# Cool Sports Nicknames **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 28, 2006, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-sports-nicknames/385865 "2006-12-28T15:31:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![saoirse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@saoirse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saoirse)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-sports-nicknames/385865/21 "2006-12-28T21:09:23Z")
A couple from the Buffalo Bills: Jim “Machine Gun” Kelly Mark “Kazoo” Kelso Doug “The Magic” Flutie Anthony “A-Train” Thomas From other teams: Pete “Go-Go” Gogolak Junious “Buck” Buchanan George “Iceman” Gervin Dave “The Ghost” Casper Ted “The Stork” Hendricks ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-sports-nicknames/385865/22 "2006-12-28T21:19:58Z")
[QUOTE=RickJay] Unfortunately, many of the best sports nicknames I’ve ever heard were applied to Apollo Creed in the Rocky movies: … “The Master of Disaster” … [/QUOTE] Supposedly Mohammad Ali was quoted as saying that he wished he’d thought of that one. Back to nicknames: Vinnie “The Microwave” Johnson Jerome “The Bus” Bettis Downtown Freddie Brown Automatic Otto Graham Fred “The Hammer” Williamson My family used to refer to Browns QB Brian Sipe as “Noodle Arm” but it never caught on beyond our house. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-sports-nicknames/385865/23 "2006-12-28T21:25:25Z")
How could we (myself included) have gotten this far in the thread without mentioning Julius “Dr. J” Erving? ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-sports-nicknames/385865/24 "2006-12-28T21:27:54Z")
Magic Johnson. How could I overlook Magic Johnson? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-sports-nicknames/385865/25 "2006-12-28T21:39:26Z")
[QUOTE=RickJay] Unfortunately, many of the best sports nicknames I’ve ever heard were applied to Apollo Creed in the Rocky movies: “The King of Sting,” “The Master of Disaster” and “The Count of Monte Fisto” are just terrific. [/QUOTE] Which reminds me: [John “The Count” Montefusco](http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/montejo01.shtml). ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-sports-nicknames/385865/26 "2006-12-28T22:04:18Z")
[QUOTE=ElvisL1ves] William “Refrigerator” Perry… [/QUOTE] Definitely the coolest so far. ---
**Author:** ![want2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-sports-nicknames/385865/27 "2006-12-28T22:43:56Z")
[QUOTE=ElvisL1ves] Frank Howard, all 6’8" and 275 lb of him, was also “The Washington Monument”. [/QUOTE] Or, more simply, “Hondo”. Don Mattingly: “Donnie Baseball” Billy Paultz (NY Nets): “The Whopper” “Super John” Williamson (also Nets) Phil “Scooter” Rizzuto Lance Johnson (Chisox): “1-Dog” ---
**Author:** ![want2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-sports-nicknames/385865/28 "2006-12-28T22:46:42Z")
Oh, and how can any list be complete without: Ozzie Smith: “The Wizard” ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-sports-nicknames/385865/29 "2006-12-28T22:56:48Z")
Quarterback Chris Chandler was “Crystal Chandelier” because he was injury-prone. Defensive back Elvis “Toast” Patterson kept getting burned. Soccer player Jurgen Klinsmann was called “The Submarine Commander” because of his alleged tendency to DIVE! DIVE! DIVE! ---
**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-sports-nicknames/385865/30 "2006-12-28T23:11:39Z")
[QUOTE=Ellis Dee] At 6’4" 285 pounds, the Giants backup quarterback Jared Lorenzen is [rather large](http://www.widewordofsports.com/images/Football/lorenzen_jared1.jpg). He has three nicknames, some of which were given him by fans of opposing teams: The Hefty Lefty The Pillsbury Throw Boy J-Load [/QUOTE] Actually, all those nicknames, along with “The Battleship Lorenzen” and “The Round Mound of Touchdown” are from his days here in Lexington at UK. Coolest current nickname: Cardinal fans, in homage to Stan “The Man” Musial, have dubbed Albert Pujols “El Hombre.” ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-sports-nicknames/385865/31 "2006-12-29T01:15:52Z")
I can’t believe no one has posted the best one. Randy “The Big Unit” Johnson ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-sports-nicknames/385865/32 "2006-12-29T04:01:08Z")
My three favorites: 1. Walter “No Neck” Williams 2. Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd 3. Billy “White Shoes” Johnson ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-sports-nicknames/385865/33 "2006-12-29T04:21:30Z")
I’ve always been partial to simple ones like: “Air” Jordan “super” Mario (Lemieux - he had more, I know.) “The Wizard” Ozzie Smith The best of all time, just for simple matter of factness has to be, “The Great one” Wayne Gretzky. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-sports-nicknames/385865/34 "2006-12-29T05:15:04Z")
For pure simplicity you have to love Ernie “Mr. Cub” Banks. Clyde “The Glide” Drexler was pretty memorable. Say what you will about Berman-isms but he had a few that were downright fantastic. Bert “Be Home” Blyleven Todd " Which Hand Does He" Frohwirth Jake “Daylight Come And Me Wanna” Delhomme Andre “Bad Moon” Rison “Well Dressed” Amani Toomer ---
**Author:** ![Revedge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecae2f/32.png) [@Revedge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revedge)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-sports-nicknames/385865/35 "2006-12-29T05:32:36Z")
[QUOTE=Omniscient] Clyde “The Glide” Drexler was pretty memorable. [/QUOTE] As was his college team: “Phi Slama Jama.” ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-sports-nicknames/385865/36 "2006-12-29T05:43:01Z")
Other nominees: Saints running back tandem Chuck Muncie and Tony Galbreth were known as “Thunder and Lightning”. Ted Williams–“The Splendid Splinter” Saints O-lineman Stan Brock–“The Sheriff” Roger “The Dodger” Staubach Saints linebacking foursome–Ricky Jackson, Vaughn Johnson, Sam Mills, and Pat Swilling–“The Dome Patrol”. Saints RB Craig “Ironhead” Heywood ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-sports-nicknames/385865/37 "2006-12-29T06:40:41Z")
[QUOTE=ElvisL1ves] [ESPN](http://espn.go.com/page2/s/list/footnickname/010614.html)’s list of the Top 10 Football Nicknames: [/QUOTE] I always liked Drew Bled-so-much-he-needed-a-tranfusion. Even though it was only used once, in a commercial. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-sports-nicknames/385865/38 "2006-12-29T07:00:45Z")
Not a nickname but---- IIRC, (or _partially_ correctly) there was a college basketball player-- maybe in the 80’s–who my friend and I called “Ancient Love-a-Drama”. His name was very close to that, but that’s not quite right. I thought it was one of the best sports names ever but I can’t remember it exactly. Anyone know who I’m talking about? Ok, yeah, I fully admit this post is weak… I’m just trying to remember this dude’s name! ---
**Author:** ![DataZak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@DataZak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataZak)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-sports-nicknames/385865/39 "2006-12-29T07:23:20Z")
Most Brazilian soccer stars are known by their nicknames rather than their real names (Pele is actually Edson Arantes do Nascimento) and my favourite is this guy: [Kaka](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kak%C3%A1). It is fortunate that he should be so good at what he does, otherwise he would have to find a different nickname. ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2006, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-sports-nicknames/385865/40 "2006-12-29T08:49:20Z")
I’ve always enjoyed the nicknames of the Australian cricketing Waugh Brothers - Steve, the eldest was first on the international scene and was known as “Tugga”, while Mark was overlooked for some time, and became known as “Afghan” - the forgotten war (Waugh) 🙂 Other cricketing nicknames - Mfuneko Ngam (a promising black South African fast bowler who never delivered internationally) was known as “Chewy” (Chewey’N gam), while England left-arm spin bowler Ashley Giles was known as “The King of Spain” after a commemorative mug was produced with a typo. Favorite rugby nickname - John Eales was called “Nobody” (Nobody’s perfect) Grim [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-sports-nicknames/385865.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cool-sports-nicknames/385865.md?page=3)