![\"Toronto](\"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/TAVARES-SIGNS-1.jpg\" "\\"Toronto")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Sports is always sure to create debate, especially when talk centres around the \u201cbest of\u201d anything. <\/p>\n
Take this list \u2014 the biggest sports stories of 2018 \u2014 as an example of that. <\/p>\n
Lists tend to be purely subjective and can vary greatly depending on who is compiling the list. Hopefully this one will hit all the highlights, no matter who you are or what sports get you fired up. <\/p>\n
Keep in mind, these are not ranked, like you\u2019d find in a proper top 10. It\u2019s up to you to slot them into the correct order. <\/p>\n
FREE-AGENT JOHN TAVARES SIGNS WITH LEAFS<\/strong> <\/p>\n Christmas came early for delirious Leafs fans when Johnny T agreed to a seven-year, $77 million deal with his hometown team mere hours after the signing period opened up on July 1. And it didn\u2019t take long to start planning the parade route. <\/p>\n In all seriousness, though, Tavares might have been the biggest free agent the Leafs have ever landed and, when combined with the core of young talent, sparked hope for a Stanley Cup in long-suffering Leafs Nation. <\/p>\n GOLDEN KNIGHTS COME CLOSE TO SILVERWARE<\/strong> <\/p>\n Nobody, not even Vegas GM George McPhee could have predicted that the expansion team would make it to the Stanley Cup final against the Washington Capitals. <\/p>\n Sure, the Golden Knights capitalized on more liberal rules surrounding the acquisition of players but, sheesh, their surprising season-long run that continued into the playoffs was expected by exactly nobody. First-year teams are supposed to fail, not come within a bounce or two of winning Lord Stanley\u2019s mug. <\/p>\n Adding to the magnitude of the moment was that the Caps, and particularly captain Alex Ovechkin, finally got to hoist the Cup. Without the Golden Knights\u2019 success, that might have played a bigger part in this list. <\/p>\n EAGLES WIN SUPER BOWL WITH BACKUP QB<\/strong> <\/p>\n When Carson Wentz tore up his left knee last December, the collective heart of Philadelphia Eagles fans sunk to the depths. The Eagles chances of winning the Super Bowl were like Wentz\u2019s season \u2014 over. Or so we thought. <\/p>\n Backup Nick Foles had other ideas, though, and guided the Eagles to wins in the Divisional playoff game and NFC Championship before stunning the New England Patriots 41-33 in Super Bowl LII. Foles passed for 373 yards and three touchdowns en route to winning the Super Bowl MVP award, an eye-raising result given his status behind Wentz as late as mid-December. <\/p>\n ROUSEY MOVES FROM OCTAGON TO SQUARED CIRCLE<\/strong> <\/p>\n The most dominant female fighter on the UFC roster, Ronda Rousey changed the face of MMA to the point where prez Dana White is crediting her with being responsible for three women\u2019s weight classes now existing in the organization. <\/p>\n You could make an argument she was the greatest woman to pull on the four-ounce gloves, even though she finished up her MMA career with back-to-back losses. So when she decided to take her glowering, bad girl act to the WWE early in 2018 after a long layoff, it created a stir. <\/p>\n Almost a year later, it seems there\u2019s no looking back for Rousey. That\u2019s good for wrestling fans, bad for the UFC. <\/p>\n RED SOX PROVE MONEY CAN BUY WORLD SERIES<\/strong> <\/p>\n The Boston Red Sox set a franchise record during the regular season with 108 wins then capped it off by winning the World Series. Along the way, the Red Sox showed that money does, in fact, matter in the wonderful world of MLB. <\/p>\n Boston topped MLB in payroll, opening the season at around $223 million in salaries. They topped the Los Angeles Dodgers, the biggest spender the previous four years, in five games to take their fourth World Series in the 2000s. <\/p>\n Not all the big spenders got paid with a title \u2014 the San Francisco Giants also spent more than $200 million but finished below .500 \u2014 but teams that didn\u2019t lay out big money generally finished out of the playoffs. <\/p>\n CANADIAN CURLERS SWEPT OUT OF OLYMPICS<\/strong> <\/p>\n The Great White North has long been considered the true home of curling but you\u2019d never know it based on the results at the Olympics in Korea. <\/p>\n Canada failed to win a medal \u2014 not even a bronze, dammit! \u2014 in the traditional men\u2019s and women\u2019s events in PyeongChang, a stunning turn of events on the pebbled ice. We had to console ourselves with a gold in the new mixed curling event. <\/p>\n Surprisingly, there was no national summit held to bemoan the state of curling in Canada. But if we get shut out again in 2022, bet on it happening. <\/p>\n LEBRON TAKES HIS TALENTS TO HOLLYWOOD<\/strong> <\/p>\n Really, was it that surprising that LeBron James turned his back on his hometown Cavaliers \u2014 again \u2014 for the bright lights of Los Angeles? Not to this writer. <\/p>\n But when James spurned the Cavs to join the rebuilding Lakers, it became a massive story, even though the move had been rumoured for months, if not years. But you can make an argument that King James is the NBA\u2019s GOAT and that alone makes it big news. <\/p>\n James\u2019 move west also opened the door just a crack for the Raptors to make their first NBA finals. <\/p>\n CROATIA NEARLY PULLS IT OFF<\/strong> <\/p>\n In terms of population, Croatia should be considered one of soccer\u2019s minnows. With an estimated population of four million people, Croatia is around the same size as Mauritania and Moldova. <\/p>\n You\u2019d never know if after Croatia\u2019s performance at the World Cup in Russia, though. The table-cloth clad Croats overcame long, long odds to finish atop Group D with three wins, survived a nailbiter against Denmark in the round of 16 and bounced two world powers \u2014 Russia and England \u2014 to reach the final against France. <\/p>\n The French posted a 4-2 win in the final but the Croats gained some new fans by nearly pulling off another huge upset. <\/p>\n TIGER\u2019S BACK, BABY<\/strong> <\/p>\n After years of wandering in golf\u2019s wilderness thanks to some problems off the course and a wonky back, the golden boy of golf, Tiger Woods, dragged himself into contention again. <\/p>\n Tiger, who at one time appeared set to shatter Jack Nicklaus\u2019 record for wins in a major, slid so far down in the world rankings it appeared he\u2019d never find his way back to the top 100, let alone contend on a regular basis. But he not only contended, he won the Tour Championship, his first PGA Tour victory in five years and the 80th of his career. <\/p>\n Listen, not everyone loves Tiger and he certainly made some mistakes in his life but having him near the top of the leaderboard each week is good for the game. And TV ratings. <\/p>\n THE BIRTH OF GRITTY<\/strong> <\/p>\n If you don\u2019t know who Gritty is, I\u2019d suggest you\u2019ve been living under a rock. <\/p>\n The Philadelphia Flyers unveiled Gritty, their new team mascot, this season and the creepy\/frightening beast proved to be an instant success. Just days after debuting, Gritty appeared on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon \u2014 and a month later, Philly city council passed a formal resolution honouring the big, orange goofball. <\/p>\n No other newcomer made as much of an impact as quickly as Gritty. The dude\u2019s got game. <\/p>\n Check out our sports section<\/a> for the latest news and analysis. Care for a wager? Head to our sports betting section<\/a> for news and odds.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"](\"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/VEGAS-STANLEY.jpg\" "\\"")
<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/ROUSEY.jpg\" "\\"")
<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/LEBRON-LAKERS.jpg\" "\\"")
<\/p>\n![\"](\"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/TIGER-WOODS.jpg\" "\\"")
<\/p>\n