2009-11-17T10:36:29-05:00 <div class="photo_container image_right"> <div class="photo"><img title="Anna Kournikova" src="http://i.cnn.net/si/fannation/kournikova-lose.jpg" alt="Anna Kournikova" width="298" height="367" /></div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align: right;">Anna Kournikova never did live up to her considerable hype.</div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align: right;">Hector Mata/Getty Images<br /></div> </div> <p><strong>By Lang Whitaker, SI.com</strong></p> <p>Going into this weekend, I didn't know much about mixed martial arts. After sitting through Saturday night's CBS broadcast of Elite XC, I still don't know a lot about the sport, other than I'm pretty sure <strong>Don Zimmer</strong> might be able to knock out <strong>Kimbo Slice</strong>. For a guy who was reputed to be one of the toughest men on earth and had even scored an <em>ESPN The Magazine</em> cover, it must have been disappointing to get knocked down by a half-punch delivered off one foot by a guy nobody had ever heard of. Mr. Slice now joins a long list of the most-hyped athletes to bite the dust. Here's our list of the top five most overhyped athletes ...</p> <p><strong>1. Tony Mandarich: </strong>After a stellar college career at Michigan State, Mandarich made just 47 starts in the NFL and never came close to scratching the surface of the potential he'd shown. Mandarich recently admitted that he'd used steroids in college. Shocking.</p> <p><strong>2. Sam Bowie: </strong>A high school hoops phenom, Bowie was injured throughout his time at the University of Kentucky, but the Portland Trail Blazers still selected him second overall in the 1984 NBA Draft, just ahead of some guy named <strong>Michael Jordan</strong>. Bowie's leg injuries continued throughout his NBA tenure, while Jordan became arguably the greatest athlete in team sports history.</p> 2008-10-06T14:25:57-04:00 234 2008-10-06T14:25:57-04:00 1 24 10 2008-10-08T08:55:08-04:00 6 md IAHAWKS bel air 102987 239 1. The defunct XFL 2. Ohio State in a National championship game - especially vs. Florida 3. Any Heisman trophy winner for the past 2 decades 4. Any Nebraska running back - law abiding citizens that they are 5. Big East Football 6. Erin Andrews - yeah I know she's hot but come on there are far better looking ladies out there in sports and sports broadcasting 3000614 2008-10-08T08:44:23-04:00 6 md IAHAWKS bel air 102987 238 How about the entire, now defunct, XFL 3000545 2008-10-08T07:10:54-04:00 361 NC Rey's crew Charlotte 170280 237 you can be overhyped and still produce. my list: reggie bush, lebron james, sidney crosby, dale earnhardt jr., brett favre 3000196 2008-10-08T02:09:49-04:00 http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/475/523/thumb/060_-_Copy.jpg 6 MN 65chvlrydr Becker 475963 236 Akili Smith, Tim Couch, or Cade McNown..remember all the hype around those d-bags back in 99?? 2999956 2008-10-08T02:08:00-04:00 http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/475/523/thumb/060_-_Copy.jpg 6 MN 65chvlrydr Becker 475963 235 Tim Couch, Akili Smith or Cade McNown....remember all the hype surrounding the 1999 qb's??? 3000025 2008-10-08T01:53:57-04:00 1 VA glk4324 Blacksburg 577779 234 mike rozier 2999953 2008-10-07T05:10:56-04:00 http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/807/0/thumb/hh.jpg 7639 TX Hank Hill Arlen 8090 Reggie Bush 161 haha, Thats what I was thinking until I watched MNF. 2990904 2008-10-08T01:03:39-04:00 http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/335/939/thumb/ucla_helmet.jpg 312 CA El_Guapo Los Angeles 336319 haha, Thats what I was thinking until I watched MNF. 233 Lol, when I saw him return those two td's on monday, I too thought the same as you. Maybe I shouldn't have said anything...he looked like his old self! 2999932 2008-10-06T23:10:09-04:00 2 MI wilber Detroit 576792 142 Muhammed Ali, .....no doubt about it. His greatest trait the second half of his carreer was his ability to take a punch. His second greatest trait was his mouth, he got alot of people to watch him and believe his hype. 2990288 2008-10-07T23:16:51-04:00 http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/296/57/thumb/FSUHelmet_BlackBack_.jpg 2786 FL eyesWIDEopen In The Bay 29717 Muhammed Ali, .....no doubt about it. His greatest trait the second half of his carreer was his ability to take a punch. His second greatest trait was his mouth, he got alot of people to watch him and believe his hype. 232 You are, without a doubt, stupidest person on Earth. 2999547 2008-10-06T20:57:05-04:00 1 NY mc3 Brooklyn 576783 125 Drew Henson. The dude fooled TWO sports into thinking he could game. Who else has done that? 2989753 2008-10-07T23:13:02-04:00 http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/296/57/thumb/FSUHelmet_BlackBack_.jpg 2786 FL eyesWIDEopen In The Bay 29717 Drew Henson. The dude fooled TWO sports into thinking he could game. Who else has done that? 231 Doug Johnson 2999544 2008-10-06T15:10:08-04:00 2 GA Glen11 Bonaire 168509 16 Bosworth from Oklahoma Football was the biggest let-down of all sports combined. 2986554 2008-10-07T21:56:58-04:00 http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/366/12/thumb/hmmm.jpg 9 TX Fredd Houston 36732 Bosworth from Oklahoma Football was the biggest let-down of all sports combined. 230 Yeah, but he made a couple decent B movies... 2999217 234 <div class="photo_container image_right"> <div class="photo"><img title="Brad Lidge" src="http://i2.cdn.turner.com/si/2008/writers/john_donovan/09/19/dononvan.lidge/LidgeSMI2.jpg" alt="Brad Lidge" width="289" height="386" /></div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align: right;">Brad Lidge has converted 43 saves in 43 chances in '08.</div> <div class="photo_attributes" style="text-align: right;">Mark Goldman/Icon SMI<br /></div> </div> <p>These aren't the five best or most important names in each League Championship Series, but the ones whose storylines are most interesting. Here's our list of the five most intriguing LCS figures ...</p> <p><strong>1. Evan Longoria: </strong>In the first playoff game of his career, the Tampa Bay third baseman hit two homers and drove in three runs. And while everyone pays attention to his bat, he played lights-out defense against the White Sox. Will he deliver when more is at stake?</p> <p><strong>2. Manny Ramirez: </strong>It's been a lovefest between Manny and L.A. More important, he's still the best hitter among the players on the four teams still standing. At any point, Manny could put the Dodgers on his back and carry them to the World Series. Will he?</p> <p><strong>3. Brad Lidge: </strong>He hasn't blown a save in a Philadelphia uniform since coming over from Houston, converting 43-of-43 opportunities. Will he continue that amazing streak?</p> <p><strong>4. Jason Bay:</strong> He's not the most important or valuable Red Sox player, but it'll be interesting to see if he can deliver big hits and make the Nation completely forget about Ramirez's past postseason accomplishments. If he has a 2-for-18 series against the Rays, you can bet the comparisions to Manny will be brought up.</p> <p><strong>5. Joe Torre: </strong>What will <strong>Hank Steinbrenner</strong> do iF Torre makes it to the World Series? How much added pressure does Torre's run put on <strong>Joe Girardi </strong>next season? How big of a stamp does Torre put on his Hall of Fame career?</p> <p>Who are the most intriguing figures going into the League Championship Series? Let us know below ...</p> 11542 http://img.fannation.com/upload/user_profile/image/421/5/thumb/traina.jpg 2 NY Jimmy Traina New York 4235