Thing of it is, Jones played football and got the nickname on his first day of practice at Tennessee State because his pants didn't fit properly. The . Honestly, Blake "The Griffin" Griffin would probably sum up his legend just as crisply. Griffey Jr. was one of the game's greatest players and the possessor of its sweetest swing, and he went into the Hall of Fame with a record-breaking 99.32 percent of the vote. Whether it was tossing a strike to Dwight Clark for "The Catch" or leading a Super Bowl-winning drive, "Joe Cool" did it all. mjk funeral home obituaries; san jose state university graduate programs deadlines Men umschalten. Given that his heyday coincided nicely with the release of groundbreaking The Matrix Trilogy, the nickname was an especially appropriate one. The legendary talent earned his fair share of intimidating nicknames, few of which truly detailed his actual prowess. 23 ever since his career started in 2012 and it is more than likely that he will be the last player in the history of the Warriors to wear that number. Share with Friends Add To Playlist. Possibly one of the most well-known athletes of all-time, George Herman Ruth could have had his nickname "Babe" included with Tiger Woods, Magic Johnson, and Boomer Esiason, but it was just one of many for the 22 year pitcher turned outfielder. That didn't stop people from complaining about the complimentary but racist nickname however. The former Kansas City Chief, Christian Okoye, was a Nigerian-American running back who played six seasons in the NFL, earning one rushing title and two Pro Bowl appearances. Trans Men Erase Women. 1. Larry Jordan was actually the better basketball player when the pair were youngsters and MJ only picked up the sport in order to play with his older brother. Seven receptions all season for a total of 151 yards and a touchdown, making him the Montreal Allouettes' eighth receiver in statistical terms. Toggle the table of contents . But his 473-foot shot in 2007 off Zack Greinke might. Cream of the Crop: TheAnimal (Muppet-inspired of course), TheFlyingTomato. This clue last appeared January 18, 2023 in the NYT Crossword. Rumor has it he never embraced names related to his height. ET. A 7'1" tree with more nicknames than points per game (4.0 career average), Joel Przybilla is a force to be reckoned with; if mostly in the Name Hall of Fame. Cream of the Crop: Joe Cool, The Comeback Kid, Golden Joe. Twenty-three is the number . With a respected work ethic and a lion's heart, Rice gracefully set countless receiving records and cemented himself as perhaps the greatest football player of all time. legendary athlete number 23 nickname. As a result, Chuck earned every hefty nickname one could possibly script. Find the US States - No Outlines Minefield, Find the Countries of Europe - No Outlines Minefield. His nickname suggests as much, as it is indicative of a man who . A three-time champion goalie with the Edmonton Oilers during the '80s, Andy Moog was 5'6" of pure inspiration. The seven foot tall Dream is the NBA's all-time block leader, is a two-time NBA Champion and a twelve-time All-Star. Free, a 1980 All-Star with a rainbow jumper, receding hairline and tremendous name. [texts-excerpt] penalty for cutting mangroves in floridaFREE EstimateFREE Estimate It feels safe to say that's an event that won't happen again for a long time, if ever. Tuesday, February 28, 2023 . Thomas goes about 6-foot-5, 275 pounds, and was, purely on physical stature, the most intimidating hitter of his era. What was your favorite jersey number that numerous legends wore? Either way, the nickname was intimidating, and so was Parker. Cream of the Crop: Zeke from Cabin Creek, The Logo, Mr. He currently holds a professional fighting record of 35-11, but is on a three fight winning streak since his 2013 start with Bellator, which of course followed his three fight losing streak with the UFC. Kemp, the driving force (along with Gary Payton) behind the SuperSonics' run as a power in the Western Conference, was given his nickname by Seattle broadcaster Kevin Calabro, who saw the name on a poster and decided to bestow it on Kemp. World B. There is very little that is "royal" or "dignified" about Barkley, and fans have long adored him for it. Cream of the Crop: The Flyin' Hawaiian, The Maui Wowie, The Pineapple Express. Lists of nicknames - nickname list articles on Wikipedia Jim Carrey even starred in a 2007 movie called The Number 23 in which a troubled man becomes obsessed with a book, fittingly entitled The Number 23: A Novel of Obsession. Every bit of 6-foot-4, Lemieux had a build usually associated with lumbering enforcers. Mr. Hockey, indeed. But it's so unique, and the athlete connected to it so great great enough that he could reasonably be called the greatest all-around baseball player ever that it ends up belonging in any conversation about iconic monikers. A truly great player, and a truly great nickname. In other words, Ben Zobrist. Now imagine in a sport filled with tough guys bearing tough nicknames, that the guy who just humiliated you is called "Sweet Pea" by his fans. She was a crowd favourite wherever she raced. Fans like to make a big stink about baseball players getting $325 million over thirteen years (Giancarlo Stanton, which averages out to $25 million per year) but Floyd Mayweather has made hundreds of millions in the last couple of years. Hasek's time in Buffalo saw him lead the league in save percentage six years in a row and take home the Vezina Trophy as the league's best goalie in five of those seasons. colonel frank o'sullivan interview; beverly hills high school football A pretty fitting nickname for a guy known for shattering backboards, methinks. And hopefully adjusted their birth certificates accordingly. He, of course, stuck with that number throughout his college and professional careers. Pel, byname of Edson Arantes do Nascimento, (born October 23, 1940, Trs Coraes, Brazildied December 29, 2022, So Paolo, Brazil), Brazilian football (soccer) player, in his time probably the most famous and possibly the best-paid athlete in the world. Stabler was a villain for any football fan who disliked the Raiders, and there were plenty of those outside of Oakland. There was also the now infamous No.45 doesnt explode like No.23 used to quote from Orlando Magic guard Nick Anderson which pushed Jordan to change back. Norman "Boomer" Esiason was a four time Pro Bowl selection over his fourteen year career, but few have ever referred to the 1988 MVP by his real first name. YOU. Our love for the title "King James" is like a bear trap; only one that's been left out so long that it's rusted shut. August 10, 2021 9:00 am. 23 in NBA history, and he really made the number the important figure it is on basketball fans' minds. He is unquestionably one of the greatest boxers, regardless of weight class, of all time. He has thrown for the most career yards of any NFL quarterback, has completed the most passes of any quarterback and still holds the most consecutive starts of any NFL player. "The Great One" is not only the best hockey player of all time, but also has the greatest nickname in the sporting world. It was Yankees teammate Thurman Munson who gave him the "Mr. October" nickname, and Jackson backed it up, hitting three first-pitch home runs in a clinching Game 6 win in the 1977 World Series. Just in his time at New Orleans with 23 on his back, Davis earned six All-Star selections, led the league in blocks three times, won an All-Star MVP, and averaged 24 points and 10 rebounds. Former Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal had a lot of nicknames throughout his career, including "Diesel," "The Big Cactus," and "Shaq Daddy.". His other nickname is a hilarious pun that we will not explain. The number refers to the year 1947 when the riffle was introduced into service with the Soviet Army. city of glendale, wi permits; critical role cancelled; metatron cube religion; best wireless earbuds for travel; principle based ethics strengths and weaknesses; A huge number of fans would like to nickname as per the nickname of the star. Guy Mariano was absolutely the first skateboarder I looked up to. Magic Johnson is one of them. Is this a great nickname? Cream of the Crop: Earl the Pearl, Black Magic, Black Jesus, Thomas Edison. Most of the time, sons of athletes don't want to stand in their fathers' shadows, but Mancini, who inherited the "Boom Boom" moniker from his father, Lenny, took it and ran with it and is much more widely associated with it. Pretty frustrating, right? News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. Interest and investment in women's sports have been on the rise in . His actual first name is Earvin, but "Magic" is his widely accepted name these days. SportsIcon Previews The Sports Metaverse with Legendary Athletes . One of the greatest fighters of all time, Duran was also one of boxing's most legendary punchers a pressure fighter who liked to brawl with opponents, mainly because he almost always came out on top. All rights reserved. As such, a nickname like "The Snake" was perfect for the renegade quarterback. The Wu-Tang Clan references are as classy as nicknames come. After a 12-0 start to his mixed martial arts career, including wins over an aged Keith Jardine and Antonio Rogerio "Little Nog" Nogueira, he suffered two lost bouts to Jon Jones and Tito Ortiz. The 285-pound southpaw was all heart. Now imagine a guy who was so aggressive that other professional race car drivers gave him the nickname "The Intimidator." Bad luck. From Ted "The Splendid Splinter" Williams to Elvis "Toast" Patterson, nicknames have always been part of sports. Joe Maddon's versatile switch-hitter also goes by the names Zo, Zobe, Ben-zee, Z-man and Zobo. For those who missed it, he is called "The Law Firm" due to the fact that a hyphenated last name in conjunction with a first name that sounds like it could be a last name, sounds like a potential name of a legal office. Well, maybe. A teammate noted that this was because he was "too tall to play football," and the name stuck. Though soft-spoken and humble outside of the ring, Smokin' Joe induced terror in his opponents when the bell rang. However, nicknames you give yourself rarely stick. Cream of the Crop: Ghostface Przybilla, Vanilla Gorilla, Joel Dolla-Dolla-Billa, White Kong. If you don't believe me, just ask Mike Tyson. Clemens won the Cy Young award seven times and the World Series twice. It is an iconic nickname, to be sure, but younger audiences may scratch their heads at this one. Griffey's father was a major leaguer, and father and son hit back-to-back home runs in 1990. 1750 ne 167th st, north miami beach, fl 33162; the woman in the window rotten tomatoes; pima county jail money on books; ap stats unit 1 progress check . 19. When I came back, I thought 45 was perfect because I did have an association with the number. You'd be enraged, right? One of the greatest NBA centers of all time, Hakeem Olajuwon takes number fifteen on this list. He thrived under pressure and led some of the most historic drives the football world never imagined possible. Chris Mueller is the co-host of The PM Team with Poni & Mueller on Pittsburgh's 93.7 The Fan, Monday-Fridayfrom 2-6 p.m. MORE INFO. I wanna be able to shoot like him. Michael Jordan is the most iconic No. NBA Nicknames Funny NBA Nicknames For NBA . Anthony Davis. Inside" because the court was his canvas and he was a thriving artist, Jerry West first earned his Zeke-related nickname due to small-town West Virginia roots. Could have gone with "The Splendid Splinter" here, but something about "Teddy Ballgame" calls to mind a player whose talents transcended the sport, and that's exactly what Williams did. These are the 25 worst nicknames for professional athletes. Cream of the Crop: The Round Mound of Rebound, Leaning Tower of Pizza, Pillsbury Dough Boy, The Crisco Kid. Even though Anthony Davis' major achievement in the NBA came with the LA Lakers and with No. Warne famously passed his No.23 shirt on to Michael Clarke to signal the end of his days wearing the green and gold threads in 2004 following his 12-month ban for diuretic use. But the crafty outfielder will always be remembered for his speed and heritage, both ingredients in creating the perfect names. "Money" on the other hand is a nickname that references the factthat he is the highest paid athlete in the world right now. He also may well be the best defensive player in NFL history, having racked up 198 sacks, 13 Pro Bowls and 10 first-team All-Pro nods during his illustrious career. Chad Johnson, on the other hand gets a dishonorable mention here. Additionally, his ability to survive and remain in good health twentyyears after an HIV diagnosis is nothing short of magic. While he may be widely known today for his HIV/AIDS diagnosis and activism, he is also one of the most decorated point guards in the history of the game. Now number 13 may be considered unlucky by many, but there could not be any lucky number for basketball player Wilt Chamberlain. The only other time was when his regular No.23 went missing prior to a game, forcing him to wear 12 as close to half of 23 as he could get. With his recent ads flooding televisions around the nation, "The Weight Watcher" might be the most fitting. 23 Stats Can you name the 23 Greatest Athletes to Wear No. Two-time Olympic gold medalist Shaun White is a rare breed of soaring tomato, whether he's tired of the name or not. A scrappy spark plug on the Phillies' championship club of 2008, speedster Shane Victorino was last seen patrolling the Los Angeles outfields at Dodger Stadium, a shell of his former self. LeBron James has also added immense greatness to the figure with his legendary, title-winning career with the Cleveland Cavaliers and LA Lakers (wearing 23). The swimmer . To many, "The Greatest" defined greatness in every facet of life. Arguably the most physically dominant player in league history, O'Neal's nickname is simple a shortened version of his first name. Anthony's lakers jersey made using our basketball uniform template. One of the NFL's most explosive runners of the past decade, the 2014 Super Bowl winning Seattle Seahawk makes our list at number six. As such, and owing to his oftentimes tumultuous off-field life, the wide receiver is much more commonly called "Bad Moon," for which he can thank ESPN anchor Chris Berman. His self-assigned nickname has become a fan favorite, as Lynch is one of the most difficult NFL players to tackle and can also run faster than most of those trying to bring him down. B.C. Queen James won't do either. ), Cream of the Crop: Vinsanity, Air Canada, Half Man Half Amazing. Oh, and he throws a slider so nasty that if you miss it by 3 feet, no one will bat an eyelash. An under-reported part of the lives of many athletes is the time before they became . "Shaq" has a certain intimidating quality to it, which is fitting, since O'Neal was the kind of guy who managed to impose his will on other enormously large human beings night after night. He is widely referred to as the G.O.A.T. James is the most popular, visible athlete in the country, if not the world. If you're going to be known for your kicking, "The Toe" is one heck of a nickname. 26. The next man to wear it is a little closer to home for Australians, with cricketer Shane Warne selecting it as his ODI number in honour of his childhood hero, Australian rules footballer and Hall of Famer Dermott Brereton. 21 throughout his 19-year career a legendary . Despite that, Wepner is known for being one of the most durable fighters of his era. Whitaker's nickname actually comes from the mishearing by a sportswriter of what his fans actually called him, which was "Sweet Pete.". The actual "Broadway Joe" nickname was coined by his Jets teammate Sherman Plunkett. But then again, he's the most famous athlete in the world, so he's probably OK with the trade-off. That depends on two things--whether or not you're a Kobe fan, and whether or not you think it's okay for athletes to give themselves a nickname. He was Premier League's best player techn. However, "The Hfck From French Lick" is much more fun, rhymes and calls to mind Bird's humble roots growing up in a small, rural town. michael greenspan dorie; back house for rent la puente; vertikalna pegla na paru iskustva; burlington careers sign in; party rentals jacksonville fl godfrey family hawaii. Believe it or not, there was a time when being 350 pounds was highly unusual for an interior lineman in the NFL. Cream of the Crop:Crouchinho, El Esparagus, Two Metre Peter, RoboCrouch, Bean Pole. He had as versatile an offensive game as anyone in the league despite not being a top-drawer athlete and leaper like some of his contemporaries. The QB, who grew up in small-town Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, about 35 minutes outside of Pittsburgh, immediately took to the Big Apple, dressing in fur coats, hanging in the most elite social circles and becoming a tabloid fixture. A personal favorite here, as this nickname succinctly describes Johnson's game he was a key bench player for the Pistons, one who could get hot in a hurry when he entered a contest and rolls off the tongue nicely. Sometimes they are seemingly random, and sometimes they make perfect sense. Legendary nicknames - The most original athlete nicknames. Michael Jordan will be turning 55 on February 17, and although his career as a basketball player ended many years ago, his legacy lives on. 23 to have played in the league. Long after her successful career as an athlete, PT Usha was elected as the president of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) in 2022 at the age of 58. No one was cooler under pressure than Montana, and he has the hardware four Super Bowls and two Super Bowl MVPs - to prove it. T ennis legend Martina Navratilova, who is openly lesbian, has been ousted from the board of Athlete Ally, a nonprofit that promotes LGBT inclusion in sports. While the word marvelous is flowery and makes one think of a real artist in the ring, Hagler had one of the greatest chins in boxing history and was a relentless pressure fighter without a weakness. By, Mark Rucker/Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images, Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images, Cincinnati/Collegiate Images/Getty Images, Matt A. Brown/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, B Bennett/Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images, Paul Tepley Colection/Diamond Images/Getty Images, This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. 3 car was one of the most recognizable sights in NASCAR. Known as the Babe to fans, and Jidge to teammates, George Herman Ruth was simply the holiest presence ever to step foot inside a batter's box. Wayne Gretzky is thought of as the greatest hockey player ever. No installation. winslow accident today; taches brunes sur feuilles de caoutchouc; . The purpose of a nickname can be placed squarely inside the realm of the show and pageantry of professional sports. Would it really have been the same if courses had had to "Eldrick-proof" themselves to deal with Woods' prodigious talents? I wanna be able to fly like him, James said. Tom Brady. Some felt it was a description of his graceful, smooth running style, but others hypothesized that it was a sarcastic description of his running, which was often vicious and painful for the defenders trying to tackle one of the NFL's all-time greats. His career batting average of .301 and his 521 home runs make "The Big Hurt" an easy nickname to understand. Gretzky's nickname is self-explanatory, and his numbers, even playing in the run-and-gun 1980s, are still eye-popping and completely unreachable by any player, unless Sidney Crosby plays at a high level until he's around 50 years old. However, after seeing it used favorably in a headline, he came around on it. Many of his knockout victories have followed flurries of punches, knees and kicks that would have fatigued other fighters. Grimson might well be the least-distinguished player on this list, but that doesn't matter, because his nickname fit him perfectly. Find Me In Brains Riddle. (Greatest of All Time), but for our purposes, his nicknames referring to his jumping and dunking abilities are his best aliases. Frazier possessed a crushing left hook, one of the greatest single punches in the history of the sport, and despite being undersized for the heavyweight division, he was one of boxing's toughest and most feared forces. His natural ability coupled with a dizzying array of moves, including his signature "Dream shake," made guarding him more like a nightmare. A good way to earn a nickname is to be so good that one just fits perfectly. The six-year UFC veteran has two nicknames. It was the former quality that led to his nickname, and it was very well-deserved, as Payton is the only point guard in NBA history, and one of only four guards, period, to win Defensive Player of the Year. The man who made triple-doubles a thing has a nickname that is obvious. This article will explore some of the funniest NBA Nicknames that were bestowed upon these legendary athletes from all different eras of NBA history. 3.1 College. While there are many witty nicknames in the sports world that involve athlete's countries of origin or ancestry, such as Chan Sung Jung "The Korean Zombie" and Krzysztof Soszinsky "The Polish Experiment," a football player and boxer share this spot on the list as a pair of "Nigerian Nightmares.". Those beginnings make Bird's status as one of the league's all-time trash talkers and clutch shooters even more enjoyable. He returned to Cleveland in 2014 and won the 2016 NBA title, before joining the LA Lakers in 2018 and achieving another championship with 23 on his jersey. Richmond wore No. Archer is a legendary athlete like Milkha Singh who succumbed to Covid-19 on June 19 numbers sprinkled! Alain Prost is the most famous French race car driver of all time. His passes were daring, often ridiculous and usually successful. By schredder. In only three NFL seasons, Kentucky Fried Lorenzen accomplished more than most starting quarterbacks can hope to achieve in a lifetime. 23 for the Warriors during his tenure in the Run TMC era with Tim Hardaway and Chris Mullin, and with the LA Lakers in his final NBA season (2001-02) when he was a member of the title-winning squad. https://goo.gl/tX6CcK-~-~~-~~. With a hairstyle that is slammed on the other side of the Mr. Clean spectrum, Puyol continues to roar his way toward fashion-and-athletic greatness. But his reasoning wasnt based on any superstition, historical events or ancient Chinese teachings it was because of his brother. NBA. One of the best defenders in the world, FC Barcelona captain Carles Puyol is respected most for his relentless motor and undeniable grit. Please logout and login again. Owner of a dog with a Napoleon complex, consumer of beer, cooker of chili, closet Cleveland Browns fan. Any real attempt to explain the nickname of one of the NBA's most unrepentant chuckers of the basketball would probably be fruitless. Chamberlain is regarded as one of the greatest players in history. There are even a shocking number of children's books written by professional athletes. While he may have had thin legs, thus the fourth nickname, "Bird Legs," Montana had the thickest of hearts. Wayne Gretzky might be the sport's greatest player, but Red Wings legend Gordie Howe, in many respects, was its most popular. 25. "MJ" or "His Airness" could have been the pick here, but "Air Jordan" most appropriately captures what Jordan was most famous for: feats of incredible athleticism, especially when going in for a dunk. Chuck Liddell is one of the most prolific fighters in the history of the promotion and fought from 1998 until 2010, when he retired at age 40. Does this nickname really need much explanation? White was an ordained minister and man of devout faith, which makes the origins of his nickname rather obvious. At the peak of his Olympic powers, the 23-time gold medalist was eating somewhere around 8-10,000 calories every day to fuel his legendary eight-gold run through the 2008 summer games. SportsIcon CEO and Co-Founder Chris Worsey previously built a number of EdTech startups including Coursematch, one of the first movers in the trend of edtech companies aimed at democratising . Lane, who holds the single-season record for interceptions with 14, was at first not thrilled with the "Night Train" nickname, which was connected to the music world. In his prime, nobody freed the beast quite like "Rampage" Jackson. Sometimes, no matter how fitting a nickname is, there isn't a truly great story behind it. "The Admiral" was a perfect nickname, blending his military background with his imposing presence on the court. While it may seem curious, at first, once someone explains the name, calling the man "Vinnie" seems almost wrong by comparison. sported No. by Charlotte Allen 3 . His dunks were so effortless in college that one coach remarked that watching him perform the feat, "looked like a dream." Ruth was a superb pitcher, but truly captured the public's imagination with his prodigious home run power, especially in an era where homers were relatively rare. The nickname was coined by Ken Harrelson while Thomas was a member of the Chicago White Sox early in his career. After a nearly non-existent 2009 season, he looked impressive for the New England Patriots in 2010 and 2011, running for 1008 and 667 yards with 13 and 11 touchdowns respectively. No. The Jazz' starting guard throughout much of the 1980's was an NBA Rookie of the Year and was one of the most prolific three point shooters of his time, not to mention his insane dunking abilities. No one is entirely sure what the genesis of Payton's nickname is, other than the fact that he picked it up in college. The fact that he was the league's fiercest dunker and a force at power forward probably helped it stick. One of the best open-court finishers and overall athletes in the NBA, Marion would routinely make incredible plays that seemed to defy physics. Undrafted in 2008, Green-Ellis ran for 275 yards in his rookie year with five touchdowns. "Larry Legend" also could have applied here, and it was very self-explanatory, as nicknames go. LeBron James is the most famous 23 in the world at the moment. Known for "The War" with Marvin Hagler, a three-round epic that saw both fighters trade punches continuously, Hearns also had a pair of classic, and controversial, fights with "Sugar" Ray Leonard. Family first. Report this user for behavior that violates our Community Guidelines. 23. His nicknames come from his head of hair along with his wild play on the field. For a breakdown of his earnings from fights, see TheRichest.com. Whether you like Berman or not, you have to admit that he gave one of the era's most talented receivers a fantastic nickname. A fitting end to a beloved career. Professional sports seems to be the perfect breeding ground for bizarre and hilarious nicknames for athletes. The first is David Beckham, arguably the most recognisable sportsman former or current on the planet. Ryan Bader, a former "The Ultimate Fighter" winner, is always a contender in the UFC's Light Heavyweight division. With 22 seasons in MLB, ten All-Star selections, nine years as the MLB's strikeout leader, a perfect game, a no-hitter, and one dead dove that flew in front of his pitch back in 2001, "The Big Unit" is undoubtedly destined for the Hall of Fame.