# Who was your favorite Athlete Growing up?



## The Patriot (Nov 15, 2012)

Personally I'd have to say Tiger Woods, though Golf was never my sport (through my uncles I've been getting into it and even learning how to play) I took to Tiger Woods because of his strong work ethic, his dedication to the game. 

He wasn't just a good player he was intelligent, he had the ability to keep his head in the game and focus on where he wanted his shot to go, I also admired him for putting his education first, The only time I'd watch Golf is if Tiger was playing but I never personally took the sport. 

Putting aside all his crap and everything that's happened with him since there was a time when Tiger Woods like Michael Jordan was passionate he had that fire to succeed, I am not old enough to Idolize guys like Jordan, Rice, Gayle Sayers even though Jordan did play during my time I feel like I'm too young even now to say I Idolized him, Tiger Woods was just coming along when I was a kid. 

So who are yours and why?


----------



## Cam1 (Dec 4, 2011)

Nomar Garciaparra was my favorite when I was younger. Reason? Well, I'm not sure there is one other than he was one of the better players on my favorite team.


----------



## CopadoMexicano (Aug 21, 2004)

Emmitt Smith, Oscar De La Hoya, i like theyre style of character. They were good athletes and good people.


----------



## Claudia87 (Aug 19, 2013)

Scott Stevens. What a tank!


----------



## coldsorehighlighter (Jun 2, 2010)

Ray Bourque.


----------



## BTAG (Jun 27, 2013)

Steve McNair :cry


----------



## Zeppelin (Jan 23, 2012)

Jeff Gordon, Gary Payton, Ray Allen, & Shaun Alexander.


----------



## tennislover84 (May 14, 2010)

When I was really young, it was Martina Navratilova. :b She looked like an old lady with glasses, even though she was only in her thirties. I think she was probably an odd person for a little boy to have as his favourite athlete, but yeah.

Then when I was a teenager, I had a huge crush on Martina Hingis. So I guess she was my favourite. There's a bit of a Martina theme going on. Now that I'm older, I find Hingis to be a really annoying person. But I was more interested in what she looked like, at the time.

I guess I'll add that I supported Tim Henman too, since it seems I'm the only person listing women athletes. Mike Tyson was a big childhood favourite of mine too (OK that's a lie...)


----------



## The Enemy Within (Sep 20, 2012)

Karl Malone, Michael Jordan, John Stockton, Zico, Steve Yzerman, Magic Johnson


----------



## fonz (Oct 15, 2008)

Andre Agassi,Jonah Lomu,Jeff Wilson


----------



## pehrj (Feb 12, 2009)

Mario Lemieux


----------



## coldsorehighlighter (Jun 2, 2010)

pehrj said:


> Mario Lemieux


He's #2 on my Hockey Players Who I Wish Never Got Injured list...right ahead of Eric Lindros and right behind Bobby Orr. His Top 10 goals are incredibly filthy.


----------



## The Enemy Within (Sep 20, 2012)

^ I miss the 90's..."Legion of Doom" !


----------



## Steve French (Sep 17, 2012)

I was surprised to see so many hockey fans on this site. But yeah, it was a fellow by the name of Joe Sakic. Was just one of the most dominant players of that era, had that legendary wrist shot, and was a large part of Canada's win at the 2002 olympic games, one of my fondest sports watching memories. That was a great tournament. All those hall of fame stars, the fifty year drought, the loonie under center ice, the Gretzky speech, meeting the cross border rivals in the gold medal game, felt like something special.


----------



## loneranger (Dec 29, 2012)

Michael Phelps.


----------



## scooby (Jun 24, 2009)

Allan Langer









Darren Lockyer









Yeah Broncos! I don't really follow the NRL anymore though. Was pretty into it growing up.


----------



## Yer Blues (Jul 31, 2013)

Hockey: Bobby Orr, Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Teemu Selanne
Basketball: Jordan, Isiah Thomas
Football: Pele, Zidane 

Hard to pick just one.


----------



## The Enemy Within (Sep 20, 2012)

Yer Blues said:


> Hockey: Bobby Orr, Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Teemu Selanne
> Basketball: Jordan, Isiah Thomas
> Football: Pele, Zidane
> 
> Hard to pick just one.


Nice list, Pele was the best ever but unfortunately never saw him play when I was growing up, Zico (IMO the best player after Pele retired) was amazing


----------



## RoseWhiteRoseRed (Apr 14, 2013)

Jessica Mendoza


----------



## Yer Blues (Jul 31, 2013)

The Enemy Within said:


> Nice list, Pele was the best ever but unfortunately never saw him play when I was growing up, Zico (IMO the best player after Pele retired) was amazing


Yeah, I figured I would forget someone. I also forgot Steve Nash. I'll have to leave Vancouver Island now before the lynch mob gets me.

Terry Fox should be on that list.


----------



## ASB20 (Jun 5, 2013)

Tim Duncan of the San Antonio Spurs. Still is my favorite athlete.

I always loved his class act; his sticking around college for four years; his refusal to get in anyone's face or lower himself to anyone's taunts (looking at you, Kevin Garnett...). He made me a Spurs fan with his consistency and his stoic image. 

The day he retires, I'm going to have a long, slow, stiff drink and toast his Hall of Fame career. Thanks for everything, Timmay.


----------



## uptownzz409 (Sep 3, 2013)

Allen Iverson even though he has a very crappy attitude he was an amazing player


----------



## Nunuc (Jul 9, 2013)

*Hockey:* Mario Lemieux, Theoren Fleury, Tie Domi, Scott Stevens, Al MacInnis, Vladimir Konstantinov

*Soccer:* Diego Maradona, Iván Zamorano, Davor Suker, Zvonimir Boban, Ronald Koeman, Roberto Carlos, Lothar Matthäus, José Luis Chilavert, Peter Schmeichel


----------



## Ckg2011 (Aug 9, 2011)

Jeremy McGrath.


----------



## Joe (May 18, 2010)

Didn't have any strong favourites but I always like Gerrard, Carragher and Thierry Henry. 

Zidane and Kaka were good too.


----------



## WhoDey85 (Sep 6, 2006)

Shawn Kemp and Gary Payton


----------



## brandini734 (Jan 15, 2012)

Basketball: Jerry West, Shaq, and Kobe Bryant
Baseball: Vladimir Guerrero and Jackie Robinson
Soccer: (I never liked soccer as a kid but now I'm interested in it) Rene Higuita, Diego Maradona, and Pele


----------



## Ckg2011 (Aug 9, 2011)

*Matt Hoffman*​


----------



## Grog (Sep 13, 2013)

Tom curren
Tom Carroll 
Mark occuliopo
Mark Richards


----------



## SA go0n (Mar 5, 2014)

Barry Sanders. Greatest running back ever. Some other guys may have better stats and more rings than him, but after watching him play, I just don't see how anyone can compare to his ability.


----------



## Jammer25 (Feb 22, 2014)

Steve Young

Apart from his talent on the field, I also appreciate his intelligence and dignity in a media world full of talking heads. I'm also a lefty.


----------



## Stevejhonson (Jun 4, 2014)

i really love to play football, so my faviourite athlete in these field is ronaldo forever,,


----------



## cmed (Oct 17, 2009)

Mark Messier, Derek Jeter, Shaq


----------



## Bluestar29 (Oct 26, 2013)

Pavel Nedved and Kaka


----------



## NoHobbies (Jun 26, 2013)

Ken Griffey Jr.


----------



## Dan the man (Jul 4, 2013)

Mark Price, greatest shooter I've seen in basketball. Plus a quiet humble guy


----------



## FreshPrince (Feb 14, 2008)

brandini734 said:


> Basketball: Jerry West, Shaq, and Kobe Bryant
> Baseball: Vladimir Guerrero and Jackie Robinson
> Soccer: (I never liked soccer as a kid but now I'm interested in it) Rene Higuita, Diego Maradona, and Pele


Jerry West? And you're 19? Wish I even knew who Jerry West was when I was growing up.

Well, I did idolize Dr. J, but I didn't know of him as much as I do now. Growing up, my favorites were Mike Tyson, Allen Iverson, Michael Jordan, Jeremy Roenick, Dikembe Mutombo, Donovan McNabb, Steve McNair, Eddie George, etc.


----------



## Lacking Serotonin (Nov 18, 2012)

Kerry Wood, Ken Griffey Jr., Cal Ripken Jr., Tim Duncan, Jeff Gordon, & David Robinson.


----------



## soy sauce on toast (Apr 3, 2014)

...


----------



## MuffinMan (May 14, 2014)

Carmelo Anthony and Gerry Mcnamara, they led Syracuse to a national title right when I was at the point of my childhood to care about sports.


----------



## MindOverMood (Dec 12, 2009)




----------



## brandini734 (Jan 15, 2012)

FreshPrince said:


> Jerry West? And you're 19? Wish I even knew who Jerry West was when I was growing up.
> 
> Well, I did idolize Dr. J, but I didn't know of him as much as I do now. Growing up, my favorites were Mike Tyson, Allen Iverson, Michael Jordan, Jeremy Roenick, Dikembe Mutombo, Donovan McNabb, Steve McNair, Eddie George, etc.


I actually didn't know about Jerry West until I was compared to him by one of my elementary basketball teachers because I was one of those type of people that liked to hustle and tried to clutch against bigger opponents during a game. I later researched him from the school library and eventually watched some of his games. Instantly became one of my favorite players ever.
Although I do like some of your selections but I haven't heard of some of them. I might have to research them as they might be my new favorites.


----------



## 15 feet (Jun 8, 2014)

I watched the old UFCs during the late 90s. To me it was Royce Gracie and his family style of jiujitsu.

Basketball: Scottie Pippen, Shawn kemp, Larry "grandmama" Johnson, michael Jordan.


----------



## the collector (Aug 15, 2010)

*Ken Griffey Jr*, *Brady Anderson* & *Mike Mussina* in the great game of Baseball.
Lee Priest in the IFBB. Michael Jordan, Chris Webber in Basketball..Brett Farve in Football.


----------



## pazuzuinxs (Jan 23, 2014)

Alan Shearer, the magician of Newcastle!


----------

