Another weird and wonderful sporting year is in the books. Yesterday, the Otago Daily Times sports department offered its review of the year. Now it is time for the (sort of) traditional A to Z of world sport in 2022, from Hayden Meikle.
A is for Astros. The Houston baseballers copped plenty of stick for a ‘‘sign stealing’’ scandal in 2017, but they achieved semi-redemption by beating the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series and delivering beloved manager Dusty Baker his first title aged 73.
B is for Bazball. Obviously THE story of the cricketing year. Brendon McCullum and Ben Stokes’ England team might have changed test cricket forever. How do we get the South Dunedin kid back to the Black Caps?
C is for Colorado Avalanche. Took down the Tampa Bay Lightning in a thunderous (geddit?) Stanley Cup finals.
D is for Double Threat. Shohei Ohtani has revolutionised baseball by being both an elite hitter and an elite pitcher. In a game in July, the Los Angeles Angels superstar made MLB history by becoming the first player to record 10 strikeouts as a pitcher, two RBIs as a batter and a stolen base in a single game.
E is for Eileen Gu. The 18-year-old San Francisco-born freeskier represented her mother’s home nation of China and became the face of the Winter Olympics, narrowly missing out on triple gold.
F is for flip flop. Tom Brady retired then decided to come back. Enough already.
G is for Goats. Roger Federer (possibly the greatest male tennis player of all time) and Serena Williams (definitely the greatest female player) retired.
H is for Head Knocks. Concussion and brain damage remain massive issues for contact sport. There were two particular flashpoints this year. In June, South African boxer Simiso Buthelezi ended a bout throwing punches at an imaginary opponent, and later died from traumatic brain injury. And in September, NFL quarterback Tua Tagovailoa collapsed after his head slammed into the ground while playing for the Miami Dolphins, but he was cleared to return. He played again four days later and was stretchered off after another sickening knock. There remains interest in the legal case taken against World Rugby by retired players, including Otago great Carl Hayman, who has early-onset dementia.
I is for Iga Swiatek. The Polish star is the new face of world tennis.
J is for Joker. Back-to-back NBA most valuable player awards for Denver Nuggets centre Nikola Jokic.
K is for Krzyzewski, Mike. The legendary Duke University coach retired from college basketball after 47 years, five national championships, 75 NBA players and 1202 wins.
L is for LIV Golf. Here to stay, whether we like it or not. But can you name the winner of a single tournament?
M is for Mitchell, Daryl. Somehow turned into Don Bradman during the Black Caps’ series against England.
N is for Novak Djokovic. Not a fan of the proven science of vaccination. The sporting year started with his deportation from Australia.
O is for Obituary. As always, the sporting world lost some greats. Murray Halberg is in the Pantheon of New Zealand sport, racing lost Roy Purdon, and rugby lost Inga the winger, Joeli Vidiri, Dick Conway and Willie Los’e. American sport mourned the deaths of Boston Celtics great Bill Russell, tennis coach Nick Bollettieri, broadcaster Vin Scully and football writer Grant Wahl. British jockey Lester Piggott and Australian cricketer Rod Marsh both died, as did Melbourne Cup-winning horses Rogan Josh and Americain. The sporting tragedy of the year was the crush at an Indonesian football stadium in October that killed 135 fans. And the sporting world wept when an incomparable genius, Shane Warne, died in March.
P is for Penrith Panthers. Won another NRL grand final in incredible style. A golden era.
Q is for Quadruple. Liverpool touched surreal greatness when it was on track to win the English Premier League, the Champions League, the FA Cup and the League Cup. Two out of four ain’t bad.
R is for Rams. The Los Angeles NFL team sailed to Super Bowl glory. The less said about the defence, the better.
S is for Swim Queen. Australian star Emma McKeon won six golds, a silver and a bronze in the Birmingham pool, and now has a record 20 Commonwealth Games medals, including 14 golds.
T is for Taukei’aho, Samisoni. The hooker was a rare highlight in a rugged year for the All Blacks.
U is for Unpleasant. The Kamila Valieva saga cast a shadow over the Winter Olympics. The teenaged Russian figure skater helped her team win gold, but the medal was never awarded after news broke of a positive test for a banned heart medication. She was allowed to compete in individual events but (understandably) struggled in the spotlight.
V is for Verstappen. Max remains the king of Formula One.
W is for Warriors. No, not the rugby league team (it is never going to be their year) but the NBA stars from Golden State. Steph Curry and Klay Thompson and co returned to the top of the tree with victory over the Celtics in the finals.
X is (sort of) for X-cuse me? Australian tennis star Ash Barty retired at 25? Eh?
Y is for Yes! Lionel Messi finally got his hands on the World Cup with Argentina. And England’s Lionesses helped push another women’s football revolution with victory at Euro 2022.
Z is for Zowzers, if only chess was a sport. Because the saga of champion Magnus Carlsen making cheating allegations against Hans Niemann was rather juicy.
