2013 Year-in-Review

Every year, I see things that make me remember why I love sports. No matter how old I am or how many games I've seen, there is always a chance, a very good chance, that I will see something I have never seen before. The past year has further cemented that fact.

The year started with a bang, literally, as South Carolina's Jadeveon Clowney lit up Michigan's Vincent Smith in the Outback Bowl on New Year's Day with one of the best hits I have ever seen. College football continued with one of the weirdest stories of all-time. Notre Dame's Manti Te'o inspired the country with his play after his grandmother and girlfriend passed away during the 2012 season, only for news to surface in January that Te'o had been "catfished" and the girlfriend never existed. That news may have had an effect on the Fighting Irish because they got stomped by Alabama in the National Championship game, giving the SEC its seventh consecutive national title and the Crimson Tide its second consecutive and third in four years. Lance Armstrong took over the headlines about a week later, finally admitting to using steroids while winning all of his Tour de France championships.

The unusual stories continued with the Super Bowl in February. Going into the game, a major storyline was the head coaches of the Ravens and 49ers: John and Jim Harbaugh. It was the first time two brothers have faced each other as head coaches in the Super Bowl. During the game, the lights went out in the Superdome, causing a 34-minute delay. Later in the month, Olympic hero Oscar Pistorius, the "Blade Runner" that competed in the 2012 Olympics despite not having legs below the knee, was arrested and charged with the murder of his girlfriend.

The 2013 edition of March Madness lived up to its name once again. In the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the country was introduced to "Dunk City" and No. 15-seed Florida Gulf Coast, as they shocked No. 2-seed Georgetown and then upset No. 7-seed San Diego State to become the first 15-seed to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. In the Elite Eight, Louisville's Kevin Ware gruesomely broke his leg, but provided the motivation for the Cardinals' run to the National Championship.

Tragedy struck the sports world and the country in April. Two bombs exploded near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing three spectators and injuring more than 250 others. The city of Boston and cities across the country came together in the following days. The New York Yankees, the arch rival of the Boston Red Sox, featured a sign with the teams' logos and the words "United We Stand" on its stadium. Neil Diamond came to Boston and sang his "Sweet Caroline" during the seventh-inning stretch of the Red Sox's first game back after the bombing. Before the Boston Bruins' first game back, the entire crowd sang the National Anthem. If you have never seen it, click here. It will give you goosebumps. The Bruins went on to lose in the Stanley Cup Finals in June, while the Red Sox won the World Series in October.

The interesting summer continued in June. It appeared as if LeBron James and the Miami Heat would be denied its second consecutive NBA Championship, but Ray Allen made a three-pointer to force overtime in Game 6 after the Heat were down by five with 28 seconds remaining. The Heat went on to win that game and Game 7, adding to LeBron's legacy. Pistorius was not the only famous athlete arrested for murder in 2013. The New England Patriots' Aaron Hernandez was arrested for allegedly murdering Odin Lloyd. In golf, Phil Mickelson was in prime position to finally win the U.S. Open, on his birthday and Father's Day, but he blew the lead and finished second for the sixth time in his career.

However, the next month, Mickelson rebounded by winning the major no one thought he would ever win: the Open Championship (formerly known as the British Open). The same month, Andy Murray also got a monkey off of his back, when he finally won Wimbledon, becoming the first British man to do so in 77 years. August marked the return of college football and more drama with Johnny Manziel, known affectionately as "Johnny Football." After becoming the first freshman to win the Heisman Trophy in 2012, he had a highly scrutinized offseason, which came to a head with his autograph scandal. Manziel was accused of receiving payments in return for signing autographs, but it could not be proven and he was suspended for only one half. (Still confused as to why? Me too.)

Before college football could completely take over the sports world, the baseball season had to end. One of the best storylines of the MLB season was the Pittsburgh Pirates snapping their streak of 20 consecutive losing seasons and making the playoffs. Once the playoffs began, the story became the Red Sox, their beards and #BostonStrong. It ended with Boston beating the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series in a very exciting six games.

Baseball ended just in time for people to jump on the Gus Bus, as Gus Malzahn led the Auburn Tigers from a 3-9 record (0-8 in the SEC) in 2012, to an 11-1 record and National Championship game berth in 2013. However, Auburn wasn't doing it with blowouts. It did it with close, heart-wrenching games ending in spectacular fashion, such as the Prayer at Jordan-Hare against Georgia and the Kick Six against Alabama. The latter sparked pandemonium in the state of Alabama. On the other side of the National Championship game, Florida State was led by redshirt freshman quarterback Jameis Winston, who became the second freshman to win the Heisman Trophy, despite being involved in a sexual assault investigation (he was not charged).

When Anderson Silva squared off against Chris Weidman in UFC 168, he suffered an injury eerily similar to Ware's. Silva's second-round kick resulted in a broken fibula and tibia (Google it if you don't have a weak stomach). While Silva broke his leg, Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos used 2013 to break records in the NFL. Manning's 55 touchdown passes and 5,477 passing yards, Matt Prater's 64-yard field goal and the Broncos' 606 points broke previous NFL records.

Several other major stories played out throughout the year, too. Russell Westbrook, Derrick Rose and Kobe Bryant each suffered serious injuries that affected their teams in the NBA. Tiger Woods did not win any majors, but he won five events and finished in the top 10 in eight of the 16 events he participated in. The Biogenesis scandal in baseball led to 50-game suspensions for 12 players (including three 2013 All-Stars), a 65-game suspension for Ryan Braun and a 211-game suspension for Alex Rodriguez, although A-Rod ended up playing while his appeal was heard. In a Sports Illustrated article, Jason Collins came out as the first openly gay athlete still active in his sport. Jonathan Martin left the Miami Dolphins, claiming he was bullied by teammates, most notably Richie Incognito. USC fired Lane Kiffin during the season and Mack Brown stepped down as Texas' head coach after the Longhorns' bowl game, opening up two of the best jobs in college football. Grambling State forfeited a football game as its players basically went on strike, Yasiel Puig burst into the spotlight with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Jon Kitna went from math teacher to backup quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys when Tony Romo went down with an injury.

These stories begin to scratch the surface of everything that happened in the sports world in 2013, but there are many others that I am sure I'm forgetting. Below are other various recaps of the year.

Arkansas Razorbacks

The Bret Bielema-era at Arkansas began in 2013, with Bielema landing top recruits such as tight end Hunter Henry and running back Alex Collins. However, the actual season did not go very well and many fans will try to forget it, as the Razorbacks started 3-0, but lost their final nine games, breaking a school record for consecutive losses.

The men's basketball team finished the 2012-12 season by missing the NCAA Tournament and NIT, but it did not lose a single game at Bud Walton Arena. The season including thrilling wins over Kentucky, Missouri and No. 2 Florida. The home winning streak continued with the start of the 2013-14 season, as the Razorbacks finished the 2013 calendar year without a loss at Bud Walton.

In a season that began with Arkansas as the No. 1 team in the country, the baseball season ended in disappointing fashion. As the No. 2-seed in the Manhattan Regional, the Razorbacks were eliminated from the postseason because of two runs allowed on wild pitches. The softball team had one of its best seasons in program history, appearing in the top 25 for the first time, but was sent to the Norman Regional, where the Razorbacks lost to eventual National Champion Oklahoma.

However, 2013 wasn't all bad for the Razorbacks. The men's track and field team won the program's 41st national title by winning the NCAA Indoor Championships in Fayetteville. It was also the first track and field championship won by Arkansas since legendary head coach John McDonnell retired in 2008.

The women's soccer team also had an excellent year. For the first time in program history, the Razorbacks made the NCAA Tournament, where they advanced to the Sweet Sixteen before tying Duke 2-2 and being eliminated in penalty kicks 3-2 after two scoreless overtime periods.

Notable Retirements

Nothing makes you feel old quite like hearing that one of your favorite athletes is retiring. Here's a list of a few of the athletes that called it quits in 2013.

• David Beckham: Probably the most famous soccer player of my generation, David Beckham's ability to "bend" free kicks inspired the phrase and the movie Bend it Like Beckham. During his 20-year career, he has won league titles in England, Spain, the United States and France.
• Chris Carpenter: This retirement hit close to home for me. Chris Carpenter won the NL Cy Young Award with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2005 and played an important role in the Cardinals' World Series titles in 2006 and 2011. When I went to the Cardinals' Winter Warmup before the 2005 season, some other fans confused my dad with Chris Carpenter. To this day, my brothers, mom and I call my dad "Chris Carpenter" from time to time.
• Tony Gonzalez: One of the greatest tight ends of all time, Tony Gonzalez spent the first 12 seasons of his 17-year career with the Kansas City Chiefs, before being traded to the Atlanta Falcons. He holds the NFL career record for touchdown receptions (111) and receiving yards (15,127) by a tight end.
• Roy Halladay: "Doc" Halladay was a dominant pitcher for a bad team most of his career. He played for the Toronto Blue Jays for 12 seasons, before being traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for his last four seasons. Finally on a winning team in 2010, Halladay tossed the 20th perfect game in MLB history and then threw the second postseason no-hitter in MLB history in his first career postseason start.
• Todd Helton: I have always enjoyed watching Todd Helton play, even though he did it in obscurity, with the Colorado Rockies. He finished his career with a .316 batting average, 369 home runs and 2,519 hits and was a 5-time All-Star and 3-time Gold Glove winner.
• Allen Iverson: Known by his initials, Allen Iverson hasn't played in the NBA since 2010, but officially announced his retirement in October of 2013. He is one of the best guards in NBA history and, while I was too young to remember it when it happened, I will never forget watching the highlight of him crossing up Michael Jordan.
• Jason Kidd: One of the best point guards of all-time, Jason Kidd stepped away from playing and into coaching. His coaching career hasn't started too great, but his playing career was spectacular. During his 19-year career, he averaged 12.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game and was a 10-time All-Star.
• Ray Lewis: The most feared linebacker of my generation, Ray Lewis went out on top, leading the Ravens to a Super Bowl Championship. He spent his entire 17-year career in Baltimore and totaled 2,061 tackles, 41.5 sacks, two Super Bowl Championships and 13 Pro Bowls.
• Andy Pettitte: Pettitte was one of the core New York Yankees and won five World Series Championships while wearing the pinstripes. During his 18-year career, he totaled 256 wins, a 3.85 ERA and 2,448 strikeouts. It will be interesting to see if he will be elected into the Hall of Fame.
• Mariano Rivera: The greatest closer of all-time had a going-away party all season, as teams gave him gifts throughout the year. Rivera ended his 19-year career with 652 saves (most all-time) and was a 13-time All-Star, 5-time World Series Champion and the 1999 World Series MVP.
• Jeff Saturday: Most famous for being Peyton Manning's center most of Manning's career with the Indianapolis Colts, Saturday was a 6-time Pro Bowler and was on the Colts' Super Bowl XLI Championship team.
• Jim Thome: Of the 10 players to reach the 500 home run mark since 1999, Thome is only one of two players to do so without any steroid allegations. He finished his career with 612 homers, which ranks seventh all-time.
• Brian Urlacher: Along with Lewis, Urlacher was one of the most feared linebackers of my generation. In 13 seasons with the Chicago Bears, he totaled 1,353 tackles, 41.5 sacks, 22 interceptions and eight Pro Bowls.
• Brandon Webb: This isn't one of the most significant retirements of 2013, but it made me smile. Webb won the NL Cy Young Award in 2006, but his last full season in the MLB was 2008. The reason I include him is because I learned the hard way that Webb is a jerk. During an attempted comeback in 2011, he pitched for the Frisco Roughriders (AA affiliate of the Texas Rangers) in the Texas League. One day, when he wasn't pitching, I went to a Roughriders-Naturals game in Springdale. Despite not doing anything but sitting on the bench, he refused to sign a baseball for me. One of his teammates tried talking to him, but all he did was look at me and shake his head "no." Sadly, I was probably the last fan to recognize him and ask him for his autograph. So now you know why it made me smile when I heard of his retirement.

2013 Deaths

Unfortunately, everyone eventually dies, even our heroes. We said good bye to many all-time greats in 2013. Here are a few...

• Bud Adams: Along with Lamar Hunt, Bud Adams helped form the American Football League in 1959. He became the owner of the Houston Oilers franchise that moved to Tennessee in 1999 and eventually became the Titans. Without Hunt and Adams, there is no telling what the NFL would look like today, as the AFL and NFL merged in 1970.
• Jerry Buss: The famous owner was a part of 10 NBA Championships with the Los Angeles Lakers and two WNBA Championships with the Los Angeles Sparks. He owned the Lakers during the Showtime era with Pat Riley, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy and also during the Phil Jackson era, with players like Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant.
• Jack Curran: A legendary basketball and baseball head coach at Archbishop Molloy High School for 55 years, Curran compiled a 972-437 record in basketball and 1,708-523 record in baseball, which is a 2,680-960 combined record (a .736 winning percentage). He led his teams to 22 Catholic school New York City championships (five in basketball, 17 in baseball), including four years in which he won both titles in the same year (1969, 1973, 1974 and 1987). Kenny Anderson, Kevin Joyce, Kenny Smith and Brian Winters played for Curran in high school and eventually played in the NBA.
• L.C. Greenwood: The former defensive end was one of four members of the Pittsburgh Steelers' "Steel Curtain" during the 1970s. The 6-time Pro Bowler and 4-time Super Bowl Champion played at Arkansas AM&N (now known as Arkansas-Pine Bluff) in college and was a 10th round pick in the 1969 NFL Draft. With the Steelers, he collected 73.5 sacks in 170 career games.
• Harlon Hill: Long before passing became the norm in football, Harlon Hill hauled in 40 touchdown passes in nine seasons in the NFL. Coming out of Florence State Teachers College (now known as North Alabama), he was a 15th round pick in the 1954 NFL Draft. He was the NFL Rookie of the Year in 1954 and won the Jim Thorpe Trophy (NFL Player of the Year) in 1955. His legacy continues today in the form of the Harlon Hill Trophy, which is NCAA Division II's version of the Heisman Trophy.
• Deacon Jones: The Hall of Fame defensive end coined the term "sack," which didn't become an official statistic in the NFL until 1982, eight years after his retirement. According to Pro Football Weekly, he had 194.5 unofficial sacks, which would rank third on the all-time list, behind only Bruce Smith and Reggie White. He was also an 8-time Pro Bowler and 2-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
• Dick Kazmaier: Back in the day, Ivy League schools like Harvard, Yale and Princeton were powerhouses in college football, regularly winning National Championships and occasionally producing Heisman Trophy winners (three in the first 17 years of the award). The last Ivy Leaguer to win the Heisman was Dick Kazmaier, who won the award in 1951. To give you an idea of how times have changed, he declined to play professional football (despite being selected in the 15th round of the 1952 NFL Draft - yes, 15th round) and instead went to Harvard Business School, then joined the Navy.
• Stan Musial: Considered as one of the most underrated players of all-time, Stan Musial was a first ballot Hall of Famer in 1969 after playing for 22 seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals. He hit 475 home runs and was a career .331 hitter. Musial was also a very consistent hitter, with 3,630 hits - 1,815 at home and 1,815 on the road. He is tied with Hank Aaron and Willie Mays for most All-Star Game appearances (24 - from 1959-1962, there were two All-Star Games each year) and was a three-time NL MVP and World Series Champion.
• Ken Norton: The former WBC world heavyweight boxing champion compiled a 42-7-1 career record. He is most famous for his three fights with Muhammad Ali. The only match he won against Ali was the first, in 1973, in which Norton broke Ali's jaw. Norton's son, Ken Norton, Jr., was a 3-time Super Bowl Champion (two with the Cowboys, one with the 49ers).
• Jack Pardee: One of Bear Bryant's "Junction Boys" survivors at Texas A&M, Pardee went on to a 15-year playing career in the NFL before becoming a successful NFL and college football head coach. In 11 seasons as an NFL coach, he compiled a 87-77 record and made the playoffs five times. He enjoyed more success in college, as the head coach at Houston. Pardee led the Cougars to a 22-11-1 record over three seasons and coached the first African-American quarterback to win the Heisman Trophy (Andre Ware - 1989). He was also the coach of Houston when the Cougars beat SMU 95-21 in 1989 and gained 1,021 yards in the process.
• Bum Phillips: Phillips was the longest tenured head coach with the Adams' franchise until Jeff Fisher surpassed him during the 1990s. With the Oilers, he compiled a 55-35 record over six seasons and made the playoffs three times, including losing in the AFC Championship game in 1978 and 1979. He was famous for wearing his cowboy hat on the sideline during games and for being very quotable. His son, Wade Phillips, is a former Dallas Cowboys head coach and is currently the defensive coordinator for the Houston Texans.
• Pat Summerall: Before his Hall of Fame broadcasting career and 10-year NFL career, Pat Summerall was a kicker, defensive end and tight end for the Arkansas Razorbacks. After Arkansas, he was a 4th round pick in the 1952 NFL Draft. During his time as a broadcaster, he worked for CBS, Fox and ESPN and announced 16 Super Bowls (more than any other announcer), 26 Masters Tournaments and 21 U.S. Opens.
• Earl Weaver: The Hall of Fame manager is remembered for many things, including him being ejected at least 91 times and his "pitching, defense and the three-run homer" coaching philosophy. Weaver's Orioles teams won four AL Pennants, including the 1970 World Series. His 1,480 victories rank 23rd all-time and .583 winning percentage ranks ninth all-time among managers with at least 600 games managed.

Congratulations! You made it to the end of my 2013 year-in-review. I hope you had a wonderful 2013 and that 2014 will be even better.