Ok, the year is almost over. We need some nominations for the prize of Greatest Sports Story of the year.
Obvious Contenders:
Woods 2008 US Open win
Usain Bolt blows away the world in the 100 and 200.
Michael Phelps wins 8 gold medals.
Greatest Wimbledon Final ever.
Giants Stop Patriots from Football Glory.
Any others?
Softball sportsmanship.
My favorite, hands down.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/2008-05-01-softball-sportsmanship_N.htm
Brings a tear to my eye every time I see it.
The Tampa Bay Rays go to the World Series.
But then I’m biased. And that softball story is pure awesome.
Matt Ryan’s rookie year. 
Iceland getting a Silver medal in the Handball at the Olympics!
Jimmy Johnson wins a (nearly) unprecedented third straight NASCAR cup.
Certainly not on a global scare, but for my region, the Philadelphia Phillies winning the World Series was a huge story. Of all cities with four professional sports teams, Philadelphia was in the midst of the longest championship drought. It has been 100 seasons (four teams, 25 years) since Philly had its last title. From an outsider’s perspective, it was probably the most forgettable WS in years, but to the towns in the Western Pennsylvania region, it was the most important sporting event since Smarty Jones had a shot to win the Triple Crown.
I’m assuming you mean EASTERN Pennsylvania? 
Haha, you’re right. I lived out in Pittsburgh for awhile and was very used to typing out ‘Western Pennsylvania’ on all of my correspondence and term papers. Let me see if I can change that.
ETA: Ah, too late. Missed my window of opportunity.
All of my wife’s family (her included) went to Fresno State at some point, so it was pretty huge here as well. Offsets some of the underachieving football and Stacey Johnson-Klein garbage.
Joe
How about the Detroit Lions going 0-16? That’s a record that will probably never be repeated! That is an awesome display of crappiness! Like the perfect storm of incompetence.