NEW YORK, N.Y. - The NFLs troubles with domestic violence were selected the sports story of the year Tuesday in an annual vote conducted by The Associated Press.Ninety-four ballots were submitted from U.S. editors and news directors. Voters were asked to rank the top 10 sports stories of the year, with the first-place story receiving 10 points, the second-place story nine points and so on.NFL domestic violence received 659 points and 29 first-place votes.The No. 2 sports story, Clippers owner Donald Sterling forced out by the NBA after his racist statements, had 518 points.Here are 2014s top 10 stories:1. NFL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: Baltimore Ravens star running back Ray Rice knocked his now-wife unconscious in an Atlantic City casino elevator Feb. 15, but it wasnt until July 24 that domestic violence cases spiraled into a crisis roiling the NFL. Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Rice for just two games, which drew widespread derision. More than a month passed before Goodell admitted he didnt get it right and announced harsher sanctions for future domestic violence offences.But the NFLs problems were only beginning. On Sept. 8, TMZ Sports released video from inside the elevator that showed Rice punching his then-fiancee; the Ravens responded by releasing him and Goodell suspended him indefinitely. And on Sept. 12, one of the leagues biggest stars, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, was indicted on felony child abuse charges for using a wooden switch to discipline his 4-year-old son. The Vikings initially planned to play him just over a week later, reversing course only after the ensuing uproar.The year ends with Rice reinstated by an arbitrator but without a team and Peterson suspended and suing the NFL. Chastened by those and other cases, the league is pushing a new personal conduct policy, but the players union is balking at Goodells role in the disciplinary process.2. CLIPPERS STERLING BANNED: Donald Sterling had withstood accusations of racism throughout his more than three decades as owner of the Los Angeles Clippers. But when audio surfaced April 25 of Sterling spewing racist remarks, he was banned for life by new NBA Commissioner Adam Silver just four days later and forced to sell the team.3. LEBRON GOES HOME: This time, LeBron James decided to return home. Four years after spurning Cleveland to sign with the Miami Heat, the Northeast Ohio native and four-time NBA MVP announced July 11 that he was rejoining the Cavaliers to try to end the citys half-century title drought.4. FIRSTS FOR GAY ATHLETES: Jason Collins became the first openly gay man to play in the big four North American pro sports leagues when he made his debut with the Brooklyn Nets on Feb. 23. The veteran centre had come out 10 months earlier, a trailblazing moment that helped inspire other athletes and sports officials to follow his lead in 2014. That included Missouri All-American Michael Sam, who went on to be drafted into the NFL, though he has yet to play in a game.5. GIANTS WIN WORLD SERIES: Madison Bumgarner pitched seven dominant innings to win Game 1 of the World Series. Then the San Francisco ace topped himself with a shutout in Game 5. He outdid himself yet again with five scoreless innings of relief in Game 7 to clinch the Giants third championship in five years.6. COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF PAYS OFF: Ohio State lost to Virginia Tech on Sept. 6. Oregon was upset by Arizona on Oct. 2, and Alabama fell to Ole Miss two days later. The rest of those teams regular-season games still mattered because of the new College Football Playoff, which made more and more matchups meaningful deep into the fall.7. TONY STEWART: One of NASCARs biggest stars, Tony Stewart, was taking part in a small sprint car race in upstate New York on Aug. 9 when he struck and killed 20-year-old driver Kevin Ward Jr. A grand jury decided not to bring criminal charges against Stewart, who skipped three NASCAR races as he grieved.8. WORLD CUP: Brazils World Cup was a big celebration until those German goals started piling up. The expected massive protests didnt materialize, and the construction delays caused few headaches. The major disappointment came on the field when the hosts, without injured star Neymar, were thrashed 7-1 in the semifinals by eventual champion Germany.9. SEAHAWKS WIN SUPER BOWL: Richard Shermans Seattle defence was way too much for Peyton Mannings Denver offence. The Seahawks flustered and flattened the Broncos with a 43-8 victory in the Super Bowl, when the weather co-operated outdoors in New Jersey.10. SOCHI OLYMPICS: The Sochi Olympics opened amid fears of terrorist attacks and denunciations of Russias so-called gay propaganda law. The games went on peacefully, with the hosts winning 33 medals — though not in hockey. But by the closing ceremony, darkness lurked nearby in the world in violence in Ukraine.___Projects Editor Brooke Lansdale contributed to this report. Frank Viola Jersey . It was the first game back in Columbus for Rangers star Rick Nash, the Blue Jackets franchise leader in goals, assists and games. He was given a standing ovation during a video tribute in the first period, but was booed loud and long after a second-period, two-handed shove up high on Columbus goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. Jonathan Schoop Twins Jersey .35 million, avoiding arbitration. Davis led the majors last season with 53 home runs and 138 RBIs, both career highs. He earned $3. https://www.cheaptwins.com/1352t-eddie-r...ey-twins.html.C. -- Kurt Busch put his chances at "70 per cent" at running the Indianapolis 500 this year because of recent developments that have pushed a potential program along. Kent Hrbek Jersey . "You hate when they score," he said with some distaste at the thought. "You take pride in it. Stephen Gonsalves Jersey . The 19-year-old Swiss centre back will initially have to impress in Uniteds reserve side to earn a spot in the first team. Veseli says "Manchester United has a long history of younger players coming through and hopefully I can follow and do the same. BRASILIA, Brazil -- Switzerland grabbed a winner with virtually the final kick to earn a 2-1 victory over Ecuador in the World Cup on Sunday, extending a run of come-from-behind wins that are becoming a theme of the tournament. With just seconds left in the third and final minute of stoppage time, substitute Haris Seferovic finished off a length-of-the-field move by slamming home a close-range shot. After wild Swiss celebrations, Ecuadors shell-shocked players barely had time to restart before the final whistle was blown. It was the fifth time in the first nine matches in Brazil that a team had come from a goal down to win -- but this was the most dramatic of all the comebacks. "It was a dream to be able to win this match in the very last minute like this," Switzerland coach Ottmar Hitzfeld said through a translator. "It was emotional -- it will be important for the morale of the team." Sluggish in the first half-hour, Switzerland -- highly fancied after rising to No. 6 in the FIFA rankings -- conceded a sloppy goal to go behind when Enner Valencia rose unmarked in the 22nd minute and headed in a free kick from six yards (meters). Ecuadors defending for the 48th-minute equalizer was just as abject, however, with Admir Mehmedi finding space from even closer in to nod in a corner. With Mehmedi and Seferovic both second-half substitutes, it was no wonder that the wily Hitzfeld -- a veteran coach with two Champions League titles on his resume -- had a huge grin on his face at the final whistle. Not so his counterpart. "We were naive and that cost us the game," Ecuador coach Reinaldo Rieda said. "(The loss) is more our fault. We were notbeaten by our opponent." After being among the bores of the last two World Cups, it was expected to be all change for Switzerland with Hitzfeld putting his faith in a young, dynamic class of 2014 that had come up together through the national youth ranks. But nerves ensured they started the World Cup poorly, misplacing simple passes and overhitting crossses in a drab first half.ddddddddddddThe second half wasnt much better either -- but Seferovic rescued them, having only come on in the 75th minute for the ineffective Josip Drmic. The Real Sociedad forward scored a 90th-minute winner against Cyprus in June in Switzerlands unbeaten run through qualifying but he has lost his place to the emerging Drmic. "Haris is a striker through and through," Hitzfeld said. "What he lacked was practice in terms of playing time at Real Sociedad. In the tournament build-up, he performed excellently but he still needs time to develop." Seferovic scored the crucial goal, but teammate Valon Behrami deserves just as much credit. It was the central midfielder who produced a perfectly timed tackle in his own box and then embarked on a lung-bursting run up the field in the lead-up to the winning goal. At one stage, he was hacked down near the centre circle but he got up and carried on his run, with the referee playing an excellent advantage. The ball was fed to the left, where left back Ricardo Rodriguez -- who set up Mehmedi for the equalizer -- slid a low cross for Seferovic to crash a finish high in to the net. Cue Switzerlands entire bench spilling into the pitch to celebrate with Seferovic, with some players choosing to mob Behrami. "It was a great feeling," Behrami said. "Those 30 seconds were amazing for us." FIFA President Sepp Blatter was present -- and was booed by sections of the crowd -- for what was probably the poorest game at this World Cup in terms of quality. Thousands of fans missed the first part of the match because of long queues to pass through security. It meant there were still plenty of empty seats when Valencia stole a yard on Johan Djourou and guided a simple header into the net from Walter Ayovis free kick, with Switzerland goalkeeper Diego Benaglio left completely stranded. It was one of the few clear-cut chances created by Ecuador, which is now on the back foot in a Group E also containing France and Honduras. ' ' '