Player Nicknames - best and worst
 

Ok, I just read a little bit on the board regarding Andrei Kirilenko's nickname: AK47 - and I agree that this is one of the better nicknames in the game because his initials are AK, he wears #47 and he is from Russia. If only he were a better shooter...

So I got to thinking, what other nicknames are out there that are either really good or really bad? Don't just LIST them off, ok? Tell us why.

Two nicknames of former Clippers that I picked up from Ralph Lawler's commentary are fairly amusing to me. Eric Piatkowski is The Polish Rifle. It's a rather good nickname considering he's a dead eye shooter and his name is obviously polish. Darius Miles is Sky Miles. This is so bad, I laugh right after I call him it. This of course takes a page from when he and Quentin Richardson were the best pair in the league for alley-oops. Likening it to a frequent flyer program just magnetizes the palm to the forehead.

Great nicknames just happen, they can't be thought out (and you can't give them to yourself). I also think that the nicknames from the past ring clearer than some of the current ones, because the ones you remember are generally from good athletes. Allen "The Answer" Iverson will never reach the level of George "The Iceman" Gervin.

Some of my alltime favorites:

Sweetness - Walter Payton
Chocolate Thunder - Daryl Dawkins (76ers)
Dr. J - Julius Erving
Magic - Earvin Johnson
The Snake - Ken Stabler (he came before Jake)
Pudge - Ivan Rodriguez

Of the list could go on forever.

The simplicity and force of A-Rod is a great testament to nicknames. It just carries weight with it, which is what a good nick should do.

Can we please make a request to this post that no "Chris Berman" nicknames be included? :D

Remember Carlton Fisk was the original Pudge.

My favorite is a former Orioles pitcher named Don Stanhouse; actually two favorites. He was an eccentric pitcher, so he was known as "Stan the Man Unusual". Also, he had a tendency to go to full counts and walk the bases loaded before getting out of a jam. Earl Weaver called him "Full Pack", because that's what he'd smoke in the dugout tunnel since he couldn't bear to watch him pitch.

Another one was Dick Stuart, a firstbaseman who was such a bad fielder he was called "Dr. Strangeglove".

Aww MAN...and just after I saw him giving all of the Flames and Lightning players nicknames the other night :D

Not even Jarome "He shoots, he scores, he shoots, he scores" Iginla; or Martan St. Louis (Louie, OOOOO-ooooo...) :D

I should have my remote control hidden for a week for forgetting that one.

Randy "The Big Unit" Johnson

That's just a fucking awesome nickname.

Jevon "The Freak" Kearse... even though hes been a bum since his rookie year.

"Mr. Clutch" - Jerry West.

I think is the coolest.

Dick "Night Train" Lane
"Stormin'" Norman Cash
"Paw Paw" Charlie Maxwell

NBA - Detroit Pistons

Chauncy Billups - Mr. BigShot (Huge 3-point shooter, wins games at the buzzer)
The Defense - Department of Defense (Best Defensive team since '90 Pistons)
Ben Wallace - The Beast (Physique of Atlas, doesn't take a possesion off, all over the court, mad blocker)
Corliss Williamson - Big Nasty (Broke a guys neck in a game once)

Kirilenko's is pretty cool too...

Bill "The Space Man" Lee - A Red Sox pitcher from the '70's & '80's

Ide say the most honouring sports name in history is the one of Wayne Gretzky "the great one"

Sweetness is definitely my favorite sports nickname ever.

I also like Curtis "Cujo" Joseph, even though its pretty simple.

Martin Offiah, a rugby winger of searing pace, was commonly known as 'Chariots'. You know, Chariots Offiah (cue music).

Ohio State, Mike Nugent - "The Nuge"
Sounds pretty convincing when you've got 106,000 people yelling "Nuuuuuuuge".

And how could we forget the NBA's own "Mugsy" Bogues.

Roger "The Rocket" Clemens

One of my thai boxing instructors fight name was "the diamond". Now that is one cool fight name.

Apart from that I like Joel Garners nickname of "Whispering Death" and Shane Warnes "The Shiek of Tweak".

Gary "the glove" payton. I like that one.

Bobby Hull - The Golden Jet
The name suits him well, he was blonde, and one of the fastest skaters and best shooters of his day.
His son, Brett Hull being nicknamed "The Golden Brett" is just shameless and dumb.

Green Bay Packer DE: Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila a.k.a. KGB

Pavel Bure - The Russian Rocket.

It fit him so well... back in the days of the Vancouver Canucks. Now he's just a bum.

My favorites:
The Iron Horse-Lou Gehrig
Stick-Gene Micheal
The Mick, The Babe, Yogi
OK so I'm a Homer!!!

One of my favorite defensemen ever, Jeff Beukeboom. Whenever he had the puck the whole garden would yell "BEEUUUKEEE!!" Which, to the untrained ear sounded like booooo...

KGB
ARod
Mugsy Bogues
The Glove
Dr J
Magic

I'm a packer fan, so this is easy, I loved the Gilbert Brown nickname "Gravedigga" He was a great big noseguard, and when he busted through the line and sacked the QB or took down the RB he would get all hyper with his 350lbs and act like he was diggin a grave!!!

Very funny! we'll let you slide this time.

Mine?

"Diesel" -- John Riggins - he ran like it too - once he got up a full head of steam - watch out!

EDIT: I removed Gehrig, Clemens and Randy Johnson since they were already covered. I wish I was known as the big unit though. . . I do have a friend that a lot of girls call "Tripod"

some of you who know about mens tennis would have heard of Mark Philippousis...

well, we call him The Poo...

best sports nickname ever!!!

Best: Deion "PRIME TIME" Sanders

Worst: EVERY Shaq nickname

More good ones:
The Round Mound of Rebound
Ed "Too Tall" Jones
and although it isn't a nickname - World B. Free (legally changed)

William "the Refridgerator" Perry - aka the Fridge.

Rich "Goose" Gossage

David Wells "Boomer"

Speaking of Boomer - -there's always Boomer Esiason of the Jets..

Reggie "shark teeth" Miller-j/k
Clyde "the glide" Drexler
Stevie Franchise

Just reminded me - -
Greg "The Shark" Norman-- Golfer

This hockey player is beyond random and is in the minor leagues now but I have his autograph hanging above my bed, so I guess I need pay homage to this king of mediocrity. 6 years back, the Blues had a guy named Jim Campbell, but his nickname was Soupy. How great is that...

Some good ones...

Jamaal "Silk" Wilkes. His jumpshot was awkward / smooooov.

KG = Da Kid. Thought that was cute.

Vince Carter = Vinsanity


Worst? Bryant "Big Country" Reeves. What the hell does that even mean? And what the hell happened to him?

Around these parts Redwings captain Steve Yzerman is simply known as "The Captain"

Best: Sweetness....nuff said :thumbsup:

--jaded

BEST!


Prime-Time...Prime-Time...Prime-Time.

http://www.thehollandsentinel.net/im...99/cowboys.jpg

around these parts we refer to the above jerk as "the poodle"

Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion - shoot BOOM - score BOOM

go to a bar around these parts and order a Larry Bird - you'll get a Rolling Rock - green and 33

Jack "Hacksaw" Reynolds cuz he cut a jeep in half following a loss to mississippi

"Deacon" Jones - claaaaasic

Ted "Mad Stork" Hendricks

Elroy "Crazy Legs" Hirsch

last and certainly not least...

William "The Refrigerator" Perry

Dominic "The Dominator" Hasek ( although not so much anymore)

And that was probably without steroids.

Pistol Pete Maravich
The Minister of Defense - Reggie White
Sparky Anderson

A lot of votes for best nickname. How about worst ones? One of our dipshit announcers in AZ last season called our closer Jose Valverde "Papa Grande". He's a big guy so he was thinking "Big Daddy". However it translates as "Big Potato" Jose says he likes it but I think he's just being nice.

These may not be great, but they just fit:

Hakeem - "The Dream"
Oliver Miller - The Big O
Dennis Rodman - The Worm
Domminique Wilkins - The Human Highlight Reel
Charles Barkley - The Round Mound of Basketball

In San Antonio the local paper had a story on Tim Duncan his rookie year, about him wanting to be called Merlin, it didn't stick.
Tim Duncan - The Big Fundamental (who can't hit freethrows, go figure)

Mr Hockey- Gordie Howe
Mr Zero- Terry Sawchuck
Bret "the hitman" Hart (had to throw that in because hes the only wrestler I liked)

that is such a ripoff of the Cowboys' Daryl "Moose" Johnston's nickname... where even in the opposing team's stadiums, it became tradition to yell "Mooooooooose!!!" whenever he first touched the ball.

I have always liked "shoeless" Joe Jackson
and "Mr.October" Reggie Jackson

I think the worst is PUDGE .......sounds like a 3rd rate Porno Actor.

I personally like "The big hurt" for Frank Thomas. Simple, powerful, true.

I'm watching the Lakers/Pistons game 4 and if I hear "The BIg Aristotle" again I think I'm gonna puke!

that picture that monkeydriven posted means nothong to me but I am assuming by reading a previous post that it shows Dieon Sanders. Was he the one that played baseball as well?

I always liked Drexler's nickname and Earl "nanny goat" Manigault.
Saw the film about Manigault's life and he had a truly incredible vertical before he f*cked his body up.

I am an Atlanta Hawks fan, since someone already covered Doninique, how about

The Plastic Man- Stacy Augmon

He is tall, lanky, agile, and earned the nickname in his younger years.

Bad Nickname

Shaq of the Mac- Gary Trent

Two reasons why its an awful nickname. First, if you have to use someone else name in your nickname, thats sad. Secondly, he has not got close to Shaq's level, and whenever he makes a good play in a game, some announcer always brings up that damn nickname.

I am not a Nascar fan, but I didn't see where anyone mentioned the Intimidator?

I also like the Big Unit. How lucky are you to get that nickname?

Anybody named Deuce. Most recently Deuce McAlister, but before that I was yelling "Deuce" for Deuce Staley of the Gamecocks.

I once had the nickname of Deuce when I went to ITT. When I walked in the room, my friends (all 30+, and I was 18) would yell out "DEUCE!!" Don't ask me how that came to be.

Tony Kukoc - The Croatian Donation.
Who can forget Wilt "The Stilt" Chamberlain?
Ozzy Smith - The Wizard of Oz

"Space Man" Bill Lee

One of the great Red Sox players of the the 1970's who, aside from Doc Ellis of the Pirates, admitted pitching while completely tripping on LSD. Most of the time, though, he was just stoned.

Of those not yet mentioned:

El Caballo - Carlos Lee
K-Rod - Francisco Rodriguez

Of those mentioned:
The Rocket
Big Unit
The Great One

And the best nickname ever:
Sweetness