EOY Awards: Best Team
- Thread starter Big Sexy
- Start date
LA Lakers. They obviously won the NBA title and their path was impressive. They defeated Kevin Durant in round one, took out a solid Jazz team in round 2, beat a feisty Steve Nash led Suns team in the conference finals, and then beat the veteran Celtics in 7 games in the NBA Finals. Great team led by a great player in Kobe Bryant.
People's Champ
Bleeding Teal
I'm going with the Saints. They went through the Cards, who still had Warner and Boldin and had just beaten the Packers, and the Vikings, who had a fantastic year by Farve and the defense. The Saints harassed Farve like no other team could. Then they go to their first Super Bowl and beat a very good Colts team. Great year and great team.
Stormtrooper
Championship Contender
The New Orleans Saints started the 2009 Regular Season 13-0. They took off the gas and entered the playoffs 13-3, as the #1 seed in the NFC. Then comes the NFL playoffs.
In their first Playoff game, they defeated the high powered offense of the Arizona Cardinals, and Hall of Fame Quarterback Kurt Warner (in what was his last game ever).
Then they host Minnesota, and defeat Hall of Fame QB Brett Favre, who was having a career year (in what SHOULD have been his last game ever). Not only do they beat the Vikings, but they beat the hell out of Favre.
For the first time, the Saints are in the Super Bowl, and who do they draw? The one team that was "better" then them, the Indianapolis Colts (14-0 when they try for all 60 minutes), led by (yet another) Hall of Fame Quarterback Peyton Manning. They win that game, bring a Championship to New Orleans, and are easily the best team of the year.
The New Orleans Saints had to go up against 3 of the 4 best QBs in the league in 2009, all of which are sure fire Hall of Famers, and they beat them all. THAT's the team of the year.
In their first Playoff game, they defeated the high powered offense of the Arizona Cardinals, and Hall of Fame Quarterback Kurt Warner (in what was his last game ever).
Then they host Minnesota, and defeat Hall of Fame QB Brett Favre, who was having a career year (in what SHOULD have been his last game ever). Not only do they beat the Vikings, but they beat the hell out of Favre.
For the first time, the Saints are in the Super Bowl, and who do they draw? The one team that was "better" then them, the Indianapolis Colts (14-0 when they try for all 60 minutes), led by (yet another) Hall of Fame Quarterback Peyton Manning. They win that game, bring a Championship to New Orleans, and are easily the best team of the year.
The New Orleans Saints had to go up against 3 of the 4 best QBs in the league in 2009, all of which are sure fire Hall of Famers, and they beat them all. THAT's the team of the year.
Barcelona. Mourinho got by them once by parking the bus, but apart from that they have decimated everyone, including Mourinho's Real Madrid. There may never be a team as cohesive and consistent as them, and to think most of the world cup winning first team was taken from them, without even including Messi, it really does emphasise how good this team is.
Chardee Macdennis
Getting Noticed By Management
As much as it pains me, I'll go with the Lakers. They had a great run and really solidified Kobe's legacy.
Kurt Warner was not a top 4 quarterback last year but what the Saints did was still impressive. However, many people say that point guard is the quarterback of basketball and the Lakers took out 4 of the NBA's top 6 point guards in the playoffs. Russell Westbrook in round 1, Deron Williams in round 2, Steve Nash in the conference finals, and finally Rajon Rondo in the NBA Finals. Equally as impressive if you ask me.
Rhonda Rousey's Sports Bra
Kinda Sorta Old School
LA Lakers are the team I'm going with. They've proved hwo good they actually are for years upon years and they really put it together to win another NBA Championship. They are by no means one hit wonders or pretenders and are going for the three-peat. LA Lakers all the way here.
Joe's Gonna Kill You
The Hunt is On
I'm going with the Lakers last year they had a great regular season Won the NBA championship and faced some very tough teams on their way to that Championship. Lakers get my vote.
The Holy One
What's really good?
I'm going with the San Fran Giants just to show them some love and plus CM Punk is their closer and he's great. Actually, the Giants run to the World Series was pretty impressive. To stop my Braves great run to try and win one for Bobby, then stop the NL favorite Phillies and their impressive lineup, and finally finding a way to beat the beast that was Cliff Lee.
Stormtrooper
Championship Contender
1. Maybe not top 4, you're right (I let my Warner fandom overrate him in 09 slightly). Numbers wise, he would have been top 10. However, that was still the most explosive passing game in the league, mainly because of Warner. And they were NFC Champions the year before. That win is still immensely impressive.
2. The 4 guys you listed are all fine players. Unfortunately, only 1 of them (Nash) would be considered a Hall of Famer. The Saints beat 3 Sure-fire, (should be) First Ballot Hall of Famers.
3. I'm not discounting the Lakers one bit. As a non-basketball fan, I may be a bit bias, I just have never seen an NFL team go through 3 Hall of Fame QBs (on great teams and playing at or close to their best) to win a Super Bowl.
I'm going with the San Francisco Giants on this one. Their title run was unexpected, but completely deserving. They never lost back to back games in the playoffs. They had a GREAT pitching staff with Lincecum (who managed to beat Halladay once and Lee twice, something that was unexpected), Cain (who was the best pitcher this postseason), Sanchez and Bumgardner. Wilson was a great closer, and their bullpen was used effectively by Bochy. Yes, their offense was average, at best, but when everyone was counting them out, they beat the team with the best story (the Braves and Bobby Cox) the favorites in the NL and 2 time NL defending champions (Phillies) and beat, arguably, the hottest team with the hottest postseason pitcher (Rangers/Lee). This was not a fluke champion. They were carried by pitching and won like good teams do in the postseason: great pitching.
Lakers #2. Saints #3.
Lakers #2. Saints #3.
My homerism rules yet again. There is no love for the Blackhawks. As someone who watched and kept up on them every millimeter of the season last year, I can't not go with them. From their abilities on the ice to the friendships off, it was a season where you knew something special was happening. The annual Circus Trip was a success, the team grew even closer, and they took off from there. There were a few bumps in the road, not winning games they should, Campbell going down thanks to Ovechkin, but they did what championship teams do, overcame it. Making it through Nashville in arguably their toughest series of the playoffs, the Canucks, and before the Sharks series they even stopped at Alcatraz for a tour.
The team was there for each other no matter what. They were a special group that we knew would be around for one year with all the money shelled out, but damn they were a great team and fun as hell to watch.
The team was there for each other no matter what. They were a special group that we knew would be around for one year with all the money shelled out, but damn they were a great team and fun as hell to watch.
The Saints were truly a team of destiny and I almost went with them, but I went with the Lakers. The Lakers, much like the Saints had a tough road to their championship. Durant and the Thunder, Williams and the Jazz, Nash and the Suns, Pierce and the Celtics is one hell of a stretch to get the ultimate goal. Yes the Saints had Warner, Favre, and Manning, but I think the Lakers was a bit tougher considering it was a series instead of just one game. Honestly this should come out a draw, but I gave the slight edge to LA.
I'll go with Barcelona and give soccer some love. None of the American teams were all that dominant. The Lakers would certainly be the best out of all of them, but they weren't a completely dominant team. The Thunder almost took them out in Round 1 and they needed to come back from double digits to avoid losing to the Celtics in the finals.
I don't know much about Barcelona, but I do know Spain was pretty good in the World Cup and I trust the judgement of Mr. Tastycles.
I don't know much about Barcelona, but I do know Spain was pretty good in the World Cup and I trust the judgement of Mr. Tastycles.
The People's Peep
Mr. Manager
I nominated the Lakers and thats who I'm going with. Every year, they are the clear cut favorite to win the west, and they do just that. They dominate everyone in their conference. It seems like the only team that can stop them is the Eastern conference winner, but then they win anyway. Kobe is a beast and with Gasol and Odom teaming up to be his modern day Shaq, they will continue to be the best team.
The Saints began their year 13-0 last year. They beat a good Arizona team in the playoffs and then the red-hot Vikings on their way to the Super Bowl. They went in overwhelming underdogs and defeated the Colts in what was the feel good story of the year. Its close, but this was the team of the year.