Gallery: 2010's Top Sports Stories of the Wired World
01when-would-be-wizards-became-warriors
It's been some kind of year for sports in 2010. From activities both mainstream and on the fringes, there were absolute highs and lows from all corners of the sporting world, many unprecedented and some that will pave the way for future developments we still can't foresee. Here, we'll look back at some of the biggest stories of the year, all of which fell within the Wired spectrum in one way or another. From the rise of fictional sports to the intensive awareness of brain injuries, there was something for everyone in 2010. __Above:__ When Would-Be Wizards Became Warriors ------------------------------------- If you look hard enough, there are no shortage of incredibly awesome fringe sports being played on this wonderful planet of ours. From [road tennis](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/playbook/2010/12/barbados-road-tennis/) in Barbados to [cycleball](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/playbook/2010/11/cycleball/) across Europe, local pride frequently manifests itself in these oft-hidden and much-beloved acts of sport and ritual that the mainstream often overlooks, with a myopic eye often toward only what's trending on Twitter. But beyond these fringe sports, which are often rooted in hundreds of thousands of years of history, once-fictional sports are now coming to life, imbuing the global sporting scene with new ways to compete in a communal spirit previously left to living room book clubs. [Competitive Quidditch](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/playbook/2010/11/gallery-quidditch-world-cup/), the high-flying, broom-centric sport played by the young wizard wannabes of J.K. Rowling's wildly popular children's book, has led the way in this movement, popping up a mere five years ago on the campus of Middlebury College as a club sport for Harry Potter enthusiasts. Today, it has grown into its kind of global phenomenon, which culminated this fall as thousands of people descended on New York City for the Quidditch World Cup, won ([perhaps unsurprisingly](http://www.wpix.com/wpix-quidditch-championship-middlebury,0,4908769.story)) by Middlebury over the upstart Tufts Tufflepuffs. (Yes, that's their club name.) There is a movement underway to petition the NCAA to make Quidditch a full-fledged U.S. collegiate sport, and if there's any justice, students around the country will soon be attending university on Seeker scholarships. Because, when you think about it, aren't we all after a Golden Snitch of some kind? *Image: Tina Fineberg /AP*
02the-always-infuriating-continually-consistent-bcs
The Always Infuriating, Continually Consistent BCS -------------------------------------------------- The Bowl Championship Series has been the [most controversial entity in college football](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/playbook/2010/12/inside-the-bcs/) going on 12 years. But for all the hubbub surrounding these semi-mysterious collection of computer algorithms, the BCS does what it's supposed to do: Match up the two best teams in the country in a National Championship showdown. Yes, an all-inclusive college football playoff would be the best thing for the sport, and yes, there's a lot to hate about the BCS, but until the day comes when the greedy college presidents finally give up their Machiavellian control over the lucrative bowl system, the BCS is what we're left with. It's an imperfect system for an imperfect age, but try that telling to the fans of Auburn and Oregon and whoever's [holding the national championship trophy](http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/fbc/7325861.html) over their collective heads come January 10. *Image: Dave Martin /AP*
03sailors-debate-over-how-young-a-sailor-can-be
Sailors Ignite Debate Over 'How Young Is Too Young?' ---------------------------------------------------- 2010 was a rough year for young sailors with their eyes on unprecedented feats. [Abby Sunderland](http://www.abbysunderland.com/) (above), a 16-year-old from Southern California, was well along in her quest to become the youngest person to ever sail around the world solo. However, rough waters in the Indian Ocean capsized her boat and set off an [international rescue operation](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/playbook/2010/06/rescue-efforts-underway-for-lost-teenage-sailor/). Sunderland was eventually rescued and returned home to lick her wounds, amid much criticism over how the safety (or lack thereof) in letting someone so young and inexperienced set off on a potentially deadly mission that would result only in a Guinness World Record accolade. However, [Laura Dekker](http://www.lauradekker.nl/English/Home.html) from the Netherlands upped the bar just two months later when, at 14, she set off for the same title that ultimately eluded Sunderland. [Dekker's cast-off](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/playbook/2010/08/dutch-solo-sailing/) was the culmination of a years-long court battle and she now has until the fall of 2012 to complete her circumnavigation and claim the crown of youngest global solo sailor for herself. She just recently made it across the Atlantic, having [sailed approximately 2,200 nautical miles](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/more/wires/12/19/2080.ap.cb.st.maarten.young.sailor.0157/) from the western coast of Africa to the Caribbean nation of St. Maarten. So, while Dekker tries to succeed where Sunderland failed, the debate will no doubt continue as to whether these sporting wunderkinds should even be out there all alone in the first place. *Image: Lionel Cironneau /AP*
04stuck-in-the-past-baseball-remains-perfectly-imperfect
Stuck in the Past, Baseball Remains Perfectly Imperfect ------------------------------------------------------- The biggest knock on Major League Baseball these days is that it's stuck in the past, that it's maddeningly slow to address the use of next-gen technology to improve, while maintaining its illustrious history. No more was that sentiment on display than at Comerica Park in Detroit this past June, when umpire Jim Joyce blew an easy call at first to [deny Tiger pitchers Armando Galarraga the honor of throwing the 21st perfect game](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armando_Galarraga%27s_near-perfect_game) in MLB history. Even worse, Galarraga was a mere out away from the accomplishment. Immediately, shock and vitriol came pouring through the Twitterverse as a [social media-fueled firestorm](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/playbook/2010/06/the-swift-revenge-of-mlbs-social-media-monster/) suddenly ignited, and [calls for baseball to expand its instant-replay offerings](http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=jp-galarragareplay060210) became the topic du jour immediately thereafter. *The New York Times* went so far as to call it "[easily the most egregious blown call in baseball over the last 25 years](http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/03/sports/baseball/03detroit.html)." While the calls for MLB to expand replay have died down over the past few months, the incident provided a clear reminder of what technology can do to improve even the oldest of sports. In less than a minute, the situation could've been reversed and Galarraga would have his rightful place in baseball lore. Instead, millions of people watching the [MLB Network](http://mlb.mlb.com/network/) at home and online (via video and Twitter) were left dumbfounded. If this had happened 30 years ago, most of us would've been left with half-formed opinions from the wire story in the morning newspaper. Instead, we all got to live in the moment and experience the anguish of imperfection firsthand. *Image: Duane Burleson /AP*
05world-united-world-divided
World United, World Divided --------------------------- Oh, the World Cup. In the annals of sport, has there ever been a tournament as innately corrupt as it is universally beloved? Spain set the standard this year, storming into South Africa and becoming the [first-ever team to lose its opening match](http://www.cnn.com/2010/SPORT/football/07/11/world.cup.final.spain.thenetherlands/index.html) and still go on to hoist the golden chalice over their heads at tourney's end. (The [spirit of La Furia Roja](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/playbook/2010/07/spanish-soccer-soaring/) even extended beyond our own atmosphere for a time.) For the most part, [South Africa was praised](http://www.mg.co.za/article/2010-06-30-world-cup-celebrities-praise-south-africa-on-twitter) for its part in hosting Africa's first World Cup. And yet, there was global head-scratching this fall when [FIFA announced that Russia (2018) and Qatar (2022)](http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/12/02/1953637/russia-qatar-selected-to-host.html) would host the next two World Cup tournaments, after soccer-mad Brazil has its go-around in 2014. [Allegations of bribery and vote-fixing](http://edition.cnn.com/2010/SPORT/football/11/30/football.fifa.panorama.ioc/index.html) ran rampant before the vote took place and [only escalated](http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/blog/dirty-tackle/post/FIFA-voter-misconduct-allegation-round-up-extrav?urn=sow-291980) as the decisions were made public. Qatar, for its part, has put forth an incredibly [ambitious plan for eco-friendly, next-gen stadiums](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/playbook/2010/12/gallery-qatar-stadiums/) outfitted with all sorts of crazy tech. At least Russia will have some experience in international event-planning, as it hosts the [2014 Winter Olympics](http://sochi2014.com/en/) in Sochi. As for Qatar, well, we've got a good 12 years to watch how that tiny Middle Eastern nation makes good on its optimistic promises for a World Cup the likes of which we've never seen. *Image: Martin Meissner /AP*
06its-gotta-be-the-shoes
'It's Gotta Be the Shoes' 2.0 ----------------------------- Competitive advantages in sports often encompass a very gray area. While many leagues are taking steroids testing more seriously than ever before, it's also commonplace for athletes to, say, improve their vision with Lasik eye surgery. So where do you draw the line? The NBA encountered such a dilemma this season when they [banned the Concept 1 basketball sneaker](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/playbook/2010/10/nba-banned-shoes/), developed by two former USC players [whose father](http://fisher.osu.edu/about/office-of-the-dean/dac/goldston) is a legend in the shoe industry. [Ryan and Adam Goldston](http://www.athleticpropulsionlabs.com/about.html) claim they've conducted independent scientific testing that proves their Concept 1, which [retails for $300](http://www.athleticpropulsionlabs.com/concept1-blackgreen.html), lets players jump higher and play better than if they were wearing any other kicks. Of course, the NBA was none too thrilled when they heard of this and promptly banned the shoe before the season started, especially once they learned that 30 percent of the incoming rookie class (according to the Goldstons) had expressed interest in wearing the shoes during games. And though the NBA cited an "undue competitive advantage" in outlawing the shoes, business has been booming for Athletic Propulsion Labs, whose website crashed with all the new-found attention the ban caused. Several sizes of the Concept 1 have sold out, and the company plans more colors, as well as an expanded product line in 2011, so we sure haven't seen the last of this controversial upstart.
07sports-meets-social-media-rehab
Sports Meets Social Media Rehab ------------------------------- There once a time, believe it or not, when Tiger Woods and LeBron James were not only two of the world's biggest sports celebrities but also likable and accessible to fans. But in the past year, both of those other-worldly superstars of sport have experienced a mammoth fall from grace. With Tiger, it was the [philandering](http://sports.espn.go.com/golf/news/story?id=4927694). With LeBron, it was the [pandering](http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=ohlmeyer_don&id=5397113). And yet, both men sought refuge — rehabilitation? — within the quasi-controlled confines of social media. Both [Woods](http://www.sbnation.com/hamsandwich/2010/11/17/1820070/tiger-woods-joins-twitter-tweets) and [James](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/playbook/2010/07/the-king-has-arrived-lebron-james-joins-twitter/) joining Twitter were arguably the biggest sports stars to post on the five-year-old social networking behemoth in the past year. To this point, only Woods has been able to consistently tweet amidst widespread ridicule, while James is often mocked as if he were a 12-year-old sitting at the keyboard. Chances are neither superstar will keep up with their tweeting — certainly nothing like Shaquille O'Neal, aka [@THE\_REAL\_SHAQ](http://twitter.com/the_real_shaq) — but it's interesting to see athletes taking cues from their fans and trying to interact with them on a more personal level, even if (in these two cases) it's for some more selfish reason than good-natured engagement. *Image: Andrew Brownbill /AP*
Jeff Chiu08they-might-be-giants
They Might Be Giants -------------------- So much of America's history has been rooted in expansion to the West, going back to the early 19th century. Baseball followed that example in the mid-1950s, when the Brooklyn Dodgers first moved to Los Angeles and the New York Giants relocated to San Francisco. Of course, Hollywood grew to unforeseen heights and the Dodgers reciprocated with [five World Series championships](http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/LAD/). Meanwhile, as Silicon Valley paved the way for the tech revolution, the Giants remained merely a side note, a scrappy ball club surrounded by the world's leading technological revolutionaries. However, the San Francisco Giants finally ended those decades of futility by knocking three clubs that were arguably more talented, embodying the spirit of a cluster of counties tucked along the West Coast of America, hundreds of miles from the limelight of LA and what feels like light-years from the glamour of Madison Avenue. In the end, the pitching of Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain coupled with the timely hitting of journeyman Cody Ross and MVP Edgar Renteria gave San Franciscans — and the entire Bay Area — a little baseball glory that [VC angels and tech impresarios](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/playbook/2010/11/giants-world-series-victory/) from Santa Rosa to San Jose could cheer over. *Image: Jeff Chiu /AP*
Paul Sancya09nfls-ironman-or-dirty-old-man
NFL's Ironman, or Dirty Old Man? -------------------------------- Mention the name "Brett Favre" to even casual fans of the NFL, and you're sure to elicit all sorts of emotional reactions. He's the NFL's Ironman, having played in [297 consecutive games](http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=5916329), a record that may never be broken. He's broken nearly every important record that a quarterback can break and ranks as one of the most exciting players to ever man the position. Favre, however, is also [just another dirty old man](http://deadspin.com/5603701/brett-favre-once-sent-me-cock-shots-not-a-love-story), if you believe just an iota of the allegations made against him on Deadspin.com. According to evidence obtained by the site, Favre sent inappropriate pictures from his cellphone to a Jets employees when he was still with the team, and the NFL [conducted an extensive investigation](http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d81b38857/article/goodell-confirms-nfl-is-investigating-favre-case) into the charges. (As any tech-savvy reader of Wired.com could've told Favre, media recorded on your cellphone has a way of sticking around when you least want it to.) Favre was ultimately [fined $50,000](http://deadspin.com/5720593/on-brett-favres-50k-fine-jenn-stergers-reputation-and-roger-goodells-willful-ignorance) for failing to fully cooperate with the investigation, but the NFL couldn't prove that he had violated the league's conduct policy. And whether or not the NFL's most [notorious geezer](http://sportschump.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/brett-favre-hat.jpg) returns for yet another season in professional football, Favre's legacy as one of the NFL's elite players has surely been tarnished by his allegedly outrageous behavior off the field. *Image: Paul Sancya /AP*
Winslow Townson10the-ongoing-battle-against-concussions
The Ongoing Battle Against Concussions -------------------------------------- Perhaps no developing story in 2010 will carry more weight into the next year than the fight against concussions, not just in high-contact sports like football but across all professional leagues. Of course, the NFL is leading the way in the fight, and all expectations are that it should, given the sport's [inherently violent nature](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/playbook/2010/09/for-football-players-concussions-can-be-more-harmful/). But the attention being heaped upon concussions and other traumatic brain injuries is affecting athletes young and old and across a wide plane of the sporting spectrum. Baseball has reportedly considered instituting a Disabled List [strictly for players who have been concussed](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/playbook/2010/10/mlb-disabled-list-concussions/). The NFL is actively [working with the Centers for Disease Control to inform players](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/playbook/2010/08/nfl-cdc-team-up-to-crack-down-on-concussions/) of the symptoms and risks associated with suspected concussions. Congress passed legislation this fall to establish a panel suited to [recommending nationwide regulations](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/playbook/2010/10/fight-against-concussions) for assessing and treating concussions. And the American Academy of Neurology has [endorsed new guidelines](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/playbook/2010/11/guidelines-sports-concussions/) for how young athletes should be handled in the wake of a suspected brain injury. Indeed, much remains to be done with this epidemic that affects the future of U.S. athletes, both young and old. But it appears we're [heading in the right direction](http://stag-komodo.wired.com/playbook/2010/12/proper-screening-concussions/). With continued awareness, both on the federal and local level, we can come closer than any previous generation has to forever eliminating the crippling effects of concussions from sport. *Image: Winslow Townson /AP*
