AP reveals its two athletes of the decade: A tennis legend and a basketball superstar

St. Louis Today ^ | December 29, 2019 | Ringo H.W. Chiu

[EdnaMode]

[snip]

James is The Associated Press male athlete of the decade, adding his name to a list that includes Tiger Woods, Wayne Gretzky and Arnold Palmer. He was a runaway winner in a vote of AP member sports editors and AP beat writers, easily outpacing runner-up Tom Brady of the New England Patriots.

[snip] Serena Williams dominated the decade, on the court and in conversation.

There were, to begin with, the dozen Grand Slam single titles — no other woman had more than three over the past 10 seasons — and the 3 1/2 years in a row at No. 1 in the WTA rankings.

And then there was the celebrity status that transcended tennis, making everything she did and said newsworthy, whether it was the triumphs and trophies and fashion statements or the disputes with tournament officials, the magazine covers or the Super Bowl ad with a message about women's power, the birth of her daughter or the health scare that followed.

Still winning matches and reaching Grand Slam finals into her late 30s, still mattering as much as ever, Williams was selected by The Associated Press as the Female Athlete of the Decade on Saturday after a vote by AP member sports editors and AP beat writers.

[EdnaMode]

Next decade's winner for best female athlete.....

[Ann Archy]

WHAT THE HELL IS THAT???

[MinuteGal]

That's a man, baby!

Leni

[EvilCapitalist]

In my best Austin Powers voice... That’s a MAN baby!

[TomServo]

You realize you don’t have to truncate headlines anymore...

[EvilCapitalist]

Dagnabbit! You beat me by 44 seconds.

[brownsfan]

Reasonable choices. I don’t care for either, due to their big mouths, but they are both amazing athletes. To LeBron’s credit, he doesn’t get arrested or beat up his baby momma.

[EdnaMode]

Thanks. Didn’t realize that.

[tomkat]

If any of that Old Testament stuff still applies, we’re seriously hosed.

[tomkat]

(re that pic)

[dowcaet]

I don’t care for either one’s politics, but what they’ve done and accomplished as athletes can’t be denied. Hard to argue with either choice.

[MinuteGal]

The "Manchester" logos behind him are very apropos, LOL.

Leni

[Fightin Whitey]

To LeBron’s credit, he doesn’t get arrested or beat up his baby momma.

No, he just lives off the blood of the innocents under the boot of Xi JinPing.

Hong Kong is dead!

Long Live the King!

[EvilCapitalist]

I always thought Brown and Red are more appropriate colors for the Sodomites.

[lodi90]

I would guess Brady had more championships in the decade than LeBrick. Brady has done a bunch of things nobody in his sport ever have. Can you really say the same about LeBron? I don’t think so.

[ConsCA]

“I don’t care for either one’s politics, but what they’ve done and accomplished as athletes can’t be denied. Hard to argue with either choice.”

Agreed.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

I would guess Brady had more championships in the decade than LeBrick. Brady has done a bunch of things nobody in his sport ever have. Can you really say the same about LeBron? I don’t think so.

No football player will ever be as important to his team as a star basketball player is to his - fewer players per team, coaching isn't nearly as important, and individual talent is far more important. LeBron James is in the conversation with Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain as the best basketball player of all time. I dislike James quite a bit as an individual. I can't argue with his selection, though.

[OrangeHoof]

I remember the year Tiger Woods was named Athlete of the Year after it came out he had been cheating with hookers. I thought “they didn’t realize what a true athlete he was”.

[FoxInSocks]

That dude easily won a woman’s world championship track race. Earlier this year, I think.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

I don’t care for either one’s politics, but what they’ve done and accomplished as athletes can’t be denied.

To her credit, I had no idea what Serena Williams' politics were prior to this thread.