CINCINNATI - From the death of a sports legend to the arrival of a Hall of Famer, to the excitement surrounding postseason runs, we've compiled a list of the top 10 Cincinnati sports stories from 2010.
Here's a list of our top 10 Cincinnati sports stories from the past year:
10. Roger Federer wins Cincinnati Masters for a fourth time
Arguably the greatest men's tennis player of all time, Roger Federer returned to Cincinnati in August and defended his title at the Cincinnati Masters by defeating Mardy Fish in three sets. He became the first men's player to win back-to-back championships in Cincinnati since Andre Agassi in 1995 and 1996. The win was Federer's 63rd career title, tying him with Bjorn Borg for fifth place in the Open Era.
9. Kentucky Speedway lands first Sprint Cup race
Kentucky Speedway's long wait for a NASCAR Sprint Cup date finally came to an end. For 10 years, roadblock after roadblock prevented the track from hosting a Sprint Cup race. That all changed on Aug. 10 when Speedway Motorsports Inc. owner Bruton Smith, who bought the track in 2008, announced that stock car's top series will visit the 1.5-mile oval for a 400-mile race on July 9, 2011. Smith, who was joined by Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear and former driver Darrell Waltrip, said this was a great victory for Kentucky and NASCAR.
8. Highlands wins another state title
The Highlands Blue Birds rolled to yet another Kentucky state high school football title in December, crushing Christian County in the Class 5A championship 50-0. It was Highlands' fourth straight crown and gave them a state record 20 titles all-time. For head coach Dale Mueller, it was his ninth title in 11 tries. The Blue Birds have become a perennial power not just in the Tri-State but in the nation as well.
7. Bearcat football falls flat after back-to-back BCS bowls
After two years of electrifying the city and winning back-to-back Big East championships, the University of Cincinnati Bearcat football team took a big step backward and had a very disappointing 2010 campaign. The Bearcats, who had a combined 22-4 record in 2008 and 2009 under Brian Kelly, went 4-8 in Butch Jones' first year at the helm. The excitement surrounding the team faded down the stretch and the team failed to make a bowl. Jones, like Kelly, had success before arriving in Cincinnati, leaving many hopeful that the future of Bearcat football remains bright.
6. Xavier's run in the NCAA Tournament
It was Thursday, March 25, 2010 and the Xavier Musketeers proved once again why conference labels don't matter when it comes to the NCAA Tournament. The Musketeers battled the Kansas State Wildcats in one of the tournament's most memorable games of all-time and captivated a sports nation in the process. It was a back-and-forth battle like a heavyweight fight with each team getting back up off the mat and nailing shot after shot in the Sweet 16 matchup. The contest went into the early hours of Friday morning before Xavier ran out of gas and lost 101-94. CBS Commentator Gus Johnson said that game was the best game he's ever called. It was the third straight year the Musketeers advanced to round of 16. The Xavier men were not alone when it comes to nail-biting games in the NCAA Tournament in 2010. The Musketeer women's team missed golden opportunities down the stretch and fell to Stanford 55-53 in an Elite 8 matchup. The Xavier women used last season's disappointment and have started this season 10-2.
5. From Who Dey to Who They
The 2010 Cincinnati Bengals went from a team who many thought had enough to make it to Dallas for the Super Bowl to an organization who will have a top pick in the upcoming draft. The 2009 Bengals won the AFC North, going 6-0 in the division and finished with a 10-6 regular season record. Cincinnati traveled to New York for the season finale against the Jets, got destroyed 37-0 and in turn, allowed the Jets to make it into the playoffs, setting up a Wild Card game at a frigid Paul Brown Stadium. The Jets dominated the Bengals for a second consecutive week, eliminating Cincinnati from the playoffs with a 24-14 win. Despite another early exit from the playoffs, the Bengals had high hopes following a solid draft in April and the eventual signing of future Hall of Fame receiver Terrell Owens. But just because things look good on paper does not mean it will translate into wins. The Bengals looked flat in the 2010 season opener at New England, hung on to beat the Carolina Panthers the next week and kicked their way past the Baltimore Ravens in week 3. Then they traveled to Cleveland where some say the wheels fell off for the season. Cincinnati gave the game away and left Cleveland as 23-20 losers. From there the team went on to lose 10 straight games which tied the franchise record for most consecutive losses. They beat the Browns in the week 15 rematch and held off the San Diego Chargers in week 16 but it was too little too late once again. The Bengals will go into the offseason with many questions surrounding the futures of head coach Marvin Lewis, Carson Palmer, Chad Ochocinco, Cedric Benson and Johnathan Joseph just to name a few.
4. Votto named NL MVP
For the first time since 1995, the Cincinnati Reds were home to the National League's Most Valuable Player. Reds first baseman Joey Votto won the 2010 NL MVP in a landslide over reigning MVP Albert Pujols. Votto received 31 of 32 first-place votes and 443 points in voting announced by the Baseball Writers' Association of America in November. Votto was a first-time All-Star, finishing second in the NL in batting average at .324 and third in homers (37) and RBIs (113). He led the NL in slugging percentage (.600), topped the major leagues in on-base percentage (.424) and had 16 stolen bases in 21 chances. The Toronto native and Jay Bruce were key components to the Reds success in 2010 that saw them advance to the postseason for the first time in 15 seasons. The Reds rewarded Bruce with a contract extension after the season. Will Votto be next? For Reds fans, he better.
3. We've lost a great one in Sparky
Sparky Anderson, the white-haired Hall of Fame manager who directed Cincinnati's Big Red Machine to back-to-back World Series championships and won another one in Detroit, passed away in November at the age of 76. His Reds teams with Pete Rose, Johnny Bench and Joe Morgan won back-to-back World Series titles in 1975 and 1976 and rank among the most powerful of all time. Anderson was one of the most popular managers off all-time and was well-liked by not just his players, but also fans and the media. When you think of Cincinnati Reds baseball you think of Sparky Anderson. "Revered and treasured by his players for his humility, humanity, eternal optimism and knowledge of the game," his Hall of Fame plaque reads.
2. Kelly Cup heroes
In a city where sports fans yearn for a winner, the Cincinnati Cyclones continue to provide the area with a winning organization that people can easily root for. In 2010, the Cyclones claimed their second Kelly Cup Championship in the past three seasons. An ECHL Kelly Cup record 13,483 patrons jammed into the U.S. Bank Arena in May to watch the Cyclones defeat the Idaho Steelheads 2-1, taking the series 4 games to 1.The Cyclones made history in the previous round. They were down 0-3 to the Reading Royals and won four straight. The Cyclones have provided Cincinnati with the past two professional sports championships since the Reds won the World Series in 1990.
1. Reds end postseason drought
One swing by Jay Bruce ended a 15-year playoff drought for the Cincinnati Reds and provided fans with a new set of memories. Bruce's walk-off homerun against the Houston Astros on Sept. 28 gave the Reds the National League Central Division title and propelled them into the postseason for the first time since 1995. The Reds were then swept by the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS, one of the losses coming in no-hit fashion at the hands of Roy Halladay. The 2010 season had a different feel for many Reds fans. It started a few years back, when Reds owner Bob Castellini said he would bring "championship baseball back to Cincinnati." He lived up to his promise and said the organization will continue to what it takes to keep winning baseball alive in the Queen City. While just getting into the playoffs isn't good enough for many fans starving for winning baseball, it was a giant step in the right direction and the commitment to excellence this ownership has shown leaves many fans, including myself, hopeful for the years to come.
What do you think was the top Cincinnati sports story of 2010? Share your thoughts in the comments section below or on facebook.com/wcponetworks
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