A typical year will bring a lot of drama from the sports world onto television sets, but there are rare instances when a year becomes special. From the World Cup appearance of a decent U.S. team to an MLB pennant race for the ages, it looks this year is one of the special ones. A Lakers-Celtics 7-game NBA finals has already raised the bar, but it looks like the best is yet to come. Follow the progress of these five stories on satellite TV as a special year in sports only gets better.
1. The battle for Lebron James. We've heard of the Battle of Gettysburg and the Battle of the Bulge, but this year the Battle for Lebron has officially gotten underway. Even though it looks like the NBA's top player would like to stay in Cleveland, management has never quite found a way to make the supporting cast worthy of James. Could he possibly make Miami an early favorite by joining the Heat? Would that almost guarantee the return of Dwayne Wade? NBA TV and ESPN will be covering all the drama.
2. The World Cup. Everyone keeps saying how soccer will never become popular in the United States, but you can be sure a strong showing at the World Cup would get millions of people interested. What would constitute a strong showing? Leaving the group stages and moving on to the final 8 teams would probably be what the U.S. team has to do in order to generate a real buzz. Their advance to the last world finals was a great moment, but they need to capitalize on that start. Follow the World Cup on satellite TV.
3. The return of Tiger Woods. Will this year end up being the Year of the Tiger? The Chinese zodiac would say so, but the world's best golfer has still got to prove that he can overcome a disturbing scandal and get back to his original love of golf. All the second-tier players are frothing at the mouth, knowing that the fall of Woods would mean they can take the place that is rightfully theirs. Special players like Woods only come along once in a generation (or more). If he can't return to form, golf will be changed forever.
4. The AL Pennant Race. It's been a few years since Yankees-Red Sox really heated up, but things have really gotten interesting with the return of the Rays. Three teams in the AL East, two teams from the Central and two out of the West are vying for the pennant. It's going to be a great year for anyone with an HD MLB package.
5. A new NL champion. Few fans like the idea of a dynasty, unless the one in question is your favorite team. This year's NL pennant looks like it won't be going to the Phillies, as numerous legitimate contenders have presented themselves for consideration. Atlanta and the Mets are trying to rule out a playoff appearance at all for the Phils.
See what type of sports coverage would come your way with direct star TV packages. From an NFL package on cable to baseball and world soccer, satellite TV will be covering the top stories of the year.
