Athletes you like

I think I need to be more positive this morning, so here’s an alternative thread to the one I started last night.

Choose one (if possible; two or three if necessary) and give reasons.

In fact, let’s give it some colour and provide a picture of them alongside the nomination.

Ken Dryden, goalie for the Montreal Canadiens back in the 1970s. He not only led his team to the championship a number of times, he also represented his country against the USSR, all while completing his law degree at McGill University (which is Canada’s equivalent to Oxford or Cambridge). He retired at the right time, and then went about trying to reform his province’s education system before running for office. He became the one politician that people didn’t hate, and never got tainted with scandal.

There used to be a thread like this with more photos and fewer words…

Ruben Lenten. One of the worlds greatest kitesurfers, crazy but never big-headed, came through lung cancer recently and currently recovering from a really bad ankle fracture, always positive no matter what bad things come his way.

Jess Ennis

Cav – always praises his teammates when he wins. Heart on sleeve when things go wrong.

Virat Kohli – elegance personified, told off his own fans for booing the opposition. Walked the other day when he wasn’t even out.

Glen Plake.
Because he’s a legend.

Eliud Kipchoge, Outstanding runner, very humble and puts a lot back into the sport back home.

Emelie Forsberg, runs for the love of running and also happens to be an excellent mountain runner/racer (also ski racer) and has a great outlook on life.

Graeme Obree. Did it his way and was/still is bonkers in a good way !

Valentino Rossi – a ferocious, wily competitor, but also charismatic, has a sense of humour, and still up the sharp end at the age of forty. Top man.

IMO, there is a mythology in sport that you have to be a ruthless **** to succeed, I don’t believe that is actually the case, but because it is so widely believed then many talented youths are trained for that behaviour, and many more talented youths get forced out for not showing those traits.

So you often get more interesting personalities and generally nicer people in niche sports such as climbing and ultra running. Mountain biking is kind of on the cusp between the two camps at the moment.

2 Names I will throw in the hat who I always find friendly, helpful to others in their sports and unassuming whenever I hear them interviewed.

Tracy Moseley
Alex Honnold

LeBron James

He’s a supremely gifted athlete with natural talent, and an extremely high basketball intelligence. But he also works very hard and sets a good example in that way.
He does a lot for charities, he created a school for at risk students in the area where he grew up.

Federer, because he funds a lot of early education projects in southern Africa, particularly for the San bushmen of the Kalahari. Much needed and well-placed money.

Shaun Palmer. World class athlete in multiple sports despite all the drink / drugs and generally poor lifestyle and career choices.

David pocock mainly for his calling out of homophobia on the rugby pitch.

Ferocious on water, a laid back lad off..

Nick Diaz 🥊

Ricky burns. Despite being one of only 3 British three weight world champions he comes across as a really down to earth bloke. Use to work in sports direct whilst a boxing world champ I believe!

His boxing achievements on paper may slightly flatter his actual ability, however he has always come across as a top fella who you can’t help but root for.

David pocock mainly for his calling out of homophobia on the rugby pitch.

Good shout that!

Mark Webber – met him at Le Mans (in fact literally bumped into him on the pit wall as we hopped on and off at the same time when I was marshalling the pits). Nice chap, good driver and general all round sporty person.

Sam Hill.

7 world titles in 2 disciplines is no mean feat. But done with real grace, good sportsmanship and a quiet but ruthless manner. Factor in just about every race he’ll deliver a “what the hell just happened” moment of genius, plus of course seems a great family man too.

When we met him at Fort Bill a couple of years back, he really was just the same in real life. Quiet but very, very sharp with a real wry sense of humour.

This video really sums it up I reckon:

Greg Minnaar for most of the reasons above.
Nice bloke (I think ), very professional and focussed on track yet seems pretty down to earth outside racing.

Robert Millar probaby due to the fact he was both a great cyclist and a dour git a common trait up here in Scotland. We all know now why he was a tad grumpy but lots of women can be like that and before anyone says it I dont fancy him ok
Andy Murray he’s dour sometimes and wears his heart on his sleeve oh i forgot he’s Scottish too but I also grew to like Jenson Button seems like a good guy

Most of them as there’s only one or two I don’t like.
But over the years I have had several obsessive fascinations with a few which I guess must mean I like them….

Currently Lael Wilcox, a machine and seems to be eternally happy and smiling.
Lance Armstrong, just for his professionalism (by that I mean his determination and attention to detail) and for his racing style.
Mike Tyson, just because he beat most guys before they even got into the ring. He was the only heavyweight I know who was genuinely feared by his opponents.

I’m a (ahem – late…) middle-aged man who dislikes football mainly because of what I think of as “prima-Donna” footballers’ behaviour and comportement.

Having seen three of them interviewed, I’ve changed my view of at least these three, so I’m going to say Raheem Sterling, Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford, who come across as sensible, thinking people in a sport where I still think it’s probably difficult to choose to be that way…

Nice bloke, never took himself too seriously, cracking skier, never gave up.

Sadio Mane – school builder in is home town.

Bruce Anstey.

Modest, quiet, unbelievably brave and talented, pretty much universally loved.
Currently telling cancer to **** off for the second time.
A brave, brave man and an incredibly decent human being.

Roy Lee. My late father in law.
Took up running in his 40’s for Middleton Harriers, a well loved and respected fixture on the fell running scene for a further 40 years.
Ran his last race a few weeks before he died of stomach cancer.
Carved out of teak, a gentleman of the old school and again, a wonderful person.

Jade Jones (TKD)

Lots of sports people, especially ones who are looking for a post-sport career get coached to give the impression they’re not that competitive and how they just want everyone to do their best and have fun when they’re on TV / Radio.

I first learned this wasn’t the case with her when she went on ‘The Jump’ a few years ago, the usual line-up of Chelsea and TOWIE ‘stars’ were talking about hoping everyone would be okay… blah blah blah. Jade smiled and said was not only wanted to beat everyone, she wanted to metaphorically batter them all in the process.

She seems a perfectly nice person day-to-day, but given the chance to compete, she wants to destroy everything and everyone. I love that.

Troy Bayliss
Robbie Naish
And Sally Gunnell … becuase she was the only person to stop and try and help me after I broke my shoulder at Steyning …. 🙂

I suppose I’d better include as an antithesis to what I put on the ‘don’t like’.. seems like a nice fella, and more than any other rugby player, seems like if he’s in the team, they’ll more likely win than lose – Beauden Barrett.
Unfortunately, there’s no English player I feel similarly about! Oh except that lad in the v Barbarians squad – Alex Dombrandt… gonna be a massive star.

Chris Akabusi.

Orrwiiiiiiiight!

Oh, and Yoann Barelli. Funny, utter nutcase, and a huge talent.

Shauna Coxsey. Absolute beast of a climber

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This time last year I came to the Spot Gym just before the Vail World Cup and I couldn't hold these holds due to a finger injury. I have spent a lot of time on the @beastmakers slowly building my finger strength over the past year and I am so psyched to see the improvements. I can't wait to compete in the 2016 Vail World Cup one week today!!! #injury #rehab #persistence

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Jill Homer. She’s achieved a lot, overcome a lot and writes about it with inspiring grace and humanity. And another vote for Lael Wilcox, a remarkable athlete who’s little known to the general public and utterly indifferent to the fact.

I will also vote for jade jones. She was having a late drink with what looked like family and coaches the night before a Grand Prix eventi a local non flashy hotel. My daughter and I butted in to say good luck and she stopped her conversation to talk to us for a few minutes – my daughter was so happy

Rodney Mullen – quietly invented 90% of skateboarding and is just a humble guy who never got any credit in the mainstream. Fair play to Tony Hawk for basically saying so in his biography.

Daewon Song – For expanding on what Rodney did.

Chris Akrigg – For being that good on a bike.

I don’t follow a lot of football, but having met Micah Richards on a photoshoot (and after someone explained to me who he was), he was a very nice chap. Looked slightly embarrassed to turn up to the shoot in (I think) his brother’s Golf GTi, even more so when he had to admit he was in that because his Bentley was in for repairs. Nice fella.

Mo Farah
Debbie Martin Consani
Joss Naylor
Allan Wells
Michael Johnson
Sally Gunnell

Ooo, tell you what – Peter Crouch, after discovering That Peter Crouch Podcast, he seems a really nice chsp. 🙂

There’s a lot, but I can’t see anyone having anything but nice things to say about Laura Trott/Kenny, or Jason for that matter.

Frank Bruno. Met him inadvertantly one lunch time many many years ago. Was in our usual sarnie shop and he came in behind us. Was a genuinly nice guy and had a chat with the few of us in the shop.

Cycling wise, Chris Hoy seems like a sound but competitive guy.

Daley Thompson.

Also whenever akabusi is mentioned :
“whispered “Awooga” in her ear and patted her on the fanny”