Favourite Athlete/s

[S.K]

Do you have any particular favourites? They can be people from the present or the future.

I'd say my overall favourite athlete in the world right now is Lebron James. I know he's the stereotypical NBA player to love, but he makes my jaw drop everytime I watch him play. He also seems to have a good sense of humour, and enjoys his basketball. He doesn't have the swagger and self importance some NBA players have.

In other sports I'd list Osi Umenyora as my favourite NFL player, Steven Gerrard as my favourite footballer and Rafael Nadal as my favourite tennis player.

[M16]

My absolute favorite athlete was Cal Ripken Jr. He made the game unlimited amounts of fun to watch, even if he was on a dead-end team. He was such a stand-up guy, as well, and it pained me to see him leave. I was at his last game ever at Camden Yards, and I shed a tear for my parting role model. I still respect the guy, because he's got his own line of Little Leagues down in Maryland, and personally funds a bunch of fields. He's still contributing back to the community. He was in a commercial with his daughter a couple of years back, I think to market Coca-Cola. It brought back some fond memories.


Presently, my favorite athlete is Dustin Pedroia of the Boston Red Sox. Obviously I'm partial to him from the start, since I'm a Sox fan. But I looked up his biography and he's just a really funny guy with a ton of drive. When speaking about himself, he mentions how he's not an all-star. He's 5'8", he's only just above-average speed, he's average strength for a guy his size, but he's so driven to succeed that he pretty much willed his way through the baseball system. Watching him play is just so much fun, because you can tell just by watching that he puts everything he's got into every single one of his plays, whether in the field or at bat.


The only other sport I really watch is college football. I used to love watching Kory Sheets and the wide receiver from Purdue. I can't remember the wide receiver's name. But they were really the only two stellar players on the team, so whenever they got the ball the fans knew something big was going to happen.

Tiger Woods is also fun to watch. But I only really know him because he's so commercialized. I don't watch enough golf to know anyone else.

[Haku]

Well I look up to Vladimir Vujasinovic as an idol.
He is a Serbian Water Polo player which currently plays in the Italian National Water Polo League, for Pro Recco.
I have idolised him because his sportsmanship and skill is beyond compare. His composure in the water is just so controlled and relaxed, it seems like he owns the game. His presence in a team, any team, would improve the morale greatly. He is such a great captain.
His control of the ball is extremely accurate, as seen by his shooting and passing. He usually shoots from the half way line to about 10 metres out from the goal, and the ball always seem to find the back of the net, usually by means of bounces or accurate top corner shots. His assists are also his strong point, quick and accurate to the hands of a player that the goalkeeper and several other players are unaware of, we could say that it is his experienced field perception.
Not the fastest player but a well rounded player. His defence is key to the team. He can immunize a ferocious opponent and also cause damage.
He is such a naturally talented polo player, and he isn't that old, but he is known through out as an experienced veteran. Top ranked. Hall of famed.
I try to imitate his style of play in the water, but it involves a lot of experience and stamina. I don't know how he does it so efficiently.
I love watching him play as he moves so gracefully.

I also love watching Russell Martin play for the LA Dodgers. There is just this aura about him when he connects with the pitcher. The same kind which Jason Varitek creates. However, with Russell Martin, the sudden bursts of Hits and Home Runs delight me.

[Kael]

I actually know this guy...its name is Arnaldo Abrantes...hes the new Portuguese sprinter besides Obikwelo and hes participating in the Olimpic games of 2008 in Pequin.

Besides him...i dont really know right now

[Lina]

Soccer:
Kaka', Brazil/Milan. Yeah, everyone says Cristiano is the best in the world right now, but I still prefer Kaka'. He's just as talented and not a douchebag.

Football:
Troy Polamalu, Pittsburgh Steelers. He's crazy and he's definitely one of the key components of Pitts' defense. When he's in top form, you can count on him to be wherever the ball is. He's like a hurricane, for lack of a more imaginative comparison. He's also an incredibly humble and softspoken guy, which you would never expect when you see him-- his appearance or the way he plays.

Tennis:
Rafael Nadal, Spain. He's awesome. I quite like Federer too, but there's something special about Nadal. This past summer at Wimbledon, the return while he was sitting on the ground just cemented everything I ever liked about him.

Baseball:
Jorge Posada, New York Yankees. My favorite used to be Martinez back in the day, but as the Yankees have definitely proven lately, nothing lasts forever. George is my favorite now because of his consistency, devotion, and role as a team leader. He's one of the few guys left from the height of the Joe Torre dynasty, and I respect him a lot for all the years he has played.

Jacoby Ellsbury, Boston Red Sox. I hate the Sox, but I love Jacoby. He's young, he's fresh, and he delivers. He plays with such ease and such poise for someone who has not even been playing MLB for a year yet. He's really talented; now we just need to get him to follow Johnny Damon to New York. ;)

[charliepanayi]

The other day I was thinking of who I'd pick to be my five greatest sportspeople of all time, and I came up with:

Pele
Muhammad Ali
Don Bradman
Tiger Woods
Jesse Owens/Carl Lewis (couldn't decide between them)

I think those five were all/are supreme in their fields, especially Don Bradman whose batting average is almost ridiculous when you think that no-one has come remotely close to it. And many of them, like Ali, Woods and Owens transcended their sports to become figureheads in different ways. Plus, despite what my Dad may say, Pele was better than Diego Maradona!

As for people nowadays, I'd say Tiger Woods and Roger Federer, both could well become the greatest golfer/tennis player of all time. And Paolo Maldini too - a true footballing legend.

[AmishOpiate]

Cal Ripken Jr. was my idol growing up, just like he was for everyone who was growing up in Baltimore at that time. I could see Memorial Stadium from my house, and the lights at night.

[Kronine]

Fucking Michael Jordan and Dennis Rodman, man! (Yes, I still live in the past.)

I also like Anastasia Myskina. :)
http://sportsnbeauty.blogspot.com/2007_07_01_archive.html

Yeah...

I was also a fan of José Theodore. In school, I would play as a goal tender and in my head I was very inspired by him.
My interest in hockey faded away though. I don't have the body built for that, puwahahahahaha!

[Dunky]

Used to be both Jet and Lightning. Can't say I don't enjoy Oblivion and Enigma these days. Plus Battleaxe is beautifully named and amply bosomed.

[Zoryan]

Soccer: well I have 3 favourite soccer players, them being Rui Costa (one of the last great playmakers, a pure number 10), a player that was just classy at everything he did on the pitch, and out of it I find him to be a very relaxed person, not so money driven as most (he is know the Benfica's sports director - handles the transfers and such). Other two players are Robin van Persie and Andrea Pirlo, both of them very proffessional and extremely skilled.

Basketball: I've always liked Michael Jordan, what can I say :P also like Kobe Bryant, although I don't have much knowledge about how he is outside the court, I just like to watch him play.

Triatlum: Vanessa Fernandes, our very own portuguese champion, who wins just about everything >< having come from a quite poor background and bad training conditions, until she was signed to a big club (Benfica), because in Portugal the training conditions for every sport but soccer and maybe hockey are poor, old and just overall bad, due to lack of supports. Yet, she managed to reach success and now she's just amazing. Another great example of perseverance and proffessionalism.

[Frozen Fate]

NBA- Chris Paul, Andre Iguodala, LeBron James, Steve Nash, Louis Williams, Tracy McGrady

MLB- MANNY RAMIREZ, Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Griffey Jr, David Ortiz

NFL- LaDanian Tomlinson, Brian Dawkins, Steve Smith, Brian Westbrook, at this point, anyone but Brett Favre.