2016 was a terrible way in many ways. We elected Donald Trump president, Carrie Fisher capped off a long year of iconic people dying, and even the music sucked. I was disappointed by everything, even the new The Weeknd and the Frank Ocean albums! But the year wasn’t all bad, and the best area to point to is sports.

First off, 2016 was the year to end droughts. The most obvious being the 108 year World Series drought snapped by the Chicago Cubs. If anyone deserved to win the Series, it was dem Cubbies. Also, it was the first good year in sports for Cleveland ever. Outside the absolute joke we all call the Browns, every team in Cleveland had a monster year. The Indians played some of the best baseball I’ve ever seen before they lost the Cubs in the World Series, and the Cavaliers have LeBron, Kyrie, K-Love, and even though this happened in 2017, just traded for Kyle Korver! Seriously? How much better can that team get? Is Anthony Davis about to force his way there? C’mon Cleveland, you almost deserve the Browns at this point (just almost).

Also, 2016 was the year of football at all levels. Firstly, right here where I’m writing this, Wofford College had one hell of a year on the football field and knocked off my hometown juggernaut, The Citadel in the FCS playoffs, and Clemson is still killing it on the FBS level. Also, the NFL was crazy this year, especially for my team, the Atlanta Falcons. MATTY ICE FOR MVP! Seriously! The Cowboys look like they did in the 90’s, the Raiders seemed like they had Bo Jackson again, and Tom Brady is somehow still doing what he does at 39. I don’t about you, but I doubt one PSI out of a football is making him any more elite.

To add onto that, it seems like so many greats went out on top in every sport over the last year. Peyton Manning retired from football after winning Super Bowl 50, David Ross retired after winning the aforementioned World Series with the Cubs, David Ortiz went out on one of his best years ever, Kobe scored 60 in his last game, and even University of Kansas and 5x Russian League champion Sasha Kaun retired after winning a NBA Championship with the Cavs over the last year. Michael Phelps also killed it in Rio, winning five more medals to make his total a ridiculous 28.

So despite David Bowe, Prince, and Alan Rickman dying, and we could have gone the entire year with no music, and only really missed a total of maybe five albums, I’ll stick by what I said earlier, and say that for the sports world, 2016 wasn’t bad. So much good happened, that nothing else can really sour that. So 2016, thanks for the sporting memories, but please keep the rest though. I insist.