2012 is being swept under the floor mat as 2013 is ready to bust out of the womb. There were more hits, touchdowns, dunks, blocks, tackles, home runs, wins and heartbreaking moments in 2012, but it lacked apocalypses and Texas championships. This year was fulled with heartbreaks, another lockout and a new youth movement for Texas teams. Regardless, 2012 was a fun year and 2013 should be even better.
They are listed from importance in descending order.
On November 30th David Stern fined the Spurs organization $250,000 for sending four of their starters back home to SA, instead of playing them against the Miami Heat. In a setting that would have forced the Spurs' starters to play four games in five nights, Popovich decided to rest Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobli, Tony Parker and Danny Green. On that Thursday night there were only two games being played and each were being put on national television. One of which was the prime time, marquee almost 2012 NBA Finals match up, that pitted Boris Diaw, Matt Bonner, Tiago Splitter, Nando de Colo, and Patty Mills against LeBron James and company in a game that the Spurs almost won. I understand Stern's reasoning that the game muddled the product and did not give the fans paying and watching, the game they deserved. However, this is coming from a commissioner that cares about the fans as much as Congress cares about its constituents. From him we have seen lockouts, terrible officiating to help big market teams win, and teams moving that did not need to be moved. Maybe if Stern wanted this game played out how he wanted he would not have scheduled SA to play 4 games in five days. Even if SA had played its starters it would have yielded a sloppy, untidy game. Whichever side you take this is a slippery slope for the NBA because it increases the already
immense power David Stern has.
9. The Return of the Dirk
Last year was disappointing for Mavs fans since Cuban did not sign Chandler or try to defend their title. This year has not gone much better without the giant German. However, he recently made his debut coming off the
bench in a Decmeber 23rd game that the Mavs lost 129-91 against the Spurs. Without Dirk, Dallas has manged to go 12-15 led by Mayo and the horde of C average free agents that the Mavs were able to sign. Tonight Dirk returns to start against the OKC Thunder and will need him to lead the charge in order for them to have a shot at the playoffs. Look for Dirk's return to open up the floor for Mayo and Kaman. I'm sure the entire city and the Mavs roster is ready to start Dirkin' off again.
After years of speculation and almost trades, what used to be unthinkable became a reality this off season. Michael Young was traded. He was sent to the Phillies, after his worst year of his career, for Josh Lindblom and minor-league reliever Lisalverto Bonilla. The main reason for his departure was to give Olt and Profar more playing time that Ron Washington was unable to give them with Michael Young in uniform. Now Michael Young knows just how Peyton Manning and Brett Farve felt during their departures. The captain is gone, but the Rangers should be better in 2013 as a result.
7. The NHL Lockout
In June of 2012 the Kings won the Stanley Cup, and hockey ratings were at an all time high since the last lockout. However the management, ownership and players quickly wiped their butts with it and rubbed it onto each others faces. As of right now it is day 104 of the lockout and the sides still are not close to reach a deal. Washington may reach a deal over the fiscal cliff before the NHL reaches an agreement. Washington! The games have been canceled until January 14th and Bettman has said that they would not consider anything less than 48 games. For this to occur a deal must be reached by mid January probably. Times are bleak and we may see a season canceled because both sides are arguing over how to split the pie and not over how to make it.
Man I miss Kari Lehtonen (whenever you are feeling down about the lockout just watch the link).
6. Harden Joins the Rockets
For years, Daryl Morey, the Rockets GM tried to land a big name superstar. He lost out on Gasol after Stern vetoed the trade, could not get a deal together for Howard and missed out on other big names. This year his fortune quickly changed when he was able to land the Beard and instantly brought recognition to Houston basketball for the first time since T-Mac and Ming roamed the hardwood together. The Thunder signed Ibaka for a large contract and offered Harden one of about the same amount, but he wanted a max deal. This max deal would have handicapped the Thunder for years to come since all of their cap would have gone to Harden, Westbrook, Ibaka and Durant (which would not have been a bad thing). Instead of waiting out the year and make a run with the team that won the Western Conference finals they panicked and got what they could. The trade sent Harden, Cole Aldrich and forwards Daequan Cook and Lazar Hayward for guards Kevin Martin and Jeremy Lamb, two first-round picks and a second-round pick. Now the Rockets have gone from a fringe playoff/ lottery team to a team that has a legit star and the ability to compete in the playoffs.
5. Cowboys and Week 17
Another year another chance for the Cowboys to make the playoffs with a week 17 win. Last year on New Years Day the Cowboys had a chance to beat the Giants, go 9-7 and make the playoffs. The Giants jumped out to a 21-0 lead and ended up winning 31-14. Eli Manning played a near perfect game going 70.5%/ 346/ 3TDs/ 0INTs/ and carried this momentum into a Super Bowl championship. This year the Cowboys face the exact same situation at 8-7 and a win will let them clasp an NFC North title and the first playoff berth since 2009. If they lose it will probably be the demise of Jason Garret as coach of the Cowboys and the retooling of the offensive line. If they win all would be well in Cowboy land until an early playoff exit that might occur against the Seattle Seahawks.
4. Hamilton signs with the Angels
Enter your Harvey Dent, Dark Knight Rises quote here. When Texas first traded Edison Volsquez for Josh Hamilton I was pissed. Why would they trade pitching for hitting? Texas was currently in the midst of the Texas Rangers tradition of no pitching and racks on racks of hitting. However, this trade yielded the most talented player in Texas history. He won the first MVP award since Pudge, broke the record for most home runs in a Home Run Derby, led us to two World Series appearances and hit what should have the game winning home run to bring the Rangers their first championship in game six vs the Cardinals. This past season saw him hit 43 home runs, 103 RBIs, and a .304 average. However, we saw some huge slumps, a freak injury from too much caffeine and a flat out lack of effort. I was in the minority about wanting to sign Hamilton if he was looking at the 3-5 year range. He did, but he signed with the evil, devilish, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for five years 125 million dollars. He will be missed and it was a blessing to watch a player of that ability play for your team for five years. Even though he signed with the Angels the division is not set yet. They still can not pitch and Texas has the ability to mash with that monster lineup from LAA. The off season is not over as well and look for Texas to make a big trade sometime before the season.
3. SA loses in 6 to OKC
This is the series that may define the switch from the use of the DVD to the Blu Ray. The young Thunder finally broke through to the finals. After being down 2-0, the Thunder came back, swept the Spurs and won the series four games to two. The Spurs entered the series winners of twenty straight games and looked to have one more championship run in them. And then James Harden out-Ginobled Ginobli and Kevin Durant kept doing what he did all year, score points. Yes there were some games that officiating was poor and Ibaka did have the game of his life, but the Thunder (and Grizzlies the year before) were too athletic for the Spurs this series. Both teams have played great basketball this year and the Spurs will be hungry this post season to try and get that last one for the thumb.
2. Houston clinches its second AFC South Championship in two years
Last year we saw the Texans clinch in a game winning drive with their third string quarterback as they crawled into the postseason. This year different season same result. Houston clinched the AFC South in week 15 against the Indianapolis Colts. In 2012 Houston has been on top of the entire AFC since the first week and they will be going for more than a playoff appearance come January. They will have the #1 seed if they beat the Colts on Sunday and then would only have to beat NE/DEN once to make the Superbowl.
1. The Texas Rangers lose games 162
The drop. All Texas had to do to clinch their third straight AL West Championship was beat the A's one game in the last series of the year. They traveled to Oakland and the party at the Coliseum started when they won the first two games of the series and kept going until game 162. After taking a 5-1 lead in the third inning the Rangers let it evaporate like vodka on the counter in the bottom of the fourth. They would never score again. Dempster was yanked in favor of Holland after giving up five earned runs on six hits and throwing only 39 strikes compared to 24 balls. Holland came in with a 5-2 lead only to throw ball after ball and the only time he threw a strike were fastballs down the middle. A double down the line by Coco Crisp made the game 5-5. Holland then walked the next batter and with two outs Holland was able to get Cespedes to hit a fat lazy pop fly to Josh Hamilton. As Hamilton carelessly jogged to the ball only to have it hit in and out of his glove and land on the green grass of the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. He stared at the ball in disbelief and snailed towards it only to see Murphy hustle after it and throw home. It was a play Josh has made since he was six years old playing catch with his dad in the backyard. Instead he did not, and the error gave the A's a 7-5 lead and would end up winning 12-5.
Despite losing the AL West Texas had the chance to still get into the
postseason via the new wild card play in game. Regardless of the new
play in game, Texas would have had to play Baltimore anyways because
they ended up tying with the same record. The game was tied 1-1 after the first and Darvish was in a pitching duel with Joe Saunders. The entire time Rangers' fans were waiting for the runs to come,
they had to come since Saunders was pitching. Only they never arrived. Darvish was immaculate and had an outing of 6.2 IP, 2 runs on 5 hits and struck out 7. Holland came in for relief and again he threw fastballs down the middle that changed the lead from 2-1 to 5-1. The game was just like game 7 the year before. They came out flat, weak and you knew there was no way they were going to win. The team waited for that one win to clinch and knew it had to come sometime, instead of going out earning it.
.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment