2015 Sports predictions: What star athlete becomes a celebrity?

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Only one star athlete will transcend to celebrity status in 2015. Will it be Mike Trout, JJ Watt, Tyler Seguin, or Anthony Davis? 2015 Sports Predictions enters the big leagues with a big time prediction.

Seesaw Sports, where Dan Salem and Todd Salem throw down on the NFL, MLB, NBA and more. Two brothers from New York yell, scream and debate sports.

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TODD:

It’s all well and good to pick winners and youngsters ready to make a splash. However, let’s move on to the big boys. Tell me which of the following players will become the biggest “celebrity” for lack of a better word, in 2015.

I don’t need this player to be famous for actions off the field and especially not infamous. Who is going to be known for his play by the most homemakers, science teachers and Wall Street fat cats, a la LeBron James or Derek Jeter?

Here are your options:

Mike Trout – The best baseball player in the world in a sport sorely lacking name/face recognition nationally.

Anthony Davis – Almost unanimously considered the third-best player in the NBA right now, but is third best good enough?

Tyler Seguin – I know he has no shot at this, but he’s so damn good!

JJ Watt – The best defensive player in the NFL in a sport where hardly anyone outside of quarterbacks are known to non-football fans.

These are heavy hitters. This isn’t child’s play anymore. Who becomes the biggest name in 2015 to non-sports fans?

 

 

DAN:

We are certainly in the big leagues of 2015 Sports predictions now. Asking which star athlete will transcend his sport to resonate as a ‘celebrity athlete’ with moms and pops everywhere is almost like asking who will be the next president, without as much monetary influence. I’m forced to dig deep into my hat of knowledge for this prediction.

I’m ruling out Tyler Seguin of the Dallas Stars in the NHL because professional hockey is not popular enough to ever resonate that large in 2015. Wayne Gretzky is still the most well known NHL player and he has been retired for quite some time. Tyler Seguin loses this by default, as does Anthony Davis.

Being a member of the New Orleans Pelicans severely hurts Anthony Davis’ chances of transcending to celebrity athlete status. But his stardom will grow as the NBA continues to explode over the next few seasons. Davis has a stellar nickname, The Brow, dating back to his college days at Kentucky. He won a gold medal with Team USA and he’s already been named an NBA All-Star. What will seal his future celebrity is NBA playoff success. Unfortunately for Davis and the Pelicans, that will not be happening in 2015.

This 2015 sports prediction comes down to the NFL versus MLB, football versus baseball, big market versus bigger market, and defense versus a beautiful combination of both offense and defense. Usually the NFL wins every single sports debate with ease, and with Texas involved, this would normally be an open and shut case. But JJ Watt will not reach the same level as Mike Trout in 2015.

First a little on Watt. I do not think he wins the NFL MVP, ultimately holding him back from full on celebrity status. Watt has a lot of great commercials that all of the nation has enjoyed. Yet most people outside of football fans do not yet know who the man is. They recognize his face, yet have no name in mind An MVP for a defensive player vaults JJ Watt into that next level of celebrity. I just don’t think he’ll win.

That leaves Mike Trout, the new poster boy for Major League Baseball. He’s young, sexy, and extremely charismatic. Living in Southern California, I’ve already seen Trout in tons of commercials and advertising. With the retirement of Derek Jeter, look for Trout to go national in that respect. He plays in Los Angeles and dominates the game with his power, his speed stealing bases, and his defense in the outfield. His smile screams celebrity and he makes at least one play a game worthy of a highlight.

Mike Trout will become a celebrity in 2015. He’s becoming the new face of baseball and America loves that face.

 

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