The Loved

Athletes that are The Shit:

1. Todd Helton, Rockies: One of the most consummate hitters of the last decade. His power has declined in the past three seasons, but his average and OBP are still epic. Also backed up Peyton Manning at quarterback in college at Tennessee. C'mon, that's cool.
2. Gary Roberts, Maple Leafs*: The grittiest player, with the most heart, on a consistent string of competitive Toronto teams in and around the turn of the millennium.
3. Mats Sundin, Maple Leafs*: Will go down, along with Darryl Sittler, as the most productive Maple Leaf of all time.
4. Nick Faldo, England: A product of English parents who love golf, I've always had a soft spot for this chap, who put forth a heartwarming performance in the 1996 Masters — not to mention he's now a classic in the booth.
5. Drew Bledsoe, Patriots/Cowboys: Although a statue, I've always loved this cannon-armed passer, from his prolific career as a Washington State Cougar to his 1996 Super Bowl appearance to the myriad scores he's chucked to Terry Glenn (on my two favourite NFL teams, no less).
6. Jason Varitek, Red Sox: A prototype of what a baseball catcher should be...a capable hitter, a leader, a comforting presence with the pitching staff and a true student of the game.
7. Larry Bird, Celtics: Larry Legend. Enough people have covered why this guy kicked ass.
8. Tim Duncan, Spurs: For those that criticize his lack of flair, go watch WWE. On the basketball court, all Duncan does is win. That's why they play the game in the first place.
9. David Robinson, Spurs: This veteran of the U.S. Naval Academy showed Mr. Duncan the ropes (and chipped in for an NBA title) before riding off gracefully in the sunset.
10. Peyton Manning, Colts: Might retire the best quarterback of all time. If he wins another ring, should retire the best quarterback of all time.
11. Emmitt Smith, Cowboys: Was the engine of the Cowboys' offense during their 1990s legacy. As a little guy, I used to sit on the couch with my uncle and watch Emmitt rack up the yards and TDs.
12. Steve Yzerman, Red Wings: One of the classiest acts every to step on the ice. If you don't respect this man, you can't call yourself a hockey fan.
13. Joe Sakic, Avalanche: A slightly poorer man's version of Stevie Y. Has all the same qualities.
14. Michael Owen, England: Less in love with himself than David Beckham, and has been a vital cog in the national sides for England for more than a decade. Injuries have held him back somewhat, but when he's 100% he's still lethal and is now an elder statesman on the pitch.
15. Mike Weir, Canada: Very refreshing to see a Canadian win the prized major at Augusta. But Mike, be honest with yourself and everyone else: you tell everyone you're from Bright's Grove, Ont. because Sarnia is a dump.
16. Bobby Orr, Bruins: The best defenceman in hockey history, and one of the best players of all time. The Parry Sound, Ont. native still leaves a footprint on the game.
17. Ted Williams, Red Sox: In my opinion, the best pure hitter in baseball history, and he did so while having some of his best years taken away during the Second World War.
18. David Wright, Mets: This young superstar is one of the more down to earth players in the game. In the off-season, Wright still lives with his parents and goes to watch his younger brother's Little League games. And yes, this man is an MLB All-Star.
19. Jarome Iginla, Flames: Arguably the best captain in the NHL today. When he plays with some fire, virtually no one can stop him. Iggy plays like every Canadian (and indeed, every hockey player) should.
20. Tony Gwynn, Padres: Probably the best contact hitter in my lifetime, this absolute gentleman now coaches at San Diego State.
*While most Leafs fans would question why I have Sundin and Roberts but left Wendel and Dougie off the list — I'm a Leafs fan that didn't tune into hockey until much later, around 1998-99. While I've heard all the magical things about the 1993 season, enough other long-tenured Toronto fans could re-hash Gilmour and Clark. At least with the Leafs on this list, I chose to discuss the guys I remember watching plenty of.