Sports Lists to Watch for in 2015
The 2014 year in sports was a wild and unpredictable one.
We were introduced to Sochi wolves, Donald Sterling the recorded racist and Robert Griffin the benched “superstar,” among others.
Yet, with the year coming to a close, the question now becomes, what will 2015 bring?
And with this question mind, we’ve done our best to guess, identifying seven sports lists to watch for in 2015.
As they embark upon their first NFL seasons, many a list will be dedicated to both Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota, but will they be sparked by praise or criticism? The same can be said of Derrick Rose, who in the next year will receive loads of attention as he either returns to glory or falls further into the injury abyss. And after a 2014 filled with sports villains—Ray Rice, Adrian Peterson and Sterling—will 2015 be more of the same?
In the slides to come, we attempt to answer each of these compelling questions and more.
NFL Draft Busts
1 of 7
The NFL is littered with top-pick busts, and plenty of ink has been used documenting their failures.
In Cleveland, Tim Couch flopped. In Oakland, JaMarcus Russell, well, ate. Neither, though, escaped coverage or criticism.
Of course, any time a struggling franchise misses so significantly at the top, a perspective piece—or list—is sure to follow.
With that said, we're afraid the 2015 NFL Draft will only further fuel the aforementioned trend.
With Tampa Bay and Tennessee fighting for top-pick honors—and considering both teams desperately need a signal-caller—it's highly likely that the year's top pick will be spent on a quarterback.
Not to mention that's most frequently the case: Since 2001, 10 quarterbacks have been selected first overall.
That leaves either Oregon's Marcus Mariota or FSU's Jameis Winston to go No. 1, and if we're being honest, few would be surprised to see either fail.
On the field, Winston has been mostly magical—it's been difficult to reconcile the statistical difference between his Heisman campaign and his subpar sophomore season, in which he threw just 24 TDs compared to 17 INTs—but off it he's been a train wreck waiting to happen. And based on what we've seen, we find it hard to trust the mercurial quarterback as a franchise leader moving forward.
Mariota, on the other hand, is as nice a kid as college football has to offer, but also one who took great advantage of the conference and system in which he played. Against elite college defenses, however, the Heisman Trophy winner has struggled "throwing into tight windows" according to Austin Gayle of Draft Pulse, which doesn't exactly bode well for a quarterback looking to make a living in the NFL.
Whichever quarterback goes No. 1, then, is likely to disappoint and inspire bust-oriented lists as a result.
From MVP to DNP
2 of 7
It's no secret that Derrick Rose has struggled to stay healthy over the last few years.
To be exact, between 2011 and 2014, the former MVP missed 115 out of a possible 164 games. And this season, thanks to numerous other injuries, he's been missing from 10 of Chicago's first 28 fixtures.
So while we are no doubt rooting for one of the NBA's most exciting talents to return to form, most signs point to a future of further struggles with injuries.
And if our unfortunate prediction comes to fruition, it will no doubt inspire an onslaught of updated lists chronicling former MVPs who, due to injury, became better known for struggling than starring.
Changing of the Guard
3 of 7
As of now, neither Peyton Manning nor Tom Brady is considered the best quarterback of all time. Depending on who you ask, that distinction usually belongs to Joe Montana, John Elway or even Johnny Unitas.
No matter who you ask, though, everyone would agree that both Manning and Brady have at least a chance to take over the top spot.
And based on what we've seen from the two quarterbacks—and their teams—this NFL season, that time may come sooner rather than later.
Should Brady lead the Patriots to the Promised Land for an amazing fourth time, the 37-year-old would have a serious claim on best-ever status.
However, if Manning and his Broncos emerge victorious from the 2015 Super Bowl, the five-time MVP would add a second title to what is otherwise the most gaudy resume in the history of quarterbacking.
And if either scenario does in fact play out, 2015 will be dominated by lists re-ranking the top quarterbacks of all time.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
"Why'd We Pick This City Again?"
4 of 7
With the 2016 Summer Olympics approaching, and with Rio de Janeiro already struggling mightily to get ready, 2015 is inevitably going to be filled with countless news stories detailing the city's many issues.
And with those stories will almost certainly come lists documenting the many other cities that were/are similarly ill-prepared to host such significant events.
From future cold-weather Super Bowls to World Cup soccer in Qatar, the next few years could have plenty of people asking, "wait, why'd they pick that city?"
Rio, though, is next up. And with polluted water, political unrest and a whole lot more, the Brazilian city is about to receive the brunt of the public's ire.
Of course, as alluded to above, with such visible letdowns come equally critical lists.
Franchises of the Future
5 of 7
The Golden State Warriors have taken the 2014-15 NBA by storm, racing out to a league-best 23-5 record.
More importantly, they are winning with a four-man nucleus—Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green—that sports an average age of just 24.
And though it's still early in the NBA season, playoff success at Golden State is almost a certainty.
The correlation between defensive efficiency and NBA titles is strong, and in the all-important category, Golden State leads the NBA according to ESPN.
The Warriors are the only team in the league to rank in the top five of the offensive efficiency rankings too, and not surprisingly, they also sport the NBA's top point differential as well.
So if—or when—the Warriors make a dent in this year's postseason, sports writers everywhere will scramble to identify and rank the industry's other young and promising "Franchises of the Future."
Villains of the Year
6 of 7
Technology has both its benefits and drawbacks. With regard to sports, no mistake or transgression—no matter how big or small—goes unnoticed anymore.
In 2014, people watched Ray Rice hit his then-fiancee, listened to Donald Sterling disparage the black community and viewed photos of the pain Adrian Peterson inflicted on his four-year-old son.
And though the crimes and people may change, we have no reason to expect much less out of 2015.
Of course, once next year winds down and its many villains come into clearer focus, lists highlighting and ranking their exploits will follow right behind.
Winners on the Move
7 of 7
If we are led to believe the many damning reports, Jim Harbaugh will likely be coaching elsewhere this time next season, losing his job in San Francisco sometime in 2015.
Whether the polarizing coach is running things in Ann Arbor or on a different NFL sideline, few believe the 49ers will bring him back for a fifth season.
This, of course, is all in spite of his coaching resume, which, over the last few years, is as impressive as any in the league.
During his time on the Bay, Harbaugh has an impressive record of 43-19-1, winning 69 percent of his games.
Perhaps more impressive, he has led San Fran to the NFC Title Game, if not the Super Bowl, three times in three seasons.
And while his Niners will this year miss the playoffs for the first time in his tenure, Harbaugh will still go down as one of the most successful coaches to ever get run out of town.
Of course, once it does happen, what would be more natural than putting together lists accounting for the other rare instances of counter-intuitive coaching cuts?
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
