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This list shows notable sports-related deaths, events, and notable outcomes that occurred in December of 2010.
Deaths in December
29: Avi Cohen 21: Enzo Bearzot 15: Bob Feller 15: Stan Heal 12: Tom Walkinshaw 8: John James 5: Don Meredith 2: Ron Santo
Sporting seasons American football 2010 National Football League NCAA Division I FBS NCAA Division I FCS
Auto racing 2010 V8 Supercar FIA GT1 World Championship
Basketball 2010 NBA NCAA Division I men NCAA Division I women Euroleague EuroLeague Women Eurocup EuroChallenge France Germany Greece Israel Italy Philippines Philippine Cup Russia Spain Turkey
Football (soccer) 2010 National teams competitions UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification International clubs competitions UEFA (Europe) Champions League UEFA Europa League UEFA Women's Champions League Copa Sudamericana CAF Confederation Cup CONCACAF (North & Central America) Champions League OFC (Oceania) Champions League Domestic (national) competitions Argentina Australia Brazil England France Germany Iran Italy Japan Scotland Spain
Golf 2010 European Tour LPGA Tour
Ice hockey 2010 National Hockey League Kontinental Hockey League Czech Extraliga Elitserien Canadian Hockey League: OHL, QMJHL, WHL NCAA Division I men NCAA Division I women
Rugby union 2010 Heineken Cup European Challenge Cup English Premiership Celtic League LV Cup Top 14 Sevens World Series
Snooker Players Tour Championship
Winter sports Alpine Skiing World Cup Biathlon World Cup Bobsleigh World Cup Cross-Country Skiing World Cup Grand Prix of Figure Skating Freestyle Skiing World Cup Luge World Cup Nordic Combined World Cup Short Track Speed Skating World Cup Skeleton World Cup Ski Jumping World Cup Snowboard World Cup Speed Skating World Cup
Days of the month
December 31, 2010 (Friday) American football NFL news: The Carolina Panthers announce that they will not renew the contract of head coach John Fox for the 2011 season. NCAA bowl games: Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte, North Carolina: South Florida 31, Clemson 26 Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas: Notre Dame 33, Miami 17 Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tennessee: UCF 10, Georgia 6 Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta: Florida State 26, South Carolina 17
Cross-country skiing Tour de Ski: Stage 1 in Oberhof, Germany: Men's 3.75 km Freestyle Prologue: Marcus Hellner 7:34.5 Alexei Petukhov 7:36.5 Petter Northug 7:37.4 World Cup Distance standings (after 6 of 17 races): (1) Alexander Legkov 333 points (2) Dario Cologna 276 (3) Lukáš Bauer 253 World Cup Overall standings (after 10 of 31 races): (1) Legkov 533 points (2) Cologna 503 (3) Hellner 353 Women's 2.5 km Freestyle Prologue: Justyna Kowalczyk 6:39.0 Charlotte Kalla 6:40.5 Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen 6:43.8 World Cup Distance standings (after 6 of 17 races): (1) Marit Bjørgen 410 points (2) Kowalczyk 365 (3) Kalla 215 World Cup Overall standings (after 10 of 31 races): (1) Bjørgen 760 points (2) Kowalczyk 589 (3) Arianna Follis 428
Ice hockey World Junior Championships in Buffalo and Lewiston, United States: (teams in bold advance to the semifinals, teams in italics advance to the quarterfinals) Group A: 0–6 2–1 Final standings: United States 11 points, Finland 10, Switzerland 6, Slovakia 2, 1. Group B: 5–6 (SO) 3–8 Final standings: Sweden 11 points, Canada 10, Russia 6, Czech Republic 3, 0. Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland: Final: SKA Saint Petersburg 4–3 Team Canada SKA Saint Petersburg win the Cup for the fourth time and the first since 1977.
December 30, 2010 (Thursday) American football NCAA bowl games: Armed Forces Bowl in University Park, Texas: Army 16, SMU 14 Pinstripe Bowl in The Bronx: Syracuse 36, Kansas State 34 Music City Bowl in Nashville, Tennessee: North Carolina 30, Tennessee 27 (2OT) Holiday Bowl in San Diego: Washington 19, Nebraska 7
Basketball NCAA women's basketball: Stanford 71, Connecticut 59 The Huskies' Division I-record winning streak ends at 90 by the Cardinal, who were also the last team to beat the Huskies.
Cricket Pakistan in New Zealand: 3rd T20I in Christchurch: 183/6 (20 overs); 80 (15.5 overs). Pakistan win by 103 runs; New Zealand win 3-match series 2–1.
Equestrianism Show jumping: FEI World Cup Western European League: 8th competition in Mechelen (CSI 5*-W): Jessica Kürten on Myrtille Paulois Gregory Wathelet on Cortes C Jos Lansink on Casper van Spieveld Standings (after 8 of 13 competitions): (1) Kevin Staut 87 points (2) Rolf-Göran Bengtsson 57 (3) Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum 50
Ice hockey World Junior Championships in Buffalo and Lewiston, United States: Group A: 6–4 0–4 Standings: United States 8 points (3 games), 7 (3), Switzerland 6 (3), Slovakia 2 (3), Germany 1 (4). Group B: 6–3 8–2 Standings: , Sweden 9 points (3 games), Russia, Czech Republic 3 (3), Norway 0 (4). Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland: Semifinals: SKA Saint Petersburg 4–3 (OT) Genève-Servette HC HC Davos 0–4 Team Canada
December 29, 2010 (Wednesday) Alpine skiing Women's World Cup in Semmering, Austria: Slalom: Marlies Schild 1:42.06 Maria Riesch 1:42.38 Christina Geiger 1:42.58 Slalom standings (after 4 of 10 races): (1) Schild 300 points (2) Tanja Poutiainen 250 (3) Riesch 240 Overall standings (after 13 of 38 races): (1) Riesch 738 points (2) Lindsey Vonn 617 (3) Poutiainen 430 Men's World Cup in Bormio, Italy: Downhill: Michael Walchhofer 1:59.66 Silvan Zurbriggen 1:59.74 Christof Innerhofer 2:00.02 Downhill standings (after 3 of 9 races): (1) Walchhofer 245 points (2) Zurbriggen 230 (3) Aksel Lund Svindal 109 Overall standings (after 11 of 38 races): (1) Zurbriggen 395 points (2) Walchhofer 394 (3) Ted Ligety 321
American football NCAA bowl games: Military Bowl in Washington, D.C.: Maryland 51, East Carolina 20 Texas Bowl in Houston: Illinois 38, Baylor 14 Alamo Bowl in San Antonio: Oklahoma State 36, Arizona 10
Cricket England in Australia: Ashes series: Fourth Test in Melbourne, day 4: 98 & 258 (85.4 overs); 513. England win by an innings and 157 runs; lead 5-match series 2–1. England retain The Ashes for the first time since 1986–87. India in South Africa: 2nd Test in Durban, day 4: 205 & 228; 131 & 215 (72.3 overs). India win by 87 runs; 3-match series level 1–1.
Football (soccer) AFF Suzuki Cup Final, second leg (first leg score in parentheses): 2–1 (0–3) . Malaysia win 4–2 on aggregate. Malaysia win the Cup for the first time.
Ice hockey World Junior Championships in Buffalo and Lewiston, United States: Group A: 5–1 Standings: Finland 7 points (3 games), 5 (2), 3 (2), 2 (2), Germany 1 (3). Group B: 1–10 Standings: Canada 9 points (3 games), 6 (2), 3 (2), 0 (2), Norway 0 (3). Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland: Quarterfinals: Genève-Servette HC 2–0 HC Spartak Moscow Team Canada 4–3 (OT) HC Sparta Praha
Ski jumping Four Hills Tournament: Stage 1 in Oberstdorf, Germany: HS 137: Thomas Morgenstern 289.6 points Matti Hautamäki 273.1 Manuel Fettner 264.0 World Cup standings (after 8 of 26 events): (1) Morgenstern 705 points (2) Andreas Kofler 525 (3) Hautamäki 431
December 28, 2010 (Tuesday) Alpine skiing Women's World Cup in Semmering, Austria: Giant slalom: Tessa Worley 2:09.66 Maria Riesch 2:10.28 Kathrin Hölzl 2:10.44 Giant slalom standings (after 4 of 8 races): (1) Worley 332 points (2) Viktoria Rebensburg 235 (3) Hölzl 200 Overall standings (after 12 of 38 races): (1) Riesch 658 points (2) Lindsey Vonn 617 (3) Elisabeth Görgl 416
American football NFL Week 16 (division champion in bold): Minnesota Vikings 24, Philadelphia Eagles 14 The result earns the Eagles a home game for the Wild Card round of the playoffs and the Chicago Bears a first-round bye. NCAA bowl games: Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando, Florida: North Carolina State 23, West Virginia 7 Insight Bowl in Tempe, Arizona: Iowa 27, Missouri 24
Cricket England in Australia: Ashes series: Fourth Test in Melbourne, day 3: 98 & 169/6 (66 overs); 513 (159.1 overs; Jonathan Trott 168*, Peter Siddle 6/75). Australia trail by 246 runs with 4 wickets remaining. India in South Africa: 2nd Test in Durban, day 3: 205 & 228 (70.5 overs); 131 & 111/3 (27 overs). South Africa require another 192 runs with 7 wickets remaining. Pakistan in New Zealand: 2nd T20I in Hamilton: 185/7 (20 overs); 146/9 (20 overs). New Zealand win by 39 runs; lead 3-match series 2–0.
Equestrianism Dressage: FEI World Cup Western European League: 6th competition in Mechelen (CDI-W): Edward Gal on Sisther de Jeu Hans Peter Minderhoud on Nadine Ulla Salzgeber on Wakana Standings (after 6 of 10 competitions): (1) Salzgeber 74 points (2) Isabell Werth 57 (3) Richard Davison 55
Ice hockey World Junior Championships in Buffalo and Lewiston, United States: Group A: 0–4 6–1 Standings (after 2 games): United States 5 points, Finland 4, Switzerland 3, Slovakia 2, 1. Group B: 7–2 2–0 Standings (after 2 games): Canada, Sweden 6 points, Czech Republic 3, Russia, 0. Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland: (teams in bold advance to the semifinals) Group Torriani: SKA Saint Petersburg 4–1 HC Sparta Praha Final standings: SKA Saint Petersburg 6 points, Genève-Servette HC 3, HC Sparta Praha 0. Group Cattini: HC Davos 3–2 Team Canada Final standings: HC Davos 6 points, Team Canada 3, HC Spartak Moscow 0.
December 27, 2010 (Monday) American football NFL Monday Night Football, Week 16 (teams assured of playoff berths in italics): New Orleans Saints 17, Atlanta Falcons 14 NCAA bowl games: Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana: Air Force 14, Georgia Tech 7
Cricket England in Australia: Ashes series: Fourth Test in Melbourne, day 2: 98; 444/5 (136 overs; Jonathan Trott 141*). England lead by 346 runs with 5 wickets remaining in the 1st innings. India in South Africa: 2nd Test in Durban, day 2: 205 (65.1 overs; Dale Steyn 6/50) & 92/4 (30.5 overs); 131 (37.2 overs). India lead by 166 runs with 6 wickets remaining.
Ice hockey World Junior Championships in Buffalo and Lewiston, United States: Group A: 2–1 (OT) Standings: 3 points (1 game), , Slovakia 2 (1), 1 (1), Germany 1 (2). Group B: 2–0 Standings: , , Czech Republic 3 points (1 game), 0 (1), Norway 0 (2). Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland: Group Torriani: HC Sparta Praha 3–4 Genève-Servette HC Standings: SKA Saint Petersburg 3 points (1 game), Genève-Servette HC 3 (2), HC Sparta Praha 0 (1). Group Cattini: Team Canada 6–1 HC Spartak Moscow Standings: HC Davos, Team Canada 3 points (1 game), HC Spartak Moscow 0 (2).
December 26, 2010 (Sunday) American football NFL Week 16 (division champions in bold, teams assured of playoff berths in italics): Washington Redskins 20, Jacksonville Jaguars 17 (OT) Detroit Lions 34, Miami Dolphins 27 St. Louis Rams 25, San Francisco 49ers 17 After the game, the 49ers fire head coach Mike Singletary and name defensive line coach Jim Tomsula as interim replacement. Kansas City Chiefs 34, Tennessee Titans 14 Chicago Bears 38, New York Jets 34 New England Patriots 34, Buffalo Bills 3 As well as sealing the AFC East, the Patriots clinch the #1 seeding and home-field advantage for the AFC playoffs. Baltimore Ravens 20, Cleveland Browns 10 Denver Broncos 24, Houston Texans 23 Cincinnati Bengals 34, San Diego Chargers 20 Indianapolis Colts 31, Oakland Raiders 26 Green Bay Packers 45, New York Giants 17 The Giants' loss clinches the NFC East for the Philadelphia Eagles. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 38, Seattle Seahawks 15 The Minnesota Vikings–Philadelphia Eagles game originally scheduled for today was postponed to December 28 because of concerns over public safety in light of an incoming snowstorm that had been due to hit the Philadelphia metropolitan area prior to kick-off. NCAA bowl games: Little Caesars Pizza Bowl in Detroit: FIU 34, Toledo 32 First bowl game appearance and first bowl game win for FIU.
Cricket England in Australia: Ashes series: Fourth Test in Melbourne, day 1: 98 (42.5 overs); 157/0 (47 overs). England lead by 59 runs with 10 wickets remaining in the 1st innings.