Reflecting on the craziest year in sports history
Remember January?
The Cincinnati Reds had just signed high-profile outfielders Shogo Akiyama and Nick Castellanos to long-term deals, as well as star pitcher Trevor Bauer to a one-year rental, in the hopes of finally making a playoff push.
The Bengals, clutching the No. 1 overall pick and desperately looking for a franchise savior, were licking their lips after QB prodigy Joe Burrow led the LSU Tigers to a national championship.
And FCC general manager Gerard Nijkamp recently hired fellow Dutch head coach Ron Jans to lead a club that couldn’t possibly do worse than its inaugural season.
Well, a lot can happen in a year.
A Pandemic Strikes
When lockdowns went into effect and sports leagues were postponed in mid-March, few people anticipated the virus would upheave high school, college and professional teams to this day.
March Madness? Cancelled. Tokyo Olympics? Cancelled.
Beyond the summer, COVID-19 threatened to cancel fall sports for high schools and colleges in the Tristate, just as it had done in the spring. Even though sports have returned now, stadiums and arenas are months away from returning to full capacity.
Blunders, Missteps and Shortcomings
Cincinnati sports figures made the wrong kind of national news this year when now-former head coach Ron Jans resigned after allegations of “extremely inappropriate comments.”
Joining him was renowned Reds broadcaster Thom Brennaman who used a homophobic slur on a hot mic. Brennaman’s first gig since the Reds will be to call winter baseball games in Puerto Rico.
For the Bengals, a hopeful season of new beginnings turned dark when Burrow went down injured against the Washington Football Team. Burrow was hit a lot all season, and many fans felt he was not protected enough.
The Playoff Curse Remains
If the Burrow incident wasn’t bad enough, FCC managed to earn less points overall than their inaugural season, and they were unable to advance in the knockout stages of the MLS is Back Tournament.
The Reds squeaked through to the playoffs, but once again were denied past the first round after getting swept by the Atlanta Braves in the NL Wild Card Series.
Best of 2020
Despite the tumultuous year inside and outside of sports, they’ve returned to provide a much-needed distraction. They gave people, as they so often do, a chance to rally around a united cause.
Cincinnati was treated to excellent performances across multiple sports this year. Here are just a few:
Team of the Year: Cincinnati Bearcats Football
No. 8 UC will kick off the new year with a trip to the Peach Bowl to play No. 9 Georgia in a quest to stay undefeated. The AAC Champions were denied a berth to the College Football Playoff but can prove a point by beating an SEC team with their best roster of players since Brian Kelly’s 2009 team that lost to Tim Tebow’s Florida.
Honorable Mention: Cincinnati Reds
Player of the Year: Trevor Bauer, Starting Pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds
Bauer’s on-field ability and off-the-field personality thrived in the Queen City where he became the Reds’ first ever CY Young winner, awarded to the MLB’s best pitcher each season. Bauer helped a surging Reds team sneak into the playoffs for the first time since 2013.
Honorable Mention: Obi Toppin, Power Forward for the Dayton Flyers
