FHM.com.ph

Thanks to the many jaw-droppers it has witnessed, 2009 has got to be one of the most eventful years in sports. We name the 10 of the top sports newsmakers that are worth looking at again:

Real Madrid reportedly paid Manchester United €80 million (about P5.3 billion) for Ronaldo, and €70 million (P4.6 billion) to AC Milan for Kaka.

Of course, in any other year, such cash outs would've gone unnoticed. But amid the global financial crisis, the expensive transfers were met with heavy criticisms. And because we felt the grunt of the financial crisis, as well, it reaches the tenth spot.

9. Michael Jordan Is Immortalized
It was only a matter of time. Michael Jordan was elected to the class of 2009 in September with his Dream Team teammates David Robinson and John Stockton in Springfield, Mass., home of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

But it seemed like it wasn't the happiest of occasions. "I don't like being up here for the Hall of Fame because at that time, your basketball career is completely over," Jordan had said. "I was hoping this day would be 20 more years, or actually go in when I'm dead and gone."

After six championship rings, six Finals MVPs, five league MVPs, the gold medal, the all-star games, and the countless highlights, 50-point games, and game winners—this was easily a foregone conclusion.

MJ looking not-too-pleased:



8. Lightning Bolt
Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt did the almost-impossible in 2009, when he eclipsed his performances at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and proved that no other sprinter can touch him.

He currently holds the world record for the 100 meters, the 200 meters and, along with his teammates, the 4x100 meters relay. At the World Championships in Berlin last August, Bolt even lowered his own 100m world record to 9.58 seconds.

Then he left his rivals trailing as he repeated the feat in the 200m, shaving off 0.11 seconds for a winning time of 19.19 seconds.

Check out Bolt's Reggae Power:

next: silencing opponents and fans!