New York Sports: The 10 Biggest Events of 2008

As always, 2008 was a tumultuous year in New York sports. Teams such as the Jets, Yankees, and Mets had their ups and downs, while the Giants struck a critical blow in the city's eternal battle with Boston for sports supremacy.

What follows is a ranking of the 10 most important events from the past year in sports.

10. Jaromir Jagr and the Rangers Part Ways

After losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Rangers did not re-sign captain Jaromir Jagr.

Jagr was the team's elder statesman; he oversaw the team's return to hockey prominence over the past few seasons. But he was clearly in the twilight of his career, and 2008 represented an appropriate separation, albeit bittersweet.

Jagr now plays for Avangard Omsk on Russia.

9. Mike and the Mad Dog Break up

Mike Francesa and Chris Russo ruled the Metro area radio airwaves for 20 years. In 2008, they split up, ending their famous show, "Mike and the Mad Dog," which had aired on WFAN.

The show was extremely popular in the Metro area; it had even been broadcast on the YES network for the past six years. Both Francesa and Russo now have their own shows; Francesa on the FAN and Russo on his new XM Radio station, "Mad Dog Radio."

8. Plaxico Burress Shoots Himself

On November 28, the Giants' star receiver accidentally shot himself in the leg while in a nightclub. He has since been charged with criminal possession of a handgun and is scheduled to return to court on March 31, 2009.

Burress' legal trouble has had consequences on the football field, as well. The Giants suspended him after the incident and fell from 11-1 to 12-4. Their receiving corps is now a big question mark as they enter the NFL playoffs.

7. Roger Federer Salvages his Season at the U.S. Open

When Roger Federer failed to win the first three Grand Slam events of 2008, many people wondered whether he was washed up. At the U.S. Open, he proved all his doubters wrong.

Federer's emotional run to the title, capped by a victory over Andy Murray in the final, captivated the New York crowd, who jumped at the opportunity to support tennis' latest underdog. The star was more than happy to oblige, playing to spectators early and often during the two-week campaign.

6. Yankees and Mets both Miss the Playoffs

2008 was a rare season in New York baseball, as the city found itself with zero representatives in the annual postseason tournament.

The Yankees suddenly found themselves third-best in their own division, surpassed not only by the rival Red Sox but also by the upstart Tampa Bay Rays. New manager Joe Girardi had an up-and-down year in the Bronx, clashing with Hank Steinbrenner on multiple occasions.

By now, the Mets' struggles are not quite as surprising. The Mets fired Willie Randolph in June and then found themselves in playoff contention in September before failing in the season's final week yet again.

5. The Yankees' Winter Spending Spree

It didn't take the Yankees long to move on from their 2008 failings. Laughing in the face of the financial crisis that has gripped the Big Apple, the Bronx Bombers spent over $400 million in September to acquire three players.

Ace C.C. Sabathia and slugger Mark Teixeira, along with starting pitcher A.J. Burnett, will make their way to New York in 2009. Sabathia and Teixeira are the kinds of players who have the potential to take the Yankees to the next level. As for Burnett, Brian Cashman can only hope he doesn't become the next Kevin Brown.

5. The Yankees' Winter Spending Spree

4. Knicks Make Room for LeBron

It only took a few months for Donnie Walsh to undue much of the long-term damage done by former Knicks' GM Isaiah Thomas.

The Knicks are now a true rebuilding team, run by the exciting Mike D'Antoni, the former coach of the Phoenix Suns. Towards the end of 2008, the Knicks traded leading scorers Jamal Crawford and Zach Randolph in order to create enough cap space to attempt to sign two players (read: LeBron James and either Chris Bosh or Dwayne Wade) in the summer of 2010.

3. Jets Acquire Brett Favre

After a disappointing 4-12 season in 2007, the Jets sought to remodel their roster, bringing in several high-priced veterans.

Favre, the future Hall of Famer who was no longer going to play for the Green Bay Packers, was considered GM Mike Tannenbaum's biggest offseason coup. He dominated the tabloids throughout the season, leading the Jets to an 8-3 start and temporary Super Bowl contender status, but his success in the Meadowlands was short-lived.

2. Jets Collapse Down the Stretch

After the Jets' aforementioned 8-3 start to 2008, they were considered the class of the AFC by many pundits. With an easy remaining schedule, Gang Green was a virtual lock for the division title and a contender for a first-round bye.

Instead, the Jets didn't even make the playoffs. They lost four of their final five games, including a crushing 13-3 defeat to the lowly Seattle Seahawks which essentially ended the Jets' playoff hopes with one week still to play.

After the season, coach Eric Mangini was fired and several Jets' players began to speak out against Favre, claiming he was a bad teammate. The end of the 2008 season set the stage for a very interesting offseason in the Meadowlands.

1. Giants Win the Super Bowl

Despite all the negatives in New York sports over the past season, the top spot on this list goes to the big New York triumph of 2008. In large part due to the incredible David Tyree catch shown above, quarterback Eli Manning led the Giants to a comeback victory in the fourth quarter.

But it wasn't just that the Giants won the Super Bowl. They beat the hated New England Patriots (even if they are hated by the Jets). And they didn't just beat the Patriots; they stopped the Pats from becoming the first team in NFL history to go 19-0. For New York sports fans, it was the closest thing to revenge for the Red Sox historic comeback against the Yanks several seasons ago.