Top Ten AP Sports Stories of the Year

http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2011/12/19/penn-state-scandal-voted-ap-sports-story-year/
Penn State Scandal Voted AP Sports Story of Year
December 19, 2011

NEW YORK – The ouster of one of America's most revered coaches, Penn State's Joe Paterno, after shocking child sex abuse charges against his former assistant was overwhelmingly voted the sports story of the year by members of The Associated Press
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There were 214 ballots submitted from U.S. news organizations that make up the AP's membership. The voters were asked to rank the top 10 sports stories of the year, with the first-place story getting 10 points, the second-place story receiving nine points, and so on.

The Penn State saga received 2,044 points and 172 first-place votes. It was also voted the No. 6 news story for 2011 in the AP's annual poll of U.S. editors and news directors.

The No. 2 sports story -- labor strife in the NFL and NBA -- had 15 first-place votes and 1,345 points.

The turmoil that at times seemed to rock college sports on a weekly basis this year was evident in the voting beyond the Penn State selection. Three more of the top 10 stories involved upheaval in the NCAA: conference realignment (No. 4); the Ohio State infractions that cost Jim Tressel his job (No. 6); and more sex abuse accusations, these involving Syracuse basketball (No. 9).
Tiger Woods' humbling return to the public eye was the top story last year.

Here are 2011's top 10 stories: (Read more about each story at link)

-- 1. PENN STATE

-- 2. NFL/NBA LOCKOUTS

-- 3. PACKERS WIN

-- 4. CONFERENCE REALIGNMENT

-- 5. CARDINALS WIN

-- 6. OHIO STATE

-- 7. MAVERICKS WIN

-- 8. WHELDON DIES

-- 9. SYRACUSE

-- 10. WOMEN'S WORLD CUP