March 23, 2022 13:00 ET . Ill have a think about the number 23, Clarke added. The ancient Chinese believed numbers conveyed sexuality, with even numbers being feminine, odd numbers being masculine and prime numbers were considered to be the most masculine. Bookmark Quiz Bookmark Quiz Bookmark. And hopefully adjusted their birth certificates accordingly. 9. In other words, Ben Zobrist. He continued to don the 23 for the University of North Carolina and then most famously in the NBA for the Chicago Bulls. But Delonte West Jr. just might. Before there was Tom Brady, there was Joe Montana, and he was the most reliable big-game quarterback the NFL had ever seen. He held several NFL records for years including most career rushing touchdowns, most career rush attempts, most rushing yards and most all-purpose yards from the line of scrimmage. "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. 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). Shaquille O'Neal - "The Big Aristotle". This one isn't intimidating by any means, unless you are a criminal, of which the NFL has its share. Larry wore No.45 for the brothers varsity team so Michael, wanting to be like his older sibling, picked 23 as close to exactly half of Larrys number as he could get and a legacy was born. Reggie Jackson, "Mr. October". His nicknames come from his head of hair along with his wild play on the field. This list will detail some of the nicknames in the world of sports that are the most popularfor these three purposes. In a New York Times interview over a decade ago, Esiason announced that the nickname had been created by his own mother, prior to his birth, because of how much he kicked while she was pregnant. The fact that he was the league's fiercest dunker and a force at power forward probably helped it stick. Years later, Jerry West is still permanently carved into the game of basketball. The purpose of a nickname can be placed squarely inside the realm of the show and pageantry of professional sports. Second only to Jordan, LeBron James is a legend of basketball and widely regarded as the current best. Threeof the most famous are PGA Tour star (and world class womanizer) Tiger Woods, basketball star turned businessman Magic Johnson, and NFL quarterback turned commentator Boomer Esiason. As a number made up of two consecutive primes one of which is the only even, or feminine, prime number the Chinese placed a mystical status on the number 23. Ancient sex, conspiracies and MJ: How 23 became sport's most legendary number HOME . 1.23 Z. If your team was playing against Horry, had a two-point lead late in the game and his team had the ball, you were rightfully petrified. Rarely has a nickname better fit a player's personality and talents. colonel frank o'sullivan interview; beverly hills high school football He was just that good. So when I started playing basketball, I was like: Oh man, that two-three looks good. The solution to the Acronymic title for a legendary athlete crossword clue should be: THEGOAT (7 letters) Below, you'll find . This is the number to wear if you're a quarterback. The former NCAA Champion and Utah Jazz first round pick from 1980 is number 17 on this list and it's well-earned. By schredder. 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. "Money" on the other hand is a nickname that references the factthat he is the highest paid athlete in the world right now. The seven-time World Series Champion and twelve-time American League home run Champion is number two on this list, but not by much. The name "Rocket" came from the speed of his fastball, which was steadily between 97 and 100 mph early on in his career. One of the best defenders in the world, FC Barcelona captain Carles Puyol is respected most for his relentless motor and undeniable grit. A lot of these athletes have worn other numbers as well. Arguably the greatest showman and ball-handler in basketball history, Maravich remains the NCAA's all-time leading scorer, with 3,667 points, good for 44.2 points per game. Hima Das. Nicknames of other athletes at the Summer Olympics . He took the name from that of one of his favorite fighters, a welterweight from Barbados. legendary athlete number 23 nickname. Frank Thomas is one of the most prolific hitters in baseball history. His actual first name is Earvin, but "Magic" is his widely accepted name these days. Answer (1 of 4): Well, it's difficult to answer because question is quite general. There is no readily apparent reason why Parker was known as "The Cobra," (although it is thought to have stemmed from his bat-waving stance), but given his physical gifts and the fact that he once hit a ball so hard that the seams ruptured yes, he literally hit the cover off the ball one imagines that it also might have had something to do with his bat speed and the lightning quickness with which he turned pitches into screaming line drives. The Zorilla, also referred to as the striped polecat, is a nocturnal carnivore that resides in sub-Saharan Africa, emitting the worst smell known to man following any hint of danger. SportsIcon CEO and Co-Founder Chris Worsey previously built a number of EdTech startups . He is number two all time in terms of strikeouts thrown and won the World Series back in 2001 with the Arizona Diamondbacks. "The Dream" is a nickname that stemmed partially from his religious faith, but more from his flawless and graceful footwork. Ron Artest/The Panda's Friend/Metta World Peace - or whatever he's calling himself this week, gets an honorable mention for his pseudo-sensical name changes. He was part of the Brazilian national teams that won three World Cup championships (1958, 1962, and 1970). Cream of the Crop: Super Vlad, Vlad the Impaler, Big Daddy Vladdy, Big Bad Vlad. NBA Nicknames Funny NBA Nicknames For NBA . Even though Anthony Davis' major achievement in the NBA came with the LA Lakers and with No. There are even a shocking number of children's books written by professional athletes. "The Sultan of Swat" (George Herman "Babe" Ruth) 3. Here's how the Page 2 staff ranked the best baseball nicknames of all-time: 1. Nicknames add color to sports and often become so popular that they serve as an athlete's de facto first name. 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. Legendary nicknames - The most original athlete nicknames. Cream of the Crop: The Sultan of Swat, TheColossus of Clout, The Wazir of Wham, The Mammoth of Maul. Free, a 1980 All-Star with a rainbow jumper, receding hairline and tremendous name. Here's proof. His era is described as the golden age in basketball history, and he became the star of Indiana state. In AFL, as well as Brereton, there is also Buddy Franklin, who has worn 23 in every season except for his first and has himself become synonymous with the number in Australia. 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. They've defined careers and detailed one's true popularity. Let's see which 25 athletes earned the most nicknames. After playing for a minor . Like English . "Mr. 100" was the fourth, simply paying homage to his statistical dominance. View Reports-/5-RATE QUIZ. . Robertson is regarded as a man before his time, skill-wise, and is also credited with inventing both the head fake and the fadeaway jump shot. Globally, however, after Jordan and because of Jordan there are two other standout owners of the No.23. There's Brady, Terry Bradshaw, Roger Staubach, Jim Kelly, Joe Namath, Bob Griese and Aaron Rodgers, among others . 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. Cleveland.com's 2022 Hockey Player of the Year, Lencewicz led all goal scorers during the 2021-22 season with 39 goals and 23 assists for 62 points. Jon Jones has the distinction of becoming the youngest champion in UFC . Unfortunately, as an NFL running back, his nickname should have been "He Hate Himself," given his four fumbles on just 29 career rushes. 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. His nickname was given to him by a Sacramento Kings media relations staffer, who said his play reminded her of pickup games in Chicago. 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. LeBron James. Before Jeremy Lin came along, there was a gravity-defying youngster by the name of Vince Carter who performed superhuman, thought-to-be-impossible moves with a basketball in his hands. Although this particular species can do a masterful robot dance. Send a Message. After taking the name, the man born Arnold Cream in Pennsauken, New Jersey, simply added "Jersey" to his name to distinguish himself. 23 Other. 23 in NBA history, and he really made the number the important figure it is on basketball fans' minds. but there are none as clearly defined as Wayne Gretzky is to the NHL. While The Law Firm is currently a free agent, he had some solid years in the NFL. At the end of the day, a sporting event is a moneymaking entertainment venue and catchy nicknames are just one small way for broadcasters, teams, fans, and athletes themselves to add to the value of their product. Cream of the Crop: Peaches, Squeaky, Dennis The Menace. Bad luck. When your own league wades into the debate and names you the greatest hockey player of all time, it isn't much of a debate anymore. | Especially considering CBS reported that James refers to himself as the King in texts. His legacy will forever be defined by the people he's influenced and the reputation he's earned. He was Premier League's best player techn. And, from 1987 until 2001, he held the record for most Grand Prix victories in history. Lists of nicknames - nickname list articles on Wikipedia 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. 4 . The nickname is a little bit lyrical, if you will, and aptly describes a man who racked up 3,630 career hits, was head and shoulders above just about all of his peers and one of the purest hitters and best overall players the sport has ever seen. In a league known for flashy dunks, snappy dressing and colorful personalities, Duncan's favorite shot was the bank shot, he dressed like a teenager heading to school and was as soft-spoken as they come. Cream of the Crop: Lionheart, Tarzan, Superman. Navratilova published an op-ed in the U.K. Sunday Times on February 17 in which she said it was "unfair" to allow trans women . Undrafted in 2008, Green-Ellis ran for 275 yards in his rookie year with five touchdowns. The AK-47 is still one of the most widely used . Michael Jordan is a six-time NBA Champion, five-time league MVP and a fourteen time All-star. He wore the No.7 at Manchester United where he carried on a legend of its own, but it wasnt until he joined Real Madrid in 2003 that he wrote his name into the legend of another 23. Alston's NBA career was solid, if unspectacular, but his legacy as one of the most entertaining street-ballers of all time is still going strong. Is it all that surprising that a guy like Rose took what was supposed to be a slight against him and turned it into his nickname? Sometimes they are seemingly random, and sometimes they make perfect sense. 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. Still, beyond Michael Jordan's own greatness while wearing No. James entered the league in 2003 and wore No.23 with the Cleveland Cavaliers until 2010, when he left for the Miami Heat and wore number six. Number 5 Karl Malone, "The Mailman" Malone, who is currently the second-best scorer of all time in NBA history, earned his nickname . One of the best and most intimidating players in baseball history, Johnson's nickname is an obvious one, owing to his towering height and overall presence on the diamond. Owner of a dog with a Napoleon complex, consumer of beer, cooker of chili, closet Cleveland Browns fan. On Twitter at @ChrisMuellerPGH please laugh. 23: The Human Rain Delay (Mike Hargrove) Hargrove got the nickname for the many time-consuming adjustments he would make between pitches. A good way to earn a nickname is to be so good that one just fits perfectly. Davis has worn the 23 jersey for the majority of his career, in which he has been NBA All-Star and achieved an Olympic gold medal. The Ruud Devil is a fitting one as well for the retired Dutch footballer, who remains the second-highest goal scorer in Champions League history with 60 since retiring this past May. 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. No. Lane finished his career with 68 interceptions and a reputation as one of the most violent tacklers in the league. Report this user for behavior that violates our Community Guidelines. 51. Does it have a great origin story? Michael Phelps, arguably the best swimmer in history, is regarded as one of the greatest athletes of all time, not just due to his record-breaking feats, but also due to the longevity of his career.. Born on June 30, 1985, in Baltimore, Maryland, Phelps took to swimming at the age of seven. Free Fire NickName, Name Style for 23 - OP , ,(zodiaz sign),23,23 ariina, Create Free Fire NickName for Games, for users, nicknames, character names Game Free Fire. "Too Tall" is a pretty obvious nickname for a guy standing 6-foot-9, but that's not abnormal for basketball. No one is entirely sure what the genesis of Payton's nickname is, other than the fact that he picked it up in college. 24 See also. He achieved all of these amazing totals but is just 18th in terms of games played in a career. Pie Traynor, listed at number seventy, was the first third baseman ever elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, and he finished in the top ten for the National League Most Valuable Player Award six times. Cream of the Crop: The Master Blaster, The God of Cricket, Bradman of Modern Era. While many athletes have earned one heart-warming nickname, only a lucky few have inherited a countless amount, and the resulting opportunity to rotate on demand. 3 car was one of the most recognizable sights in NASCAR. Your login session has expired. Stabler was a villain for any football fan who disliked the Raiders, and there were plenty of those outside of Oakland. She commented that his game reminded her of how youths in Chicago played street ball and said his ball skills were reminiscent, for her, of the enthusiasm of such young people.