Roger Federer - The Greatest Tennis Player Of All Time

Roger Federer - The Greatest Tennis Player Of All Time

 Roger Federer (born 8 August 1981) is a Swiss professional tennis player. As of January 18, 2010, he is ranked world number 1 by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), having previously held the number one position for a record 237 consecutive weeks. Many sports analysts, tennis critics, former and current players consider Federer to be the greatest tennis player of all time.

Federer has won 15 Grand Slam singles titles, more than any other male player. He is one of six male players to have captured the career Grand Slam, one of only three (with Laver and Agassi) since the beginning of the Open Era and one of only two male players (the other being Agassi) in history to have won all four Grand Slam titles on three different surfaces (clay, grass and hard courts). Federer has appeared in an unprecedented 21 career Grand Slam finals, and as of September 2009, has reached the semi-finals or better of the last 22 Grand Slam tournaments, a record streak that spans over five years. Federer also holds the record of reaching 10 consecutive Grand Slam finals and has appeared in 17 of the last 18. Federer has won 4 ATP World Tour Finals and 16 ATP Masters Series tournaments, one less than all time winner Andre Agassi. He also won the Olympic Gold Medal in doubles with his compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. As a result of his successes in tennis, Federer was named the Laureus World Sportsman of the Year for four consecutive years (2005–2008).

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Amazing Gymnastics Action Photography

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Top 15 Hockey Players of All-Time

A list like this isn’t nearly as fun or accurate if we just pretend active players don’t exist. The way I rated active players is simple. I considered their accomplishments up to this point and then assumed a healthy, reasonable, finish to their careers.

15) Martin Brodeur

Give me a choice out of Roy, Hasek and Martin Brodeur to win one game, I can’t say I know who I would pick. There is no question that Brodeur has benefited from playing for a New Jersey-franchise that is known for playing stellar defense. But, the numbers he has compiled over his career are nothing short of phenomenal. He will most likely pass Patrick Roy for first place in career wins. He will also likely pass Roy for the most playoff shutouts and Terry Sawchuk for most regular season shutouts. He has seven 40+ win-seasons. No other goalie has more than three. Brodeur was the catalyst for three Stanley Cup titles in New Jersey. His individual accomplishments (Vezinas and Conn Smythes) don’t match that of Hasek and Roy but he may by the time his career is over. I can’t say that Roy and Hasek were better goaltenders. All I can say is that their career-accomplishments are slightly more impressive.

14) Nicklas Lidstrom

There aren’t too many hockey fans who would list Lidstrom as a “superstar” outside of Detroit. The fact of the matter is that he is a superstar. He is still in the prime of his career with three Stanley Cups, six Norris Trophies, nine First Team NHL All-Star selections and a Conn Smythe Trophy. By the time Lidstrom’s career is over, he will probably be the second greatest defenseman of all-time behind Orr.

13) Jean Beliveau

Beliveau is the fifth greatest Montreal Canadien of all-time in my opinion. When he retired in 1970, he had the most playoff points in NHL history. He helped lead the Canadiens to ten Stanley Cup Trophies. He won one Conn Smythe Trophy but that total probably would have been higher had the award been handed out the first fourteen years of his career. He also won two Hart Trophies as the NHL’s best player. He was the premier scorer for the Canadiens in the 50’s and 60’s. As far as I can tell, he is probably the least known great hockey player of all-time.

12) Doug Harvey

Harvey is probably a close second to Jean Beliveau in anonymity among great hockey players. He helped lead the Canadiens to six Stanley Cup Trophies while winning seven Norris Trophies as the NHL’s best defenseman. Only Orr has more.

11) Guy Lafleur

LaFleur and Hull are a pretty good comparison. Both won three Art Ross Trophies and both won two Hart Trophies. Hull was the first with multiple 50-goal seasons. LaFleur was the first with six consecutive 50-goal seasons. LaFleur had the benefit of playing for an All-Star team disguised as the Montreal Canadiens which allowed LaFleur’s a 6-1 advantage in Stanley Cups. Hull played six more years and recorded over 450 more points and over 250 more goals. Both were fantastic hockey players. Hull gets the edge because he has a 10-6 advantage in First Team NHL All-Star selections and a 7-1 advantage in leading the league in goals.

10) Terry Sawchuk

Considering Sawchuk is a Detroit Red Wings icon and the cousin of one of my former neighbors, I kind of feel guilty not putting Sawchuk ahead of Roy. But, I’m not doing this list to play favorites—or at least I’m not trying to. When Sawchuk died in 1970, he was the all-time leader in wins and shutouts. His shutout record still stands. He helped lead the Detroit Red Wings to two Stanly Cups while winning four Vezina Trophies. Although, it is important to note that the Vezina Trophy was handed out to the goalie with the fewest goals against (rather than the best goalie) before 1982.

9) Dominik Hasek

I really had a tough time putting Patrick Roy ahead of Hasek. In Roy’s stellar 18-year career, he only won three Vezina Trophies. Hasek is largely responsible for that. Hasek won six Vezinas which is by far the most all-time by a player who played under the current Vezina Trophy standards. Hasek is also the only goalie in NHL history to win two Hart Trophies as the league’s best player. The reason I decided to go with Roy as the better goaltender is because of Roy’s considerable success in the playoffs. Roy was largely responsible for three Stanley Cup Trophies winning the Conn Smythe all three times. Hasek only won one Stanley Cup and that was with one of the greatest hockey teams ever assembled. Hasek might get the nod for regular season success, but Roy’s superiority in the playoffs makes him better in my opinion.

8) Maurice Richard

The reason why I’ve rated Richard 8th is simply because I think there have been seven better players in NHL history. It's tempting to rate him higher but I just can't do it based on his accomplishments with respect to the players above him. Richard’s big claim to fame (other than being a great hockey player) is that he was the first player in NHL history to score 50 goals. That was truly a revolutionary feat. Aside from that 50-goal season, Richard never won an Art Ross Trophy (league scoring leader) and only won one Hart Trophy as the league’s best player in his 18 year career. He is the only offensive player in my top 16 to win fewer than two Hart Trophies. As for Richard’s 50-goal feat...Bobby Hull did it five times. Richard is also the only offensive player in my top 15 not to have won an Art Ross Trophy. Despite a lasting legacy and hero status as a Quebecois, I can't place Richard any higher than #8.

7) Phil Esposito

Esposito is probably the second greatest Chicago Blackhawk of all-time. He was the first player in NHL history to score more than 100 points in a season. He accomplished that feat six times in his career. He set the single season record for most goals scored in 1971. He also led the NHL in scoring five times and goals six times. He won two Hart Trophies as the league’s best player. He helped lead the Boston Bruins to two Stanley Cup Trophies which happen to be the last two the franchise has won. It sure seems to me like Esposito had a better career than Rocket Richard. While Richard was the first 50-goal scorer, Esposito was the first 100 point scorer and shattered Richard’s 50 goal mark numerous times.

6) Bobby Hull

Bobby Hull’s career point total is shocking. In 23 seasons in the NHL and WHA, Hull recorded 1808 points and 913 goals. He led the Chicago Blackhawks to their most recent Stanley Cup Trophy 45 years ago. He won three Art Ross Trophies and two Hart Trophies. Hull was the first player to record multiple 50-goal seasons. He also led the league in goals a record seven times. When Hull left the NHL in 1972, there had only been six occurrences of 50+ goals in the history of the league (not counting Hull). Hull did it five times. He played an amazing 23 seasons which is the third longest career of anyone in my top 50. He was selected First Team NHL All-Star 10 times which is the second most in NHL history behind Ray Bourque and Gordie Howe. There were other great players of Hull’s era who won more championships but those players had the luxury of playing for stacked teams like the Montreal Canadiens. Hull played the majority of his career for average Blackhawk teams.

5) Patrick Roy

This is going to shock a lot of people. In fact, it shocked me. I assure you that I have good reason to rank Roy the fourth best player in NHL history. There is no questioning Roy's place as one of the top goaltenders of all-time. He has more regular season wins than any other goaltender in league history (although Martin Brodeur will pass him in 2008). He also won three Vezina Trophies as the best goaltender in the NHL. That alone puts him among the top players of all-time. The thing that puts Roy among the top four players of all-time has nothing to do with the regular season. Every professional athlete plays the game to win championships. That is the goal to start every season. Players who perform well in the playoffs are often viewed on a different level than other "good" players. Well, Roy has outperformed every player in NHL history when it comes to playoff performances. He has 59 more postseason wins than any other goalie. He also has the most postseason shutouts of any goalie. Those numbers are not just a case of Roy playing for great teams. He almost single handedly led the Montreal Canadiens to two Stanley Cup Championships. Those Canadien-teams were nowhere near as talented as some of the other Stanley Cup winners of the 80's and 90's. He went on to win two more Cups with the Colorado Avalanche where he was again the best player in the playoffs. All told, Roy won three Conn Smythe Trophies as the most outstanding player in the playoffs. That is the most in NHL history. In fact, only four other players have even won the Conn Smythe more than once (Gretzky, Orr, Mario Lemieux, and Bernie Parent).

4) Mario Lemieux

I don’t think it’s a coincidence that four of the five players in NHL history to win multiple Conn Smythe Trophies are in my top five. Many people compare Lemieux’s talent level to that of Gretzky. I have no problem with that sentiment. Had Lemieux had the luxury of playing with a team as talented as Gretzky’s Oilers or had Gretzky's health, he would have undoubtedly put up Gretzky’s ridiculous point totals. As it is, Lemieux scored 199 points in 1988 which is the highest total by anyone other than Gretzky. Lemieux is the second best offensive player I have seen in my lifetime. Injuries hampered his career but his points per game total is barely behind Gretzky for first all-time. Lemieux led the Pittsburgh Penguins to two Stanley Cup Trophies. He also won three Hart Trophies, six Art Ross Trophies and two Conn Smythe Trophies. Those accomplishments are even more impressive considering he did it while playing at the same time as Gretzky.

3) Gordie Howe

Howe was no slouch himself. He played three times as long as Orr. As a result, I certainly would not argue if someone wanted to put Howe second. Playing two or three seasons more isn't much to talk about but when a guy plays three times as long as another guy, that has to carry some weight. And it's not as if Howe had a Ron Francis-type career either. Howe accumulated awards by the dozen. He won six Hart Trophies and six Art Ross Trophies. He helped lead the Detroit Red Wings to four Stanley Cup Championships. He also owned most of the offensive records before Gretzky arrived.

2) Bobby Orr

Picking Orr over Gordie Howe requires a concession. Howe's incredibly long career can't be viewed as a deal-breaker for Orr. Gretzky's long career was a deal-breaker but that's only because "The Great One" was better already before considering career length. Orr dominated the NHL from a position (defenseman) that had never seen such offensive prowess. His brilliance was relatively brief, but revolutionary nonetheless. He was, by most accounts, the second most talented hockey player to play the sport. His collection of individual awards compared to the amount of time he played is second to none. In just nine seasons, Orr picked up eight Norris Trophies, two Art Ross Trophies, three Hart Trophies, and two Conn Smythe Trophies. Orr led the Boston Bruins to two Stanley Cup Championships--the only two that the team has won in the last 64 years.

1) Wayne Gretzky

At the risk of angering the five percent of the population who think Bobby Orr should be number one, Gretzky is by far the most accomplished hockey player in NHL history. It's really not even close. Even if it were somehow proven that Orr was as good of a hockey player as Gretzky, the fact that Gretzky maintained excellence for 13 seasons longer than Orr makes this an open and shut case.

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Top 10 Boxers of All Time

These top 10 boxers of all time are chosen not only because of their household names but also because of their solid affirmation of their supremacy during the time of their reign as champions.

10. George Foreman

76 W, 5 L, 68 KO – born January 05, 1949. This fighter has always been haunted by his own ghost. After his triumphal rise to fame, his crashing defeat in the hands of Ali has left him devastated more on the spirit than on his physical side. He has named all five of his sons George because: “In this career, you have to prepare for long term brain damage.”

9. Sugar Ray Leonard

36 W, 3 L, 1 D, 25 KO – born May 17, 1956. He is an epitome of a scientific fighter and a genius on top of the ring. He can get into the minds of his opponent to inflict the most serious jabs to bring them to submission. One of the most memorable of all is the infamous “no mas” episode with Roberto Duran.

8. Marvin Hagler

62 W, 3 L, 2 D, 52 KO – born in Newark, New Jersey, May 23, 1954. Because he felt that he did not receive enough credit for his accomplishments, Hagler legally changed his name to Marvelous Marvin Hagler. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest middleweights of all time. Later in life he moved to Italy, where he made low budget movies.

7. Archie Moore

181 W, 24 L, 9 D, 1 NC, 145 KO – December 13, 1913 – December 9, 1998. If only for his impressive and superhuman career record, the Old mongoose could well have been the greatest. His fighting career spanned all four decades and has knocked out more fighters than any of the other great fighters in this top 10 list.

6. Roy Jones

49 W, 3 L, 38 KO – born January 16, 1969. His selection may raise not a few eyebrows as there are a lot of skeptics on the circumstances of his being propelled to championship status. Jones started his rap music career in 2001 with his successful album, titled Round One: The Album and the debut single, “You all Must’ve Forgot”.

5. Joe Louis

68 W, 3 L, 54 KO – Joseph Louis Barrow born May 13, 1914–April 12, 1981 nicknamed the Brown Bomber, he is considered to be one of the greatest in boxing history. Among his numerous victories Louis coined two of boxing’s most famous quotes: “He can run, but he can’t hide” and “Everyone has a plan until they’ve been hit.”

4. Julio Cesar Chavez

104 W, 5 L, 2 D, 80 KO – Julio Cesar Chavez was born on July 12, 1962 in Ciudad Obregon, Mexico. He is the ultimate Mexican champion of all time. He began boxing as an amateur at the age of sixteen and had demolished practically all the top fighters during his time. He went on to fight for 13 years with a unblemished record.

3. Henry Armstrong

150 W, 21 L, 101 KO – Henry Jackson Jr., born December 12, 1912 was the only boxer to hold three world championships at the same time. These titles included the Featherweight, Lightweight, and Welterweight crowns. He also defended the Welterweight championship more times than any other fighter.

2. Muhhamed Ali

56 W, 5 L, 37 KO – born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., January 17, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky. He had an unorthodox style for a heavyweight boxer relying on foot speed and quickness to avoid punches and carried his hands low. Muhammad will come down in boxing history as one of the greatest human being that has fought in the square canvas.

1. Sugar Ray Robinson

179 W, 19 L, 6 D, 2 NC, 109 KO – born Walker Smith Jr., May 3, 1921 – April 12, 1989 made his professional debut on October 4, 1940. Sugar Ray Robinson is admittedly the hands down choice of top boxer of all time and to this date, no one comes close of surpassing or even equaling his achievement as a boxer.

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10 Biggest Splits in the Sports World

With the news that Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren made their divorce official and with Frank and Jamie McCourt’s divorce starting tomorrow (August 30th), it seems dissolution is in vogue. Judging from what follows, it's not the first time.

Let’s take a look at some of the other big splits in the professional sports world.


 Reggie Bush and Kim Kardashian/Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson
  Reggie Bush and Kim Kardashian

While neither of these two splits classify as a divorce, they were some of the more popular splits in the professional sporting world over the past few years.

Reggie Bush and Kim Kardashian began dating in 2007 and seemed to have good chemistry, until their split in 2009. They tried to salvage their relationship by having a second go at things, but eventually broke ties for good in early 2010.


Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson began dating in late 2007 and were the talk of the entertainment world. Jessica attended a Cowboys game in which Romo played poorly and it sparked a controversy where Simpson was blamed for Romo’s poor play on the football field.

Their relationship took further criticism from the public while they were spotted during the Cowboys bye week in Mexico, with the Cowboys losing to the Giants in the playoffs a week later. Ultimately, they ended their relationship in the summer of 2009.

Jason and Karen Varitek

Jason and Karen Varitek

Married for 12 years, the Variteks filed for divorce in 2008. The interesting thing regarding this divorce was the rumor that Varitek had an affair with Red Sox reporter Heidi Watney.
Although it was never proven, the rumors circulated and ironically came about at the same time as the divorce.

Hulk and Linda Hogan

Hulk and Linda Hogan

Hulk and Linda Hogan were married for just over 20 years before they split due to Hulk’s infidelity. In 2007, while still filming for "Hogan Knows Best," Hulk had an affair with 33-year-old Christiane Plante, who worked with Hulk’s daughter Brooke on her 2006 album.

Their divorce took an interesting turn when Linda (48) began dating 19-year-old Charlie Hill, who was a student at the same high school as her children. This divorce took another turn for the worse when Hulk stated in his autobiography that he contemplated suicide after his wife filed for divorce.

Chipper and Karin Jones

Chipper Jones

Chipper met Karin while he was playing for a Braves minor-league affiliate team and they were married after the 1992 season. It was revealed in 1997 that Chipper had been having an 18-month affair with a Hooters waitress, which resulted in an illegitimate child being born.

It was later revealed that Chipper had numerous affairs in 1997. As a result, Karin divorced Chipper.

Frank and Jamie McCourt

Frank and Jamie McCourt

One of the more popular splits in professional sports hasn’t even happened yet. Although it appears imminent, Frank and Jamie McCourt are undergoing the divorce process and the way they have gone about this process has frozen the finances of the Dodgers' organization, of which both have a share.

Their divorce trial begins on August 30^th and it will be interesting to see how their millions of dollars and assets will be settled.

Jason and Joumana Kidd

Jason Kidd

Jason and Joumana Kidd have three children and appeared to have a solid marriage, until 2001 when Jason Kidd was arrested and pleaded guilty to a domestic abuse charge. He was accused of assaulting his wife out of anger.

Jason attended anger-management classes for six months. In 2007, Jason filed for divorce, stating that Joumana would threaten to file a domestic abuse claim. Joumana filed a counterclaim stating that Jason had broken her rib and damaged her hearing by smashing her head into a car.

Alex and Cynthia Rodriguez

Cynthia and Alex Rodriguez

A-Rod and Cynthia were married in 2002 and have two children. Rumors began circulating as early as 2004 of A-Rod’s infidelity, but the divorce did not happen for a few more years.
A couple more instances of infidelity, most notably with Madonna and a former Playboy feature girl, were reported and the divorce was finalized in 2008.

Dwyane and Siovaughn Wade

Dwyane and Siovaughn Wade

Dwyane and Siovaughn settled a nasty divorce this year after roughly three years of going through the legal system. Wade and his wife underwent one of the more interesting divorces as of late.

Siovaughn claimed that Wade had given her herpes through an affair. She also accused Dwyane of abandoning his children.
Their divorce was settled in 2010, but the custody of their children is still an on going battle.

Michael and Juanita Jordan

Michael and Juanita Jordan

Married in 1989 and with three children, Michael and Juanita Jordan were divorced in 2006. It was reported that Michael had an affair with another woman that produced a child. It was determined through a DNA test that Jordan was not the father of the child.
Juanita received $168 million, which was the largest settlement for a celebrity divorce at that time.

Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren

Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren

The latest scandal to shock the professional sporting world was the divorce of Tiger and Elin. It was a long time coming since the various reports of Woods infidelity that stemmed from a car accident in late November.
Amid the reports of the numerous women Woods had been with, the divorce seemed imminent. It became official last week and now the public waits to see what type of settlement is reached. Elin could challenge Juanita for the richest settlement to be reached for a celebrity divorce.
Source: bleacher report

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