December 28, 2005

New Year, New Stars: Here's a month-by-month look at some of the big events for 2006 and some athletes with breakout potential. Who's on your radar as future Superstars?

posted by skydivedad to general at 08:37 AM - 30 comments

The difference is he is scheduled to earn $320,000 -- he and designated hitter Bernie Williams ($1.5 million) are the only starters who will make less than $10 million that's nuts. Kessel is gonna be great

posted by garfield at 09:23 AM on December 28, 2005

APRIL ERIC STAAL Center, Carolina Hurricanes Stanley Cup playoffs April 21-June 19 "The second pick in the 2003 draft, Staal didn't make much noise during his first NHL season in 2003-04. But after spending the lockout playing in the American Hockey League, Staal, 21, entered the Christmas break tied for the NHL lead with 25 goals and in the top five in scoring with 49 points. With the Hurricanes leading the Southeast Division, Staal might become a familiar face in the playoffs." w00t! I'll add my own here: October Marco Melandri or Nicky Hayden (warning: sound!) MotoGP 2006 could be the year that The Doctor finally gets knocked off his MotoGP throne by fellow Italian Marco Melandri or American Nicky Hayden. Which would thrill Honda, by the way, to finally see a Yamaha rider go down by one of their own bikes.

posted by NoMich at 10:45 AM on December 28, 2005

The difference is he is scheduled to earn $320,000 -- he and designated hitter Bernie Williams ($1.5 million) are the only starters who will make less than $10 million that's nuts Right on, garfield. I'm with you. I'd much rather see George keep $100 million of the players salaries. Just because the Yankee franchise takes in a couple of hundred million a year is no reason to give it to the players.

posted by drevl at 11:40 AM on December 28, 2005

I'm betting on Lindsay Kildow rather than Hyo-Jung Kim to make the big "new star" splash at Torino. Both would qualify as "new stars" because neither has won an international championship title or major international event such as the Olympics; however, unlike Kim, Kildow competes and does well against the international elites -- she's won two of the three downhills held so far this year -- and is considered by many to be the likeliest next dominant racer in speed events.

posted by lil_brown_bat at 12:40 PM on December 28, 2005

A current superstar who doesn't get any attention- Chauncy Billups, Pistons. Why is it that this guy is having an MVP season and nobody cares? Hell, I wouldn't even be suprised if he didn't make the All Star team with the lack of media attention, coupled with the fact that he has to compete with media created "superstars" such as Allen Iverson.

posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 12:55 PM on December 28, 2005

"...media ceated superstars like allen iverson." i dont think it was the media, mr. ying yang, that made iverson a star. you ever seen him play? the kid is a scoring machine. thats why he's a star. and yet your question was asking why the media hasn't made billups a star. isn't that ironic? dontchya think?

posted by grizzay at 01:17 PM on December 28, 2005

Not sure about the prediction of Luca Toni at the WC. He's a regular goalscorer, but that's about it. Apart from the obvious stars from strong teams (like Brazil's Ronaldinho), I'm hoping we see some emerging talent from some of the less-fancied teams. Or even someone like Michael Essien powering Ghana to the quarter finals, or Drogba leading the line for the Ivory Coast.

posted by owlhouse at 02:32 PM on December 28, 2005

"Right on, garfield. I'm with you. I'd much rather see George keep $100 million of the players salaries. Just because the Yankee franchise takes in a couple of hundred million a year is no reason to give it to the players". The players are the reason fans go to the games! They don't go to see George!

posted by ayankeefan at 03:10 PM on December 28, 2005

No, I'm not saying Iverson isn't a star, if I did it would just prove I know absolutly nothing about basketball. What I'm saying is that the media hypes stars like Iverson and LeBron James which makes them "media created superstars". You want proof? The fact that Yao Ming starts in All Star games.

posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 03:11 PM on December 28, 2005

You should see all the Yao Ming jerseys on the streets of Beijing. And the NBA coverage on CCTV. Remember, there's 1.3 billion capitalist with Chinese characteristics consumers over there...

posted by owlhouse at 03:14 PM on December 28, 2005

Let us talk about 2006. The future stars next year all belong to the NFL. That means we have to talk about the draft. I believe that the 49ers will play to lose on Sunday and thus create a situation with the draft. This could cause the Saints to be able to draft first, and get Bush. This will put Matt Leinart, the Saints' former option, in a freefall. He will probably land outside the top 5 and into the hands of Al Davis and the Oakland Raiders.

posted by Joe88 at 03:43 PM on December 28, 2005

The future stars next year all belong to the NFL. All? Really? I got the impression that the link discussed more than just one league in one sport. C'mon out of that cabbage patch and join the big wide world, Joe.

posted by lil_brown_bat at 04:12 PM on December 28, 2005

If this young lady isn't a big star by next year, I'll eat my hat. And hers, too.

posted by wfrazerjr at 05:45 PM on December 28, 2005

Hope you like the taste of hat, wfrazerjr! I'll remind you of that one after next year's WTA Championship.

posted by lil_brown_bat at 05:57 PM on December 28, 2005

Who said she had to win any tourneys to become a big star? Please see Example 1.

posted by wfrazerjr at 07:13 PM on December 28, 2005

Big sports star, wfrazerjr. If she merely becomes a piece of cheesecake for the delight of cheez-doodles-eating Coors-Lite-drinking couch-sitting drool factories, she would hardly be demonstrating breakout potential as an athlete.

posted by lil_brown_bat at 07:17 PM on December 28, 2005

Hey, I never said anything about athletics. And since when does finding someone attractive make a man worthless?

posted by wfrazerjr at 07:32 PM on December 28, 2005

Hey, I never said anything about athletics. Yahbut the FPP did. And since when does finding someone attractive make a man worthless? Do you consider a cheez-doodles-eating Coors-Lite-drinking couch-sitting drool factory worthless?

posted by lil_brown_bat at 08:41 PM on December 28, 2005

She's(Mirza) cute but she's not in Anna's league so I don't think the looks alone are gonna bring her to any kind of stardom. Is she any good?

posted by tron7 at 09:38 AM on December 29, 2005

Yes, she has the potential to be quite good, but there are several other reasons (besides her looks) that make her an interesting story.

posted by The_Black_Hand at 09:57 AM on December 29, 2005

Do you consider a cheez-doodles-eating Coors-Lite-drinking couch-sitting drool factory worthless? posted by lil_brown_bat at 8:41 PM CST on December 28 Absolutely, lbb. Now, if it was Bud - that's another matter altogether.

posted by drevl at 10:39 AM on December 29, 2005

Pfft. Either one is sex in a canoe.

posted by yerfatma at 11:22 AM on December 29, 2005

34th in the world, beat 2 top 10s.... Apparently I don't watch enough lady tennis. Pfft. Either one is sex in a canoe. Ok I have no idea what that means and I'm afraid of what I might find if I try looking it up(work). Care to enlighten me yerfatma?

posted by tron7 at 11:37 AM on December 29, 2005

I don't get the reference either, tron. My guess is some yuppie fucken reference.

posted by drevl at 11:47 AM on December 29, 2005

I think the the quote is (correct me if I'm wrong): American beer (or Budweiser, or Coors or Miller or what-have-you) is like having sex in a canoe, in that it's fucking close to water.

posted by chicobangs at 11:50 AM on December 29, 2005

No wonder, I thought he was comparing Kournikova and Mirza.

posted by tron7 at 12:37 PM on December 29, 2005

cheez-doodles-eating Coors-Lite-drinking couch-sitting drool factory Reminds me of the joke about a guy who went to the Dr. 'cause a certain part of his anatomy was orange.

posted by tselson at 12:59 PM on December 29, 2005

Thank you, chico.

posted by yerfatma at 01:22 PM on December 29, 2005

I think Juan Uribe for the White Sox is going to have a great season as a solid fielder and above average hitting shortstop with speed.

posted by bronxbomber at 03:41 PM on December 29, 2005

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