Athletes You'd Want to Trade Lives with Most
Is being a pro athlete the best job in the entire world?
There's a pretty good chance that anyone reading this more than likely just answered yes.
While some fans may believe that all athletes are blessed for having the talent to play a sport for a living, make really good money and enjoy great fame from their playing careers, there are, of course, some guys who have it made more than others.
And although I typically refrain from comparing myself to others, it's always fun to think about which athletes most fans would trade spots with—with the athletes that follow being the best options.
Wladimir Klitschko
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Many people might think that I'm putting current heavyweight champ Wladimir Klitschko on here only because he's engaged to mega-hot actress Hayden Panettiere.
Well, those people would be half right.
That's because, in addition to some amazing arm candy, Klitschko has also had tremendous success elsewhere, including his boxing career and in the classroom, as he holds a doctorate in sports science.
Looks like all of those knocks to his head haven't affected him too much.
Craig Breslow
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You're probably asking yourself who the hell Craig Breslow is and why the hell I included him on a list that's certain to be filled with bigger-named stars, right?
While a few fans might recognize Breslow's name, the reason he makes this list is for one reason and one reason only: He's really, really smart.
Named by the Sporting News as one of the smartest athletes last year, the lefty pitcher graduated from Yale with a degree in molecular biophysics and biochemistry and even got accepted into NYU's med school.
Sure, he might have modest career numbers, but I'd say he has quite the future whenever this whole baseball thing doesn't work out.
Shaun White
3 of 15I know that I'm not the only fan who sees the stuff action sports star Shaun White posts on social media and immediately gets jealous.
I mean, the dude seems to be living the most glorious life out there, traveling to incredible places to either snowboard, skateboard or do something generally awesome.
White is young, rich, has been the face of action sports for over a decade and hangs out with some mighty fine ladies, so who the hell wouldn't want to trade spots with this dude?
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Jason Dufner
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I've said before that being a professional golfer, above anything else, is the best career a person can have.
It's not to say that it's easy, but playing a sport that people work toward doing during retirement is a pretty amazing perk. And the fact that one doesn't need to be considered much of an athlete to be good at it is almost insane.
That's the case with Jason Dufner, who, while not overly out of shape, wouldn't normally be picked out of a lineup as a pro athlete.
The winner of the 2013 PGA Championship, Dufner has built quite the career. He also became an Internet phenom last year and, oh yeah, happens to have a really attractive wife too.
Maybe we should all start Dufnering a lot more.
Mike Fisher
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Of all the athletes on this list, I honestly think that I might be most jealous of Nashville Predators center Mike Fisher.
While he got some bad news in the form of injuring himself and expecting to miss four to six months, it was cancelled out by the fact that Fisher's wife, and the sexiest lady on the planet, Carrie Underwood, was pregnant with the duo's first child.
Being injured has to eat away at any athlete, but having Underwood around to help him heal isn't such a bad wrap—especially when you add that he'll be a dad soon too.
Johnny Manziel
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Three snaps.
That's the total number of plays that Cleveland Browns backup quarterback Johnny Manziel has taken in his entire NFL career.
Sure, it's only been two games, but there has never been so much talk about a guy who holds a clipboard in the history of the league.
We all know Johnny Football's story—a Heisman Trophy winner, a first-round draft pick, the lady-killer moves and the celebrity entourage—so even those who dislike the kid wouldn't be dumb enough to say they wouldn't want his life.
Usain Bolt
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Not only is Jamaican athlete Usain Bolt one of the most accomplished sprinters to ever compete, but he seems to continue to raise the bar on his own records as he redefines himself as the fastest man alive.
In a world full of people who like to run as a workout, wouldn't it be pretty cool to go to sleep each night knowing you're the fastest of them all?
Yeah, if you were Usain Bolt, you could do that.
Cristiano Ronaldo
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He has it all—the looks, the money, the game and the girl, in the form of Russian supermodel Irina Shayk.
Whatever the deal that Cristiano Ronaldo seemingly signed with the devil, he's reaping the benefits, as the Portuguese superstar does whatever he wants, whenever he wants.
CR7 also happens to be the best player in the world's most popular sport, proving that he's really got the best life of nearly any athlete.
Clayton Kershaw
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More than just the ridiculous amount of money that Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw signed last year is the fact that the 26-year-old lefty is a man among boys whenever he takes the bump.
Posting a 70-26 mark, with a 2.08 ERA in the past four seasons—which includes his epic 2014 thus far—Kershaw is quickly putting himself in a discussion that few of his peers ever get into: the best pitcher of his generation.
If he leads his team to a World Series title this season, and I wouldn't put it past him, he'll have the one piece of hardware that has eluded him thus far, which would really put him atop the baseball world.
Russell Wilson
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Russell Wilson is on top of the football world after leading the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl victory last season over the Denver Broncos. So who wouldn't want to be this kid right now?
On top of that, he's recently single and ready to mingle, meaning that all of the attention he's getting now could lead to some serious lady action in the near future—not that he's the type of guy to take advantage of something like that.
Danger Russ is a leader, a gamer and, most of all, a world champion, one set to make a lot of money in the next few years. I'd say the future looks bright for him, and I can't help but wonder what it'd be like to be in his shoes.
Mario Balotelli
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To put it simply, Italian soccer star Mario Balotelli is l'uomo. For all of you who don't speak the Italian language, that means that Super Mario is the man.
Why do I make such proclamations, you ask?
The guy is suave, amazing at his craft and doesn't stop for anyone who might doubt his decision-making—even if what he does isn't always the best-case scenario.
Someone who lives life as fast as Balotelli does is someone who I'd really enjoy being for awhile.
Derek Jeter
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Few other men on this list have accomplished as much as New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter has.
A five-time World Series champion, a Yankee legend and the undisputed king of the Big Apple, Jeter has fortune, fame and success, thanks to a (soon-to-be) Hall of Fame career in the city with the biggest spotlight of them all.
In a city of stars, Jeter shines the brightest—so it's no wonder every guy would want to be him.
Tom Brady
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He has a supermodel wife, three Super Bowl rings and is generally regarded as one of the top passers the NFL has ever seen—is there any other reason I should give on why Tom Brady's life would be great to live?
Seriously, even if one was to take away one of those fantastic things that I just listed, Brady would still be one of the luckiest human beings on the planet. And while I understand that he works hard at perfecting his craft, some things just can't be taught—like how to mack and then land a lady like Gisele Bundchen.
The only thing I wouldn't want of Brady's? Those Uggs. He can leave those to gather dust in the closet.
LeBron James
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As the most popular athlete on the planet and a two-time world champion, there might not be another athlete that fans would want to be more than LeBron James.
The guy has seen and done it all, and he's still yet to turn 30 years old.
He has matched all of the ridiculous expectations put on him when he first entered the NBA in 2003. He went off and collected rings, experience and maturity for four years in Miami and recently returned to his hometown roots to put on display what he learned.
The ultimate family man, James is a husband, dad and, potentially, a top-five NBA player all time, so he seems to have a lot of what people would want.
And if you're into money, the dude's net worth is estimated at $270 million—and will continue to grow.
Rory McIlroy
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The past couple of years for Rory McIlroy have been better than some might experience in their entire lifetime.
Sure, he had that little mishap with his former fiancee—tennis star Caroline Wozniacki—when he called off their wedding earlier this year, but that was a small blip on the screen.
But other than that, Rory has been #winning at life, hardcore.
Not only did he score a 10-year, $250 million sponsorship deal with Nike in 2013, but McIlroy seems to have forgotten how to do anything but win. He has won three tournaments this year, including back-to-back major championships at the British Open and PGA Championship.
At just 25, the sky's the limit for this kid.
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