All-Time 'Baddest' Athletes Profiles: Round 1

NBA Conference:

Matchup #1

Ben Wallace (with afro) vs. Anthony Mason

Player Profiles:

Ben Wallace (born September 10, 1974)

Nickname: Big Ben

Height: 6’9

Weight: 240

X-Factor:  Not only was Ben Wallace the protagonist of the first altercation at the “Malice in the Palace,” his ‘Adonis’ stature coupled with his natural mean streak makes many NBA players shake in their boots.  If you need some extra icing on your badass cake, talk to your waiter about ‘that Afro.’ 

Anthony Mason (born December 14, 1966)

Nickname: Mase

Height: 6’8

Weight: 265

X-Factor:  He acted as a makeshift bouncer at LL Cool J’s barbecues.  Read that again.  Cool J remarks, “Anthony Mason was my man — he used to be in Queens all the time in my neighborhood. He used to throw guys out of barbecues for me. They were talking trash to me and Anthony Mason used to come in and grab them and be like, “Y’all gotta go! Y’all gotta go!”

Matchup #2

Ron Artest vs. Dennis Rodman

Ron Artest (born November 13, 1979)

Nickname: Metta World Peace

Height: 6’7

Weight: 260

X-Factor:  World-class nut-job.  Ron Artest has been suspended 15 times during his 14-year NBA career.  Artest also stole the show in the “Malice in the Palace” – punching the wrong fan and getting a 72-game suspension plus the playoffs. What more do you need?

Dennis Rodman (born May 13, 1961)

Nickname: The Worm

Height: 6’8

Weight: 220

X-Factor: Too many to count.  Aside from his countless tattoos, piercings, and whatever he does to his hair, Rodman is a career ‘wild-man’ who possessed tenacious defensive abilities and on-court antics that frequently rattled his opponents.  He also seems to be good friends with the North Koreans.  

NFL Conference:

Matchup #1

Jack Lambert vs. Dick Butkus

Jack Lambert (born July 8, 1952)

Nickname: Jack Splat

Height: 6’4

Weight: 220

X-Factor: Jack Lambert was a toothless monster that hounded NFL running backs for the entirety of his career.  Legend has it that in a game in 1981 against the Cleveland Browns, Lambert was ejected after annihilating quarterback Brian Sipe.  Lambert later commented saying the referee labeled the hit as “too hard.” 

Dick Butkus (born December 9, 1942)

Nicknames: The Animal, The Maestro of Mayhem,

The Enforcer, and The Robot of Destruction

Height: 6’2

Weight: 245

X-Factor:  Dick Butkus may be the toughest, meanest, and nastiest player to ever put on a helmet in the NFL.  He was the face of a defense dubbed ‘The Monster of the Midway.’  Just watch this video and you won’t question him.

Matchup #2

Lawrence Taylor vs. Deacon Jones

Lawrence Taylor (born February 4, 1959)

Nickname: L.T

Height: 6’3

Weight: 240

X-Factor:  A man who needs no introduction – L.T. was arguably the most feared linebacker of all-time.  If you question his toughness -- he once played in a game against the Saints despite a torn pectoral muscle, he finished the game with seven tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles.  He also is famous for ending Joe Theismann’s career on Monday Night Football. 

Deacon Jones (born December 9, 1938)

Nickname: Secretary of Defense

Height: 6’5

Weight: 272

X-Factor:  When asked who is the toughest athlete in professional sports Jones replied, “I'd have to cast the vote for myself. Because No. 1, I'm probably the toughest f***** here. Ain't no question about that with me. I'm the toughest guy here. If you want to eliminate me from the pack, you can pick somebody normal.”

NHL Conference:

Matchup #1

Gordie Howe vs. Joey Kocur

Gordie Howe (born March 31, 1928)

Nickname: Mr. Hockey

Height: 6’1

Weight: 205

X-Factor: Graced with the physicality of a heavyweight boxer, with the fighting skills to back it up, Gordie Howe was one of the most intimidating players of all-time. Also he is inventor of the aptly named “Gordie Howe hat-trick” – which consists of a goal, an assist, and of course -- a fight. 

Joe Kocur (born December 21, 1964)

Nickname: Joey

Height: 6’0

Weight: 223

X-Factor:  One half of the “bruise brothers.”  He frequently split helmets in fights and is widely considered the hardest puncher of all-time.  He broke Don Jackson’s jaw, crushed Brad Dalgarno’s orbital bone, and knocked Jim Kyte clean out. 

Matchup #2

Scott Stevens vs. Bob Probert

Scott Stevens (born April 1, 1964)

Nickname:  Captain Crunch

Height: 6’0

Weight: 215

X-Factor:  Stevens was a defensive mastermind and possessed all-time durability and toughness.  Skilled forwards always had to take note when he was on the ice – otherwise this might happen. 

Bob Probert (born June 5, 1965)

Nickname: Probie

Height: 6’3

Weight: 225

X-Factor:  The other half of the “bruise brothers.”  In terms of pure fighting, Probert is the greatest ever to lace up a pair of skates.  He revolutionized the use of “enforcers” in hockey to protect star players, in his case, captain Steve Yzerman.

MLB Conference:

Matchup #1

Johnny Bench vs. Albert Belle

Johnny Bench (born December 7, 1947)

Nickname: Little General

Height: 6’1

Weight: 197

X-Factor:  A historically tough catcher who embodied resiliency – Bench played through a severe shoulder injury after being barreled over by Gary Matthews in 1975 – oh by the way, they won the World Series.  The next year they won another World Series, and the World Series MVP you ask?  You guessed it, Johnny Bench. 

Albert Belle (born August 25, 1966)

Nickname: Joey

Height: 6’2

Weight: 225

X-Factor:  Albert Belle has one predominant emotion – anger.  In 1991, he rifled a ball into a fan’s chest in response to an insult about his problems with alcohol (inviting him to a keg party).  He also was fined on several occasions for yelling obscenities and making gestures to fans – and was arrested for domestic violence and tracking his fiancé via GPS.  It didn’t help his cause that he was 6’2 of solid muscle. 

Matchup #2

Pete Rose vs. Ugueth Urbina

Pete Rose (born April 14, 1941)

Nickname: Charlie Hustle

Height: 5’11

Weight: 192

X-Factor: Pete Rose’s all-time toughness is overshadowed by his lifetime ban from baseball from gambling (on his own team).   This “Big Red Machine” slugger was not only one of the most durable and meanest players of his generation – he also bulldozed his lifetime friend Ray Fosse in an All-Star Game – effectively ending his career. 

Ugueth Urbina (born February 15, 1974)

Nickname: Oogie

Height: 6’2

Weight: 185

X-Factor:  Ugueth joins this list purely on the merit of fear factor.  He was arrested in 2005 for attempted murder where he reportedly attacked five farm hands at his ranch with a machete, then proceeded to pour gasoline on them in attempt to light them aflame. 

Stay tuned for the winner of the bracket!