I'm just going to say it now: 2016 Sucked

You know what's fun about leaving a year behind and looking forward to brand new, 365 day calendar? Remembering everything that went wrong. And in 2016, everything went wrong. From celebrity deaths to blown 3-1 leads, I can't help but feel that this was a year for the ages. The cream of the crop of crappiness. The utter end all for everything sucky about life.

However, I'm going to leave 2016 on a little bit of a happy, sarcastic note. Because I'm cynical like that and want to remind people of things which made them cry. For today, my focus is sports.

2016 was full of surprises. The Cubs won the World Series. The Cavaliers won the NBA Finals. Heck. Even the Oakland Raiders are having a year which their fans will never forget. However, there are a few things which we should just let die in 2016. Either because they were cringeworthy to watch, or because the idea at hand just isn't cut out to make it into the new year. These were the types of occurrences that not even a struggling EA Sports could have made up in order to keep the boat afloat. That being said, I can't help but feel as though we won't have a year as Not Top 10 Worthy as this one.

Michigan State Basketball

I'm going to kick this off with the only college team I feel truly struggled in our year of the Lord, 2016. As a former University of Kentucky student and an avid fan of the soul crushing game which is NCAA Basketball, the suffering of the Spartans brings me much joy.

I'm not talking about the November 15th thrashing.

I'm not talking about the plummet from the rankings and a gruesome 8-5 start to the 2016-17 campaign.

I'm not even talking about the roster turnover Tom Izzo endured and just couldn't seem to make up for this summer.

I'm talking about losing to a 15 seed in the National Tournament. You made it all the way through the 2015-16 season, clung to a #14 ranking, and looked to make a legitimate run at the title after losing to the eventual champions, Duke, in the 2015 Semi-Finals. Alas, Middle Tennessee had other ideas, and you watched the Final Four from your living rooms. Sorry guys.

The Cleveland Browns Fan Base

What can I say about the Cleveland Browns that hasn't already been said? A 3-13 record in 2015 followed up by a 2016 season which, at best will finish 2-14 (but I'm not hopeful), is not something to be proud of. Neither is being one of only four teams without a Super Bowl appearance or boasting a measly two winning seasons since 1999. But hey, at least the Ravens are doing well! What few of you are left may as well make the transition from Orange to Purple.

The St. Louis Rams

As a St. Louisan, I can honestly say that hardly anyone noticed the Rams' absence from the city this year. About the only thing that has happened since the team left was the renaming of the former Edward Jones Dome.

Outside of that, not much has happened in regards to the NFL in St. Louis. We have been, and always will be, a baseball town. Oh, but we are getting a new MLS team out of the whole deal, so thanks LA!

The Los Angeles Rams

Unfortunately for Stan Kroenke, just because he sold the farm and uprooted his players to restart in LA didn't mean much was going to happen. A 4-11 record, failing Numer One overall pick, and crushing homecoming loss to last-place San Francisco all point to a downward trend for a team that, while in St. Louis, looked like it might be turning things around. Coupled with a coaching situation that no one is too eager to assume, I find it hard to believe that much will happen for LA and the Rams in the coming years.

But hey, the saying is, "Don't let the door hit you on the way out." And it didn't. The door across the street just happened to be locked shut and now the Rams really don't have anywhere to go.

NFL Legitimacy

The NFL has been in the hot seat as of late. What with the disproportionate punishments (1 game suspension for domestic abuse... 4 games for deflating a ball), arbitrary and inconsistent fines, and just an overall lack of care for fans (looking at you again, Kroenke), it's a wonder the National Football League and Mr Goodell have been able to keep the whole thing afloat. But hey, with an ever increasing number of domestic abuse cases being swept under the rug and an unworldly number of former players succumbing to CTE, maybe we'll finally see football on the way out and we can expand sports like Ultimate Frisbee. *winkwinknudgenudge*

76ers 2017 Playoff Hopes

Much like the Warrior's 2016 NBA Title, the playoff hopes of the Philadelphia 76ers are non-existent. For the 5th straight season.

Though it may be premature to call them a lost cause for the 8th seed, I believe it's safe to assume that a team which hasn't broken the 20 win mark in four years isn't about to turn heads. My personal belief is, in a league with 82 games, you have to be TRYING to lose 72 games in a season.

Then again, this is Philadelphia we're talking about. Between the Phillies, Eagles, Flyers, 76ers, and Union, the City of Brotherly Love has only hosted a championship parade once in this millennium, and three times since 1980. Sorry, guys. Better luck next year.

The Billy Goat

As a St. Louisan and lifelong Cardinals fan, I know the Cubs better than just about anyone other than a Cubs fan.

So with that background, I must say good on ya, North Side. 108 years is a long time. So I bet you're all waiting for your follow up title in 2124. Though I'm still not convinced that it's not all just a really elaborate Photoshop job and everyone has been pranking me for almost two months now. Regardless, the fact that Game 7 came down to an extra innings, 1 run win will forever haunt Cleveland. Probably as much as the now dead Billy Goat Curse haunted Fenway.

3-1 Leads

I hope this is something we leave behind in 2016. I really do. Blowing leads is one of the iconic cringe moments in sports. Especially when they're as big as a 3-1 series lead. Both the Warriors and the Indians felt the sting of being so close, yet so far.

Though I wonder what's going on in Cleveland: did y'all make a deal to get the NBA Title in exchange for a heartwrenching fall? Between the Cubs comeback at Progressive Field and the aforementioned disaster that is the Browns, I'm thinking Mayor Jackson is in with a witch doctor or some VooDoo prince somewhere for the kind of things to happen that we saw over the last half of 2016.

(CELEBRITY DEATH EDITION)
(POP CULTURE EDITION)
(POLITICS EDITION)