SLAM! SPORTS: 2001 IN REVIEW

Nearly 100 people were investigated for alleged drug violations after police raids at the hotels of 20 teams competing in the Giro d'Italia, Italy's showcase race.

GOLF

Winners

Tiger Woods

Won seven tournaments including second Masters, becoming first player to win four straight professional majors.

Annika Sorenstam

Won eight tournaments, including four straight, and became first LPGA player to earn over $2 million. ... Also became first woman to shoot 59 in a tournament, in the second round of Standard Register PING tournament.

Loser

Phil Mickelson

Remained best player never to win a major. ... Also-ran at Masters, U.S. Open and PGA despite being two strokes or less behind after three rounds of each event.

FOOTBALL

Winners

Curtis Martin

Became third player in NFL history to rush for over 1,000 yards in each of first seven seasons, joining Barry Sanders and Eric Dickerson.

Ray Lewis

Capped tumultuous year by winning Super Bowl MVP award to go with Defensive Player of the Year. ... Acquitted in double murder trial before season began, pleading guilty to lesser charge.

Eric Couch

Nebraska quarterback won Heisman Trophy and chance to play for a national title. ... One of just three Division I QBs with 3,000 yards rushing (3,434) and 4,000 yards passing (4,481).

Losers

Detroit Lions

Changed front office and coaching staffs, hiring Matt Millen and Marty Mornhinweg, and then lost 12 straight before winning a game.

George O'Leary

Hired as Notre Dame coach, then forced to resign when athletic and academic inaccuracies surfaced in his resume.

BASEBALL

Winners

Randy Johnson

Won third straight Cy Young Award, fourth in career. ... Shared World Series MVP with Curt Schilling. ... First pitcher to win five postseason games in one year.

Roger Clemens

Won record sixth Cy Young Award and is only pitcher to win award more than four times.

Barry Bonds

Set home-run record with 73, pushing career total to 567. ... Broke two Babe Ruth records with 177 walks and .863 slugging percentage. ... Won record fourth MVP award.

Ichiro Suzuki

Swept Rookie of Year and MVP awards, becoming first rookie to win MVP award since Fred Lynn in 1975. ... Batted .350 with 56 stolen bases.

Losers

Byung-Hyun Kim

Arizona closer saved 19 games for NL champs, then blew two-run leads with two out in the last of the ninth inning in consecutive World Series games.

Danny Almonte

Pitcher dominated Little League playoffs, but team was disqualified when he turned out to be 14, two years older than limit.

BASKETBALL

Winners

Shaquille O'Neal

NBA Finals MVP for second straight year, averaging 33 points, 15.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 3.4 blocked shots against Philadelphia.

Allen Iverson

Won MVP award and second scoring title in three years, averaging 31.1 points a game.

Lisa Leslie

MVP of WNBA Finals, leading Los Angeles Sparks to first championship. ... Completed MVP trifecta, also winning award for WNBA regular season and All-Star game.

Shane Battier

Led Duke to NCAA championship. ... Swept most player of the year awards.

Ruth Riley

Most Outstanding Player in Women's Final Four. ... Led Notre Dame to national championship.

Losers

Vancouver Grizzlies Fans

Watched team struggle through six losing years, including best record of 23-59 last season, and then leave town, relocated to Memphis, Tenn.

HOCKEY

Winners

Joe Sakic

Colorado Avalanche center Won Hart Trophy as MVP in 13th NHL season, most veteran player ever to capture award. ... Also won Lady Byng sportsmanship award.

Patrick Roy

First three-time winner of Conn Smythe Award as playoff MVP. ... Played all 23 Colorado playoff games, posting 16-7 record, 1.70 goals against average, four shutouts.

Ray Bourque

Defenseman ended 22-year Hall of Fame career -- all but one season and two months with the Boston Bruins -- by winning first Stanley Cup championship -- with Colorado Avalanche.

Ryan Miller

Michigan State goalie won Hobey Baker Award as top college hockey player. ... Led nation with 31 wins, 10 shutouts, boosting career total to NCAA record 18.

Loser

Tie Domi

Suspended 11 games for blindside elbow that gave New Jersey defenseman Scott Niedermayer a concussion in final seconds of playoff game.

TENNIS

Winners

Lleyton Hewitt

Won first Grand Slam title at U.S. Open and, at age 20 and eight months, went on to become youngest player to finish No. 1.

Jennifer Capriati

Completed improbable comeback, winning Australian and French Open and reaching semifinals at Wimbledon and U.S. Open.

Loser

Gustavo Kuerten

Won six tournaments, including third French Open, but lost eight of last nine matches, including three straight at Masters Cup, to blow No. 1 ranking.

TRACK AND FIELD

Winners

Alan Webb

Teen-age sensation broke Jim Ryun's high school records for mile (3 minutes, 53.43 seconds) and 1,500 (3:38.26).

Stacy Dragila

Broke world outdoor women's pole vault record five times, raising bar to 15 feet, 9 1/4 inches. ... Also holds world indoor record at 15-5.

Loser

Javier Sotomayor, only 8-foot high-jumper in history, retired under cloud of drug suspicion after half of his sample tested positive for steroids following meet in Spain. Had 10 drug-free tests during the year

AUTO RACING

Winners

Jeff Gordon

Won fourth NASCAR Winston Cup title, becoming only the third driver to win more than three, joining seven-time champions Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt.

Gil de Ferran

Won second straight CART championship, finishing season with 10 consecutive finishes in the top eight.

Michael Schumacher

Won fourth Formula One championship with record-tying nine wins in a season for third time in his career. ... Passed Alain Prost's career record of 51 victories by two.

Loser

CART

Embarrassed over cancellation of inaugural Firestone Firehawk 600 at Texas Speedway, two hours before the start, because drivers complained of dizziness during practices because of the track.

HORSE RACING

Winner

Point Given

Won nearly $4 million with nine victories, including Preakness, Belmont and Travers, and three seconds in 13 starts.

Loser

Point Given

Finished fifth in Kentucky Derby, blowing chance to become first Triple Crown winner in 23 years.

BOXING

Winner

Bernard Hopkins

Unbeaten since 1993, IBF middleweight champ since 1995, became first undisputed middleweight champ in 15 years, unifying title by beating Felix Trinidad and Keith Holmes in Madison Square Garden tournament.

Loser

Hasim Rahman

Knocked out Lennox Lewis to win IBF-WBC heavyweight championships in April only to give titles back when Lewis knocked him out in November rematch.