The sporting headlines that marked 2013
Every year, North America has its fair share of drama and 2013 was no exception. There were quite a few interesting stories which took place throughout the past 12 months as the year certainly had it all. From missed opportunities to amazing comebacks, sports bettors were not bored across the major leagues in the United States and we can just sit back now and look at some of the top stories that marked 2013.
An NBA Final to remember
The Miami Heat faced the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Final last season and the matchup brought forward a lot of betting action. It was the fight between the young “Big Three” representing the Miami Heat against the more experienced “Bit Three” from the Spurs and the series went the whole way.
With seven games between the two strongest teams in the NBA, the finals were nothing short of impressive and fans are still looking back on it. There were important baskets made with only one shoe as Mike Miller added points to the scoreboard after losing a shoe. There were incredibly close calls as the Spurs were just 28 seconds away from winning Game 6 and the title before the LeBron James rallied his troops to force a Game 7. There was a great win as Miami Heat won its second consecutive NBA title and set its target on the third.
This year, both the Spurs and the Heat are looking good and there is also plenty of competition from other teams in the league. At the end of the day, the ball is round and anything can happen as we get closer to the playoffs.
One minute Stanley Cup
The NHL final could give the Spurs/Heat series a run for its money. In Game 6, the Boston Bruins were playing at home and had all but secured the game which would tie the series. The victory was just one minute away when the unexpected happened. The Chicago Blackhawks scored two goals 16 seconds apart to win the game and the most prestigious title in hockey.
The loss for the Bruins was one of the most brutal ones in recent sporting history and not many punters could have predicted such a quick turn of events.
SuperBowl in the dark
The Super Bowl did not take place without any memorable stories this year either. With the hundreds of prop bets for bettors to enjoy, nobody could have predicted that the biggest game of the year would be marked by a blackout.
While the game between the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers had plenty of action, the only thing that people will remember about the SuperBowl XLVII years for now is the fact that the power went down at the Superdome and the game was delayed by a significant amount of time. Conspiracy theories, powered by the great run the Ravens had after the game was resumed, are still being heard.
Boston Marathon bombings
2013 was not just about big wins and funny stories as the year was marked by a huge tragedy when the Boston Marathon was bombed, killing three people and injuring over 250 near the finish line. It will be remembered as one of the most disturbing moments in sports. The glare of light in the story is how the Bostonians came together in a time of need and stood strong in front of the world.
One of the classic sporting events in the United States will now forever be marked by the bombs set off by the two brothers which affected the life of so many people.
