Woods, Webber, Ponting top Media Monitors’ list of most mentioned sportsmen
December 27th, 2010 - 1:33 pm ICT by ANI
Melbourne, Dec. 27 (ANI): Tiger Woods, Mark Webber and Ricky Ponting top the Media Monitors’ list of most mentioned sportspeople
According to Fox Sports and the Daily Telegraph, of the top 10, six are figures whose prevalence can be ascribed to off-field events as much as any sporting achievement - from affairs to drugs, break-ups to retirement.
Tiger Woods leads the way like he used to dominate golf tournaments, displacing Ricky Ponting, who slips from first to third. Mark Webber is second thanks to his tumultuous pursuit of the Formula One crown.
Behind Ponting comes Michael Clarke after saturation coverage of his relationship, then break-up, with Lara Bingle. Of the next six, you could argue convincingly that Ben Cousins (fifth), Greg Inglis (sixth), Israel Folau (eighth) and Gary Ablett (ninth) generated coverage that far outweighted what they achieved in a sporting sense.
Only Jessica Watson (seventh), Bart Cummings (10th), Ponting and Webber are arguably on the list for predominantly sporting reasons - and even Webber’s presence is boosted by his ongoing rivalry with Red Bull teammate Sebastian Vettel.
The staggering thing about Woods holding No. 1 spot - with 40,000 more mentions than Webber - is that news of his numerous infidelities broke in 2009.
The list is as follows:
1. Tiger Woods (Golf) - 121,100 media mentions2. Mark Webber (Formula One) - 82,8413. Ricky Ponting (Cricket) - 78,4884. Michael Clarke (Cricket) - 67,0915. Ben Cousins (AFL) - 65,5936. Greg Inglis (NRL) - 56,2657. Jessica Watson (Sailing) - 49,9198. Israel Folau (NRL/AFL) - 49,6659. Gary Ablett (AFL) - 48,53310. Bart Cummings (Horse racing) - 43,74811. Jason Akermanis (AFL) - 42,27212. Shane Warne (Cricket) - 39,35413. Mark Thompson (AFL) - 38,46314. Tim Cahill (Football) - 38,02715. Mick Malthouse (AFL) 32,11616. Samantha Stosur (Tennis) - 27,05517. Timana Tahu (NRL) - 22,18718. Chris Judd (AFL) - 21,65219. Casey Stoner (MotoGP) - 21,42420. Stephanie Rice (Swimming) - 18,747 (ANI)
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- Chappell had urged Ponting to bat at No.4 in Ashes opener - Dec 30, 2010
- Ponting backs Khwaja for No.3 position - Dec 30, 2010
- Ponting to play in Tasmania's Sheffield Shield opener - Oct 08, 2011
- Doctor who transformed Tiger Woods into athletic specimen refuses to talk - Dec 27, 2009
- Drug use rampant in Australian Football League, says Oz defender Milicevic - Feb 16, 2011
- Watson is the highest earning Australian cricketer - Dec 14, 2011
- Ponting to miss final ODI against Sri Lanka to prepare for Ashes - Nov 06, 2010
- Webber hits out at Red Bull for favouring teammate Vettel - Nov 05, 2010
- Tiger Woods Supposedly In A Newly Filmed Nike Commercial - Mar 29, 2010
- Ex-Oz captains praise Ponting's move to play and help Clarke - Mar 30, 2011
- Webber drops F-bomb in Shanghai - Apr 15, 2011
- Norman tops 'most influential in Australian golf over past 40 years' list - Oct 13, 2010
- Ian Chappell concerned with lack of depth in Australian batting - Dec 22, 2011
Tags: ben cousins, break ups, casey stoner, chris judd, fox sports, gary ablett, greg inglis, jason akermanis, jessica watson, mark thompson, mark webber, media monitors, michael clarke cricket, ricky ponting cricket, samantha stosur, saturation coverage, sebastian vettel, shane warne cricket, tiger woods golf, tim cahill