Good day Ladies and Gentleman.
Smitty The Brawler here, and I’m back to bless the masses with this week’s edition of Top Ten Tuesdays.
After spending the weekend in the house watching sports due to freezing temperatures at my home in Maryland (aka Space Mountain, ladies), it got me to thinking about who are the most entertaining athletes to watch in American sports today.
Coming up as a kid in the 90’s, not only did I have the pleasure to see some of the greatest athletes ever, but they were also must-see TV. Michael Jordan, Mike Tyson, Barry Sanders, Deion Sanders and Barry Bonds were just a few of the most scintillating athletes to lace em up in their respective sports. In present day, it may not seem like the golden age of sports for some, but let me tell you, there are some guys out here today that are as fun to watch as anyone ever. By the way, this list as is every lists on #TopTenTuesdays is non-negotiable.
It’s not mere opinion, it’s Law!
10. Rob Gronkowski
“The Gronk” is a joy to watch. While he’s built and carries himself like a brute, the man is as skilled as any player to EVER play his position. He runs over, and surprisingly past people en route to ‘Gronk’ spiking the football with unbridled exuberance. As big and fast as NFL players are, Gronk is simply physically unmatched. The guy is TV gold. I must take a shot of Kentucky Gentleman with Gronk before I die. He’s a Smitty kind of guy, for certain. Only reason he isn’t higher on this list is due to injury taking away the pleasure of getting to watch more of him.
9. Serena Williams
I don’t usually watch tennis but when I do, I watch Serena. Nearly 18 years after her first Grand Slam victory, she’s not only the best in her sport, but still one of the best athletes in the world, period. Still to this day, she does things her peers simply cannot. Anytime she’s on, I’m watching.
8. Steph Curry
The man that single-handedly made the 3-point shot more highlight worthy than the dunk. Clutch 3’s, deep 3’s, half court 3’s, off the dribble 3’s – he’s the Baskin Robbins of 3’s. Not to mention his handles. I’ve never seen any player’s dribbling improve as much as Steph’s has. If we were using the 2K17 category scoring system with Steph’s handles, when he came into the league it was maybe a good 75, now its a 96. When Steph is on, people sit down and expect awesomeness and are usually rewarded.
7. Russell Westbrook
I doubt there’s a more tenacious athlete in sports today. That mindset alongside the ability to do everything in basketball at an elite, or near elite level makes Russ one of the most watchable athletes in a very long time. He attacks both his opponent and the rim as if he is Liam Neeson trying to rescue his daughter. His current level of domination is impossible to take your eyes off of.
6. Gennady ‘GGG’ Golovkin
Boxing may be ‘dead‘ as far as casual fans are concerned, however to us diehards, it’s an event every time the Kazakhstan, Gennady Golovin, has a fight. While undoubtedly skilled, his appeal is his desire to put on the most entertaining fight possible. He bludgeon his opponent into oblivion with thunderous punches to the body and head. There’s no need for judges to be ringside at his fights. They don’t make it to that point. He currently has a 23-fight knockout streak. The most entertaining man today in boxing.
5. Usain Bolt
We’re a few months removed from the Summer Olympics but who can forget the performance put on by Jamaica’s prodigal son, Usain Bolt. This guy make watching dudes run must-see TV. He hot-dogs and still wins by wide margin. He’s so much better than whoever the next guy is it’s not even funny.
4. LeBron James
We graduated high school the same year, 2003. While we may have withering hairlines in common, that’s where the comparisons end. Me? I’m washed. Him? He still making jaw dropping plays on a nightly basis 14 years after his debut. Still one of the 5 fastest players in the NBA, and likely still leaps 40+ inches in the air. Is there much debate that he’s pretty much only chasing Mike at this point?
3. Conor McGregor
Conor has taken the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) to a whole new level. He’s shattered pay-per-view records, yet never have I heard a single person complain of not getting their money’s worth. One of the elite shit-talkers in sports, maybe ever. He somehow backs up his bombastic trash talking with results. Even him taking a loss happens in glorious fashion. He transcends his sport for good reason.
2. James Harden
James harden is the 2016-17 League Pass kingpin. Why didn’t the Basketball Gods put him and Mike D’Antoni together sooner? A match made in heaven. His combination on dribbling, unmatched stop-on-the-dime ability, shooting, and now passing make him simply unstoppable. He’s made ‘Old Man game’ look as good as ever. Hell, even his terrible defense gets it’s own YouTube videos. Those videos are 100% pure entertainment.
1. Leveon Bell/Antonio Brown
First of all, for opposing defenses, having the best running back AND best wide receiver in the world on the same team is completely unfair to them. To us fans watching on our couches, it’s a gift from the sports gods. Or regular God. Bell is possibly the prettiest runner of this lifetime. He possesses the ability to come to a complete stop in the backfield, then accelerate. It’s amazing. Once he gets going, good luck. ‘Juice’ even lines up at wideout and doesn’t suck at it because of the wide range of skills he possess. He’d probably be a Pro-bowler if he played receiver full time. His partner in crime, Antonio Brown is simply electrifying. Last season on a breakaway score, he perfectly stuck a full front flip. It was the best thing I’d ever seen in a live football game. I re-winded it approximately 26 times. Made everyone in my house come to see it. Between the hash marks, he’s unstoppable. Seems to makes plays in his sleep. I’m a cheap bastard but I would surely pay to watch this Pittsburgh Steelers offense any day of the week.
Any suggestions on who should be included on this list, please comment in the comment section.
Let me know where you agree, disagree or just feel like talking for the sake of quality banter.
Thanks for reading. Until next time.
Smitty out.
