Who's the funniest of them all?

Sports is funny, sports persons even funnier. Intentionally or unintentionally, several players end up  saying the most unexpected of things, or better still, end up doing the most outrageous. Although I do not follow the NBA, it was hard to miss this gem of a quote from Shaquille O’ Neal; on being questioned by a reporter whether he had visited the Parthenon during his visit to Greece, he replied, “I can’t really remember the names of the clubs we went to.” Had Shaq been a smiley, he would have definitely been a facepalm!

Tennis is filled with characters of all kinds. From the icy stoicism of Bjorg to the tantrum throwing fire of McEnroe, the poker faced humor of Andy Roddick to the feisty one liners of Agassi; there were some players who knew how to entertain crowds off the court as well. Thanks to the new age media, we can now see Federer singing karaoke at Roland Garros and Djokovic imitating Sharapova. Yet, there can only be one funniest. So, here’s your chance to vote for one among the following players as the funniest of ‘em all.

Andy Roddick: Few would disagree that the now retired American player has oodles of charisma and was perhaps one of the most loved players on the tour. Few would also disagree that, had there been tickets to sit in on his press conferences, they would have all sold out. Here are a few glimpses of Andy being Andy.

“As good as anybody not named Roger.” - Andy Roddick on his chances at the US Open.

“Stay in school kids or you’ll end up being an umpire”

“I threw the kitchen sink at him but he went to the bathroom and got his tub.” - Andy Roddick after losing the 2004 Wimbledon final to Roger Federer.

Andre Agassi: A legend of the game and for reasons more than one. Agassi had personality and courage. He was outspoken and frank, sometimes rubbing people the wrong way, but he was always witty and forthright, which made listening to him a delight. He may not be quote a minute kind of guy, but his spontaneous humor and ability to lighten a moment is legendary.

“I feel old when I see mousse in my opponent’s hair”.

Marat Safin: I had the biggest of crushes, like most other teenage girls, on Safin during the early to mid 2000s. Whether he won or lost, he was always great fun to watch. Supremely talented, with a temperament that was both his biggest strength and weakness. Whether he brought his a-game to the court or not, he was always amusing in the most uncharacteristic of ways. Coupled with his not so great English skills and endearing honesty, his quotes are a reflection of him.

“She is woman . . . I am man.” - Marat Safin, on being asked the difference between him and Anna Kournikova.

“Not yet. It’s my first day on the job. Give me some time.” - Marat Safin, on not breaking a racket during his first match of 2002.

And the best of the lot: “I’m not fighting with myself. Oh, my God. That’s how I am. You know, the story of the hippo? The hippo comes to the monkey and said, listen, I’m not a hippo. So, he paint himself like a zebra. He said but he’s still a hippo. He said but look at you, you’re painted like a zebra but you are a hippo. So then he goes, you know, like I want be a little parrot. So, he put the colours on him and he comes to the monkey and said but, sorry, you are a hippo. So, in the end, you know, he comes and said I’m happy to be a hippo. This is who I am. So, I have to be who I am and he’s happy being a hippo. “- After 1st round defeat to Kiefer, Toronto Master Series 2004.

Novak Djokovic: Often referred to as the ‘Joker’ for pulling pranks and for being funny in general, Novak was a lot more entertaining when he was not busy being the best player in the world. More than his quotes, it’s his impersonations and candid manner of speaking that has won him many admirers.

His funny side:“Everybody makes fun of me because of that, but yesterday I was a bit embarrassed. I was bouncing the ball, and then I had a bad bounce, and the ball went away, and everybody smiled.” – Novak on his ball bouncing adventures.

The ‘English Speaking’ Rafael Nadal: Nadal might not be the most obvious choice here, but reserve your judgement till you take a look at this video.

By the way, the one thing that cracks me up the most about Nadal is the way his answers are also a question. He always puts a “no?” at the end of his answers! So who tickles your funny bone?