December is now upon us, and as families prepare to gather
around tables laden with turkey, cranberries and chocolate, there are some
(like me) who are looking forward to the sporting spectacles that take place
over the holiday season.
Whatever your sport, whatever your passion, here is a list
of the top ten events to keep your eye out for. So buy a ticket, settle down in
front of the TV or set your DVR to record. Enjoy!
December 9 – Soccer
Manchester City vs. Manchester United – 8:30am EST
The first on our list is the Manchester Derby this Sunday. Just
three points separates the two teams from the top of the EPL, with the red half
of the city currently with the advantage. City vs. United has historically
provided viewers with some astonishing games, and with 65 goals scored between
them already this season, this promises to be a must-watch-match. Will RVP and
Rooney win over Aguero and Balotelli? Or will it be a Blue Moon this Christmas?
December 16 – Soccer
Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid – 3pm EST
Usually it is Barcelona against Real Madrid which brings
great excitement in the La Liga calendar, but this season, Atletico are
flying. Second in the table – thanks to the 11 goals from striking sensation
Radamel Falcao – this game looks to be a cracker. Atletico may not have the
likes of Messi, Iniesta and Xavi, but Diego Simeone’s men could look to close
the gap on the leaders. But will La Liga be flying the flag of Los
Rojiblancos or Blaugranes
come December 16?
December 17 – Basketball
Houston Rockets vs.
New York Knicks – 7:30pm EST
Linsatiny returns
to Madison Square Gardens on December 17 (rather apt considering Jeremy Lin’s
old number) and Knicks fans will be looking to give last year’s sensation a
welcome he will never forget. Whether it will be warm or not remains to be
seen. Lin currently leads the Rockets’ assists per game and is proving not to
be a one-season-wonder. But will the Knicks show their authority on their home
court, or will Lin come back to bite them? Whatever happens, you will want to
have all eyes on the MSG that night.
December 22 – Hockey
New Jersey Devils vs. New York Rangers – 7pm EST
The NHL lockout is still in process,
but there is a glimmer of hope that the NHL and NHLPA can reach an agreement by
December 15, meaning the first round of games could (I repeat, could), be
played on December 22. To be honest, hockey fans will be excited to see any
hockey right about now. But the game that stands out is New Jersey Devils at
New York Rangers. The Devils surprisingly beat the Rangers last season in the
playoffs, and the team from New York will be looking to get even.
December 25 – Basketball
Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Miami Heat – 5:30pm EST
Thunder at Heat sees a re-match of the 2012 Finals, where Miami
defeated OKC 4-1 to win their second NBA title. With both teams currently going
strong, this Christmas Day meet will be fiery, with Kevin Durrant looking to
lead the charge to avenge his team’s loss last season. But LeBron James will be
unlikely to back down, and will be looking to put in a performance worthy of
his Sportsman of the Year Award he received from Sports Illustrated this week.
December 30 – Football
Washington Redskins vs. Dallas Cowboys – 1pm EST
The NFL Regular Season comes to a head at the end of the
month, and there is one game in particular that could have the entire nation
watching. The NFC East is hotting up, with the NY Giants currently leading the
way. However the Washington Redskins are making a charge for the playoffs after
beating both rivals: Giants and Dallas Cowboys, in recent weeks. December 30th
sees RGIII meet Tony Romo in what could well be the biggest battle in 2012
Football.
January 4 – Golf
Hyundai Tournament of Champions – Tee-off time TBC
The first PGA Tour event is the Hyundai Tournament of
Champions, where qualification requires golfers to have won a tour during the past
season. Held in Hawaii, the Tournament of Champions boasts high class winners
including Steve Stricker in 2012, as well as Vijay Singh, Ernie Els, Sergio
Garcia, Phil Mickleson and Tiger Woods in the last 20 years. But who will take
the first title of 2013 home? Find out between January 4–7.
January 5 – Soccer
FA Cup – From 7:30am EST
The magic of the cup returns after the New Year, and this is
the round where soccer giants can be slain by the minnows. It’s the only competition
where you get to see highly-paid professionals against bankers, builders and barmen,
and these match-ups can sometimes be more exciting than the Premier League. Here
are a few standout games that could spell trouble for the big boys: Crawley
Town v Reading, Leicester v Burton Albion and either Lincoln or Mansfield v
Liverpool. Keep an eye on your TV Guide!
January 5 – Football
NFL Playoffs – Times TBC
Shortly after the regular season ends, the playoffs begin. The
New England Patriots, Houston Texans, Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons have
all clinched a wild card spot or division title already. So the question now is:
who will join them, and who will be in contention for the Superbowl XLVII?
January 14 – Tennis
ATP Australian Open – 7pm EST
Okay, so technically outside of the “holiday season” remit, the
first Grand Slam of the tennis year starts on January 14 in Melbourne. The
Australian Open marks the beginning of the ATP calendar year, and Victoria
Azarenka will be looking to keep her number one status intact, after claiming
top spot thanks to her victory in the Australian Open in 2012. In the men's tournament,
Novak Djokovic will be looking to make it three consecutive wins out of three
down under. However with Rafael Nadal returning from injury in 2013, the
Spaniard will be looking to even the score after last year’s loss.
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