It was a memorable year in sports. Every year is it seems, but 2021 was quite unique. Here are my most memorable moments.
Tom Brady
Tom Brady turned 44 years old in 2021 and celebrated the year with his seventh Super Bowl win. He did it with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this time after winning his first six with Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots.
The Atlanta Braves won the World Series, just 10 months after one of the franchise’s icons, Hank Aaron, passed away at the age of 86. The Braves responded to the death by making a run to their first World Series title in 25 years.
Atlanta Braves
The Milwaukee Bucks won the NBA title, the franchise’s first championship in 50 years. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then Lew Alcindor) helped the Milwaukee Bucks win the 1971 NBA title, the lone championship in the franchise’s history until Giannis Antetokuonmpo carried the Bucks to a second title.
Fans returned to arenas and stadiums across the USA in 2021 after a quiet 2020 due to COVID.
It wasn’t easy, but the Summer Olympics were completed under strict pandemic protocols in Japan. A late rush of medals enabled the USA to win the medal title.
Tiger Woods found himself in the news again. The news was off the golf course and history has told us that news off the course for Tiger can be bad. The golfer was involved in a single-car rollover crash in California that left him with multiple fractures on his right leg and ankle. The cause for the crash was not released after an investigation, citing privacy issues.
Coach K
There was some noteworthy golf news on the course in 2021. Phil Mickelson, at the age of 50, became the oldest golfer to win a major when he captured the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island. It was the sixth major championship of his career.
Coach K announced that the 2021-22 season will be his last season at Duke. His Blue Devils have won five national championships. He’ll try to add one more as he embarks on his 42nd and final year at the school.
On the business front, nationwide legislation made it possible for each college athlete to make money off his or her likeness. It did not take long for a few select college athletes to net million dollar deals.
