Boston’s Worst Sports Moments Of 2012

Following%20the%20disaster%20that%20was%20Terry%20Francona%E2%80%99s%20final%20days%20in%20Boston%2C%20the%20Red%20Sox%20went%20looking%20for%20the%20next%20manager%20of%20the%20future.%20After%20it%20looked%20like%20Dale%20Sveum%20was%20destined%20to%20become%20that%20guy%2C%20they%20%28meaning%20Larry%20Lucchino%29%20went%20and%20hired%20Bobby%20Valentine.%20It%20was%20Valentine%E2%80%99s%20first%20job%20in%20the%20majors%20since%202002%2C%20and%20he%20led%20Boston%20to%20a%2069-93%20record%3B%20the%20club%E2%80%99s%20worst%20since%201965.%20The%20Red%20Sox%20got%20off%20to%20another%20slow%20start%2C%20and%20Valentine%20lost%20the%20clubhouse%20early%20after%20calling%20out%20Kevin%20Youkilis%20in%20April.%20By%20mid-season%20it%20was%20a%20%E2%80%9Ctoxic%E2%80%9D%20clubhouse%2C%20and%20the%20team%20all%20but%20quit%20on%20Valentine.%20%28Photo%20by%20Jared%20Wickerham%2FGetty%20Images%29

In%20arguably%20the%20most%20disappointing%20story%20in%20all%20of%20sports%20in%202012%2C%20the%20NHL%20lockout%20robbed%20fans%20of%20seeing%20their%20favorite%20sport.%20The%20months%20of%20discussions%20didn%26%238217%3Bt%20lead%20to%20much%2C%20pitting%20the%20owners%20against%20the%20players%20and%20leaving%20the%20fans%20without%20hockey%20after%20the%20league%20experienced%20record%20growth%20and%20revenues%20in%20the%20past%20few%20years.%20%28Photo%20by%20Bruce%20Bennett%2FGetty%20Images%29

Thirty%20other%20teams%20would%20have%20loved%20to%20be%20in%20the%20Patriots%26%238217%3B%20position%2C%20but%20that%20doesn%26%238217%3Bt%20make%20the%20pain%20of%20losing%20the%20Super%20Bowl%20feel%20any%20better.%20Wes%20Welker%26%238217%3Bs%20dropped%20pass%20would%26%238217%3Bve%20gone%20a%20long%20way%20to%20seal%20a%20Patriots%20victory%2C%20but%20instead%20Eli%20Manning%20drove%20the%20Giants%20down%20the%20field%20in%20an%20all-too-familiar%20scene%20for%20the%20Pats.%20%28Photo%20by%20Ezra%20Shaw%2FGetty%20Images%29

After%20winning%20the%20Stanley%20Cup%20in%202011%2C%20expectations%20were%20high%20for%20the%20Bruins%20heading%20into%20the%202012%20playoffs.%20While%20fans%20knew%20a%20repeat%20would%20be%20incredibly%20difficult%2C%20they%20at%20least%20expected%20the%20B%26%238217%3Bs%20to%20get%20past%20the%20Capitals%20in%20the%20first%20round.%20However%20the%20B%26%238217%3Bs%20were%20eliminated%20by%20way%20of%20a%20painful%20Game%207%20overtime%20winner%20in%20Boston.%20%28Photo%20by%20Elsa%2FGetty%20Images%29

The%20Celtics%20finished%20just%20one%20win%20away%20from%20their%20third%20NBA%20finals%20in%20five%20seasons%2C%20but%20they%20had%20a%20golden%20opportunity%20to%20get%20that%20win%20at%20home%20in%20Game%206%20of%20the%20Eastern%20Conference%20Finals.%20Instead%2C%20the%20Celtics%20forgot%20there%20was%20a%20game%20and%20lost%2098-79%20thanks%20to%20a%2045-point%20explosion%20from%20LeBron%20James.%20As%20for%20Game%207%2C%20that%20didn%E2%80%99t%20go%20all%20that%20well%20either%20for%20the%20Celtics%E2%80%A6%20%28Photo%20by%20Jim%20Rogash%2FGetty%20Images%29

Following%20his%202011%20season%20%E2%80%93%20which%20ended%20with%20a%20Stanley%20Cup%2C%20Conn%20Smythe%20and%20Vezina%20Trophy%20%E2%80%93%20Tim%20Thomas%20was%20a%20Boston%20sports%20legend.%20He%20fell%20out%20of%20many%20fan%26%238217%3Bs%20favor%2C%20though%2C%20with%20his%20decision%20to%20skip%20the%20White%20House%20visit%2C%20his%20subsequent%20Facebook%20posts%20and%20his%20decision%20to%20sit%20out%20for%20the%202012-13%20season%2C%20choosing%20to%20not%20honor%20his%20contract.%20The%20lockout%20has%20largely%20made%20the%20last%20part%20meaningless%2C%20but%20Thomas%20undoubtedly%20left%20Boston%20in%20as%20ugly%20a%20manner%20as%20possible.%20%28Photo%20by%20Justin%20K.%20Aller%2FGetty%20Images%29

The%20Patriots%20lost%20the%20Super%20Bowl%2C%20and%20everyone%20was%20upset%20about%20that.%20It%20was%20surprising%2C%20then%2C%20to%20see%20Rob%20Gronkowski%20dancing%20the%20night%20away%20just%20hours%20after%20the%20game.%20While%20some%20fans%20didn%26%238217%3Bt%20think%20much%20of%20it%2C%20others%20who%20were%20disappointed%20in%20the%20wake%20of%20that%20painful%20victory%20didn%26%238217%3Bt%20appreciate%20seeing%20Gronk%20partying%20it%20up%20in%20Indy.%20It%20became%20a%20major%20talking%20point%20for%20a%20while%2C%20and%20worst%20of%20all%2C%20it%20spawned%20the%20phrase%20%26%238220%3BSummer%20of%20Gronk.%26%238221%3B

It%20took%20four%20months%20for%20the%20Red%20Sox%20and%20Cubs%20to%20figure%20out%20what%20Boston%20would%20get%20in%20return%20for%20GM%20Theo%20Epstein%2C%20and%20all%20Boston%20ended%20up%20with%20was%20Chris%20Carpenter%20%E2%80%93%20a%20reliever%20that%20likely%20won%E2%80%99t%20do%20much%20in%20the%20majors.%20Carpenter%20made%20eight%20appearances%2C%20allowing%20six%20runs%20off%20seven%20hits%20and%2010%20walks%20over%20six%20innings%20of%20work.%20At%20least%20the%20Cubs%20had%20a%20worse%20season%20than%20Boston%2C%20losing%20101%20games.%20%28Photo%20by%20Jonathan%20Daniel%2FGetty%20Images%29

After%20following%20their%20Super%20Bowl%20trip%20with%20a%20solid%20offseason%2C%20the%20Patriots%20were%20expected%20yet%20again%20to%20be%20the%20best%20team%20in%20the%20league%2C%20with%20some%20folks%20going%20as%20far%20to%20predict%2016-0%20season%20to%20be%20a%20real%20possibility.%20So%20it%20was%20definitely%20a%20surprising%20low%20point%20to%20see%20the%20Patriots%20with%20a%201-2%20record%20after%20three%20weeks%2C%20and%20a%203-3%20record%20after%20six%20weeks.%20They%20turned%20it%20around%20after%20that%20with%20seven%20straight%20victories%2C%20but%20seeing%20the%20Patriots%20with%20a%20losing%20record%20was%20a%20rare%20sight%20in%20these%20parts.%20%28Photo%20by%20Rob%20Carr%2FGetty%20Images%29

Moving%20Bard%20to%20the%20starting%20rotation%20was%20just%20one%20of%20the%20many%20failed%20experiments%20by%20the%20Red%20Sox%20this%20season.%20Bard%20went%204-6%20with%20a%205.30%20ERA%20in%2010%20starts%20in%202012%2C%20walking%20more%20batters%20%2836%29%20than%20he%20struck%20out%20%2834%29%20through%20his%2054.1%20innings%20of%20work.%20His%20last%20start%20came%20on%20June%203%20in%20Toronto%2C%20when%20he%20walked%20six%20and%20allowed%20five%20runs%20over%20just%201.2%20innings%20or%20work.%20He%20spent%20the%20rest%20of%20the%20year%20in%20the%20minors%20or%20bullpen%20with%20similar%20results.%20%28Photo%20by%20Abelimages%2FGetty%20Images%29

2012%20was%20supposed%20to%20be%20a%20season%20of%20celebration%20with%20Fenway%20Park%20turning%20100.%20The%20famous%20ballpark%20celebrated%20its%20centennial%20on%20April%2020%2C%20with%20the%20Yankees%20in%20town%20and%20special%20throwback%20uniforms%2C%20but%20the%20Sox%20laid%20a%20stinker%20that%20wouldn%E2%80%99t%20be%20saved%20by%20birthday%20cake%20%E2%80%93%20losing%206-2%20thanks%20to%20five%20New%20York%20home%20runs.%20%28Photo%20by%20Jim%20Rogash%2FGetty%20Images%29

The%20night%20that%20followed%20Fenway%E2%80%99s%20birthday%20was%20even%20worse.%20The%20Red%20Sox%20held%20a%209-1%20lead%20after%20six%20innings%2C%20but%20watched%20that%20lead%20slip%20away%20after%20allowing%20seven-run%20innings%20in%20the%20seventh%20and%20eighth.%20The%20Yankees%20scored%2015-unanswered%20runs%20to%20walk%20away%20with%20a%2015-9%20win%2C%20and%20after%20the%20game%20Valentine%20said%20the%20Red%20Sox%20had%20hit%20%E2%80%9Crock%20bottom.%E2%80%9D%20If%20he%20only%20knew%E2%80%A6%20%28Photo%20by%20Elsa%2FGetty%20Images%29

Yes%2C%20it%20seemed%20as%20though%20the%20Celtics%20were%20always%20trying%20to%20deal%20Allen%2C%20and%20Allen%20himself%20was%20not%20happy%20with%20the%20fact%20Avery%20Bradley%20took%20his%20spot%20in%20the%20starting%20lineup.%20It%20was%20best%20for%20both%20sides%20to%20move%20on%20after%20Allen%E2%80%99s%20five%20years%20in%20Boston%2C%20but%20it%20burns%20that%20he%20took%20less%20money%20to%20come%20off%20the%20bench%20for%20the%20Miami%20Heat.%20%28Photo%20by%20Mike%20Ehrmann%2FGetty%20Images%29

After%20missing%20a%20scheduled%20start%20in%20April%20with%20a%20lat%20injury%2C%20Beckett%20created%20an%20uproar%20when%20he%20went%20golfing%20the%20next%20day.%20When%20asked%20about%20it%2C%20Beckett%20became%20very%20defensive%20and%20noted%20he%20%20only%20gets%2018%20off-days%20a%20year%20%28minus%20that%20whole%20off-season%20thing%29%2C%20and%20what%20he%20did%20on%20those%20off-days%20were%20his%20business.%20In%20his%20next%20start%2C%20Beckett%20lasted%20just%202.1%20innings%20and%20was%20booed%20off%20the%20mound%20by%20the%20Fenway%20faithful.%20%28Photo%20by%20Jim%20Rogash%2FGetty%20Images%29

Whether%20Fenway%20Park%20was%20full%20or%20not%2C%20the%20Red%20Sox%E2%80%99%20storied%20sellout%20streak%20continued%20in%202012.%20It%E2%80%99s%20now%20up%20to%20a%20record%20793%20games%2C%20but%20the%20title%20needed%20to%20be%20amended%20when%20it%20was%20apparent%20there%20were%20plenty%20of%20good%20seats%20still%20available%20for%20many%20of%20the%20games.%20After%20some%20criticism%2C%20it%20was%20termed%20a%20%E2%80%9Cdistribution%20streak%2C%E2%80%9D%20with%20tons%20of%20tickets%20available%20%E2%80%93%20on%20the%20cheap%20%26%238212%3B%20on%20the%20secondary%20market.%20%28Photo%20by%20Jim%20Rogash%2FGetty%20Images%29

Aceves%20was%20thrust%20into%20the%20closer%E2%80%99s%20role%20at%20the%20start%20of%20the%20season%20thanks%20to%20Andrew%20Bailey%E2%80%99s%20thumb%20injury%2C%20a%20job%20he%20didn%E2%80%99t%20want.%20Aceves%20prepared%20all%20off-season%20and%20spring%20training%20to%20be%20a%20starter%2C%20and%20was%20up-and-down%20as%20Boston%E2%80%99s%20closer.%20He%20ended%20up%202-10%20with%2025%20saves%20and%20eight%20blown%20saves%20for%20the%20season%2C%20and%20numerous%20late-season%20clashes%20with%20Valentine%20led%20to%20a%20three%20game%20suspension%20in%20late-August.%20%28Photo%20by%20Jared%20Wickerham%2FGetty%20Images%29

The%20%26%238220%3BPatriot%20Way%26%238221%3B%20has%20come%20to%20mean%20different%20things%20throughout%20the%20year%2C%20and%20whike%20the%20idea%20of%20the%20Patriots%20as%20a%20shiny%2C%20perfect%20franchise%20may%20be%20an%20old%20one%2C%20failed%20drug%20tests%20are%20never%20good%20news.%20The%20Patriots%20had%20two%20players%20suspended%20for%20PEDs%20in%202012%2C%20Jermaine%20Cunningham%20and%20Brandon%20Bolden.%20The%20Patriots%20survived%20without%20them%2C%20and%20PEDs%20don%E2%80%99t%20have%20the%20same%20stain%20in%20football%20as%20they%20do%20in%20baseball%2C%20but%20it%20was%20nevertheless%20a%20forgettable%20moment%20of%20the%20%26%238217%3B12%20season.%20%28Photo%20by%20Jim%20Rogash%2FGetty%20Images%29%20%20

Rajon%20Rondo%20is%20viewed%20by%20many%20as%20the%20future%20leader%20of%20the%20Boston%20Celtics%2C%20but%20he%20needs%20to%20actually%20be%20on%20the%20floor%20in%20order%20to%20lead.%20Rondo%20was%20suspended%20on%20three%20different%20occasions%20in%202012%3B%20twice%20in%20the%202012%20season%20and%20once%20%28so%20far%29%20in%20the%202012-13%20season.%20Rondo%20was%20punished%20twice%20for%20incidents%20with%20referees%20%E2%80%93%20throwing%20the%20ball%20at%20Sean%20Wright%20in%20February%20and%20bumping%20Marc%20Davis%20in%20Game%201%20of%20the%20East%20Quarters%20vs.%20the%20Hawks%20%E2%80%93%20and%20then%20again%20this%20season%20for%20a%20fight%20with%20Brooklyn%E2%80%99s%20Kris%20Humphries.%20While%20the%20suspensions%20haven%E2%80%99t%20hurt%20the%20C%E2%80%99s%2C%20Rondo%E2%80%99s%20budding%20reputation%20may%20at%20some%20point.%20%28Photo%20by%20Jared%20Wickerham%2FGetty%20Images%29