By George B. Eichorn
TOP NATIONAL SPORTS STORIES in 2023
Gambling is everywhere. The U.S. Supreme Court’s favorable ruling opens the floodgates for DraftKings, FanDuel, MGM, Barstool and ESPN Bet to pour millions in advertisements and marketing to entice sports gamblers. Still, leagues such as the NFL caution players and employees and levy heavy fines for gambling on league or team premises.
Chaos reigns in college football. Pac-12 teams USC, UCLA, Washington and Oregon bolt for the B1G while Texas and Oklahoma join the SEC. Wealthy TV and media deals attract schools to shop for the best deals. Plus, college football player portals and Name Image and Likeness (NIL) make for a new gridiron landscape.
Lionel Messi brings “Messi Mania” to the USA. Inter Miami signs the World Cup superstar and the American pro soccer scene explodes with enthusiasm. Cristiano Ronaldo inks a $75 million-per-year contract with Al Nassr FC, who play in the top Saudi Arabia league.
Super Bowl LVII was won by Kansas City, 38-35, over Philadelphia in Glendale, Arizona. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes wins the MVP Award plus the NFL full season MVP. FOX’s broadcast became the most-watched program in American TV history, with an average of 115.1 million viewers.
The Year of Shohei Ohtani. He’s a Los Angeles Dodger pitcher and slugger after leaving the cross-town LA Angels for a record $700 million contract spread over two decades. Ohtani had the best offensive year in the MLB, leading the Majors in slugging percentage (.654), OPS (1.066) and OPS+ (184) while hitting 44 home runs in 135 games. He missed most of September with an elbow injury.
The PGA Tour, LIV Saudi-financed men’s tour plus the World golf tour extend their talks to reach a working agreement. Jon Rahm is the latest PGA star to defect to the LIV tour.
Women’s sports participation and popularity soar in 2023. USA gymnast Simone Biles wins 11 individual or team gold medals in her remarkable comeback. Nebraska draws 92,003 fans for Volleyball Day at Memorial Stadium – a new record – and a tangible example of the growth of women’s sports.
Texas Rangers finally ended a 62-year MLB drought by winning the World Series, 4 games to 1, over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Manager Bruce Bohy wins his fourth ring (3 with San Francisco). Also, 100-plus victory teams are bounced from the playoffs – Atlanta, Baltimore and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Georgia Bulldogs are a perfect 15-0 as they go back-to-back as national college football champions, taking down Texas Christian (TCU) 65-7 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.The undefeated Michigan Wolverines end 2023 at the number 1 ranked team despite Coach Jim Harbaugh getting suspended twice and missing six U-M games.
Music superstar Taylor Swift dates Kansas City Chiefs superstar tight end Travis Kelce. The sports and entertainment worlds go crazy covering their romance.
Denver Nuggets win their first NBA crown in history defeating the Miami Heat, 4 games to 1. Earlier, the Nuggets dethroned the mighty L.A. Lakers in four straight games.
U-Conn is the men’s college hoops champion again, defeating San Diego State 76-59 at NRG Stadium in Houston.
The Vegas Golden Knights – in just their sixth NHL season – win the Stanley Cup defeating the Florida Panthers, 4 games to 1.
Josef Newgarden of Team Penske and Chevrolet took the checkered flag at the Indianapolis 500. The IndyCar points championship was won by Alex Palou and Chip Ganassi Racing in a Toyota. T
he victory was also the 15th for Chip Ganassi Racing.
Racing’s Daytona 500 winner is a surprise as unheralded Ricky Stenhouse Jr. drives his Chevrolet to victory in February. Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney wins his first NASCAR Cup Series crown in his No. 12 Ford Mustang
Golf’s majors are won by: Jon Rahm, Masters Tournament; Brooks Koepka, PGA Championship; Wyndham Clark, U.S. Open, and Brian Harman, The Open Championship. Women’s golf crowns major winners Lilian Vu (Chevron Championship), Yin Ruoning (Women’s PGA Championship), Allisen Corpuz (U.S. Women’s Open), Celine Boutier (Evian Championship) and Vu again (Women’s British Open).
Tennis singles champions include Australian Open – Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka; French Open – Djokovic and Iga Swiatek; Wimbledon Championships – Carlos Alcaraz and Marketa Vondrousova, and U.S. Open – Djokovic and American Coco Gauff.
DEATHS: Maxie Baughan, Sal Bando, Bobby Baun, Andy Bean, Ted Bernhardt, Lance Blanks, Vida Blue, Henry Boucha, Gil Brandt, Jim Brown, Ed Budde, Dick Butkus, Nate Colbert, Pat Corrales, Roger Craig, Denny Crum, Walter Davis, Gil de Ferran, Don Denkinger, Terry Dischinger, Conrad Dobler, Dick Drago, Tim Foley, Chris Ford, Dick Fosbury, Russ Francis, Walt Garrison, Mickey Geller, Gilles Gilbert, Bud Grant, Jerry Green, Johnny Green, Dick Groat, Gerry Hart, D.J. Hayden, Tara Heiss, Willie Hernandez, Frank Howard, Bobby Hull, Norma Hunt, The Iron Shiek, Mike Ivie, Don January, Deacon Jones, Mikala Jones, Joe Kapp, Petr Klima, Robbie Knievel, Herb Kohl, Bob Knight, Jerry Krause, Ted Lerner, Johnny Lujack, Ryan Mallett, Brendan Malone, Tim McCarver, Red McCombs, Nikki McCrary, Terry McDermott, George McGinnis, Don McIlhenny, Art McNally, Joey Meyer, Eric Montross, Dan Morrison, Bob Murdoch, Paula Murphy, Joe Pepitione, Jim Price, Betsy Rawls, Willis Reed, Tony Roberts, Brooks Robinson, Peter Seidler, Mike Shannon, Phil Sellers, Don Shane, Bingo Smith, Vic Stasiak, Otis Taylor, Vince Tobin, Jim Turner, Tim Wakefield, Charles White, Rocky Wirtz, Cale Yarborough.
Reach George Eichorn at geichorn@yahoo.com or @Sandgsports99 on X (formerly Twitter).
Detroit’s Sports Broadcasters: On the Air: Eichorn, George B, Introduction Harwell, Ernie, Harwell, Introduction Ernie: 9781531617660: Amazon.com: Booksichorn@yahoo.com or @Sandgsports99 on X (formerly Twitter).
