Every four years, the sporting world stops for a month to focus on every pass, shot, and save of the World Cup. The difference with this year's event in South Africa was the U.S. tuning in with unprecedented enthusiasm, thanks to a resilient group of soccer players who embodied the American spirit -- and helped make the tournament the second-most popular online search.

Bob Bradley's U.S. team took the nation on a remarkable roller-coaster ride that sparked a surge of interest back home, briefly turning a group of athletes who operate outside the spotlight into household names.

The first two American matches ended in ties -- a much-anticipated clash with England (1-1), then a dramatic contest against Slovenia in which Bradley's men were denied a comeback victory when referee Koman Coulibaly from Mali disallowed a late goal by Maurice Edu.

The top play of the Cup for the Americans, by far, came in the last seconds of the U.S.'s final group-play game. Landon Donovan's dramatic injury-time winner against Algeria sent the team into the knockout stage and prompted scenes of joy back in the States. After that excitement, team USA's loss to Ghana in the round of 16 was something of a letdown, yet there was still plenty of action for a fresh soccer audience to tune in to.

The crazy comments and madcap antics of Argentina coach Diego Maradona, the style and swagger of Brazil, a confident German side sparked by an injection of youth, and underdog efforts from plucky teams from Uruguay and Ghana all added sparkle to the latter stages of the tournament.

And the Cup ended with one deserved champion. Spain rebounded from a shocking loss to Switzerland in its group-play opener to defeat the Netherlands in the final, behind the technical brilliance of midfield maestros Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta. The championship game was marred by the Netherlands' wildly overaggressive approach, but Iniesta scored the only goal deep in extra time to give Spain its first-ever World Cup crown.

--Martin Rogers

The 2010 Winter Olympics couldn't have suffered a worse start, with the death of Georgian luge competitor Nodar Kumaritashvili during a training run. The accident cast a pall over the Games before they had begun.

There was even talk of Vancouver 2010 going down as one of the worst Olympics in history: a lack of snow, then too much, for skiing, an Olympic flame cauldron malfunction at the Opening Ceremony, and even the ice machine breakdown that delayed the long-track speed skating event.

But although the opening week attracted attention for mostly the wrong reasons, the Games kicked into life and ended up a genuine success story.

The host nation shrugged off embarrassing organizational mishaps and embraced the event -- helped in no small part by a series of native triumphs. After failing to win a single gold medal at its home games in 1976 (the Summer Olympics in Montreal) and 1988 (the Winter Olympics in Calgary), Canada ended up with 14, including the one it craved more than any other: hockey gold, thanks to Sidney Crosby's overtime win in the men's final against the United States.

As always at an Olympics, there was the finest of lines between perfection and pain. Up on the mountain, NBC's fixation with Lindsey Vonn didn't exactly pan out, with the American star (and most-searched Olympian in 2010) managing only one gold and one bronze and having a public spat with teammate and rival Julia Mancuso (the second-most searched Winter Games athlete).

Men's figure skating saw a USA vs. Russia battle reminiscent of the Cold War days, with Evan Lysacek prevailing over Evgeni Plushenko, despite the Russian's superb completion of the eye-catching quad jump. On the women's side, Kim Yu-na of South Korea won a deserved gold, but Joannie Rochette of Canada won the love of a worldwide audience with a bronze medal performance just days after her mother's death.

Apolo Anton Ohno became the most decorated American in Winter Olympic history, adding a silver and two bronzes in short-track speed skating to the five medals he won in 2002 and 2006. And Shaun White once again dominated the halfpipe amid a blaze of stunning tricks and fiery hair.

As for the next Winter Olympics, the competition has already been fierce -- over mascots and host cities. Russia (specifically, Sochi) will host the XXII Games in 2014, and Russians were divided over bear cubs and blue frogs in a November mascot competition. That same month, Annecy, France; Munich, Germany; and Pyeongchang, South Korea, made their pitches for 2018. The host city will be decided July 6, 2011. The Russian mascot should make its debut earlier, in February.

Most-searched Winter Olympians of 2010

1. Lindsey Vonn
2. Julia Mancuso
3. Apolo Ohno
4. Torah Bright
5. Shaun White
6. Nodar Kumaritashvili (deceased)
7. Joannie Rochette
8. Johnny Weir
9. Evan Lysacek
10. Bode Miller

--Martin Rogers

In 2005 Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, devastating the city and sending its beloved football team, the Saints, to play the season in Texas. Many thought that the team would never return to its damaged home stadium, and that the region might never be able to financially support an NFL franchise.

Before the disaster, the Saints had been a poorly run franchise for years. New Orleans has always been a town with a lot of pride, but fans would wear paper bags over their heads while sitting in the stands and watching another lopsided loss in the Louisiana Superdome.

A year after Katrina, the Saints returned to the battered region. And in 2010, the former laughingstocks of the NFL not only made it to the Super Bowl -- a team first -- but then they did the unbelievable, defeating the Indianapolis Colts 31-17. The underdog team showed the grit, talent, and soul of the city.

A true team effort combined a high-powered offense (Drew Brees, Reggie Bush); a sharp, risk-taking coach (Sean Payton called for an onside kick to start the second half); and an opportunistic defense -- Tracy Porter's interception of a pass from future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning sealed the victory. Most of all, the Saints had swagger, confidence, and a "why not us, why not now?" attitude.

Often, too much is made of sports impacting the world. Sports aren't life or death. They don't rebuild levees, bring back jobs, or heal the sick. In this case, though, something else was in play.

The Saints represented the reborn New Orleans, and for the city and the region, this win was more than one night to celebrate a football game. This was a sign to the rest of the country that New Orleans was indeed back. Who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints?

--Dan Wetzel

Hope for the upcoming pro football season begins with the NFL Draft, and the buildup to the annual stockpiling of college talent is highly anticipated every April. Fans of all 32 NFL teams spend weeks poring over lists of projected picks (or mock drafts) in an effort to become the most knowledgeable amateur draft expert in their neighborhood.

However, the story of this year's No. 1 pick wasn't just about exceptional football skills.

Scouts kept telling Sam Bradford that he could be the top overall pick of the 2009 NFL Draft. He had just won the Heisman Trophy and led the University of Oklahoma to the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) championship game. Despite the loss, what else was there to accomplish? Obviously, he should forgo another year in college to turn pro, right?

Instead, Bradford decided to return to Norman and finish business. It didn't work out too well. In the season's opening game, he was sacked by a Brigham Young University defender and injured his shoulder. He returned a few weeks later but got hurt again. Oklahoma went just 8-5. This wasn't how he envisioned his return.

Bradford had followed his heart by staying in college. He'd experienced the worst nightmare of every potential high draft pick: getting injured and putting his professional career in jeopardy.

Rather than despair, Bradford attacked his rehabilitation with the same relentlessness he does a defensive secondary. He did everything he could to rebuild his shoulder. As soon as he was healthy he dedicated himself to preparing for the NFL, with hours and hours of extra throwing and film sessions.

And on the evening of April 22, 2010, Roger Goodell called Sam Bradford's name first. He was selected by the St. Louis Rams as the No. 1 pick of the NFL Draft. It was a testament to perseverance. "A dream come true," Bradford glowed.

It got even better. Bradford took over as the Rams' starting quarterback in the preseason and hardly looked back. He was put in charge of a team that had won six games combined over the previous three seasons, and by midseason he had them in first place.

--Dan Wetzel

Rafael Nadal thought it "unbelievable" after becoming only the seventh man in tennis history to complete the career Grand Slam. But the rest of the tennis world certainly could believe.

By the time he beat Novak Djokovic in the U.S. Open singles final, his triumph seemed a mere formality. Not that it was a guarantee. The Spaniard had often struggled at the U.S. Open in the past, falling short in New York due to exhaustion, injury, or failure to adapt to Flushing Meadow's hard courts. As for Djokovic, the Serbian had already spoiled a dream final by outlasting Roger Federer in five sets the previous day.

Things were different this time around, as Nadal brought a fresh body, fierce determination, and a booming new serve to scorch the court. The only set Nadal dropped was to Djokovic in the final. Nadal's full set of major titles placed him in a group that includes his contemporary rival, Federer, and Andre Agassi.

On the women's side, Kim Clijsters was the queen of Queens once again, lifting the trophy for the second straight year. Her run to the title wasn't as much of a fairytale as it was a year earlier, when she took the crown just months after returning from retirement, but Clijsters was sensational nonetheless.

One half of the all-powerful Williams clan was absent -- Serena -- but Clijsters still had to outduel Venus in an entertaining semifinal before destroying Vera Zvonareva in the final.

It wasn't the most thrilling U.S. Open in memory, and the home challenge was poor: Venus Williams was the only American, man or woman, to reach the quarterfinal or better in singles. Yet there was no doubt that both the men's and women's draw had worthy champions. The sport could not wish for two finer ambassadors, either.

--Martin Rogers

Throughout the years, Kobe Bryant has transformed himself from ultratalented young player to veteran winner. He understood that his game was built on practice and preparation and that, unlike LeBron James, he wasn't a physical freak. Bryant stands a wiry 6-foot-6, and night after night of double teams and hacking defenders was starting to take its toll.

So, to survive those long, deep spring playoff runs for the Los Angeles Lakers, Bryant realized he didn't need to just get better, but he also had to get tougher. He might have been his toughest when he led the Lakers to its 16th NBA championship, surviving young guns (Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant) and old rivals (Boston's Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett).

James made off-court headlines for his prolonged free-agent courtship and widely panned announcement during a live, one-hour nationally televised special, "The Decision." That he said he would "take his talents to South Beach" (and the Miami Heat) almost proved Bryant's core belief: Forget talent -- if you want to win a ring (or, in his case, five) you need cutthroat determination and a 365-day-a-year commitment to winning.

There was another lesson, too. The Lakers didn't win it all because of Bryant's singular talent; they won because they operated as a team, each player stepping up at different times to deliver a critical performance. There was Pau Gasol having a big game against Garnett. Ron Artest with a winner in the Western Conference finals. Derek Fisher making those back-breaking shots.

Through it all, Bryant had to understand that the Lakers' season wasn't just about him. No matter how much he worked, no matter how gifted he was, this was a team effort. He shot 7-for-24 in Game 7 of the NBA finals against Boston. The Lakers won anyway.

"I'm just glad my teammates got us back in the game," Bryant said.

--Dan Wetzel

With a cast of characters befitting San Francisco's love of the unconventional and the flamboyant, the Giants won the World Series for the first time since 1954, when they were still in New York. The San Francisco Giants defeated the Texas Rangers in five games behind homegrown pitching, led by shaggy-haired starter Tim Lincecum and bearded closer Brian Wilson, and timely hitting from a group of previously unheralded veterans that manager Bruce Bochy labeled "castoffs and misfits."

The Giants played most of the regular season in the shadow of the surprising San Diego Padres, who led the National League West division until mid-September. Hardly anybody noticed as the Giants' front office quietly added outfielders Cody Ross and Pat Burrell, called up rookies Buster Posey and Madison Bumgarner, and showed faith in journeymen such as Aubrey Huff, Freddy Sanchez, Juan Uribe, and Andres Torres. The Giants didn't even clinch a playoff spot until the last day of the regular season.

But once the postseason began, San Francisco went on a tear, defeating the Atlanta Braves in the National League Division Series in four games, which were all decided by one run. In the process, the Giants ended the career of the legendary Bobby Cox, who retired after 29 seasons as a big league manager. The two-time defending National League champion Philadelphia Phillies were next, and the Giants upset them in six games, with three of their four wins again coming by a single run.

By the time the World Series began, it was apparent that the Giants, with dominant pitching and a revolving door of hitting heroes, were a team of destiny. They outslugged the potent Rangers in games one and two in San Francisco. After dropping game three in Arlington, Texas, the Giants gave up just one run combined in games four and five behind the arms of Bumgarner, Lincecum, and Wilson. The key hit was a three-run home run in the seventh inning of game five, delivered by aging and oft-injured shortstop Edgar Renteria, who was awarded the World Series MVP for his effort.

For months the 2010 Major League Baseball season had been called either the Year of the Pitcher or the Year of the Rookie. It was only fitting that, through stalwart pitching and an important contribution from Posey (the eventual National League Rookie of the Year award winner), it also became the Year of the Giants.

--Steve Henson

The Masters may be one of the four cornerstones of men's professional golf, but the Georgia invitational might also be considered a genteel, clubby stop on the championship circuit. In 2010, though, the tournament had been overwhelmed by news of -- and online searches for -- the return of Tiger Woods. He attracted huge crowds for practice rounds. Planes pulling heckling messages flew overhead. Around the globe, everyone wanted to know how he'd fare in his first tournament since the revelation of his affairs.

In the end, though, Tiger was not the story. The golfer making headlines was Phil Mickelson, the perennial runner-up, winning his fourth major title and coming off Augusta National's 18th green to a family hug nearly a year in the making. Phil's focus was on his family: his mother Mary and wife Amy, both battling breast cancer, and his three children, eager to celebrate after such a long, hard, scary slog.

"To have [Amy] here and share this moment and share the joy of winning on 18 and to share this with my kids is something that we'll look back on the rest of our lives," Mickelson said in April. "This means so much to us to be able to share this type of jubilation."

Mickelson won by returning to his roots, playing with a daring style that spoke of a man who had found something bigger to pray for than winning a golf tournament.

It was the return of the old Lefty, finding the good old days before life became about chemo sessions. Even before winning the Masters he had declared this a great week: It was the first time Amy was strong enough to travel to a tournament with him.

The family rented a house in Augusta, and the days became about finding normalcy. There were morning chess games at a nearby coffee shop with the kids, movies on the couch at night, a run to a local Krispy Kreme. One daughter needed her wrist X-rayed after a roller skating accident. Phil didn't get to bed until 1 a.m. before the final round.

Then he won. The week that had begun with tabloid stories ended with tears, hugs, and soaring emotions. This was a family in full. The green jacket was just a bonus.

--Dan Wetzel

Familiar marquee names and their drama filled the headlines at Wimbledon this year: Roger Federer's fall from grace, Serena Williams's continued dominance, Rafael Nadal's swashbuckling brilliance. Even the Queen put in an appearance, a royal first in 33 years.

Yet amid all the star power, this year's championship found its defining moment in a first-round match, far from the spotlight, between two unknown players.

The contest between John Isner of the U.S. and France's Nicolas Mahut was considered nondescript enough to be placed on Court 18, a minor show court 100 yards from Centre Court that holds just 782 seats. The match began on the second day at 6:13 p.m. Two days later the players were still going, and more than 2,000 watched from nearby Henman Hill on a screen. Isner eventually prevailed 70-68 in the fifth set of an epic encounter that lasted 665 minutes, took 183 games, and featured 192 aces (all records).

By the time the two men exchanged the weariest of hugs at the net, the game had gone into the record books as one of the most remarkable in tennis history. With such adventures on the sidelines, there was evidence enough to suggest that this was going to be far from a normal Wimbledon fortnight.

And so it proved. Federer's streak of 23 straight Grand Slam semifinals came crashing to a halt against the Czech Republic's Tomas Berdych in the quarters, ending the Swiss master's hopes of adding a seventh Wimbledon crown.

And while Serena Williams swept to her 13th Slam overall, the women's event was highlighted by unknowns Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic and Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria, as both made the semifinals.

In this strangest of tournaments, Rafael Nadal was a beacon of normalcy. After being extended to five sets in the second and third round, the Spaniard swept through the later rounds to clinch his second Wimbledon triumph. Nadal was too strong for Berdych in the final, and this victory was the turning point in a year that saw him once again establish himself as the best in the world.

Among the armchair spectators, though, the Isner-Mahut pairing pulled in double the search queries of Nadal-Berdych. Indeed, that epic back-and-forth between two (comparatively) ordinary men drew more online attention than either of the finals. Greatness depends on how you measure it.

--Martin Rogers

The team came from a smallish private school from Indiana. It played not in the Big Ten but in the Horizon League. Its home gym, Hinkle Fieldhouse, was the location of both the real-life and the movie versions of "Hoosiers." (The guy who hit that real shot -- Bobby Plump of Milan High, in 1952 -- is an alum.) The coach was a boyish-looking pharmaceutical sales rep. Virtually none of the players was considered a top recruit. And they darn near won the NCAA men's basketball tournament anyway.

Butler's Bulldogs came a buzzer-beating, rim-rattling, three-pointer away from upsetting Duke in what would've been one of the great stories in American hoops history. The Blue Devils and their coach, Mike Krzyzewski, were worthy champs for the fourth time, but the story of college basketball was the Little Team That Could.

There is nothing flashy about what coach Brad Stevens calls "the Butler Way." It's about finding good students who also want to be good players and good teammates. Stevens kept noting that things like budgets and football stadiums have "no impact on a five-on-five basketball game."

In a sport awash in corruption and cutting corners, this was beyond a breath of fresh air.

Butler isn't new to the national scene; the team has been making NCAA tournament noise for almost a decade. Yet it never had a season like this. The team bulldozed through the midmajor Horizon League and then brushed off critics who said it was too small and too weak.

En route to the title game, held just miles from its Indianapolis campus, Butler knocked off big-name, big-budget programs Syracuse, Kansas State, and Michigan State. By the end, few saw the Bulldogs as underdogs: They were favored to beat mighty Michigan State.

"If you don't believe it, you can't achieve it," Stevens kept saying.

Butler got most of America to believe and came one rim bounce away from achieving the ultimate glory.

--Dan Wetzel