2022 SPORTS YEAR IN REVIEW

2022 gave us an abundance of joy, suspense, perseverance and patience across the sports the world. It is very difficult to wrap the full year into an easy bow, but I’ll do my best, albeit with a little bias.. This past year saw the sports world return from Covid protocols and precautions for all events, but that did not prevent banishing Russians from various International competitions. The 2022 Winter Olympics occurred, but they were so unspectacular that they was forgettable for many. Terrible events aside, the year did witness Georgia, Argentina (MESSI) and others end championship droughts, as well as Aaron Judge rewriting the record books. The year began with an epic Rose Bowl between Ohio State and Utah and it ended with Georgia surviving the Buckeyes in an instant classic in the Playoff.

I am biased, but I put together my Top 10 sports moments of the year and I am sure I’ll be told why my list is horrible by all my adorning fans.

BEST SPORTS MOMENTS OF 2022:

1A.) GEORGIA DEFEATING ALABAMA TO WIN THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

1B.). GEORGIA SURVIVING OHIO STATE 42-41 TO WIN THE PEACH BOWL AND ADVANCE TO THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME AT THE STROKE OF MIDNIGHT.

2.) MESSI AND ARGENTINA OUTLASTING FRANCE TO WIN THE WORLD CUP.

3.) SAINT PETER’S PEACOCKS STORYBOOK RUN TO THE ELITE 8 IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

4.). RAFAEL NADAL COMING BACK FROM A 2 SET DEFICIT TO WIN THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN IN 5 SETS

5.) CINCINNATI BENGALS IMPROBABLE COMEBACK IN THE AFC TITLE GAME TO UPSET KANSAS CITY.

6.) COLORADO AVALANCHE SURVIVE THE LIGHTNING WITH A THRILLING 4-3 OT WIN IN GAME 1 OF THE STANLEY CUP FINALS.

7.). LA RAMS SURVIVING THE CINCINNATI BENGALS TO WIN THE SUPER BOWL IN THEIR OWN STADIUM.

8.). NORTH CAROLINA’S NCAA TOURNAMENT RUN TO THE NATIONAL TITLE GAME. THE RUN INCLUDED UPSETTING #1 SEED BAYLOR, #4 SEED UCLA AND BEATING DUKE IN COACH K’S FINAL GAME IN THE FINAL 4.

9.). SERENA WILLIAMS FINAL FAREWELL AT THE US OPEN

10.). CAMERON SMITH’S FINAL ROUND TO WIN THE 150TH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP AT ST. ANDREW’S. HE WAS 12 UNDER AFTER 3 ROUNDS, THEN POSTED AN 8 UNDER TO FINISH 20 UNDER PAR TO CAPTURE THE CLAROT JUG.

CHAMPIONS CROWNED IN 2022:

• NCAA FB (FBS): GEORGIA BULLDOGS
• NFL: LA RAMS
• NBA: GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
• NHL: COLORADO AVALANCHE
• MLB: HOUSTON ASTROS
• WNBA: LAS VEGAS ACES
• MLS: LAFC
• FIFA WORLD CUP: ARGENTINA
• NCAA FB (FCS): NORTH DAKOTA ST
• NCAA MBB: KANSAS JAYHAWKS
• NCAA WBB: SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS
• NCAA BASEBALL: OLE MISS REBELS
• NCAA SOFTBALL: OKLAHOMA SOONERS
• NCAA WOMEN’S HOCKEY: OHIO ST BUCKEYES
• NCAA MEN’S HOCKEY: DENVER
• NCAA MEN’S LACROSSE: MARYLAND TERPS
• NCAA WOMEN’S LACROSSE: UNC TAR HEELS
• UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: REAL MADRID
• PREMIER LEAGUE: MANCHESTER CITY
• GERMAN BUNDESLIGA: BAYERN MUNICH
• ITALIAN SERIE A: AC MILAN
• SPANISH LA LIGA: REAL MADRID
• FRENCH LIGUE 1: PARIS SAINT-GERMAIN (PSG)
• AUSTRALIAN OPEN: RAFAEL NADAL (MEN’S) & ASHLEIGH BARTY (WOMEN’S)
• FRENCH OPEN: RAFAEL NADAL (MEN’S) & IGA SWIATEK (WOMEN’S)
• WIMBLEDON: NOVAK DJOKOVIC (MEN’S) & ELENA RYBAKINA (WOMEN’S)
• US OPEN: CARLOS ALCARAZ (MEN’S) & IGA SWIATEK (WOMEN’S)
• THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP: CAMERON SMITH
• THE MASTERS: SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER
• THE PGA CHAMPIONSHIP: JUSTIN THOMAS
• THE US OPEN: MATT FITZPATRICK
• THE 150TH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP: CAMERON SMITH

What a phenomenal year…..congrats to all the champions!

MEMORIAL FOR THE SPORTS LEGENDS WE HAVE LOST IN 2022:

2022 saw a ton of excitement, but it also brought the sporting world a lot of sorrow. We didn’t just lose athletic legends, heros, icons, and pioneers, but we lost friends and loved ones. The list of memorials is too long and too sad to type, but it would be a disservice if I didn’t remember some absolutely amazing people.. The list below is some, but not all that we have lost in 2022 and in no way was it easy to type.

• PELÉ – ORIGINAL GOAT & GLOBAL SOCCER AMBASSADOR
• VIN SCULLY – VOICE OF DODGER BASEBALL AND GREATEST SPORTS BROADCASTER IN HISTORY
• BILL RUSSELL — 11 TIME NBA CHAMPION WITH THE BOSTON CELTICS
• VINCE DOOLEY —LEGENDARY GEORGIA HEAD FOOTBALL COACH AND AD
• FRANCO HARRIS — STEELER LEGEND, HALL OF FAMER AND CAUGHT THE IMMACULATE RECEPTION
• DAN REEVES — PLAYED FOR THE DALLAS COWBOYS AND COACHED THE GIANTS, BRONCOS AND FALCONS.
• DON MAYNARD— PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAMER AND WON SUPER BOWL III WITH THE NEW YORK JETS
• MIKE LEACH “THE PIRATE” — GENIUS OFFENSIVE MIND AND HEAD COACH FOR TEXAS TECH, WASHINGTON STATE AND MISSISSIPPI STATE
• TONY SIRAGUSA— FORMER INDIANAPOLIS COLT AND BALTIMORE RAVEN DEFENSIVE LINEMAN. WON SUPER BOWL WITH THE RAVENS PRIOR TO WORKING AS A SIDELINE REPORTER FOR NFL ON FOX.
• GREG ROBINSON — FORMER SYRACUSE HEAD COACH AND DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR FOR THE BRONCOS SUPER BOWL 33 & 34 TEAMS.
• JOE WILLIAMS — COLLEGE BASKETBALL COACH WHO GUIDED JACKSONVILLE UNIVERSITY TO THE 1970 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.
• JOHN CLAYTON — LONGTIME NFL REPORTER FOR ESPN AND OTHERS
• HAMMERING HANK GOLDBERG — LONGTIME ESPN AND HANDICAPPING EXPERT
• JOHN MCVAY — LONGTIME NFL HEAD COACH AND EXECUTIVE
• LEN DAWSON — PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAMER AND KANSAS CITY CHIEFS LEGEND
• RAY GUY — GREATEST PUNTER OF ALL TIME, MEMBER OF MULTIPLE HALL OF FAMES AND BEST COLLEGIATE PUNTER IS AWARDED THE RAY GUY AWARD
• BRUCE SUTTER — HALL OF FAME PITCHER AND WORLD SERIES CHAMPION. OVER 300 CAREER SAVES AND WON THE 1979 CY YOUNG AWARD
• DWAYNE HASKINS — FORMER OHIO STATE AND WASHINGTON COMMANDERS QB
• GAYLORD PERRY — BASEBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 1991. 2 TIME WINNER OF THE CY YOUNG AWARD ALONG WITH 314 CAREER WINS AND 3,534 STRIKEOUTS IN 22 SEASONS
• PAUL SILAS — 50 YEARS IN THE NBA AS A PLAYER AND COACH. 2017 INDUCTEE INTO THE BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME.
• GRANT WAHL — LEGENDARY AMERICAN SOCCER JOURNALIST

Hope you have a healthy and amazing 2023 and we hope you continue to join us at Spinnable Sports and The Irrational Confidence Podcast.