Top 6 Players of 2006
6. Carlos Beltran: I sang the praises of Beltran all season long. In my opinion, and with apologies to Ryan Howard, Carlos should have been the NL MVP. Beltran hit .275 with 41 homers and 116 RBI, leading the Mets to the division crown and the best record in baseball (tied with the Yanks). No player meant more to his team than Beltran did to the Mets in '06. His production slipped in September - but the Mets are not playing in October without Beltran, who finally earned that big paycheck. He was a joy to watch this year.
5. LaDanian Tomlinson: I don't need to elaborate on his 1,749 rushing yards, 494 receiving yards, and 31 touchdowns to date. But I will, with this thought: is there a classier superstar in sports today? LDT is unbelievably dominant and is the biggest reason why San Diego is the current favorite to win a title. What does LDT do when he scores? He flips the ball to the official, takes the pats on the back, and heads to the sideline. No showboating, no dancing, no bullshit. He is a true role model on and off the field - someone a lot of his peers could learn from.
4. Troy Smith: I can't write a lot about this guy because, as a Buckeye, he represents evil incarnate. But dammit, this frickin' devil is one hell of a football player. On an extremely talented team, clearly the best in the country, Smith rightly stood out as its leader and playmaker. His 2006 campaign is one of the best any of us have seen in our lifetimes.
3. Dwyane Wade: Raise your hand if, after the 2003 draft, you thought Wade would win a title before LeBron and 'Melo. If you're raising your hand, you're a bold-faced liar! Here's a guy who was highly regarded by scouts and unheralded in the media, because of the other superstars who went before him. 2006 was D-Wade's coming out party, a year in which he averaged 27.2 points per game, and most importantly, put his team on his back to fight back from an 0-2 Finals deficit. Not to take anything away from James and Anthony - but Wade is the yardstick of the 2003 Draft. What a tremendous year from a tremendous athlete.
2. Vince Young: Young single-handedly muscled Texas over USC for the college football crown, and now, as a rookie, is 8-4 and has the Tennessee Titans poised for an unlikely playoff berth. I don't think they'll beat the Pats, so I think the Titans will be home for January - but if they slipped in at #6, you think the Colts want to see them next weekend? I can't remember the last time a rookie had such a tremendous impact on championships in both college and the pros in one calendar year.
1. Roger Federer: I can't believe this guy lost in the French Open finals! He sucks! What, does winning the Australian Open for a second straight year, Wimbledon for the fourth straight year, and the U.S. Open for a third straight year makes him some kind of superstar? Sheesh.
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