Man, what a year.
I think you can easily make the case that we're experiencing one of the great twelve-month stretches in Jacksonville sports history.
Just off the top of my head, you've got:
- 52,000+ attend the U.S./Nigeria send-off game prior to World Cup
- UNF earns its first NCAA Tournament berth
- Suns win 16 of their last 17 games en route to the Southern League championship
- Armada FC Debuts
- Everbank renovations revealed
- Jacksonville hosts 2nd and 3rd rounds of NCAA Tournament
Throw in Bortles' debut, the Jags 20th anniversary, some big free agents signings coming later today (fingers crossed), Florida/Georgia, TPC, the Jacksonville Sharks & Giants, the Shipyards excitement, and whatever else I'm not immediately thinking of, Jacksonville really is a quietly great little sports city.
It's been a hell of a year, that's for sure.