A four-time Formula One Champion, Prost has the second most F1 titles of all time. Clutch. Create good names for games, profiles, brands or social networks. He, of course, stuck with that number throughout his college and professional careers. BASKETBALL URBAN LEGEND: Allen Iverson was sued over his nickname of "The Answer.". He thrived under pressure and led some of the most historic drives the football world never imagined possible. A scrappy spark plug on the Phillies' championship club of 2008, speedster Shane Victorino was last seen patrolling the Los Angeles outfields at Dodger Stadium, a shell of his former self. One of the NFL's most explosive runners of the past decade, the 2014 Super Bowl winning Seattle Seahawk makes our list at number six. A fitting end to a beloved career. Was he actually the greatest fighter of all time? He is number two all time in terms of strikeouts thrown and won the World Series back in 2001 with the Arizona Diamondbacks. 3 Teams. colonel frank o'sullivan interview; beverly hills high school football The God of Cricket, Bradman of Modern era, whether he tired. He is number two all time in terms of strikeouts thrown and won the World Series back in 2001 with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Jim Carrey even starred in a 2007 movie called The Number 23 in which a troubled man becomes obsessed with a book, fittingly entitled The Number 23: A Novel of Obsession. With a respected work ethic and a lion's heart, Rice gracefully set countless receiving records and cemented himself as perhaps the greatest football player of all time. These are the 25 worst nicknames for professional athletes. Michael Jordan will be turning 55 on February 17, and although his career as a basketball player ended many years ago, his legacy lives on. View Reports-/5-RATE QUIZ. Off the field, however, the four-time Pro Bowl selection is soft spoken and rarely shows much emotion. Some felt it was a description of his graceful, smooth running style, but others hypothesized that it was a sarcastic description of his running, which was often vicious and painful for the defenders trying to tackle one of the NFL's all-time greats. Brereton was an AFL legend, known for playing hard and being a bit of a showman to boot as well as having a fairly outrageous social life. He is a "champion" in every sense of the word. name of water birds with picture; lucas luetge scouting report. Lance 'Buddy' Franklin is probably AFLs most iconic No.23. It was Tim Raines, a teammate while playing for the Montreal Expos, who first called him "Big Unit." In essence, his extremely competitive nature, coupled with the tendency to gamble while throwing the ball earned him this name. Free, a 1980 All-Star with a rainbow jumper, receding hairline and tremendous name. There has been . As such, and owing to his oftentimes tumultuous off-field life, the wide receiver is much more commonly called "Bad Moon," for which he can thank ESPN anchor Chris Berman. "It's Sunday afternoon and Tiger's on fire today" is much more catchy. Lists of nicknames - nickname list articles on Wikipedia There are some great nicknames in the NFL: The Gunslinger (Brett Favre) Marion the Barbarian (Marion Barber) . Payton was long regarded as one of the league's most tenacious on-ball defenders as well as one of its biggest trash talkers. His alias, referring to his cold, calculating and ultimately calm style, is an intimidating nickname indicative of a psyche that many athletes wish they had. Technically, this isn't even a nickname because Hagler, annoyed that announcers did not refer to him by his preferred nickname, eventually changed his real name to "Marvelous Marvin Hagler." 23 Stats Can you name the 23 Greatest Athletes to Wear No. Whether you like Berman or not, you have to admit that he gave one of the era's most talented receivers a fantastic nickname. 23, LeBron James is 'The King' of the NBA and won two titles with No. SportsIcon CEO and Co-Founder Chris Worsey previously built a number of EdTech startups . He also may well be the best defensive player in NFL history, having racked up 198 sacks, 13 Pro Bowls and 10 first-team All-Pro nods during his illustrious career. Again, very few would ever say "what a great putt that was by Eldrick Woods on the 18th." It is an iconic nickname, to be sure, but younger audiences may scratch their heads at this one. The UFC Hall of Famer makes this list for his nickname "The Iceman," which is a reference to his fighting style and overall demeanor. (Greatest of All Time), but for our purposes, his nicknames referring to his jumping and dunking abilities are his best aliases. Hall of Fame player Alex English deserves some recognition for wearing No. Like English . Larry wore No.45 for the brothers varsity team so Michael, wanting to be like his older sibling, picked 23 as close to exactly half of Larrys number as he could get and a legacy was born. His nickname suggests as much, as it is indicative of a man who transcended the sport. Mitch Richmond is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and played 14 seasons in the NBA with the Golden State Warriors, Sacramento Kings, Washington Wizards, and LA Lakers. Dawkins, whose dunks were both ferocious and humorously named, picked up the "Chocolate Thunder" nickname from an even more legendary source: music icon Stevie Wonder, who frequently attended Sixers games. That's right, the Philadelphia Eagles/Green Bay Packers great, Reggie White. There are only a handful of nicknames so ubiquitous that people start to think of them as the person's actual name. Number 23 is surely the most iconic and recognizable number in NBA history, mainly due to Michael Jordan's glorious career. While the shared number sixteen are a pair of Nigerian Nightmares, Olajuwon, who was born in Lagos, Nigeria, is not a nightmare by any estimation, unless one is playing ball against him. Like many things, he made the 23 fashionable again, especially in football, with the likes of Wesley Sneijder, Rafael van der Vaart, Isco, Mesut Ozil and Christian Eriksen all wearing it during their careers. Thomas goes about 6-foot-5, 275 pounds, and was, purely on physical stature, the most intimidating hitter of his era. It was Yankees teammate Thurman Munson who gave him the "Mr. October" nickname, and Jackson backed it up, hitting three first-pitch home runs in a clinching Game 6 win in the 1977 World Series. Overall, James is a four-time champion, four-time MVP winner, four-time Finals MVP and 17-time All-Star and has earned 16 All-NBA selections. He is widely believed to be one of the NBA's most agile big man, standing seven feet tall and around 260 lbs, but moving like a much shorter and trimmer man. Cream of the Crop: Peaches, Squeaky, Dennis The Menace. He earned six All-Stars and five All-NBA selections, won the 1988-89 Rookie of the Year award, the All-Star MVP in 1995 and the 2002 championship with the LA Lakers. But Delonte West Jr. just might. His dunks were so effortless in college that one coach remarked that watching him perform the feat, "looked like a dream." The five time All-Star and two time American League MVP was selected to the Baseball Hall of Fame earlier this year. 23 ever since his career started in 2012 and it is more than likely that he will be the last player in the history of the Warriors to wear that number. An under-reported part of the lives of many athletes is the time before they became . mjk funeral home obituaries; san jose state university graduate programs deadlines Men umschalten. The Red Head Redemption and "Fastbreak" Griffin have also stirred up excitement regarding the new Clippers sensation. Answer (1 of 4): Well, it's difficult to answer because question is quite general. But its not just the ancient Chinese that were obsessed with 23. Aggressive drivers are scary enough on the actual roads. Back in 1999, in his second year with the Sacramento Kings, a lady named Stephanie Shephard, a public relations employee of the team, offered up the name "White Chocolate" for Williams. Also dubbed "Mr. Outside" and "Mr. Nicknames of other athletes at the Summer Olympics . His self-assigned nickname has become a fan favorite, as Lynch is one of the most difficult NFL players to tackle and can also run faster than most of those trying to bring him down. Green, an NBA Defensive Player of the Year award winner, has been wearing the No. If you don't think beer and chicken wings pair up nicely with football, I suspect you may be an agent of the North Koreans. Then again, "The Greatest" transcended sports. I am necessary in all animals, but you won't find me in the zoo. No one is positive about the fine point details on this nickname, other than the fact that it is a reference to Greene's alma mater, North Texas. He took the name from that of one of his favorite fighters, a welterweight from Barbados. He was Premier League's best player techn. Field goals from long distance haven't always been the norm in the NFL, but if you love a dramatic late-game kick, thank "The Toe." Twenty-three is the number . Strange. The legendary talent earned his fair share of intimidating nicknames, few of which truly detailed his actual prowess. Other times, as with Willie Mays, the man makes the nickname. "MJ" or "His Airness" could have been the pick here, but "Air Jordan" most appropriately captures what Jordan was most famous for: feats of incredible athleticism, especially when going in for a dunk. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. List of athletes by nickname; Lists of nicknames - nickname list articles on . Frank Thomas is one of the most prolific hitters in baseball history. Hima Das. The nickname came during his freshman year at Clemson, when a teammate barely fit into an elevator with Perry and the laundry they both had with them. His career batting average of .301 and his 521 home runs make "The Big Hurt" an easy nickname to understand. At first blush, maybe not. Given that level of performance, "The Dominator" is a fitting title. Second only to Jordan, LeBron James is a legend of basketball and widely regarded as the current best. godfrey family hawaii. The Team clue is for the team that that athlete is most notable for while wearing the #23, not their current teams. Would it really have been the same if courses had had to "Eldrick-proof" themselves to deal with Woods' prodigious talents? Much like Walter Payton, White died far too soon, passing away at just age 43 from complications due to a heart condition. Larry Jordan was actually the better basketball player when the pair were youngsters and MJ only picked up the sport in order to play with his older brother. In a sport all about punching your opponent into submission, "Hands of Stone" is about as intimidating a nickname as there could be. It still is amazing that a man who stood no taller than 6-foot-4 carved out a Hall of Fame career as a power forward. The number refers to the year 1947 when the riffle was introduced into service with the Soviet Army. Also dubbed Brickwall, The Man and Brody, record-breaking goalie Martin Brodeur has been protecting the New Jersey crease since the early '90s, along the way leading his Devils to three championships. Nicknames add color to sports and often become so popular that they serve as an athlete's de facto first name. Tim Duncan might be the most boring all-time great in any sport. Since then, he has gone 6-2 with his only losses coming to Lyoto Machida and Glover Teixeira. QB, Patriots. city of glendale, wi permits; critical role cancelled; metatron cube religion; best wireless earbuds for travel; principle based ethics strengths and weaknesses; Cream of the Crop: Zorilla, Zobi Wan Kanobe. Wayne Gretzky leads all NHL skaters in points by nearly 1000 points. From "Magic" to "Mean Joe" to "The Big Hurt," let's take a look, in no particular order, at the best nicknames in sports history and the athletes who inspired them. But due to her southern accent, the word came out sounding like "Penny." The school changed its nickname to the Mean Green in Greene's first season there, but it does not appear that this was because of Greene's prowess. This quiz has not been published by Sporcle, Jump to the score distribution portion of the page. Find Me In Brains Riddle. No. Is this a great nickname? The legendary American swimmer has won 28 Olympic medals, including 23 gold, making him the most decorated athlete of all time. | In AFL, as well as Brereton, there is also Buddy Franklin, who has worn 23 in every season except for his first and has himself become synonymous with the number in Australia. Randy Johnson is often referred to as The Big Unit, due to his 6'10 height and devastating fastball. Ben Simmons suffers back injury during rehab from knee injury, Warriors' Draymond Green makes accusation against media regarding Europeans, Florida QB Anthony Richardson drops huge athletic marks at Combine, Jerry Jones shares surprising details on Cowboy stars, Grizzlies' Brooks suspended one game for technicals, Former All-Pro to leave 49ers, test free agency, Grizzlies suspend Ja Morant in wake of latest incident, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. withdraws from WBC due to knee injury, Grizzlies Brandon Clarke suffers torn Achilles, out for season, Report: Brad Hand joins Rockies on one-year deal. I wanna be able to shoot like him. But then again, he's the most famous athlete in the world, so he's probably OK with the trade-off. After a 12-0 start to his mixed martial arts career, including wins over an aged Keith Jardine and Antonio Rogerio "Little Nog" Nogueira, he suffered two lost bouts to Jon Jones and Tito Ortiz. It didn't matter what route he took; Ali was an impenetrable force in that ring. Heck, he was often more of a superstar cricketer than a baseball slugger. "Rocket" Roger is currently third all-time with regard to Major League Baseball strikeouts, after Nolan Ryan and Randy Johnson. 23, even if it was for a short period during his career. Because he wasnt around, I thought of my return as a new beginning. Wepner, who inspired Sylvester Stallone to write the script for "Rocky," is well known for falling mere seconds short of going the full 15-round distance with Muhammad Ali and for knocking Ali down in their fight. Tatum, one of the NFL's most feared and controversial hitters, was nicknamed "The Assassin" because of his violent, reckless style. Known for "The War" with Marvin Hagler, a three-round epic that saw both fighters trade punches continuously, Hearns also had a pair of classic, and controversial, fights with "Sugar" Ray Leonard. apbpa.org. Owner of a dog with a Napoleon complex, consumer of beer, cooker of chili, closet Cleveland Browns fan. Number 23 - LeBron James; The Truth - Paul Pierce; King James - LeBron James; The . But here's a few of them: "The Big Fella," "Diesel . "The Great One" is not only the best hockey player of all time, but also has the greatest nickname in the sporting world. From Ted "The Splendid Splinter" Williams to Elvis "Toast" Patterson, nicknames have always been part of sports. Richmond wore No. Those beginnings make Bird's status as one of the league's all-time trash talkers and clutch shooters even more enjoyable. LeBron James has also added immense greatness to the figure with his legendary, title-winning career with the Cleveland Cavaliers and LA Lakers (wearing 23). Robertson is regarded as a man before his time, skill-wise, and is also credited with inventing both the head fake and the fadeaway jump shot. 23. Reggie Jackson was a monster in the postseason, helping the Athletics to three straight World Series titles before moving on to the Yankees and winning two more championships in the Bronx. Alston went from street-ball legend and AND1 Mixtape star to solid NBA player, but he didn't lose his trademark skipping dribble, the same thing that earned him his nickname. Navratilova published an op-ed in the U.K. Sunday Times on February 17 in which she said it was "unfair" to allow trans women . SportsIcon Previews The Sports Metaverse with Legendary Athletes . This happened pre-shot clock and pre-three point line, too. While the word marvelous is flowery and makes one think of a real artist in the ring, Hagler had one of the greatest chins in boxing history and was a relentless pressure fighter without a weakness. When I came back, I thought 45 was perfect because I did have an association with the number. Eldrick Woods' nickname "Tiger" was coined in honor of a friend of his father, according to an interview with Golf Digest. Comments. Michael Phelps, arguably the best swimmer in history, is regarded as one of the greatest athletes of all time, not just due to his record-breaking feats, but also due to the longevity of his career.. Born on June 30, 1985, in Baltimore, Maryland, Phelps took to swimming at the age of seven. Lane, who holds the single-season record for interceptions with 14, was at first not thrilled with the "Night Train" nickname, which was connected to the music world. Tom Brady. At the peak of his Olympic powers, the 23-time gold medalist was eating somewhere around 8-10,000 calories every day to fuel his legendary eight-gold run through the 2008 summer games. winslow accident today; taches brunes sur feuilles de caoutchouc; . His winning a gold medal as a lightweight could have been the genesis of his nickname, or it could have been the fact that everyone knew he was about to make a lot of money for himself and for boxing promoters by becoming the sport's biggest mainstream star in years. Cream of the Crop: The Sultan of Swat, TheColossus of Clout, The Wazir of Wham, The Mammoth of Maul. The name "Rocket" came from the speed of his fastball, which was steadily between 97 and 100 mph early on in his career. After trailing by as many as 23 . "Shaq" has a certain intimidating quality to it, which is fitting, since O'Neal was the kind of guy who managed to impose his will on other enormously large human beings night after night. Griffey Jr. was one of the game's greatest players and the possessor of its sweetest swing, and he went into the Hall of Fame with a record-breaking 99.32 percent of the vote. (greatest of all time), Jerry Rice remains the finest receiver ever to grace a professional football field. There are even a shocking number of children's books written by professional athletes. 26 Further reading. Here's proof. While it is true that most self-given nicknames don't take hold, Ali's did. The Wu-Tang Clan references are as classy as nicknames come. Is "The Say Hey Kid" a great nickname? The current multi-division World Champion belongs on this list, without any shadow of a doubt. ET. So for all of the ancient history, the conspiracies and obsessions from 23rdians, in sport No.23 became legend simply because we all just wanted to Be Like Mike. His black No. The attention even got Smart a look in the NFL, and he managed to stick around for parts of five seasons, including 2003, when he scored his only NFL TD in style on a 100-yard kick return. Wayne Gretzky might be the sport's greatest player, but Red Wings legend Gordie Howe, in many respects, was its most popular. Wayne Gretzky might be the sport's greatest player, but Red Wings legend Gordie Howe, in many respects, was its most popular. Video Play Button Almost every league has a G.O.A.T. Cream of the Crop: Steam Engine Charlie, Black Magic, Chasemanian Devil. Favorite. Cream of the Crop: The Door, Satan's Wallpaper, Devilish Stopper. 23 for the Warriors during his tenure in the Run TMC era with Tim Hardaway and Chris Mullin, and with the LA Lakers in his final NBA season (2001-02) when he was a member of the title-winning squad. I came in during the World era, so Henry Sanchez, Jovontae Turner, and Guy Mariano are the three most influential skaters in my life besides Kareem Campbell, who came a bit later. Advertisement. LeBron James is the most famous 23 in the world at the moment. And all of that is without even mentioning sport and the collection of the worlds most recognisable stars who have brought the number into modern day fame. Never more than the fourth- or fifth-best player on any of his teams, Horry nonetheless developed a reputation for hitting huge shots at the biggest possible moments, earning him one of the best and most obvious nicknames in sports not to mention seven NBA titles. He did wear different numbers for the Bulls twice however, for a few games when he returned from his first retirement wearing No.45 (his baseball number and his brothers number). An athlete's quest for greatness goes far beyond the playing field. From left to right: Mary Lou Retton, Megan Rapinoe, and Serena Williams. The solution to the Acronymic title for a legendary athlete crossword clue should be: THEGOAT (7 letters) Below, you'll find . That's right, all of his names were epic. Athletes earned the most famous tennis players ( and athletes, 23 represents a legendary athlete with the nickname ) in the middle of 1977, boosted! Unfortunately, he has thrown the most interceptions of any NFL quarterback. 12. The former NCAA Champion and Utah Jazz first round pick from 1980 is number 17 on this list and it's well-earned. Comments. Clemens won the Cy Young award seven times and the World Series twice. Frazier possessed a crushing left hook, one of the greatest single punches in the history of the sport, and despite being undersized for the heavyweight division, he was one of boxing's toughest and most feared forces. He continued to don the 23 for the University of North Carolina and then most famously in the NBA for the Chicago Bulls. As a result, Chuck earned every hefty nickname one could possibly script. Jon Jones has the distinction of becoming the youngest champion in UFC . David looked at me and said: The number 23 then.. He returned to Cleveland in 2014 and won the 2016 NBA title, before joining the LA Lakers in 2018 and achieving another championship with 23 on his jersey. Now number 13 may be considered unlucky by many, but there could not be any lucky number for basketball player Wilt Chamberlain. He wore the No.7 at Manchester United where he carried on a legend of its own, but it wasnt until he joined Real Madrid in 2003 that he wrote his name into the legend of another 23. August 10, 2021 9:00 am. Wearing 23, Beckham revolutionised football in America. With beer and hot dogs his only fuel, The Bambino became a legend with his ability to dominate as a hitter and a pitcher. The number of nicknames four-time NBA champ Shaquille O'Neal had over his career is countless at this point. Wilt Chamberlain (13) Let us start our list of the most popular numbers in sports with the number 13. Why Are Leprechauns Associated with Saint Patricks Day? Report. 3.2 Professional. Either that or a tea-totaling vegan, which is nearly as concerning. Hirsch was a tall, lanky guy with an unusual running style, and it is that running style that earned him the "Crazy Legs" nickname, with some observers suggesting that it appeared his legs were moving in six different directions at once. Gretzky's nickname is self-explanatory, and his numbers, even playing in the run-and-gun 1980s, are still eye-popping and completely unreachable by any player, unless Sidney Crosby plays at a high level until he's around 50 years old. In that context, "Super Mario" was the perfect moniker. One doesn't get a name like "Magic" without showing something special on the court. The nickname was coined by Ken Harrelson while Thomas was a member of the Chicago White Sox early in his career. Cream of the Crop: The Master Blaster, The God of Cricket, Bradman of Modern Era. The seven-time World Series Champion and twelve-time American League home run Champion is number two on this list, but not by much. His legacy will forever be defined by the people he's influenced and the reputation he's earned. He has thrown for the most career yards of any NFL quarterback, has completed the most passes of any quarterback and still holds the most consecutive starts of any NFL player. Sound familiar? For a breakdown of his earnings from fights, see TheRichest.com. Maurice "The Rocket" Richard is a legend in the city of Montreal. 23 in NBA history. With a hairstyle that is slammed on the other side of the Mr. Clean spectrum, Puyol continues to roar his way toward fashion-and-athletic greatness. But while Zorilla may be the second baseman's craftiest nickname, it's also the stinkiest. 1. Davis has worn the 23 jersey for the majority of his career, in which he has been NBA All-Star and achieved an Olympic gold medal. Imagine getting beaten up in a boxing ring by a guy who doesn't hit very hard but hits you constantly and always seems to dodge or block your punches. Rampage is a skilled striker and his nickname reflects his prowess. Take a look at some of the athletes who share #23 with Michael . You can use these funny NBA nicknames to call your players. Does it have a great origin story? Chris Mueller is the co-host of The PM Team with Poni & Mueller on Pittsburgh's 93.7 The Fan, Monday-Fridayfrom 2-6 p.m. A truly great player, and a truly great nickname. "Sweetness" is a great nickname for the late Walter Payton, who earned the nickname during his college career. Cream of the Crop:Crouchinho, El Esparagus, Two Metre Peter, RoboCrouch, Bean Pole. Aaron Hernandez. B.C. but there are none as clearly defined as Wayne Gretzky is to the NHL. NBA. Arguably the most physically dominant player in league history, O'Neal's nickname is simple a shortened version of his first name. Wayne Gretzky is thought of as the greatest hockey player ever. If your team had Robert Horry, you felt great in close games. NBA Nicknames Funny NBA Nicknames For NBA . 9. Ill have a think about the number 23, Clarke added. Old-school BMX rider Charles Townsend, who thrived between 1985 and 1996, remains an influential force in the sports realm with the melting pot of crafty, railroad-related nicknames he earned as an amateur. Always free! In reality, it is widely believed that "sweetness" was an accolade given to him early in his college career at Jackson State because of his genuine, kind-hearted personality. That said, he's thought of by most as, at worst, a top-15 player of all time, and at best, the greatest power forward in history. Bookmark Quiz Bookmark Quiz Bookmark. Given what became of his postplaying days, the "Hustle" part seems especially apropos. The Ruud Devil is a fitting one as well for the retired Dutch footballer, who remains the second-highest goal scorer in Champions League history with 60 since retiring this past May. His nickname was given to him by a Sacramento Kings media relations staffer, who said his play reminded her of pickup games in Chicago. But his 473-foot shot in 2007 off Zack Greinke might. The nickname was so widely used that the only people who didn't address him as such were public address announcers in visiting arenas, likely tired of having Johnson school the home team. Grimson might well be the least-distinguished player on this list, but that doesn't matter, because his nickname fit him perfectly. While The Law Firm is currently a free agent, he had some solid years in the NFL. This list will detail some of the nicknames in the world of sports that are the most popularfor these three purposes. In NBA history, 237 players have worn the number, whether it was for a full career or for a single game, according to Basketball Reference. Toggle the table of contents . This was in the mid-1990s, at a time when Michael Jordan was not in the league, and its popularity was not nearly what it is today. While it may seem curious, at first, once someone explains the name, calling the man "Vinnie" seems almost wrong by comparison. Anthony Davis. Honestly, Blake "The Griffin" Griffin would probably sum up his legend just as crisply. Lane finished his career with 68 interceptions and a reputation as one of the most violent tacklers in the league. Pretty frustrating, right? If you don't think beer and chicken wings pair up nicely with football, I suspect you may be an agent of the N. Nicknames go with athletes like beer and chicken wings go with Sunday afternoon football. Well, maybe. A graceful sprinter with long strides, she dominated Asian track-and-field events for most of the 1980s, winning 23 medals in all, 14 of which were gold. Seven receptions all season for a total of 151 yards and a touchdown, making him the Montreal Allouettes' eighth receiver in statistical terms. Cream of the Crop: TheAnimal (Muppet-inspired of course), TheFlyingTomato. He was named to the All-Ohio first team and . They've defined careers and detailed one's true popularity. I am also in water, but not in hydrogen. Many elements of Tatum's playing style were later outlawed by the NFL. Thomas was one of the only power hitters of his era to avoid PED suspicion and had a mastery of the strike zone like few other hitters of his time. But I also told him that I understood things had changed and todays fans can easily accept any number. He was part of the Brazilian national teams that won three World Cup championships (1958, 1962, and 1970). Chamberlain is regarded as one of the greatest players in history. One of the greatest fighters of all time, Duran was also one of boxing's most legendary punchers a pressure fighter who liked to brawl with opponents, mainly because he almost always came out on top. Cream of the Crop: The Big Dipper, Wilt The Stilt, Goliath. Pierce got his nickname from Shaquille O'Neal, and it is indeed a great one.