New years eve is always a
celebration I look forward to because a new chapter is filed and flipped to the
left, but 365 fresh, white pages confront you, begging for the ink on your pen
to be wet, because there is even more to conquer accomplish and document.
A new year has come and gone, but a new chapter has arrived in which the jar of personal aspirations and goals is overflowing with open opportunities and heck, if we can all make it through the "end of the year" anything is possible, right?
When it comes to Philadelphia's
four major sports teams, it was 365 days of disappointment in the City of
Brotherly Love.
In a year full with promise and
hope, the papers owning those words of encouragement, for the most part at
least, were burnt with whatever one chooses to ignite the flames.
Personally, I’ll choose matches
so I can strike the box and slowly watch the match burn down the pages of
discouraging headlines and box scores that turned out to be what we hadn’t
predicted.
In the history book of
Philadelphia sports, 2012 should read as follows for the Phillies, Eagles,
Flyers and 76ers:
2012:
-A year where the Phillies were
riddled by injures and lackluster play, resulting in the Phillies hitting the
links in October, instead of playing playoff baseball, which we became accustomed
to seeing from 2007-2011.
-A year where the Eagles arrived
at training camp in a 2012 Lamborghini Gallardo with Super Bowl hopes, that
eventually broke down around week 5 or 6, causing the fan base and organization
to purchase a 2000 Honda Civic until seasons end, where we then saw the
winningest coach in the history of the franchise sent out the door with a pink
slip and commemorative football on the last day of the year.
-A year where the Flyers signed
what looked to be a franchise net minder to a 9 year $51 million deal, but
found out he’s a head case that may not be able to ever succeed in
Philadelphia.
The Flyers as a team, though,
took us through an incredible ride in the first round of the Stanley Cup
Playoffs vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins in a thrilling 6 game series in one of the
most exciting and physical playoff series in the recent history of the Orange
and Black, but fell in 5 games to a Devils team nobody thought could advance to
the Eastern Conference Finals.
-A year where the 76ers actually
provided us with a pleasant surprise as Doug Collins’ No. 8 seeded team took
down the No. 1 seeded Chicago Bulls in a fun 6 games series, that ended in
Andre Iguodala hitting two free throws at the end of the game to notch a 79-78
victory and set up a second round date with the Boston Celtics.
I use the word “fun” series
because Derrick Rose suffering a season ending torn ACL in Game one paved the
way for a Bulls first round exit.
To their credit, the young Sixers
went blow for blow with the Celtics in a 7 game series that Boston took 85-75
at TD Garden.
The 76ers again raised our hopes
by trading for Lakers center Andrew Bynum, a move that could of catapulted the
76ers into being a top three team in the Eastern Conference, but it is January
2nd now, and Bynum has yet to throw on a 76ers uniform.
For the most part, it has been a
year of disappointment, but I’m in the mood to keep it light and positive, so
here are my top 5 Philadelphia athletes of 2012.
#5. Andre Iguodala
I know some of you are reading
this saying “No way, how could you!?!?” but Iguodala deserves a spot in the top
5.
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| Photo:LehigValleyLive.com |
After being chosen as the 9th
overall pick in the first round of the 2004 NBA draft out of Arizona by the
76ers, Iguodala was expected to take the reigns as “franchise player” when
Allen Iverson was traded to the Denver Nuggets.
Iguodala never became that star
player, and took flack from the fans because of that reason. Other than 2007-08,
Iguodala never averaged more than 19.9 points per game, but evolved into one of
the NBA’s best all around players.
In 2012, Iguodala averaged 12.4
points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.5 assits per game and earned his first career trip
to the All Star game--the first time a 76er made the All Star game since Allen
Iverson.
Iguodala then averaged 12.9
points and 5.7 rebounds per game during the 76ers playoff run and hit two
deciding free throws at the end of the game to defeat the Chicago Bulls 79-78,
sending Philly to the second round.
Iguodala then made the United
States National team and brought home a Gold Medal at the 2012 London Olympic
Games.
Iguodala was then traded to the Denver Nuggets as part of a four team deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets and Orlando Magic, which landed Andrew Bynum on the 76ers.
Not too bad a year for Andre
Iguodala.
#4. Jonathon Papelbon
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| Photo:DeadSpin |
Fresh off of signing a 4-year
contract worth $50 million in November, 2011, Papelbon pitched the most innings
of his career (70.0) and gave the Phillies a feared closer at the back end of
the bullpen.
Papelbon was elected as an All
Star and converting on 38 of 42 save opportunities, ranking him third in the
National League and compiled a 2.44 ERA.
If the Phillies had a viable
setup man in 2012, Papelbon could have recorded 40+ saves.
#3. Carlos Ruiz
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| Photo: Philly.com |
Carlos Ruiz broke out in 2012, en
route to having the best year of his career and was the Phillies most feared
bat in the lineup.
The man whose nickname is
“Chooch” hit .325 with 16 homeruns and 68 RBI’s, but only appeared at the plate
372 times in 114 games.
Ruiz could be higher on the list,
but the fact he only played 114 games keeps him from cracking the top three
Chooch evolved into a fan
favorite in Philadelphia, thanks in large part to what he accomplished in 2012
and was chosen to the National League All Star team as a back up to Giant’s
catcher, Buster Posey.
Ruiz’ 16 homeruns were the most
by a Phillies catcher since 2004, when Mike Lieberthal hit 17.
#2. Cole Hamels
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| Photo: RittenhouseEd |
Entering the last year of his
contract in 2012, Cole Hamels entered spring training as the teams No. 3
starter behind Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee.
With a fatigued and injured Roy
Halladay having one of the worst seasons of his career and Cliff Lee showing
the inability to maintain leads, that quickly changed and Cole Hamels emergence
as the teams ace moving forward became evident.
The Phillies realized this and
signed Hamels to the second-largest contract ever signed by a pitcher at six-years
years, $144 million on July 24th.
Hamels made the NL All Star team
for the second straight year and third time of his career and finished eighth
in the NL Cy Young voting.
Hamels won a career high 17 games
and struck out a career best 216 batters in 215.1 innings pitched, all while
recording a 3.05 ERA, the second lowest of his seven year tenure in the Big
Leagues.
#1. Claude Giroux
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| Photo:BleacherReport |
Writing this now is just a punch
in my own gut with no hockey currently being played because of a lockout that should
be long gone by now, but Claude Giroux earns the No.1 spot on my list of the
top 5 Philadelphia athletes of 2012.
Giroux finished third in the
National Hockey League behind Evgeni Malkin and Steven Samkos with 93 points.
Giroux tallied 28 goals and 65
assists in 77 games played. His 65 assists were the second most in the NHL.
Giroux then had one of the greatest
postseasons in NHL history and proved that the soon to be 25 year old is among
the top 5 players in hockey after going up head to head against Sidney Crosby
and Evgeni Malkin.
In 10 postseason games, Giroux
scored 8 goals and dished out 9 assists, good for a total of 17 points in 20
games.
Although the Flyers were bounced
in the second round, Giroux was the overall points leader in the playoffs.
Giroux was then named the cover athlete
for NHL 13.
Those are my top 5 Philadelphia athletes of 2012
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