Monday, January 30, 2012

Recapping a Major Day in Sports

Oh, where, oh, where do I begin with this insanity that was Sunday, January 30th, 2012...


I guess we start at the beginning of the day with a tennis match that looked like it may turn into a "last man standing" match...


Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal in a 5 set thriller to win the Australian Open. That match lasted 5 hours and 53 minutes, longest Grand Slam final in history. Being a former tennis player, 2 hours was my longest match in my career and I nearly passed out of fatigue. That performance was completely unreal.
                                                                                                                                                             

Back to the mainland, and for the first time this year, to the racetrack. The unofficial start to Daytona Speedweeks is the Rolex 24- a 24 hour endurance race around the famed 3.56 mile road course that encompasses parts of the traditional 2.5 mile NASCAR circuit. This year's running had so much more meaning, it was the 50th running of the race. And wouldn't you know it, we would have a owner getting an elusive first win and two drivers who get career-defining wins...



Needless to say, Mike Shank, AJ Allmendinger and Justin Wilson were extremely emotional...the great thing is that the other two drivers, Oswaldo Negri, Jr. and John Pew (two extremely accomplished road racers in their own right) were just as emotional. That's the beauty of sport, my friends.
                                                                                                                                                                

Down 1-95 from Daytona to Miami, where a battle between the Chicago Bulls and the NWO (4 LIFE!)  Miami Heat came down to the wire...


Miami would win 97-93 and LeBron sent in demo to be on the next SportsNation "Dunkface" segment, courtesy of John Lucas.
                                                                                                                                                                        

From South Beach to North of the Border, we head to Ottawa, Ontario, Canada for the 2012 NHL All-Star Game or Match des Étoiles de la LNH for our French speaking fans. But it was a New Yorker spoiling any chance that the team led by the Senators' Daniel Alfredsson of winning...

NY Ranger Marian Gaborik had a Hat Trick (2 goals was on his own teammate, Henrik Lundqvist) and was the difference, as his team, led by the Bruins' Zdeno Chara won the All-Star game 12-9. Gaborik was named MVP and won a car.
                                                                                                                                                                     
Now, from Canada, we go to way sunnier and warmer Hawai'i for the NFL Pro Bowl. And if the Bengals want another wideout for Andy Dalton, they might wanna look towards Miami...



The AFC beat the NFC 59-41 in the typical "no one actually gives a damn about this game" score. Brandon Marshall nearly had 200 yards was named MVP.
                                                                                                                                                                   
From Hawai'i to the "Gateway to the West" as the WWE stopped in St. Louis for the 25th Annual Royal Rumble as we start the Road to WrestleMania 28. In the final two in the Royal Rumble Match, it was the Living Legend vs. the Rising Star...



The "Celtic Warrior" Sheamus eliminates Chris Jericho to win his first Royal Rumble and will be heading to Miami for WrestleMania. But who will he face? Matt and I will have predictions of who that might be, a complete recap of the Rumble and a look ahead on the way to Elimination Chamber, later today on "The Slam Diary: Rewinding the 25th Annual Royal Rumble."
                                                                                                                                                                           
And closing out this phenomenal Sunday was the final day of Winter X Games from Aspen, Colorado. Needless to say, these two clips are certifiably insane...


How in god's name do you jump snowmobiles over 70 foot ramps, I'll never know. How in the hell Heath Frisby did a frontflip- I repeat- a frontflip with a 450 lb. snowmobile, I don't wanna know. But I sure like to watch!

And just when you thought that Winter X had hit the holy grail twice in the same event, they did it again later that night. And wouldn't you know, it was the "Flying Tomato" delivering the theatrics...



In a thrilling showdown for the Gold in Slopestyle, Shaun White dropped the first ever perfect run in the history of Winter X, clinching his 5th straight Gold medal in the event.
                                                                                                                                                                          
It was a hell of a sports day, top to bottom. It's why we love sports. 
Remember: Catch "The Slam Diary: Rewinding the 25th Annual Royal Rumble" later today and our 1st "Sounds of the Squared Circle" Music Countdown later this week!

Until then,
-JP






No comments:

Post a Comment