Because the world reclaimed a little bit of normalcy in 2022, the Newby Awards had been hoping to provide an awards present that includes all of the class and decorum that had been our imaginary hallmarks within the pre-COVID-19 period.Then Will Smith smacked Chris Rock on the Oscars.Identical to that, every thing modified.We’ve needed to beef up our make-believe safety crew and pay a lot nearer consideration to seating charts that don’t truly exist. It wouldn’t do for Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher to wind up on the identical desk, if we truly had tables. So, with hopes of avoiding one other showdown like Smith’s palm vs. Rock’s jaw, we provide the tenth annual Newby Awards, a take a look at every thing from the wacky to the inspiring to the infuriating on this planet of sports activities.We’ve solely received one request.No slapping, please! BEST GAMERIf you’ve ever performed a online game and questioned in case your craziest transfer would truly work in actual time, we offer you Ross Chastain.The NASCAR driver was on the verge of lacking a spot within the championship finale when he remembered racing inventory vehicles on GameCube along with his brother, Chad, as a child.Particularly, a transfer the place you plastered the automotive in opposition to the skin wall, let go of the steering wheel and pushed the pedal to the ground.It labored similar to it did within the online game. Abruptly, on the ultimate half-lap on the Martinsville brief monitor, Chastain’s automotive appeared as if it was turned as much as hyper-speed whereas everybody else was poking alongside.Going no less than 50 mph sooner than everybody else, he handed 5 vehicles in a matter of seconds to say the ultimate spot within the title race. “Performed a whole lot of NASCAR 2005 on the GameCube with Chad rising up,” Chastain mentioned. “I by no means knew if it might truly work.”Alas, he didn’t go on to win the Cup championship. However Chastain will lengthy be remembered for some of the daring driving shows in NASCAR historical past.PROFILE IN COURAGEWith his time as one in every of boxing’s most fearsome rivals behind him, Vitali Klitschko is taking over the hardest struggle of his life.Mayor of Kyiv.The 51-year-old former heavyweight champion has confirmed his steely resolve whereas staring down a Russian invasion that has pummeled Ukraine and its capital metropolis.He by no means backed down with gloves on his fingers. He exhibits that very same resolve as a political chief, serving to information a serious underdog.“If I attempted to elucidate to you all of the challenges that I’ve, we (would) want weeks,” Klitschko instructed an Related Press reporter final month.That is what a real hero appears like.OLYMPIC CHEATING CUPThe Russians have a stranglehold on this award, displaying completely no regard for doping guidelines that may stand in the way in which of Olympic glory.On the Beijing Winter Video games, they had been at it once more.Kamila Valieva, a 15-year-old determine skating phenom, examined constructive for a banned substance however was nonetheless allowed to go for the gold.It wound up being a disgraceful show. The unhappy little woman buckled underneath all of the scrutiny and criticism, failing to win a medal in ladies’s singles.Whereas Valieva’s collapse was seen as a little bit of karma by those that truly comply with the principles, it doesn’t determine to dissuade the Russians and their nefarious quest for gold on the subsequent Olympics.CERTIFICATE OF DESPOTWe have a tie for this award.FIFA was a lock after staging the World Cup in a Center Jap nation that ignored human rights, mistreated migrant employees, had scant soccer historical past and was so scorching in the summertime they needed to transfer the event to November and December. Mainly, FINA despatched out an software with one requirement, “Present us the cash!” Qatar did, and shamefully wound up with the world’s largest sports activities(washing) occasion. The truth that Argentina defeated France in maybe probably the most thrilling remaining in event historical past doesn’t reduce the stench of the place it was performed. However in the case of greed, let’s not neglect Phil Mickelson & Buddies at LIV Golf, an upstart tour funded by a seemingly limitless provide of cash from Saudi Arabia’s repressive rulers. Lefty acknowledged that the Saudis had been “scary,” however went to work for them anyway, bringing Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Cameron Smith and others alongside for the despicable experience.TEAM OF THE YEARBaseball could be a very tedious recreation.Attempt telling that to the Savannah Bananas. The barnstorming crew based mostly in Georgia’s historic coastal metropolis has taken the nation by storm, reworking the staid ol’ nationwide pastime into one thing akin to the Harlem Globetrotters with bats and gloves.Nonstop dance routines are carried out by gamers and coaches. The Banana Child is introduced to the gang like Simba within the “The Lion King.” One participant takes the sphere on towering stilts. Others stroll via the stands, doling out roses and tossing T-shirts. Outs are counted when a fan catches a foul ball within the stands. Showboating is inspired at each alternative.Someplace in there’s a baseball recreation, although it could possibly’t go longer than two hours.“We’re not within the baseball enterprise. We’re within the leisure enterprise,” says Bananas proprietor Jesse Cole, who’s at all times straightforward to identify in his yellow tuxedo.IZZY APPRECIATION AWARDIzzy, the ill-fated Atlanta Olympic mascot, might lastly maintain his computer-generated, bug-eyed blob of a head up excessive once more in any case these years.When the 2024 Paris Video games unveiled their mascots — a pair of French Revolution-era caps — Izzy was now not the worst image in Olympic historical past.When given his statuette, Izzy revealed a wry humorousness.“Whatizit?” he requested.THE HUMAN FUNDFor this prize, we’re making a donation to George Costanza’s made-up charity in honor of the sports activities determine who truly proved to be human in 2022.Tom Brady.His seemingly good life confirmed loads of cracks, from a playoff loss to an aborted retirement to a glamorous marriage that, sadly, resulted in divorce.And now, Brady is the quarterback of a middling Buccaneers squad that may simply be the primary of his superb 23-year profession to complete with a shedding document. He even misplaced to a crew quarterbacked by somebody named Brock Purdy, by the humiliating rating of 35-7.AWARD REVOKEDWhile we’re as regards to Brady, we’d prefer to take a second to strip his longtime former coach, Invoice Belichick, of no matter genius awards he may need obtained through the years.Certain, Belichick is closing in on changing into the winningest coach in NFL historical past. However, on the ultimate play of a tie recreation in Las Vegas, he apparently signed off on the ludicrous choice to recklessly toss the ball round prefer it was a suggestion to get in on cryptocurrency. The Raiders picked off a backward throw and stunningly took it the opposite approach for the profitable landing.There have been loads of highlights over Belichick’s lengthy profession.This was undoubtedly as little as he’s ever gone.With that, we’ll carry down the curtain on one other Newby Awards.Fortunately, it seems nobody is leaving with a slap-print throughout the cheek.___Paul Newberry is the nationwide sports activities columnist for The Related Press. Write to him at pnewberry(at)ap.org. ___AP sports activities: https://Fifanews.com/hub/sports activities and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports