So long 2010 … You were AWESOME! Pt. 1

Oh 2010, where did you go?
It’s always fun to sit back at the end of the year and reflect on the 365 days that just passed. This year in particular will go down in history for me though, with unforgettable memories that I got to see or experience as a fan and as a journalist. So, without further ado, a recap of the top moments of 2010 as seen through the eyes of your boy, Julio Lara. Should we do 10? Let’s do 10.

10. Werdum Shocks the World!

Yeah, I was there covering what was supposed to be Fedor’s triumphant debut for Strikeforce. But 70 seconds into the fight and it was Fabricio Werdum who “grabbed” the headlines, shocking the MMA world when he handed Fedor his first lost in forever. The crowd, I’d say 80/20 in Fedor’s favor, was in shock and so was I. You can read my story here.

9. Andre Ward pitches a shutout

Man, there’s nothing like watching the sweet science live — and in June Andre Ward put on a boxing clinic in the Super Six that I’ll never forget. He was flawless — pitching the equivalent of a shutout by taking all 12 rounds against Allan Green. We received a copy of all three score sheets at the end of the fight and every judge had given every round to Ward. It was incredible. You can read my story here. The photo up top is courtesy of Goosen Promotions PR.

7. Lady Gaga comes to San Jose

It was the can’t-miss concert event of the year and I had the chance to cover it. What an experience. You know, Gaga is one of those artists that is loved loved loved by her fans. And I think that is what made this concert so memorable — that feeling and magic at the HP Pavilion was surreal. The show was great too. I was already an admirer going in, but this concert put me over the top. You can read my review here. The photo up top is courtesy of Matt Maniego of OneTime Inc. You can find his great blog here.

7. The 2010 FIFA World Cup

There were so many incredible moments from the 2010 FIFA World Cup that I could mention in this recap, but as a whole the month that was the World Cup surpassed my expectations and desires. Professionally, I got to do a lot of things — anchor an entire weekly column and put together an entire preview section. And as a fan, I got to witness the bulk of it with friends and family. What an incredible month of awesomeness — from the opening with Pancho and Manarii, to the closing with Justine, Adel and James, to everything in between with my brother and his cast of characters … Thank you 2010 for a super World Cup.

6. The Music

I am very blessed. That’s all I can say. In 2010 I got to cover concerts by The Black Eyed Peas, Julieta Venegas, Camila, etc. Plus, 2010 marked my second trip to the Outside Lands Music Festival where I got to see Aterciospelados. Oh, and there was this little festival called Rock the Bells in Mountain View which only featured Lauryn Hill, Rakim, Wu-Tang, Snoop Dogg. Eh, You may have heard of them? Musically you couldn’t top 2010 for me — the range of music that I got to enjoy was terrific. With my move to the Sports desk to begin the new year, it’ll be interesting to see if I have the time to cover the music I did in 2010 — so, I’ll definitely enjoy this year and what it gave me.

For moments 1-5, tune in tomorrow.