2017 in review: The year in sports as told by social media
Dec 27, 2017, 5:30 AM | Updated: Dec 28, 2017, 11:28 am
It’s almost 2018.
A new year will bring another 365 days of storylines, drama, highs and lows for Arizona’s sports teams. But before the calendar turns, it’s time for a look back on the year 2017 as told by social media:
The first big sporting event of the year was the Super Bowl, in which the Patriots took down the Falcons and Michael Floyd showed off what a 180 he had made since getting a DUI while he was with the Cardinals.
Talk about a 180. #believeinyourself #SuperBowlChampions pic.twitter.com/Z2YVVLlBfJ
— MichaelFloyd (@MichaelMFloyd) February 6, 2017
And there began the NFL offseason, one that had some good and bad news for the Cardinals.
The good news was that they extended Chandler Jones…
“Patience is bitter, but its fruit is sweet.”
— ♛Chandler Jones (@chanjones55) March 9, 2017
… But the bad news was they lost a bunch of players, including Calais Campbell. He’s having a heck of a season these days.
After considering Denver, Calais Campbell is going to sign a 4-year, $60 million deal that includes $30M gtd with Jacksonville, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 9, 2017
Another sack for @Campbell93!
He extends his season sack record to 14.5.#WinToday pic.twitter.com/ZMCDLnJR7U
— z-#Sacksonville (@Jaguars) December 17, 2017
A few weeks later, Devin Booker dropped 70 points on the Boston Celtics in what became one of the more memorable nights in recent Suns history.
History!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/NIdFeeLkEF
— Jared Dudley (@JaredDudley619) March 25, 2017
#BookEm #70
— Kobe Bryant (@kobebryant) March 25, 2017
In April, the Cardinals went to the NFL Draft and made their selections, which included first-round pick linebacker Haason Reddick.
Time to get to work, @haason7reddick! You ready?!
— Tyrann Mathieu (@Mathieu_Era) April 28, 2017
And it wasn’t but a couple of months later that the Suns drafted Josh Jackson fourth overall. They signed him to a deal a couple weeks later:
Suns sign @j_josh11, the team’s selection with the fourth overall pick in the first round of the 2017 @NBA Draft. https://t.co/A7ItVfNxIo pic.twitter.com/PA3rj3T0z8
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) July 3, 2017
In June, the Phoenix Mercury’s Diana Taurasi became the WNBA’s all-time career scoring leader, drawing reactions from across Twitter from NBA stars to politicians and more.
Congrats @DianaTaurasi. It's been a pleasure watching you. https://t.co/cSyHqbRPoF
— Devin Booker (@DevinBook) June 18, 2017
Yep, DT gets buckets. Any way you want em
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) June 18, 2017
Congratulations Diana Taurasi. And she became new scoring leader in over 100 less career games than previous leader. Impressive. https://t.co/55PEyt9jCv
— Mark Brnovich (@GeneralBrnovich) June 18, 2017
.@KingJames salutes @DianaTaurasi for becoming the @WNBA's all-time leading scorer in history. #Respect pic.twitter.com/QnVpJj0PkA
— UNINTERRUPTED (@uninterrupted) June 18, 2017
On July 18, the D-backs made the splash of the summer by sending three prospects to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for outfielder/slugger J.D. Martinez. The deal ended up working out for the D-backs better than anyone could have expected, which is saying something: Even when the trade went down, Arizona got credit for acquiring a heck of a talent.
J.D. Martinez was perhaps most coveted position player in a market in which there are relatively few teams buying on rental position players
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) July 18, 2017
Love the J.D. Martinez acquisition for Arizona. Best hitter on the market, joins lineup with Goldschmidt, Lamb, Pollock, Peralta. Fearsome.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 18, 2017
But the D-backs moves that really made national headlines weren’t their trades, but rather their dance moves. The Diamondbacks got into a battle of the bullpens during a rain delay at Wrigley Field:
Battle of the bullpens. pic.twitter.com/HQurVopmUI
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) August 3, 2017
In late August, Shane Doan sent shock waves across the Valley by announcing his retirement.
You believed in us when no one else believed.
And for that, we'll be forever grateful.Simply put, thank you for being you, Shane Doan. pic.twitter.com/X1xrE28zDl
— Arizona Coyotes (@ArizonaCoyotes) August 30, 2017
But before the Coyotes got geared up for the season and before the D-backs made their way into the playoffs, the Cardinals kicked off their season … with some bad news:
Surgery went 👌🏾, on to the road of recovery. This just a minor set back for a major come back! Appreciate the support by everyone🙏🏾 #GoCards pic.twitter.com/Ge3qBZUaDo
— David Johnson (@DavidJohnson31) September 17, 2017
Get well my brother! #BeRedSeeRed https://t.co/nRICfQadZW
— Larry Fitzgerald (@LarryFitzgerald) September 17, 2017
But Arizona sports fans got some good news when the D-backs clinched their first trip to the postseason since 2011:
The @Dbacks have #CLINCHED. pic.twitter.com/0EyudPwqvp
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) September 24, 2017
And 10 days later, they won the Wild Card game:
And while things were alright in the Diamondbacks’ world for a while, the situation with the Phoenix Suns hit a breaking point when Eric Bledsoe tweeted that he didn’t “want to be here.” That same day, head coach Earl Watson was fired.
I Dont wanna be here
— Eric Bledsoe (@EBled2) October 22, 2017
Eric still hasn’t heard the end of his excuse that he was “at the hair salon” when he sent that tweet.
the hair salon
— Josh-oot-ze-glass🎄Toussaint (@2sainttakes) December 7, 2017
Last month, another head coach in the Valley lost his job when, a day after ASU football won the Territorial Cup, head coach Todd Graham was fired.
Wow, I’m So Sick .
— Demario Richard . (@codeblackrich4) November 26, 2017
20-7 in my 2 years at Arizona state & 12-1 @ Home under Todd Graham 🤷🏾♂️
— Damarious Randall (@RandallTime) November 26, 2017
It wasn’t just about football for Coach Graham. He turned boys to men on and off the field! Built character!
— Strizzy (@JaelenStrong) November 26, 2017
And on Nov. 29, ASU replaced Graham with Herm Edwards.
Welcome Coach Edwards!
Press release: https://t.co/cldSp8KOKE pic.twitter.com/l9zvrCZgmC
— Arizona State Sun Devils (@TheSunDevils) December 4, 2017
And finally, as the year comes to a close, perhaps the biggest sports story in Arizona is that Sun Devil basketball is one of the best teams in the nation. On Dec. 18, ASU was ranked as the No. 3 team in college basketball.
🔥No. 3 in the AP Poll 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ukyj0PJAIC
— Sun Devil MBB (@SunDevilHoops) December 18, 2017
