Ryan Reisert

#10 – Rugby World Cup

#9 – Manning’s Injury

#8 – St. Louis Cardinals

#7 – Green Bay Packers

#6 – Women’s World Cup

#5 – Tragedy in the NHL 

Tragedy struck the NHL this past summer with three NHL player deaths. Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien, and Wade Belak, all prominent NHL enforcers, passed away, leading some to link fighting and the enforcer role with depression and substance abuse. The question of whether the NHL should ban fighting from the league became a hot topic for all hockey fans. The deaths came in the wake of renewed controversy over head shots in the NHL, which specifically grabbed headlines following Sidney Crosby’s concussion as a result of a hit to the head at the Winter Classic. The morale of hockey has suffered mightily, and NHL fans hope the league returns to its more innocent days. 

#4 – Boston Bruins Win and Vancouver Riots

For the first time since 1972, the Boston Bruins hoisted the Stanley Cup, denying the Vancouver Canucks their first championship in franchise history. The Bruins victory was to the chagrin of Canuck fans and of many Canadians. The story of the Cup finals was Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas, who only allowed eight goals in the seven games. For his efforts, he was rightfully named Stanley Cup MVP, topping off his legendary performance with a shutout in the series’ seventh game. Nevertheless, Vancouver fans weren’t left without a consolation prize, as some were able to riot against their own city—fun times to say the least. 

#3 – Dallas Mavericks and the Demise of the Miami Heat

“Once the game starts, it’s going to be easy,” LeBron James said, at the Miami Heat’s ‘modest’ welcome party to introduce the ‘Big Three’ (LeBron, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh. I know, it should be the ‘Big Two-and-a-half’). Was it as easy as expected for the ‘Big Three’ and crew in the NBA playoffs? The Heat dominated the Eastern Conference and looked poised to shut down all the critics. However, Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks ruined their party. After an incredible display of fundamental team basketball, the Mavs won their first NBA championship, and saved the NBA. LeBron also mentioned at the welcome party that the Heat would win up to seven championships—so far, so bad.

#2 – NFL and NBA Locked Out

The NFL endured a work stoppage from April to August, and after months of tearing fans’ hearts out, the league came out fairly unscathed, aside from a shortened training camp period. Since Jul. 1, the NBA’s players and owners have bickered over a new Collective Bargaining Agreement. Finally, we can see the light, as the two sides reached a tentative agreement on Nov. 26. The season will likely get underway on Christmas Day with a mammoth triple-header: Bulls-Lakers, Heat-Mavs, Celtics-Knicks. You can’t tell me the owners and players didn’t have this planned from the onset. You are cruel, NBA.

#1 – Joe Paterno

It’s not pleasing to end on a sour note, but the number one sports story of 2011 is the firing of Penn State Head Coach Joe Paterno, arguably the most famous college football coach ever. He was dismissed in early November after holding the head coaching position for 46 years. The Penn State Board of Trustees’ decision came in the wake of a scandal involving sexual abuse of minors that led to the indictment of Paterno’s former defensive co-ordinator Jerry Sandusky. Questions were raised about whether Paterno knew of the sexual abuse and neglected to bring it to the authorities. This is the biggest story of 2011 because of its relevance to everyone, not just sports fans, and we hope to never see something similar happen again.