Larry Nassar scandal leads top sports stories of 2018
From the Year in Sports: Top stories, athletes, games, plays and more series
Larry Nassar's crimes and the chaos they provoked — the massive turnover at Michigan State, the U.S. Olympic Committee and USA Gymnastics, to say nothing of the trauma wrought on the victims themselves — was the Story of the Year in balloting by AP members and editors. The Nassar saga earned more than double the number of votes as the second- and third-place finishers: the Eagles first Super Bowl championship and the Supreme Court's decision to strike down a law that prohibited sports gambling outside of Nevada.
The year 2018 was also notable for a string of stirring comebacks and surprises: Maryland-Baltimore County pulled the first 16 vs. 1 upset in an NCAA Tournament that was also highlighted by Loyola-Chicago's run to the Final Four, spurred on by a 98-year-old superfan, Sister Jean Dolores-Schmidt . Tiger Woods returned to form, nearly winning the PGA before capturing the season-ending Tour Championship . The expansion Las Vegas Knights made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final before falling to the Washington Capitals.
There was a steady trickle of news about the still-emerging evidence and response to the doping scandal in Russia that has sullied the last three Olympics, with potential for more.
1. Larry Nassar scandal
Sports doctor Larry Nassar receives decades-long prison sentence after dozens of female athletes detail abuse; shake-ups at Michigan State, USA Gymnastics and U.S. Olympic Committee follow outrage over slow responses to allegations. In this Feb. 5, 2018, file photo, Larry Nassar listens during his sentencing at Eaton County Circuit Court in Charlotte, Mich.
2. Eagles win Super Bowl
2. Eagles bring first Super Bowl title home to Philadelphia with 41-33 victory over New England, capping exciting playoffs that salvaged regular season filled with off-field issues (national anthem, concussions) and lackluster games. In this Feb. 4, 2018, file photo, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz, right, hands the Vincent Lombardi trophy to Nick Foles.
3. Sports betting
3. Supreme Court strikes down law prohibiting sports betting outside Nevada; New Jersey, Mississippi and West Virginia among first states to start taking wagers. This Oct. 25, 2018 photo shows employees at the new sports book at the Tropicana casino in Atlantic City N.J., preparing to take bets moments before it opened.
4. UMBC 1st 16 seed to win in NCAA Tournament
Maryland-Baltimore County upsets Virginia to become first 16 seed to topple a No. 1 in the history of the NCAA Tournament. In this March 16, 2018, file photo, UMBC's Jairus Lyles (10) drives past Virginia's Devon Hall (0) during the second half of the game in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, File)
5. Red Sox win World Series
5. Boston Red Sox overcome 18-inning loss to Dodgers in Game 3 to capture World Series and cap dominating 108-win season. In this Oct. 28, 218 photo, the Red Sox celebrate after winning Game 5 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers to take the series 4 games to 1.
6. Sister Jean inspires Loyola-Chicago
6. Inspired by a superfan nun, 98-year-old Sister Jean Dolores Schmidt, tiny Loyola-Chicago makes run to Final Four. In this March 24, 2018, file photo, Loyola-Chicago basketball chaplain Sister Jean speaks with Loyola-Chicago guard Ben Richardson after the team won its regional final in the NCAA college basketball tournament 78-62 over Kansas State in Atlanta.
7. Expansion Las Vegas Golden Knights make Stanley Cup Final
7. In expansion season, Las Vegas Golden Knights surge to Stanley Cup Final before falling to Washington. In this May 30, 2018, file photo, Washington Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby, center, makes a stick save on shot by Vegas Golden Knights right wing Alex Tuch, left, as defenseman John Carlson watches during the third period in Game 2 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals in Las Vegas.
8. Tiger Woods wins Tour Championship
8. Tiger Woods makes stirring comeback less than 18 months after spinal fusion surgery, with close calls at British and PGA, then victory in Tour Championship. In this Sept. 23, 2018 photo, Tiger Woods, lower center, and Rory McIlroy, lower left, emerge from a horde of fans following Tiger on their way to the 18th green during the final round of the Tour Championship.
9. Freshman QB Tua Tagovailoa leads Alabama to national title
9. Freshman quarterback Tua Tagovailoa comes off bench to rally Alabama to overtime victory over Georgia for program's fifth national title in the Nick Saban era.
In this Friday, Nov. 30, 2018 photo, Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (13) throws the ball during Alabama practice.
10. Russian doping scandal fallout continues
10. Fallout from Russian doping scandal continues. Despite sanctions on their country, nearly 170 Russians allowed to compete in Pyeongchang Olympics; international athletes outraged over reinstatement of Russia's anti-doping agency before all criteria fulfilled.
In this Tuesday, April 25, 2017 file photo, Russia's deputy prime minister in charge of sport, tourism and youth policies Vitaly Mutko attends a news conference after the Russia 2018 LOC Board meeting with FIFA participation in St. Petersburg, Russia. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Vitaly Mutko, who was banned from the Olympics for life because of the country's doping scandals, resigned Wednesday Dec. 19, 2018, as president of the Russian Football Union.
In this Series
Year in Sports: Top stories, athletes, games, plays and more
The depths of Larry Nassar's depravity began to emerge some 15 months before the calendar flipped to 2018 — when reports of his sexual abuse f…
A prisoner suspected of stabbing Larry Nassar at a federal penitentiary in Florida said the disgraced former sports doctor provoked the attack by making a lewd comment while they were watching a Wimbledon tennis match.