The Top 5 Stories that Changed Sports this Decade

The top 5 stories that changed the world of sports as we know it in the 2000s.
#5 – Dale Earnhardt’s death in the 2001 Daytona 500; February 18th, 2001.
Sports heroes are not supposed to be killed suddenly in a sport they love. However, it does happen. On Sunday, February 18th, 2001, on the final lap in NASCAR’s season-opener, the Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt slammed the outside retaining wall in turn 4. As the field passed by, Earnhardt’s car slid to the infield, as the car he owned driven by Michael Waltrip won the Daytona 500. Rescue workers rushed to Earnhardt’s car, where he was airlifted to a local hospital, and later pronounced dead.
Sometimes it takes tragedy to find a fault in a sport. Following the incident, NASCAR took many steps to ensure driver safety. They began the mandated use of the HANS device, a head-and-neck restraint system. Just recently, the new Car of Tomorrow was introduced to make the car safer.
Unfortunately, it often takes tragedy to show that change is necessary.

Taken from:

http://section26sports.wordpress.com/2010/01/02/the-top-5-stories-that-changed-sports-this-decade/