David Beckham vs. Yao Ming
versus
tue 4/14/2009
| name | David Robert Joseph Beckham. | Yao Ming. |
| born in | London, England. | Shanghai, China. |
| age | 33. | 28. |
| nicknames | Becks, Goldenballs. | The Great Wall, The Ming Dynasty. |
| height | 5' 11". | 7' 6". |
| weight | 158 lbs. | 310 lbs. |
| sport | Soccer. | Basketball. |
| current team | AC Milan (on loan from L.A. Galaxy). | Houston Rockets. |
| previous team/s | Spain's Real Madrid and England's Manchester United. | China's Shanghai Sharks. |
| position | Midfielder. | Center. |
| American debut | July 27, 2007. | October 31, 2002. |
| better half | Former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham. | Basketball player Ye Li. |
| sometimes stereotyped as | More celebrity than athlete. | A freakish giant. |
| 2008 earnings | $48.2 million. | $31.2 million. |
| endorsements | Emporio Armani, Gillette, Pepsi, Vodafone, Adidas, Police Sunglasses and Sharpie. | Apple, Visa, Nike, Gatorade, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola and Reebok. |
| jersey sales | Over 250,000 L.A. Galaxy jerseys were sold before his debut. | Had the sixth highest-selling jersey in China in 2007 behind players like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. |
| charity work | Established the Victoria and David Beckham Charitable Trust to raise money to buy wheelchairs for children in the U.K. | Established The Yao Ming Foundation to help victims of the 2008 earthquake in Southern China. |
| the critics | U.K.'s Telegraph: "Any critique of Beckham must begin with two realities: he is a savvy man mindful of his image and how history will regard him, but also a sportsman who just loves the feeling of a ball, preferably motionless, nestling against his right foot.” | Bleacherreport.com: "You’ll never find Yao trash-talking after a glamorous dunk. Nor will you find him complaining over a lack of playing time. Instead, you’ll see Yao be the first to jump off the bench to applaud a seldom-used teammate—even when the game is all but over." |
| in their own words | "I have always looked for challenges in my life. My family… is the most important thing for me, but the soccer is second." - David Beckham. | "I'm just one of the 1.3 billion Chinese." - Yao Ming. |
| at the movies | Goal II: Living the Dream and Bend it Like Beckham. | The Year of the Yao. |
| bet you didn't know | Wears a new pair of shoes every game. | Ming is his first name, his family name is Yao. |
| best video moment | Becomes a klepto in a commercial for Sharpie. | Taller than the Statue of Liberty in a commercial for Visa. |
down the isle
daily dos
tue 4/14/2009
Why do 3 of 5 former NBA players go broke after five years of retirement? Why do nearly 4 of 5 former NFL players go bankrupt or struggle financially? Bad investments, divorce and irresponsible spending, according to Sports Illustrated. (via Metafilter)
Shamrock, Watson, Anthony, Bornstein and Ortiz
halfsie or fullsie
thu 8/14/2008
You may have wondered: are they? A little?
Well, yes. Yes, they are.
Frank Shamrock
Age: 35
MMA fighter known for successfully defending the UFC Middleweight title five times before eventually retiring in 1999.
Fullsie: Mexican-American.
Earl Watson
Age: 29
Point guard for the NBA's yet-to-be-named Oklahoma City team. Plans on attending law school after he retires.
Halfsie: African-American father and Mexican mother.
Carmelo Anthony
Age: 24
Small forward for the NBA's Denver Nuggets. Nicknamed "Melo." Married to TV personality Alani "LaLa" Vasquez.
Halfsie: Puerto Rican father and African-American mother.
Jonathan Bornstein
Age: 23
Defender for MLS's Chivas USA and the U.S. national team. Named Rookie of the Year in 2006.
Halfsie: Mexican mother.
Tito Oritz
Age: 33
Former UFC Light Heavyweight champion. Fired on NBC's Celebrity Apprentice. Dating adult film star Jenna Jameson.
Halfsie: Mexican-American father.
spread 'em
daily dos
thu 7/17/2008
The NFL is "hiring experts" to investigate whether some of its players are flashing gang signs during games. Officials cited an incident earlier this year where NBA star Paul Pierce was fined for a throwing up a hand sign during a game. The hand sign turned out to have no gang meaning whatsoever. (via The Huffington Post)
Arenas, Williams, Romo, Carew and Gomez
halfsie or fullsie
mon 6/9/2008
(image by Chris Leon via flickr)
You may have wondered: are they? A little?
Well, yes. Yes, they are.
Ted Williams
Passed away at age 86
Hall of Fame outfielder for MLB's Boston Red Sox. Nicknamed "Teddy Ballgame." Considered the greatest hitter of all time.
Halfsie: Mexican mother and Welsh-Irish father.
Tony Romo
Age: 26
Quarterback for the NFL's Dallas Cowboys. A two-time Pro Bowler, Romo once dated pop singer Jessica Simpson.
Halfsie: Mexican father and Polish-German mother.
Gilbert Arenas
Age: 26
Point guard for the NBA's Washington Wizards. Nicknamed "Agent Zero." Cheats at video game Halo 3.
Halfsie: Cuban-American father and African-American mother.
Rod Carew
Age: 62
Hall of Fame infielder for MLB's Minnesota Twins and California Angels. An 18-time All-Star. One of 27 players with over 3,000 career hits.
Fullsie: Born and raised in Panamá.
Scott Gomez
Age: 28
Center for the NHL's New York Rangers. First Latino to play in the NHL. Nicknamed the "Alaskan Assassin." Winner of two Stanley Cups.
Fullsie: Mexican-American father and Colombian-American mother.
(Additional images by Familie Schmitt and SummerTX via flickr.)
Emmanuel Ginóbili
whodat
wed 2/14/2007
Argentina, home to famous futbolero Diego Maradona, has its eyes set on a new sports legend in the making – but this one dribbles with his hands. Emmanuel “Manu” Ginóbili, a sinewy six-foot-six shooting guard from Bahía Blanca, has made a name for himself with his clutch shooting and frenetic style of play. In a span of three years, Manu led the San Antonio Spurs to two NBA championships and his native country to an Olympic Gold Medal.
Obsessed with Michael Jordan as a child, Manu learned to play basketball from his father, the coach of Estudiantes de Bahía Blanca, one of Argentina's pro basketball teams. In 1996, Ginóbili played for his dad after being traded to Estudiantes, before moving on to a pro team in Italy. Although the Spurs drafted Ginóbili in 1999, he remained in Italy for another three years, winning multiple championships with Kinder Bologna.
In 2002, Ginóbili finally joined the Spurs, impressing sportswriters and fans alike with his unpredictable attack: slashing dunks, behind the back moves and reverse lay-ups. Manu's quick transition to the more aggressive NBA style helped the Spurs win championships in 2003 and 2005.
His achievements have prompted San Antonio’s Latino community to turn out in droves to support the player who is sometimes called the people’s MVP. Manu-mania is in full effect back home in Argentina, where he runs several charities. In an arena dominated by hip hop swagger, Ginóbili's humility is as endearing as his taste in music: “I'm not Mick Jagger, but I'm pretty popular.”
giddyup
daily dos
thu 2/8/2007
Former NBA player John Amaechi becomes the first professional basketball player to come out.
"RiCkY" Says:
