Sports Stories to Watch in 2008

Steroids

Steroids look to be a very long-term story in sports but especially in baseball. Roger Clemens might have a very busy 2008 even though he probably will not grace a baseball mound during the year. Clemens will eventually have to answer these steroids allegations sometime in the new year.

Also, players like Mark McGwire and others may continue to see themselves not voted into the Hall of Fame because of their links to steroids.

Barry Bonds

Related to the steroids story in baseball is Barry Bonds. Bonds will have to stand trial in 2008 on perjury charges. He is accused of lying under oath about his involvement with steroids. Will Barry Bonds have to serve any jail time and will he play baseball at all in 2008?

Can the Dolphins be any worse?

The Dolphins just finished on of the worst seasons in NFL history and it does not look there is much help on the way for the immediate future. Could they possibly be worse next year and finish off the 0-16 season?

With the Tuna now on the payroll it would be hard to imagine that the Dolphins could lose 16 games next season, but it will still be fun to watch them try.

Can the Patriots remain perfect?

The Patriots finished the 2007 NFL regular season at a perfect 16-0 and the world will be watching to see if they can win three more games in the playoffs and finish the first-ever 19-0 regular season and win Super Bowl XLII.

Coaching Changes

Whether it be professional football or college football there have been and will be a multitude of coaching changes before the beginning of next season. Who will go where and which coaching changes will work out. This is a big story every year, but with some big name coaches on the move and some of the premier jobs in the country changing hands, this could be one of the biggest stories of 2008.

Will the Celtics break NBA wins record?

After trading for Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett most people knew that the Celtics would be better in 2007-2008 than they were in 2006-2007. Well the Celtics are certainly better, to the tune of a 27-3 record, which puts them on pace to challenge the all-time wins record set by Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls. Can they do it?

The Olympics

2008 is an Olympics year and this year they will be held in Beijing China. How will China handle hosting the Olympics and how will the United States do in this year's version of the Summer Olympic Games?

How Will Dale Earnhardt, Jr. handle his new team?

It was big news in 2007 that Dale Earnhardt, Jr. would be leaving DEI racing to join Nedrick Motorsports, but the even bigger story might be how he does now that he has switched teams. Earnhardt will be driving for Hendrick Motorsports in 2008 alongside Jeff Gordon and many wonder how so much star power on one team will pan out. Wait and see.

Will Floyd Mayweather try MMA?

Floyd Mayweather has said that he would like to try his hand at MMA wrestling to prove that boxers are better than MMA fighters. After meeting with Mark Cuban a few weeks ago, the sports world is abuzz to see if the best boxer in the world will try his hand at MMA. If he does, this could be one of the biggest stories in the history of boxing.

Will Beckham impact US soccer in 2008?

Beckham's long awaited arrival in the United States to play for Major League Soccer ended up being a bust in 2007 because of injuries and bad play by the LA Galaxy. Next season will be Beckham's first full year in MLS, can he make a large impact on US soccer next season?

On another US Soccer note, will any other noteworthy players choose to play in the MLS in 2008? There are always rumors that decent named European players will grace the MLS pitches, but will 2008 be the year that more than a couple come overseas?

Can Roger Federer complete the Grand Slam?

Roger Federer has come oh so close to completing a Grand Slam a few times in his tennis career, but recently he has been slowed on clay by Rafael Nadal. Is this the year he breaks through against the Spanish superstar, or will he have to settle for three of the four again?

EURO 2008

While it may not make many headlines in the United States the 2008 European soccer tournament is right around the corner. Italy will try to follow up its World Cup victory with a win, while other teams such as France, Portugal, Germany and the Czech Republic will be looking for European glory.

Will he star or will he go?

Johan Santana enters 2008 still on the trading block and there are still several big-name teams looking to trade for him. Will he start the 2008 season with the Twins or will he be on another team. Santana is one of the best pitchers to be on the trading block in years and this story has been most of the offseason hot stove talk.

Cubs going for 100 years of futility

If the Cubs do not win the World Series this year, and most can see that it does not seem like they will, it will have been a century since the last time the Chicago Cubs have been world champions.