It's the last day of the northern summer - and southern winter. And after sorting out my life after my long trip overseas, I've finally had time to gather my thoughts and ponder on what has been a thrilling summer + May of sport.
It has been a great 4 months if you were British - a first ever Tour de France winner, their greatest Olympics performance since 1908 and being number 1 in Europe at least when it comes to club football..
However, it hasn't been such a great 4 months if you were from Britain's great rivals, Germany and Australia - both had mediocre Olympics, and their once mighty sports teams are struggling to regain past glories.
Question: has Germany's national fussballmannschaft taken over the All Black's mantle as Adidas' greatest chokers? After all the last time, Germany actually won something was back in 1996 and it's now been 16 years since they last won something....
Anyway, here are my 5 favourite moments from the golden northern summer - I'm pleased to say I've witnessed with my own eyes 3 of these.
5. Matt Cain's perfect game
I didn't hear about this till I got to San Francisco despite being a big Giants fan - it's a bit hard to follow the baseball news when you're in Anti-America Europe. But this perfect game (no hits, i.e. no batters reach first base) pitched by Matt Cain against the Houston Astros on June 13, 2012 is an absolute thing of beauty - 14 strikeouts is the most for any perfect game, tied with the great Sandy Koufax in 1965. It was also the first perfect game in San Francisco Giants history. Shame they couldn't mark the commemoration game in August with a win - I was there but at least I got the cup.
As it stands, the Giants are looking pretty good to win the NL West with the now cash-rich Dodgers chasing them down.
4. EURO 2012
The choice of hosts, Poland and Ukraine was controversial in itself especially considering the furore surrounding the mistreatment in jail of former President Yulia Tymoshenko. But the Poles and Ukrainians were superb hosts in what was yet another excellent European championships. It was a shame the hosts were knocked out of their own party early on - losses to the Czechs and English put an end to the hosts' tournament.
The Spanish who hadn't been playing at their best, reached the Final after knocking out a very unlucky Portugal on penalties, then reminded the world why they are the number one team in the world with a quite stunning performance against an excellent Italian team. Funnily enough, the score was doubled by the substitutes and two Chelsea teammates. What's more funny, Chelsea's Juan Mata who hadn't played a minute in the tournament until the Final because there was David Silva and Andres Iniesta in the team too, scored the 4th courtesy of a pass from the much-maligned, Fernando Torres - who ended up becoming top scorer having scored a few minutes before.
A timely boost for a beleaguered and very broke Spain.
3. Bradley Wiggins winning the Tour de France
In a year which saw cycling's dark side rear its ugly head again with the controversy surrounding Lance Armstrong turning nasty, and apparent angel, Frank Schleck, suspended for taking a banned substance, it was good that at least one country was enjoying its finest moment ever on the roads of France. It turned out to be a truly golden summer for British cycling and Bradley Wiggins, as the ginga became Britain's first ever Tour de France winner - and also won gold in the individual pursuit in the Olympics. Wiggins did it in emphatic fashion as Team Sky utterly dominated from the start - Kenyan born British cyclist, Chris Froome was Wiggins' only true competition but wasn't allowed to compete with team leader Bradley Wiggins.
Go Team Sky!
2. London Olympics
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/olympics/article-2187459/London-2012-Olympics-Great-Britains-29-gold-medals.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/olympics/article-2187459/London-2012-Olympics-Great-Britains-29-gold-medals.html
The best Olympics ever in my opinion in the best host city in the world. Yes, London may have had its flaws but it did the best job of hosting the Olympics ever, truly embracing the event and getting behind its athletes who pumped with nationalistic fervor delivered the country's greatest ever performance in an Olympics post war, finished 3rd behind the mighty United States and China who were always expected to fight it out for top spot. Many stories were made and told, many fairy tales came true, many stars were born - watch out for Missy Franklin for years to come too, I think she could be the Usain Bolt of womens swimming just because of her unusual build. In only her first Olympics at the tender age of 17, she won 5 medals including 4 golds.
Missy Franklin and Mo Farah for me were the stars of the Olympics - yes Usain Bolt is a universal choice but it was pretty inevitable that he would retain his 100m and 200m titles. And for New Zealand, the performance of the Olympics for me was Nathan Cohen and Joseph Sullivan's come-from-behind win in the double sculls final. Absolutely stunning.
Now it's up to Rio to replicate the success of London 2012.
1. Manchester City winning the Premier League title
The greatest 5 minutes in Premier League history and surely the most memorable sporting moment of 2012.
Even if you're not a Man City fan, you can't help but get emotional seeing replays of this. Drink it in as Martin Tyler would say.
Are we witnessing the start of a Man City dynasty? After all, the other Manchester club's dynasty started in similarly dramatic fashion too.
