Originally posted 2/9/12…

Everyone’s life is busy. So this week is a speed round, IRIS, two-for-one! Here are the top ten things you need know about sports from the past two weeks, IRIS style.

• Remembering beloved Canadian freeskier Sarah Burke. She died as a result of a tragic fall in the SuperPipe in Park City last January. Sarah was only 29 years old and was the top freeskier in the world. She was an inspiration to so many, both as an athlete and as a person. Here is the ESPN’s recent tribute to beautiful Sarah…  (http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:7508480).
• If you don’t know that the NY Giants won Super bowl XLVI last Sunday, then you’re in the right place. The Giants beat the New England Patriots 21-17. It was a close game but the Patriots blew it. Afterwards, QB Tom Brady’s model wife mouthed off to some heckling fans (I would have too) and now everyone in Boston is on a witch hunt. Perspective, people.
• The Australian Open is the first Grand Slam (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Slam_(tennis) ) tennis tournament of the year. This year’s championship match lasted a record breaking six hours. Technically it was five hours and fifty three minutes…but six hours! In the end, Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal 7-5 in the fifth set.
• The Winter X-Games 2012 saw Shaun White get the first ever perfect score in the SuperPipe (giant half pipe with walls measuring at least 18 feet from the flat bottom to the top of the wall). He is insane! Check it out: http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:7518186
• Peyton Manning, quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts, seriously injured his neck last year. He has had several surgeries and was just cleared by doctors to resume playing (he was paid $25 million not to play football last season). The big question now is, will the Colts release him or resign him? He’s a risk because he apparently has nerve damage and is having trouble throwing. Peyton has had an amazing career and I’m hoping he gets back to full strength regardless of where he plays.
• Hockey! In the NHL, the NY Rangers are leading the Eastern Conference and my buddy Ethan’s Detroit Redwings are leading the Western Conference. The Carolina Hurricanes are the opposite of leading the Eastern conference. Yep.
• College Basketball. Last night Duke beat Carolina at the buzzer, which is always nice. It was a super exciting finish! Check it out: http://youtu.be/3X1ewxVwhug
• NASCAR – Danica Patrick (http://espn.go.com/racing/driver/_/id/697/danica-patrick), former IndyCar (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IndyCar) driver, is guaranteed spot in the Daytona 500. Here’s all you need to say about this…”I think it’s cool that Danica Patrick will be racing in the Daytona 500. Then your boyfriend will say something about another driver trading points on her behalf, her GoDaddy sponsorship, and that it might be unfair that she got a spot. You don’t need to understand this, just response with a confident, “I still think it’s cool.” The end.
•  Big first baseman news! Now that football is over, baseball talk begins. Albert Pujols (http://search.espn.go.com/albert-pujols/ ) (Pronounced pooh-holes…you’ll never forget that one, I know. You’re welcome.) Anyway, the awesome Albert Pujols left the St. Louis Cardinals for the Angels in Anaheim. He has been with St. Louis for all ten years of his career and has been a big contributor to this team’s success. His leaving was all about contracts and money. It seems the consensus is that it’s hard to believe the Cardinals let him go. Good luck in Anaheim as an awesome Angel, Albert! (alliteration nerd alert)
• More first baseman news! The Detroit Lions are paying $214 million on a nine year contract for Prince Fielder (http://search.espn.go.com/prince-fielder/) (what a great baseball name). $214 million! This is the fourth biggest deal in baseball history. Now we all get to see if Prince lives up to the hype.