Sports of the decade

Broken records, shattered dreams, the blood, sweat, and tears of a grueling and trying season, and the ultimate payoff, a championship. The 2000s were full of all of these and in epic proportions.

Sports can be a very controversial subject at times, but during some of our darkest hours, they can bring people together and unite them in ways that not many things can. After the Sept. 11 tragedy, the following Yankees game was full of emotion for everyone at the game. There were tears, tears of sadness, tears of pain, and tears of hope. The spectators were moved by the resilience of the players and the symbol that they represented for the city of New York.

After the Virginia Tech shootings, 32 balloons were released into the air as the football team ran onto the field, and a short memorial service was held in the honor of the fallen students.

After Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, the return of the Saints to the football field in the city created an energy of strength and rebirth in the city. As they ran onto the field, a thunderous cheer and applause greeted them. They went on to beat the Atlanta Falcons, and this win fueled change and rebuilding in the city.

It has been a very eventful and emotional ride in the sports world in the last decade. We have seen some of the most illustrious and prized records and streaks broken during this time.

In 2007, Barry Bonds broke the all-time Major League Baseball (MLB) home run record. Hank Aaron had previously held the record with 755 home runs, but on this warm summer evening in San Fransisco, Bonds hit his 756^th. This was the last home run that Bonds ever hit. This is considered one of the most hallowed honors in professional sports.

The 2000s were also a decade of controversy. In Dec. 2007, former US Senator, George Mitchell, released “The Mitchell Report,” the most infamous report of allegations against a group of professional athletes ever.

The report chronicled the use of steroids and growth hormone by MLB players. After years of investigation and research, Mitchell published a report containing the names of 89 former and current players who participated in and facilitated steroid use in baseball. Among the more illustrious names were Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, Miguel Tejada, and many others.

This created much controversy over the records that had been set by these players. Since the report was published, some of the greatest hitters of all-time in baseball have admitted to use, including Sammy Sosa, Alex Rodriguez, and most recently, Mark McGuire. All accomplishments made by these players are now tainted.

The decade also had several teams emerge as dynasties of the 2000s. In the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Los Angeles Lakers won four championships and in the National Football League (NFL), the New England Patriots won three championships. Tiger Woods became the first billionaire athlete. Lance Armstrong won seven straight Tour de France titles, Jimmie Johnson won four straight NASCAR Sprint Cup titles, and Michael Phelps won eight gold medals in one Olympics. All three are unprecedented records that may never be broken.

There are always influential and important figures in sports that can impact not only the world of sports but also the social aspects of our society. They can touch our hearts, sadden us, and most of all, they can make us think about our own lives, and it is always a tragedy when they pass away.

On November 26, 2007, Sean Tayor, a former NFL cornerback, was shot in the leg during an attempted robbery of his home, and died the next day in the hospital at the age of 24.

On April 9, 2009, Nick Adenhart, a former MLB pitcher, was hit by a car that ran a red light and smashed into the car that Adenhart was a passenger in. He was taken to the hospital, but died shortly after due to injuries from the crash at the age of 22.

Both of these deaths were shocking and impactful to their respective communities and to the entire country. In each instance, players around the leagues wore stickers or patches to remember the loss of a fellow athlete, while fans set up memorials and had ceremonies for the fallen stars in the stadium where the team played.

It is astounding how much sports shape our world. Long ago, they were created as competitions of strength to see who was the “strongest” person, country, or team. Today, they are a symbol of how many completely different people can come together and unite, even for such a short time as a sports game. During times of trouble, they can help ease the pain, they can make us come together, and they can give us hope for the future.

To some, they may just seem like silly games that don’t make sense, but even if someone can’t understand what is happening in a game, they can still get in the spirit, and have fun with all of the other fans around them. Sports bring towns and cities together, sports bring states together, and on the biggest stages of all, they bring countries together.

Even through fear, dispute, and war, they can make us all equals on one large scale. There are not many other things that can do this in today’s world, and as long as there are sports, we can always count on this happening.

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