Top Sports Stories of 2008

2008 was a bittersweet year for New York sports. Early in the year, it saw the Giants make an incredible run in the playoffs, all the way to winning the Super Bowl in one of the NFL's biggest upsets. But 2008 also saw the final days of two stadiums, one more beloved than another, the rebuilding of the Knicks and Nets, playoff misses for both local baseball teams, the welcoming of a NFL great and several other compelling stories.

Favre Welcomed as Jets' Savior, but Team Misses Playoffs and Coach Fired Brett Favre made people care about the Jets. Without him, they may have suffered through another listless season, maybe scoring an upset or two but probably not cracking .500. Unfortunately for their fans and for now-fired Eric Mangini, the Jets didn't make the playoffs with him either. A summer trade made the Jets the hot story and made Favre a New York icon. After starting 8-3, they had inspired talk of a Jets-Giants Super Bowl. But then the Jets lost four of their last five -- that one win was an early Christmas present from the Buffalo Bills -- and now don't have the privilege of a playoff game or the consolation of a high draft pick. Favre threw 22 touchdowns and 22 interceptions and was about average as a quarterback this season. Don't pin this all on him, however. He wasn't part of the playcalling that led to what appeared to be a conservative offense. He also wasn't a part of the disappearing run defense down the stretch. With Favre's annual uncertainty upcoming, the Jets have few answers and many questions. - Tom Boorstein (AP)

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