It's about that time where we start thinking of what holiday parties we will attend/skip and the resolutions we will give up by February. With it being the end of the year, it also means that it's time for the LCB staff to share their thoughts on the year. Over the next couple weeks we will be recapping the year by listing our favorites in the world of sports and entertainment. We all know that listing something as the "BEST" is both ridiculous and absurd, considering it's all due to taste and viewpoints on topics that are absolutely unquantifiable. But we will try our best to do just that. Next up, our picks for the best team of 2009.
Langston: Now I could have taken the easy way out and picked my favorite team in the world, the Los Angeles Lakers. But I'm certain they are on their way to repeating as champions, allowing me the ability to list them next year. Or I could have picked the New York Yankess, who destroyed their competition all season and postseason long. But then again, my fantasy team has more charisma and came at a much cheaper clip. So I went with the Tide, even if their story hasn't ended. Alabama is the prototypical SEC Champion, and going undefeated in the best conference (bar none) makes them stand out that much more. They dominate on defense, thanks to Mount Cody and Rolando McClain. And when their defense wasn't forcing three and outs, their offense was doing their own damage. Passing enough to keep the defense honest and pounding the ball until the defense waved the flag. Most importantly they ruined the most important game of Tim Tebow's life. And even, as a Tennessee fan, I have to admit that is pretty cool.
Teach: This choice seems as obvious to me as Santa following Rudolph's nose on a stormy night. The 2009 North Carolina basketball team was easily the team of the year. The legend of Psycho T, along with Danny Green, Ty Lawson, and Wayne Ellington, returned to Chapel Hill with the single purpose of winning a championship. Mission Accomplished (and not in the Dubya Bush sense of the word). This team compiled one of the largest average margins of victory as they flew through the NCAA Tournament, delivering gifts to Carolina children everywhere. I would name their opponents on that run, but it would be an insult to this Carolina team, who was clearly playing against themselves. I also stand firm to the idea that the greatness of this team will grow as time goes by because Hansbrough is already proving to be a better pro than many predicted he would be, Lawson is already better than anyone thought he would be, and the role players from the '09 team are still writing their own legacies: Ed Davis could wind up being better than the aforementioned players, Larry Drew may be the second coming of Ed Cota, and Ty Zeller screams NBA potential.
Langston: Now I could have taken the easy way out and picked my favorite team in the world, the Los Angeles Lakers. But I'm certain they are on their way to repeating as champions, allowing me the ability to list them next year. Or I could have picked the New York Yankess, who destroyed their competition all season and postseason long. But then again, my fantasy team has more charisma and came at a much cheaper clip. So I went with the Tide, even if their story hasn't ended. Alabama is the prototypical SEC Champion, and going undefeated in the best conference (bar none) makes them stand out that much more. They dominate on defense, thanks to Mount Cody and Rolando McClain. And when their defense wasn't forcing three and outs, their offense was doing their own damage. Passing enough to keep the defense honest and pounding the ball until the defense waved the flag. Most importantly they ruined the most important game of Tim Tebow's life. And even, as a Tennessee fan, I have to admit that is pretty cool.
Teach: This choice seems as obvious to me as Santa following Rudolph's nose on a stormy night. The 2009 North Carolina basketball team was easily the team of the year. The legend of Psycho T, along with Danny Green, Ty Lawson, and Wayne Ellington, returned to Chapel Hill with the single purpose of winning a championship. Mission Accomplished (and not in the Dubya Bush sense of the word). This team compiled one of the largest average margins of victory as they flew through the NCAA Tournament, delivering gifts to Carolina children everywhere. I would name their opponents on that run, but it would be an insult to this Carolina team, who was clearly playing against themselves. I also stand firm to the idea that the greatness of this team will grow as time goes by because Hansbrough is already proving to be a better pro than many predicted he would be, Lawson is already better than anyone thought he would be, and the role players from the '09 team are still writing their own legacies: Ed Davis could wind up being better than the aforementioned players, Larry Drew may be the second coming of Ed Cota, and Ty Zeller screams NBA potential.