An online debate was sparked by Josh Pettitt in the Cardiff Journalism School newsroom which has spread across WordPress and Twitter flaming debate.
The Greatest Sporting Icon of the Noughties is the issue, and personally I feel there is only one possible choice.
Men such as Michael Schumacher, Lance Armstrong and Ricky Pointing have all been hugely successful since 2000.
Though Michael Brown’s suggestion of Usain Bolt raised a very valid point, and one which goes straight to the crux of the issue.
Bolt, since blasting onto the sprinting scene with his blistering world-record times at Beijing of 9.69s (100m) and 19.30s (200m), has seen the Jamaican become a sporting icon: as an example to youngsters; a remarkable and unique physical specimen; but also with his trademark bolt stance.
Usain and his trademark Bolt
Icons
Cathy Freeman was iconic at the Sydney Olympics. In her head-to-toe suit she carried the hopes of Australia and her Aboriginal heritage.
Freeman iconic at Sydney in 2000
There are many images of Andrew Flintoff during the 2005 Ashes, from celebrating wickets to consoling Brett Lee at Trent Bridge after the Australian tail-end almost pulled off a remarkable victory.
There are many other examples but frankly only David Beckham can really justify the tag of The Greatest Sporting Icon of the Noughties.
The Player
For a start: the cornrows, the shaved head, the mohawk and now the mullet.
Beckham’s hair alone and the attention it has received and inspired others to follow is probably enough to give him this accolade, but his actions have been far more important over ten-years.
Since scoring from the half-way against Neil Sullivan’s Wimbledon on 17th August 1996, he was an instant superstar.
His last-gasp-goal at Old Trafford against Greece in 2001 shattered the ill feeling the nation felt towards him after that incident against Argentina in 1998.
Steve McClaren’s decision to leave him out of his teams for the failed qualification campaign for the 2008 European Championships was later seen as a huge factor in England’s poor performance; and the reinstatement of Beckham to win a record number of caps for an outfield England player (109) by Fabio Capello – a world renowned manager and judge of ability – shows the class the man oozes.
He has played for four of the most glamorous clubs in the world: Manchester United, Real Madrid, AC Milan and LA Galaxy and enjoyed success at all (the Galaxy having just reached the final of MLS).
Although the latter may not be the most famous or decorated club, the money they spent on Brand Beckham put previous feeble attempts by US franchises to promote the sport with the likes of Franz Beckenbauer, Pele, Johan Cruff and George Best – some of the greatest players to have ever played the game – into perspective, and demonstrate the importance the man carries as an icon and player second.
He has been BBC Sports Personality of the Year, inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame and twice runner-up in FIFA’s World Player of the Year.
The Brand
His marriage to Posh Spice propelled him even further into superstardom in 1999, for a decade which was to see Beckham move the attention on footballers from the back pages to gossip columns and magazines.
He has fronted multi-million pound advertising campaigns from Police, Calvin Kline, Gillette to even Sharpie pens, and was even reportedly bought by Real over Ronaldinhio because of his ability to sell shirts as a world-wide sporting icon.
He was one of football’s pioneers to negotiate image rights into his contracts: simply, put a picture of David Beckham and any other sports star to anyone in the world – and Beckham will be recognised considerably more.
He was named in the Time 100 last year, has been recognised by the Queen with a CBE and has been a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF.
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Beckham may not be the most loved, or may not have won the most amount of football’s prizes since 1st January 2000, but as a sporting icon, he is light-years ahead.
Though he may not be the sharpest knife in the draw
The other contenders:
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