Every year we have a large number of great sports events, but also we always have a decent number of those that do not end as expected. This is the list on which we have top 10 Sports busts in 2016.
1. Golden State’s 3-1 Lead Blowout
Golden State Warriors were the force to be reckoned with last season, and they managed to break the record of the most famous Bulls team when they won 72 games and lost only 10. The Warriors recorded 73-9, but their tremendous year was tainted in the finals when they blew out a 3-1 lead. They lost the Game 7 at home when LeBron James and Kyrie Irving led Cleveland to their first title.
2. The Indians’ World Series Strikeout
Moving from the NBA to the MLB where we have a similar example of a thrilling victory and bitter defeat. The Chicago Cubs won their first World Series, but the tragic team here is the Cleveland Indians as they blew a 3-1 series lead. At one point Nate Silver gave the Cubs the same chance of winning against the Indians as he gave Trump of winning the presidency. We all know how this ended, plus the basketball king LeBron James lost the bet to Dwyane Wade, and he had to show up in Cubs uniform.
3. Olympics Controversy
The 2016 Rio Olympic Games were possibly the most controversial Games ever. With Zika virus present, some of the players refused to come to Rio, but the organization also had the problem with green water in swimming pools. In addition, the swimmer Ryan Lochte got dr*nk and brought havoc to the streets of Rio and the police had to get involved as well.
Source:bleacherreport.com
4. NFL Downward Trend
NFL has been the most popular sport in the USA for a while, but the NFL ratings began to decrease in 2016. Many people believed that the reason for this was the election, but it turns out that it isn’t the case. The Industry watchers and NFL executives also pointed fingers to Colin Kaepernick’s infamous protest of the National Anthem. However, the fact is that fewer Americans are watching television, so can this be the reason? Could it be that the people are losing interest in the NFL?
5. Charlie Strong Fired
Texas Longhorns fired the coach Charlie Strong who was a valuable asset to this team and the University of Texas. Many players and fans protested, and their outrage could be seen on social media. Coach Strong got a job at the University of South Florida, and we wish him well.
6. LA Rams’ Poor Season
When the St. Louis Rams announced that they were moving to Los Angeles, the excitement went through the roof. In their first season in LA, the Rams played so poorly that many fans lost interest immediately. In their last ten games, they managed to win only one match, which is embarrassing for a team in the City of Angels. To cut them some slack, this was their first season in the new city and hopefully they can improve next year.
7. Serena Williams Loses the Throne
Serena Williams had a solid 2016 season, but solid was not good enough for her. At the Rio Olympics, she got eliminated in the third round, losing to Elina Svitolina. After that, she was defeated at the US Open by Karolina Pliskova, and she lost the Number One spot, which she managed to keep for 186 weeks. She obviously had issues with her shoulder and left knee, but nevertheless, she was not on her level.
8. Nick Young and D’Angelo Russell’s Feud
The Los Angeles Lakers had a disastrous 2015-16 season which was marked by the conflict between a then-rookie D’Angelo Russell and shooting guard Nick Young. Namely, Russell filmed the conversation he had with his teammate Young, as he was talking about the cheating of his then-fiancee, the famous rapper Iggy Azalea. The footage was posted on the Internet, and the chemistry of the team was seriously damaged, while Azalea left Nick Young after this. Most of the people blamed Russell for secretly filming the what was supposed to be a private conversation and posting it online.
9. Alex Rodriguez’ Yankees Retirement
It came as a surprise when Alex Rodriquez suddenly retired from baseball in August. He started out the 2016 season with the Bronx Bombers, but suddenly announced that he would retire on that Friday after he had played for less than five months. He had a fascinating career and his leave in the midseason was definitely a shock to many.
10. Conor McGregor
Conor McGregor is one of the most popular fighters in the UFC, but 2016 was not his year. Despite a 19-3 record, he was defeated by Nate Diaz. McGregor was successful in the first round, be he eventually lost the match after which he declared that this loss was a “bitter pill to swallow.” He finished the year as a champion after he regained supreme at UFC 205 against Eddie Alvarez.
