As 2024 involves an in depth, now could be pretty much as good a time as ever to mirror upon the final 12 months in sports activities. Between the Olympics, a back-to-back Super Bowl champion, an unforgettable rookie season and far more, we cannot quickly overlook the most important sports activities tales from this previous yr.
Early within the yr, the Kansas City Chiefs cemented their place on this checklist by changing into simply the eighth workforce all-time to win back-to-back Super Bowl titles. The indisputable fact that it got here in such dramatic style, profitable simply the second extra time recreation in Super Bowl historical past, made it much more memorable.
In the summer season, the world received collectively in Paris to compete within the 2024 Olympics. The United States fared properly and produced some inspiring performances with none higher than Simone Biles finishing her comeback to win all-round gold in gymnastics. Everywhere from the monitor to the basketball court docket, the U.S. managed to make worldwide headlines.
Even in a summer season that contained a deluge of Olympic moments, Caitlin Clark dominated the entrance web page of stories retailers in every single place whereas the WNBA continued its explosion of recognition. Clark led an thrilling rookie class into the league and followers responded by flocking to girls’s basketball recreation in file numbers.
While these tales had been among the many very largest from 2024, there have been nonetheless loads extra. Shohei Ohtani had an eventful first season in a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform, the Boston Celtics raised their 18th banner and LeBron James grew to become one-half of the primary father-son duo to play collectively within the NBA.
Without any additional ado, let’s soar into the 24 most impactful sports activities tales of 2024.
24. Geno Auriemma takes wins file
Geno Auriemma already had the resume to make a case for himself as the best school basketball coach of all-time, however now he has the win complete to show it. Just final month, Auriemma notched his 1,217th profession victory to change into the winningest basketball coach within the historical past of Division I basketball.
Auriemma received that historic win with an 85-41 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson, and it propelled him previous longtime Stanford coach Tara VanDerveer. Since taking on at UConn in 1985, Auriemma has turned this system right into a perennial powerhouse. In addition to his freshly damaged all-time wins file, listed here are a couple of extra eye-popping numbers from his tenure.
- 111 straight wins from 2014-2017
- 29 regular-season convention championships
- 28 convention event titles
- 11 nationwide championships
- 8 Naismith Coach of the Year awards
Auriemma will solely proceed including to his win complete — and presumably extra — all through the 2024-25 season, and past. Led by celebrity Paige Bueckers, the Huskies are the No. 4 workforce in America with their sights set on one other banner. And final summer season the 70-year-old coach signed a five-year extension. Good luck attempting to catch him.
23. Cody Rhodes wins undisputed WWE title at Wrestlemania XL
The match for the Undisputed WWE Universal title was a real spectacle that delivered on a number of fronts. It accomplished a comeback arc that started years in the past, and it featured a number of the largest names from the WWE’s previous and current.
The title match started merely, with Cody Rhodes and defending champion Roman Reigns squaring off within the ring, however it definitely did not finish that means. The chaos started with Reigns getting assist from the likes of Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa and ended with superstars like John Cena and Seth Rollins lending Rhodes a hand.
One of the most important pops of the evening got here when The Rock entered the ring one evening after his first match in 11 years. The Rock was even choke-slammed in a quick cameo look by The Undertaker.
The match ended with Rhodes hitting a trio of Cross Rhodes on Reigns to get a three-count and the win. That victory for Rhodes was particular on various ranges. For starters, it accomplished a narrative arc that started in 2022, when he returned to the WWE after serving to construct AEW. On prime of that, Rhodes was capable of earn the title that eluded his father, Dusty Rhodes, all through his wrestling profession.
22. Athletics, Coyotes discover new properties
This yr, two totally different Big Four franchises introduced relocation. The Oakland A’s, led by proprietor John Fisher, revealed plans to maneuver to Las Vegas by way of Sacramento. The different workforce, the Arizona Coyotes, had been offered and moved to Salt Lake City after years of turmoil within the Phoenix space.
The A’s formally introduced their relocation plans after rejecting a five-year lease to stay on the Oakland Coliseum. After 56 years in Oakland, the workforce performed its last recreation within the Bay Area on Sept. 26, a 3-2 win towards the Texas Rangers that wrapped up with many tears within the stands and on the sphere because the workforce stated goodbye. That recreation marked the tip of major-league sports activities in Oakland, with the Warriors leaving for San Francisco in 2019 and the Raiders heading for Sin City in early 2020.
As a part of their transfer, the A’s will play in Sutter Health Park, which holds roughly 14,000 followers, from 2025-27 whereas their new Las Vegas stadium is constructed. Their future residence shall be constructed on the previous website of the Tropicana on line casino. Once the transfer is full, it would mark the fourth major-league sports activities workforce in Las Vegas with the NFL, NHL and WNBA already there.
The Coyotes’ transfer was one which had been within the works for some time. Former proprietor Alex Meruelo didn’t get approval for a everlasting residence in Phoenix, Tempe or Tucson, and the workforce had spent two seasons sharing an enviornment with Arizona State’s hockey workforce.
The Coyotes’ time in Arizona was marred by instability and monetary troubles, however the franchise received a recent begin when Utah Jazz proprietor Ryan Smith stepped in to purchase the workforce. Smith moved the workforce to Salt Lake City and renamed it the Utah Hockey Club, with everlasting title but to be introduced.
The Coyotes had been the primary NHL workforce to relocate because the Atlanta Thrashers moved as much as Winnipeg in 2011, and the A’s are the primary MLB workforce to relocate because the Montreal Expos moved to Washington, D.C. in 2004.
21. Jake Paul defeats Mike Tyson
Perhaps the most important fight spectacle of the yr was the boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul. The legendary boxer and the social media-star-turned boxer squared off in entrance of an enormous crowd at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, however the combat went the way in which you’ll count on when one of many combatants is nearer to 60 than 40.
Those hoping to see some model of prime Tyson, even a diminished model, had been disillusioned. It has been 19 years since Tyson’s final skilled bout, and it confirmed. (Some even questioned the bout’s legitimacy.)
Paul, 31 years youthful than the 58-year-old Tyson, merely had extra gasoline within the tank. The combat did go all eight rounds, however it largely consisted of Paul working round Tyson and touchdown jabs whereas the growing older legend struggled to maintain up. In the tip, Paul received by unanimous determination as Tyson merely wasn’t capable of land any devastating blows on his a lot youthful opponent, touchdown 18 punches by your complete combat.
After his victory, Paul tipped his cap to Tyson, referring to him because the “G.O.A.T.,” however what’s the subsequent step for Paul is in his boxing profession? Will he attempt to combat extra lively boxers and work his strategy to a world title? As for Tyson, he prompt his time within the ring is probably not over, however it stays to be seen whether or not he’ll get one other bout on the books.
20. U.S. basketball groups take down France to win gold
The United States had a superb exhibiting on the Paris Games, and the basketball groups had been no exception. The women and men each flexed some muscle towards the remainder of the world on the court docket, they usually each earned the gold-medal with hard-fought video games towards the host nation.
In the preliminary spherical, the boys rolled to a 3-0 file with out a lot resistance, posting a plus-64 level differential within the course of. The first knockout spherical recreation towards Brazil wasn’t very aggressive both because the Americans erupted for a 122-87 win. The remainder of the event was somewhat harder. In the semifinal, Nikola Jokic and Serbia led the U.S. by 11 factors at halftime. That’s when Steph Curry stepped up and hit some massive pictures to ignite a comeback. He completed the sport with 36 factors and shot 64.3% from past the 3-point line.
In the gold medal recreation towards France, Curry got here up clutch once more. In the ultimate three minutes, Curry knocked down 4 3-point makes an attempt to place France to sleep and ship a gold medal in his first Olympic look.
Similarly, the ladies cruised by spherical robin play, however they did not actually get pushed till the ultimate. Like the boys, the ladies confronted the host nation, and France gave them every thing they may deal with. That recreation was a back-and-forth affair all through because the U.S. struggled to hit pictures, particularly from deep. An American squad that didn’t have Caitlin Clark was capable of intestine out a win because of late free throws from Kelsey Plum and Kaleah Copper — and somewhat luck. France’s Gabby Williams thought she tied the sport with a 3-pointer as time expired, however her foot was on the road, giving Team USA a 67-66 win.
19. JJ Redick goes from podcast host to Lakers coach
Following a 15-year profession within the NBA, which included 4,704 profession 3-pointers, JJ Redick went into media and launched the excessive profitable podcast, “The Old Man and the Three.” It appeared like Redick was destined to be a rockstar within the basketball media world, after which the Los Angeles Lakers got here calling.
The Lakers fired former coach Darvin Ham in May, and the workforce went by a training search that prolonged far and vast. One of the locations the Lakers regarded was Redick’s podcast studio. On June 20, after getting turned down by UConn coach Dan Hurley, the Lakers employed Redick to be the twenty ninth coach in franchise historical past.
Redick’s hiring was considerably controversial as a result of, whereas he had loads of enjoying expertise on the NBA stage, he’d by no means spent any time teaching on the collegiate or professional ranges. That meant Redick could be compelled to be taught on the job whereas attempting to get essentially the most out of roster that features superstars like LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Through his first 26 video games as coach, Redick has skilled blended outcomes. The Lakers are 14-12, which initiatives out to have them within the combine for a spot in Western Conference play-in event.
18. U.S. Track and Field leaves competitors within the mud
The United States had an excellent exhibiting in monitor and discipline on the 2024 Paris Olympics, piling up medals and making some historical past within the course of. The headliners had been sprinters Noah Lyles being topped the quickest man on the earth by profitable a photograph end within the males’s 100m occasion, and a redemption of kinds for Sha’Carri Richardson, who earned two medals, together with gold within the 4x100m relay.
Lyles did not get off to the very best of begins within the 100 meters, however he closed the hole at a fast tempo and beat Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson by a nostril. That wasn’t the one medal Lyles received in Paris. He took residence bronze within the 200 meters, which is normally his specialty, however the world-class sprinter had been coping with COVID-19 previous to the race and was administered oxygen and rolled off in a wheelchair after the race.
While Lyles had some notable performances, the remainder of the Track and Field workforce had been equally sensible. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone set a world file within the girls’s 400m hurdles. The males’s and ladies’s 4x400m relay groups each took residence gold with the ladies actually working means from the remainder of the world.
In the ten,000m race, Grant Fisher grew to become simply the second American within the final 56 years to medal within the occasion, profitable bronze by simply 0.33 seconds.
In complete, the United States received 34 monitor and discipline medals in Paris. That was greater than 3 times the second-place nation, Kenya (11). Seven of these medals had been gold, and no different nation received greater than two.
17. Travis Hunter wins Heisman Trophy as two-way participant
For simply the second time in school soccer historical past — and the primary since Charles Woodson in 1997 — a defensive participant received the Heisman Trophy when Travis Hunter took residence the award. Hunter, a two-way participant, did every thing for Colorado whereas placing collectively a season for the ages.
As a cornerback, Hunter made opposing quarterbacks assume twice about throwing his means this fall. His 11 passes defended led the Big 12, and he recorded 4 interceptions. On offense, Hunter additionally led the convention with 92 receptions and 14 receiving touchdowns, and his 1,152 receiving yards ranked third within the Big 12.
The most spectacular a part of Hunter’s marketing campaign, and what might need put him excessive, is that he managed to play at such a excessive stage regardless of the bodily toll it took. Hunter performed 1,487 snaps, way over the opposite Heisman Trophy finalists. Just making it by a full season, not to mention enjoying at a Heisman-caliber stage, was a testomony to Hunter’s health and athletic means. (And it was additionally revealed that he poured a few of his endorsement a reimbursement into the NIL collective in order that different teammates may gain advantage.)
The No. 1 total participant within the 2022 signing class, per 247Sports, is now anticipated to declare for the 2025 NFL Draft. Following a extremely productive school profession on each side of the ball, Hunter is anticipated to be one of many first gamers off the board, and two of our CBS Sports consultants have him going to the New England Patriots at No. 3 total within the newest mock draft.
16. USWNT redeems itself with gold at 2024 Olympics
Coming off a Round of 16 exit on the 2023 Women’s World Cup, the USWNT wanted a superb exhibiting on the Paris Olympics. In the face of all that strain, the U.S. girls completed the event atop the rostrum.
The USWNT rolled by the group stage, going 3-0-0 and posting a plus-7 aim differential within the course of. However, issues received somewhat extra tense within the knockout stage. The quarterfinal recreation towards Japan and the semifinal recreation towards Germany each went to further time, however the USWNT got here up with clutch targets.
Trinity Rodman scored the game-winner within the a hundred and fifth minute towards Japan, and Sophia Smith tallied the deciding aim within the ninety fifth minute towards Germany.
The gold medal match towards Brazil was simply as shut, with the groups locked at 0-0 by 56 minutes. Then, within the 57th minute, Mallory Swanson received behind the Brazilians and positioned a shot into the lower-right nook to get the sport’s solely aim.
From there, the USWNT was capable of fend off Brazil’s efforts to stage the match, and it captured its first aim medial in 12 years. After an embarrassing exit on the World Cup, the USWNT discovered redemption on the worldwide stage simply months later.
15. Panthers win Stanley Cup in return to Final
The Florida Panthers had been agonizingly near lifting the Stanley Cup in 2023, however they ran out of gasoline and wholesome our bodies, shedding to the Vegas Golden Knights in 5 video games. One yr later, the Panthers received their first Stanley Cup as they held off a dramatic comeback by the Edmonton Oilers within the Stanley Cup Final.
The Panthers received the primary three video games, holding the Oilers’ offense to only 4 targets because of excellent workforce protection and stellar goaltending from Sergei Bobrovsky, who boasted a .953 save share in these contests.
Backed right into a nook, Connor McDavid and the Oilers fought again to win three straight video games, outscoring the Panthers 18-5 in that span. Edmonton was seeking to change into simply the fourth workforce in NHL historical past to win a collection after falling behind 3-0 and the second to do it in a Stanley Cup Final.
In Game 7, the groups exchanged targets within the first interval, however Sam Reinhart broke the tie within the second interval. His tally proved to be the game-winner as Florida would maintain off Edmonton for the ultimate 24:49 of recreation time.
The most spectacular a part of Florida’s victory was its balanced assault. Evan Rodrigues had 4 targets within the last, and 4 extra Panthers had two. Anton Lundell notched 5 assists, an indication of issues to come back in 2024-25.
While he fell wanting hockey’s final prize, McDavid nonetheless had a historic postseason. His 34 assists had been most all-time in a single playoff run. His 42 factors had been fourth all-time, behind simply Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux. Because of that, McDavid grew to become the sixth participant ever to win the Conn Smythe as playoff MVP whereas not being on the workforce that received the Stanley Cup.
14. Liberty win first WNBA title in thrilling collection vs. Lynx
The New York Liberty had been on a revenge tour in 2024, they usually ended it with the primary WNBA title in franchise historical past. After ending the common season atop the standings, the Liberty rolled by the primary couple rounds earlier than assembly the Minnesota Lynx for an epic WNBA Finals.
In Game 1, the Lynx drew first blood in The Big Apple. Napheesa Collier knocked down a soar shot with 8.1 seconds left in extra time to ship a win for Minnesota, however New York responded with back-to-back wins in Games 2 and three.
Breanna Stewart totaled 51 factors in these two contests as she put the Liberty on her again to present them a 2-1 collection lead.
Game 4 was one other back-and-forth battle for all 4 quarters, however the Lynx had been capable of hold their season alive with a pair of free throws from Bridget Carleton to present them an 82-80 victory. Kayla McBride knocked down three of her six 3-point makes an attempt and led the workforce with 19 factors.
The fifth and deciding recreation was a slugfest that went to extra time. The Lynx did a wonderful job of limiting Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu, holding them to 18 mixed factors on 5 of 34 from the sphere. That defensive effort was for naught as Jonquel Jones and Leonie Fiebich picked up the slack.
Defensively, the Liberty had been excellent, permitting simply two factors in extra time for a 67-62 win. Jones took residence the WNBA Finals MVP after averaging 17.8 factors and seven.6 rebounds per recreation.
That Game 5 win for the Liberty capped off an thrilling WNBA Playoffs that displayed the rising recognition of the game. Postseason video games averaged 1.1 million viewers, which was a 139% improve over the 2023 playoffs.
13. Alabama disregarded of first 12-team College Football Playoff
College soccer continued to evolve this yr, and the most important change got here within the postseason. The College Football Playoff expanded to 12 groups, and the brand new format created some intense debate down the stretch within the common season.
Perhaps essentially the most fascinating facet of the expanded discipline was the battle for the final playoff spot, which basically got here right down to Alabama (9-3) and SMU (11-2). The Crimson Tide’s resume had some spectacular wins, together with an exciting victory over No. 2 Georgia and a blowout of LSU in Death Valley. However, Alabama additionally suffered two brutal losses, one to Vanderbilt and one other one to Oklahoma.
The Mustangs did not have Alabama’s energy of schedule, however the devastating losses weren’t there. SMU’s two losses, which had been towards BYU and Clemson, got here by a mixed six factors. The second of these two losses was within the ACC Championship Game, which was determined by a last-second discipline aim.
When it got here time for the choice committee to make its last determination, SMU received the nod over Alabama, and the Tide had been disregarded of the sphere for simply the third time.
The first 12-team discipline was as follows:
1. Oregon
2. Georgia
3. Boise State
4. Arizona State
5. Texas
6. Penn State
7. Notre Dame
8. Ohio State
9. Tennessee
11. SMU
12. Clemson
The different notable change to the playoff format is that followers will get to see on-campus playoff video games this weekend. Texas will host Clemson, Penn State will host SMU, Notre Dame will host Indiana and Ohio State will host Tennessee. Those ought to present raucous atmospheres and convey a brand new vitality to the school soccer postseason.
12. Juan Soto indicators file contract with Mets
Juan Soto was the most popular title on the MLB free agent market this offseason, and he parlayed that right into a historic contract with the New York Mets. Soto agreed to a 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets, which is the richest deal in baseball historical past.
Shohei Ohtani’s mammoth $700 million cope with the Los Angeles Dodgers held the file for all of 1 yr earlier than Soto’s signing. It’s not exhausting to see why Soto, 26, commanded such an eye-popping price ticket on the open market. He’s already put collectively a prolonged checklist of accolades and accomplishments at a younger age.
- 5 Silver Slugger Awards
- 4-time MLB All-Star
- 3-time All-MLB First Team
- 2020 NL Batting title
- World Series champion
Making this even sweeter for the Mets is the truth that they poached Soto from the New York Yankees after he smashed 41 residence runs and racked up 109 RBI for his lone season in pinstripes. Soto solely received higher within the postseason, hitting .327 with 4 homers and 9 RBI whereas main the Yankees to the World Series.
Heading into 2025, the Mets shall be one of many favorites to win the World Series after reaching the NLCS final fall. It shall be a really enjoyable summer season for baseball in New York.
11. LeBron, Bronny James take the court docket as teammates
LeBron James has performed so much in his NBA profession, however he achieved a primary in his twenty second NBA season. On opening evening, James and his son, Bronny James, made historical past as the primary father-son duo to play in a recreation collectively.
Coming out of USC, Bronny was the No. 55 total decide in final summer season’s draft, and he did not have to attend lengthy to take the court docket together with his dad. During the second quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers’ season-opener towards the Minnesota Timberwolves, Bronny checked in and made NBA historical past together with his father.
LeBron at all times stated he needed to play lengthy sufficient to play together with his son, and he received that chance on Oct. 22. Once that second occurred, LeBron and Bronny posed for photos with Ken Griffey — Jr. and Sr.
Bronny did not stay within the recreation, a 110-103 win, for very lengthy. He performed three minutes and didn’t register some extent, however LeBron notched 16 factors to associate with 5 rebounds and 4 assists in 25 minutes of enjoying time.
Since that debut, Bronny has cut up time between the NBA and G League. He logged his first factors with the Lakers in a loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Oct. 30.
10. UConn goes back-to-back in March Madness
For the primary time since Florida received consecutive titles in 2006 and 2007, the NCAA Tournament noticed a back-to-back champion when UConn lower down the nets in Glendale, Arizona. The Huskies rolled by March Madness, they usually appeared to take action whereas barely breaking a sweat.
UConn entered the NCAA Tournament with a 31-3 file, and it one way or the other discovered a strategy to elevate its recreation much more. The Huskies throttled Stetson, 91-52, within the first spherical. That end result was a poor omen for any workforce unfortunate sufficient to face UConn the remainder of the way in which.
The closest recreation the Huskies performed within the event was a 14-point win over Alabama within the Final Four. UConn’s common margin of victory in March Madness was 23.3 factors, and the workforce’s dominant run ended with a 75-60 win over Purdue within the nationwide championship.
In that nationwide title recreation, Tristen Newton notched 20 factors, seven assists and 5 rebounds. Newton was named the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, averaging 14.5 factors and seven.2 rebounds over the Huskies’ six video games.
UConn coach Dan Hurley returned to pursue a 3rd consecutive nationwide championship in 2024-25, however his future with this system appeared in query for no less than a part of the offseason. That’s as a result of the Los Angeles Lakers tried to lure Hurley away from school basketball, however he selected to stay with the Huskies.
9. Michigan wins first nationwide title in 26 years
Since the 1997 season, when Michigan completed atop the AP Poll, this system had been desperately trying to find its subsequent nationwide championship. Just over 26 years later, the Wolverines lastly broke by with an undefeated 15-0 marketing campaign that culminated with a win over Washington within the nationwide championship.
Following a 3rd straight win over Ohio State and a 3rd straight Big Ten title, the Wolverines squared off towards Alabama within the College Football Playoff semifinal, and it was an immediate traditional. J.J. McCarthy engineered a clutch game-tying drive late within the fourth quarter, which included a important fourth-down conversion, and it ended with a landing move to Roman Wilson with 1:34 remaining in regulation.
In extra time, working again Blake Corum did all of the work, dashing for 25 yards and a landing. On the following Alabama possession, the Wolverines received a goal-line stand for the win.
The National Championship Game was much less thrilling, because of the Michigan protection, which restricted the Huskies’ high-powered offense to 301 complete yards and intercepted Michel Penix Jr. twice. The Wolverines’ offense, alternatively, received no matter it needed on the bottom with 303 dashing yards and 4 touchdowns in a 34-13 win.
All of this was occurring within the fallout from the Connor Stalions scandal, through which the previous Michigan staffer was accused of stealing different groups’ alerts. That saga continued this yr when the NCAA handed down its discover of allegations and Netflix launched a documentary on Stalions.
In the wake of Michigan’s nationwide championship, Jim Harbaugh selected to leap again to the NFL, taking on the Los Angeles Chargers. In his place, Sherrone Moore took over because the Wolverines’ coach and led the workforce to a fourth straight win over Ohio State.
8. Celtics roll by playoffs to seize 18th NBA title
Frankly, the Boston Celtics did every thing they may to make the 2024 NBA Playoffs as boring as attainable. They rolled by all 4 rounds en path to a record-setting 18th NBA championship.
After going 64-18 within the common season and profitable the Eastern Conference by a whopping 14 video games, the Celtics proved they had been actually simply that significantly better than everybody else. Boston went 16-3 within the postseason, together with a sweep of the Indiana Pacers within the Eastern Conference finals, and it by no means allowed a collection to achieve Game 6.
In the NBA Finals, the Celtics dealt with enterprise towards the Dallas Mavericks with relative ease, solely dropping Game 4. In the Game 5 collection clincher, Boston roared out to a 67-46 lead at halftime and slammed the door the remainder of the way in which for a decisive 106-88 victory.
Finally, after seven seasons collectively, the star duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown received their first championship. Brown, whose choice within the 2016 NBA Draft was booed by followers on the time, took residence the Bill Russell Finals MVP Trophy. In addition to averaging 20.8 factors per recreation, Brown was accountable for placing a lid on Luka Doncic.
After 17 years within the NBA, veteran Al Horford was lastly capable of name himself a world champion. His 186 playoff video games with out a ring had been the second-most behind solely Karl Malone.
With the Celtics capable of recover from the playoff hump final season, they’re off and working once more in 2024-25. Boston is 17-4, only one recreation again of the Cleveland Cavaliers for first within the convention, and it appears to be like banner No. 19 may be on the horizon.
7. Shohei Ohtani’s eventful first season with the Dodgers
In his first yr as a Dodger, Shohei Ohtani spent all his time within the limelight, however not at all times for a superb motive. Along the way in which, there was some controversy and one of many biggest feats in baseball historical past.
With Ohtani coming to the Dodgers on a $700 million contract, a lot was anticipated of him, however he hardly received out of the gates earlier than controversy struck. Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani’s then interpreter, was alleged to have stolen virtually $17 million from the MLB celebrity and used it to position unlawful wagers.
Mizuhara would later plead responsible to financial institution and tax fraud fees, and he is presently going through the chance 33 years in jail and a $1.25 million nice.
As that saga was enjoying out, Ohtani was hitting the quilt off the baseball and screaming throughout the bottom paths. That all led to Sept. 19, when Ohtani performed his means into the MLB file books. With a legendary single-game efficiency, Ohtani created the 50-50 membership. The Dodgers’ slugger hit his forty ninth, fiftieth and 51st residence runs of the season whereas additionally stealing his fiftieth and 51st bases.
That historic season sealed one other MVP award, making him simply the twelfth participant ever to win the award 3 times. Ohtani proved he was definitely worth the cruise liner of cash the Dodgers spent on him, and he wasn’t even capable of take mound, which he’ll do in 2025.
6. Scottie Scheffler’s season for the ages
Scottie Scheffler dominated his sport as a lot as every other athlete in 2024, lapping his opponents on the course each weekend. Scheffler was in his personal stratosphere, and he turned in among the finest seasons of all-time together with his unimaginable run spanning from Augusta, Georgia, to Paris.
On the PGA Tour, Scheffler grew to become simply the third golfer since 1983 to win seven occasions. Tiger Woods did it 4 instances, and Vijay Singh did it as soon as. Among these seven had been wins at The Masters, The Players Championship and the Tour Championship. All that profitable resulted in Scheffler incomes $62 million, which was roughly seven instances greater than Jack Nicklaus made in his whole profession.
Not even a temporary jail stint through the PGA Championship may decelerate Scheffler. Shortly after he was launched, Scheffler shot 5-under within the second spherical.
Of course, all these PGA Tour wins do not even embody the rarest gem in Scheffler’s assortment, a gold medal on the 2024 Paris Olympics. Scheffler got here from behind to beat Tommy Fleetwood and stand atop the rostrum, taking pictures a 62 within the last spherical to make it occur.
Scheffler went wire-to-wire because the No. 1 golfer on the earth this yr, however nobody wanted the rating to inform them that. Scheffler merely outclassed everybody else within the sport.
5. Bill Belichick, Nick Saban finish prolific runs
This soccer season has featured a pair of notable absences on the sidelines. That’s as a result of Nick Saban and Bill Belichick took gigs in media after ending their legendary tenures with Alabama and the New England Patriots, respectively.
The Patriots employed Belichick all the way in which again in 1999, and in simply his second yr on the job, they received Super Bowl XXXVI with Tom Brady underneath middle. That was the primary of six Super Bowls that Belichick would win with the Patriots, and Belichick left New England simply 26 wins shy of Don Shula for the all-time file.
Between the Patriots and the Cleveland Browns, Belichick was an NFL head coach for 29 years, which is a sort of longevity hardly ever seen anymore. Like Saban, Belichick’s trophy case is overflowing.
- 302 wins
- 17 division titles
- 9 AFC championships
- 6 Super Bowls
Those questioning whether or not Belichick would take one other teaching job did not have to attend lengthy for his or her reply. North Carolina employed him earlier this month because the NFL legend will enter the ever-changing panorama of recent school soccer. All eyes shall be on Belichick to see if he can construct one other dynasty, this time on the school stage.
Following his seventeenth season at Alabama, Saban selected to retire, ending among the finest tenures in school soccer historical past. In 2007, Saban took over the Crimson Tide at a time when this system was mired in mediocrity. Just two years later, Saban led the workforce to its first nationwide title in 17 years. That kicked off a dynasty in Tuscaloosa, and Saban left because the winningest coach in Alabama historical past with 206 victories underneath his belt.
In complete, Saban spent 28 years as a head coach in school soccer. Throughout that point, he constructed a resume that offers him a robust argument for the best of all-time.
- 292 wins
- 12 convention championships
- 7 nationwide championships
Since Saban went out on his personal phrases, its appears much less seemingly he’ll be rejoining Belichick among the many teaching ranks. I assume everybody can dream of a world through which one other outstanding ACC program makes a change and goes after Saban so we are able to see the 2 teaching giants go head-to-head.
4. Freddie Freeman rises to the event in World Series
The World Series matchup between the Dodgers and Yankees was the most anticipated in current reminiscence, and it delivered some jaw-dropping moments. One of these moments got here in Game 1 when Freddie Freeman delivered a dramatic win for the Dodgers.
In the underside of the tenth inning, the Yankees had been one out away from taking a 1-0 collection lead in Los Angeles. With two runners on, Mookie Betts got here to the plate for the Dodgers, and the Yankees elected to stroll the bases loaded with a view to face Freeman as a substitute. That proved to be a poor determination.
Freeman took the primary pitch he noticed from Nestor Cortes and deposited it into the suitable discipline seats at Dodger Stadium. It was the primary walk-off grand slam in World Series historical past and simply the second all-time within the MLB playoffs.
That hit proved to be a spark for the Dodgers as they received the following two video games and completed off the Yankees in 5 video games to win their eighth World Series title. Freeman went on to win the World Series MVP with a .250 batting common, 4 residence runs and 13 RBI.
Those three video games within the Bronx produced some unforgettable moments, too. A Yankees fan ripped a fly ball out of Mookie Betts’ glove in foul floor, and an inexplicable error by Aaron Judge allowed the Dodgers to come again from down 5-0 in what proved to be a series-clinching Game 5.
3. Simone Biles’ comeback ends with all-round gold medal
Three years after bowing out of the Tokyo Olympics because of the “twisties,” Simone Biles accomplished her comeback in dominant style on the 2024 Paris Olympics. After posting the very best scores within the vault, steadiness beam and flooring train, Biles stood atop the rostrum with a gold medal round her neck.
Biles managed to carry off Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade, who had an excellent Olympic exhibiting in her personal proper, to change into the oldest girl ever to win gold within the all-round on the age of 27. She additionally broke a tie with Shannon Miller, changing into essentially the most embellished feminine gymnast in U.S. Olympic historical past with 11.
The all-round gold wasn’t the one {hardware} Biles received in Paris. She additionally helped the Americans win gold within the workforce occasion, and he or she added one other gold medal within the vault. Biles fell simply wanting a fourth gold medal when Adrade edged her out for gold within the flooring train, however Biles nonetheless received silver in that occasion.
Biles’ comeback story was unimaginable, however it wasn’t the one one on Team USA. In 2023, Suni Lee was identified with a uncommon kidney illness that abruptly ended her sophomore season at Auburn and compelled her to overlook the World Championships. Lee was capable of regain her well being, and in Paris she added a gold medal and two bronze medals to her trophy case.
2. Caitlin Clark takes WNBA by storm in rookie season
Few athletes have entered skilled sports activities with extra expectations on their shoulders than Caitlin Clark in her rookie season with the Indiana Fever. Clark not solely delivered on these expectations, however she might need exceeded them.
Clark was thought-about a generational prospect after a dominant school profession at Iowa, and he or she was on the forefront of an thrilling rookie class within the 2024 WNBA Draft. With all eyes on her, Clark started her assault on the WNBA file books virtually instantly.
Not solely did Clark rewrite a number of rookie information, however she additionally reset the bar for all gamers in a few classes.
- Points (rookie): 769
- 3-pointers (rookie): 122
- Assists (single-season): 337
- Assists (single-game): 19
In the method of smashing these information, Clark took a Fever workforce that went 13-27 the earlier yr and turned it right into a playoff workforce at 20-20. The Fever bowed out towards the Connecticut Sun within the first spherical, however it was the franchise’s first playoff look since 2017. (And, yeah, spoiler alert, she was the league’s Rookie of the Year.)
Perhaps essentially the most spectacular a part of Clark’s rookie season was the quantity of eyeballs she drew to girls’s basketball.
The Fever’s street recreation towards the Washington Mystics at Capital One Arena on Sept. 19 set a WNBA attendance file at 20,711. That was certainly one of three Fever video games with an attendance over 20,000. The Fever’s attendance numbers had been up 318% from the earlier season, they usually averaged 17,036 followers per recreation.
Clark made her mark in additional methods than one, and now we’ll need to see what sort of encore she has in retailer for 2025.
1. Kansas City Chiefs repeat as Super Bowl champions
When Patrick Mahomes discovered a wide-open Mecole Hardman in the long run zone to win Super Bowl LVIII in extra time, it capped off a completely spectacular postseason run for the Kansas City Chiefs. It additionally made the Chiefs the primary back-to-back Super Bowl winners in 20 years.
It’s straightforward to look again now and say the Chiefs are merely inevitable, however that wasn’t essentially the case at first of the postseason. Kansas City went 5-5 in its final 10 regular-season video games, and it missed out on a top-two seed within the AFC. That meant the street to the Super Bowl did not run by Arrowhead Stadium for the primary time in Mahomes’ profession.
Before the Chiefs may even take into consideration celebrating in Las Vegas, they needed to make journeys to Buffalo and Baltimore for video games towards two groups hungry to knock them off their AFC throne. In each matchups, Kansas City turned in gutsy defensive performances to drag out slim wins in hostile environments. That ended any and all questions on whether or not the Chiefs may win a real street recreation within the postseason.
As nice because the Chiefs’ protection was all through the playoffs, Super Bowl LVIII was the Mahomes present. He threw for 333 yards and two touchdowns whereas additionally main the workforce in dashing with 66 yards. Facing do-or-die drives on the finish of regulation and in extra time, Mahomes led the offense on scoring drives with one clutch plat after one other. For his efforts, Mahomes was rewarded together with his the third Super Bowl MVP award of his profession.
The recreation additionally offered a Hollywood ending for the Taylor Swift saga. As the confetti was falling at Allegiant Stadium, Swift went down on the sphere to have fun with Travis Kelce and the remainder of the Chiefs.
Now, the Chiefs have eyes on changing into the primary workforce in historical past to win three straight Super Bowls, and from the appears to be like of their 13-1 begin, they’re properly on their means.
