City's Best: Boston's Top Five Athletes

FanHouse is posting the top five current athletes for America's top 25 cities with the following criteria: 1) Who would a Boston sports fan say is his/her favorite athlete? 2) Would the player's name (or face) be familiar to locals who don't follow sports?

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In years past, picking only five of the most popular athletes in Boston would have been like trying to pick out the five hottest women treading the red carpet to the Oscars: you just couldn't do it. Sadly, times have changed in Boston and it's really a two-sport town. The winter sports, glorious in long-ago times, are now rendered insignificant. But I digress, on with the winners...

5. Daisuke Matsuzaka, Boston Red Sox: A new guy new to the city but already a huge fan-favorite. The off-season hype surrounding the 103-million-dollar-man set the bar unrealistically high, but Dice-K has delivered. The mystique of coming to America from Japan combined with the mystery of the so-called "gyro-ball" has made Matsuzaka an instant legend. There is no doubt he will be a very successful major league pitcher, but his international success in Japan and in the World Baseball Classic have catapulted him into an Ichiro-like stature. The media frenzy that surrounds him is like the following Rocky Balboa had running through the streets of Philly, it's almost surreal.

4. Curt Schilling, Boston Red Sox: Nothing will ever take away the magic Schill brought to Boston in 2004 with "the bloody sock" and the post-season dramatics that ensued. At times, however, Schilling seems to do everything he can with his mouth to make people forget his ankle and his arm. If not for his weekly interviews on WEEI in Boston where he is constantly spewing unwanted political views, homophobic ideas and other stupidity, he could have been a number-one candidate for this list. But his love of blogging, online gaming, and in particular talking to the media, seemed to distract him from the game of baseball. He has done it all on the field for the Red Sox, risking not only his career but his long term health to bring the city a World Series. For that, he will always be remembered.
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3) Manny Ramirez, Boston Red Sox: I can't think of a player who is such a run-producing machine the way Manny Ramirez has been over his entire career. No matter how slow he starts, he is almost guaranteed to end the season with 30+ homers and 120+ RBI. What Red Sox fans have learned is that those stats come with a bit of baggage. What we now know as "Manny being Manny." To translate: the guy just isn't all there. He has a tendency to have brain farts at times, a perceived lack of hustle at other times. Then there are the little visits inside Boston's Green Monster - while the game is going on. Top that off with his grill-shill and his wine endeavors, and you've got quite a character. Oh, and did I mention the crazy hair-do's and the Hall of Fame stats?

2) David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox: Big Papi. Mr. Clutch. Boston Red Sox single-season home run king. And to top it all off, a super, fun-loving guy. In most cities, Ortiz would be number one. His late-game heroics and infectious smile make him the perfect ambassador for the game of baseball. To add to Papi's allure, there has yet to be a single report linking Ortiz to drugs, alcohol, scandalous women or steroids. I doubt the guy has ever double-parked illegally. His tenacity on the field turns to sincerity and humor off the field that is too rare in athletes these days. He plays the game hard and gives a lot back to his fans in Boston and his home-country the Dominican Republic. All sports need more guys like David Ortiz.

1) Tom Brady, New England Patriots: This wasn't even close, sports fans. Tom Brady is a handsome, well-spoken, successful athlete who wins Superbowls by day and woos beautiful women by night. He is the James Bond of professional sports. How many guys can dump a chick of Bridget Moynahan's caliber and upgrade to a Giselle Bundchen? Granted, his fingers are dripping Superbowl rings and his mantel is festooned with MVP trophies, but the guy still has to have something going on in the looks and brains department to do so well with the ladies. And to show his sense of humility and humor, the guy hosted Saturday Night Live and even did a skit in his tightie-whities. He really is a class act all the way, and by far, Boston's most popular athlete.

Runners Up...

Randy Moss, New England Patriots: This was a tough one. The guy hasn't played a single down for the Pats yet, but he simply has to be on the list. Love him or hate him, he is a football icon coming to one of the best franchises in the NFL. There is something to be said for that. He has the pure skill and athleticism to flourish on a team already filthy with talent. But can he keep his head in the game when the ball isn't thrown his way every down? Only time will tell if Moss moves higher up the list or fades into oblivion.

Jon Papelbon, Boston Red Sox: Papelbon is moving up the ranks - top ten material certainly. His late-game dominance and intense game-face may someday be the stuff of legends. Again, time will tell.

Paul Pierce, Boston Celtics: Pierce is considered by many to be a top-ten NBA player. In Boston, he is not held in such high regard. Champions win championships, and Pierce hasn't done it. His obsession with the 3-point shot and pouty post-game demeanor just don't cut it in a town with 16 banners hanging in the rafters.

There you have it, the top five with a few bonus players as food for thought. I'm sure there is a Bruin that five or six people will argue should have made the list, but I just can't go there. Perhaps if we were to revisit this list in the fall, David Beckham will own a place? But today, I stand behind the five on the list.