The stadiums and arenas where fans go to escape were invaded like never before this year as the reality of racism, domestic violence and equality turned the Fields of Dreams into gloomy landscapes.
LeBron James’s homecoming, a Super Bowl blowout, a throwback World Series pitching performance and a Stanley Cup comeback for the ages all provided enough drama, suspense and awe to keep the turnstiles twirling and television ratings soaring.
However, the cheers were occasionally drowned out by outrage over domestic abuse and chants of “Hands Up Don’t Shoot” as fans and athletes joined protests over the shooting death of an unarmed black teenager by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri.
Internationally, there was plenty of glory for North America as the US won 28 medals at the Sochi Games and claimed the world basketball crown, while Canada enjoyed a sweep of the Olympic ice hockey gold medals.
However, there was less to be proud of on the US homefront as the ever-present undercurrent of racism surfaced, forcing National Basketball Association commissioner Adam Silver to come down hard on then-Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling.
With players on the brink of revolt and sponsors ready to flee, Sterling was run out of the league, both cashing in and paying the price for his racist rant, loathed and humiliated, but US$2 billion richer after a forced sale of his team to Microsoft co-founder Steve Ballmer.
James, the face of NBA, grabbed headlines when he turned his back on the glitz of Miami for the grit of Cleveland, the city he famously jilted four years early in free agency.
After winning two NBA titles with the Heat, but being humbled in last season’s final by the San Antonio Spurs, James returned to the Cavaliers determined to deliver the championship he failed to in his first stint with the team.
The NFL took as many hits off the field as on it, but the controversies could not dent the league’s immense popularity.
Commissioner Roger Goodell was widely criticized for fumbling domestic violence cases, most notably one involving a video showing former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice punching his then-fiance in an elevator.
Concussions remained a major concern in the NFL while the league prepared to welcome its first openly gay player. However, Michael Sam’s groundbreaking bid fizzled when he was dropped by the St Louis Rams and then the Dallas Cowboys, leaving his playing future in limbo.
On the field, the Seattle Seahawks thumped the Denver Broncos 43-8 in the first cold weather Super Bowl played outdoors in New Jersey.
With a labor dispute behind it, the NHL entered the year in spectacular style by attracting a record crowd of 105,000 to Michigan Stadium for a game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings.
The Los Angeles Kings grabbed the NHL spotlight by winning their second Stanley Cup in three seasons after a remarkable playoff run that included a rally from a 3-0 series deficit in the opening round.
After 20 seasons, New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter exited the MLB stage in grand style by slamming the winning hit in a 6-5 victory over the Baltimore Orioles in his final game at Yankee Stadium.
A few weeks later, fans found a new star, as San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner earned his spot in the pantheon of baseball greats by earning two wins in the World Series and a five-inning save in the decisive seventh game to give his team their third championship in five years.
If the Wild finally break through and win their first playoff series in a decade, Minnesota’s top line likely will be the reason. They were all over the Golden Knights through the first two games of their NHL Western Conference quarter-finals series, which was 1-1 going back to Minnesota for Game 3 today. The Wild tied the series with a 5-2 win on Tuesday. Matt Boldy had three goals and an assist in the first two games, while Kirill Kaprizov produced two goals and three assists. Joel Eriksson Ek, who centers the line, has yet to get on the scoresheet. “I think the biggest
From a commemorative jersey to a stadium in his name, Argentine soccer organizers are planning a slew of tributes to their late “Captain” Pope Francis, eulogized as the ultimate team player. Tributes to the Argentine pontiff, a lifelong lover of the game, who died on Monday at the age of 88, have been peppered with soccer metaphors in his homeland. “Francisco. What a player,” the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) said, describing the first pope from Latin America and the southern hemisphere as a generational talent who “never hogged the ball” and who showed the world “the importance of having an Argentine captain,
Noelvi Marte on Sunday had seven RBIs and hit his first career grand slam with a drive off infielder Jorge Mateo, while Austin Wynn had a career-high six RBIs as the Cincinnati Reds scored their most runs in 26 years in a 24-2 rout of the Baltimore Orioles. Marte finished with five hits, including his eighth-inning homer off Mateo. Wynn hit a three-run homer in the ninth off catcher Gary Sanchez. Cincinnati scored its most runs since a 24-12 win against the Colorado Rockies on May 19, 1999, and finished with 25 hits. Baltimore allowed its most runs since a 30-3 loss to
Arne Slot has denied that Darwin Nunez was dropped from Liverpool’s win against West Ham because of a training-ground row with a member of his coaching staff. The Liverpool head coach on Sunday last week said that Nunez was absent from the 2-1 victory at Anfield, having felt unwell during training the day before, although the striker sat behind the substitutes throughout the game. Speculation has been rife that the Uruguay international, whom Slot criticized for his work rate against Wolves and Aston Villa in February, was left out for disciplinary reasons. Asked on Friday to clarify the situation, Slot said: “He
RSS