Column: Thanks for Listening, by Scott Schmeltzer

The year 2012 is done.

We averted the Mayan end-0f-the-world tragedy on Dec. 21.

And 2013 has started, so happy New Year! Here is my “Best of 2012” list.

 

Best TV of 2012

1. “Modern Family” (still my favorite)

2. “Happy Endings”

3. “Parenthood”

I keep hearing about “The Walking Dead,” “Dexter” and “Breaking Bad” being good as well, but I just do not watch a lot of television.

 

Best movies of 2012

1. “Lincoln”

2. “Pitch Perfect”

3. “Brave”

4. “Life of Pi”

5. “Argo”

I was disappointed in “The Hunger Games.”

 

Best music of 2012

1. “We Are Young” and “Some Nights” by Fun

2. “The Only Way I Know” by Jason Aldean, Eric Church and Luke Bryan

3. “Ho Hey” by the Lumineers

4. “Everybody Talks” by Neon Trees

5. “Cowboys and Angels” by Dustin Lynch

Worst song: “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepson

Best song: “Springsteen” by Eric Church

Country music continued to make a huge comeback. There were great new artists and songs all year.

 

Words that I hope go away in 2013

1. Honey Boo Boo

2. Fiscal cliff

3. YOLO, “You Only Live Once”

 

Top people of 2012

1. Mayala Yousufzai: This heroic young 14-year-old woman was shot in the head by a Taliban fighter in 2012 for being a strong advocate on educating girls.

2. Heroes of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

3. Emergency personnel during Superstorm Sandy that devastated the Easy Coast.

 

Books of 2012

1. “Thomas Jefferson” by Jon Meacham

2. “Quiet” by Susan Cain

Stories covered too much by media in 2012

1. Honey Boo Boo

2. Any member of the Kardashian family

 

Top sport stories of 2012

1. Summer Olympics

2. No hockey

3. San Francisco Giants sweep the Detroit Tigers in World Series

4. Running back Adrian Peterson gaining over 2,000 yards

 

Stories that made you sick in 2012

1. Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings

2. Superstorm Sandy

3. Politics in Washington: pathetic on both sides

In short, I think we found out that the real heroes in our country in 2012 are the police, fire firefighters, teachers, nurses, soldiers and first responders who in any kind of a crisis stand taller than anyone else. Please find them in 2013 and thank them.

Happy New Year.

 

A little football:

This Saturday will be epic — the Minnesota Vikings versus the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in the first round of the playoffs. If the game is like last Sunday’s battle, it will be amazing!

My prediction:

Packers 34

Vikes 24

 

My football award winners:

MVP: Adrian Peterson, running back for the Vikings, over 2,000 yards and only nine from the record. No contest. AP is amazing.

Defensive MVP: J.J. Watt, Houston Texans. Sack monster.

Rookie of the Year: Colts QB Andrew Luck. He set the NFL rookie records with 4,374 yards and 627 attempts.

Coach of the Year: Colts coach Bruce Arians. He came in as an interim coach and led the team to a 9-3 record and a playoff berth after being the worst team last year. He filled in for Chuck Pagano — who was battling cancer and did a top notch job.

BCS National Championship:

Alabama 27

Notre Dame 10

 

Tribune Publisher Scott Schmeltzer’s column appears every Thursday.