Your Favourite Sports Stars

[steds]

How would you know?

 

[Natman20]

Rugby League
Steve Price
Andrew Johns
Stacey Jones

Cricket
Shane Bond
Ricky Ponting
Andrew Symmonds
Brett Lee
Daniel Vettori
Inzamam
Afridi
Flintoff
Warne

WRC (World Rally Championship)
Sebastian Loeb
Carlos Sainz
Marcus Gronholm

F1
Jenson Button
Michael Schumacher
Fernando Alonso

Rugby Union
Daniel Carter
Joe Rokokoko
Chris Jack
Monty Tequire

Golf
Michael Campbell
Tiger Woods
Retief Goosan

Tennis
Rafeal Nadal
Roger Federer
Martina Hingus

 

[Magrat Garlick]

D'you reckon Bjorndalen took it too easy, he seemed really overconfident. The way he went off in the first race (20km I think, on the Saturday), just exuded arrogance. IIRC he threw a shot wide early on, and then another at the last shoot. You can tell just how good he is though - the English commentators generally think he can pull back unreal deficits.

Bjørndalen never takes things too easy. He's so professional it's scary (at least, that's the good old media picture). Then again, that can come off as arrogant too. From what I remember, he missed the first two and was totally out of the running - then came back with good skiing, but messed up a loading on the final shoot, which may have cost the gold.

What's your favourite form Hakon? I only really saw sprint to start with, but I saw the mass start the other day (Slovenia) for the first time. There wasn't the same excitement as with the individual - you can see who's winning without the time splits. I also prefer the penalty loops as opposed to the time penalities. Yet to see a pursuit - are these any good?

Pursuit is the same as mass start, really - except that with some people getting a head start it tends to be even more schewed towards the favourites. The bold part I found interesting - it's the mass starts and the pursuits that's given biathlon the boost in competition with other winter sports such as cross-country skiing (who waited too long to introduce mass starts, got outcompeted by biathlon, and, in an attempt to take back lost market share, have made everything apart from the odd 10-15 km race mass starts - while it's the 30 and 50-km individual start races that are really fun to watch, IMO, since so much can change during 1-2 hours in the forest). Not sure what my favourite event, is, mind - the sprint is too short, the individual is too random, the mass start too bunchy and the pursuit only worth watching when they're at the shooting range and at the finish. I'll say sprint, since Norwegians usually win there (bar today's "disaster", to quote the NRK commentator...).

(hm. Maybe a good idea to take this to MSN. )

 

[BoyBrumby]

Ronaldinho (As obvious as he is, basically on everyone's list no doubt. I just love watching him play)

Not on mine, the gawky, horse-faced simpleton.

I'd have more respect for him if he'd admitted he fluked it in against us in 2002. "The falling leaf" indeed. Utter twaddle.

 

[steds]

I'd remove that now, Jumbo. Never know who might add you.

 

[Cloete]

Cloete,

Adrian Cashmore???

Yeah just used to love watching the guy play and I thought he was just a genuinely nice guy who was dealt a few roudh hands. Similar to my view on Mehrts. Shame adrian didn't play too many games for the Chiefs (I think it was the Chiefs he was at) last year. But I still think it was a pretty good effort for a 32 year old! He was a regular for Bay of Plenty who did really well last year too, if I'm not mistaken!

I always thoghut he was unlucky to be around at the same time as Cullen and Mehrts. As his goalkicking was excellent, but not quite up to Andrew's standard and he didn't have the same attacking presence as Christian Cullen. Although, he certainly had alot of attacking creativity!! I think he played quiet a bit of 7's.

 

[Smudge]

He didn't go so well for BOP last year. He was better in 2004 when BOP had the shield, but it just looked like time was catching up with him. I would have had him third in the mid-to-late 1990s behind Cullen and Glen Osborne for the fullback spot.

Never disgraced himself in a black jersey though.

 

[Tom Halsey]

Simple list:

Peter Schmeichel
Eric Cantona
Steve Bruce

Shane Warne
Tuffers
Fred

 

[Simon]

Andy, i dont think your list was long enough...

 

[Barney Rubble]

Quality pick. Legend.

Indeed. I've had the pleasure of meeting him on at least three occasions - he's one of the nicest guys you could ever hope to meet. Genuine legend on all fronts.

 

[masterblaster]

Wasn't expecting this thread to re-surface, but anyway time to update my list.

Cricket:

Rahul Dravid
Anil Kumble
Ajit Agarkar
Wasim Akram
Adam Gilchrist
Shane Warne
Michael Slater
Herschelle Gibbs

Tennis:

Roger Federer
Andre Agassi
Leander Paes
Maria Sharapova
Kim Clijsters
Justine Henin-Hardenne

Other:

Jodie Henry (Swimming)
Vijay Singh (Golf)
Tiger Woods (Golf)
Valentino Rossi (Moto GP)
Paul Levesque (Pro Wrestling)
Kurt Angle (Pro Wrestling, but an Olympic Gold Medalist in 1996)
Christian Cage (Pro Wrestling)

There are probably heaps more, I just can't remember them...

 

[Clarence]

Cricket: McGrath, Akthar, Kasprowicz, Johnson, Lee, Gillespie, Taylor

Rugby League: M. Bowen, M. Cooper, J. Thurston, L. O'Donnell, A. Payne

Rugby Union: Giteau, Barnes, Tuqiri, Sailor, Mortlock

Tennis: Nadal, Roddick, S. Williams

Golf: Tiger, Adam Scott

 

[steds]

Ade Garndre. 100% god. I love him/

 

[Anna]

Am I missing something steds?

 

[BoyBrumby]

Am I missing something steds?

St Helens spawned a win over Bradford Northern last night & Adrian bagged a brace.

 

[Anna]

Oh right.....that league nonsense is all alien to me anyway

 

[steds]

St Helens spawned a win over Bradford Northern last night & Adrian bagged a brace.

Not only that, but he did a right job on big Lesley and went a full game without dropping the ball. Probably just played his best game ever. Ever ever ever.

 

[Anna]

Add to my list:

Hockey - Simon Mason. Now retired, he was one of the best (if not the best) keepers in the world.

Athletics - Dean Macey, Darren Campbell, Denise Lewis, Steve Backley.