Top five sports stories of 2008

There were plenty of things to write about in 2008 in the world of sports. This week, “A Sporting View” recalls the top five contests of the year that was.

5. Tiger Woods vs. Rocco Mediate, U.S. Open: Billed as “Superman” vs. “Everyman,” Tiger Woods again emerged victorious in a major, joining Jack Nicklaus as the only player to capture the career Grand Slam three times over. For 45-year-old Mediate, it was an odyssey that began with his sudden-death match just to qualify for the tournament, and then a 91-hole war, including a dramatic 19-hole playoff with the greatest golfer ever. Woods took home the hardware, but Mediate won the hearts and imagination of duffers the world over.

4. Philadelphia Phillies vs. Tampa Bay Rays, World Series: Overshadowed by the worst-to-first story of the Tampa Bay Rays, Jimmy Rollins, Ryan Howard and Cole Hamels made it possible for Philadelphia to have its first parade in more than a quarter-century. Most of the buzz centered on a possible Dodgers/Red Sox matchup and all of the drama that would come from the matchup but in the end, fans were treated to a decent World Series and Philly fans didn’t burn the city down, so it all worked out.

3. New York Giants vs. New England Patriots, Super Bowl: There’s nothing I can add to the most-watched, most-talked-about sporting event in years, but we can reminisce. The Tyree catch, the incredible play of the Giants’ defensive line, the pass from Manning to Burress … I only had $20 on the game, but I jumped off my couch like I was a kid cheering for his favorite team.

2. Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal, Wimbledon: The most overlooked of all major sports, tennis snuck up on everyone this year. Wimbledon provided fans of sport with one of the finest championships ever played, and suddenly tennis has a new epic rivalry that will span the ages. I knew I was seeing something special when I noticed servers at the restaurant I was dining in all sneaking out to watch parts of the match. Back home, I watched the final set and thought the same thing most fans of the sport did: that was the best match of all-time.

1. Michael Phelps vs. the World, Olympic Games: Hands down the sportsman of the year, Michael Phelps swam 17 races in nine days, winning eight gold medals and setting seven world records. When was the last time a swimmer was a guest host on “Saturday Night Live”? When has a swimmer ever had a video game named after him? Phelps put Olympic swimming back on the map and the front of Wheaties boxes for sports fans.