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Halloween is approaching us in less than a week’s time. The weather is getting colder, and the ghouls and goblins are getting ready to emerge to celebrate Hallows Eve. When you usually think of monsters, you think of the mean, the devious, the grotesque. But when it comes to the athletes we watch and appreciate, monster is about the best thing to call them. So to celebrate the holiday, I’ve come up with a list of the top five monsters in sports. The big, the strong, the fast. There are tons of guys that didn’t make the list, and I limited it to athletes I’ve seen play in my lifetime. But keep your eyes peeled, one of these is not like the other. Hope you enjoy!
1. LeBron James
By far and away my favorite basketball player of all time. Love him or hate him, and many seem to hate him, there’s no denying his insane athleticism and longevity. Just a few months away from turning 37 years old, the King shows no signs of slowing down, averaging a little under 30 points to begin the season. A four time NBA champion, the best player on every team he’s ever been on and the future top scorer in NBA history. Not to mention all of the work he’s done for his communities over the years. The resume speaks for itself. Let’s not forget, before being picked No. 1 overall in the 2003 NBA draft out of high school, LeBron had multiple D1 offers to play football as a tight end. Talk about a jack of all trades.
2. Frank Thomas
I only was able to catch the tail end of the Big Hurt’s career, but there’s a reason he’s regarded as one of the most talented baseball players to ever circle the bases. The two-time MVP was the rare combination of power and finesse, slugging 521 home runs over the course of 19 years while also hitting .301. His 1994 season is the most bittersweet of all time, as Big Frank hit .353 with 38 home runs and 101 runs driven in. He did this all in just 113 games, as this was the notorious strike shortened season. The Sox would have won it all that year, and you can’t tell me otherwise.
3. Marshawn Lynch
When your nickname is “Beast Mode,” odds are you’re going to find yourself on this list. Everyone remembers his famous “Beast Quake” run against the Saints in the Wild Card round of the 2010 NFL playoffs, heck I even remember where I was watching it. I was in the basement of my parent’s house. With my jaw on the floor, I ran upstairs to get my brother to come see the replay. To this day, it’s my favorite play that I’ve ever watched live. He’s a beast in almost every other way as well. I highly recommend YouTubing the video of him driving the golf cart on the field while he was at Cal. There was also his “I’m just here so I don’t get fined” press conference at the 2014 Super Bowl. Beast Mode is a beast, and that beast is a monster. Keep eating those Skittles and never change, Marshawn.
4. Rob Gronkowski
Just as LeBron is my favorite basketball player of all time, Gronk might be my favorite football player. One of the most physically imposing pass catchers in the history of the game, and possibly the greatest tight end to ever do it, Gronk is the guy we all secretly want to be. He spends his weeks being the life of the party wherever he is, and shows up on Sunday to catch touchdown passes from Tom Brady. He’s admitted himself he doesn’t watch film, but that doesn’t matter, as his 91 touchdown receptions are the third most by a tight end in history. He also holds the record for most multiple TD games as a tight end. We can only wonder how many more he would have had he not taken a year off and been healthy for his entire career.
5. Aaron Rodgers
As I said, one of these things is not like the others. Aaron Rodgers is a monster in the athletic sense, sure, but as a lifelong Bears fan, he’s also a monster that’s haunted my dreams for my entire life. His 22-5 record against the Bears with 57 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions speaks for itself. Last week, he basically told all of us Bears fans what we already knew after scoring the game sealing touchdown.
“I (expletive) own you! I’ve owned you all my life!”
I didn’t sleep that night. I was too afraid of seeing him when I closed my eyes. We didn’t need to hear him say it, but he loved every second of it. Aaron Rodgers is the Boogeyman, and the biggest monster of all.
Honorable Mention: Tendai Mtawarira
Definitely not as well-known as the other guys on this list, but I had to name him anyways. Accurately nicknamed “The Beast,” Mtawarira is one of the greatest rugby players of all time, and definitely worth the hours long rabbit hole of highlights you can find on YouTube. Seriously, look this guy up.
That’s all from me. One more thing, go see Dune!
