100 incredible and plausible sports stories that could happen in the next 10 years

This isn't exactly my original idea, but maybe we can get some sort of discussion going. What do you guys think are the biggest sports stories of the next decade that actually COULD happen??

1. Player actually gets killed in an NFL game
2. First pro athlete to officially "come out" (has this ever happened yet?)
3. Pujols breaks the HR record (probably won't be A-Rod, though I guess it could happen)
4. KC Royals win a World Series!!
5. A 50-year old athelete puts up MVP-like numbers or wins a major championship (in any sport); medicine and rehab seem to be getting so much better these days, hell Favre WAS the MVP at 40.
6. Lebron, in his late-30's, jumps from team to team in search of his first ring
7. Strassberg breaks the K record in a 9-inning game (21 would do it), or maybe even the all-time in any game (would need 22)
8. Blake Griffin MVP season (if you ever watched him play, you'd know why this was so exciting)
9. NFL Lockout and concerns over safety issues leads to dwindling popularity, loses grip as America's most famous sport (especially if #1 happens)
10. NFL and NBA lockouts in 2011 lead to Major League Soccer taking over as a somewhat popular sport

2. there have been athletes who have come out once they've retired. Should we clarify "active" athletes?

Yeah that's what I meant. I would think someone would have done it by now. You know, maybe some 3rd stringer somewhere, just someone. I can't imagine what would happen if it was someone like Pujols or A-Rod.

2. First pro athlete to officially "come out" (has this ever happened yet?)

Justin Fashanu been dead over ten years son.

there is no way that i see mls becoming a semi-popular sport

Justin Fashanu was an English footballer who came out in 1990. he commited suicide after being accused of sexual assault
Anton Hysen who plays in the Swedish fourth division has also come out publicly.

xxp

It already is "semi-popular" guys.

(xpost)

How about the Chicago Cubs winning the World... wait, no, even that won't happen in 10 years.

a 16 seed beats a 1 seed

And Gareth Thomas. And Steven Davis.

a 16 seed beats a 1 seed

More like next 5 years, really. Doesn't seem all that far-fetched anymore.

#1 seems very likely to me

11. Ferguson dies while on the job.
12. Tendulkar finally hits his 100th century (gotta happen any day but still fits in.)
13. WWE buys TNA.
14. Boxing finally gets its first heavyweight since Tyson to really give a toss about.
15. Harry Redknapp becomes England boss.
16. Lionel Messi wins 10 Ballon D'Ors in a row.
17. Argentina win the World Cup, cementing Messi's place in history.
18. It turns out that Cassano is severely implicated in the Berlisconi sex scandals.
19. Qatar have to give up the World Cup.
20. A London team wins the Champions League.

cyclist passes drugs test

for perspective heres a stupid thing abt the 25 biggest stories of the 2000s - none are particularly crazy imo

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/240090-the-top-25-sports-stories-of-the-decade-2000-2009

22. Spurs win the league.
23. Before City do.

xp i could see some other ugly incident btwn athletes & fans or gambling scandal, maybe in the nfl, easily

24. Torres scores for Chelsea

i don't want to turn this into my personal wishlist but

25. Yovani Gallardo wins a Cy Young

lol at that article not having things like the pakistani cricket shooting, or the togo team shooting, or... basically anything non-american other than zizou.

it doesn't even have 'Maradona is put in charge of a national team, everybody lols'

26. Venkys.

27. Lebron James comes to visit Anfield, is demoralised when no-one knows who he is or gives a shit and he can't understand Jamie Carragher.

for perspective heres a stupid thing abt the 25 biggest stories of the 2000s - none are particularly crazy imo

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/240090-the-top-25-sports-stories-of-the-decade-2000-2009

13 (the Artest brawl) is one of the craziest sports stories ever, I don't think anything like that will happen again.

Also the Favre story is completely nuts. When he retired in 2007, within hours there were all sorts of tribute books on the shelves, hell the Waldenbooks here even had their own special "Favre" section for a while. I mean he had such a long and storied career already, he was already one of the most fun athletes to talk about, so to add ON TOP OF THAT three more seasons (and retirements), all notable in some way - taking the Jets to 8-3 then completely collapsing, then putting up arguably his best season at the age of 40, getting **thiiis close** to the Super Bowl before torpedoing everything, then coming back for a disaster season and getting hit with a sex scandal on top of it...geez, I can't think of crazier thing than that.

Also the Patriots 18-1 season is pretty damn memorable, which makes me wonder if we'll get

28. One team hits the jackpot, catches all the breaks, and finally achieves perfection at 19-0.

28. Hilarious plot where Andy Carroll plays Jimmy Snuka to King Kenny's Vince McMahon and some random wag plays Nancy Argentino. Not so hilarious ending for random wag, of course.

boston bruins win a stanley cup

29 from the xp.

30. liverpool sign some wingers

"I’ll be honest. I had Lebron James finishing in fourth place before a handful of well-intentioned friends talked me down a little bit. James is a superstar, the kind of star I don’t think we’ve had in any of the major team sports for a long time."

And this from an article that has ZIDANE in it.

19. Qatar have to give up the World Cup.

I can definitely see this happening. I mean obviously as an American I wanted it to come here really badly, but Qatar seemed like such a dumb choice in so many ways. Then again this is an entity that's dead set against instant replay or any technology whatsoever during the biggest sporting event in the world, so they'd have to be practically forced to take it away somehow.

It has been given up before, in 86 iirc.

31. Barcelona go unbeaten in the league for a whole season.
32. Barcelona go unbeaten in all competitions for a whole season.

Federer doesn't even make that list? Man fuck American bias when writing about "world sports".

"I’ll be honest. I had Lebron James finishing in fourth place before a handful of well-intentioned friends talked me down a little bit. James is a superstar, the kind of star I don’t think we’ve had in any of the major team sports for a long time."

And this from an article that has ZIDANE in it.

James's Cleveland teams are like if Matt le Tissier had taken Southhampton to a Champion's League final! This is a silly argument though, lets not have it, that article is obviously written by a v. US-focussed american etc etc

I actually feel like the Danica Patrick thing might be the most unexpected story?

The known universe explodes when we watch a team win three titles in a row.

Man Lyon would have blown this writers mind.

Hasn't James won fuck all? i.e. making it like le Tissier's actually career.

On a competition but non-sports topic, I think US legalization and regulation of online poker is definitely going to happen within the next two years, Spencer Bachus or no Spencer Bachus.

List also neglects Calciopoli, South Korea making the semis, Greece in '04, Puerta, the invincibles, Tendulkar, Ronaldo's transfer fee, the player shot in the head playing for Iraq...

And I'm done.* Also lol steroids.

*Oh wait, does Benoit count?

I actually feel like the Danica Patrick thing might be the most unexpected story?

I have no idea how she's doing now. I know at first she was kind of underwhelming and the whole thing had this sort of *cough cough* atmosphere like the whole Anna K thing all over again, like she was about equally famous as the GoDaddy girl who nearly takes her shirt off in every ad as she was as an actual race car driver. I hated it because it really overshadowed what was going on there but she had no problems playing to that image so whatever. I heard she's doing better and if she manages to get into the upper echelon of drivers that would be such a huge story. I dunno, maybe she's there already.

Speaking of Federer

33. Federer winning another slam at 35 would be pretty damn epic, though I don't know if that's even possible

i have to protest at the logical contradiction in the title of this thread

I kind of feel like Peter King would be proud

i have to protest at the logical contradiction in the title of this thread

― 40% chill and 100% negative (Tracer Hand), Thursday, 7 April 2011 18:04 (45 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

take up with ashley cole.

actually don't, he may not be done shooting people.

34. Arsenal start an entirely British XI for a match within the decade. (Does not include friendlies or Carling Cup.)

2. First pro athlete to officially "come out" (has this ever happened yet?)

google Gareth Thomas bro

And Gareth Thomas. And Steven Davis.

― Nult AGL (a hoy hoy), Thursday, 7 April 2011 17:01 (1 hour ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

i said he should google it... because its an interesting story...

wow the story about Gareth Thomas is great. seems like a really respectable guy too. I don't know how famous he is there. I'm just interested in seeing in how the American media would react to something like this. would be really good for the gay community

2. First pro athlete to officially "come out" (has this ever happened yet?)

This has never happened before in American team sports, at least as respects a current player. I personally dont give a flying fuck about soccer or rugby or any of that other shit.

dan, I know more ppl converted to hockey these days than I know ppl converted to soccer (not that they are mutually exclusive). Most of my soccer friends have been so for some time and most are primarily fans of European teams. I know several ppl who have gotten into hockey recently and I even know a couple Brits/Irish who have started watching it in place of football and going to see the Sharks play in San Jose.

I get that, and I realize it's probably easier to get ppl to watch hockey in a converted-fan way, but I am thinking of lots and lots of kids (predominantly hispanic but lots of others too) growing up loving the Fire, Galaxy, Dynamo, etc in addition to Arsenal/Man Utd or America/Chivas Guadalajara or some other non-MLS club. And when they become adults and have spending money of their own the whole thing takes off in a big way as the salary cap increases, more big names emerge/come over, etc. I'm pretty involved with the Fire's supporter groups and there are an amazing number of like 12-17 year old kids who are completely obsessed with the club. It grows every year.

the fact that the world's best hockey talent plays in the NHL + the unwavering dedication of certain fanbases (http://i.imgur.com/83HdZ.gif) makes it hard for me to imagine MLS overtaking it in a mere decade. maybe somewhere further down the line...

Seriously, I cannot see the fucking puck.

don't follow the puck, follow the play

MLS has the best footballer of the past ten years!

/ducks

oh like I placed the only lol vote

Actually, I think America is diverse enough to support NHL and MLS.

don't follow the puck, follow the play

Hm, interesting...I'll try that.

xp me too, I just think MLS has a lot of potential advantages in potential crowd sizes, cheaper tickets (to start with at least), and a much bigger potential fanbase (can anyone really say the NHL fanbase can grow much more?)

yes, if they get out of the south and back to Canada (Quebec, Winnipeg, etc.)

I'm still a little amused by southern Hockey teams.

xp but aren't a lot of those people already following the game? I'm talking about new fans.

yes, if they get out of the south and back to Canada (Quebec, Winnipeg, etc.)

― Thraft of Cleveland (Bill Magill), Friday, April 8, 2011 12:19 PM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

how will this grow the fanbase? i assume these canadien cities are filled with people who still follow the nhl.

xxp

You're kidding right? How many games do those people go to?

Those places will be filled every night, how can that not be good for the game?

51 (I think). A woman manages a senior (mens) football team.

winnipeg and quebec were the 2 smallest markets, so it will be hard for those franchies to make money, even if the sell out all their games.

My point is: it would be much better for the game as a whole and its future to have teams in those cities, and possibly Hamilton, than it is to have teams in Nashville and Atlanta.

51 (I think). A woman manages a senior (mens) football team.

― Cluster the boots (Billy Dods), Friday, 8 April 2011 17:32 (1 minute ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

I think you meant Am Football but this is interesting for soccer too. Surprised no-one has taken a punt on someone like Hope Powell yet.

he must mean soccerball.

i love when people can't follow the puck. that makes me laugh.

Yes, I meant soccerball, though I doubt there's any female coaches in Am Football, possibly college football?

I thought Hope Powell would have been snapped up by now, wasn't one of the league one teams interested in her?

unlike nearly every other sport, there's not even a girls'/women's version of Am football at any level (unless you're counting lol lingerie league). I cannot imagine a female getting a prominent coaching job in 10 years, 20 years, 30 years...

unlike nearly every other sport, there's not even a girls'/women's version of Am football at any level (unless you're counting lol lingerie league). I cannot imagine a female getting a prominent coaching job in 10 years, 20 years, 30 years...

― A True White Kid that can Jump (Granny Dainger), Friday, April 8, 2011 12:58 PM (15 seconds ago) Bookmark

plenty of girls play youth football, and there are semi-pro leagues (non-lingerie) for adult women - there's zero female coaches in college ball though and probably a single digit number of them in HS coaching

lol @ the idea of Gary Bettman being too concerned with "the good of the game" beyond making bank

betman is a douchebag.

lol @ the idea of Gary Bettman being too concerned with "the good of the game" beyond making bank

― Frightening, but full of facts that are difficult to argue with. (dan m), Friday, April 8, 2011 1:04 PM (14 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

lol@ the idea of a Red Wings fan having a fucking clue what the "good of the game" even is.

never change bill magill, and enjoy the off-season

There's a female coach in D-League basketball, which is sort of the NBA reserve league, but the D-League is so much David Stern's Wacky Ideas Warehouse that it seems like it barely counts somehow.

more chance of there being a female NFL official than coach, no?

Yes, and I bet that will happen. There are at least 2 female NBA refs.

there is a college female officail who has been talked about as making the move to the nfl

she's probably an ugly lesbian.

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2009/1226/ncf_u_thomas_200.jpg

she's probably an ugly lesbian.

― Zero pumps, massive boner (thebingo), Friday, April 8, 2011 3:59 PM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

What the fuck is this supposed to mean?

allusion to another clusterfuck thread

yes exactly.

Goddamn, don't even tell me which one, i dont want to know.

She doesnt look too bad, to tell you the truth.

and bill i didnt start the ugly lesbian thing.

i figured it was an inside joke thing.

Yes, and I bet that will happen. There are at least 2 female NBA refs.

― Thraft of Cleveland (Bill Magill), Friday, April 8, 2011 7:56 PM (28 minutes ago) Bookmark

They fired Dee Kantner, so there's just Violet Palmer now. She's consistently (and accurately, imo) rated as the worst ref by NBA coaches.

So I imagine other leagues aren't likely to use the NBA as an example.

Yeah, she's truly awful. And there are some bad refs in the Association, really bad.

48. Tiger actually does come back to break Jack's record? What a performance this weekend (minus some truly shitty putting)

Bad putting saturday, relatively decent yesterday, except the fuckup on 12.

My money's on that he takes the record.

Yeah but I really kind of believed he was done, that he didn't have the mental focus (still questionable), that his body was breaking down a little, and that it was just unlikely (but possible) for him to win a few more..same way it's unlikely that Jeter puts up another good season...but damn, what a story

there's zero female coaches in college ball though and probably a single digit number of them in HS coaching

http://images.wikia.com/glee/images/4/4b/Glee-coach-beiste-dot-jones-charice-chord-overstreet.jpg

6. Lebron, in his late-30's, jumps from team to team in search of his first ring

Has this ever seemed more likely than it does right now? Lebron has twice now completely failed in the playoffs, not getting unlucky or just bricking shots but actively not trying the way he does against, say, last-place teams in December. Should a lockout occur and a hard cap instituted, suddenly Miami's going to have to trade one of thier big 3 or find themselves completely unable to sign anyone but aging veterans.

Obviously the Heat are going to be the favorite to win it all for the next 2-3 years at least, but they had such a great opportunity (catching plenty of breaks vs. a hurt Boston team and a crumbling Chicago one, then getting a team in the Finals that they should have matched up well against) and let it slip by

Two decades of laissez-faire governance lead to serious financial meltdown at the top of English football.