Tony Veitch: Why 2016 was the greatest sporting year

Ireland's Joey Carbery, right, celebrates with Josh van der Flier, left, after a rugby match against New Zealand, Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski)

It's been the greatest sporting year on record.

A big call, I know. But the storylines, the upsets, some of them just ridiculous, means 2016 has delivered us sporting theatre on a scale I've never seen in my 21 years in journalism.

Yes, it's easy to remain cynical about sport in general, especially with the International Olympic Committee failing the world badly by not banning Russia from Rio, Rio in turn being left financially crippled by a Games they simply could not afford, and Fifa being exposed as a corrupt and cancer-riddled organisation.

Then there are continual questions over athletes using drugs in sport. This year only reconfirmed that the battle against doping is still alive and well, and the cheats are more than prepared to take short-term glory, even if it means their careers will end, eventually, in disgrace.

But there is also the wondrous stories that defined all that is great about sport.

It was the year of the upset. Remember those 26,000,000-1 odds if you backed Leicester to win the English Premier League, Cleveland to win the NBA, Cronulla to win the NRL, the Western Bulldogs to win the AFL and the Cubs to win the World Series. If ever there was a year to remind us all why sport is such a unifying, glorious addition to our lives, this was it.

So, as we reflect as always at this time of the year, I wanted to share my moments, those that left me super proud to be in the job I am.

Sporting moment of the year: Ireland beating the All Blacks in Chicago. Before you scoff, how can you possibly award a loss a victory, hear me out. I worked that morning and the reaction that Sunday was incredible. From the Kiwis in Chicago who had witnessed history, to the talkback callers who did not belay and whinge, they celebrated this great Irish victory. I noted at the time that New Zealand rugby fans had grown up and I stand by that. The way we handled defeat made me proud to be a Kiwi.

Feel-good moment of the year: Eliza McCartney winning bronze. Tell me you did not just smile with her through every vault, success or otherwise. She was the story of Rio for me. When so many others reach the Olympic stage, they freeze, their best left behind. Not Eliza. She just went out there and competed like we're all supposed to, with a brazen innocence that captivated the country.

Character of the year: There can only be one nominee - Steve Adams. He is gold, he is different, he is uniquely Kiwi. Asked what he would spend his new-found millions on, Adams responded, a phone: "I dropped mine in the bath". I was driving through Ponsonby on my way to work during the week and I passed four teens, all wearing Steve Adams' shirts. I chatted with the head of the OKC supporters' club on my NewstalkZB show who said he is second only to their superstar Russell Westbrook in terms of fan popularity. The one thing I think we all know about Steve now, he will never lose the Kiwi touch. What a story he was in 2016.

Team of the year: The All Blacks. Yes, they lost to Ireland, but this is looking at their achievements through a much broader lens. The All Blacks changed the way rugby was played this year. It became bloody good fun again. There were 80 tries, 500-plus points. It was captivating. Yes, some will argue they ran out of steam on the end of year tour, but seriously, how good were they prior to that? From the local derbies in super rugby, to a world record All Blacks year, rugby has been a joy to watch in 2016.

Freaks of the year (in a good way):
Hamish Bond and Eric Murray: They blow the field away and later express frustration they had a poor race! That's why they are undefeated.
Mahe Drysdale: The man who knows how to peak when it counts, even at the age of 37. Anyone prepared to bet against him in Tokyo?
Feel-good story of the year: The rise and rise of Joe Parker. You may hate boxing, you may dislike the promotion game, you may even question if he is a legitimate world champion, but you can't deny the likeability of the guy.
Notable mentions:
Tom Walsh: From the building site to the dais, and back again. We all love a good Kiwi battler.
Val Adams: Came back from potentially career ending surgery to claim silver at Rio.
Lisa Carrington: Showed she is just a machine.
Shane van Gisbergen: Put a Kiwi atop the Aussie V8s podium for the first time in 25 years.