2008: You're My Boy, Blue! Year End Awards!

Hey, everyone else gets to do it, right? Since this is the first year doing it, I'm just going to hit the basics and hope I don't miss anything that I really, really wanted to write about.

So, let's just get right down to business!

Favorite Movie of 2008
     THE DARK KNIGHT
Duh.  Did you really expect something else to take the prize?  I saw some really great movies in '08 but none was I looking forward to more than this one.  From the incredible viral campaign they put together to get the positive buzz going to the first batch of trailers, this movie had the entire world waiting for it to arrive and it did not disappoint.  It truly redefined the term "comic book movie" to suddenly mean something that could actually be considered for an Oscar.  The acting was great, the action was outstanding, and despite the recent batch of backlash, the plot was dead-on.  While most people are chomping at the bit to see a third Batman flick, I'm not sure I do.  I might be happy with letting this one stand alone for a long time to come.  Now I know what it must have felt like when The Empire Strikes Back came out.
Honorable Mention:  Iron Man, Wall-E, Juno


Favorite Song Of 2008
      Foundations - Kate Nash
If I did this list a week from now, a month from now, or possibly even a day from now, I might have a completely different answer.  But for right now, I'm picking the lovely Ms. Nash and her song about a relationship horrifically broken and the two people too stubborn to give up on it.  Seeing this live earlier in the year was definitely one of my highlights of 2008.
Honorable Mention:  The Magic Position - Patrick Wolf, Oxford Comma - Vampire Weekend, and many other Kate Nash songs




Favorite Album of 2008
     Made Of Bricks - Kate Nash
This was a pretty close category even though I didn't buy a ton of albums in '08.  I've been just as guilty as anyone of going for one or two songs at $1 each and missing out on the rest of the album but I'm hoping to change that in '09.  I bought Made Of Bricks in April and have been in love with the damn thing ever since.  It's rare that I make it out to a concert anymore - even more rare when it's to see someone with one album to their name.  But the lovely Ms. Nash made me do both in '08 - and she didn't disappoint at all at the show.
Honorable Mention:  Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend, Flight Of The Conchords - Flight Of The Conchords, Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog soundtrack, Dreamgirls soundtrack


Let's switch gears here for a second and look at the sporting world...

Favorite MMA Fight Of The Year
     Brock Lesnar vs Frank Mir - UFC
I know, I know.  It's an odd pick.  It was exactly a back-and-forth action-packed war or some fantastic submission battle but it had atmosphere.  It had the "big match" feel that a lot of your standard FOTY candidates are lacking.  I missed a lot of MMA stuff this year and didn't see hardly anything outside of the UFC but Lesnar walking into the cage had that crowd electrified.  I was right there with them, living and dying with every big punch or near submission.  Personally, I can't wait for this rematch.
Honorable Mention:  Frank Shamrock/Cung Le - Strike Force, Forrest Griffin/Quinton Jackson - UFC

Favorite MMA Fighter Of The Year
     Anderson Silva
There's only one fighter in the game that has that Mike Tyson mystique around him - that you're paying to see him fuck up someone's world and look awesome while doing it.  Even in lopsided fights, Silva is easily the most entertaining fighter to watch.  If GSP gets past BJ Penn (and I wouldn't count on it), I hope a showdown with Silva is next because I'd pay very good money to see Silva kick Frenchy's nose down his throat.
Honorable Mention:  Wanderlei Silva. Quinton Jackson, Brock Lesnar

Favorite Laker Moment Of The Year
     The Pau Gasol Trade
Moreso than any on the court moment, I can remember this one very vividly.  I woke up in the morning to find some random chitchat about it online and I remember thinking how completely unlikely it was that it would happen.  A shower later and I emerged to find a text message telling me it was official.  And official it was.  That cemented the Lakers as a serious contender for the NBA Title - a title they came oh-so-close to winning.

Favorite Dodger Moment Of The Year
     Acquiring Angel Berroa... yeah, right.   Take a guess.
Ahhh, Mannymania.  I can't pick out a specific moment in the last portion of the season that stands above them all.  From the day it was first rumored to it becoming reality to his first game as a Dodger to my first home game witnessing Mannymania in person to the sweep of the Cubs to... okay, I take it back.  I'm going to pick Game 4 of the NLCS against the Phillies - and yes, you're correct.  The Dodgers lost that game.  However, the atmosphere was so electric - unlike anything I've ever seen in all my years of going to games.  Entire half innings with the crowd on their feet.  Deafening chants for Manny as rally towels created a blizzard over the top deck.  It was a magical night no matter the outcome.

Favorite Non-Laker/Dodger Sports Moment
     Michael F'n Phelps
How can you pick anything else?  The whole chase for the record was just so amazing to watch - the sheer number of times he had to swim, the near-loss in the relay race... it was all so dramatically perfect, it couldn't have been scripted any better.

I would drop in a Best Book here but I really failed miserably in the amount of reading I did last year so I'm going to skip that category.

To the world of professional wrestling...

Favorite Match of 2008
     Ric Flair vs Shawn Michaels - Wrestlemania 24
Duh.  I didn't even have to think about this one which is probably a good thing because I can't really remember a lot of other matches that made an impact on my conscious in '08.  This one certainly did.  The drama, the action, the emotion - all played perfectly by two of the very best in the history of the game.  I really hope Flair never makes a comeback to the ring because there has never been an exit from the business as good as that one.

Favorite Wrestler Of 2008
     Chris Jericho
From the moment of Jericho's heel turn on, he was THE MAN in '08.  He carried his end of the Shawn Michaels' feud to perfection and was amazing as the World Champion until Cena returned to end it.  He says he was inspired for his character by No Country For Old Men.  Hey, if you're going to be inspired to be a cruel and evil villain, I guess that's a good place to draw your inspiration from.

Favorite Event Attended Of 2008
     Dodgers vs Phillies - NLCS Game 4
See above.
Honorable Mention:  R.E.M. at the Hollywood Bowl, Kate Nash at The Music Box, Wicked at Pantages, PWG: All Star Weekend Night 2

And lastly...

I was going to do a blanket "Best TV Show" right here but... well, something else came to mind.  I think I'll have a separate Year End Awards! for TV.  Stay tuned!