This summer was a summer that was marked down on every basketball fan's calendar because of the spectacular class of free agents who became available in the off-season.
The Nets, with a new billionaire owner, drafted power Derrick Favors. They also acquired several new free agents, and plan to move to a new arena in Brooklyn this year.
The Knicks signed four-time All-Star Amar'e Stoudemire and former college star Raymond Felton in an off-season that proved nearly as promising as it was disappointing.
The Knicks were among one of the handful of teams in contention for the off-season's grand prize, MVP LeBron James. James became the most hated man in basketball this off-season by colluding with fellow free agents to spurn his hometown of Cleveland as well as New York, by forming what many view as a cowardly alliance with Miami.
This summer also meant the beginning of the football free-agency period and training camp with the Jets. They have quickly become the most talked about team in New York, causing expectations for the team to run high. Coming off of last year's miraculous run to the AFC conference finals, they are a Super Bowl favorite in 2010.
The major story in Jets camp this summer, and a possible deterrent to their championship dreams, is the contract dispute with superstar cornerback Darrelle Revis.
Football contracts are not guaranteed and Revis, grossly underpaid at $1 million for the upcoming season, wants to be recognized financially as the best cornerback in the league. Since the contracts are not guaranteed and injuries are so rampant, contract disputes are inevitable. Unfortunately for the Jets, if not resolved soon, this one could cost them a Super Bowl.
The Giants, a team historically known for their ferocious defense, embarrassed that legacy last season and spent this past off-season determined to rectify that. They acquired star safety Antrel Rolle and former Clarkstown North star Keith Bulluck to add some leadership in the clubhouse and help fill in the holes in their defense.
Most important for them is the hiring of fiery defensive coordinator Perry Fewell to replace the more bookish Bill Sheridan after a nightmarish season.
In the world of baseball, Mets fans have been plagued the last few years with a team that seemingly has an aversion to winning. Following last years's colossal failure and the September chokes of ‘07 and ‘08, the Mets took a different route this year and began to integrate some of their younger talent onto the roster. Ike Davis was one of the most desirable rookies when he first broke into the big leagues, but he's cooled off considerably since then.
Mike Pelfrey was one of the most dominant pitchers in the majors in the first half of the year. Young lefty John Niese, looks like Andy Pettite circa 1996.
The most pleasant surprise for the Mets has been the performance of role-player Angel Pagan, who blossomed into their best player this summer and seized the role of starting outfielder.
The Mets still have a long way to go and Mets fans should expect some front office changes this winter to help accelerate that process.
The defending champions, the New York Yankees, have proven to be something of an enigma. They were preseason favorites to repeat as champions and despite being tied for the best record in baseball, still haven't seemed to click yet.
While the pitching has been their strength, their offense seems to disappear. A few of their superstars are laboring through some of the worst years of their careers (Jeter, Posada, Rodriguez) and others have suffered through prolonged slumps (most notably, Teixeira and Granderson).
Despite their inconsistency and several deaths in the family (most notably owner George Steinbrenner, player and manager Ralph Houk, and "the voice of god" Bob Sheppard), the Yankees still sit atop the baseball world as reigning champions. The prevailing feeling seems to be, if they ever do put it all together, the rest of the league doesn't stand a chance.
Finally, the United States Men's World Cup soccer team made the United States care about soccer (for at least a month). Bars and stadiums were packed with supporters, as captain Landon Donovan and company captured the country's imagination with a miraculous "added time" goal to earn a berth in the elimination round.
Their gutsy performance and reputation as "comeback kids" captured America's heart and their 1-1 draw with rival (and vastly superior) England earned them bragging rights for the next four years.
In a summer with philandering golfers, narcissistic basketball players, and cheating would-be Hall of Famers finding themselves in court, summer 2010 provided several moments, storylines, and intriguing glimpses into the coming year.
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