It's hard to imagine but 2011 is about to wrap up. But before it ends, we look back at the ultimate championship teams of 2011.
Green Bay Packers
Super Bowl Champions - February 2011
Yes, a team solely owned by the people of Green Bay, Wisconsin won it all in 2011. The NFL's ultimate prize, the Super Bowl, was won for the fourth time by the Packers, previous winners in 1967, 1968 and 1997. They went 10-6 in the 2010 regular season, then defeated the Eagles, the Falcons, and the Bears in the NFC playoffs before beating the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV. Aaron Rodgers was superb in winning the game's MVP, while Mike McCarthy joined Vince Lombardi and Mike Holmgren as the only Packers coaches to win the Super Bowl. The season that followed saw the Packers win 13 in a row before losing to the Chiefs in Week 15. They have a huge chance to repeat as Super Bowl champs by virtue of earning the top seed in the NFC playoffs at the beginning of 2012.
Dallas Mavericks
NBA Champions - June 2011
Before the drama that was the NBA lockout, the Dallas Mavericks celebrated the team's first championship in its 31-year history by defeating the Miami Heat in six games of the NBA Finals. The Mavericks were seeded third in the West, then defeated the Trail Blazers, the Lakers and the Thunder before engaging the powerful Miami Heat in a rematch of the 2006 Finals. The Heat brought title-hungry stars LeBron James and Chris Bosh to join Dwyane Wade but their combination wasn't enough as equally-starved all-stars Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd delivered key plays to finally put Dallas on top. Nowitzki earned the NBA Finals MVP as Mark Cuban finally earned the championship he envision upon purchasing the Mavericks in 2000.
Boston Bruins
Stanley Cup Champions - June 2011
The Boston Bruins were under the radar as their fellow football, baseball and even basketball counterparts from Boston won championships in the 2000s. Worse, they haven't even won it all since 1972. But in 2011, the Bruins finally joined the party as they defeated the Canucks in seven games of the Stanley Cup Finals. The Bruins were Northeast Division champions and the third seed, and with the exception of a sweep against the Flyers, the team whom they were defeated after leading 3-0 the previous year, they were pushed to a Game 7 against the Canadiens, the Lightning and the Canucks, before pulling through. Goaltender Tim Thomas was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner for playoff MVP, and also winning the Vezina Trophy as the best netminder. Thomas's .938 SV% is an NHL record. After a slow start in October to start the 2011-12 season, the Bruins would lose only once in a shootout and twice in regulation through December 26 as they sat atop the Eastern Conference.
St. Louis Cardinals
World Series Champions - October 2011
The Cardinals were considered the underdogs heading into the NL postseason, having finished as the Wild-Card. But they managed to beat the NL East champion and 102-win Phillies in the Division Series, then defeated the NL Central champion Brewers in the Championship Series. In the World Series, they managed to earn the home field advantage by virtue of the NL's win in the All-Star game. After trailing 3-2 to the Rangers, the Cardinals won a 11-inning thriller in Game 6, then followed up with an equally entertaining Game 7 to win their 11th World Series. David Freese won both the NLCS and World Series MVPs, while Tony La Russa retired a champion.
Congratulations to the champions of the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB in 2011. Good luck on next year's voyage.
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