Best in Sports: 2019

by Julian Spivey

Best Team: United States Women's National Soccer

​The United States Women’s National Soccer Team was not only the best team of the year in winning its second consecutive Women’s World Cup title, but the most important team of the year in bringing to the forefront the inequality of pay between themselves and the far less successful Men’s National Team. The men’s team didn’t even make the last World Cup and have never had much success on the sport’s biggest stage when doing so and yet the women only make 38 percent of what the men do. It’s time to pay Megan Rapinoe, Carli Lloyd, Alex Morgan, Julie Ertz and their teammates what they deserve. 

Runner-Up: St. Louis Blues

Past Winners:
2018: Boston Red Sox (MLB)
2017: Houston Astros (MLB)
2016: Chicago Cubs (MLB)
2015: Kansas City Royals (MLB)

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Best Athlete: Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens, NFL)

​At this point Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who in his first full season as a starting QB in the NFL, should be the obvious choice for NFL MVP. Jackson had led the Ravens to the league’s best regular season and has them as the No. 1 seed in the AFC heading into the playoffs next week. Jackson has been unstoppable both in the traditional passing aspect of his position, while also having the most successful running season of any quarterback in NFL history with 1,206 rushing yards through 15 games. Only five running backs in the entire league ran for more yardage this season than Jackson. Jackson’s 36 touchdown passed also led the league, while only a handful of QBs threw fewer interceptions. 

Runner-Up: Joe Burrow (LSU, College Football)

Past Winners:
2018: Simone Biles (Gymnastics)
2017: Tom Brady (New England Patriots, NFL)
2016: LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers, NBA)
2015: Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors, NBA)

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Best Coach: Dave Martinez (Washington Nationals, MLB)

​The 2019 MLB season saw Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez have the lowest of lows and the highest of highs. In his second season as the Nats manager Martinez almost didn’t make it out of the first half of the season. The Nationals started out horribly with a 19-31 record and there were many calls for Martinez to be relieved of his duties. Late in the season Martinez underwent a cardiac catheterization after experience chest pains during a game and was told by doctors not to allow himself to get too excited in the dugout. The Nats would end up winning the National League’s Wild Card, defeating the N.L. powerhouse Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series, bulldozing over the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Championship Series and then winning the franchise’s first ever World Series in an exciting and unique series that saw the Nats become the first team in World Series history to win all four of its games on the road. It was truly a Cinderella tale for Martinez from the firing block to greatest glory in team history.  

Runner-Up: Bill Belichick (New England Patriots, NFL)

Past Winners:
2018: Alex Cora (Boston Red Sox, MLB)
2017: Cole Pearn (NASCAR)
2016: Joe Maddon (Chicago Cubs, MLB)
2015: Ned Yost (Kansas City Royals, MLB)

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Best Game & Best Moment: Final Round of Masters 

My Game of the Year and Moment of the Year choices for 2019 are the same. There was certainly no better sports moment in 2019 than Tiger Woods winning the Masters Tournament for his first major tournament win in more than a decade (since the 2008 U.S. Open). It was a moment that many of us golf fans thought would never happen again after years of struggles on and off the golf course, including a back fusion surgery. When Woods won The Tour Championship tournament in late 2018 (a moment that was my Moment of the Year last year – so two years in a row for Tiger) there was a glimmer of hope and it only took until the next April to see him back in full glory. For the first time in his career Woods won a major tournament in which he trailed going into the final round. Woods was two-strokes behind Francesco Molinari, who had beaten him in a riveting final round of the previous year’s Open Championship. Around the turn going to the final nine holes on Sunday Molinari began to falter and Woods surged to the lead and held on to a one-strike victory of Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Xander Schauffele.  

Best Game Past Winners: 
2018: Women's Hockey Gold Medal Game
2017: Game 5 of World Series
2016: Game 7 of World Series
2015: Game 5 of World Series 

Best Moment Past Wnners: 
2018: Tiger Woods Wins Again
2017: Not Awarded
2016: Cubs Championship Comeback
2015: Jeff Gordon's Final Win

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Best Breakthrough Athlete: Lamar Jackson 

See 'Athlete of the Year'

Runner-Up: Pete Alonso (New York Mets, MLB)

Past Winners:
2018: Patrick Mahomes (Kansas City Chiefs, NFL)
2017: Aaron Judge (New York Yankees, MLB)
2016: Ezekiel Elliott (Dallas Cowboys, NFL)
2015: Jordan Spieth (Golf)

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Best Play: Kawhi Leonard's Buzzer Beating Bounces

​All we knew at the time was it was a miraculous bounce and shot that would lead the Toronto Raptors to the Eastern Conference Finals over the Philadelphia 76ers, but it turned out to be the moment that would propel the Raptors to their first championship in franchise history and the first ever NBA title for Canada. Game 7 of the second round playoff series between the Raptors and 76ers was tied at 90 with 4.2 seconds remaining on the clock and the Raptors inbounding the ball. Kawhi Leonard was given the ball at the top of the arc, moved to the right sideline and took a well-defended, tough shot to potentially win the game. The ball hit the closest side of the rim to Leonard and bounced into the air. It landed on the front of the rim and bounced backward to the right side of the rim where it hit iron another two times before falling into the basket and sending Toronto on and Philly home. Those were the final of the 15 points Leonard would score in the fourth quarter of the game to defeat Philadelphia. Leonard would then lead the Raptors over the Milwaukee Bucks in an exciting ECF and defeat the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals being named the Finals MVP. 

Runner-Up: Howie Kendrick's Game 7 World Series Homer for Nationals

Past Winners: 
2018: Philly Special in Super Bowl
2017: Julian Edelman’s Super Bowl Catch
2016: Tony Stewart’s Bump & Run Win
2015: Eric Hosmer Taking Home in Game 5 of World Series 

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Best Sports Media Personality: Charles Barkley (NBA on TNT)

​Charles Barkley could easily be my Best Sports Media Personality every single year. There is nobody in sports broadcasting like him and unfortunately there may never be anyone else like him (though I sincerely hope I’m wrong). What makes Barkley the best at his job is he simply does not give a damn. He will always say what’s on his mind and it’s always entertaining and often hilarious – even if he’s wrong. He’s the biggest reason for why TNT’s Inside the NBA preshow, halftime show, and postgame show are must-watch sports television – even if you don’t actually watch that night’s games. They truly broke the mold when they made Charles Barkley. 

Past Winners: 
Past Winners:
2018: Not Awarded
2017: Jeff Gluck
2016: John Smoltz 

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Lifetime Achievement: Dirk Nowitzki & Dwyane Wade

Two of the 50 greatest NBA players to ever lace up sneakers retired after the 2018-19 NBA season: Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade. Nowitzki, who spent his entire career with the Dallas Mavericks, ended his career as the sixth leading scorer in NBA history, was a 14-time All Star, four-time All-NBA First Time member, 2007 league MVP and led his Mavs to the first title in franchise history in 2011. Wade returned to the Miami Heat, as the team’s greatest player in franchise history, for his final season. Wade won three championships with the team, including the first in franchise history in 2006 with Shaquille O’Neal and then back-to-back in 2012 and 2013 with LeBron James and Chris Bosh. Wade was a 13-time All Star and two-time All-NBA First Team selection. He’s Miami’s all-time leader in scoring and assists. Both Nowitzki and Wade will be no-brainer first ballot Hall of Fame selections.

Past Winners:
2018: Adrian Beltre (Baseball)