Without the greatest sports moment of 2013, the San Antonio Spurs would have been having a parade instead of the Heat. By Michael Kain, via Wikimedia Commons

Can you believe that it is almost 2014? It seems like just yesterday 2013 started and we were looking forward to another great sports year and it lived up to the hype indeed. There were many great sports moments and memories this season but only five can make my list. Here for my Top 5 Moments of the 2013 Sports Year:

5. October 13, 2013. Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts. 2013 ALCS Game 2

Heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, it looked as the Detroit Tigers would come into Fenway Park and take the first two games of the ALCS, heavily swaying the series in their favor heading back into Detroit. But David Ortiz had other ideas. Trailing 5-1 with two outs left, David Ortiz stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded to face Tigers closer Joaquin Benoit. Nothing had gone the Red Sox’s way on this night but with one pitch, one moment, that would change. Ortiz rocketed a pitch over the outstretched arm of Torii Hunter over the wall in right field to tie the game up. In that, “moment” I knew that this was the Red Sox’s year. Fenway was rocking and all the momentum swayed back to Boston. It was an “I don’t believe what I just saw” type of moment and makes it way onto my list at #5.

4. June 24th 2013. TD Bank Garden. Boston, Massachusetts. 2013 Stanley Cup Finals Game 6

Trailing 2-1 in the game with under two minutes to play it seemed that the Blackhawks would be forced back to Chicago for a series deciding game 7. But the miraculous happened, with 1:16 left to play the Blackhawks tied the game up at 2, stunning the crowd in Boston. The game looked like it would go to overtime yet again, only to have the Blackhawks score another goal only 17 seconds later. Watching this game live, I didn’t believe what I had witnessed. Down by one not even a minute ago, the Blackhawks were up by one with under a minute to play. After the game winning goal went into the net, I knew it was over. The Bruins were shocked to a level that was unseen before and the Blackhawks would finish up that final minute and claim another Stanley Cup trophy for the city of Chicago.

3. November 30, 2013. Jordan-Hare Stadium, Auburn, Alabama. 2013 Iron Bowl

One of the most incredible sports moments in history only makes it as #3 on my list because it wasn’t for a championship but it was still such an amazing and shocking play that it makes the list nonetheless. Coming into the Iron Bowl both Auburn and Alabama still had a chance to make the BCS Title Game and the winner would more than likely make it there. Trailing by a touchdown late in the fourth quarter, Auburn tied the game at 28. Alabama then drove the ball down the field only to set up what would be the game winning field goal. The field goal went wide right and was improbably returned for a touchdown by Chris Davis to win the game and stun the college football world. An incredible play, incredible moment and hopefully won’t be for nothing as long as Auburn can claim another National Championship.

2. February 3, 2013, Mercedes-Benz Superdome, New Orleans, LA. Super Bowl XLVII

The blackout game. Leading 28-6, the Ravens seemed as if they were running away with the Super Bowl title until a mysterious blackout happened and swayed the entire game in favor of the 49ers. In what was legendary linebacker Ray Lewis’s final career game, it was only fitting that the game would end on a defensive stand, something the Ravens have been known for in their history. San Francisco made it interesting, driving the ball down to the goal line only to be stopped four times in a row leading to a Ravens victory. In one of the more memorable Super Bowls in recent memory and it goes on my list as the #2 sports moment in 2013.

1. June 18, 2013. American Airlines Arena, Miami, Florida. NBA Finals Game 6

In what might be the greatest NBA Finals game in history, it not only defined the series but the legacy of LeBron James. One rebound, one boxout and the San Antonio Spurs would have been the world champions but Chris Bosh and Ray Allen saved the Miami Heat’s season and the legacy of the “Chosen One”. The Heat were trailing most of the game and it seemed as if they would not repeat as champions. Even their fans believed they would lose as many of them left the stadium early only to attempt to return as the Heat made something of the game. Down by three, Lebron missed what would have been the tying three pointer only to have Chris Bosh snag the ball out of the air and throw it back in the corner to the best three point shooter in NBA history in Ray Allen. Of course Allen was going to make the tying three, of course he was and he did. Sending the Spurs into disbelief, something we had never seem before from San Antonio. The Heat would go on to win the game in overtime and then eventually win game 7 to claim their re-peat. If that Ray Allen three doesn’t fall, LeBron falls to 1-3 in the NBA Finals and we all look at him differently. But what a game. What a series.

The Avila Beach finish for Stage 5 of the AMGEN Tour of California was somewhat underwhelming. The fans who did show up were excited die-hards, most of whom rode their bikes from San Luis Obispo or South county. But for those who were looking for the huge crowds reminiscent of the San Luis Obispo or Paso Robles finishes of years past, the expected swarm was more like a flock.

The cool thing about it was that there still were a large-enough number of people there to make it seem like the big event it was, but not so many that it was uncomfortable. The racers were still the best in the world and the man with the most recognizable name in the Tour, Jens Voigt, pushed ahead in the last few miles in a daring move to take the stage.

On a small little uphill that I’ll now call “Voigt Hill,” the German made his move. Voigt even called the hill “sticky,” which made me feel so happy that it isn’t just me who might have a hard time on the little bump at the beginning of San Luis Bay Drive.

What did you think of the tour? Did you expect more people? Why do you think more people didn’t come?

By Owen Main:

By David Livingston:

Much has been made of pitching in baseball over the past few seasons. The game has seen a shift from more dominant power-hitters to more shutdown pitchers since the “steroid era” “ended.”

While there are still many bona fide power hitters in the majors (Miguel Cabrera, Jose Bautista, Matt Kemp, Ryan Braun, Robinson Cano, etc.), building a strong pitching rotation has become more of a prominent priority for successful teams. Just last season (2011), baseball had a pitcher, Justin Verlander, win both the MVP award and the CY Young award in the American League. Pitching has always been important to America’s pastime but now it’s more crucial than ever.

Here is my fifth installment and this time I’m taking my talents to the National League, breaking down each team’s potential starting rotation for the 2013 season with the average Earned Run Average (we know averaging an average isn’t scientifically sound, but we’re doing it anyway…): This time, the spotlight is on the NL Central…

Cincinnati Reds:

1. Johnny Cueto (19-9, 2.78 ERA, 170 Strikeouts)
2. Mat Latos (14-4, 3.48 ERA, 185 Strikeouts)
3. Bronson Arroyo (12-10, 3.74 ERA, 129 Strikeouts)
4. Homer Bailey (13-10, 3.68 ERA, 168 Strikeouts)
5. Mike Leake (8-9, 4.58 ERA, 116 Strikeouts)

Average Combined 2012 ERA: 3.65

St. Louis Cardinals:

1. Adam Wainwright (14-13, 3.94 ERA, 184 Strikeouts)
2. Chris Carpenter (0-2, 3.71 ERA, 12 Strikeouts)
3. Jake Westbrook (13-11 3.97 ERA, 106 Strikeouts)
4. Lance Lynn (18-7, 3.78 ERA, 180 Strikeouts)
5. Jamie Garcia (7-7, 3.92 ERA, 98 Strikeouts)

Average Combined 2012 ERA: 3.86

Milwaukee Brewers:

1. Yovani Gallardo (16-9, 3.66 ERA, 204 Strikeouts)
2. Marco Estrada (5-7, 3.64 ERA, 143 Strikeouts)
3. Mike Fiers (9-10, 3.74 ERA, 135 Strikeouts)
4. Mark Rodgers (3-1, 3.92 ERA, 41 Strikeouts)
5. Wily Peralta (2-1, 2.48 ERA, 23 Strikeouts)

Average Combined ERA: 3.49

Pittsburgh Pirates:

1. A.J. Burnett (16-10, 3.51 ERA, 180 Strikeouts)
2. Wandy Rodriguez (12-13, 3.76 ERA, 139 Strikeouts)
3. James McDonald (12-8, 4.21 ERA, 151 Strikeouts)
4. Francisco Liriano (6-12, 5.34 ERA, 167 Strikeouts)
5. Kyle McPherson (0-2, 2.73 ERA, 21 Strikeouts)

Average Combined ERA: 3.91

Chicago Cubs:

1.  Matt Garza (5-7, 3.91 ERA, 96 Strikeouts)
2.  Jeff Samardzija (9-13, 3.81 ERA, 180 Strikeouts)
3.  Edwin Jackson (10-11, 4.03 ERA, 168 Strikeouts)
4.  Travis Wood (6-13, 4.27 ERA, 119 Strikeouts)
5.  Scott Baker, 2011 season (8-6, 3.14 ERA, 123 Strikeouts)

Average Combined ERA: 3.83

Aroldis Chapman is a freak. He’s just one reason the Reds will take the division in 2013. By SD Dirk on Flickr (Originally posted to Flickr as “Aroldis Chapman”) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Last season the Pirates showed the baseball world glimpses of what they are capable of before faltering late in the season, but this year they will be back again and ready to contend. They really have nowhere else to go but up, especially in this division. I expect Francisco Liriano to be better than he has been and help the Bucs already-decent rotation out. There is no doubt that this is a good division, with two of the four National League playoff teams coming from here, and I expect it to be more competitive than ever this coming season. The Pirates rotation will be better, but I don’t think they will win this division in 2013 (though I’d love to be proven wrong).

2013 will be a three-team race between the Reds, Cardinals and Pirates. I think that the Brewers’ sub-par pitching staff will hurt them throughout the season so they fall out of my contending teams in this division. But ultimately I think that the Reds will win this division and also the NL’s best record next year. Last year, Cincinnati overcame major injuries throughout the season and still managed to win 97 games. Without a playoff collapse against the eventual champions, the Reds were one game from winning a playoff series. I believe next year will be different and the Reds get their first playoff series win since 1995.