Bostonist SportsLists: The Best of 2007

All right. Let's dispense with the false modesty and ersatz humility. The Boston sports scene was AWESOME in 2007. So many great moments, and so many great stretches that can't be summed up in a single moment. How do you make a top-ten list of near perfection? Well, we tried.

10. Back to back to back to back. It wasn't Clemens or Mussina. It was only Chase Wright, who began the year as a potential Yankee starter and ended it as the assistant manager of a Blockbuster in Fort Worth. But still. On April 22, the Sox smacked Wright around; Manny, Drew, Lowell and Varitek hit four consecutive home runs for the first time in Sox history. It didn't clinch the division, but it did earn the Sox an early sweep of New York and helped set the pace for the season.

9. The Gang's All Here. Theo Epstein's said to be an unsentimental, numbers-oriented guy. But the cheers from Coors Field to Boston City Hall definitely rang in his ears, as he went against type and brought back Sox horse Curt Schilling and World Series MVP Mike Lowell back for another year. The 2005 Sox were quite a bit different from the 2004 model; the '08 Sox mostly look like last year's team, and will truly be aiming to defend their title. Sans Eric Gagne. Thanks, Theo.

#8 to #1 after the jump.

8. We're #2! For another week! Every college football team that neared the top of the rankings took a hit this season, and BC was no exception. But that week they held onto the #2 spot was pretty sweet; Matt Ryan shook off 55 minutes of rain and lethargy to lead a marvelous comeback at Virginia Tech and get everyone on the Heights thinking Heisman and BCS Bowl. Didn't happen, but they got two full weeks high in the polls, which is more than most teams.

7. Welcome Back. Two of the Sox' 2004 heroes came back in enemy gear for the first time this year, and the fans let them know they're always welcome here (which goes for 24 of those 25 guys, if you're reading this, Johnny Damon). First it was Cleveland on Memorial Day and a lengthy standing O for Trot Nixon (the Sox even piped in his old walkup song), then it was Dave Roberts and the Giants in high summer. Not too many people can parlay 3 seconds of work into a lifetime of free lunches, but we'll always buy for Dave.

6. The Manchurian Receiver. Signing Randy Moss this summer seemed like a bit of a gamble - he was a headcase and malcontent in Oakland, and would his free spirit fit into the Patriot hive-mind? Most definitely yes. A guy who got too bored to catch passes last year became a disciplined, motivated part of the well-oiled machine. Having Tom Brady throwing a record number of touchdown passes your way sure helps, but Moss was blocking, decoying, and fitting in all year long.

5. Taylor Twellman's Kick. We know the Revolution got shafted in coverage this year. We're sorry. But we didn't grow up watching them suffer and struggle the way we watched some local teams. That being said, Taylor Twellman's bicycle kick to knock out Chicago and win the MLS Eastern Conference is awesome. Watch it again. And again. It's just awesome.

4. Clay Buchholz, You Belong. September 1st. 85% of the population of the city had just moved in, out, or across town. 60% of the population was sitting through light cycles trying to make a left turn on or off Brighton Avenue. And one young kid was making history on the mound at Fenway, taking advantage of some slick defense and some nice offense to relax and no-hit the Orioles. Thinking of the Sox bouncing all around Buchholz still makes us happy.

3. The Origin of Ghidorah. The village elders were starting to think that young Danny would never be up to the challenge. While many in the past had created monsters that would defend Boston from its enemies, Danny's attempts to create a monster had resulted in loss, pain, and blown draft picks. But after one final disappointment, Danny traveled the country to find the parts he needed. From Seattle he found a gunslinger; from Minnesota he found a giant filled with superhuman strength and an intense fire. He forged them with the frustrated leader he already had in his arsenal. And Ghidorah, the Three-Headed Monster was born to restore Boston to the highest in the kingdom. And garments are being rent, sorrow being doled out, from Madison Square to the West Coast.

2. The Patriots Focus. Not that they wouldn't have had a great season anyway. But when Cameragate happened, some people started to question whether the Patriots were really any good. Good idea. A team that's fanatically devoted to their coach and to winning at all costs anyway suddenly had its pride questioned. So for a few weeks, they blew everyone off the face of the earth. Hey, press, exactly which play of that 56-10 win do you think was the unfair one? The second half of the season was a little more of a struggle, but whether that was pressure, better competition, or an artifical Belichick-imposed degree of difficulty (don't bet against it) remains to be seen. Three more wins, and those '72 Dolphins will go away forever.

1. Come On, We're Not That Jaded. Even in this magical year, can there ever be a Boston sports moment greater than the Red Sox winning the World Series? Of course not. Every time we win anything, we have to be mindful of all the years of sadness and disappointment that proceeded it, making the triumph all the sweeter. We have to appreciate the good times so we're equipped for the inevitable downturn. We're not Yankee fans, for God's sake.

Victoria Welch and Caroline Roberts contributed to this list.