I might add Jaime Moreno to that list.

He is considered one of the greatest players in the history of the MLS (even though Guevara stole his MVP from a few years back) and is probably more recognizable than Gomez. His face has been on ads/billboards for years

I'll give you three to one odds that Etan Thomas gets recognized before any of the soccer players. Place your bets.

Players 1-10 would probably be retired Redskins and Cal Ripken. If you restricted the list to current players, I would go Portis, Gil, Cooley, MD's Osby... Really, the fact they have to be recognizable hurts a lot of players big time. I'll guess that Gary Williams would easily be #1 if you include coaches.

1. Portis
2. Cooley
3. Campbell
4. Arenas
5. Taylor

1. Joe Gibbs
.
.
.
.
2. Agent Zero
Everybody else

See, I thought about including coaches, but decided against. If you included coaches, unlike dgc, I'd say it goes Gibbs, Gilbert, Gary Williams, Portis, Ovechkin, Tommy Soehn.

Point taken on Moreno.

Bryc, you're right, but you could say the same thing about Ilgauskas in Cleveland. This isn't just about being distinctive. No one in D.C. would say Etan is his favorite athlete. Very few, anyhow.

Dude there is no chance gary williams is more recognizable than big john. If for no other reason than the fact that he's gigantic.

Someone needs to point out that different parts of the city would react differently. If Caron walks down K , maybe he's not as noticed. If he shows up at a playground in Southeast, he gets mobbed. The lawyers on K Street don't exactly have their fingers on the pulse of what's hot in the city. I'm not saying, I'm just sayin.

Good list except that Moss Man (Santana) should replace Jason Campbell at #5.

He's proven.

You're right about Big John, but I was sort of thinking active coaches. At this point, Big John is a media member, and if we're including media members, Wilbon and Kornheiser probably make the local Top 10. Seriously.

As for the Moss Man, really? I've only been to Fed Ex a couple times, but I didn't think his was one of the top jerseys out there. I'd say definitely more Cooleys than Mosses.

"No one in D.C. would say Etan is his favorite athlete."

Someone is about to find themselves the subject of one really, really angry bad poem. Watcheth thy back, Steinz.

Maybe there should be a subcategory biggest DC sports cult hero?

1. Muresan
2. Ruffin
3. Guzman
4. Sun Ming Ming?

Roy Hibbert warrants consideration.

1.Ben Olsen's beard
2.Ben Olsen
3.Agent Zero

That is all that should be considered.

Surprise, surprise. More anti-Matt Chico propoganda.

I think you might be overestimating the popularity of the Wizards/NBA and underestimating the Nationals/MLB. (Sure, this is a big baskeball town, but I think that comes more from the great college basketball here than the Wizards.) I just don't see how the second most popular player on the Wizards is more popular and well known than the most popular player on the Nats. I don't think either of them would be recognized by that many people on K Street, but I can't imagine you wouldn't get plenty of kids saying Zimmerman (or for that matter, Chad Cordero, after his debut in 2005) is their favorite athlete. And considering Zimmerman has been deemed the face of the franchise with the Nats, I'd have to think he'd be relatively well known by the non-sports fan in a way Butler may not be.

I would say that a large portion of the D.C. area maintins loyalty with the Orioles. That being the case, Tejada should be included on the list.

I agree with previous poster, currently Santana Moss would be ahead of Campbell, maybe not for D.C. area sports fans, but for the rest of sports fans and non-sports fans alike.

You know, Jarvis Hayes had a shot to be the most popular athlete in town when we drafted him...

but he missed.

Gilbert would probably win cult hero, as well as most recognizable, but for cult hero I must nominate Bobby Boswell -- how many hits on the Bog did you get when your fabulous investigative journalism turned up the Guts story?

1. Gheorghe
2. Gheorghe
3. Gheorghe
4. Gheorghe
5. Gheorghe

Darrell Green's smile

The top three are indeed not up for debate. So that leaves #4 and #5.

Butler, no. Yes, he's a big part of the Wiz, but I don't think he's really the favorite athlete of many, and few outside the area would really know him.

Even more so for Zim. And Campbell should get nixed just for his lame public personality.

Kolzig is a player I'd put up there. He's been around for years, and is recognized outside of his equipment. Plus, he's won a major league award. So I'd put him in at #4.

#5 is Smoot's boat.

I would swap Cooley in for Campbell and then move him to #3 and Ovechkin to #5, but otherwise I agree. Good list.

Brendan is definitely the most recognizeable

Ovechkin needs to be lower than 3. I realize that you don't feel like dealing with angry caps fans, but no chance he cracks the top 5 in any kind of objective list.

1) Agent Zero
2) Clinton Portis
3) Tuff Juice
4) Jason Campbell
5) Ryan Zimmerman
6) Alex Ovechkin

I'd put Freddy Adu as number 4 if he was still in town. Obviously, not because he was the best player, but the best known (any to non-soccer fans, only known) DCU player.

Looking at the District I don't think you can ignore the college athletes. I would suggest Roy Hibbert/Jeff Green for their performance this year and Josh Glenn of American University wrestling. I guarantee not even Portis would dare get on the wrestling mat for 7 minutes with the 197lb national champion!

1) Gilbert
2) Portis
3) Roy Hibbert
4) Freddy *sigh*
5) Ovechkin

If Freddy is ineligible (and I hope so), then #5 is Zim.

too bad you didn't ask this question last year.. it would easily be:

arenas
portis
soriano
ovi
adu
(neatly taking a person from each sport. ;p)

"I guarantee not even Portis would dare get on the wrestling mat for 7 minutes with the 197lb national champion!"

Yes, because the point of this post is to determine which dc athlete is the best grappler.

Below Portis, per your criteria, Redskins would go:

Sean Taylor
Chris Cooley
Santana Moss
Jason Campbell

My opinion.

Are we sure Unsilent Majority should go unlisted?

If DGreen is eligible, he's never dropping off number 1. Period. Heck, the bobblehead of him at RFK makes #2. Otherwise it's:

Ovechkin
Arenas
Portis
Moreno
Kolzig

I think Eddie Jordan certainly warrants consideration.

I couldn't name you a single Nat, except that retiring manager guy...and I bet a whole lot of the city couldn't either, even those that have been to Nat's games.

If Esky was still in town, he'd be the soccer nominee--but if he counts, so does Freddy, so there goes that.

Other than that, I think Moreno or Boswell takes it over Gomez and possibly Olsen. Although The Caveman certainly is distinctive.

Jacoby
Grimm
Bostic
May
Starke

RE: onside kick

Who the hell are those people?

and by the way, Starke just got called for holding

DC United players have an advantage over Nats and Redskins in the recognizability stakes because they don't wear a hat or helmet on the field and, for they're usually on the field for the whole match.

NBA players are recognizable because they're so tall and, like soccer players, they wear nothing that obscures their face.

I couldn't pick Jason Campbell out of a line-up.

¡Pero tengo un posse!

"DC United players have an advantage over Nats and Redskins in the recognizability stakes because they don't wear a hat or helmet on the field and, for they're usually on the field for the whole match."

Redskins players have an advantage over DC United players in the recognizability stakes because they're watched.

Ok, first of all, football and basketball players are most recognizeable because they are simply BIG and most of them stand out in crowds. And by BIG I include a massively thick neck (Portis) as much as height.

These are the guys you see and say to yourself, man that guy must be an athlete, and then you look at his face and say, hey isn't that ....

Zimm, I say maybe. And that is coming from a guy who LOVES baseball and the Nats. But here's the thing. He's just your average looking white dude. And Cordero, trust me, you wouldn't recognize him in a crowd. I bartended at a place where the Nats hang out and the only reason I recognized Cordero was because he had his hat on the same way he wears it on the field. Straight brimmed and low. I actually said to myself, hey that guy wears his hat just like Cordero. Oh wait, it is him.

Moving on.

Gilbert is far and away most easily recognizeable.

Portis is far and away second on this list.

This is where my other factors come in to seeing someone walking down the street in normal clothes comes into play. They HAVE to stand out physically in the crowd for some reason otherwise you simply won't recognize them.

3. Etan Thomas -- size and dreads make him stand out and immediately recognizeable.

4. Jon Jansen -- Huge guy. You see that massive white guy walking down the street and you say, man that's a big dude, then you look at his face and recognize it from being the second most interviewed Redskin behind Portis. Jansen is a media go-to for a quote so we know what he looks like.

5. Mark Brunell -- yes, he's on the bench, but playing QB for the Redskins for multiple seasons simply trumps any and all logic of recognizeability. JC will get there, but he is not yet there.

And to you DC United and Caps fans and your players -- spare me. Olie is the only one that would come close. Adu is gone.

Skin Patrol wrote: "Redskins players have an advantage over DC United players in the recognizability stakes because they're watched."

Well, by those metrics, DCU players get the edge over Caps and Wizards players. At least if you go by attendence figures...

Ryan--
I think you're getting a little carried away on the "recognizability" angle. Sure, Etan Thomas would stand out in a crowd more than Ryan Zimmerman would, but most people noticing him would go, "Who's that big guy with the dreads?" I would think that far more Washingtonians (particularly casual or non-sports fans) would know the name Ryan Zimmerman or Chad Cordero than would know the name Etan Thomas. And I would argue that's just as important in this ranking.

1) Alfonso Soriano
2) Champ Bailey
3) Juan Dixon
4) Jaromir Jagr
5) Ben Wallace

Oops, nevermind.

"Well, by those metrics, DCU players get the edge over Caps and Wizards players. At least if you go by attendence figures..."

But we wouldn't go merely by attendence, because a lot of people watch their favorite basketball players on the talking picture box. Or else read about them in their favorite internets blogs (or bogs).

But I have no dog in the DCU vs. Wizards vs. Caps vs. Nats fight. Go 'Skins.

Rod
Ledell
Calbert
Darvin
God

Throw in Lorenzo Williams at number 6.

I know it's obvious. I can't help it. Props to Mothering Hut.

AGENT ZERO AT NUMBER 1!!!!!!!!

i dno about the rest

AGENT ZERO AT NUMBER 1!!!!!!!!

i dno about the rest

G-WIZ and the Nats Giant President Bobbleheads!

1.Southeast Jerome
2.Doctor Don't Know
3.Bro Sweets
4.Sheriff Gonna Getcha
5.Inspector 2-2

Now I know why I don't read your BLOG very often: "my choice probably shows some pro-basketball bias on my part". How about some Nats coverage?

I asked an extremely casual sports fan, and I can't believe we forgot an obvious addition to the coaches list: Ralph Friedgen. Dude is, you know, kinda hard to miss.

The most recognizable area athlete is of course WWE pro wrestler Batista. (dodging brickbats)

WGDC- no way. It goes:

1. SE Jerome
2. Kid Bro Sweets
3. Sherrif Gonna Getcha
4. Inspector 2-2
5. Napolean Portismyte

I am shocked SeanTay didn't make the list. He is by far the biggest name in the male 16-25 age group. Not even in the honorable mention?!?

Sean Taylor is one of the most overrated players in the game....Gilbert's arrival in DC has lifted the basketball spirits after 20+ years of humility!

You don't have to be a big Caps fan to see Ovy all over town.

Ovy
Agent 0
Cooley
Portis
Kolzig

The rest of the Wiz couldn't be picked out of a line up...the rest are the Caps are pretty much faceless....most Redskins don't deserve to be recognized....Nats? Nah.

Sean Taylor must be on this list....No other player, not even Portis, has as much nation-wide respect among fans then Sean Taylor. His controversial and enigmatic personality I think only helps his status.

Brunell is a good pick. Agent 0, CP, Brunell, Cooley, Campbell, Ovechkin are the picks. Get Zimmerman out of there. This will never be a baseball town.

RE: Skin Patrol

It's hard to see athletes' faces when you're covering your eyes with your hands because the Redskins threw the game away AGAIN.

I don't think any Redskins WANT to be recognized for that matter. I certainly wouldn't. I'd walk around in disguise if I was them.