While it is wrong to look upon the modern day professional athlete as anything more than a finely-honed man of his craft, many including ESPN, do attempt to portray them as modern-day Adonises. While that is certainly not the case, perhaps a few of the athletes do drive a bit of inspiration from the people they are named after:
5. Prince Fielder: 1B-Detroit Tigers
“That the princes of Israel, the heads of their fathers’ houses, offered–these were the princes of the tribes, these are they that were over them that were numbered” (Numbers 7:2)
Fielder is a five-time All-Star and is the active iron man leader for consecutive games played. He holds the Brewers’ team record for home runs in a season, and is the league’s youngest player to hit 50 home runs in a season. He became the first Brewer to win the Home Run Derby, defeating Nelson Cruz in the final round of the 2009 derby. He also won the 2012 derby, joining Ken Griffey, Jr. as the only players to win more than one derby. Like the leaders of their tribes, Fielder has represented his namesake with pride. Fielder is the son of former first baseman Cecil Fielder. Prince and Cecil Fielder are the only father-son combination to each hit 50 home runs in a season.
4. Joe Flacco: Quarterback-Baltimore Ravens
“And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian” (Genesis 39:2).
Flacco may not have divined the meaning of dreams but he did rise through the ranks of the NFL’s top QBs, eventually leading his Ravens to a Super Bowl XLVII championship as well as being named the game’s MVP. As a side note, the Raven’s jersey certainly does have many colors.
3. Josh Hamilton: Outfielder-Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
“So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was in all the land” (Joshua 6:27)
Hamilton certainly knows about fame. He is a five-time MLB All-Star,he hit a record 28 home runs in the opening round of the 2008 and finished with 35 home runs, which was second-most all-time in derby history, won the AL batting title in 2010, was selected as MVP of the 2010 ALCS, was eventually named was named the 2010 AL MVP, and to top it all off on May 8, 2012 Hamilton became the 16th player in MLB history to hit four home runs in a game. Fame suited him well as he signed a 5-year contract with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim this past off-season to the tune of $125 million. Joshua’s teaming up with angels to bring victory…sounds about right!
2. Aaron Rodgers: Quarterback-Green Bay Packers
“And the LORD said unto Moses: ‘See, I have set thee in God’s stead to Pharaoh; and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet” (Exodus 7:1)
Aaron Rodgers, like Aaron the brother of Moses, has a huge shadow he needed to step out of…that of the successor of Brett Favre. Rodgers, true to his namesake, did not disappoint. In his third year as the starting QB for the Packers, Rodgers led the Pack to a Super Bowl championship, being named the game’s MVP. Rodgers has been widely regarded as the best QB in the game today, putting up outrageous numbers such as him leading the NFL twice in passer rating (2011, 2012), touchdown to interception ratio (2011, 2012), passing touchdown % (2011, 2012), and once in yards per attempt (2011) and pass interception % (2009). Rodgers is the NFL’s all-time career leader in passer rating during the regular season with a rating of 104.9, and third all-time in the postseason with a rating of 103.6 – among passers with at least 1,500 and 150 pass attempts respectively. He also holds the league’s lowest career pass interception percentage for quarterbacks during the regular season with a percentage of 1.7%, and the single season passer rating record of 122.5. Rodgers certainly handled the burden of the ‘younger brother’ in stride.
1. David Beckham OBE: Midfielder-Los Angeles Galaxy (Just Retired)
“So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Samuel” (1 Chronicles 11:3)
David Beckham is certainly soccer royalty. Heck, he is even british royalty, being knighted Officer of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II in 2003. His record-breaking career began at the young age of 17. He is also well traveled. He was the first English player to win league titles in four countries.Beckham has twice been runner-up for FIFA World Player of the Year and in 2004, and no stranger to the riches of the kingdom, he was the world’s highest-paid footballer when taking into account salary and advertising deals. Beckham was the first British footballer to play 100 Champions League matches. When joining MLS in 2007 he was given the highest player salary in the league’s history of US$6.5m per year. He has been England’s best regular World Cup player since England last won it in 1966. There is no doubt that David Beckham is royalty of the highest order.
Did we miss anybody? Do you disagree with the order? Let us know in the comments section below!
