The Top Eight Beastly Athletes of 2008

The past year played witness to some amazing athletic accomplishments. Every sport has its all stars, but an athlete must do more than rack up records to make this rankings list.

In order to be considered the ultimate beast, an athlete must display some grit out on the field of competition. The athlete must be a fierce competitor that strikes fear into his or her opponents. Let's see who had the guns a blazin' in 2008.

Tiger the Great

Tiger Woods won the U.S. Open on one leg. In an exciting 19-hole playoff, Woods final defeated the lovable Rocco Mediate and took home the title.

Throughout the tournament, Tiger winced in pain as his left knee took a brutal beating, but Tiger gritted through the pain with gusto.

American Hero

Michael Phelps was the big story of the Beijing Olympics. He collected a record eight gold medals, one better than Mark Spitz, the former record holder.

Hot Spaniard

Rafael Nadal had a huge year. He won his fourth straight French Open title, crushing Roger Federer in straight sets. Then he defeated Federer in a thrilling five-set match at Wimbledon.

Nadal took home the gold medal in Beijing, and to top it all off he ended the year as the No. 1 player in tennis, finally dethroning Roger Federer. Hopefully, 2009 will be just as merry. VAMOS!

The Babes of Beach Volleyball

Misty-May Treanor and Kerri Walsh captured their second gold medal at the Beijing Olympics. In the process, they gave us two good reasons to start following beach volleyball.

1.) They are beasts in the sand.
2.) They wear playful outfits.

Paul Pierce Shines In NBA Finals

Honestly, I prefer Kobe, but I cannot deny the fact that Paul Pierce was a beast during the NBA finals. Pierce nailed down three-pointers, drove the ball inside, and was the overall leader of the championship team.

Lightning Bolt

Usain Bolt dominated his competition in the 100 and 200 meter finals in the Beijing Olympics setting new world records in both events. Yeah he showboats, but it's okay, because he can back up all that trash talking with his incredible need for speed.

Candace Parker: Don't Mess

Measured at a staggering 6' 4" Candace Parker is a beast on the basketball court. In 2004, she won the McDonald's Dunk Contest. The winner the year before was none other than LeBron James.

She played college hoops at Tennessee winning back to back NCAA Çhampionships in 2007 and 2008. She took home the gold medal at the 2008 Olympic games. Currently she plays for the L.A. Sparks where she was involved in a bench clearing brawl on July 22, 2008. Candace Parker is a beast. No doubt.

Serena Williams: Stylista, Heavyweight Champ, and Tennis Superstar

Serena Williams has guns. She could knock you out with a swift upper cut to the face or a quick booty bump to the back. While Serena did not dominate the entire year, she is always a threat when stepping onto the tennis court.

Serena lost the Wimbledon final to her sister, but she closed out the year on a positive note defeating Jelena Jankovic in the U.S. Open finals.

LeBron James, Most Likely Beast of 2009

LeBron James is off to a hot start this season. Currently, the Cavs hold the second best record in the league at 23-4, right behind the defending champs.

At an imposing 6'8" 250 lbs. James is a beast on the court, and his game seems to get better with each passing year. It's time for the King to retake his crown and I believe 2009 will be his year.