From athletes to coaches to the guy at the end of the bar, 2017 was the year everyone seemed to have an opinion about sports. Whether you watched live or on TV, sports were an undeniable presence this year, and definitely had something for everyone. In divided times such as our own, sports can bring us together — allowing us to put aside our differences and “root for the home team, root root for the team, rah rah” as the old cheerleader song goes.

And that’s the power of sports: They give us something to believe in. Athletes at peak condition are models of grace and excellence, and we need these exemplars more than ever. And so we love sports and we are all better because of the sports we loved in 2017. The sheer competition of sports will never be beat.

And now, before this introduction goes into triple overtime (sports reference for my super-fans out there, must credit mnftiu.cc), let’s give out championship rings to the TOP TEN SPORTS MOMENTS OF 2017:

10. Semifinals in 2017

9. Peak performance in championship moments

8.  Hard-won victories

7. (TIE) The politics of sports / Team logos, uniforms, and equipment

6. Baseball

5. The spirit of competition

4. Good sportsmanship is key in 2017

3. Something to believe in … SPORTS

2. “Coach, did I do a good job?” “You did okay”

1. World championship