2009 in Review

It hasn’t been the most exciting year in the opinion of this Wisconsin sports fan, but I do have some favorite moments. Here is my personal Top 10:

10. Despite the Packers losing the game, the 4th quarter of the Pittsburgh-Green Bay game in December was one of the most exciting quarters of NFL football of the season. Hopefully we’ll ee more offense like this out of the Packers in January.

9. Marquette defeats the fashionable pick Utah State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in March. The Golden Eagles go on to lose a heartbreaker to Xavier on a bass line violation in the second round. It’s the second year in a row that Marquette exits in heartbreaking fashion.

8. I give up watching Major League Baseball. The inequity of salary and the inability for players, owners, union, the commissioner and fans to see these differences frustrate me so much that I decide it’s best for me just not to follow the game anymore. Happy trails MLB.

7. The PGA Championship takes place a couple miles from our house right here in Chaska, Minnesota in August.

6. The Wisconsin Badgers jump out to an early lead over Duke in December and go on to frustrate the highly ranked Blue Devils en route to a victory. The win also gives the Big Ten a win in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge.

5. We get to see Marquette play in the Old Spice Classic at Disney World in November. The Golden Eagles defeat Michigan in the preseason tournament semifinal game.

4. The Green Bay Packers show their new 3-4 defense and rally with a huge touchdown pass by Aaron Rodgers in the closing minutes and defeat the Chicago Bears in the NFL Sunday night opener in September. It is Rodgers’ first comeback victory against a team other than the Lions.

3. The Wisconsin Badgers fall behind big to Florida State in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament in March. Not known for being a come from behind team or for scoring a lot of points, the Badgers go on a huge second half run to come back and win.

2. In November, Milwaukee Bucks’ rookie Brandon Jennings goes for 55 points against the Golden State Warriors in only his seventh NBA game. It’s the most points scored by a Bucks rookie ever and third most by a rookie in NBA history. It’s also the fewest number of games it has ever taken a player to score 50-plus in a game.

1. Aaron Rodgers becomes a consistent force for the Green Bay Packers leading the team to a winning season and himself into the middle of the MVP race along with Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and the man he replaced, Brett Favre. Charles Woodson also has an incredible year and is up for defensive player of the year.