For the sports world, 2007 may go down as the year that nothing particularly good happened. The media focused the majority of its attention on Michael Vick's electrocuted dogs, Pacman Jones' underpaid strippers, Barry Bonds' tainted records, Tim Donaghy's fixed games and Roger Clemens' allegedly juiced buttocks. The rise of these supervillains drowned out the years of several less notorious, but equally scandalous stories. And so, a look at the 10 worst:
10. University of Michigan: It wasn't exactly a banner year for the Wolverines, whose football team was obliterated in the 2007 Rose Bowl and whose basketball team failed to qualify for the NCAA Tournament. But the school still managed to poach basketball coach John Beilein and football coach Rich Rodriguez away from West Virginia University. Not bad for a school that can't even compete with Appalachian State.
9. Robert Horry: A notoriously clutch playoff performer, Horry delivered another timely shot in the Western Conference semifinals - only this time, it wasn't quite of the three-point variety. With Game 4 winding down, Horry shoved Steve Nash into the scorer's table, setting off a fracas that drew Amare Stoudamire and Boris Diaw away from the Suns' bench and earned the two key cogs of Phoenix's frontcourt a suspension for the pivotal fifth game. "Big Shot Bob" indeed.
8. Mother Nature: Sure, Rex Grossman was starting at quarterback for the Bears. But the Super Bowl would have been ugly even if Chicago had someone competent under center. That's because Mother Nature made the clash between the Colts and Bears the first rainy Super Bowl ever, helping cause eight turnovers between the two teams. Rain also made for the shortest Indianapolis 500 since 1976, while snow wiped out all four games of a series between the Mariners and Indians in early April.
7. Jessica Simpson: With Daisy Duke on hand to watch the Cowboys take on the Eagles on Dec. 16, her boyfriend, Tony Romo, had arguably the worst game of his career, tossing three picks, taking four sacks and posting a career-worst passer rating of 22.2. In all, the Pro Bowler had six interceptions in the five games after spending Thanksgiving with Simpson. Naturally, the pop princess was blamed for Romo's struggles, with Terrell Owens adding, "Right now, Jessica Simpson is not a fan favorite."
6. Lake Erie midges: Called on to protect a 1-0 lead in Game 2 of the AL Divisional Series against Cleveland, Joba Chamberlain proved that for all the hype, he was no lord of the flies. Attacked by a swarm of midges that clung to his face, the rookie right-hander was distracted into walking two batters and throwing two wild pitches, allowing the Indians to tie the game. New York eventually lost in 10 innings, falling into an 0-2 series deficit it would not overcome.
5. Don Imus: The shock jock made shockwaves in April with his sexist and racist comments about the Rutgers women's basketball team, which had just completed an improbable run to the NCAA championship game. With everyone from Al Sharpton to Barack Obama calling for his head, CBS eventually fired Imus from his morning drive time radio program.
4. O.J. Simpson: Honestly, did he not learn anything? In September, "The Juice" was slapped with 12 felony charges after being busted in an armed robbery in which he allegedly held memorabilia dealers at gunpoint in a Las Vegas hotel. Without the Dream Team on his side - and without Marcia Clark prosecuting the case - Simpson could actually be looking at life in prison this time. The trial is set for April.
3. College coaches: We're used to seeing coaches involved in some shady dealings, but in 2007, several in the college ranks hit new lows. Nick Saban kicked the year off by ditching the Miami Dolphins to coach the University of Alabama. Five months later, Billy Donovan pulled a disappearing act on the Orlando Magic, spurning the club three days after signing a $27.5 million contract and returning to the University of Florida. Then, in December, Bobby Petrino left the fledgling Atlanta Falcons after just 13 games on the job, returning to the college game to coach the University of Arkansas.
2. Chris Simon: After years of dishing out punishment to opposing players, Simon got a taste of his own medicine in 2007 when he earned not one, but two of the longest suspensions in NHL history. In March, the Islanders' left winger was banned for the final 15 games of the regular season and the entire postseason after clocking the Rangers' Ryan Hollweg in the face with his stick. Nine months later, Simon drew an unprecedented 30-game suspension for stomping on Pittsburgh's Jarkko Ruutu.
1. James Dolan: Under Dolan's stewardship, the Knicks have turned from a proud franchise into the laughingstock of the sports world. With New York sitting at 29-34 on March 12, Dolan stunningly awarded coach Isiah Thomas a contract extension, only to see the team go 4-15 the rest of the way. Then, before the start of the 2007-08 season, former Garden employee Anucha Browne Sanders won her sexual harassment case against the Knicks, forcing Dolan to shell out $11.5 million in punitive damages. Though this season's squad is on pace for 21 wins, Dolan has given no indication that he is ready to make any major personnel changes (cough, fire Isiah, cough).
