Top 5 Hottest Athletes in the Game

    Since this blog is based on the superficial (but amusing) aspects of sports, and society has taught us over the years that “sex sells”, what would be a better first post than a countdown of the hottest athletes in the game?!  These athletes spend their days working out and perfecting their craft, whether it is hockey, tennis, downhill solemn or swimming, these competitors reap the benefits of all their hard work in their sport, and now we will also get to reap these benefits ;)

#5 Michael Phelps

In my number five spot I’ve placed Olympic champion Michael Phelps.  He has won an outrageous 16 medals for his speed in the water, and he currently holds the record for the most gold medals won in a single Olympics! Phelps many titles have earned him the World Swimmer of the Year Award a six times and American Swimmer of the Year Award eight times!  Finally in 2008, what we were all waiting for, Phelps was featured in Sports Illustrated and awarded Sportsman of the Year.
With all his success I am willing to overlook the fact that he was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol in 2004.  Everyone makes mistakes right?! For all the above reasons (excluding the drunk driving slip-up), and the picture to right, lands Michael Phelps in my number five spot for hottest athletes in the game.

 #4 Sean Avery

Alright, I may get some heat for my next pick, but how could I do this list without a self proclaimed “clotheshorse” who has expressed a dream to become a fashion editor after his days on the ice; in the number four spot, Sean Avery. In 2008, it was announced that Avery would be spending the off season interning at Vogue magazine! I should also note that he has been known to give girlfriends advice on how to dress...Not too sure how I feel about this one, but I suppose if he were giving me free clothes from Vogue along with this fashion advice I’d let it slide.  Avery also revealed on ESPN that as a child he would play with dolls that he would steal from his babysitter, I suppose that’s where his interest with women’s and men’s fashion sprouted. From this interest, he was able to produce a fashion line with Commonwealth Utilities for Fashion Week in New York City in 2009. 
With all this fashion effort and professional hockey playing, you’d think he wouldn’t have any extra time to stir up controversy in the NHL, but it is not so.  On December 2, 2008 prior to the Dallas Stars morning skate before their game against Calgary, Avery made quite the offside statement (pun intended), to a group of reporters. In reference to his ex girlfriend, Elisha Cuthbert and her new boyfriend Dion Phaneuf he said this,
“I'm just going to say one thing. I'm really happy to be back in Calgary; I love Canada. I just want to comment on how it's become like a common thing in the NHL for guys to fall in love with my sloppy seconds. I don't know what that's about, but enjoy the game tonight”.
He was suspended indefinitely, and bashed by the league and fellow NHLers.  Maybe you should stick to what you know best Sean, fashion and hockey, in that order!

#3 Maria Sharapova

In my number three spot I’ve chosen Maria Sharapova, this may create some backlash with the gentlemen out there who feel that Ana Kornakova should absolutely be on this list, but don’t worry guys, she’ll make the cut for another blog post. 
Sharapova made her professional debut in 2001.  She was the youngest girl ever to reach the final of the Australian Open junior at 14 years old. She quickly climbed the ranks of professional tennis players, making the top 50 by the end of 2003.  In later seasons she triumphed beating a top-20 player for the first time and reaching her first semifinal at the WTA level. Then, as a wildcard at Wimbledon, she defeated an 11th place seed to reach the fourth round, where she lost in three sets. Not bad!

Sharapova is engaged to Slovenian professional basketball player Sasha Vujacic.  
In 2011, Sharapova was named in Forbes Celebrity 100 which lists her as one of the top 100 most powerful celebrities of the year.

For her hard work in tennis and not Enrique Iglesias vids like her fellow tennis athlete, and her stunning looks, she earns the number three spot.

#2 Lindsay Vonn

In the number two spot I’ve chosen American alpine ski racer, Lindsay Vonn. Lindsay became a household name at the 2010 Winter Olmypics where she won the gold medal (the first ever for an American woman). She has also won three consecutive World Cup and downhill championships and is one of give women to have won World Cup race in all give disciplines of alpine skiing; downhill, super g, giant slalom, slalom and super combined.  Vonn received the Laureus World Sports award Sportswomen of the years for 2010.
Lindsay made the controversial decision to appear in Sports Illustrated 2010 swimsuit edition and also made Maxim’s Hot 100 list, but I doubt too many could complain about the issue.
She married fellow U.S. ski team athletes Thomas Vonn (perhaps a powerhouse athlete couples blog is in order).   
It’s all this terrific success along with those racy photos and the guts she has for being on a snowy mountain in a bikini that has landed her the number two spot on my top five hottest athletes list.

 #1 David Beckham

Okay bloggers, time for my number one pick for hottest athletes!  Although it may be a slightly predictable choice, this list would be trash without him.  In the number one spot I’ve chosen the ever classy David Beckham! Aside from his success on the soccer pitch playing for teams such as Manchester Unites, Preson North End, Real Madrid, A.C Milan and Los Angeles Galaxy; Beckham remains extremely recognized as being a heart throb off the field. 

Although it broke many hearts, David Beckham started dating Victoria Adams (better known as Posh Spice to Spice Girls fans) in 1997, and there is no denying that this couple and now family is among the most famously adorable. 

This hot spot is not as long as the previous posts, but I’m relying on the saying that “a picture is worth a thousand words”, and in Beckham’s case, it most definitely is.

Whether he’s tearing it up on the field or posing for pictures with his wifey at the prestigious Royal Wedding of Kate and William, there is no denying he deserves the number one spot on this list.