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John McEnroe
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Ali
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jimmy connors
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Jonathan Edwards
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Diego Maradona
Hors Categorie: OJ
Easy:
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Anna Kournikova. No question on this. A brilliant marketer and business person who turned a good tennis career into a phenomenal modelling career s one of America’s favorite pin-up girls.
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Richard Virenque. The recently retired French climbing specialist cried about his mother during a press conference, saluted the sun during mountain top victories and made legions of French women swoon.
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Mohammad Ali. “I’m a Bad man… I’m a bad man!!!” Say no more.
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Bjorn Borg. In a heart wrenching and humbling display Borg once doused himself in a wheel barrow full of gold coins at center court while on his knees, then raised a crystal trophy to the sun in exultation.
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Bernard Hinault. “The Badger” was combative and arrogant. Color commentator Sam Posey once said, “Hinault was rude and made enemies easily.” His incidiary riding style was contrasted by his masterful gamesmanship when bluffing. His tell-all autobiography told a very human story of how he was ruthlessly stalked by the haunting specter of losing a race, and battled it with anger and huberous.
Reinhold Messner – how many sports personalities have claimed to have seen Yeti?
And also seen their soul leaving their body from the pain of exertion.
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Muhammed Ali
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Arnold Schwarzenegger
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Bob Roll
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McEnroe
Entertaining in a bad way -
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OJ
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Pete Rose
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Mike Tyson
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Tonya Harding
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Dennis Rodman
.
Ahem…
George Foreman (comeback). Here’s a guy who realized that all the contenders were either bums or in jail and jumped at the opportunity. So he “gets into shape” by losing 40 pounds (380 to 340) and gets in the ring with a fighting style akin to a caveman. Plus, he lent his name to the George Foreman grill. And named all his sons “George.”
Eddy the Eagle Edwards.
The Jamaican Bobsled team.
William the Refrigerator Perry
Old school NFL badasses. I love watching the old NFL films, particularly the profiles of guys like Butkus, Chuck Bednarik, Lambert, Jack Youngblood, Jim Brown, etc. Guys who ate too much rare red meat and didn’t think anything of going out and getting loaded the night before a big game.
Babe Ruth.
Sorry,
McEnroe wasn’t even #1 in Tennis, Ilie Nastase was a much better showman…he’d yell and scream at an umpire with veins popping out of his forehead and then walk back to the baseline and wink at a TV camera or the fans. He was all show, McEnroe was a nut…still is, saw him speak at a sports hall of fame dinner a few weeks ago and he was insane.
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Ali
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George Best
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Babe Ruth
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Lee Trevino
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Gareth Edwards
I’d have to put Willie Banks on that list. The guy was magic at every meet.
How-Wahd Co-Sell!!!
Baseball edition:
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Mark “The Bird” Fidrych.
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Bill “Spaceman” Lee.
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John Kruk (who once justified his lack of physical conditioning by stating “You’ve never heard anyone go on the disabled list with pulled fat.”)
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Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd (trying to make a comeback now at age 45)
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Al “The Mad Hungarian” Hrabosky
There is only one at the top, and he is so far above the rest that a top five is simply not warranted.
ALI
Everyone else is an imitator. “And I’m pretty”.
The Worm - Dennis Rodman. Never really respected him personally, although he was a great defensive player. Definitely entertaining, never knew what he might try to pull off next.
I’ll post it here too:
Cipo.
Rodman/Jordan.
Warren Sapp.
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Ali
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Art Donovan
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Charles Barkley
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Bill Walton
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Jackie Stewart
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Alberto Tomba
Hilarious/obnoxious/amazing athlete
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I was waiting to see Barkley. Glas you got him.
Add Ali (#1)
Spaceman Bill Lee
McCenroe
Neon Deon
Anna
John Daley
…
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Maria Sharapova
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Anna Kournikova
the hell with the rest 
“I’m young, I’m handsome, and I can’t possibly be beat!!!” Ali will always be the man.
Francois,
McEnroe heads the list of the most annoying sports personality. Ali wins hands down as the most entertaining followed buy a bunch of WWF wrestlers.
Baseball edition:
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Mark “The Bird” Fidrych.
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Bill “Spaceman” Lee.
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John Kruk (who once justified his lack of physical conditioning by stating “You’ve never heard anyone go on the disabled list with pulled fat.”)
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Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd (trying to make a comeback now at age 45)
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Al “The Mad Hungarian” Hrabosky
That’s a fantastic list. I was just trying to explain Hrabosky to my wife the other day for some reason, but I couldn’t do him justice. I almost forgot about “The Bird.”