Occasionally outside phenomena penetrate the well-defined world of sports. Sometimes we see athletes outside of their world, away from their courts, fields, stadiums and arenas.
We do a double-take and peer closer to make sure the nattily dressed strangers are really our favorite athletes who scream and push and claw and suffer crushing defeat and ebullient victory all before our eyes.
One of these tangentials, these errant strings that pull the sporting world off kilter, is love.
Yes, athletes have lives outside of their respective sports, and after placing their hearts and emotions into season after season, some even have enough emotion left to devote to significant others.
As a Valentine’s Day special, here is a list of some of the top professional athletes who have managed to battle something much tougher than sinking a shot or making a clutch hit.
Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe: In the 1940s and 1950s, DiMaggio earned the envy of all men, as he not only won championship after championship for the indestructible Yankees, but also married the gorgeous Monroe. Playing America’s sport and dating the blonde bombshell? DiMaggio couldn’t have had it better.
Andre Agassi and Brooke Shields, then Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf: Andre traded one tall blond for another, however with Graf, they actually have a chance to produce the world’s first human tennis racket. I can just imagine the arguments in that kid’s house over who picked up more Grand Slam trophies.
Dennis Rodman and Carmen Electra: First the two are getting married, then they aren’t, then she gets angry at Rodman, then she falls in love with him again. I don’t know what Rodman’s problem is, but Carmen, if you ever get over your fetish for tattoos and piercings give me a call. Sure I can’t rebound like Rodman, but did you SEE “”Double Team?””
David Justice and Halle Berry: The two seemed happy, but that was back in the day when Justice was actually a decent hitter. Coincidence? I think not.
Sergei Fedorov and Anna Kournikova: Sergei has to be the most hated man in professional sports, mainly because he’s dating Kournikova. Of course, she can still pretend to be available in her numerous ads. At least the relationship hasn’t prevented Fedorov from hoisting any Stanley Cups. Now when is Kournikova going to start winning some tournaments?
Rick Fox and Vanessa Williams: Evidently the ex-Miss America enjoys Laker players who rarely shave and have ridiculous hair. Man, I don’t know what kept her off Vlade Divac when he was on the Lakers.
Curtis Martin and Toni Braxton: The two were definitely serious a couple of years ago, although Braxton now denies the two were ever engaged. Braxton’s likely thought: He wasn’t “”Man Enough for Me.””
And finally, the ultimate sporting couple: Wilt Chamberlain and pretty much every girl he ever came in contact with. According to his biography, “”A View from Above,”” the numerous records he set weren’t limited to the basketball court.
So there is evidence that athletes do date and they do love. They are human beings outside of their sports. Now how come there aren’t any supermodels dating sports editors?
