Top Ten Sports Moments in 2010

I'll admit, a list of my least favorite sports moments of the year might have been easier to write with 2010 starting off with an Oregon loss to THE Ohio State Buckeyes at the Rose Bowl, and The Giants winning the World Series, but sprinkled among those low points were some great sports moments. 

10.  Getting the chance to visit Wimbledon.

9.  The sound of Vuvuzelas and watching a World Cup match with thousands of soccer fans in Paris. 

8.  The Saints' on-side kick to start the half and Drew Brees holding his son under a shower of confetti after winning the Super Bowl.

7.  A televised Oregon football spring game that was a hint of the season to come. 

6.  Watching Zenyatta's 18th victory.

5.  As a chick who digs defense and pitching (not just the long ball), The Year of the Pitcher was great to watch.

4.  The way Armando Galarraga handled being robbed of a perfect game by Jim Joyce.

3.  The Jets on Hard Knocks and actually having a favorite NFL team.

2.  A crazy college football game in Nevada between Boise State and UNR.  Bummer for that kicker though.

1.  Oregon's 12-0 football season.  It's stressful being the fan of a contender.  Let's hope 2011 starts off better for the Ducks than 2010 did.

There were a few other big moments... that super long match at Wimbledon, Vick coming back at the Meadowlands, the Yankees losing to Texas, Cam Newton's smile... got any favorites?

I Think It's Safe Now...

Oregon v. USC kickoff.

I'm superstitious.  Even though logically I know I have no impact on the final score of any game I'm not playing in, I can't help it.  I engage in bizarre behavior as a sports fan and I know many of you do too.

In 2002 D blamed a blown No-No on me because I uttered the word perfect.  When the Red Sox were coming back against the Yankees during the 2004 ALCS, I couldn't watch the games live or surely Boston would have lost (Red Sox Nation can thank me for not testing this one).

I guess it's like what Crash Davis said in Bull Durham, "a player on a streak has to respect the streak."  When I was playing high school sports, I had to put on my volleyball knees pads the same way and wear my lucky double socks for basketball games.  I shot free throws and served in volleyball and tennis only after bouncing the ball exactly three times.

So, this football season, I've been on a self-imposed gag order.  Even though I've posted about the Oregon Ducks twice this year, The Best Way to Watch a Duck Game in May and Return of the Quack in October, I had to stop because the Ducks kept winning and their rank kept rising.  It was too risky to post.  What if I posted and then they lost? I know how college football works.  It takes an incredible team and more than a little luck too to make it to the National Championship Game.  It takes perfection. I wasn't about to jinx it, so I wrote Superstition and Sports and the Ducks kept winning.   

Oregon victory formation!

I knew from 2001, when Nebraska made it to the title game in order to get worked by Miami while the #2 ranked Ducks rolled Colorado (a team that beat Nebraska) that with the BCS, anything can happen.  Can we get a college playoff please?  I know injuries can dash your BCS hopes as well from the 2007 Ducks season when Dennis Dixon went down, and the Ducks went down with him.  So most of this fall, I've sat back and enjoyed the ride.  I got to watch the Ducks finally come into the Coliseum and beat USC.  Thank goodness I was unable to watch that Cal game and then they took care of business again Arizona.

But winning The Civil War and clinching a spot in the National Championship Game was the last hurdle. I can finally speak again.  Thank you Chip Kelly, Darron Thomas, LaMichael James, Casey Matthews and Cliff Harris for perfection.

Go Ducks!!!