I had a dream last night that I was a friend of Ben Roethlisberger. I assume it was because of watching his performance on Sunday Night football and who wouldn't want to be his friend after that. So I started thinking about all the athletes I have looked up to over the years and which ones of those, if I actually had the chance to meet them, might make me scream and cry and poop my pants. I thought I would share my list with you and maybe you leave me comments with your list. You might notice a lack of Chicago Cubs on my list. That is because I want to kick most of them in their sacred region right now. I am a little bitter.
10. Gina Carano- If you ever read my blogs you will know that I love her. Maybe too much?? I think she is way cool and a super awesome fighter. An inspiration to women everywhere.
9. Forrest Griffin- I have followed him since the Ultimate Fighter Season 1. I love watching him fight because he has heart, he will never give up no matter what and he is tough.
8. Larry Bird- Growing up, I loved the Celtics. I have such great memories of Larry playing. I almost did meet him once. He was playing in a charity golf tournament in Arkansas and I went to watch. I was walking towards the driving range and noticed this swarming crowd headed my way. I looked up in time to see Larry grab my shoulders and move me out of his way. He touched me! Yes, I did soil myself.
7. Pat Summit- Growing up in Tennessee you just have to love the Vols. Pat has always been an inspiration to me in that a woman can do just as many great things as a man can do.
6. George Brett-I played t-ball pretty well when I was a kid. After my parents divorced, my mom moved us to Missouri. That is where I fell in love with George Brett. I had George Brett cleats, a glove, a bat and a t-shirt. I was the female George Brett. I begged to play 3rd base but as close as I got was one season at shortstop. I tried to explain to my two female coaches my need to play 3rd but they never got it. I would stand out at shortstop and scream, "Hey bitches! Put me on 3rd or I drop the next pop fly!" Ok, maybe I didn't say it out loud but I was thinking it!
5. Ben Roethlisberger-What can I say? I love him. I think he is great. I want to be his friend. Or his sister. Or his girlfriend. Or his maid. Or his waitress. I just want to be near him. Yes, I have a problem.
4. Michael Jordan- He and Larry are the only reasons I ever watched basketball. I don't watch it so much anymore. I like Carmelo but I don't think he will ever compare to Bird or Jordan. Jordan was just so special. One year when he was playing with the Wizards, I spent over $600 for a pair of tickets to see him play in Dallas on Christmas Eve. We got a terrible snowstorm here that day and my flight was cancelled. I cried for a very long time, not sure if it is because I missed seeing Jordan play or the fact that I had just lost $600.
3. Muhammad Ali-He is the greatest of all time. We will never see another Ali.
2. Tiger Woods-I play quite a bit of golf so I know how difficult the sport is. I also know how easy Tiger makes it look. He has made golf cool.
1. Terry Bradshaw-Oh I know, he is probably not on any lists but mine. That's ok. I idolize the man. I grew up in the 70's watching Terry light it up. After my parents divorced, Terry divorced his wife. I told my mom, "Um, hey, can you marry Terry Bradshaw now? I would like him to be my dad."
I had a Terry Bradshaw bike. I slept in his jersey. I had a poster of him on my bedroom wall when most little girls my age had posters of David Cassidy or Rick Springfield. He is it for me, my all-time sports idol. As much as I was jealous of the little boy in the Coke/Mean Joe Greene commercial, I would have told Joe to shove his jersey where the sun don't shine for a chance to spend two minutes talking to Terry Bradshaw.
That is my list. I would like to see yours. These lists are what makes us the crazy sports fans that we are.
