Page 4 December 28, 2017 Moments That Mattered in Sports in 2017: Swiss superstar took home his 19th career Grand Slam title and at the age of 35, is showing a late-career resurgence that still ranks him amongst the game’s elite. Last, but certainly not least, who could forget the epic World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Houston Astros? After their city had been devastated by Hurricane Harvey, Jose Altuve, Justin Verlander and the rest of the Astros rallied to defeat the Dodgers in seven games to bring a World Series title back to Houston. As good as the Astros were, however, the series might more notably be remembered--especially by Dodger fans--for their players’ inability to execute in the clutch. Clayton Kershaw once again showed that he is absolutely beatable in the postseason with yet another series of meltdowns occurring when the team needed him the most. Even Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen threw up a dud or two to contribute to his team’s loss. In the end, however, Houston proved it was the better team in winning franchise’s first World Series title ever. Those memories and many, many more complete a 2017 year that was full of a countless amount of moments that made us cheer, cringe, jump for joy and even shriek in disbelief. As 2018 gets off to a start, more memories begin to write themselves into the record books and into our hearts. There truly is nothing in this world like sports and the year of 2017 certainly had its own unique way of proving that point to us all once again. • – Aserrao6@yahoo.com | @UpandAdam6 A Recap of the Past Year By Adam Serrao Say what you may about the year of 2017, but it certainly did its job in providing us all with a great deal of memorable moments across the sports world. Some of those moments may bring you warm feelings of joy. Others may induce unpleasant memories that you’d rather forget. All in all, however, the athletic events that took place in the year of 2017 did their part in providing us all with countless hours of entertainment. So, without further ado, let’s take a look back at some of the most memorable sporting events that took place throughout the course of the past year that will now soon come to an end. What would a discussion about sports--and more specifically football--be if the names of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots were not mentioned? Naturally, New England is in the running for a Super Bowl spot once again this season, but who could forget about their stunning comeback over the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI. Atlanta held a 28-3 lead while most of America took joy in Brady’s pain and frustration. It wasn’t long, however, before the quarterback would lead his team on a stunning second-half comeback to eventually take a 34-28 come-from-behind Super Bowl victory. Just as the Patriots have dominated football lately, the Warriors have dominated the game of basketball. The epitome of a “super team,” Golden State went out and acquired Kevin Durant to become even stronger than before. That strength in numbers led to a 4-1 NBA Finals victory over LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Those two teams weren’t the only ones making news in the NBA, though. The Los Angeles Lakers acquired Lonzo Ball with the second pick in the NBA draft. While his father has still failed to stop talking, Lonzo looks to be finally coming in to his own. The rookie currently averages close to 10 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists per game. At only age 20, Lonzo (and the rest of his family) has garnered a great majority of publicity around the NBA and more specifically, around Los Angeles. Who could forget the publicity stunt that was the fight between 40-year-old boxing star Floyd Mayweather and 28-year-old UFC star Conor McGregor? After weeks of grandstanding on stages across the world and badmouthing each other, the two fighters actually made their bout look somewhat respectable. In the end, though, Mayweather took the victory, as expected, and walked away with well over $100 million. McGregor received over $30 million. In college sports, the University of North Carolina Tar Heels maneuvered their way through their share of March Madness and found themselves up against a Gonzaga Bullsdogs team that had only lost two games all season long. A 71-65 victory brought North Carolina its seventh men’s college basketball national championship. Another underdog, upset victory took place in the College Football Playoff National Championship last year. The Clemson Tigers marched into Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida and behind star quarterback and MVP of the game Deshaun Watson, handed the Alabama Crimson Tide a 35-31 loss. In college football’s first ever rematch in national championship game history (Alabama had beaten Clemson in the 2016 championship game), the Tigers won on a go-ahead touchdown with one second remaining in the game. With 420 yards, Watson set the record for most passing yards in championship game history. The Pittsburgh Penguins continued their dominance of the NHL in 2017 as they became the first team in nearly two decades to win a second consecutive Stanley Cup championship. The Penguins defeated the Nashville Predators by a final score of 2-0 in Game 6 of a series that saw Nashville make its first-ever appearance in the Stanley Cup finals. With the victory, Pittsburgh has now won five championships, all of which have come since 1991. It was the third Stanley Cup appearance for Penguins star Sydney Crosby, who also won his second Conn Smythe Trophy for most valuable player of the postseason. At just age 29, Crosby has likely cemented his reputation as most recognizable player in the NHL. Just when everyone had perhaps forgotten about Roger Federer, the tennis superstar had a late-career revival in 2017. Federer not only won the Australian Open, but also captured a record eighth Wimbledon title in 2017 while in the process becoming the tournament’s oldest champion ever. With his amazing year, the Why IRAs Are An Important Part Of The Retirement Planning Mix (BPT) - There are so many questions people have - no matter their age or stage in life - about saving for retirement: When is the right time to start saving? How much should I be putting aside? What are the savings vehicles I should be using? While the answers vary for everyone, depending on their individual situation and goals, there is one way to save for retirement that truly works for everyone. An IRA is an investment option available to anyone who wants to start saving, and is a great way to either supplement an employersponsored retirement plan - such as a 401K - or for people who may not have access to such a plan. IRAs are a “bucket” that holds different assets for investment growth and can include stocks, bonds, CDs and more. They are easy to open at your credit union or bank, and are often available in plans that range from high to low risk, with as much or as little hands-on management as you’d prefer. There are several different types of IRAs to choose from, but it might be worth getting help when it comes to deciding which is your best option. “It’s important to work with a financial adviser to determine the best IRA plan for you based on your age, retirement goals, current income and employment status,” said Ryan Blankenship, associate director of deposit products at Bellco Credit Union. “For those who may not have a financial planner, credit unions typically offer investment planning services through partner organizations as part of the credit union membership.” The three main types of IRAs are Traditional, Roth and SEP: Traditional IRA: This investment helps Finance you save on taxes, since all of your contributions are tax deductible. When you withdraw funds for retirement, they are taxed at your current income tax rate, but there are penalties for drawing money before age 70 1/2. Roth IRA: A Roth IRA provides a bit more flexibility. Contributions are made with your post-tax income, which means you can’t deduct them on your annual income tax. A benefit, however, is that you are able to draw money earlier without paying a penalty, so long as you don’t withdraw more than you’ve personally contributed. Any interest that you earn on your Roth IRA is not accessible until age 70 1/2 without penalty. Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) IRA: SEP IRAs are available to business owners and are a great option for people who are self-employed to save for retirement. Contributions are tax deductible, and money can be withdrawn at any time. Any withdrawn funds are subject to income tax as well as an additional 10 percent tax if drawn before age 59 1/2. One important note is that each of these IRA types has eligibility requirements and contribution limits. For example, if you have a 401K through your employer, there are limits to how much you can contribute to an IRA. No matter which you choose, IRAs can be a powerful way to save for retirement, no matter how far off that may be. • We wish everyone a safe and happy new year. Herald Publications Holiday Schedule Our offices will be closed the following days for the holidays. Thursday, December 28 | Friday, December 29 | Monday, January 1
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