From My Brain to Your Eyes: Top 10 Sports Moments of 2012

I love lists.

There is no better season for list-lovers than the end of the year and the 'best of' everything. Songs, films, local chefs, political sex scandals, previously undiscovered facial expressions of Claire Danes. And, of course, sports.

What fun! Let's play.

This isn't an overall best sports stories of the year, but more of a collection of memorable moments -- and all off the top of my head, which I guess is as good a way as any to assess the memorability of a moment.

In no particular order:

THE REPLACEMENTS

Well, that happened. It still hurts my feelings and makes me curse.


LeBRON VICTORY-DANCING ALL OVER THE WORLD

He had a big year. And that big LeBron grin is irresistible to me. It's like the happiest place on earth is in Lebron's mouth.  [more LeBron victory-dancing]


CHUCK PAGANO'S LOCKER ROOM SPEECH



I'm dancing at two more weddings, and we're hoisting that trophy together. That doesn't read like a stunningly powerful line, but it certainly is delivered as one. 


GABBY DOUGLAS

There were many, many great Olympic moments -- Ryan Lochte talking about pissing in the pool notwithstanding -- but watching little Gabby Douglas dig deep and just kill it is my favorite.


PERFECTION

Six no-no's this season, three of them perfect games. Not exactly one 'moment', but a general feeling is evoked when I think of this. This feeling: good god, that is amazing.


THE BUTT FUMBLE

I mean.


SHHHH....



Okay, so this is a slightly different version of this moment than the one you saw on ESPN. This is the the 'how it went in my head' version.


JOSH HAMILTON's FOUR BOMB NIGHT IN BALTIMORE

So memorable I even wrote a short-short story about it. Sort of.


CHRIS KLUWE TAKES A STAND

And introduces the world to the excellently phrased and awesomely memorable, lustful cockmonster.


MAUER GETS BOOED AT TARGET FIELD, I LOSE MY DAMN MIND

Muffinbutt bounced back and had a great 2012 season, thank god. Because I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have been able to handle another rough year -- not in disappointment with Mauer, but with the haters.

So, there we have it.

Sorry, I don't know anything about hockey or golf or much about the NBA not having to do with LeBron James' mouth.

Merry Christmas and HAPPY NEW YEAR, buddies. Ciao.
-christine