Sports: Mid-Way Through 2018, Let’s Hand Out Some Awards!

Looking through the first half of 2018, there are multiple players and teams we need to acknowledge. We had the Super Bowl in February, PHILLY PHILLY!! We had the Vegas Knights just blow sports fans minds, hockey fan or not, we had Villanova join college basketball greatness, and we had some of the top upsets in March Madness history. Oh yeah, super teams are also taking over the NBA, Warriors winning the 3 title in 4 years proves that. None the less, what they’re doing is remarkable.

• Most Outstanding Team
  • Vegas Golden Knights
    • There was no better story in Sports than what the Golden Knights did for the city of Las Vegas. For the city of Las Vegas, they needed the Golden Knights. After the events on October 1st shook the nation and was considered to be the worst tragedy in the modern era as a gunmen opened fire on the Vegas strip killing about 50 people injuring a ton more. The Golden Knights were an expansion team that had a 500-1 chance to win the Cup. They exceeded all odds and brought a smile to a city that desperately needed one. The Term “Vegas Strong” has become an uplifting symbol for the city, and the Vegas Golden Knights backed it up. Finishing as the top seed out west and backed it up all the way to the Stanley Cup only to get dropped by Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals in 5.

My favorite part about this past season was getting to see the entire city of Las Vegas really unite through the Knights… It definitely made a transient town feel like home to millions of people. -Hannah Williams, a member of the Golden Aces.

• Most Outstanding Performance
  • Donte DiVincenzo, Villanova
    • The Villanova Wildcats do not win their second championship in 3 years because of the Michael Jordan of Delaware as they call him back home, Donte DiVincenzo. DiVincenzo scored 31 points off the bench on 10 of 15 shooting. The Michigan Wolverines didn’t circle DiVincenzo has the player that would beat them. Most thought they would have to shut down player of the year Jalen Brunson or Mikal Bridges, instead DiVincenzo had the game of his life skyrocketing up the NBA draft board in the most recent draft.
• Best Comeback Story
  • Super Bowl Champ and the University of Arizona’s Very Own, Nick Foles
    • Foles began his career with the Eagles where he was the backup to Michael Vick but after an injury in 2013, Foles became ‘the guy’ in Philly. He went on to throw 27 TD’s and 2 INT that season also earning an ESPY. After a broken collarbone forced him to miss the next season, he was traded to the Rams then was asked to be released when they drafted Jared Goff. Nick Foles seriously contemplated retiring at that point. The Eagles picked him back up to back up Carson Wentz. After a 10-2 start, Wentz suffered an ACL tear, and yet again, Nick Foles is there to pickup the city of Philly. He went 3-1 as the starter heading into the playoffs. Obviously the ruthless fans of Philly were very weary of Foles ability to carry this team through the Playoffs. If it weren’t for his UofA background, I don’t think he comes out of this. He takes down 2016 MVP Matt Ryan, then routes the Vikings going 26-33 with 3 TD’s. Then Nick Foles faces 5 time champion Tom Brady or AKA the GOAT. Nick Foles through for 373 yards including being on the receiving end of a TD. He was named MVP of the Super Bowl and etched his name in football history with that win over the Patriots when all odds were against him.
• Best Game
  • Game 2 College World Series Oregon State Vs. Arkansas Game Was LIT
    • Oregon State is a college baseball powerhouse winning two national championships prior to this season. They face the Arkansas Razorbacks in the 2018 college baseball best of 3 series, being down 1-0 in the series. Also losing 3-0 in the 9th inning. Arkansas is basically an out away from being crowned college baseball champs. Arkansas was a lazy fly ball away from winning the world series for the first time in its school’s history. Instead, Cadyn Grenier hits a RBI single to tie the game, then, Trevor Larnach launches a 2 run shot to win game two. Oregon State goes on to win their 3rd title since 2006.
• Top NBA Player
  • Lebron James
    • Even though it seems pretty far-fetched to think Lebron James is still out doing himself, turns out he is. In his 15th season Lebron averaged 27.5 ppg (most since 2010), career high in rpg at 9.1, and tied a career high in apg at 8.6. Very special numbers for a player that has given everything he has for 15 seasons in the NBA, and still progressing. Not to mention he just signed on to finally play out west, Hollywood and Lebron James are a fairytale ending to a historic career. There are some other names deserving, but Lebron deserves to get the love here for what he accomplished with a C list team.
• Top MLB Player
  • Mike Trout
    • Mike Trout has been the top player and probably the most quiet super star in any sport. The kid just produces at a high level and is a pure 5 tool player. Trout having a cannon for an arm, top-level defense in the outfield, steals bases at a high rate, has an insane amount of pop in his bat, and hits about .300 or higher each year. He’s only 26 years old and he’s won 2 MVP’s, 6 time All-Star, ROY, and 5 time Silver Slugger award winner. The man has done it all except for a World Series.
• Top NFL Player
  • Nick Foles
    • Foles is the top ESPY award winner through the first half of the season. We talked in length about what he has accomplished. No NFL player has done more in 2018 than Nick Foles, only a few years removed from contemplating retirement.
• Most Surprising Storyline
  • Chicago Loyola’s Cinderella Story
    • In a year where college basketball was under heavy scrutiny amidst the FBI probe, Chicago Loyola’s run to the final four was spectacular to see and good for college basketball. Loyola, led by Sister Jean, went toe-to-toe with College basketball ‘Giants’ throughout March Madness and was a win away from a title shot. The Ramblers finished the season 32-6, but more importantly, knew they belonged with the big boys.

When they walked off that floor, the emotions when you invest in something that much, the emotions were overwhelming some of them, and I wanted them to walk off that floor with their heads high because they have a lot to be proud of… And I’ll tell you this: When you’re done as a young player, you know it’s not as much what you left behind; it’s what you impacted. And these kids — these young men, they’re not kids — they impacted so many. The name ‘Loyola’ will never be the same. Loyola Chicago — they’ve changed the perception, doing things the right way. They changed a community. They changed, across the country, the alumni, the pride. And that’s hard to do. And to get to this stage, I’m a better person and a better coach for coaching this group.- Coach Porter Moses

• Biggest Upset
  • UMBC #16 upsets #1 overall seed Virginia
    • For the first time in the history of the NCAA March Madness we had a top seed go down in the first round.  UMBC was in control from start to finish against the nation’s top defensive team and basically a team that spent the whole season in the top 5. Before this upset, top seeds were 132-0. University of Maryland Baltimore County had plans to make 132-1.
• Best Coaching Performance
  • Brad Stevens
    • The Boston Celtics looked like the front-runner to compete with the Warriors for a title with the newly acquired Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving. If you told me the Celtics would be a series away from the finals without Hayward and Irving I’d call you crazy. Not many successful college coaches can make the transition to the NBA, Stevens is the anomaly. He’s a very tough-minded coach. Players respond very well to him and he gets the absolute top production out of anybody on the floor. Stevens was a huge gamble having never coached a major college program. This has been year 5 for Stevens, after taking Butler to back-to-back finals, he has had tons of success as the Celtics Head Coach.

2018 is already half way over. We’ve had plenty of excitement, March Madness with tons of upsets, a backup QB beating the greatest QB of all-time in the Super Bowl. With the NFL approaching and NBA free-agency going crazy, the rest of 2018 looks to be just as exciting.