The only thing people remember about the XFL is that Vince McMahon created it and that Rod "He Hate Me" Smart was its biggest attraction. Your login session has expired. Erving called the friend "professor" and was called "doctor" in return. 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. If you don't think beer and chicken wings pair up nicely with football, I suspect you may be an agent of the N. Nicknames go with athletes like beer and chicken wings go with Sunday afternoon football. Is "The Say Hey Kid" a great nickname? 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. THEGOAT. From Ted "The Splendid Splinter" Williams to Elvis "Toast" Patterson, nicknames have always been part of sports. He could float, sting, shuffle. 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. The number 23 in basketball will always be remembered as Michael Jordan's because of everything he gained and he has changed the sport forever.. Whats the number 23 mean? The nickname was coined by Ken Harrelson while Thomas was a member of the Chicago White Sox early in his career. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. Cream of the Crop: Ghostface Przybilla, Vanilla Gorilla, Joel Dolla-Dolla-Billa, White Kong. Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty Images. He was by no means a large and imposing figure, but he played with the bravery of a ten-foot-tall behemoth while also being the fastest player on the ice. 23, even if it was for a short period during his career. However, The Big Dipper, supposedly in reference to his need to duck while going through doorways, was a favorite. Rank (Sport) Athlete % Correct; 1 (Basketball) Michael Jordan: 93.1%: 3 (Basketball) LeBron James: 74.7%: 5 (Soccer) David Beckham: . The seven-time World Series Champion and twelve-time American League home run Champion is number two on this list, but not by much. 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. But I also told him that I understood things had changed and todays fans can easily accept any number. Baseball stars have had success with the number as well with Don Mattingly, Ryne Sandberg, and Zach Greinke thriving with the number 23 in . The AK-47 is still one of the most widely used . Bookmark Quiz Bookmark Quiz Bookmark. Overall, Davis has one NBA championship, eight All-Star appearances, four selections to the All-NBA teams and four to the All-Defensive teams. Shaquille O'Neal - "The Big Aristotle". 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. 23 to have played in the league. . However, he was graceful, fast, fluid and supremely skilled, and despite battling injuries his whole career, put up incredible stats. Number of Names: Five+ (how many insanity puns can be drawn up? 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. The man many people consider the greatest player of all time doesn't necessarily have a nickname that measures up to his feats on the court. 23 Other. In any case, he did not like the nickname, feeling that it misrepresented him. This clue last appeared January 18, 2023 in the NYT Crossword. He thrived under pressure and led some of the most historic drives the football world never imagined possible. Draymond Green's impact and influence on the Golden State Warriors' three NBA championships between 2015 and 2018 will surely make him a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame after he retires. It represents change, progress, and innovation.In terms of numerology, the number 23 signifies new beginnings, revolution, and transformation. For the record, his naval rank upon fulfilling his two-year service commitment was "Lieutenant, Junior Grade." Les joueurs passs par le PSG et le FC Nantes, NBA Top 5 Career Scorers Per Draft, '90s-'10s, Active NBA Players Who Are Hall of Fame Locks, Ring of Honor (ROH) World Champions in WWE. Create good names for games, profiles, brands or social networks. He continued to don the 23 for the University of North Carolina and then most famously in the NBA for the Chicago Bulls. He achieved all of these amazing totals but is just 18th in terms of games played in a career. 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. "The Best Ever" may have been debatable a couple of years ago, but the more he wins, it seems to become less of a prophecy and more of a reality. 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. Chamberlain is regarded as one of the greatest players in history. Never more than the fourth- or fifth-best player on any of his teams, Horry nonetheless developed a reputation for hitting huge shots at the biggest possible moments, earning him one of the best and most obvious nicknames in sports not to mention seven NBA titles. 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. You'd be enraged, right? but as a football expert i can give you two names i likes. 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. But the crafty outfielder will always be remembered for his speed and heritage, both ingredients in creating the perfect names. At just age 46, Walter Payton died of a liver disease in 1999. But it is Eldrick, and therefore Tiger is technically a nickname and one that honors one of his father, Earl's, military friends who also was called Tiger. 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. 5 Best players to wear No. Globally, however, after Jordan and because of Jordan there are two other standout owners of the No.23. The most famous person to wear the number, and also the first genuine superstar to wear it, was Michael Jordan. The former NCAA Champion and Utah Jazz first round pick from 1980 is number 17 on this list and it's well-earned. While "Babe" and "Bambino" are the opposite of intimidating, they are among the most iconic athlete names in sport. Believe it or not, there was a time when being 350 pounds was highly unusual for an interior lineman in the NFL. Ranging from the Grandpa of Indian Team to The Little Master, his names continue to endure the test of time. Any real attempt to explain the nickname of one of the NBA's most unrepentant chuckers of the basketball would probably be fruitless. Wayne Gretzky might be the sport's greatest player, but Red Wings legend Gordie Howe, in many respects, was its most popular. The greatest self-promoter and trash talker in sports history, Ali in his later years was as beloved and recognizable a sports figure as the world has ever seen. 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. 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. Wilkins might have actually exceeded Jordan's capacity in those areas, and his nickname is a reference to the fact that fans in attendance or watching on television could always count on Wilkins to reel off several spectacular plays game in and game out. If you don't think beer and chicken wings pair up nicely with football, I suspect you may be an agent of the North Koreans. Opponents doubtless felt otherwise. She also showed the class the first film . It is an iconic nickname, to be sure, but younger audiences may scratch their heads at this one. One of the best defenders in the world, FC Barcelona captain Carles Puyol is respected most for his relentless motor and undeniable grit. 23: The Human Rain Delay (Mike Hargrove) Hargrove got the nickname for the many time-consuming adjustments he would make between pitches. Robinson, by far the greatest basketball player in Navy history, was a singularly dominant force in college and one of the greatest centers in NBA history. In his book, Jordan wrote, When I came back, I didnt want to play in the last number that my father had seen me wear. Is this a great nickname? Hearns, one of the greatest pound-for-pound boxers in history as well as one of its most fearsome punchers, is a natural fit for a nickname like, "The Hitman." 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. While he remains one of the greatest 'field generals' in the league's history, there is no doubt that his constant attempts to fit passes into nearly impossible places were risky and occasionally lost games. March 23, 2022 13:00 ET . Despite that, Wepner is known for being one of the most durable fighters of his era. Of all his nicknames, he has to be thanking the snow gods that "Big Wendy" didn't catch on. king von why he told roblox id . 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. Despite having the swiftness of a 6'6" roll of dough, Sir Charles dominated the hardwood during his brilliant career. 26 Further reading. Grimson went about 6-foot-2, 240 pounds, and was a feared enforcer for the majority of his career, one that saw him battling, among others, legendary brawler Bob Probert. 100 Greatest Players by SABR. He was an actor, a comedian, a philanthropist, a questionable rapper, a cop, a mixed martial artist. A pretty fitting nickname for a guy known for shattering backboards, methinks. So far, the researchers have diagnosed CTE in 110 out of the 111 former NFL players who have donated their brains, including five of the NFL's most legendary athletes. Answer (1 of 4): One of the greats of all time , his nicknames are:- His Airness Black Cat Money MJ Air Jordan A truly great player, and a truly great nickname. 51. "Money" on the other hand is a nickname that references the factthat he is the highest paid athlete in the world right now. Copyright 2023 YB Media, LLC. Video Play Button But his 473-foot shot in 2007 off Zack Greinke might. He's been revered for his accomplishments, on 11 occasions. legendary athlete number 23 nickname. Would it really have been the same if courses had had to "Eldrick-proof" themselves to deal with Woods' prodigious talents? No. Walter Payton, who played thirteen seasons for the Chicago Bears, is widely believed to be among the greatest players ever to grace the gridiron. 23 is Boy 2 23 is Girl . If people didnt believe me for the last 18 months, hopefully they do now, Warne said at the time. He was part of the Brazilian national teams that won three World Cup championships (1958, 1962, and 1970). Strange. Either way, the nickname was intimidating, and so was Parker. His career batting average of .301 and his 521 home runs make "The Big Hurt" an easy nickname to understand. 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. A teammate noted that this was because he was "too tall to play football," and the name stuck. Wayne Gretzky might be the sport's greatest player, but Red Wings legend Gordie Howe, in many respects, was its most popular. He currently holds a professional record of 34-5. "The Man" could also have referred to Musial's reputation as one of the most gentlemanly, modest and sportsmanlike athletes of his time. The Pittsburgh Steelers' veteran strong safety is known not only for his phenomenal head of hair, but also his hard hitting style of play, coupled with his overall intelligence. However, nicknames you give yourself rarely stick. The 170-pound netminder is now a goaltending coach for the Stars, naturally sharing his wisdom and resiliency with the new crop. Almost every league has a G.O.A.T. There are plenty of honorable mentions for a list like this. Lists of nicknames - nickname list articles on Wikipedia Cream of the Crop: Joe Cool, The Comeback Kid, Golden Joe. It was this steadiness that earned him his nickname. And theres more: Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes in our genetic makeup, Julius Caesar was stabbed 23 times and the medieval Catholic military order, the Knights Templar, had 23 grand masters. His nicknames come from his head of hair along with his wild play on the field. 23? Send a Message. Throughout his career, Liddell was known for keeping a cool head at all times, whether he was preparing for a fight or in the ring competing. 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. Even though he is arguably the greatest player in NBA history, LeBron James is not the most iconic No. SportsIcon Previews The Sports Metaverse with Legendary Athletes . QB, Patriots. During Game 1 of the 1997 NBA Finals, Malone missed two crucial free throws after Scottie Pippen whispered, "The Mailman doesn't deliver on Sunday," to him just before he shot. After calling it quits in 2011, Shaq properly added the nickname "Big AARP" to his repertoire. If you're going to be known for your kicking, "The Toe" is one heck of a nickname. With a professional record of 47-0, Mayweather has a couple of great nicknames that do his success justice. Even the crickets are applauding this selection. I am also in water, but not in hydrogen. There have been many outstanding athletes to dawn the number 23. July 22, 2022 by Rob Navarro. Clemens won the Cy Young award seven times and the World Series twice. Also dubbed "Mr. Outside" and "Mr. Athlete nicknames often are either a modified version of their given name (such as Becks, . Striding the court like a 7'1" giraffe, center Wilt Chamberlain was a new breed of legendary when he hit the professional hardwood in 1959. The list goes on, as does Victorino, once dubbed The Energizer Bunny. 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. Trans Men Erase Women. Back in 1999, in his second year with the Sacramento Kings, a lady named Stephanie Shephard, a public relations employee of the team, offered up the name "White Chocolate" for Williams. The actual "Broadway Joe" nickname was coined by his Jets teammate Sherman Plunkett. Much like Magic Johnson, Tiger Woods' real name might as well be Tiger. 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. Given that his heyday coincided nicely with the release of groundbreaking The Matrix Trilogy, the nickname was an especially appropriate one. How does a guy born Walker Smith Jr. become "Sugar" Ray Robinson? LeBron James is the most famous 23 in the world at the moment. An athlete's quest for greatness goes far beyond the playing field. He is number two all time in terms of strikeouts thrown and won the World Series back in 2001 with the Arizona Diamondbacks. That's right, the Philadelphia Eagles/Green Bay Packers great, Reggie White. So for all of the ancient history, the conspiracies and obsessions from 23rdians, in sport No.23 became legend simply because we all just wanted to Be Like Mike. With beer and hot dogs his only fuel, The Bambino became a legend with his ability to dominate as a hitter and a pitcher. 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. Hall of Fame player Alex English deserves some recognition for wearing No. So when I started playing basketball, I was like: Oh man, that two-three looks good. But his 473-foot shot in 2007 off Zack Greinke might. In that year he managed to get 11 sacks, which was actually two under his career average of 13 per season. Start your Foxtel Now 10-day free trial. number eight "Pocket Rocket" = Brent Russell, Utility players "Pocket Dynamo" = Gio Aplon, Fullback / Wing " Slaptjips" (Afrikaans for potato chips or french fries) = Pieter Rossouw, Wing "The . 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. Hima Das, nicknamed Dhing Express, is India's heartthrob from Assam. ACRONYMIC TITLE FOR A LEGENDARY ATHLETE Crossword Answer. Take a look at some of the athletes who share #23 with Michael . "Mr. 100" was the fourth, simply paying homage to his statistical dominance. you don't ask about a particular sport or a particular team. https://goo.gl/tX6CcK-~-~~-~~. His acrobatic dunking style and multiple selections to the NBA Slam Dunk Contest earned him his awesome nickname. 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. 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. Even though Anthony Davis' major achievement in the NBA came with the LA Lakers and with No. That said, he's thought of by most as, at worst, a top-15 player of all time, and at best, the greatest power forward in history. In DiMaggio's day, that sort of skill set meant he was compared to a great and majestic ship. Number of Names: Five+ (just ask Skip Bayless, who adds "Le" to the front of any word he pleases), Cream of the Crop: The Akron Hammer, The L-Train, The Chosen One, LeDecision. Those last two qualities were the source of his nickname, one of the coolest (pardon the shameless pun) of all time. Ancient sex, conspiracies and MJ: How 23 became sport's most legendary number HOME . "Rocket" Roger is currently third all-time with regard to Major League Baseball strikeouts, after Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson. Sometimes, the new moniker comes from an inside joke with . Green, an NBA Defensive Player of the Year award winner, has been wearing the No. Joe Jackson. Given what became of his postplaying days, the "Hustle" part seems especially apropos. but it wasn't until he joined Real Madrid in 2003 that he wrote his name into the legend of another - 23. From "Magic" to "Mean Joe" to "The Big Hurt," let's take a look, in no particular order, at the best nicknames in sports history and the athletes who inspired them.