Whether it was trying to get a competitive edge on a rival, fixing a sporting event for betting, or just stepping out on the wife, no other decade was affected more by cheating than the ‘00’s.
No other decade in the history of sports was more impacted by the events that transpired in the first decade of the new millennium. What happened in the ‘00’s will be remembered well into the next century.
While negative news dominated the decade there was a glimmer of good news in the mix. Here now in reverse order, the top 10 sports stories of the decade:
10 — Lance Armstrong – Overcame cancer and won a world record seven cycling titles in the Tour de France.
9 – New NFL Commissioner – He started as an intern and worked his way to the top as commissioner of the most lucrative and powerful sports brand in the world, the NFL. Roger Goodell took over for Paul Tagliabue in 2006. He vowed to clean up the leagues image.
8 – Williams Sisters – Venus and Serena Williams re-wrote the record books in sports history. A combined 18 Grand Slam titles in tennis and still counting.
7 – O. J. Simpson – His luck ran out in Vegas on October 3, 2008, the anniversary date of his murder acquittal (October 3, 1995). Simpson was sentenced to nine years for robbery.
6 – Patriots Dynasty – Won three Super Bowls, all by three points, but were also caught cheating and fined a record $750,000. in “Spygate”. Lost a fourth Super Bowl, also by three points, capping an 18-1 season.
5 – Michael Phelps – Invincible in the 2008 Olympics winning a record eight Gold Medals for the United States (16 overall medals).
4 – Tim Donaghy – Rocked the sports world after being convicted in 2007 of betting on games he officiated in. Donaghy officiated in 792 NBA games in 13 seasons.
3 – Michael Vick – Lost over a reported $150 million and sentenced to two years in prison for bank rolling a dog fighting ring in Virginia.
2- Sex Scandals – Closing out the decade was the most disappointing story when golfing icon Tiger Woods admitted cheating on his wife, not once, but upwards of 10-15 times. But not to be outdone in the ‘00’s: Kobe Bryant settled in 2003 civil rape case in Colorado; Michael Vick sued and settled for transmitting herpes in 2006; and Isiah Thomas found guilty in sexual harassment case, ordered to pay a record 11.6 million in damages.
1- Performance Enhancing Drugs – As technological advances separated the new millennium from the old, medical science also made its mark in development of the human body. Once the link between sports performance and steroids was made the monster had left the laboratory. No other decade was affected more by cheating than the ‘00’s.
In 2007 the Major League Baseball commissioned Mitchell Report cited 89 players who used illegal performance enhancing drugs. Players who broke baseball all-time records were involved in the scandal. Names like Barry Bonds, who broke the home run record in 2008; Alex Rodriguez the highest paid athlete in baseball history and pitching great Roger Clemons.
Among others caught up in the scandal was Olympic great Marion Jones who was forced to return five Olympic Medals and was sentenced to jail in January 2008. ––
lenn durant
