The Toughest Athletes to Ever Grace the World of Sport

It hurts to say that today’s sports landscape is filled with prime-time prima donnas and multi-million dollar cry babies. Though the games are still packed with enormous talent, gone are the days when the Rodmans and the Barkleys exemplified what it truly constitutes sports; toughness. After all, the symbols of sport are power, physical domination and shameless swagger. Where have all these gone? The following list pays homage to the toughest athletes with admirable tolerance for pain and unwavering passion for their respective sport.

Allen Iverson - Basketball

Listed as a mere six feet tall guy, The Answer is literally a small fish in a big pond. You would never think that the short and relatively skinny guy can drive to the hoop, up and over guys much taller and bigger than he is, but that is exactly what he did over the course of his career. During his prime, he averaged a remarkable 41 minutes and 28 points per game. In other words, this scoring machine simply does not get tired. Further, AI would go at great lengths just to play a single game, regardless of injuries and other setbacks. A lot of people may not be aware that in 1999, Iverson became fed up after missing 10 games due to a thumb injury that he removed the cast himself and went on playing.

Gordie Howe – Hockey

Everyone knows that hockey is a sport for the tough and mean, and Gordie Howe is the toughest guy among the tough guys. Consistently finishing a season in the top five scorers, Howe dominated the rink for twenty straight years. Gordie, however, was not only feared for his sheer talent in scoring, but also for his hard elbows and extremely short temper. His toughness and talent in hockey resulted in the coining of the term “the Gordie Howe Hat Trick”, which is when a player makes an assist, scores a goal, and gets into a fight in one game.

Brett Favre – American Football

Brett Favre is not your average quarterback. In the violent world of the NFL, nobody symbolizes toughness like this Green Bay Packer gunslinger. To begin with, Favre holds the record for most consecutive games played. For a non-kicker, this achievement is entirely nonhuman as injuries are as common as sense in the NFL. Moreover, Brett threw for a league-leading 33 touchdowns in the 2003 season despite a very broken thumb. The guy not only has the ability to endure physical pain, but emotional pain as well. Right after the death of his father at the age of 58, Brett insisted that he still play in a showdown against the Oakland Raiders, which led him to amazingly throw 400 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 41-7 blowout.

Tiger Woods - Golf

He may not look or move like a tiger compared to the previously mentioned athletes, but there may not be an athlete more intimidating that the best golfer of all time. With his unrivaled determination and dedication to perfecting his craft, Tiger Woods exemplifies the real essence of mental toughness. Though he is aware that he is currently at the top of the golfing world, Tiger still practices his game for countless of hours, like a teenager who dreams of becoming the best in the world someday. GP

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