GarageGabs

Best Game of 2006: Again, quite a few to choose from. I’m gonna have to go with the 2006 Rose Bowl again, as #2 Texas beat #1 USC 41-38 for the National Championship. That game had it all….it was hyped as much as any game in history. It had the players, Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart, LenDale White, and Vince Young. Lots of scoring, over 1000 yards of offense, a dominant performance from Young, a comeback as Texas rallied from 12 down in the 4th quarter, and finally an upset for the Longhorns. Truly one of the greatest games in history. This is a fairly good video recap of the game if you can stand the music.

Honorable Mentions: Ohio State 42 Michigan 39 (#1 over #2), Suns 161 Nets 157 (2 OT), Chargers 49 Bengals 41 (Chargers rally from 21 point deficits….TWICE) AFC Playoffs, Steelers 21 Colts 18, (Big Ben Game Saving Tackle)

Feel Good Team of the Year: There are multiple candidates in this spot that is usually reserved for over achievers and under dogs. Nothing has changed this year. The 2006 NCAA Tournament was filled with sleepers as Bradley, Wichita State, and George Mason all made the Sweet 16. George Mason ended up knocking off Wichita State (We will all always remember “the shockers”) and then beat #1 seed Uconn to become true darlings and earn a trip to the final 4. Their dream season ended when they were knocked off by eventual National Champion, Florida. The Detroit Tigers made an improbable run to the World Series. The usually lowly Tigers led the American League Central all year until blowing the lead in the final days of the season to the Minnesota Twins, backing into the playoffs. That earned them an ALDS chance vs. the mighty Yankees, and the Tigers promptly blew the first game, 8-4. Enter Kenny Rogers. Rogers came on to pitch brilliantly vs. New York and the Tigers won 3 games in a row. Rogers was again perfect in the ALCS, as were the Tigers, in sweeping Oakland. Rogers (I’ll get to the cheating incident a little later) was the winner in the Tigers only win of the World Series as well, they ended up falling to the Cardinals 4 games to 1. Rutgers toyed with us for a couple of weeks, beating Louisville, and giving fans hope that they could throw a serious wrench in the BCS plan only to totally blow their chance by losing to Cincinnati. Yeah, all those teams were great to watch but none of them had to overcome what the New Orleans Saints have. The NFL season is still in progress but the Saints win the title as the feel good team of the year. The emotion of the Saints return to New Orleans after Katrina was amazing, and the Saints have totally ran with it to a 9-5 record and a good shot at a first round playoff bye. Of course, the additions of Reggie Bush, Drew Brees, Sean Payton, and Marques Colston haven’t hurt.

Biggest Disappointment of the Year: The Pittsburgh Steelers were running away with this award just a few weeks ago but have won 3 in a row to get to 7-7 and still have a shot at the playoffs. The Yankees and Red Sox are both candidates every year, but they don’t take home the honor this season because they did experience SOME success. Nope, this years award goes to the Carolina Panthers. Year in and year out the Panthers are a popular pre-season Super Bowl pick. That was definately the case this year as the Panthers returned a solid defense and newly aquired Keyshawn Johnson. I guess everyone forgot you have to be able to block, run the ball, throw the ball, and play pass defense to win. The Panthers have LIMPED to a 6-8 record and have a VERY SLIM chance to make the playoffs this season. A far cry from all those Super Bowl picks.

Biggest Scandal/Story of the Year: I used the word “story” because I don’t think most things Terrell Owens does are scandals. Owens has been a leadoff guy quite often in sports news this year, first with his reported overdose, and most recently with the spitting incident. Allen Iverson being traded to Denver has been the big deal lately, but doesn’t really hold water to the exposure that Kenny Rogers received for having a little pine tar on his hand. Of course, Barry Bonds and anything to do with steroids is always in the news. Despite all these gems the winner of scandal of the year has to be the Duke Lacrosse Rape Case. After an entire season has been cancelled, players have been indited, and the accuser drug through the dirt the rape charges were actually dropped this past week. This story has had everything, from crazy e-mails, a pregnant accuser, to failed DNA tests. I’ve tried not to speculate on the guilt or innocence of those involved but I think it is fair to assume that the case for the prosecution is falling apart.