Thought this was interesting. As you can see Brad made the list (yay!) he totally deserves it (sweetheart!) What do you guys think of the rest of the list? There's also a Top ten Bad Guys list that I'll post as well. 
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Top 10 Guys Who Are Worth Applauding
By STEVE ASCHBURNER, AOL
1. Grant Hill
This one's easy, a nice guy whose career was waylaid by serious ankle and foot injuries. The playoffs might not be in the Orlando Magic's picture, so Hill's start on All-Star Sunday goes into the scrapbook for now.
2. Shaquille O'Neal
"Nobody roots for Goliath,'' someone once said of Wilt Chamberlain. But O'Neal gets on the list because, more than any other superstar in any sport, he is the anti-Bonds: He invites the fans in to share in the fun. Some big guys withdraw, some big guys go soft to compensate, but Shaq chose to go comical. And it works.
3. Allen Iverson
Five years ago, Iverson alienated too many fans and had to rely on his anti-hero fan base. Now even traditionalists have been won over by his guts and his growing maturity.
4. Kevin Garnett
Only sticklers choose to focus on the things this Minnesota Timberwolves forward does not do well. But the swirl of changing teammates around him, the absence of any true All-Star sidekick and Garnett's obvious effort and emotions over 10 years will make another short (or non-existent) playoff run a little sad.
5. Brad Miller
In a league of bling-bling and spinning rims, this guy is mud flaps and fishing poles. There is an artlessness to the Sacramento big man's game, too, that draws in the commoners.
6. Dikembe Mutombo
His achingly mechanical movements, his raspy voice, his shaky birth certificate (age-wise) and, most of all, his charity work and humanitarian projects back in Africa make him way more than another "Cribs'' guy.
7. Jerry Sloan
The Utah coach has won 917 games, five division titles and gone to the Finals twice, without ever winning a Coach of the Year award. Detroit's Larry Brown talks about having his team's play the right way, but Sloan embodies it, demanding more - and getting more - from players in the NBA's least glamorous market.
8. Paul Silas
Fired by the Clippers, fired by the Hornets and now, a man whose drive and heart is unsurpassed in this league gets the privilege of coaching and mentoring the game's brightest young talent. Good things come to those who wait.
9. Jerry West
Come on, admit it: The phrase "NBA champion Memphis Grizzlies'' sounds weird and probably is a long shot. But West is so respected, as a Hall of Fame player and as an executive, that it would be a great sunset move to win one more title.
10. Seattle SuperSonics
Everyone figured they were a flash in the pan, certain to fade after a month or so like they did last season. But they haven't and this generally likable bunch has a coach in Nate McMillan who - wonder of wonders - hasn't required a contract extension to fend off lame-duck charges and get his message across.
Steve Aschburner covers the NBA and the Timberwolves for the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/sports/article.adp?id=20050302214609990021
03/02/05 20:46 EST
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Top 10 Guys Who Are Worth Applauding
By STEVE ASCHBURNER, AOL
1. Grant Hill
This one's easy, a nice guy whose career was waylaid by serious ankle and foot injuries. The playoffs might not be in the Orlando Magic's picture, so Hill's start on All-Star Sunday goes into the scrapbook for now.
2. Shaquille O'Neal
"Nobody roots for Goliath,'' someone once said of Wilt Chamberlain. But O'Neal gets on the list because, more than any other superstar in any sport, he is the anti-Bonds: He invites the fans in to share in the fun. Some big guys withdraw, some big guys go soft to compensate, but Shaq chose to go comical. And it works.
3. Allen Iverson
Five years ago, Iverson alienated too many fans and had to rely on his anti-hero fan base. Now even traditionalists have been won over by his guts and his growing maturity.
4. Kevin Garnett
Only sticklers choose to focus on the things this Minnesota Timberwolves forward does not do well. But the swirl of changing teammates around him, the absence of any true All-Star sidekick and Garnett's obvious effort and emotions over 10 years will make another short (or non-existent) playoff run a little sad.
5. Brad Miller
In a league of bling-bling and spinning rims, this guy is mud flaps and fishing poles. There is an artlessness to the Sacramento big man's game, too, that draws in the commoners.
6. Dikembe Mutombo
His achingly mechanical movements, his raspy voice, his shaky birth certificate (age-wise) and, most of all, his charity work and humanitarian projects back in Africa make him way more than another "Cribs'' guy.
7. Jerry Sloan
The Utah coach has won 917 games, five division titles and gone to the Finals twice, without ever winning a Coach of the Year award. Detroit's Larry Brown talks about having his team's play the right way, but Sloan embodies it, demanding more - and getting more - from players in the NBA's least glamorous market.
8. Paul Silas
Fired by the Clippers, fired by the Hornets and now, a man whose drive and heart is unsurpassed in this league gets the privilege of coaching and mentoring the game's brightest young talent. Good things come to those who wait.
9. Jerry West
Come on, admit it: The phrase "NBA champion Memphis Grizzlies'' sounds weird and probably is a long shot. But West is so respected, as a Hall of Fame player and as an executive, that it would be a great sunset move to win one more title.
10. Seattle SuperSonics
Everyone figured they were a flash in the pan, certain to fade after a month or so like they did last season. But they haven't and this generally likable bunch has a coach in Nate McMillan who - wonder of wonders - hasn't required a contract extension to fend off lame-duck charges and get his message across.
Steve Aschburner covers the NBA and the Timberwolves for the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/sports/article.adp?id=20050302214609990021
03/02/05 20:46 EST
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