InTikiITrust Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0606/gallery.exciting/content.1.html No. 15 Maria Sharapova When a 17-year-old Sharapova burst onto the scene in 2004 by winning Wimbledon, she was an immediate hit. Sure, her 6-foot-2 frame and model-like looks don't hurt, but with a power game that is every bit as strong as the Williams sisters' and a first serve that, when she lands it, is arguably the best in the women's game, Sharapova has proven that she's more than just a pretty face. No. 14 Roger Clemens If a man is willing to brush his own son off the plate with a high and tight fastball while throwing batting practice, think of what he's willing to do to major league hitters he's supposed to get out. Suffice it to say, National League hitters weren't jumping for joy when Clemens announced that he would return to the mound for the Astros in June. After all, it was only last year, at the age of 42, that Clemens led the bigs with a 1.87 ERA -- nothing out of the ordinary for a seven-time Cy Young Award winner with more than 340 wins to his credit. No. 13 Sidney Crosby By age 17, he was already being compared to such legends as Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Bobby Orr. Gretzky himself called the young center with the uncanny vision, passing skills and scoring touch the best player "since Mario" and the one most likely to shatter the Great One's records. Crosby got off to an auspicious start during his rookie season with the Penguins, becoming the youngest player in NHL history (18 years, 253 days) to top 100 points (39 goals, 63 assists), shattering Lemieux's rookie team scoring mark (100). No. 12 Chad Johnson The Bengals star has developed the game to match his outrageous personality and can be counted on for an electrifying performance every Sunday. He's got tons of speed, great hands and is almost impossible to tackle in the open field. And if you watched any NFL highlights last year, you know there's no one in sports who can match Johnson in his ability to celebrate creatively. No. 11 Pedro Martinez Whether it's striking out five of the top six NL hitters (as he did in the 1999 All-Star Game) or knocking batters out of the game who dare stand too close to the plate (as he did to Derek Jeter and Alfonso Soriano in 2003), Martinez brings a swagger to the mound that few others in the game possess. Watch any game Pedro pitches and you'll notice an increased energy level throughout the crowd, an unmistakable buzz that only surrounds the elite of the elite. Yes, he can be a little frisky and combative (just ask Don Zimmer), but that's part of the Pedro package, and baseball fans wouldn't have it any other way. No. 10 Michael Vick The most unique quarterback to come into the NFL in a long time, Vick is as skilled with the ball in the open field as any running back and has a stronger arm than any other quarterback. Although his passes aren't always accurate, there's nothing more breathtaking than watching the Falcons QB evade a rush and throw the ball 70 yards downfield with just a flick of the wrist. No. 9 Ronaldinho From his jaw-dropping dribbling skills to his electric shot to his contagious toothy grin, no one embodies thrilling soccer like two-time World Player of the Year Ronaldinho. If the Brazilian delivers on the hype at the World Cup, he might be the next one-word household name -- even in the United States. No. 8 Barry Bonds Sure, he may be the most polarizing figure in sports, but he's also the most intriguing. Did he use performance-enhancing steroids? Is he as disliked by his teammates as some have reported? Are we watching the final seasons of baseball's greatest home run hitter? And, wow, did he really just hit that ball 500 feet at the age of 41? Damn right he did. No. 7 Reggie Bush Never mind that Bush went No. 2 in April's NFL draft -- the USC star and Heisman Trophy winner was the most electrifying player in college football. Bush led the nation with 222.3 all-purpose yards per game and scored 19 touchdowns in 2005, highlighted by his 513-yard effort against Fresno State on Nov. 19 that was loaded with jaw-dropping runs. No. 6 Terrell Owens Even if you don't like him, it's hard to keep your eyes off the Cowboys' new wide receiver. Owens' rare combination of speed, size and hands makes him the most dangerous offensive threat in the NFL. No receiver can turn a routine short pass into a long gain more consistently than T.O. And once he gets to the end zone, who knows what he'll do? No. 5 Kobe Bryant Perhaps the NBA's most ruthless player, Bryant has made a career of crushing opponents' hopes with buzzer-beating shots. Already the owner of three title rings, Bryant almost single-handedly beat the Toronto Raptors in January by scoring 81 points to lead the Lakers to a 122-104 comeback win. The eight-time All-Star, also one of the league's most suffocating defenders, won the NBA scoring title in 2005-06 with 35.4 points per game. No. 4 Dwyane Wade Shaquille O'Neal may be the engine that powers the Miami Heat, but Wade is the driver. Fearless in attacking the hoop, Wade has developed an improving jumper, leaving opponents few options when it comes to slowing down the 6-foot-4 Marquette product. No. 3 Albert Pujols Baseball's most complete hitter has yet to see a pitch he couldn't punish. Power? Try five straight seasons of at least 34 homers, and 25 in his first 51 games this year. Average? How about .331 over the course of his career. And for those sabermetricians out there, the Cardinals first baseman gets on base 41 percent of the time. That's not a bad start for a 26-year-old, huh? No. 2 Tiger Woods He's the finest golfer of his generation and likely will go down as the best golfer of all time. He may not always lap the field like he used to, but he's still capable of pulling out a miracle, as he did with his chip shot at the 2005 Masters. And you can't put a price on miracles. No. 1 LeBron James In dispatching the Wizards and making the Pistons sweat in the 2006 NBA playoffs, James demonstrated why he is perhaps the most dangerous player in pro basketball. Capable of slicing through defenses for rim-rattling dunks or dissecting them with pinpoint passing, James is one of those rare players who is not only the best player on the floor but capable of making those around him better, too. The board in my sig had a big discussion about this. Who agrees witht these? Personally, as much as I love Roger Clemens, he shouldn't be on this list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCsportsfan53 Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 How the **** does Crosby make it and not Ovechkin :redpunch: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimm Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 How the **** does Crosby make it and not Ovechkin :redpunch: Because sports media doesn't know or care about hockey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spaceman Spiff Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 I don't even like hockey and know that Ovechkin pretty much kicked the **** out of Crosby this year. How Crosby made the list is beyond me. Hell, how ANY hockey player made the list is beyond me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InTikiITrust Posted June 8, 2006 Author Share Posted June 8, 2006 I'd probably put Tomlinson on this list. Absolutely unbelievable body control, insane moves, can take the ball and run like the best of them or can catch the ball in the backfield and really destroy people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsBry Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 How the **** does Crosby make it and not Ovechkin :redpunch: I'm a Penguins fan and I agree with you 100%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rincewind Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 How the **** does Crosby make it and not Ovechkin :redpunch: That immediately jumped out at me too. Forget who's better (which A.O is) there is NO WAY Crosby is anywhere near as exciting. :mad: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinfan2k Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 i would like to see the diesel on this list.. ala the big daddy, the big aristotle, the phenomenon, Shaquille O' Neal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gchwood Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 I gotta agree that Crosby is not nearly as exciting as Alex. I also think that Pedro is not nearly as exciting now that he is not throwing 70 year old men on the ground Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skins4eva Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 CNNSI panders to the lowest common denominator, and they are so PC it makes me sick...they needed one hockey player for that list, so why not just put on the dude who everyone that doesn't follow hockey knows about...meanwhile, they leave off one of the most dynamic players to hit the ice, Ovechkin, in recent memory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCsportsfan53 Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 I think this list is automatically disqualified for putting a golfer in there. I don't care how much you like golf, it's the furthest thing from exciting. :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCsportsfan53 Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 CNNSI panders to the lowest common denominator, and they are so PC it makes me sick...they needed one hockey player for that list, so why not just put on the dude who everyone that doesn't follow hockey knows about...meanwhile, they leave off one of the most dynamic players to hit the ice, Ovechkin, in recent memory. Maybe because Crosby's homegrown and Ovechkin's a Ruskie? :whoknows: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsHokieFan Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 AO should be top 5 in that list The things he did on the ice this year were incredible. The fact Crosby is up there and not Ovechkin makes this list worthless to me Reggie Bush should be higher as should Micheal Vick. TO should be lower, his feats on the field aren't that "exciting", he is just a great WR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 Baseball pitchers should not be on this list. Ovechkin WAY over Crosby. I went to 8-9 Caps games this year. AO is a one man scoring machine/wrecking crew/highlight reel all wrapped up into one. And he's only 20. :yikes: Antonio Tarver should be on the list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rincewind Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 I think this list is automatically disqualified for putting a golfer in there. I don't care how much you like golf, it's the furthest thing from exciting. :laugh: Yeah, if you're going to put a golfer up there - why not Tony Stewart? Guess they don't consider race car drivers athletes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 And Matt Hughes or Chuck Lidell once their sport is accepted as mainstream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rincewind Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 And Matt Hughes or Chuck Lidell once their sport is accepted as mainstream. Dave Mirra, Tony Hawk... This list sucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EersSkins05 Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 AO should be top 5 in that listThe things he did on the ice this year were incredible. The fact Crosby is up there and not Ovechkin makes this list worthless to me Reggie Bush should be higher as should Micheal Vick. TO should be lower, his feats on the field aren't that "exciting", he is just a great WR Hey, for once we agree, SHF... lol To me, there's no way Maria Sharapova deserved a spot. I mean, have you ever watched ANY women's tennis match and thought, "Wow, this is exciting." And even though I hate Kobe, DWade does not belong in front of him, on this list or any other. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 Dave Mirra, Tony Hawk...This list sucks. Excellent point. Id much rather see Dave Mirra hit a double backflip than watch Clemons throw. Add Shaun White to my list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsBry Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 I think this list is automatically disqualified for putting a golfer in there. I don't care how much you like golf, it's the furthest thing from exciting. :laugh: I don't know about you, but when I see Natalie Gulbis playing golf in her short skirts and tight t-shirts, I get excited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PleaseBlitz Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 And no defensive players from the NFL? Am I the only person in America that would rather see Chad Johnson get decimated by Sean Taylor than make a leaping catch over him? :whoknows: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 Maria Sharapova? lol And why do people think she's so damn hot? She's thin, which is Ok, I guess, but her face isn't that much different from other broads. I mean, I just don't get it. She's not particularly unique, except that she has "russian looks." So the f, what? So did Boris Yeltsin. No golfer or tennis player should be on the list, period. Hockey is OK to be on, as is soccer. I'd even have a sprinter or some other track athlete on there (short distance only.) But not golf or tennis. And no race car driver, they are drivers not athletes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatty P For The Pulitzer Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 I think this list is automatically disqualified for putting a golfer in there. I don't care how much you like golf, it's the furthest thing from exciting. :laugh: I'm a huge golf guy, and I completely agree. Ironically, the only time watching a golf tournament is exciting is when 3 or 4 guys are battling it out on the back 9 on Sunday for a major, NOT when Tiger is dominating and running away with it. Baseball players, especially pitchers, do not belong on a list of most exciting athletes. I enjoy watching baseball, but it doesn't excite me the way the "speed" sports do. The only thing "exciting" is watching a batter try to extend a double into a triple, or a play at the plate. Watching a pitcher shut down an offense isn't exciting in the least bit to me. The only thing exciting about Sharapova is watching her bending over as she is awaiting a serve. If Ronaldhino played in the MLS, he'd be #1. Crosby over AO is a complete joke. He's a better set up man, but he can't even hold AO's jock when it comes to creating scoring chances for himself. Where's Arenas???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbishop26 Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 Maria Sharapova? lolAnd why do people think she's so damn hot? She's thin, which is Ok, I guess, but her face isn't that much different from other broads. I mean, I just don't get it. She's not particularly unique, except that she has "russian looks." So the f, what? So did Boris Yeltsin.QUOTE] :doh: You've got to be kidding, she's a model and a hot one at that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of Posted June 8, 2006 Share Posted June 8, 2006 :doh: You've got to be kidding, she's a model and a hot one at that. Not at all. I've seen her many times. I've even completely blacked out the less flattering images from my mind. She is not unattractive. I just don't get the virtual orgasms people get from seeing her. She's a "model" because she's a tall athlete. Lots of models aren't that good looking either. That chick from X-Men 3, ArcLite, is a model too. You tell me where's the justice in that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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