Was 2016 the best sports year ever [nationally]?

Submitted by superstringer on

2016 was Worst Year Ever.  But I saw a thought-provoking article on CNN... was it the best year ever for sports?  [Edit:  Nationally, not just for Michigan.  Clearly, whatever the best year for UM was, it wasn't 2016.]  Look at the results (with a number of "best evers," both subjective and statistical, in the mix):

NFL:  Broncos beat Panthers; Manning retires with his 2d SB victory; Broncos have one of the best defenses ever (arguably).
 
NBA:  Best regular season ever, then that team loses to Cleveland after being up 3-1; and Cleveland gets its first major pro sports championship since forever
 
MLB:  Cubs (!!!) (!!!) (!!!) beat Indians (!!!).  Came back from 3-1 series deficit; pulsating Game 7.  Was most-watched World Series since ratings took major plunge 20-30 years ago. Best World Series ever?  Most popular WS champs ever?  (Full disclosure:  OP is Cubs fan.)
 
NHL:  Pittsburgh beats San Jose.  So what.  [Edit:  I had this backwards.]
 
College football:  Alabama in relatively close game over Clemson; usually these are blowouts
 
College basketball:  First-ever buzzer beater to win championship; both teams were highly rated.  Best final game ever?
 
Golf:  All 4 majors were won by first-time champs. US wins Rider Cup.  Uhhh... not sure most of us care.  OK pretty sure we don't.
 
Tennis:  In the "that's pretty weird" category, Serena unexpectedly lost on verge of her record title.
 
Olympics:  2016 had one, and it had US dominating the medal count; moar Michael Phelps; Simone Biles; etc.
 
Other:  Leicester's unparalleled 5000:1 title in Premier League  Greatest-ever upset victor in significant (highly competed / big $$$) pro sports league?
 
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Blueblood2991

December 30th, 2016 at 12:47 AM ^

San Jose lost in the Stanley Cup Finals bro.

Also, no. 1997 was the best year. Michigan national champs, Wings win cup, lions even made the playoffs. Yes that is my biased opinion.

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ThadMattasagoblin

December 30th, 2016 at 12:52 AM ^

For state of Michigan related sports years it would have to be 1997-1998 based on Woodson's heisman, football national championship, Red Wings, Michigan hockey, Michigan basketball winning 1st big ten tournament, Lions. This year wouldn't even crack the top 10.

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lilpenny1316

December 30th, 2016 at 12:49 AM ^

For a Michigan fan, it was bittersweet, but it's hard to top what the NBA, MLB and NHL produced.  Plus you can't go wrong with the CFB and CBB title games.  I guess Sparty getting punked by 15 seed MTSU was pretty cool also.

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Cali Wolverine

December 30th, 2016 at 2:48 AM ^

If you want to say 2016 was full of epic collapses and some exciting games...that is one thing. But 2016 was not even close to the best NBA, NHL, College Basketball or College Football seasons of all time. That said the Cubs win was special and I am not a Cubs fan. Maybe you are a Cavaliers fan? And if you want to insult someone...telling someone on MGoBlog that they follow Michigan sports too closely is probably going to have the opposite affect.

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Blueblood2991

December 30th, 2016 at 2:48 AM ^

I don't think it has anything to do with maize colored glasses at all. It's being a sports fan(atic). Some fans get excessive joy out of some circumstances, and other get their hearts ripped out. It's too subjective to label something "the best" when it pulls on peoples emotions so differently.

However, I don't think you'll get much of an arguement from most that it was a historical year. The amount of records and stats broken this year is something I doubt we'll ever see happen again within the period of a year.

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taistreetsmyhero

December 30th, 2016 at 12:57 AM ^

and the points laid out are convincing.

but you're not going to convince a michigan sports website that the "best" sports year coincided with michigan losing to OSU in football, michigan basketball being the definition of meh, and michigan hockey blowing ass.

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The Baughz

December 30th, 2016 at 1:00 AM ^

First off 2016 was not the worst year ever. Sharks didn't even win the Stanley Cup. Fuck LeBron. Michigan didn't beat OSU. There were definitely some great moments but don't think it was the best ever.



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DK81

December 30th, 2016 at 1:17 AM ^

Is this thread a fucking joke? Did Michigan win a national championship in football or basketball? Did the Lions, Pistons, Wings, or Tigers win a championship? Then it wasn't a good sports year.



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NJblue2

December 30th, 2016 at 2:15 AM ^

Not including Michigan teams, I would say it has to be one of the best, at least in the ones I've been around to follow. Cavs, Cubs, that soccer team, and the UNC-Villanova game were all pretty awesome and had interesting storylines behind them (except for the UNC-Nova game, that was just a great game). I get people not liking it because of Michigan specific things though.

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BoFan

December 30th, 2016 at 3:10 AM ^

No!!!!

Leicester City winning the Premiership...then Cubs yes

Denver and Manning (HGH) no!!!
Cleveland? Are you crazy? BS series.
NHL: No Wings!
College Football: worst ever!

This thread: Another for the dung heap.

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M Go Cue

December 30th, 2016 at 6:01 AM ^

Considering that sports is a part of 2016, doesn't the fact that it is the "best sports year ever" kinda take away from your belief that 2016 is the worst year ever? That is, unless you are polluting this forum with your political beliefs. If that is the case, please keep your goddamn political beliefs to yourself here.

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