The top 40 sports moments of 2018

After the Crimson Tide was shut out in the first half of the CFB National Championship Game, Nick Saban turned to true freshman quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to provide a spark in the second half, and that he did. The Alabama defense shut out the Georgia Bulldogs in the fourth quarter, while Tagovailoa threw for three touchdowns, including a 41-yard game-winner in overtime to DeVonta Smith.

After nearly a decade of pushing for it, the Oakland Raiders were able to convince Jon Gruden to abandon the broadcast booth and return to the sidelines for the 2018 season. The 10-year, $100 million contract he received to rejoin the organization is the largest coaching deal in NFL history. Gruden is due $30 million more in guaranteed money than his own starting quarterback, Derek Carr.

The disgraced former physician who sat at the center of the scandal that rocked USA Gymnastics in 2017 saw his 60-year sentence intensified further. After pleading guilty to a total of 10 counts of sexual assault — all against minors — Nassar received three life sentences in federal prison, with a total term possibility of 300 years. In the fallout of the conviction and scandal, USA Gymnastics was decertified as a governing body for the sport and filed for bankruptcy in November.

The Eagles finalized realized their long-elusive Super Bowl dreams when they defeated the New England Patriots 41-33 in Super Bowl LII. After carrying Philadelphia through the end of the regular season and playoffs in place of injured starter Carson Wentz, quarterback Nick Foles claimed Super Bowl LII MVP honors after throwing for 373 yards and three touchdowns and catching a fourth via the "Philly Special" reverse.

Norway owned the Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang at a record pace. The country's 39 total medals surpassed the former record of 37 set by the United States in 2010. Cross-country skier Marit Bjørgen led the way with five medal wins (including two golds), running her career total to record 15. The Norwegian team also accomplished a podium sweep in the men’s 30 km skiathlon, with Simen Hegstad Kruger, Martin Johnsrud Sundby and Hans Christer Holund claiming the top three finishes in the event.

In a move to shake up things around the event, the NBA dramatically revamped its All-Star Game format. Instead of the Eastern and Western Conferences defining the battle lines, the top two recipients in the fan vote picked their own teams. This pitted LeBron James against Stephen Curry, with LeBron taking Curry’s teammate Kevin Durant with the first pick. The decision indeed livened up the game, with Team LeBron defeating Team Curry 148-145.

In its inaugural year, the NHL’s 31^st franchise reset the bar on first-year excellence. By February, the Golden Knights had set a record for wins by an expansion team — with two months left in the regular season. Ultimately, they would go on to reach the Stanley Cup Finals and finish with the most successful season by an expansion franchise in the history of any of the four major North American sports leagues.

Shortly after becoming the first man to ever win 20 Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open, Federer added yet another remarkable accomplishment to his unparalleled career. Following a victory at the Rotterdam Open, Federer rose to No. 1 in the ATP rankings again. At age 36, he became the oldest top-ranked player in history by more than three years.

In the 135 previous times a No. 1 seed had faced a 16 seed, the top-seeded team had emerged victorious — and often in a decisive fashion. But one of sport’s safest bets was turned upside down when the little-known University of Maryland, Baltimore County Retrievers defeated the top overall seed, Virginia, 74-54. It was the biggest upset in tournament history.

Riding the momentum of buzzer-beating shot to oust six-seeded Miami, the 11-seeded Loyola Ramblers went on the greatest upset run in NCAA Tournament history. The Missouri Valley Conference champions provided four straight wins en route to becoming the lowest-seeded Final Four team in history, before ultimately falling to the Michigan Wolverines. Regardless, it was an outcome that could not have made Sister Jean any prouder.

The most accomplished women’s fighter in UFC, Ronda Rousey made the much-publicized leap from the octagon to the ring of the WWE at WrestleMania 34 in New Orleans. In a debut match that blew away expectations, Rousey announced her presence in a definitive fashion at the event and immediately became the signature star of the promotion similar to her rise to prominence in the UFC.

Embracing the popular of the "NBA 2K" video game franchise as well as the continued rise of esports, the NBA facilitated a breakthrough merger of the two worlds. Announced in February with play running for two months beginning in May, the NBA 2K League represented a joint venture between the Association and Take-Two Interactive, in which teams of gamers are sponsored by NBA franchises and compete for a league championship. Meanwhile, games are streamed online for viewers to further extend the breakthrough endeavor’s reach.

After over a century of keeping the worlds of sports and gambling as separate as possible, the U.S. Supreme Court changed course in a monumental fashion in the spring when the justices voted 6-3 to overturn limiting laws of interaction between the two worlds. In the wake of the expansion of wagering laws, the NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball have all agreed to lucrative sponsorship deals with various casinos and resorts to host their products.

The inevitable path of the Houston Rockets and Golden Warriors finally came to a head, when the two top teams in the West faced off the Conference Finals. The series went a full seven games, with the Rockets hosting the decisive game on their home court. However, with Chris Paul sidelined due to injury, the Rockets were unable to hold off the defending champs, missing 27 three-pointers. The Warriors came back from an 11-point halftime lead to claim a fourth consecutive Western Conference title.

Game 1 of the NBA Finals witnessed one of the costliest mishaps of the year. Losing track of the score of the game, which was tied, Cavs guard J.R. Smith grabbed a rebound off a missed George Hill free throw. Instead of putting up an easy shot, Smith dribbled away from the rim and ran the clock down, sending the game to overtime. With a second chance at life, the Warriors outscored Cleveland, 17-7, in overtime and won the game en route to sweeping the series.

Although the Golden Knights reached the Stanley Cup Finals as the feel-good underdog story of the year, destiny instead favored Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. After years of coming up on the short end of breaking through to the Finals, the Caps did just that and did not waste the opportunity. Ovechkin posted five points and scored in three of five games en route to a Conn Smythe Trophy, as the Caps won their first title in franchise history, four games to one.

Although it had been just three years since American Pharoah broke the 37-year drought of having a horse racing Triple Crown winner, Justify completing the loop was no less impressive. The Colt went 6-0 on the year, becoming only the second horse in history to complete the Triple Crown while going undefeated on the year. But perhaps this should come as no surprise: Justify can count six former Triple Crown winners among his descendants, including Seattle Slew and the legendary Secretariat.

As dependable an entrant into the World Cup as any in the world, it had been since 1938 that Germany failed to advance from the group round of the World Cup. But despite entering Cup play as the defending champions, the Germans were stunningly ousted in the first round following a 2-0 loss to South Korea. It marked the fourth time in the past five World Cup competitions the defending champs fell in the group stage.

After over a year of rumors associating the two, LeBron joining the Los Angeles Lakers became a reality. Basketball’s definitive superstar signed a four-year, $154 million deal to head to Hollywood, a move that kicked off a string of debates regarding who would follow him westward. Regardless of how the move turns out in the long term for both player and team, the spotlight of James has again made the Lakers must-see TV and the most discussed team of the NBA.

Cormier answered all — well most — questions about who the best heavyweight fighter in mixed-martial arts is via a definitive knockout of Stipe Miocic in July. The victory made Cormier the dual holder of the heavyweight and light heavyweight UFC titles, the second multidivision champion in the promotion’s history. However, an intriguing challenger threw his hat into the ring immediately following the victory, as former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar confronted Cormier following his postfight interview after Cormier called him out.

In a year where he won a fifth Ballon d’Or award and led Real Madrid to a third consecutive Champions League title, Ronaldo made waves yet again, announcing his departure from the club. Shortly thereafter, he signed the highest-ever transfer fee ($131 million) for a player over 30 when he joined Juventus. Ronaldo immediately impacted his new club, scoring in his first game and becoming the first player in 61 years to score in 10 of his first 14 matches for Juventus.

For the first time in 20 years and the second time in history, Les Blues came away as the top football nation in the world. Led by Antoine Griezmann and teen prodigy Kylian Mbappe, the French won the World Cup, going 6-0-1 and defeating Croatia 4-2 in the final. An estimated 90,000 of French countrymen and women gathered at the Eiffel Tower to watch and celebrate the victory.

After a quiet few years, the Ohio State football program found itself embroiled in scandal yet again. This time head coach Urban Meyer was at the center of affairs, as he was found to be complicit in knowledge of spousal abuse allegations by a member of his staff, Zack Smith, whom he declined to report, investigate or discipline. Ultimately, Smith was terminated and Meyer suspended for the first three games of the season. Meyer announced his retirement following the season, citing health issues.

In his third appearance on the Pro Football Hall of Fame ballot, Terrell Owens' name was finally called for induction. But the six-time Pro Bowler, who had long taken exception to contemporaries at his position (namely Marvin Harrison) being elected before him, decided to protest by not attending the induction ceremony in Canton. Instead, he opted for a simultaneous ceremony at his alma mater, the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga. The decision sparked a controversy regarding if Owens should be recognized during the Hall of Fame ceremonies at all, which he was not.

With Floyd Mayweather away from the sport, the rematch of the previous year’s draw between Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin was the main event of the year for boxing. Alvarez emerged victorious in another tightly contested rematch, with Alvarez getting the favor of a 115-113 card for one judge, while two others had it even again at 114-114. With the win, Canelo improved to 50-1-2 in his career and was declared the unified middleweight champion of the world.

Nike caused a palatable buzz when it released an ad bearing the image of controversial former NFLer, Colin Kaepernick. The black-and-white ad with the message, "Believe in something, even if it means sacrificing everything" immediately polarized the public, drawing applause from Kaepernick’s supporters while inducing strong protest from his detractors. Shortly after the ad’s release, the brand announced a signature apparel line for Kaepernick and premiered a commercial at halftime of "Sunday Night Football" starring the disenfranchised quarterback.

After initially playing it slow with their top overall pick, an injury to incumbent starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor sent Mayfield into action for the Browns underneath spotlight of "Thursday Night Football." He did not disappoint, throwing for 201 yards and catching a touchdown thus ending the 635-day losing skid for the Browns. Cleveland never looked back either, with Mayfield being named permanent starter shortly afterward.

During the second set of the women’s final at the US Open, the wheels fell off quickly as Serena Williams and referee Carlos Ramos got into a heated exchange. Ramos handed Williams three violations for a coaching warning, unsportsmanlike conduct and ultimately verbal abuse, when Williams called him a "thief." Ultimately Naomi Osaka emerged victorious, but the most resounding moment would be Williams’, when she made claim of Ramos being sexist in the way he handled the discourse with her regarding his rulings.

Arguably, there was no more unifying moment than Tiger Woods' pursuit of victory at the Tour Championship. Although Justin Thomas capped the event as winner of the FedEx Cup as the year’s money leader, it was Woods' first win in over four years that provided the most excitement the sport has witnessed in years. The gallery followed Woods every step as he completed his 23-under-par win, with thousands in the gallery stalking him along the 17^th and 18^th holes to share in his victorious moment.

A September Sports Illustrated article highlighted the issues in depth, prompting the NBA to intervene and force sweeping changes in the Mavericks internal workings. When the dust settled, it landed at the feet of owner Mark Cuban, whose startling lack of institutional control shamed him and the entire organization alike. Ultimately, Cuban donated $10 million toward organizations that promote women’s leadership roles and domestic violence, but it far from erased the irreversible issues of the past.

After a year away from competition in 2017, Biles returned to U.S. National Team in March and picked up right where she left off. She claimed a record fifth all-around National Championship in August, before claiming World Championship all-around honors in October. She became the U.S. competitor to ever medal on every event at the World Championships and capped it by becoming the first female competitor ever to pull off the complex Cheng vault with an extra twist.

Conor McGregor returned to the UFC for the first time in over a year to face the man who replaced him as lightweight champion during his hiatus, Khabib Nurmagomedov. After a backstage attack led by McGregor earlier in the year led to an incredibly personal build to the event, Nurmagomedov dominated McGregor in the main event, whom he forced to submit in the fourth round. Pandemonium broke out shortly after the bout ended, as Khabib jumped out of the cage and attacked McGregor’s camp in rebuttal for events of the past year. Meanwhile McGregor was attacked by Nurmagomedov’s team in the ring, causing for fight purses to be suspended and a trial before the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

After modest beginnings, Game 3 of the World Series became one for the record books, lasting 18 innings until a Max Muncy walk-off home run ended things at after 4 a.m. eastern time. All in all, 18 total pitchers were used, with Nathan Eovaldi throwing 97 pitches over a six-inning RELIEF appearance. Overall, the game stretched a World Series-record seven hours and 20 minutes. To put things in perspective, there were entire World Series, in full, that lasted a shorter time than this single game did.

Just weeks after breaking Brett Favre’s record for most career completions, Drew Brees passed Favre again in pursuit of an even more prestigious mark. On Monday, Oct. 8, Brees passed both Favre and Peyton Manning on the NFL’s all-time passing yardage list, connecting on a 62-yard touchdown pass late in the second quarter that moved him ahead of Manning’s record 71,940 career yards. To put that into perspective, Brees has thrown a football over 40 miles in his career — which equates to 704 football fields.

Just hours before Brees celebrated becoming the NFL’s new passing king, tragedy struck the professional wrestling world. WWE universal champion Roman Reigns (whose government name is Joe Anoa’i) announced he would have to step away from competition, as a longtime battle with leukemia had resumed. The solemn event stood as a stark intervention of the harshness of reality in a world where it is encouraged to suspend belief on a weekly basis.

Nineteen years after being convicted of conspiring in the murder of his pregnant girlfriend, former Carolina Panthers wide receiver Rae Carruth was released from jail on Oct. 22. The infamous former NFLer did not speak to the media upon leaving North Carolina’s Sampson Correctional Institution.

When history looks back at this era in Formula One racing, 2018 will be the season that sealed this era as belonging to Lewis Hamilton. The British driver secured his second consecutive and fifth overall F1 title. He won 11 of the 21 races he entered en route to a record 408-point season. What’s most remarkable perhaps is that Hamilton reached the podium in all but four races on the year.

After a tense two years of contract back-and-forth battling between himself and the Pittsburgh Steelers, Le’Veon Bell decided enough is enough. Watching several teams pay their stars record sums over the offseason, only to still be without a long-term contract, Bell refused to sign the franchise tag for a second consecutive season, opting to extend his holdout into the regular season. With missing the first nine games of the season and still refusing to report by the NFL’s Nov. 13 deadline, Bell officially made himself ineligible to play for the year.

A showdown between the NFL’s two biggest offensive juggernauts on "Monday Night Football" did not disappoint, as the Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs rewrote the NFL’s offensive record books. The 54-51 final was the first time in history two teams topped the 50-point barrier and accounted for the third-most points in NFL history. Tyreek Hill topped 200 receiving yards, while Jared Goff and Patrick Mahomes totaled 891 passing yards and 10 touchdowns in the air.

After leading the NFL in rushing as a rookie, Kareem Hunt’s sophomore year took a decidedly darker turn. On Nov. 30, TMZ released a video of Hunt getting into an altercation in a hotel lobby, before ultimately kicking a woman. In the course of a few hours, Hunt was suspended by the NFL and subsequently released by the Kansas City Chiefs. He went unclaimed on league-wide waivers a few days later.