- Bay Area Dynasties: The San Francisco Giants win 3 World Series in 5 years (2010, 2012, 2014.) The Warriors win 3 Championships in 4 years (2015, 2017, 2018)
There was something special in The Bay this decade that produced six championships in 10 years! The San Francisco Giants started the trend in 2010 with their Team of Misfits that would go on to win three World Series in five years thanks to some even year magic and an unforgettable Game 7 performance by Madison Bumgarner in the 2014 World Series. A Warriors team led by the Splash Brothers picked up right where the Giants left off (literally) to win three championships of their own, two of those in back-to-back years. Think this’ll be the BEST decade a region will EVER see?
- LeBron and Cavs come back down 3-1 to beat the 73-win Warriors (2016)
The Warriors blew a 3-1 lead! You just can’t name a more iconic phrase this decade. After Draymond Green received a flagrant foul in Game 4 that left him suspended for Game 5, The King really put his team and his city on his back. The Cavs won their first NBA Finals EVER by winning a tight Game 7, becoming the first team in NBA history to come back down 3-1 in the Finals.
- Kobe Bryant drops 60 in his final game (2016)
Mamba Mentality. To constantly try to be the best version of yourself. So of course, the Mamba himself took that to the next level all the way to the end. Kobe capped off his 20-year (!) NBA Career the only way he knew how by dropping a 60 piece on 50 shots (!) to defeat the Jazz 101-96 in his final game. #MambaOut
- The Cubs win the World Series for the first time since 1908 breaking the 1945 Curse of the Billy Goat (2016)
The Cubs are World Series Champions, FINALLY! Just one year after Back to the Future predicted they’d win it all, the lovable Cubs played in their first World Series in 71 years (!) and ended their 108-year (!!!) Championship drought. It took all the way until the 10th inning of Game 7 to secure it against the Indians, but hey, they had to make it worth the wait!
- Derek Jeter Retires: Gets game-winning hit in final home game (2014)
Oh Captain, my Captain. Derek Jeter thought he had driven in the game-winning run in the 7th inning of his final home game thanks to an error by J.J. Hardy, but we all knew Derek’s career just couldn’t end like that. In an unpredictable twist, Yankees closer David Robertson gave up three runs in the ninth which set-up The Captain to come through one last time. Of course, Derek hit a walk-off single on the first pitch he saw during his final at-bat at Yankee Stadium. You just can’t script that ending!
- Mariano Rivera becomes the first player ever to be voted unanimously into the Hall of Fame (2019)
Exit Sandman. When arguably the best closer in the history of MLB called it a career in 2013, we just knew it wouldn’t be the last time Mo would do something remarkable. Enter 2019, the year he became the first player to EVER be UNANIMOUSLY inducted into Cooperstown. Will we ever see another player like Mo again?
- #16 UMBC upsets #1 Virginia in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The first time in history a #16 beat a #1. (2018)
Everyone loves puppies. And when those puppies are literally underdogs who shock the world, we just can’t resist them. The #16 UMBC Retrievers made HISTORY when they defeated #1 Virginia by a convincing score of 75-54 in the first round of last year’s NCAA Tourney. Forget the decade, this was the first time EVER that a #16 beat a #1 seed. Oh yeah, and Virginia was THE #1 seed in the entire tournament.
- Serena Williams wins the Australian Open while pregnant (2017)
There’s a reason Serena’s the GOAT. She just kept amazing us this decade. Serena didn’t just win a record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam title at the 2017 Australian Open. Nope, she made history without dropping a single set WHILE PREGNANT! Could there be a more incredible feat in sports?
- USWNT wins a record fourth World Cup championship by defeating the Netherlands 2-0. (2019)
Forget a top moment of the decade, this is a top moment in history. By winning their second consecutive World Cup Title this summer, the USWNT became the first team to EVER win FOUR World Cups. Oh, and they did so while fully embracing their individuality, scoring a record number of goals (26), and campaigning for equal pay. That’s the tea and we’re still fangirling!
- Super Bowl LI- Patriots rally down 25 to defeat the Falcons 34-28 in OT. (2017)
This decade may have given us the most memorable Super Bowl ever! The Falcons had control of the game up 21-3 at halftime and even pushed it to 28-3 by the middle of the third. But then, things got interesting and the Pats scored 25 unanswered points (!) to force the game into Overtime. Tom and the gang then quickly put the game away, making Super Bowl LI the greatest comeback/most agonizing defeat we’ve ever witnessed.
