Source: Erick W. Rasco / Getty
Now that 2024 is here, let’s take a look back at some of the top sports moments we were blessed to witness in 2023.
Last year, no matter what team you cheered for you had moments of joy and moments of anger and with sports betting exploding across the nation, sporting events have a bigger emotional attachment than ever.
Let’s take a look back and revisit some of the biggest sports moments of the year.
LeBron James is just the sixth NBA player to ever play 21 seasons according to Olympics.com. Last year we witnessed LeBron add another milestone to his legacy bt taking the all-time scoring record from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. LeBron is almost at 40,000 points scored with plans to keep playing until both of his sons enter the league.
Alabama has a standard of excellence and in 2023 it seemed it wasn’t going to be possible to uphold. After being defeated by Texas, their playoff hopes seemed slim but the team rose to the challenge and got better week after week. If you follow college football you know the Iron Bowl game is a rivalry where season standings never matter and both teams are out for blood. This year Auburn was seconds from ending Alabama’s playoff dreams, but Jalen Miilroe delivered a miracle from the 31-yard line.
Deion Sanders Opens The Coach Prime Era Of Colorado Football With A Bang
Deion Sanders’ move to Colorado didn’t come without a backlash but winning always silences the hate. In his first game as head coach at the school, Coach Prime proved he was the man for the job. In their previous season, Colorado only won a single game so the bar was on the floor. In the first game against last season’s championship runner-up TCU, Prime put a W on the board.
LSU Vs. Iowa Women’s National Championship Games Captivates The Nation
Angel Reese and LSU’s women’s basketball defeated Iowa led by star athlete Caitlin Clark. And while the win was celebrated, backlash quickly erupted after Reese taunted Clark with the “you can’t see me” hand gesture that Clark used throughout the season.
At times it felt the media agenda was in favor of Clark and at one point even First Lady Jill Biden suggested that Clark and Iowa visit the White House despite losing the championship game. After Angel Reese was dragged for her “classless” conduct, Caitlin Clark spoke out and came to her fellow athlete’s defense.
Making it to the college football championships is a tremendous feat and for undefeated, conference winning Florida State, it seemed as though they’d be a shoo-in. FSU checked all the boxes but was left out of the college football championship due to their QB Jordan Travis’ ankle injury.
The selection committee claimed the availability of key players influenced their decision and it probably didn’t help that their backup QB also sustained an injury. Who wants to see any team with their third-string QB fighting for a championship? All of Florida is the only correct answer.
Brittney Griner Returns To The WNBA
Following Brittney Griner’s release after 10 months in a Russian jail, Griner re-signed with the Phoenix Mercury and returned to what she loves most.
NBA Adds The In-Season Tournament
Regardless of how you feel about NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, you have to give him props for the in-season tournament. With most basketball fans not paying attention until Christmas Day he found a way to get everyone bought-in early. Players were giving us playoff energy in hopes of securing an extra $500k payday and we couldn’t have been more thrilled to watch. In the end the Lakers won it all but every team proved the tournament meant something and was a great idea.
Honorable Mentions:
UFC / WWE Merger
Messi Joins The MLS
Damar Hamlin Goes Into Cardiac Arrest On The Field, Inspires The World With His Comeback
