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whadu · Level 49: GameShark **Posts:** 37190 **Timestamp:** Wed Aug 06, 08 10:50 PM

Charlotte: He may not have suited up in a Houston Astros uniform for 20 years, but pitcher Nolan Ryan still is the most recognizable and well-liked baseball player in the country, according to a new survey.

The annual survey by Sports Q Scores is conducted by Marketing Evaluations/TvQ. The rankings are seen as an indication of how well players are regarded for potential advertising sponsorships.

At the top of the list as the most recognizable athlete in any sport is another player who is no longer active in his sport: Basketball superstar Michael Jordan, whose string of championships with the Chicago Bulls revitalized the National Basketball Association.

At No. 2 is golf wunderkind Tiger Woods, with Ryan — who bolted from the Astros to the Texas Rangers in 1988 after a contract dispute — ranked at No. 3. At No. 4 is Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre, while former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joe Montana rounds out the top five.

Rounding out the top 10 are: National Football League TV commentator John Madden, former NFL receiver Jerry Rice, baseball iron man Cal Ripken Jr., golf legend Arnold Palmer and former NBA star Magic Johnson.

Another well-known former Houston professional athlete is on the list as well, but perhaps not in a way that he would deem flattering.

Former Astro Roger Clemens, who has been dogged by questions of banned substance use, saw his Q score drop from 27 last year to 18, while his negative Q score jumped from 15 in 2007 to 35.

Source: charlotte.bizjournals.com

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