2010 In Review: National Sports Headlines

Alabama%20defeats%20Texas%2037%E2%80%9321%20in%20the%202010%20BCS%20National%20Championship%20Game%20at%20the%20Rose%20Bowl%20in%20Pasadena%2C%20California%2C%20thereby%20claiming%20the%202009%20national%20championship%20in%20college%20football.%20%28credit%3A%20Kevork%20Djansezian%2FGetty%20Images%29

Georgian%20luge%20hopeful%20Nodar%20Kumaritashvili%20crashes%20and%20is%20killed%20during%20the%20men%26%238217%3Bs%20Luge%20practise%20at%20the%20Whistler%20Sliding%20Centre%2C%20in%20preparation%20for%20the%20Vancouver%20Winter%20Olympics%20on%20February%2012%2C%202010.%20%20%28credit%3A%20Peter%20Parks%2FAFP%2FGetty%20Images%29

The%20United%20States%20took%20the%20overall%20medal%20count%20with%2037%20during%20the%20Winter%20Olympic%20Games%20in%20Vancouver%2C%20Canada%2C%20but%20the%20home%20nation%20won%20the%20most%20gold%20with%2014%20medals.%20%28credit%3A%20David%20Hecker%2FAFP%2FGetty%20Images%29

The%20Duke%20Blue%20Devils%20won%20a%20narrow%2061-59%20victory%20over%20the%20underdog%20Butler%20Bulldogs%20to%20claim%20the%20NCAA%20Men%26%238217%3Bs%20Division%20I%20Basketball%20Tournament%20championship%20on%20April%205%2C%202010.%20%28credit%3A%20Kevin%20C.%20Cox%2FGetty%20Images%29

Connecticut%20completes%20their%20second%20consecutive%2039%E2%80%930%20season%20with%20a%2053%E2%80%9347%20win%20over%20Stanford%20at%20the%20Alamodome%20in%20San%20Antonio.%20It%20is%20the%20seventh%20national%20title%20and%20fourth%20unbeaten%20season%20for%20both%20the%20Huskies%20and%20their%20head%20coach%20Geno%20Auriemma.%20%28credit%3A%20Jeff%20Gross%2FGetty%20Images%29

On%20April%2021%2C%20Pittsburgh%20Steelers%20quarterback%20Ben%20Roethlisberger%20was%20given%20a%20six-game%20suspension%20by%20the%20NFL%20following%20an%20incident%20with%20a%2020-year-old%20college%20student%20at%20a%20Georgia%20nightclub%20in%20March.%20%28credit%3A%20Jared%20Wickerham%2FGetty%20Images%29

On%20June%209%2C%20an%20overtime%20shot%20by%20Patrick%20Kane%20won%20the%20Chicago%20Blackhawks%20their%20first%20championship%20in%20nearly%20four%20decades%20in%20a%204-3%20victory%20over%20the%20Philadelphia%20Flyers.%20%28credit%3A%20Jonathan%20Daniel%2FGetty%20Images%29

In%20June%2C%20the%20United%20States%26%238217%3B%20soccer%20team%20put%20in%20a%20fair%20showing%20at%20the%2019th%20FIFA%20World%20Cup.%20Spain%20won%20the%20cup%20in%20a%201-0%20match%20against%20the%20Netherlands.%20%28credit%3A%20Timothy%20A.%20Clary%2FAFP%2FGetty%20Images%29

On%20June%2017%2C%20the%20Los%20Angeles%20Lakers%20topped%20their%20Boston%20Celtics%20rivals%2083-79%20in%20Game%207%20of%20the%20NBA%20finals.%20%28credit%3A%20Christian%20Petersen%2FGetty%20Images%29

Begun%20on%20June%2022%2C%20American%20John%20Isner%20and%20Frenchman%20Nicolas%20Mahut%20battled%20for%20more%20than%2011%20hours%20of%20play%20over%20three%20days%20at%20the%20Wimbledon%20Championships.%20Isner%20won%20the%20first%20round%20match%20in%20a%20final%20game%20that%20lasted%20eight%20hours.%20%28credit%3A%20Suzanne%20Plunkett%2FAFP%2FGetty%20Images%29

Capping%20weeks%20of%20media%20speculation%20with%20an%20hour-long%20TV%20special%20on%20July%208%2C%20NBA%20star%20LeBron%20James%20stunned%20his%20Cleveland%20Cavalier%20fans%20by%20announcing%20he%20would%20be%20leaving%20to%20sign%20with%20the%20Miami%20Heat.%20%28credit%3A%20Issac%20Baldizon%2FNBAE%20via%20Getty%20Images%29

On%20July%2013%2C%20before%20the%2081st%20All-Star%20Game%2C%20iconic%20New%20York%20Yankees%20owner%20George%20Steinbrenner%20died%20of%20a%20heart%20attack%20in%20Tampa%2C%20Fla.%20%26%238220%3BThe%20Boss%26%238221%3B%20had%20led%20the%20champion%20baseball%20franchise%20for%2037%20years.%20%28credit%3A%20Jim%20McIsaac%2FGetty%20Images%29

On%20Sept.%208%2C%20New%20York%20Jets%20%26%238220%3BGameday%20Host%26%238221%3B%20Jenn%20Sterger%20revealed%20former%20team%20quarterback%20Brett%20Favre%20had%20sent%20her%20unwanted%20advances%20via%20text%20messages%20and%20graphic%20personal%20camera%20phone%20photos.%20%28credit%3A%20Jeff%20Gross%2FGetty%20Images%29%20

On%20Nov.%201%2C%20it%20took%20five%20nights%20and%20a%20final%203-1%20game%20for%20the%20San%20Francisco%20Giants%20to%20take%20the%20World%20Series%20title%20from%20the%20Texas%20Rangers.%20%28credit%3A%20Ronald%20Martinez%2FGetty%20Images%29