[imported_The Vibesman]

I never named it in this thread because I got caught up in the Bonds argument. Now that P.Dirty has taken his ball and gone home, I'll talk about my favorite athlete. It's probably Rocky Marciano, for a combination of things:
We share the same home state.

Despite not being the most talented, graceful boxer, he turned himself into a champion through determination.

He was always tactful, but confident in his manner of speaking. Said contender Rocky to a roomful of kids, speaking of the man who was at that time champ: "If I said I could beat him, you'd think I was bragging. If I said I couldn't I'd be lying."

Rocky after being told his challenger said Rocky didn't stand a chance: "That's fine, I understand he is a very confident man, and that the other challengers have been also."

Rocky was also personally responsible for his own money and life, learning the lessons of countless boxers before him who died broke. He negotiated top fees for his fights and saved/invested his money well.

He was also the most determined fighter to ever enter the ring. He was willing to take two shots to land one, and tough enough to make that one worth it. He kept himself in top physical conditioning at all times, even between fights. He was usually better trained than his opponents, allowing for more endurance.

Despite the denigration his style usually receives, Rocky was a good boxer with a bob-and-weave style that made him hard to track. After filming a simulated fight for a movie that was being made, Ali said of Marciano: "He's a lot harder to hit with a jab than I always thought."