Washington, D.C. (December 12, 2006) -- Since the late 1990s when High-Definition TVs were first placed on store shelves, sports arguably has been the biggest reason why Americans have taken them home.

The crystal-clear (and widescreen) HD picture gives fans a real feeling of being there.

But which sport looks best in high-def? The question has triggered numerous debates among sports fans over the years. But now TVPredictions.com will attempt to settle the argument once and for all.

Here are: Swanni's 10 Best Sports In HDTV!

1. Football
Whether it's college or pro, the widescreen HD picture allows viewers to follow more of the action. When a quarterback drops back to pass, you can see the linebackers rotate in motion; the receivers descending on their pass patterns. It's a great viewing experience, perhaps even better than sitting on the 50-yard-line.


No orange puck necessary in high-def.

2. Hockey
In standard definition, hockey looks like a bunch of blobs chasing an imaginary object. However, in high-def, you can see the puck -- and I mean really see it (and you don't need that orange glow that Fox Sports added to the puck about a decade ago.) And you can see a lot more, from the occasional gap tooth smile of a center iceman to the sweat flying off a charging wingman. And in Dolby Digital 5.1, get ready to duck when a player is crashed into the boards.

3. Auto Racing
I'm not a NASCAR (or Formula One) fan, but I have to admit that the sport is sensational in high-def. The picture is so clear that the cars look like they're about to make a left turn around your couch. And with the right Surround Sound system...Wow.

4. Basketball
Watching a player shoot a crucial foul shot in high-def is both dramatic and gringe-inducing. You can see the muscles clenching nervously in his cheeks; the sweat pouring off his brow. It's like watching a man walking that Final Mile to the chair. I do wish, however, that the networks would experiment more with camera placement. The mid-court camera angle is getting boring.