2015 has been a great year of sport, but for some of our favourite sporting stars, it was a year to forget.
We have listed our top five sporting stars that need to bounce back in 2016 – among them a former golfing great, a troubled tennis star and a couple of NFL players which have their own reasons to be on our watch list.
The best thing about a new year is that it gives people another chance to show their worth. We kick off the list with our number five, who was once at the top of his sport but is steadily sliding down a slippery slope.
#5 – Tiger Woods
For true fans of the game of golf, it’s tough to see one of the greatest players in the sport’s history go through his struggles. It all went downhill after he was found to be cheating on his wife with multiple women, and controversy eventually effected his form on the course.
Tiger has shown glimpses of his old form since the downfall, but after continually promising the golfing world that he is on the improve, he keeps on letting his loyal fans down. Now, in the midst of another injury crisis, Woods could well be retiring much earlier than everyone would have hoped.
2016 is a recovery year for Woods and we don’t know if he’ll be back on the links again, but he surely has to bounce back at some stage and it could happen soon. We’re not expecting him to equal Jack Nicklaus’ majors record, or even win another major, but we would like to see Tiger win another tournament to keep his legacy alive.
#4 – Ray Rice
We’re not exactly pulling for publicised domestic abuser Ray Rice to become the great running back he once was, but he could do a lot on and off the field to re-establish his tarnished image.
The former Baltimore Ravens running back was charged with domestic assault on his wife earlier in 2015 and was subsequently fired from the franchise. He is now a free agent and we predict there will be plenty of teams willing to pick him up in the NFL off-season.
NFL teams could use Rice as a media tool to limit domestic violence among sport players. Many teams could also use his skills as an NFL player.
Whether or not teams want to take the risk on a volatile player like Ray Rice, we’re not sure, but he could use 2016 as a redemption year to gain back the trust of the public.
#3 – Peyton Manning
Champion NFL quarterback Peyton Manning has done nothing wrong throughout his illustrious career, but there’s already people calling for his head in Denver – which is quite upsetting.
Manning is currently injured, but is expected to return if the Denver Broncos make the 2015/2016 playoffs, however, the play of fill-in QB Brock Osweiler has fans chewing at the bit for Manning to be replaced.
Manning has lost some of his arm strength, but that was never his strength to begin with. He is still a key game manager with Super Bowl experience and the lack of respect he is getting just isn’t right. Manning will be back in 2016 and even though he doesn’t need to, he will be out to prove to everyone that he still has what it takes.
The Broncos are paying $11 at Sportsbet.com.au to win Super Bowl 50 this season.
#2 – Nick Kyrgios
Australian tennis prodigy Nick Kyrgios had the attention of the whole tennis world in 2015, but mostly for the wrong reasons.
The green 20-year-old has all the talent any young tennis player could ever hope for, but his actions on and off the court have alienated him from fans and rivals.
Swearing, throwing balls at people in the stands, disrespecting umpires… you name it, Nick Kyrgios has done it and the tennis community got fed up in 2015.
Fans were expecting more from Kyrgios, but all they received were negative headlines. When you come out and say your Davis Cup teammate slept with another tour player’s wife, you quickly lose the respect of your fellow athletes, and while Kyrgios is trying to mend his relationships, we want to see an improvement on the court in 2016.
Kyrgios is currently a $51 chance at Sportsbet.com.au to win the upcoming 2016 Australian Open and he’s a legitimate chance of making a deep run if he can screw his head on.
Surely this is the time for a more matured outlook from the young star.
#1 – Ronda Rousey
It’s hard to avoid reading about Ronda Rousey these days, and that can only be seen as a good thing. When women’s MMA was once in the doldrums of world sport, Rousey rose it from the ashes and now it’s more popular than ever.
But then the game changed late in 2015 when Rousey suffered her first defeat inside the UFC Octagon. The once invincible force that led bookmakers to open her as short as $1.08 favourite was beaten, and beaten convincingly.
Where does this leave Rousey now? It leaves her with a rematch against Holly Holm in 2016 for the Women’s Bantamweight Title and it’s now or never for Ronda. If she loses again, there will be no opponents worth her time and she might have to continue her acting career.
A big win would put her right back on top where she would await the next challenger.
2016 will be the most important year of Ronda Rousey’s career and the $1.58 at Sportsbet.com.au says it will be a winning one.
