The calendar year of 2016 is known to be one of the greatest years of all time in more topics than just one. With an amazing variety of catchy and popular songs and a great selection of shows and movies, there was so much that made 2016 a year for the ages. But what truly topped the best year ever was the sports that had fans on the edge of their seats, watching history being made right in front of their eyes. The action made fans wonder what defined reality.
These are the three sports events that made 2016 the greatest year in sports history.
To begin, baseball, more specifically, October, is the month where anything can happen. This year has had one of the most extraordinary seasons of baseball. There were headline-making fights and an iconic moment after the passing of an MLB star. But most importantly, there was the World Series.
The Chicago Cubs vs. the Cleveland Indians was a series for the ages. At first, it looked like Cleveland was cruising towards a championship, something they had not accomplished since 1948. They were one game away from glory when everything changed.
The Cubs, despite being down three games to one, never gave up. They fought with the same adversity that pushed them all season long, battling back to win the series and bring home a championship Chicago had not seen since 1908.
Next up is the legendary NBA season of 2015–2016. There was an unbelievable amount of talent on display. Stephen Curry was playing at a record-breaking pace, and the San Antonio Spurs were incredibly dominant. It seemed impossible to know who would win the championship. The Oklahoma City Thunder went up 3–1 against the Golden State Warriors, but the Warriors stormed back to reach the NBA Finals.
Then came the matchup everyone wanted: Golden State vs. Cleveland. Fans were treated to NBA royalty, watching LeBron James vs. Stephen Curry on the biggest stage.
The series went exactly as expected for a team with a 73–9 record. The Warriors took a 3–1 lead and looked ready to win their second straight title. However, like the Cubs, the Cavaliers did the nearly impossible. They completed the comeback and won the series in seven games.
Cleveland showed incredible resilience, but it was LeBron James who put blood, sweat, and tears into every game. He averaged 29.7 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 8.9 assists during the Finals. This championship solidified him as one of the greatest players in NBA history and made him a hero to the city of Cleveland.
Finally, let’s talk about Super Bowl 50, a game filled with future and current Hall of Famers, including NFL legend Peyton Manning. Reports said 2016 would be Manning’s final season, giving the Denver Broncos a chip on their shoulder as they pushed to get him his second championship.
The Broncos had to face many excellent teams, including the New England Patriots in the Conference Championship Game. The Patriots had one of the best defenses and the league’s greatest player, Tom Brady. This was their toughest matchup, but the Broncos pulled off a narrow 20–18 win and carried that momentum into the Super Bowl. They went on to win in a historic defensive performance, cementing Peyton Manning as one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history.
The sports world was extremely lucky to be at an all-time high like this. It was a year with so many storybook performances, and it set the standard for how sports should be every year. This is what made 2016 so special.