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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

Posted on 12/29/2019 6:00:35 PM PST by 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.

(Excerpt) Read more at stltoday.com ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Society; Sports
KEYWORDS: lebron; lebronjames; serena; serenawilliams
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To: EdnaMode
[snip] Serena Williams dominated the decade, on the court and in conversation.

She won a lot of tournaments yes. But she is a spoiled child on the court. And not in the fun way that John McEnroe was, but in a nasty mean way, abusing ball boys / girls, and chair umpires, and generally disgracing her sport. She's a black woman so she gets a pass. Anyone else would have been run off the tour.

21 posted on 12/29/2019 7:10:44 PM PST by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel.)
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To: MinuteGal
That's a man, baby!

INDEED!

22 posted on 12/29/2019 7:11:45 PM PST by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel.)
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To: brownsfan

Without looking at the merits,I care less because the NBA and pro Tennis are not what they used to be and it can be argued they would not dominate in those older eras. Maybe I am wrong,care less. I am that guy now who thinks everything past was the best.


23 posted on 12/29/2019 7:29:47 PM PST by shanover (...To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them.-S.Adams)
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To: Ann Archy

Serena Williams? More like Brat of the century.


24 posted on 12/29/2019 7:53:26 PM PST by Bullish (My tagline ran off with another man)
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To: lodi90

Brady’s not black... That’s why, and anyone who doesn’t have the brain disease called ‘liberalism’ knows that.


25 posted on 12/29/2019 7:57:56 PM PST by Bullish (My tagline ran off with another man)
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To: brownsfan

Lebron > Michael Jordan


26 posted on 12/29/2019 8:07:11 PM PST by Clemenza
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To: AnotherUnixGeek
No football player will ever be as important to his team as a star basketball player is to his

Really? How about the year that Payton Manning was hurt for the Colts, and they went from Super Bowl champs to 1st draft pick in one season. Same could be said for the Broncos after Elway retired, until Manning was there for a year or two, and look where they are now.

When considering the "best basketball player of all time", I can think of a few players from the 1980s like Bird and Johnson, and some from earlier days, like West, Cousy and Robertson, who were among the best when basketball was a team game, not 5 guys either slam dunking or shooting from 30' out.

27 posted on 12/29/2019 8:15:07 PM PST by Ratman0823 (Tag! You're it.)
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To: EdnaMode

Why do you post such crap like that on FR?

I’d ban you in a heartbeat.

Christ, at least shrink the photo way down so we can see it only if we really squint with reading glasses.

Such hideousness belongs at Salon or HuffPo. NOT HERE.


28 posted on 12/29/2019 8:22:15 PM PST by Sapwolf (Talkers are usually more articulate than doers, since talk is their specialty. -Sowell)
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To: EdnaMode

Unless this contest is only open to American athletes, I would have selected Roger Federer as male athlete of the decade. He is a true champion and sportsman who regained the No. 1 spot at the age of 36 and did so cleanly and with only half the musculature of Serena Williams.


29 posted on 12/29/2019 8:42:50 PM PST by Atticus
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To: EdnaMode

LOL!!!!


30 posted on 12/29/2019 8:43:42 PM PST by Enterprise
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To: EdnaMode
LEBRON JAMES?


31 posted on 12/29/2019 8:46:56 PM PST by BTerclinger (MAGA)
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To: BTerclinger

32 posted on 12/29/2019 8:49:30 PM PST by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
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To: dfwgator

Good one!


33 posted on 12/29/2019 9:26:23 PM PST by BTerclinger (MAGA)
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To: AnotherUnixGeek

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.


Not really. There is only one thrower on a football team. Five shooters/scoreres on a basketball team. QB is a far more important position than any basketball position.

LeBrick has far too few championships to be considered a GOAT. He’s in the 2nd tier of basketball players historically and is racking up records only due to the longevity of his career.


34 posted on 12/29/2019 9:41:28 PM PST by lodi90
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To: Ratman0823
Really? How about the year that Payton Manning was hurt for the Colts, and they went from Super Bowl champs to 1st draft pick in one season. Same could be said for the Broncos after Elway retired, until Manning was there for a year or two, and look where they are now.

Or the 49ers dynasty after Steve Young's career was ended due to concussion. There's no question that Hall-of-Fame QBs can carry offenses long past their primes, but Manning's last playing season with the Colts before his Indy career ended with a neck injury wasn't a Super Bowl season - they exited in the wild-card round with a loss to the Jets. They were already a team on the decline. And for most of Manning's career, the argument was whether he was even the best QB in the AFC (as opposed to Tom Brady). If he wasn't even the unanimous best in his own sport, I don't see how he can be in the running for best athlete.

By contrast, no one questions LeBron James' dominance of the NBA for the past decade - having him on a team meant that team could be inked in for the NBA Finals for the better part of a decade - his Miami and Cleveland teams made the Finals for eight straight years. Both teams collapsed the moment he left them.
35 posted on 12/29/2019 10:17:54 PM PST by AnotherUnixGeek
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To: EdnaMode
Serena William and LeBron James?

Why two black men?

36 posted on 12/30/2019 3:35:12 AM PST by SkyPilot ("I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6)
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To: Rummyfan
But she is a spoiled child on the court. And not in the fun way that John McEnroe was, but in a nasty mean way, abusing ball boys / girls, and chair umpires, and generally disgracing her sport. She's a black woman so she gets a pass. Anyone else would have been run off the tour.

An Australian newspaper was hauled into a review by the Australian Press Council for this cartoon, accusing them of racism. The newspaper won the ruling.


37 posted on 12/30/2019 3:39:48 AM PST by SkyPilot ("I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6)
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