The great ones only need to be identified with one name.
You get the idea, once an athlete establishes himself among the great ones, everyone needs just one name to immediately recognize them.
Ok, maybe Brian Scalabrine isn’t there. Yet.
Maybe Brian Scalabrine isn't an NBA legend to you. But he does have a ring.
Between the internet, constant updates on SportsCenter and the other 24-hour sports networks, hearing a singular, or even a full name can lead to some confusion.
Sometimes athletes take it upon themselves to resolve the situation. Take a look at point guard Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs and shooting guard Anthony Parker of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
What’s even weirder about this duo is both of them are less famous than the hot ladies in their life. For Tony Parker it’s his wife Eva Longoria and Anthony Parker isn’t as famous as his basketball playing sister Candace Parker.
Is it possible that before entering the league Tony called Anthony and threatened him about trying to move in on his name? Did they flip for the right to be called Tony? Is there a secret rivalry between them?
Lots of questions, unfortunately they can’t be answered.
This can happen in everyday life. With the passing of Michael Jackson, two of the most common names in America were completely dominated by one person.
Will there ever be another Michael Jackson?
Can someone step up and become the new Michael Jackson? Is it possible anyone can have that name and become famous and lead a normal life?
Hopefully we can find out.
In sports there are plenty of instances where prominent athletes share a name.
Unfortunately times when no one wants to go by a different name and force the average fan to figure out who is being talked about.
ManWhole.com isn’t just about pointing out problems. No way booster, we’re here to solve them.
So here are some cases where an athlete shares the same last name or even have the same name, play the same sport and same position.
Steven Jackson (Rams) vs. Stephen Jackson (Bobcats)
A few years ago, Steven Jackson was the top running back in the NFL. Despite numerous injuries, Jackson has been one of the most consistent backs in the league, topping the 1,000-yard mark each of the past five seasons.
No matter what Stephen Jackson does for the rest of his career, he’ll be defined by his role in the infamous brawl with Piston fans when he and Ron Artest jumped in the stands and started throwing hay makers at every fan.
This is a big debate.
Ryan has won a World Series title and was named MVP in 2006. What is even crazier is many people might be thinking about the character from The Office. But Ryan is one of the most dominant players in baseball and is one of the guys MLB is trying to push on fans and move past the steroid era.
Dwight Howard may not of had the success Ryan has, but Dwight did lead his team to the Finals last season and won gold medal in 2008. Not only is he an amazing player, he is slowly becoming one of the faces of the league and his outgoing personality makes him one of the most marketable athletes going today.
Brian Westbrook vs. Russell Westbrook
No player has thrilled and disappointed fantasy football owners quite like Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook. His tremendous skill both rushing and receiving makes him one of the top selections every season but the way he is ridiculously injury prone and when he took a knee at the one yard line against Dallas frustrates fantasy players to no end.
Russell Westbrook is one of the most exciting and under rated players in the game today. Suiting up for the Oklahoma City Thunder doesn’t help his cause, most casual basketball fans are still unaware that the NBA has a franchise in Oklahoma, but his play is one of the reasons why the team is making a push for the playoffs.
Steve Smith (Panthers) vs. Steve Smith (Giants)
No debate will be more heated than this one.
Steve Smith (Carolina) has been one of the most dominant receivers in the game, even though he stands at just 5-foot-9. Five times he surpassed the 1,000-yard mark receiving and during the 2o05 season posted a career high 12 touchdowns. If you Google Steve Smith, his profile is the first one to pop up.
Even though Steve Smith (Giants) isn’t the first one to pop up when Googled, he is gaining ground on the guy from Carolina. This past season the Giants wide out caught 42 more passes (107 to 65) for 238 more yards (1,220 to 982) and plays in a bigger market. Steve Smith might belong to New York next season.
Roy Williams (Cowboys) vs. Roy Williams (Bengals) vs. Roy Williams (North Carolina Coach)
What’s weird about part of this debate is both of the NFL versions played for the Dallas Cowboys and if Dallas plays the Cincinnati Bengals, Roy Williams (Bengals safety) can tackle Roy Williams (Cowboys receiver) on a play. The NFL tried to push the Roy E. Williams for the Cowboys player, but it never really stuck.
The safety was one of the biggest hitters in the NFL while the receiver has shown flashes of becoming an impact player but has struggled with consistency issues.
Even though he has no ties to the Dallas Cowboys or the NFL, Roy Williams (North Carolina) is the most successful of the trio, but can a coach in college basketball have more of a claim to a name than an NFL player?
Chris Johnson (Titans) vs. Andre Johnson (Texans) vs. Josh Johnson (Marlins) vs. Joe Johnson (Hawks)
The final debate is of course about Johnsons.
Chris Johnson came from a small school (East Carolina) into the NFL as a virtual unknown. After rushing for over 2,000 yards, just the sixth back in NFL history to do so, Chris has become one of the best players in the NFL in just his second season.
The best wide receiver in the NFL has gone virtually unnoticed because he plays in Houston. Having never led his team to the post season, Andre is the last person to point a finger at, as he is coming off his second straight season with over 1,500 receiving yards.
Every year the Florida Marlins are among the biggest surprises in baseball because they always seem to find talented young players and roll the dice while keeping salaries at the minimum. Josh is one of the biggest reasons for the teams success, posting a 15-5 record with a 3.23, helping his team to an 87-75 record with the lowest payroll in baseball.
Joe Johnson isn’t one of the flashy players in the NBA, but one look at his stats and it’s easy to see why he’s part of this debate. With a picture perfect jump shot, Joe can release a dagger from anywhere on the court with ease. His signing made the Atlanta Hawks into a relevant franchise for the first time since Dominique Wilkins left the team.
