U.S. gymnast Simone Biles soars to AP Female Athlete of the Year

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USA's Kerron Clement competes in the Men's 400m Hurdles Final during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 18, 2016.

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2016 was a year in which plenty of ESPN talent left the network — including Mike Tirico to NBC Sports and Tom Jackson to retirement. Among the more notable departures, however, included Jason Whitlock and Colin Cowherd moving to Fox Sports 1 and starting the show "Speak for Yourself." The biggest ESPN departure, perhaps, came from Skip Bayless, who also left for Fox Sports 1 as the network tries to go head-to-head with the world's sports media giant.

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It was the feel-good story that almost never was. But in John Scott's appearance in the NHL All-Star Game, the former Arizona Coyote stole the show. He got into a "fight" with Patrick Kane. He scored — twice. He was hoisted off the ice by his teammates. And, to top it off, he was named the MVP for his performance.

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USA's gold medallists Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Jack Sock pose on the podium during the medal ceremony for the mixed doubles tennis event at the Olympic Tennis Centre of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on August 14, 2016.

Lee Jin-man / AP

Winner United States' Michael Phelps celebrates with his gold medal after the men's 200-meter butterfly during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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His strategy was so bold that his car ran out of fuel during his celebration. But 24-year-old Alexander Rossi stunned the field at the 100th running of "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing," taking the checkered flag as a 66-to-1 long shot.

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United States' Katie Ledecky shows off her gold medal during the ceremony for the women's 200-meter freestyle final during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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Emily Regan, Kerry Simmonds, Amanda Polk, Lauren Schmetterling, Tessa Gobbo, Meghan Musnicki, Eleanor Logan, Amanda Elmore and Katelin Snyder, of United States, celebrate winning gold in the women's rowing eight during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016.

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United States' Simone Manuel competes in a semifinal of the women's 100-meter freestyle during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016.

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Finally, it was here. After months of rocky preparations — from the spread of the Zika virus to safety troubles to construction issues — the Rio Olympics began without issue. The opening ceremony itself: a savvy and joyous celebration of hope, with an added serious warning.

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USA's Ryan Crouser competes in the Men's Shot Put Final during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 18, 2016.

Jae C. Hong / AP

United States' Kayla Harrison, top, and France's Audrey Tcheumeo compete in the women's 78-kg judo gold medal match at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016.

Lee Jin-man / AP

United States' Michael Phelps celebrates winning the gold medal in the men's 200-meter individual medley during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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The United States' Ryan Murphy competes in a preliminary heat of the men's 100-meter backstroke during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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U.S. gymnast Simone Biles delivers a gold-medal performance in the Individual Women's Floor Exercise final at Rio Olympic Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Tuesday, Aug. 16, 2016.

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Gold medalists Courtney Okolo, Natasha Hastings, Allyson Felix and Phyllis Francis of the United States stand on the podium during the medal ceremony for the women's 1,600-meter relay Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro.

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United States' Ryan Murphy competes in the final of the men's 200-meter backstroke during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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United States' English Gardner, Tori Bowie, Tianna Bartoletta and Allyson Felix, from left, celebrate winning the gold medal in the women's 400-meter relay Friday, Aug. 19, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro.

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(L-R) Jefferson Milano of Venezuela, Twan van Gendt of the Netherlands, Gonzalo Molina of Argentina and Connor Fields of the United States compete during the Men's Semi Finals on day 14 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic BMX Centre on August 19, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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Allyson Felix celebrates Team USA's victory as she croses the finish line in the women's 1,600-meter relay Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro.

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Virginia Thrasher won the first gold medal for the U.S. in the 10m Air Rifle on Aug. 6, 2016.

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Ashton Eaton of the United States competes in the Men's Decathlon Javelin Throw on Day 13 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 18, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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United States' Lilly King, left, and Russia's Yulia Efimova compete in the final of the women's 100-meter breaststroke during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Aug. 8, 2016.

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The U.S. men's basketball team looks on with their gold medals during the national anthem after defeating Serbia on Sunday, Aug. 21, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro.

Michael Sohn / AP

United States' Lilly King shows off her gold medal during the ceremony for the women's 100-meter breaststroke final during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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Matthew Centrowitz celebrates after winning the gold medal in the men's 1,500-meter final Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro.

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Serena Williams didn't have the easiest of years. She was upset at Australian Open, the French Open and the U.S. Open. But at Wimbledon, Williams dominated Angelique Kerber to win her 22nd Grand Slam title — tying Steffi Graf for the most in the Open era.

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It lasted nearly a year-and-a-half, but the 'Deflategate' saga from the 2015 AFC Championship Game is over. After Tom Brady's four-game ban was reinstated in the spring and his subsequent appeal was rejected, Brady dropped his appeal and finally served his suspension.

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Hungry's Tamas Kenderesi, left to right, United States' Michael Phelps and South Africa's Chad le Clos finish the men's 200-meter butterfly finals during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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(L-R) Russia's Maria Paseka, US gymnast Simone Biles and Switzerland's Giulia Steingruber celebrate on the podium for the women's vault event final of the Artistic Gymnastics at the Olympic Arena during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on August 14, 2016.

Michael Sohn / AP

United States' Anthony Ervin shows off his gold medal in the men's 50-meter freestyle medals ceremony during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 12, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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Nine finals, nine wins. That's Usain Bolt's record in Olympic races after his 3-for-3 effort for gold medals in Rio de Janeiro. He capped it off with a runaway win in the 400-meter relay, just days after easily defending his 100-meter and 200-meter titles.

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Gold medalist Michael Phelps of the United States waves to the crowd during the medal ceremony for the Men's 4 x 100m Medley Relay Final on Day 8 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium on August 13, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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Ashton Eaton of the United States celebrates winning gold overall after the Men's Decathlon 1500m on Day 13 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 18, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP

Cleveland's title drought finally ended. After the Cavaliers trailed 3-1 in the NBA Finals, the LeBron James-led squad surged to tie the series against the Warriors and ultimately won in Game 7, 93-89. It was the city's first title since 1964, ending a 52-year drought.

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Gold medalist, Tianna Bartoletta of the United States, poses on the podium during the medal ceremony for the Women's Long Jump on Day 13 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 18, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Michael Sohn / AP

United States' Simone Manuel shows off her gold medal during the medal ceremony for the women's 100-meter freestyle final during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 12, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Martin Meissner / AP

United States' Ryan Murphy shows off his gold medal after the medal ceremony for the men's 200-meter backstroke final during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Kirsty Wigglesworth / AP

United States' Michelle Carter celebrates winning the gold medal in the women's shot put during the athletics competitions of the 2016 Summer Olympics at the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016.

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Gold medalist Matthew Centrowitz stands on the podium during the medal ceremony for the men's 1,500-meter final Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro.

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Brazilian soccer team Chapecoense was set to play in the biggest game of its history — the first leg of the Copa Sudamericana final in Colombia against Atletico Nacional. On their flight into Medellin, however, their plane crashed, killing all but six of the 77 people on board. The tragedy left the soccer world in mourning as authorities continue to investigate the crash.

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Gold medalist Townley Haas, Conor Dwyer, Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps of the United States celebrate on the podium during the medal presentation for the Men's 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay Final on Day 4 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium on August 9, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Charlie Riedel / AP

Gold medalist from the United States' Helen Louise Maroulis stands on the podium after winning the women's wrestling freestyle 53-kg competition at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016.

Carlos Osorio / AP

Gordie Howe was the NHL's quintessential star. He was an idol to future hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and countless other future players. He passed away as "Mr. Hockey," thanks to a career lasting into his 50s which included the NHL records at the time for goals and points.

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Lauren Hernandez of the United States competes on the balance beam during the Artistic Gymnastics Women's Team Final on Day 4 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Rio Olympic Arena on August 9, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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Plenty had changed since Michael Phelps' last Olympics in 2012. He retired. He un-retired. He got married. He had a kid. But when it came time for the 2016 Games, Phelps once again proved why he is the most decorated Olympian ever. He added five gold medals and one silver during his stint in Rio, finishing his 28-medal career with a dominant butterfly leg in the United States' 400-meter medley relay victory.

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USA's Kerron Clement poses with his gold medal on the podium of the Men's 400m Hurdles during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 18, 2016.

Dmitri Lovetsky / AP

United States' Anthony Ervin celebrates after winning the men's 50-meter freestyle final during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 12, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune

Both U.S. basketball teams spent their time in Brazil aboard a cruise ship, and, well, the move paid off. The women dominated their way to gold medals at the Olympics with a 101-72 win over Spain. Just one day later, the U.S. men capped their tournament with a 96-66 gold-medal game victory over Serbia. The men have now won three straight Olympic titles while the women have earned gold at every Olympics since 1996.

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Connor Fields of the United States bites his gold medal for photographers during a victory ceremony for the men's BMX cycling final during the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Aug. 19, 2016.

David J. Phillip / AP

North Carolina had tied the game on a 3-pointer with 4.7 seconds left. What followed next at NRG Stadium left the nation speechless. Villanova's Kris Jenkins hit a buzzer-beater 3-pointer to win the national championship, a 77-74 triumph over the No. 1 seed Tar Heels.

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She was the winningest coach in Division I college basketball history. She was a pioneer for growing the sport of women's basketball. As the head coach at Tennessee, Pat Summitt led the Lady Vols to eight national championships before retiring in 2012 due to a diagnosis of early onset dementia. She ultimately lost that battle with the disease during the early hours of June 28, surrounded by family and friends.

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Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez was a rising star. At age 24, he was in the midst of his fourth season in Major League Baseball, and in 2016 he had already recorded career-highs in wins, innings pitched and strikeouts. But the baseball world was stunned and saddened when he passed away in the early hours of Sept. 25, after a boating accident off Miami Beach.

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RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 07: Gold medalists Nathan Adrian, Ryan Held, Michael Phelps and Caeleb Dressell of the United States pose on the podium during the medal ceremony for the Final of the Men's 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay on Day 2 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium on August 7, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Rod Aydelotte / AP

Between 2009 and 2016, at least six female Baylor students reported they were raped or assaulted by football players at the school. What were the results of these accusations? Not much — it was revealed through an investigation the Baylor football staff declined to discipline the offending players, kept the allegations from the public and other school officials even discouraged the accusers from officially reporting the crimes. In the following days, the school fired head coach Art Briles, removed university president Ken Starr and accepted the resignation of AD Ian McCaw. The effects of the investigation are still being felt — on Dec. 8, Briles sued the school for conspiracy and libel.

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In what proved to be the final game for future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning, the Denver Broncos ensured a storybook ending with a 24-10 win over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl 50.

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Gold medalist Gwen Jorgensen poses for a photo during the medal ceremony for the women's triathlon at Fort Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016.

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United States' Katie Ledecky shows off her gold medal after setting a new world record in the women's 400-meter freestyle final during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 8, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Brian Cassella / Chicago Tribune

After all the hype, all the expectations placed on her, Simone Biles' moment arrived. And she did not disappoint. Biles stormed to the all-around gymnastics gold medal at the Olympics, her second of what would eventually be five medals in Rio de Janeiro.

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USA's Dalilah Muhammad competes to win the Women's 400m Hurdles Final during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 18, 2016.

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USA's Brianna Rollins poses with her gold medal on the podium of the Women's 100m Hurdles during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 18, 2016.

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Jurgen Klinsmann's time as the manager of the U.S. men's soccer team, which included a World Cup appearance and a Copa America semifinal, ultimately ended in disappointment. After two straight losses in 2018 World Cup qualifying, the U.S. Soccer Federation fired Klinsmann, who had led the team since July 2011.

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The news broke early on Aug. 14: According to the USOC, Ryan Lochte and three other U.S. swimmers were robbed in Rio de Janeiro. A public saga ensued, and it was revealed they were actually involved in a drunken encounter at a Rio gas station. The result: Lochte was banned through June 2017 and was forced to forfeit $100,000 in prize money. That and he received plenty of public embarrassment.

Markus Schreiber / AP

United States' Helen Louise Maroulis, blue, competes against Japan's Saori Yoshida for the gold medal of the women's 53-kg freestyle wrestling competition at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016.

Matt Dunham / AP

United States' Michelle Carter competes in the final of the women's shot put during the athletics competitions of the 2016 Summer Olympics at the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Aug. 12, 2016.

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US gymnast Simone Biles celebrates with her gold medal after the women's individual all-around final of the Artistic Gymnastics at the Olympic Arena during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on August 11, 2016.

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USA's Madeline "Maya" Dirado poses with her gold medal on the podium of the Women's 200m Backstroke Final during the swimming event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 12, 2016.

Bob Levey / AP

While he was employed with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2013, Christopher Correa was accused of hacking the Houston Astros' player personnel database and email system. Correa, who ultimately was promoted to — and then fired from — the position of director of baseball development, pleaded guilty in a federal court to five charges of unauthorized access of a protected computer from 2013 to at least 2014 and on July 18 was sentenced to nearly four years in prison.

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It really happened. After a 108-year wait, the Chicago Cubs became World Series champions. It wasn't easy, though. They trailed the series 3-1 before ultimately triumphing in a 10-inning Game 7 thriller over the Indians. Just two days later, the celebration continued with a memorable parade and rally with 5 million fans in Chicago.

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USA's gold medallist Ryan Crouser poses on the podium of the Men's Shot Put during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 18, 2016.

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Cody Miller of the United States competes in the Men's 4 x 100m Medley Relay Final on Day 8 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium on August 13, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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After losing in the semifinals one year earlier, Alabama surged to the College Football Playoff championship with a 45-40 win over Clemson. It was Alabama's fourth national title in the past seven seasons.

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Jeff Henderson of the United States competes during the Men's Long Jump Final on Day 8 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 13, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Bruce Bennett / AP

Seven years since their last title — to the day — the Pittsburgh Penguins returned to the top of the NHL with a 3-1 win over the San Jose Sharks in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals. Sidney Crosby earned the Conn Smythe trophy as the playoffs MVP.

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Gold medallist USA's Christian Taylor celebrates on the podium in the Men's Triple Jump Final during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 16, 2016.

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US gymnast Simone Biles competes in the women's vault event final of the Artistic Gymnastics at the Olympic Arena during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on August 14, 2016.

Martin Meissner / AP

United States' Brianna Rollins competes in the women's 100-meter hurdles final during the athletics competitions of the 2016 Summer Olympics at the Olympic stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016.

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The gold medalists from the U.S. women's basketball team celebrate at Carioca Arena 1 in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday, Aug. 20, 2016.

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USA's Madeline "Maya" Dirado competes to win the Women's 200m Backstroke Final during the swimming event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 12, 2016.

Erin Hooley / Chicago Tribune

It was an ordinary Tuesday morning spring training team meeting until Adam LaRoche stunned the Chicago White Sox with his retirement. Why'd he do it? The Sox apparently tried to limit his son's time with the team. Choosing family over money, LaRoche left $13 million on the table.

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RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 07: (R-L) Caeleb Dressell of the United States, Andrey Grechin of Russia, James Roberts of Australia, Santo Condorelli of Canada and Glenn Surgeloose of Belgium compete in the Final of the Men's 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay on Day 2 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium on August 7, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Markus Schreiber / AP

United States' Kayla Harrison celebrates with the gold medal after winning the women's 78-kg judo competition at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016.

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Gold medalists Team United States celebrate on the podium during the medal ceremony for the Women's Water Polo Gold Medal match between the United States and Italy on Day 14 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium on August 19, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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Jeff Henderson of the United States poses with the gold medal for Men's Long Jump on Day 9 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on August 14, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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USA's Jack Sock and USA's Bethanie Mattek-Sands play against USA's Venus Williams and USA's Rajeev Ram during their mixed doubles gold medal tennis match at the Olympic Tennis Centre of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on August 14, 2016.

Matt Dunham / AP

From 5,000-to-1 outsiders to Premier League champions. Leicester City, a club that two seasons earlier was playing in the second tier of English soccer, shocked the world by winning the Premier League title. Their win is considered among the greatest upsets in sports history.

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Kathleen Baker of the United States competes in the Women's 4 x 100m Medley Relay Final on Day 8 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium on August 13, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Charlie Riedel / AP

Arnold Palmer was a pioneer in golf, the first to make his name a worldwide franchise. His success on the golf course was notable — he was the first to ever win $1 million in prizes — but his lasting legacy came from his marketing prowess. Palmer capitalized on several endorsements in his career and left an indelible mark with nearly 300 signature-designed golf courses in his name.

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United States' Katie Ledecky competes in a semifinal of the women's 200-meter freestyle during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Aug. 8, 2016.

Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune

As Ole Miss offensive lineman Laremy Tunsil awaited his NFL fate during the first round of the draft, things took a bizarre turn on his social media accounts. First, a video of him smoking pot while wearing a gas mask was posted to his Twitter account. Then, incriminating text messages between him and an Ole Miss football staffer were posted to both his Twitter and Instagram accounts. Nobody definitively knows who hacked Tunsil, but the Dolphins selected him at No. 13 overall after a brief slide.

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Claressa Maria Shields of the United States and Nouchka Fontijn of the Netherlands compete during the women's middleweight (69-75kg) final bout Sunday, Aug. 21, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro.

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Gold medallist USA's Kristin Armstrong (R) shows her medal to her son after the Women's Individual Time Trial event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on August 10, 2016.

Brian Peterson / Minneapolis Star Tribune

U.S. swimmer Katie Ledecky set a world record in the 400-meter freestyle and won the gold medal on Sunday, Aug. 7, 2016 at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 06: Virginia Thrasher of the United States waves after winning the gold medal in the 10m Air Rifle Women's Finals on Day 1 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Shooting Centre on August 6, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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USA's Dalilah Muhammad celebrates winning the gold in the Women's 400m Hurdles Final during the athletics event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 18, 2016.

Clive Rose / Getty Images

Allison Schmitt of the United States competes in the Women's 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay Final on Day 5 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium on August 10, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

John Minchillo / AP

The crowd producing boos at Dustin Johnson's trophy presentation epitomized the surreal scene at Oakmont Country Club. But the controversial penalty given to Johnson in the final round didn't matter — he held on to win his first major tournament with a 4-under total.

Denis Poroy / AP

The move was incendiary to some and inspiring to others. Prior to an exhibition game against the Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat on the bench during the national anthem. The move sparked similar protests across the country. But it also has inspired a nationwide conversation that still continues to this day.

Dmitri Lovetsky / AP

United States' Katie Ledecky cries after winning gold, in the women's 800-meter freestyle medals ceremony, during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 12, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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Nearly 22 years after the Rams left for St. Louis, NFL owners voted to allow the franchise to return to Los Angeles for the 2016 season in a 30-2 decision. A new stadium is now under construction, and the franchise won its first regular season game back in the Coliseum, a 9-3 triumph over the Seahawks on Sept. 18.

Mark J. Terrill / AP

Throughout the 2016 season, the baseball world honored Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully, who at age 88 planned an end to his 67-year career. Among the many highlights in his goodbye tour: In his third-to-last broadcast, Scully beautifully narrated Giants outfielder Angel Pagan body-slamming a fan who ran onto the field. His final game as a broadcaster was the Dodgers' regular-season finale, a 7-1 loss to the Giants.

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(L to R) Gold medalists Alexandra Raisman, Madison Kocian, Lauren Hernandez, Simone Biles and Gabrielle Douglas of the United States pose for photographs on the podium at the medal ceremony for the Artistic Gymnastics Women's Team on Day 4 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Rio Olympic Arena on August 9, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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Kobe Bryant got himself a Hollywood ending to his career, after all. In his final game after a season-long goodbye tour, Bryant scored 60 points in a 101-96 victory against the Utah Jazz in front of his home fans. It was his first time eclipsing the 50-point mark since February 2009.

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Gold medalists United States celebrate on their boat after the medal ceremony for the Women's Eight on Day 8 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Lagoa Stadium on August 13, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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Gold medalist Simone Biles following the Women's Floor Exercise final at the Rio Olympic Arena on the eleventh day of the Rio Olympics Games on Tuesday August 16, 2016 in Brazil.

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Makenzie Fischer #11 of United States and Francesca Pomeri #10 of Italy compete during the Women's Water Polo Gold Medal match between the United States and Italy on Day 14 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium on August 19, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Adrian Dennis / AFP/Getty Images

USA's Christian Taylor competes in the Men's Triple Jump Final during the athletics competition at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 16, 2016.

Clive Rose / Getty Images

Gold medalists Allison Schmitt, Leah Smith, Maya Dirado and Katie Ledecky of the United States pose on the podium during the medal ceremony for the Women's 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay Final on Day 5 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium on August 10, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Beck Diefenbach / AP

Just two weeks after the Golden State Warriors' quest for back-to-back NBA titles fell short, they announced their newest acquisition: Kevin Durant, a four-time scoring champion and the 2014 NBA MVP. A win-win situation for both parties.

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Michael Phelps of the United States celebrates winning gold in the Men's 4 x 200m Freestyle Relay Final on Day 4 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium on August 9, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Martin Meissner / AP

United States' gold medal winner Michael Phelps competes in the men's 200-meter individual medley final during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

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Demar DeRozan drives to the basket during the men's gold-medal basketball game against Serbia on Sunday, Aug. 21, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro.

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US gold medallist team (C) Kathleen Baker, Lilly King, Dana Vollmer, Simone Manuel, listen to the national anthem during the podium ceremony of the Women's swimming 4 x 100m Medley Relay Final at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium in Rio de Janeiro on August 13, 2016.

Lee Jin-man / AP

Winner United States' Ryan Murphy celebrate with his gold medal after the men's 100-meter backstroke at the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Monday, Aug. 8, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Lee Jin-man / AP

United States' Katie Ledecky starts the women's 800-meter freestyle final during the swimming competitions at the 2016 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 12, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.