When I first started this “best dressed athletes” series I was undecided if there would be a best dressed hockey players post. I mean, I figured the chances of finding a fashionable hockey player would be like……. like a hockey game without a fight or a player sitting in time out, er, the penalty box..

Boy was I wrong! In fact, it took nearly twice as long to find stylish baseball players than it did hockey players. I had to actually scale back this piece because there were so many names on it! Go figure!

And, after compiling this best dressed list I discovered quite a few hockey hotties. I think it’s safe to now call me a proud Puck Bunny!

Don’t forget to check out the rest of this series! You don’t want to miss out on the NFL All Star Best Dressed Team or the MLB’s Haute Stove! And of course, the Pretty in Plaid Best Dressed Golfer’s List!

The Best Dressed NHL Players

• Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers
• Sean Avery, New York Rangers
• Max Talbot, Pittsburgh Penguins
• Sid Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
• Ethan Moreau, Edmonton Oilers
• Jarome Iginla, Calgary Flames
• Niklas Backstrom, Minnesota Wild
• Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay Lightening
• Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals
• Zach Parise, New Jersey Devils
• Brendan Shanahan, New Jersey Devils

Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers

Henrik has been voted the world’s sexiest Ice Man and he’s definitely a fave among all the Puck Bunnies. His skills on the ice and his stunning good looks combined with his amazing flair for fashion puts him at the top of this best dressed list!

Sean Avery, New York Rangers

Whether he’s in a structured leather jacket or lush velvet suit coat, Sean always seems to have that rugged “I’m a bad boy but go ahead, try to tame me” vibe going on that charms ladies all over the world. Come to think of it, he gives off the Alex Karev (Grey’s Anatomy) vibe…. not just because he looks shockingly like Justin Chambers!

Max Talbot, Pittsburgh Penguins

Maxime can pull off off the plaid casual look with a wonderful sexiness and he looks positively stunning all suited up with the Stanley Cup trophy!

Sid Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins

Much like Derek Jeter and Kobe Bryant make all the Best of Baseball & Basketball lists, there isn’t a “best of” hockey list that Sid Crosby isn’t on. Sid the Kid is the talk of the NHL, the Olympics, the Puck Bunnies, and all the anti-Alex Ovechkin fans out there.  He’s brought excitement and new, young fans back to hockey. And he’s brought a new young freshness to his fashion sense. Plus, his disheveled hair seems to somehow work with casual and three piece suits!

Ethan Moreau, Edmonton Oilers

Ethan is one tall, cool drink of water! Not all men can pull off a pale grey suit but Ethan makes it look fashionable and very sexy!

Jarome Iginla, Calgary Flames

Jarome’s flames can light my fire any day! (Too cheesy? I couldn’t help myself…) Jarome has this super cool vibe about him. Like a cross between being dapper and urban smooth. It’s a great blend. Doesn’t hurt that he is a cutey-patootey! (Hmm… I bet hockey players don’t really appreciate being called “cutie”)

Niklas Backstrom, Minnesota Wild

Niklas seems to have two different sides to his personality. One is a clean shaven, cropped hair gentleman that looks like he is made to wear suits. The other is a shaggy haired kid who rocks casual clothes and is made to break hearts! Either way, his style is impeccable!

Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay Lightening

First off, I need to say I had no idea a man this fine was living so close to me…..I think it’s time for me to check out the Lightening! Vinny is definitely a fan favorite in Tampa Bay and a fan favorite for best dressed. Anyone that can make a Mr Roger’s-esque sweater look that sexy has got serious style!

Zack Parise, New Jersey Devils

Zack may play for the devils but his youthful baby face looks more like an angel. He has a Matt Damon-All-American-Boy-Next-Door quality about him that is so swoon-worthy. Till he hits the ice and the bad boy inside comes out! It’s almost not fair for put him on the list because with that face, no one is looking at what he is wearing!

Brendan Shanahan, New Jersey Devils

Brendan is making this list because he has the hot older-man McDreamy vibe about him. I’m a sucker for guys who rock blue ties or open popped collars!

Alex Ovechkin, Washington Capitals

Alex is not exactly….. handsome….. He’s more…..intriguing. He’s basically considered hot just because he’s so talented.  But even if I don’t consider him hot, there is no denying his skills on the ice, and in his off the ice style!

That’s all folks! The Best Dressed Series is complete! Do you agree with my picks? Someone else you think should have made the list? Leave me a comment below or send me a tweet on twitter @stilettosportsj!

Fashion Face-Off: The Best Dressed Hockey Players in the NHL is a post from: Stiletto Sports

A few days ago we started a series of posts in honor of NY Fashion Week that gives tribute to all the best dressed athletes. We’ve talked about the most fashionable NBA ballers, the stylish NFL players and the haute couture hotties of the MLB. And now it’s time to hit the most fashionable sport of all: golf!

For all the other best dressed posts, we were giving you pictures of players off their courts or field in their everyday clothes. But since the game of golf is known for it’s on the course fashion, we are bending the rules and showing you how these players use the green course as a red carpet of fashion!

The Best Dressed PGA Golfers:

• Ian Poulter
• Ryo Ishikawa
• Camilo Villegas
• Adam Scott
• Zack Johnson
• Davis Love III
• Greg Norman
• and…. two bonus golfers….. you have to scroll to find out!

Ian Poulter

When Ian first stepped out on the green, he stunned the golfing world. No, he didn’t Roar like Tiger….but his clothes sure did! Ian is known for his outrageous golf attire, from his pink pants and his trademark British flag pants to his golf lamé golf shirt. Yes, you read that right. A Gold lamé golf shirt! There really aren’t any words to fully describe how glamorific Mr Poulter is, so I’ll just let the pictures do the talking. As you can see, he practically exudes fantasticism in every outfit.

Camilo Villegas

Ah Camilo….. Ever since Tiger stepped on the green, golf has started to really appeal to the younger crowds. But Camilo has truly taken this game of old men and plaid pants and made it young, fresh, modern, hip and damn sexy! He even somehow manages to do naughty things to argyle sweaters!

Ryo Ishikawa

Known to his adoring fans as Hanikami Ōji” (translated “Bashful Prince”), Ryo is anything but bashful when it comes to his golfing fashion! It’s  Tokyo Street Fashion meets a Golfer’s Closet mixed with an 80s color palatte. Sound disturbing? It would be if Ryo didn’t pull it off so well! Just check out the green and orange look below! Anyone that can dress like rainbow sherbet but actually make it work, is definitely a style star.

Oh and have you seen his golf bag? It’s hot pink and white and he carries a little Ryo doll on it! Talk about fabulous!

Adam Scott

Adam has elevated golf fashion to a whole new level. Forget Nike. Forget Polo. Adam rocks straight up Burberry on the green. Remember how I said Camilo makes argyle look fine? Well, Adam does it even better because it’s very, very expensive argyle and it’s paired with perfectly custom fitted pants. Off the field he usually adds a unique hat as well!

Oh and I broke the rules a little, I did throw in some off the green shots. I couldn’t help myself.

Zack Johnson

Zack is making this list because I found about 10 shots of him wearing bright orange…. and wearing it well. And anyone that wear creamsicle orange and pull it off deserves a place on a best styled list.

Davis Love III

I’ve been a fan of Davis Love III for years. Mostly because I think his name is freaking awesome. You hear it, you think, “yup,  upitty golfer type”

He’s also one of the throwbacks to the traditional days of golf fashion. Ralph Lauren loves him and makes sure is decked out in Polo Golf Pastels for every event. Forget the big bold pops of colors. Davis dons the light pinks and seafoam greens with khakis!

Greg Norman

Greg revolutionized golf fashion when he hit the PGA tour. Just check out his clothing line! He was always my mom’s favorite golfer because his fashion sense was impeccable and his custom designed hats with the Greg Norman fish were always the perfect complementing accessory!

Bonus Style Star #1: Payne Stewart

You can’t have a golf fashion best dressed list without mentioning the late Payne Stewart. He took golf waaaaaay back to the days of Scotland with knickers and high socks, and of course, the fabulous hat that Kangol made famous! Wikipedia says “He was always popular with fans, especially for his clothing, and was reputed to have the biggest wardrobe of all professional golfers.”

Bonus Style Star #2: Justin Timberlake

No, Justin’s not on the Tour just yet. But JT did get voted as the best dressed golfer for 2009 so we couldn’t not put him on this list now could we? He definitely brings sexy back to the game of golf!

Pretty in Played: The Best Dressed Pro Golfers on the PGA Tour is a post from: Stiletto Sports

Forget sitting around the Hot Stove discussing Spring Training and the upcoming baseball season! I want to sit around the Haute Stove and talk baseball….fashion!

A few days ago I started a Best Dressed Athletes Series in honor of New York’s Fashion Week. So far we’ve gone over the most stylish ballers in the NBA and the sexiest style stars of the NFL.

Now it’s time to check out the Best Dressed Baseball Players in the MLB!

For the record, this post took the longest of all them…combined. It took over three hours to compile. Golf took 15 minutes. Apparently baseball players never take off their uniforms because it was almost impossible to find pictures of them!

Feel free to leave me a comment below or shoot me a tweet @stilettosportsj to give me your input on who you think deserves to be on the lists!

• 3B Alex Rodriquez
• SS Derek Jeter
• 3B David Wright
• 3B: Evan Longoria
• Catcher: Joe mauer
• RF: Ichiro Suzuki
• LF: Manny Ramirez
• CF: Curtis Granderson
• DH/1B: David Ortiz
• Pitcher: Cole hamels

Alex Rodriguez (New York Yankees)

Even in spite of all the scandals, stories and negative hoopla around A-Rod, there is no denying he is one of the most fashionable baseball players…ever. He’s graced the covers of  all the men’s fashion mags like GQ, Esquire, Details, Sports Illustrated…..

Even when he was giving his big apology speech for his drug use, the only thing I could focus on (besides his use of the terms “loosey goosey era….) was the fact that his blue sweater of sincerity was the exact same shade of his eyes and made him look amazing!

Derek Jeter (New York Yankees)

In the Best Dressed NBA players post I mentioned that there isn’t a “best of NBA” list that Kobe Bryant is not on. The same this goes for Jeter and a “best of MLB” list. Like Tom Brady, Jeter is an ambassador (fancy name for “face of”) for Movado. Only the most elite, most stylish people get that high honor!

and I’m going to break the rules a little since this list is about athletes off the field or court but, Jeter makes these pinstripes look sooooooo good:

Evan Longoria (Tampa Bay Rays)

Evan has become the baby-faced sensation of the Tampa Bay Rays. His rookie season, the Rays had an amazing Cinderella season and went all the way to the World Series. Off the field, Evan’s cool, comfy casual style has become a trend setting hit!

David Wright (New York Mets)

Mr. David Wright is the reason that I just declared myself a Mets fan (yes, as well as a Yankees, Red Sox and Rays fan…..) This man would look good in anything. As my Yankees loving friend said “I’ll admit, he makes even a Mets jersey look hot. ” They say a picture is worth a thousand words, well, here are 6,000 words about how hot and fashionable David Wright is. Drool.

Joe Mauer (Minnesota Twins)

Some claim Joe is the best catcher in the MLB. Others say without Joe, the Twins wouldn’t be a playoff worthy team. I say, Hot Damn, Joe is F-I-N-E! Since catchers spend most of hteir time all bundled up in pads on their knees in the dirt, it’s hard to see how tall and muscular and beautiful they can be! Out of his catcher’s gear, Joe’s 6′5 body makes dress wear and casual clothes look amazing!

Ichiro Suzuki (Seattle Mariners)

Ichiro Suzuki is one of the most famous people in Japan. They say people can send him mail in Japan just addressed to “Ichiro” and it will get to him. They absolutely adore him! They’ve even created a museum in his honor already! With such a big spotlight and so many eyes trained right on him at all times, Ichiro has to look put together at all times.

Manny Ramirez (L.A. Dodgers)

Manny will always be Manny. Loud, boisterous, full of himself and full of style! You never really know what to expect from Manny but you do know when it comes to what he is wearing, he’s going to be pretty fabulous!

Curtis Granderson (Detroit Tigers….)

Er…. Curtis is now a New York Yankee. Apparently on December 9, the Yanks heard that Curtis was one of the leagues best dressed players and there was no way Detroit could become more stylish than the boys in blue!

Curtis is known for his custom tailored suits. Curtis on his style: ““I try not to spend too much on clothes. I’m usually looking for something that doesn’t cost too much. But I do have some expensive things. I like wearing what everybody else isn’t wearing. Right now, I’m really into unique T-shirts. I usually wear them with MEK Jeans, because fit is important to me.  I like wearing suits and ties. That’s the way I dress when I travel and for speaking engagements. I have my suits and shirts custom-made from Douglass Wayne out of Atlanta.” MLive.com

David Ortiz (Boston Red Sox)

Big Papi has Big Style! and is big on the Bling Bling! Ortiz is known for his flashy “go big or go home” style but he’s also known for being perfectly put together and fashion forward!

Cole Hamels (Philadelphia Phillies)

I think Cole’s wife Heidi Strobel gets all the credit for his style. Without her super model fashion sense, Cole would most likely be just a tall doofy white boy with no fashion sense. Lucky for us, Heidi has imparted her wisdom! The star pitcher for the Phillies looks great in suits and rocking his Affliction gear.

Still to come, the Best Dressed Golfers and if we can find some, the Most Stylish Hockey players!

Haute Stove: The Best Dressed MLB Baseball Players is a post from: Stiletto Sports

In honor of NY Fashion Week, I’m bringing you a series of posts that I’ve been looking forward to since I started Stiletto Sports. This five part series is dedicated to the best dressed and most fashionable athletes! Yesterday, I gave you the NBA All-Star Best Dressed Team and today it’s time for the NFL’s Best Dressed Team

Over the next few days we’ll be paying tribute to the style icons of the NBA, the NFL, the MLB, the PGA and, if we can find some stylish hockey players, the NHL! Feel free to leave me a comment below or shoot me a tweet @stilettosportsj to give me your input on who you think deserves to be on the lists!

The NFL’s Best Dressed Players

• QB: Tom Brady
• WR: Larry Fitzgerald
• WR: Terrell Owens
• RB: Reggie Bush
• RB: LaDainian Tomlinson
• DE: Dwight Freeney
• DT: Jason Taylor
• CB: Ronde Barber
• Doesn’t really play but he’s so hot that we don’t care: Will Demps

Tom Brady (New England Patriots)

You can’t think of football and fashion in the same sentence without thinking of the name Tom Brady. Forget men saying “I wanna be like Mike!” Men these days want to be like Tom.  He has been named a style icon and Tom is a highly coveted face for high end products. Sure he doesn’t appear on every single ad for every product in the world like Peyton Manning does, but in the case it’s definitely quality, not quantity, that matters. Brady is the face for manly Stetson and the elite Movado and Audi. Manning’s mug may work for Nerf, Gatorade and Oreos but his face doesn’t exactly scream luxury designer goods like Tom’s does! Oh, and in you case you live under a rock, Tom’s love is quite possibly the sexiest woman in the world, super model Gisele Bünchen.

Reggie Bush (New Orleans Saints)

Whether Reggie Bush was Mr. Style before Kim Kardashian came into his life is still up for debate but it doesn’t matter now because he is definitely making all the best dressed lists! And with Kim on his arm like a perfectly coordinating accessory to every suave outfit, Reggie has become one of the most put together and stylish athletes in sports. As the UrbanGent says “Reggie dresses up and down almost flawlessly.”

But, not gonna lie, I think he’s even hotter out of his clothes…..

LaDainian Tomlinson (San Diego Chargers)

L.T.’s fashion may be better than his skills on the field the last few seasons, but that’s part of what we love about him! From casual chic to sexy suits, this man can make any outfit look polished and stylish!

Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona Cardinals)

Fitzy is my personal favorite NFL style star. He always looks so amazingly put together. And the glasses add an extra level of sophistication that is so unexpected in the rough and tumble world of football. In the Super Bowl XLIV pregame show, Larry was playing on the field in a gorgeous suit and caught a pass one handed…… it was one of the sexiest things I have ever seen!

Terrell Owens (Buffalo Bills)

Okay so T.O. is definitely the most over-hyped player (mostly by himself….) on the field in the NFL but that has nothing to do with his style off the field! He’s known for causing more drama than he’s worth on every team he’s been on, but his dramatic flair in his styling definitely pays off!

Dwight Freeney (Indianapolis Colts)

His team may not have won the Super Bowl this year but he’s still a champion of style (was that too cheesy? It was, wasn’t it……damn.) When you think NFL defensive lineman, you don’t automatically think “hot stylish male.” But Dwight will definitely change your perception!

Jason Taylor (Miami Dolphins, Dancing with the Stars)

If Dwight Freeney doesn’t convince you that defensive linemen can be hot, Jason Taylor definitely will! He has been ranked in sexiest players in the NFL and he is definitely one of the sexiest contestants ever on Dancing with the Stars. His body is perfectly chiseled, long, and lean. Perfect for custom fitted suits (and even better for topless photo shoots!)

Barber Brothers (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

Twins Tiki and Ronde Barber brought high fashion to the NFL. Tiki has since retired but Ronde is still in the league and the dynamic duo always add a touch of flair and exude fantasticism at any red carpet event!

Will Demps

Okay, okay. In all reality Will makes the best un-dressed list:

But he really is a fabulous dresser! We just don’t usually care because we want him out of those clothes so badly!

The Sexiest, Most Stylish, Best Dressed NFL Players You Will Ever See is a post from: Stiletto Sports

In honor of NY Fashion Week, I thought it was time to do a series of posts that I’ve been looking forward to since I started Stiletto Sports. This five part series is dedicated to the best dressed and most fashionable athletes!

I remember loving game-day in high school and college because all the players would come to class all dressed up instead of their typical “I’m a Jock” attire of baggy shorts and tees. But on game-day, they showed that they actually had some style. Or someone in their lives knew how to shop for them!

Over the next few days we’ll be paying tribute to the style icons of the NBA, the NFL, the MLB, the PGA and, if we can find some stylish hockey players, the NHL! First up, the best dressed ballers! Feel free to leave me a comment below or shoot me a tweet @stilettosportsj to give me your input on who you think deserves to be on the lists!

The NBA All-Star Best Dressed Team

So I was actually hoping to do this post during the 2010 All-Star Game so this best dressed list is done a little differently than the others! It just so happens that the top 5 most stylish NBA players are one from each position so I created the NBA All-Star Best Dressed Team…. with a few reserves just in case of a major fashion faux pas emergency!

I have to give a huge thanks to Shelton & Mark  from HoopsBar.com because they are the ones who came up with this great idea. They are two of the most stylish guys I know and Shelton’s insight into the NBA was invaluable!

• Forward: LeBron James
• Shooting Guard/Forward: Kobe Bryant
• Shooting Guard: Dwyane Wade
• Point Guard: Tony Parker
• Center: Kevin Garnett

Reserves:

• Center: Andrew Bynum & Shaquille O’Neal
• Forward: Paul Pierce
• Guard: Gilbert Arenas

LeBron James (Cleveland Cavaliers)

He epitomizes style in the NBA. Don’t believe me? Check out GQ for further evidence. He has brought a high level of fashion to a game that has relied on baggy shorts, tees and ghetto fab wear for far too long. Doesn’t hurt that the man is seriously F-I-N-E. He could make a paper bag look sexy! So the things he does to a custom fitted suit……. WOW!

Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers)

Is there any “best in the NBA” list that Kobe doesn’t appear on? With all his basketball fame, he has to look fabulous at all times! GQ loves him! There was a big feature in December ‘09 and he is the cover of the March ‘10 issue. What I love most is that fashion runs in Kobe’s family. Wife Vanessa is always fabulous and their little ones Natalia Diamante and Gianna are little style stars themselves! When photographed as a fam, they look so put together and coordinated, it’s almost nauseating!

Dwyane Wade (Miami Heat)

If you could only use one word to describe Dwyane Wade it would have to be: Swagger. He is absolutely positively full of s-w-a-g-g-e-r.  He pushes the boundaries of men’s fashion and takes them to a really wonderful place. Pinstripe suits, bold pops of color and of course, the pimp hat!

Tony Parker (San Antonio Spurs)

Tony has this effortlessly smooth yet casually suave style about him that takes our breath away. Maybe it’s the French vibe, or maybe it’s because wifey fashionista Eva Longoria helps dress him! Either way Tony’s amazing style has companies like London Fog dying for him to become their spokesman.

Kevin Garnett (Boston Celtics)

Kevin is proclaimed to be one of them most stylish men in the NBA…. yet it’s almost impossible to find a photo of him out of his Celtics jersey!

The Reserves:

Centers:

I’m also going to nominate Laker’s Center Andrew Bynum. He’s even taller than KG and still pulls off the polished sexy look. Andrew has been unofficially linked to pop and fashion star Rihanna and you know she goes for the put-together metro-men!

You can’t talk about stylish NBA centers without dropping the name Shaq. Sure he’s been around since the beginning of basketball…and yes he is a giant at 7′1, 325 pounds….but Shaquille O’Neal has definitely been a style star in the NBA and for all the Big & Tall men out there!

Paul Pierce (Boston Celtics)

Put-Together-Pierce would be a great nickname for Paul. He always has a sleek polish to his style, even when he is rocking the ghetto fab gear!

Gilbert Arenas (Washington Wizards)

Agent Zero scores a big 10 when it comes to high fashion. His unique spin puts him on almost every NBA best dressed list around!

Up next in the Best Dressed Series, the NFL Style Stars!

The NBA All-Star Best Dressed Team is a post from: Stiletto Sports

**originally published on GuysGirl.com. Republished on Stiletto Sports with consent from the author Ms. Blythe Brumleve!

A couple days after the Super Bowl is the start of the worst time of year.

Long since the October days have passed that we as sports fans have had all the major sports to follow. For the next few weeks, ESPN will not consume my life and it freaking sucks.

College Basketball has no interest to me unless its March Madness. And both the NBA and NHL’s playoffs are so long, I don’t really start paying attention until April.

Luckily for baseball fans, our feeling of sports emptiness will soon be over as pitchers and catchers now report for spring training.

This still leaves at least another month until opening day but it’s my light at the end of the tunnel dammit and I’m gazin away.

To curve my fix for baseball information, we will start posting the favorite baseball customs and traditions that make us feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

First up, the theme song to baseball: Take Me Out To the Ball Game

Harry Caray- The Man, No Myth, Just Legend

Of course you cannot mention this famous song with out mentioning Hall of Fame Sports Caster Harry Caray. For those who do not know, Caray was responsible for making the singing of the song a 7th inning tradition with fans.

Apparently Caray was so enthusiastic about singing the song, his radio producer at the time  turned on Caray’s mic without his knowledge and thus the fan favorite tradition was born. (early 1970’s)

During his tenure with 4 MLB franchises (White Sox, Cubs, Cardinals and A’s),  Harry Caray made the song famous by inserting the home team’s name for “the home team” in the song’s lyric, a ritual practiced by many baseball fans around the country.

Coincidentally, the year the song was written (1908) is the last year the Cubs won the World Series.

Honestly I’m surprised Harry has returned from the grave to strangle some of the people who have butchered the classic song.

I don’t blame you if you don’t listen, It was hard for me to do the research of finding the “good videos” of people stinkin up the famous song.

Mike Ditka- To be honest, Ditka to me like Chuck Norris to people who don’t know who Mike Ditka is. Because he is awesome at everything he does, this rendition is pure magic.

To others? Not so much…

Other Hilarious Rendentions of Take Me Out to the Ball Game….

Mr. T Rendention–I have no words…simply amazing and everything I imagined.

Ozzy Ozbourne–A simple song such as this is a little too much for Ozzy and the meds.

Jeff Gordon-- He was doomed when he said Wrigley “Stadium” instead of Field but he didn’t even have the balls to sing out the song. He deserved the boo’s.

Quick Facts:

• At Dodgers stadium the song’s chorus is played and sung twice, but the second time is done a half-step higher.

• During the April 17, 2008 Colorado Rockies vs. San Diego Padres 22 inning game, the song was played at the 14th Inning Stretch and once again at the PETCO Park unprecedented 21st Inning Stretch.

• On January 1, 2009, the NHL held the Winter Classic outdoor game at Wrigley Field including a version of Take Me Out to the Ball Game performed half-way through the third period by Ryne Sandberg, Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita and Denis Savard. The lyrics were altered in reference to ice hockey rather than baseball. (“Root Root Root for the Blackhawks”)

History of Take Me Out to the Ball Game

• Was originally written in 1908 by Jack Norworth

• Another version was written in 1927 by Norworth as well.

• The “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” as we know it today, was actually the chorus of the original songs. The following are the versions from 1908 and 1927 side by side for comparison

Simply amazing isn’t it? Gives me goosebumps just listening to it!

As much as I hate all things Yankee, Bernie Williams has a beautiful guitar rendition of the song. Skip through the first 17 seconds of Yankee PR garbage to get to the song but once it starts just close your eyes and listen.

Plus you don’t want the images of Bernie and the old Yankee stadium to ruin a perfectly good song.

Baseball Traditions: Take me Out to the Ball Game is a post from: Stiletto Sports

Girl’s Guide to the 2010 Olympic Hockey Teams is a post from: Stiletto Sports

Happy Valentine’s Day! In honor of the day of love, I wanted to give you the best Sports or Althete-Celebrity Couples of all time! Trying to make this all-time list proved a lot harder than anticipated. I mean can you really put Kobe Bryant and Vanessa Laine on the list? And clearly, Tiger isn’t going to make this top countdown.

Of course, there are the Kardashian Sisters and their pro ballers (Kim with Super Bowl winning NFL star Reggie Bush and Khloe with Lamar Odom, NBA) and Girl Next Door Kendra with Indianapolis Colts player Hank Baskett but um….. yeah…… I don’t think so.

Some of my personal all-time favorites included Halle Berry and David Justice, A-Rod and Madonna, and even…. Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson.( Hey, she popularized the pink jerseys so I can’t hate on them as a couple!)  But they are really not the relatioships that fairy tales are made out of, now are they?

So here’s what I am left with:

5. Tom Brady & Gisele

In reality they probably aren’t the best all time couple. But they certainly are one of the best looking couples in the whole world of all time! I mean she is ranked as the hottest woman, like, ever (personally I like Adriana Lima better but that’s just me….) and he is arguable the sexiest NFL player to ever walk the gridiron. They make the countdown simply because I’m truly dazzled by their hotness.

4. Tony Parker & Eva Longoria

There is just something so sweet and charming about seeing Eva in the stands cheering her man on. Yeah they’ve been splashed over every magazine time and time again but for some reason it doesn’t seem so in your face or obnoxious. More like sweet and romantic! One thing’s for sure, she definitely makes him hotter! He’s a decent looking guy but because she seems to think he  is super-hot, so do we! They are one of those couples that if they were to ever break up, I think everyone would be devastated—kinda like Brad and Jen from back in the day. Sure, the men would move on because that means Eva would be available for them, but it just wouldn’t seem right to link either Tony or Eva with another person.

3. Andre Aggassi & Steffi Graf

The merging of these two powerhouse tennis stars back in 2001 was huge. While people still love to talk about Andre’s relationship with Brooke Shields and dwell on the “what if…..” as if they were Dawson and Joey……I think the Andre/Steffi story is far more wonderful!

2. David Beckham & Victoria “Posh” Beckham

If Tom and Giselle rank as the hottest couple in the world, then David and Victoria rank as the hottest couple in the universe. Seriously, these two are absolutely stunning together.  It’s rare that a couple can become practically British royalty… and American royalty too! It seems like everyone loves them!

And they’ve redefined style and fashion in sports. No, Posh doesn’t play but with her on David’s arm, she’s shown that fans can be fashionable and chic, yet still supportive. And David has shown men that white T-shirts and baggy basketball shorts are not “sports fashion.” They are so pretty it almost hurts to look at them.

and the No. 1. athlete couple is…….

Joe DiMaggio & Marilyn Monroe

Their marriage lasted only 274 days, yet it lives on in baseball history and fairy tales forever.  Maybe it’s because it was such a whirlwind and so explosive. Or maybe its because for 20 years after her death,  even though they had been divorced for a lot longer than they had been married, he had a half-dozen red roses delivered to her crypt three times a week.

Do you agree with my top 5? Who else is on YOUR top sports couple countdown? Leave me a comment below or send me a tweet @stilettosportsj

Top 5 Sports & Athelete-Celebrity Couples of All Time is a post from: Stiletto Sports

If someone had told me at the start of football season that I would be writing a goodbye ode to the NFL and college football, I would have laughed in their face. Miss football? Ha! Yet….somehow, I am. Over the last six and half months, I really fell in love with football. I’ve always been a basketball girl and tearing me away from March Madness games takes some kind of divine intervention.

But now,  it feels like there is a big gaping hole in my life where football used to be.

Yes, there is the NBA and the NHL but they are both mid-season and I don’t get into either until the post season. March Madness is a few weeks away and only lasts a month. And the MLB starts soon and drags last for like a billion years before I give a damn about it. Oh and NASCAR starts up with the Daytona 500 this week but I’m still a bit wary about watching cars go around in circles for hours.

So instead, I’m left pining away for football season.

1. Kurt Warner It was bad enough that the Cardinals were knocked out of the playoffs by the Saints and I didn’t get to finish the season with them. Hearing that Kurt Warner is officially retiring just about broke my heart. Sure, Matt Leinart is super hot and it will be fun to check him out next season but my heart belongs to Kurt.
2. Larry Fitzgerald Yes, I’m a biased Cardinals fan but I truly love watching a Kurt-Larry completion. Fitzy makes it look so easy and effortless! Even at the Super Bowl pregame he caught a pass in a full suit and dress shoes. It was ridiculously sexy.

Okay the video isn’t of that catch, but it’s still a great video!


3. Mark Sanchez What hot blooded female isn’t going to miss Mark Sanchez in the off season? Drool…… But that’s not the whole reason why I’ll miss him. It won’t be his rookie season anymore. Next year the attention will be on Tim Tebow and how much he sucks in the NFL. Despite having a few rocky moments, Mark had a great rookie year and I’m sad I have to wait months before I can see what he is going to do next year.
4. Sunday’s at @extremejohn’s house Yes there was beer. Yes there was football. And Yes, there was lots of food. But, what I’ll miss the most is how amazingly productive all of us were every Sunday in the fall. Camped out with out laptops, some of my best brainstorming sessions happened during Sunday Funday with Extreme John and Mike from Daily Shot of Coffee. Expect a slight lull in great ideas on Stiletto Sports until I regroup….
5. @tantush’s Chili! Every week at @extremejohn & Lisa’s house there was da bomb chili!
6. Chicken Wings! I know I can get or make my own chicken wings year round but they are so much better when you eat them for a football game. I finally experienced the joy of Buffalo Wild Wings during football season and daaamn! Although, I have been told BDubbz + Wings + March Madness = freaking awesome
7. Sunday Night Games I’d say MNF but most of them kinda sucked. There were so many great Sunday Night Games that kept me up way too late on a work night and made me deliriously tired.
8. The theme songs “I’ve been waiting all day for Sunday Night……”
9. Picking the Detroit Lions and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers every week and losing every week…….
10. My Game Day Recipes & Weekly Picks: I may have sucked at my picks most weeks, but I totally rocked those game day recipes!
11. The Commercials I swear mid-season commercials are even better than the over-priced, over worked Super Bowl ads. Although I could use a break from Peyton Manning. I can’t remember the last time  I saw an ad that he wasn’t in…..
12. Wearing my Stiletto Sports Football Gear Guess it’s time to custom design a basketball stiletto or something because the football cleat is going to be an odd logo for March Madness…
13. Tweeting with my fave tweeple every sunday about the games
14. Learning New Stupid Football Rules Every Week
15. Not having to watch baseball during the regular season…… well, it’s true! Football season ends and I know I have like almost 7 months of baseball…..i think I just fell asleep at the thought while typing this sentence.
16. Watching the Florida Gators and Tim Tebow actually being a good football player….. cuz it doesn’t look like that “good” status is going to last too long in the NFL……
17. Getting 3,000 views a day for football articles…..

oh… and perhaps football season in general? With that looming 2011 lockout (which I am not going to pretend to know anything about) I am extremely disheartened to think that there may not be football at all…….. just when I finally get into it!
What are YOU going to miss most about football season? Leave me a comment below or shoot me a tweet @stilettoSportsJ!

17 Things I Already Miss About Football Season is a post from: Stiletto Sports

Is it just me or did the Super Bowl XLIV Commercials totally suck…. yet again? I swear it’s a case of trying to hard. These advertisers spend millions and millions on these ads…… and spend all year coming up with a great concept to top everyone…… and it shows. The ads are overworked, under-edited and just plain stupid.

Out of about 80 ads, there were only 11 that stood out to me this year! You can see them all in the Hulu Widget below. If for some reason the widget is not working go here to see them on Hulu.

1. Mark Sanchez CBS “Heart” Yes, I am biased since I heart him but you have no idea how awesome that commercial was on my bosses movie theater sized screen and mega-surround sound. By far my fave ad of the super bowl. The sexiest man in the NFL standing there saying “This is the sound of my heart beating. You are important to me… especially if you watch football.” I drool just thinking about it
2. Bud Light “T-Pain Voice Box” Remnicient of the old skool Bud Light “Wazzzup!” ads that were so awesome! This ad cracked us all up. Very well done!
3. Doritos “Playing Nice” Doritos took over the Super Bowl with their ads. I don’t even want to know how many bags they would need to sell to cover the cost for all their ads….. And for the most part, they weren’t that great. But “Playing Nice” was hysterical! It had a little kid laying down the law to his mom’s date.  “Don’t look at my mom. Don’t touch my Doritos”
4. Career Builder “Casual Fridays” There are no words for this….. A whole lot of ugly people in their underwear. It’s priceless.
5. Google Search On This was one of the best commercials I have ever seen. I thought it was extremely well done. Very simple, but very powerful.
6. ETrade Baby: “Girlfriend” The ETrade Baby can do no wrong in my world. All of his ads amuse me and this one was pretty freaking funny. Etrade baby gets a girlfriend who gets jealous of another girl. You thought Shankapotamus was funny? You gotta check out the “Milk-aholic”
7. Dodge Charger “Man’s Last Stand” Okay I was a bit disappointed when I found out it was a car commercial because the ad was seriously funny. But the more I thought about it, the more appropriate it seems. The guys in the ad are being voiced over with their thoughts—all the things they sacrifice while being in a committed relationship. But the one thing they won’t give up…..their car. Best line “I’ll watch your vampire tv shows with you”
8. Hyundai “Brett Favre” Gotta love when a player can be self deprecating and mocking himself! It’s 20 years in the future and Brett is still playing football at 59 and still not sure he is ready to retire!
9. Volkswagon Das Auto “Punch Buggy” Remember the old Punch Buggy game? Every time you see a Volkswagon Bug you punch someone in the arm and declare the color of the car you saw? Well, welcome to the 2010 version! With 13 Volkswagon models, Punch Buggy becomes a whole new game!
10. Budweiser Clydesdales: Calf Grows Up Baby ponies and calfs! How can you not love it! The pony and the cow are BFF growing up and then the Pony grows up to be a clydesdale and goes away. But when he returns to town, the cow remembers their friendship and they are reunited!
11. Tru TV “Punxsutawney Polamalu” Yes, this ad is beyond stupid. But I don’t care, I get the giggles like crazy every time I see it. Instead of pulling out a groundhog, the mayor pulls out a little Polamalu, complete with curly fro. Polamalu sees his shadow which means 6 more weeks of football on Tru TV!

There was a semi entertaining ad by Snickers that featured Betty White. Some are saying it’s going to be “the” commercial. But *shrug* it didn’t make my list!

The Super Bowl XLIV Commercial Awards:

Best Use of a Hot Guy In a PSA: Mark Sanchez Heart Commercial. Tim Tebow’s highly “controversial” and anticipated ad pretty much sucked. The hype was more exciting than the few second commercial. Mark’s commercial was so much better. I drooled a little.

Best use of tighty whities in an ad Career Builder “Casual Fridays”

Runner up is the Dockers, “I wear no pants” commercial. Which would have been funnier if it hadn’t aired right after the no pants Career Builder commercial. By then, the room was a little sick of seeing ugly men in no pants.

Best Anheiser Busch Commercial:

For Bud Light– T-Pain Voice Box.

For Budweiser Clydesdales “Calf Grows Up” Definitely a sweet commercial. I’m a sucker for the Clydesdale series of commercials!

Best Doritos Commercial “Playing Nice/House Rules”

Best “awwwwwwwwwww!” Commercial: Tie. Google “Search On” and Budweiser Clydesdales “Calf Grows Up”

Best Throwback Commercial Volkswagon Punch Buggy

Boost Mobile tried to win this with the “Super Bowl Shuffle” but I didn’t think it was funny. It kinda made me sleepy. The punch buggy, however, that was hysterical.

Best NFL Star Mocking Himself in a Super Bowl Ad Hyundai “Brett Favre”

Also nominated: Tru TV “Punxsutwaney Polamalu”

Biggest Letdown Commercial Cars.com “Timothy Richmond”

There were actually a lot of these ads. The ones that seemed so good, couldn’t wait to see what the product was….. and then they sucked.  Cars.com was definitely the worst. It was a loooooong ad and you kept thinking, I wonder where this is going……. and then….. it went.

Best Gratuitious use of Sex to Sell Something: Motorola Megan Fox in the Bathtub

Worst Gratuitious Use of Sex to Sell Something: Go Daddy! with Danika Patrick

What was your favorite Super Bowl XLIV Commercial? Leave me a comment below or shoot me a tweet @stilettosportsj and let me know!

Super Bowl XLIV Commercials: The 11 Best Ads in the Big Game is a post from: Stiletto Sports