Watching coverage of Michael Jordan's induction into the Hall of Fame has me thinking about my sporting heroes. Here's my list of my all time faves:
1) MJ
2) Walter Payton
3) Ryne Sandberg
4) Greg Maddux
5) Mary Lou Retton
List yours! :)
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Watching coverage of Michael Jordan's induction into the Hall of Fame has me thinking about my sporting heroes. Here's my list of my all time faves:
1) MJ
2) Walter Payton
3) Ryne Sandberg
4) Greg Maddux
5) Mary Lou Retton
List yours! :)
1) Lou Gehrig
2) Babe Ruth
3) Joe DiMaggio
4) Mickey Mantle
5) Yogi Berra
6) Thurman Munson
7) Derek Jeter
8) Lawrence Taylor
9) Ernie Banks
10) Willie Mays
1. Jim Thome
Not really anybody else. A few players I root against, but no one else I really care about.
I think Thome is my favorite because he was the first player my husband really got attached to, and then it became a shared thing. He had matching bobbleheads.
Before we met, Steve never watched baseball. He became a huge fan.
1. John Taylor [Caught the winning touchdown pass during the final seconds of super bowl XXIII, in the same game he set the record for the longest Punt return (45 yards)]
2. Joe Montana
3.
4.
5.
I'll think of those later if I can.
*BALEETED*
1) Tedy Bruschi
2) Ted Williams
3) Pedro Martinez
4) Jason Varitek
and there many people I know (including family) that would lynch me for this, but..
5) Roger Clemens. Yes, he's a all-star douche, and most likely also a doper, but I have way too many memories of being a kid and anxiously awaiting The Rocket to pitch for the Sox. I just mentally erase his Yankee years. (except for game 3 of the 1999 ALCS, and game 3 of the 2003 ALCS. Both awesome for different reasons.)
I'm not sure if I can narrow it down to just 5...
In no particular order:
1. Ozzie Smith
2. Ryne Sandberg
3. Walter Payton
4. Steve Garvey
5. John Stockton
5a) Steve Yzerman
5b) Bobby Orr
5c) Gordie Howe
5d) Rickey Henderson
5e) Tony Gwynn
5f) Rod Carew
5g) Wilt Chamberlain
5h) James Worthy
5i) Jeff Garcia
5j) Ken Dryden
5k) Nolan Freaking Ryan
5l) Guy Lafleur
5m) Ichiro Suzuki
5n) Joe Jackson
5o) Kaleb Toth
5p) David Robinson
5q) Edgar Martinez
5r) Tim Flannery
Cool! I was able to narrow it down to just five! :)
There are a lot of old Yankee greats that I really, really admire but I'm going to stick with people I've seen in my lifetime.
1. Derek Jeter
2. Alex Rodriguez
3. Ken Griffey Jr
4. Mary Lou Retton (good one Sarah!)
5. Nadia Comăneci (I was only 1 when she was in the 76 Olympics but I saw a LOT of her performances on tape throughout the years in gymnastic class). AMAZING.
1. Ryan Theriot
2. Chris Chelios
3. Walter Payton
4. Dick Butkus
5. Magic Johnson
It's really hard to pare it down to 5! I love Nadia, too, and so many other football, basketball and espeically baseball players! I could easily replace Maddux on that list with Dick Butkis, Mike Singletary, Scottie Pippen, Magic Johnson, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Ernie Banks, Ferguson Jenkins, Ron Santo...etc.
ETA: Cluricaun...Ryan Theriot?!
Well sure, I know history in the making when I see it, and The Riot is going to be something excellent and well remembered in the future. Just watch...Quote:
Originally posted by Sarahfeena
Don't get me wrong, I love him, too. Just surprised to see him on a short list! :)Quote:
Originally posted by Cluricaun
I have to have a current Cub on the list, and he's the only one who I don't think deserves a swift kick in the nuts right about now......Quote:
Originally posted by Sarahfeena
An excellent point. :smash:Quote:
Originally posted by Cluricaun
Although he hasn't been able to stay healthy as a Cub, I gained a ton of respect for Fonzi Soriano when I saw him at Wrigley last year. If he can get healthy over the off season and stay that way, he'll be a contributor again next year.Quote:
Originally posted by Cluricaun
I'm not convinced about Theriot yet, but I'm reserving judgment...
Allow me to present a very skewed list.
1) Doug Flutie
2) Steve Grogan
3) Carl Yastrzemski
4) Larry Bird
5) Nancy Lopez
Can you tell I grew up in the Bay State during the 80s?
Let's see.. in no particular order:
Jennie Finch
Dustin Pedroia
Frank Thomas
Quinton Jackson
Wanderlei Silva
Without having read the thread...
1. Nolan Ryan. I've always loved a raw power pitcher.
2. Charles Barkley. Great player, greater personality
3. Joe Montana. I started liking football just as the 49ers were ascending to power, and he awed me.
4. Jerry Rice. Ditto
5. Ken Griffey Jr. I just regret that he's missed so many games with injuries.
Joe
I can go with this list if we put Sandberg on top, slide everyone else down in order, and replace that ghastly too-cute to be a gerbil Retton with, oh, say, Derrik Lee.Quote:
Originally posted by Sarahfeena
I want to just toss the name Andre Dawson in here some place. Cool guys who swatted big homers without steroids deserve to be mentioned. Andre would be my number 6.
I should have said that this wasn't supposed to be in any particular order. I put MJ on top partially because he inspired the list, I guess. If I was doing in in order...I don't know. Probably Walter on top.Quote:
Originally posted by Oliveloaf
And say what you want about Mary Lou being too cute and perky...when it comes to pure athletics, she's about as talented as they come.
Cal Ripken, Jr.
John Stockton
Alexander Karelin
Rob Deer
Barry Sanders
Oh man, I LOVE Rob Deer! Total feast-or-famine guy -- HR or K. The most contact-free plate appearances in MLB history! My fave moment for him was the time time when he broke his wrist striking out -- that was awesome. :)Quote:
Originally posted by OneCentStamp
I watched all the NBA Hall of Fame speeches this year, and Stockton really impressed me as a human being, and of course I've always admired his talent and toughness. If I went by those speeches, you could add any one of the other inductees this year to my list, and take MJ off. :(Quote:
Originally posted by OneCentStamp
I knew I was in love when, in 1991, Deer had more home runs than singles. You would think it's easier to hit a ball 150 feet than 400, but no. And if you are unfamiliar with the Three True Outcomes (TTO), read that and smile.Quote:
Originally posted by dread pirate jimbo
Mike Singletary (love him!)
Tom Watson
Andre Dawson
Ryne Sandberg
Joey Crabb
1. Bernie Kosar
2. Leroy Hoard
3. Tris Speaker
4. Ron Francis
5. Jim Thome
Lawrence Taylor and Mark Bavaro.
Tiki Barber
Walter Payton
John Starks
John Stockton
Karl Malone
John Elway
Eddie McCaffrey
Terrel Davis
I take it by some of the inclusions above that "athletes" means anybody involved in a sport?
Daley Thompson
Fedor Emilianenko
Floyd Mayweather Jnr
Roy Keane
Pele
I have LT on my extended list. You actually you picked my 3 favorite football players Jali. Lawrence Taylor, Mark Bavaro and Walter Payton. I am not a big Tiki fan oddly.Quote:
Originally posted by jali
We're a lot alike, What Exit.
Here's a list with no humans:
Secretariat
Cigar
Affirmed
Seattle Slew (unsurprising, considering my screen name)
Niatross
I love it, Seattle Slow! :) I was a big fan of Seattle Slew back in the day, as well.
Mariano Rivera - One of the coolest things about Mo is that he made his name in 1996, a year before he developed his cutter.
Don Mattingly - I took the subway up to Yankee stadium 30 or 40 times a year when he was at his peak. I wish he could have gotten a ring but the Yankee brass didn't know from good pitching in those years.
Derek Jeter - Can't believe the kid is 35. Born to play the game.
Bernie Williams - Some great postseason performances and his defense was always underrated. Very graceful center fielder yet fairly clueless on the basepaths. Odd combo.
Joe Montana and Jerry Rice and Ronnie Lott and John Taylor (I lived in the Bay Area when the Niners were great)