Pictures of the Year

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Dec 18, 2012

Pictures of the Year

Maria Sharapova

Maria Sharapova celebrates her 6-3, 6-2, French Open final victory over Italy's Sara Errani. Sharapova has now won each grand slam tournament once in her career.

Replacement Referees

Disgruntlement over the replacement referees was taken to the next level after Seattle wideout Golden Tate shoved a Green Bay defender out of the way on the final play and was awarded a touchdown for getting his hands on a ball that appeared to be intercepted the Packers. The stunned Packers, most of whom had left the field in horror, were called back onto the field so the Seahawks could kick a meaningless extra point to seal the 14-12 victory.

Matthias Steiner

Defending Olympic weightlifting champion Matthias Steiner of Germany lost his balance while trying to lift about 432 pounds and was hit in the neck by the barbell. He got up on his feet and waved to the crowd but later withdrew from the competition.

David Wilson

After having scored his third touchdown of the game against the Saints, running back David Wilson celebrated with a backflip.

Gabby Douglas

Gabby Douglas received a 14.9 on balance beam at the U.S. Olympic trials. She showed significant improvement from her performance during worlds earlier this year when she fell from the beam, which cost her the title.

Jonathan Quick

Kings goalie Jonathan Quick makes a memorable save while on his back during Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals.

LeBron James

LeBron James goes up for a slam against the Thunder during the NBA Finals. James and the Heat won the championship in five games.

Felix Baumgartner

Pilot Felix Baumgartner of Austria jumps out of the capsule during the final manned flight for Red Bull Stratos on Oct. 14, 2012 in space. The Austrian broke the world record for the highest free fall in history after making a 23-mile ascent in a capsule attached to a massive balloon.

Derrick Martin

The Giants were in a celebratory mood after they defeated the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. Defensive back Derrick Martin decided to climb on top of the lockers and videotape coach Tom Coughlin.

Derek Jeter

New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter screams as he injures himself fielding a ball hit by Detroit Tigers' Jhonny Peralta during Game 1 of the ALCS. Jeter fractured his left ankle and missed the remainder of the postseason.

Serena Williams

Serena Williams lifts the famous silver Venus Rosewater Dish after overcoming Agnieszka Radwanska 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 to win Wimbledon for the fifth time.

Nik Wallenda

Tightrope walker Nik Wallenda walks across the border between the United States and Canada as he traverses Niagara Falls on a wire. Wallenda set a world record for being the first person to ever walk over Niagara Falls.

Ryan Harwood

Ryan Harwood of the Lions gets dragged down by James Magner of the Demons as they compete for a mark during an Australian Rules Football match on July 1.

Ford Riley

Ford Riley's No. 8 car ran off the course during the Rolex 24 at Daytona International Speedway in January.

Bubba Watson

On the second playoff hole of the Masters, Bubba Watson hit a poor drive, but he was able to hook a wedge out of trouble and land his ball 10 feet from the cup.

Motorcross biker

Motorcross biker performs a show jump in front of the world's tallest building, Burj al-Khalifa in Dubai.

Wendy Holdener

Swiss skier Wendy Holdener wears a worried expression immediately before wiping out at a World Cup Slalom event in Germany.

Los Angeles Kings

The Kings and the Los Angeles crowd celebrate the first Stanley Cup victory in franchise history.

Mario Manningham

Mario Manningham hauls in a crucial fourth-quarter pass to set the Giants up for the winning score in the Super Bowl.

Ahmad Bradshaw

New York running back Ahmad Bradshaw (44) reluctantly crosses the goal line to put the Giants up 21-17 late in the fourth quarter.

Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bryant gets denied by Nuggets center JaVale McGee during a Denver-Los Angeles Staples Center showdown. The Lakers won 103-88.

Tiger Woods

Fans cheer after Tiger Woods made an incredible chip from the rough for a birdie on the 16th hole of the 2012 Memorial Tournament. Tiger went on to win the tournament, his 73rd victory.

I'll Have Another

I'll Have Another, right, pulled out another victory in a head-to-head dash against the favored Bodemeister at the Preakness, held at the Pimlico racecourse in Baltimore.

Torii Hunter

Umpire Greg Gibson gets a spike to the face from the Angels' Torii Hunter.

Justin Smith

The typically ferocious 49ers defensive tackle Justin Smith loses his helmet trying to tackle running back Joique Bell of the Lions.

Robert Griffin III

Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III stepped out of bounds shy of the goal line during the Redskins' loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Carmelita Jeter

Carmelita Jeter reacts after completing the anchor leg as the U.S. won the 4x100 relay in world record time (40.82) at the London Games. Jeter, Tianna Madison, 200-meter champion Allyson Felix and Bianca Knight cut more than a half-second off the old record of 41.37 run by East Germany in 1985.

Gabby Douglas

Dazzling from start to finish, Gabby Douglas became the third straight U.S. woman to win the all-around and the first to win that title and a team gold at the same Olympics.

Mo Farah

Much to the joy of the British crowd, Britain's Mo Farah took the 5,000 meters a week after winning the 10,000 at the Summer Olympics.

Usain Bolt

Usain Bolt and fellow Jamaican Yohan Blake finished 1-2 in the 100-meter dash while Justin Gatlin of the U.S. earned the bronze medal at the London Olympics.

Liu Xiang

Chinese Olympian Liu Xiang reacts after crashing during the 110m hurdles heats in London.

Kelly Slater

Kelly Slater competes in the Hurley Pro at Lower Trestles, Calif., in September. Slater's win was his 50th ASP tour victory.

Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh

Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh won their third consecutive gold medal in beach volleyball at the 2012 Summer Olympics, getting past their American counterparts Jennifer Kessy and April Ross, surprise winners over Brazil.

Russell Westbrook

Russell Westbrook scores a slam dunk during Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals.

Priscah Jeptoo

After finishing five seconds behind winner Tiki Gelana of Ethiopia in the hard-fought women's marathon at the Summer Olympics, silver medalist Priscah Jeptoo of Kenya paused.

Carlos Ruiz

Philadelphia Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz puts the tag on Washington Nationals second baseman Danny Espinoza.

Lenzelle Smith

Ohio State's Lenzelle Smith, Jr. (32) battles for a rebound with Wisconsin's Jared Berggren (40) and Josh Gasser (21) in the Badgers' comeback win at the Buckeyes.

Bernard Pierce

Bernard Pierce goes airborne while playing the Redskins. Pierce, a rookie, ran for a career-high 53 yards, but the Ravens still lost 31-28 in overtime.

Paul Pierce

A couple of Miami Heat players fall on top of the Boston Celtics' Paul Pierce during Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Ryan Raburn

Ryan Raburn, a Detroit Tigers right fielder, made this leaping catch against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Tigers won 3-2.

Michael Dixon

Kansas celebrates while Missouri guard Michael Dixon holds his head in despair after the Jayhawks won this regular season rivalry classic 87-86 in overtime.

Tour de France cyclists

Tour de France cyclists ride past a woman on a horse.

Danica Patrick

An incident during the IRWIN Tools Night Race in August caused Danica Patrick to angrily gesture at NASCAR competitor Regan Smith.

Jonte Green

Detroit Lions' Jonte Green loses his helmet while trying to stop Baltimore's Bobby Rainey during a preseason game.

Michi Mueller

Michi Mueller of Germany adjusts the sail onboard PUMA Ocean Racing powered by BERG as the boat flies from Itajai, Brazil, to Miami during the sixth leg of the Volvo Ocean Race.

Camping World Truck Series

The 2012 NectEra Energy Resources 250 involved a multi-truck wreck in Daytona Beach, Fla.

Roger Federer

Roger Federer plays a backhand shot during an Austalian Open quarterfinal match against Juan Martin Del Potro.

Snowcross competitors

Four riders take to the air as they try to catch the leader during a Snowcross World Championship event in Russia.

Grand Prix Prestige race

Horses and their riders compete in the Grand Prix Prestige race in St. Mroitz, Switzerland, in February.

Gary Bettman

Commissioner Gary Bettman walks away from the podium after having announced to the media that the league would lock out its players if a new labor deal was not reached. Days later, Bettman and the league's owners did just that.