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The year that was in 2005 had its share of memorable performances, good and bad. Some of the very worst moments were as usual, almost incredible in their sheer darkness while the strong performances only added the aura of specific athletes.

How about the sad Mike Tyson affair, who manages to somehow secure another fight only to be caught biting his opponent's nipple during the bout. Unheralded Irishman Kevin McBride took home the win in a heavyweight bout that hopefully ended the fighting career of one of the most pitiful boxers in pro history. At least Tyson appeared to finally understand this when he said, "my career was over in 1990. I'm finished."

Or the behavior of amateur players on the University of Connecticut mens basketball team. Scholarship players Marcus Williams and A.J. Price were accused of stealing $11,000 worth of laptops from the campus dormitories of fellow UConn students. The behavior of these young men however was only one of number of such repulsive stories involving collegiate athletes.

And the pro team to take home the honor, the Minnesota Vikings. First coach Mike Tice is fined $100,000 for scalping some Super Bowl tickets. Then team members organize a booze cruise, featuring lewd sexual behavior, to take their mind off the game of football. What a crew - they may need to seek out Terrell Owens to join their club.

Then there was Temple basketball coach John Chaney ordering Nehemiah Ingram into a game to purposely foul John Bryant of St. Joseph's. The player is so aggressive that when Bryant is fouled he is also injured and unable to play for the remainder of the season. At least Chaney has the smarts to take action and suspend himself from coaching for his questionable behavior, giving his players a lesson that discipline is for more than just young men.

Some incredible performances in 2005 demonstrated why sports are so fun to watch. How about Roger Clemens posting an ERA of 1.87 with the Houston Astros, the lowest ERA of his illustrious 22-year career? Unfortunately the man's other stats did not match due to his playing for a team that averaged 3.5 runs per game in those that Clemens (13-8) was the pitcher of record. In fact, the light hitting Astros were shut 8 times in games that Clemens started.

How about yet another incredible season from the consensus female athlete of the year, Annika Sorenstam. The young amateur Michelle Wie got a great deal of press but is was the sweet-swinging Swede who won another 10 LPGA events, proving once again she is the dominant female golfer and for that matter, still the most dominant female athlete in the world. Wie of course somehow managed to get disqualified in her first pro tourney when a fan stated she took an incorrect drop the day before during her round and upon revisiting the action that following day, officials rule Wie did indeed take an improper drop and this disqualified her. The integrity of golf makes that sport like any other.

Also in the golf world,what more can be said about Jack Nicklaus, who at the age of 65, manages to birdie the par-4, 18th at St. Andrews, the last hole he will ever play in a major golf championship. That indeed is the stuff of legends and speaks to why the Golden Bear is considered by many the best golfer to ever play the game.

Then of course, there is the man many think will one day be the best ever, Tiger Woods. The game's top player won both the British and the Masters in 2005 to give him ten majors prior to the age of thirty. At the Masters, Woods started his third round four shots behind Chris DiMarco, but in just 31 minutes, he proceeded to make three straight birdies to move one shot in front on his way to his fourth Masters win. In that same tournament, Woods may have had the worst shot of the tournament as well. Putting for birdie from the back of the 13th green in the first round, Woods gave the putt a bit too much and it rolled down the slope and on into Rae's Creek, leading to a bogey. It was a rare glimpse of mortality from the man who would win more than $11 million in prize money for the year.

There was the re-emergence of the Williams sisters in the world of pro tennis. Serena Williams recovers to win the Australian Open while older sibling Venus takes Wimbledon. Unfortunately for Lindsay Davenport, she is the loser to both players in the finals.

Further Kudos: Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins shows the same flair for hockey that defined the great Mario Lemieux. To Joe Paterno for showing that he can still coach, after all. To Alex Rodriguez, 29, for becoming the youngest player in baseball history to reach 400 career home runs. To Roy Williams for winning his first NCAA title upon his return to North Carolina. Then again, maybe this was more about his team than the coach as four starters, Marvin Williams, Raymond Felton, Sean May, Rashad McCants, all leave the program by being selected in the first round of the NBA draft. To the Chicago White Sox and their management for winning the teams first World Series in almost 90 years. Somehow, the team won with a payroll of just $75 million. Of course to the average fan that may sound like a lot but it pales next to that of the New York Yankees, who spent $205 million only to be eliminated in the playoffs once again. To Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots for winning the team's second straight Super Bowl and third in four years, something many thought impossible in the new salary cap era of pro football. To Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and coach Gregg Popovich for winning yet another NBA title in an epic battle with the Pistons. It is time people recognize that the San Antonio coach should be mentioned in the same breath as Riley, Jackson, and Brown. He is that good!