TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS. Now yes, the Leafs did not go on to beat the Bruins. It was not written in our destiny on that May day. I’m sure all of you in your head know exactly what I am referring to. That of course being the total collapse on the Leafs end. I’m sick and tired of hearing the same thing over and over again by all of us upset leaf fans. “It was 4-1. It was 4-1. IT WAS 4-1”. YES WE UNDERSTAND IT WAS 4-1. The point is, that we cannot dwell on the fact that the Leafs lost that day. We need to take it as a learning experience. What most of you neglect to remember is the fact that almost the entire Leaf squad did not have any playoff experience till then. All in all the Leafs made me happy to be a Leafs fan again.  

The Stanley Cup finals; The Boston Bruins vs. The Chicago Blackhawks. The perfect way to end off the shortened NHL season. Both teams deservingly of being in that Final. We all know how it ended that day in June. Game 6. The Bruins ultimate karma for the way Game 7 played out against the leafs. Within 17 seconds, their hopes of lifting one of sports most prized possessions, was taken away from them. The game was tied at 2-2, but a slapper from Johnny Oduya tipped in by Toronto-Boy Dave Bolland gave the Hawks exactly what they were there to do. Attain the Stanley Cup. Suddenly the Bruins worst nightmare was upon them. Fate was in Blackhawks hands that day, the way it was meant to be.

Golf. Clearly not the worlds most watched sport, but somehow in April when the Masters are around the corner, all eyes are on the top contenders. The Masters is one of the most prestigious tournaments in all of golf, and if you win The Masters you are considered one of the greats. When most people think of golf, one person comes to their minds. Tiger Woods. But in 2013 at The Masters, Adam Scott definitely made a name for himself. On the 18^th hole he birdied his putt and then went on to face Angel Cabrera in a playoff. Scott went on to win in the playoff and was honored with that beautiful green jacket.

Champions League is something that every soccer fan looks forward too. The worlds best soccer clubs come together to compete in a substantial tournament. Every single year there are many teams that can come up at the top, but 2013 was the year of the German Clubs. Of course only one team could win. It was a highly known team vs. an underdog with two very different styles of play. It was a game that Bayern deserved to win and Dortmund did not deserve to lose. In the end Bayern’s Arjen Robben scored the game-winning goal in the 89^th minute. Possibly one of the best finals in Champions League history.

You don’t have to be a big time baseball analyst to know that the Boston Red Sox are a great baseball team. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to figure out that with a record like 97-65 in the regular season that they would be a likely team to win the World Series. They were the best-fit team to be the World Series Champs. It was their year. It was the first time that the team was able to win the title at home since 1918… and what better way than to bring some light into the city of Boston by winning The World Series.

There are so many things that we will all take from 2013 to cherish and remember for the rest of our lives. But how about the things that was left in 2013 and cannot be brought into the New Year with us? By this I am referring to the tragedy the struck us all on that day in April, when we found out that someone had bombed the Boston Marathon. To those people who lost their lives; they will never be forgotten. To the many lucky enough to survive that day; you will always be remembered as survivors.

Personally from 2013 I take away greatness. I go into the New Year hoping that 2014 will be filled with even more greatness for us sports fans. We have so much to look forward too in the upcoming year. With the Olympics around the corner, and the World Cup this summer we are in for an amazing year. And I really hope so because there is no better feeling in the world than being a sports fan.