If you had told a 14-to-89 year-old male (sorry 92-year-olds) in 2001 that Anna Kournikova would be relatively unknown to high school and college kids in 2012, they would likely rabbit punch you and promptly go back to playing Snood while JaRule blared in the background.
Britney Spears was another mediocre talent who donned the walls, via poster, of many a 20-something back in those days as well. Like Kournikova, her popularity is not nearly what it once was, but one way or another, whether it was the head shavings or beaver exposures or demanding of candy bars, Spears remains well known by today’s youth.
Kournikova has not had much drama in her life, other than the part about not being good at her actual profession. In other words, she has aged gracefully for a celebrity.
So, despite her lack of mainstream pub these days, here’s saying that Kournikova won the poster war between her and Brit.
A look at a few other gals that have the potential to reach Kournikova poster status (we’re sure the kids still own posters right?).
Lolo Jones (photos)
Her stock is skyrocketing as I type this, so much so that both PTF and HBO’s Real Sports (on the level in the journalistic integrity category) have highlighted her in the past seven days. It remains to be seen if she’ll go either the Dan vs. Dave rout and not even make the U.S. Olympic team after months worth of hype or if she’ll surpass our wildest expectations and win the gold medal in August.
Kiira Korpi (photos)
She’s a figure skater, if you didn’t know. Maybe she’ll get an Olympic boom like Jones is currently enjoying prior to the Winter Games in 2014. Of course, who knows if she will even sniff the Olympics? And who really cares? Figure skating always brings the heat when it comes to marketable women.
Maria Kirilenko
The undisputed heir to Kournikova’s throne. She plays the same sport in tennis, the all-time leader in producing poster-worthy athletes. If you were expecting Maria Sharapova on this list, you’re out of luck. If she hasn’t reached Kournikova level yet, she never will. And yes, we know that Kirilenkko and Sharapova are both 25-years-old. It’s just that Kirilenko’s poster ceiling is that much higher. If she fades into athletic obscurity, there will likely be a modeling career in her future. Sharapova is just too good for her own good and will likely remain tennis proper for the remainder of her life.
Anna Semenovich (photos)
Know this: Kournikova was as popular amongst adolescent boys and dirty old men as Kate Upton is today. No lie.
If Semenovich is going to take page views away from Upton, she better do it soon. The retired Russian ice dancer is now 32-years-old.
Jenna Jameson (photos)
Only the creepiest of the creeps had spread eagle porn stars on their wall in college (or any other social setting). But if Jenna Jameson can make any semblance of a comeback after turning 38 (beyond elderly in porn years) and after driving her car into a light pole while allegedly drunk over Memorial Day weekend, she deserves a poster somewhere.
We include her with these “athletes” because of her undeniable flexibility and the fact that at least one of her children with Tito Ortiz will undoubtedly one day be UFC Heavyweight champion of the world.
Miesha Tate (photos)
Speaking of the fighting world, Tate packs a punch in more ways than one. While MMA seems to have peaked, Tate could give it an extra jolt in the coming years.
Of course, her face could be re-arranged even more than it already is at any given moment, so we’ll wait on this one.
Bad calls all around
Boston fans saw both ends of bad officiating Sunday.
Early in the day, Jim Leyland rightfully threw a nutty against the Red Sox and gave a whopper of a postgame press conference (watch it here).
Then the Celtics, who would’ve lost the game regardless, called called for multiple technical fouls against the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals for facial expressions and saying things like “Come on, Eddie.”
