The All Beast Mode Team of the Year
Marshawn Lynch lived up to his beast mode hype in 2014, and so did a few other athletes.
What is beast mode? Beast mode is total domination. It is toughness, superhuman strength and unreal athletic ability. To be clear, beast mode is a good thing.
These athletes are just crushing it in their sport as opponents drop like flies in their wake. These are not people you want to mess with—think J.J. Watt or Serena Williams. Like their captain, Marshawn Lynch, all of these athletes are to be feared, both for their athletic abilities and intimidation factors.
Let’s look at who would make the All Beast Mode Team of 2014. While we’re at it, let’s also look into a way of making this a real thing.
Honorable Mention: Calvin Johnson
1 of 15
Athletic Accomplishments: While many think he had an off year in 2014 (as much as he can have an “off year”), Calvin Johnson cannot be left off this list. Despite missing three games due to injury, Johnson still caught 71 balls for 1,077 yards and eight touchdowns.
Intimidation Factor: Some have wondered if Johnson is starting to decline, but this guy is still an absolute beast. He's an imposing presence on the football field and a dominating force that when healthy, still warrants double coverage on the reg.
Giancarlo Stanton
2 of 15
Athletic Accomplishments: In 2014, the Miami Marlins slugger led the National League with 37 home runs, and only Nelson Cruz hit more in all of MLB. Stanton also ranked first in the NL in slugging percentage as well as second in RBI, walks and OPS. If it weren’t for a lanky southpaw in Los Angeles by the name of Clayton Kershaw, Stanton would’ve won the NL MVP. After the season, the Marlins locked up the 25-year-old for 13 years and a cool $325 million.
Intimidation Factor: Stanton is listed at 6’6” and 240 pounds. Of his imposing stature, Brett Butler told Gene Frenette of The Florida Times-Union, “It’s incredible, the physical specimen that he is. Forget about the fact that he can hit the ball out of the park a long way. It’s the intimidation of the man’s appearance. Wow, that’s just a gift from God.”
Besides his ability to smash baseballs over fences, Stanton withstood a fastball to the face in 2014. The photo is not for folks with weak stomachs.
Serena Williams
3 of 15
Athletic Accomplishments: In 2014, Serena Williams won her third consecutive U.S. Open Title, and she finished the year ranked as the world’s No. 1. In fact, she started and finished the year ranked No. 1 for the first time in her career. She is the oldest No. 1 ever at 33 years of age. All told, she had seven tournament wins this year, including the WTA Finals.
Intimidation Factor: It feels like Serena Williams is always in beast mode, and 2014 was no exception. Williams won the U.S. Open by defeating Caroline Wozniacki 6-3, 6-3.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Viktor Ahn
4 of 15
Athletic Accomplishments: Speedskater Viktor Ahn was one of the most dominant athletes at the Sochi Winter Olympics. A native South Korean, Ahn won four medals in Torin in 2006. He has since become a Russian citizen and overcome injury to find renewed success for his new country. Ahn won four medals (three gold) for the Russian team in Sochi. His eight total short-track speedskating medals ties Apolo Ohno for the most Olympic medals in that event (Ahn has more golds).
Intimidation Factor: It takes a brave person to leave his home country and acquire citizenship in a new one. According to Nick Zaccardi of NBC Sports, it was some type of dispute with the Korea Skating Union that led to the change.
DeMarco Murray
5 of 15
Athletic Accomplishments: The Cowboys workhorse led the NFL in rushing this year with 1,845—that’s 484 yards more than the next guy. He is also the Cowboys new franchise leader for single-season rush yards. He passed Emmitt Smith in the team’s Week 17 victory against the Redskins.
Intimidation Factor: Murray broke his hand, had surgery and then played in an NFL game a week later. Of Murray’s decision to play, teammate Dez Bryant told Calvin Watkins of ESPNDallas.com (fittingly), “I knew he was going to play, he's an animal, he's a beast. It's what beasts do. If you can walk and catch, then go. That's exactly what he does.”
Anthony Davis
6 of 15
Athletic Accomplishments: As of December 29, 2014, Anthony Davis was leading the NBA in blocks with an average of three per game. He was third in points with 24.6 per, and with 10.2 rebounds per game, he was also averaging a double-double. In the season opener against Orlando, New Orleans' 6'10" big man put up 26 points, 17 rebounds, nine blocks and three steals. You can watch five minutes of highlights here, if you’re so inclined.
Intimidation Factor: Davis is a terrifying presence inside, a place where layups go to die. Oh and, many basketball folks think at age 21, The Brow hasn’t even begun to reach his peak.
Melvin Gordon
7 of 15
Athletic Accomplishments: University of Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon ran for 2,336 yards in 2014, averaging 7.6 yards per carry. He also racked up 26 rushing TDs (most in the country) en route to becoming a finalist for the Heisman Trophy.
Intimidation Factor: Gordon a workhorse who has drawn comparisons to Jamaal Charles. Not only that, but he broke the NCAA single-game rushing record with 408 yards on 25 carries. Oh, and he did that in just three quarters.
German National Team
8 of 15
Athletic Accomplishments: The German men’s national soccer team won the 2014 World Cup, and it did so in dominating fashion. The Germans became the first Europeans to win a World Cup played in the Americas. They won the group of death by shutting out the Portuguese and the Americans. They blanked France in the quarterfinals, and they defeated Argentina in extra time to win it all. But most intense was, of course, their 7-1 demolition of the host country, the Brazilians.
Intimidation Factor: Brazil was one of the early favorites to win the tournament. Instead, the team lost its first competitive game in Brazil since 1975. Germany’s victory was so complete and so dominant. If you missed the first 30 minutes, you missed it all—the Germans were already up 5-0.
Brittney Griner
9 of 15
Athletic Accomplishments: Brittney Griner of the Phoenix Mercury is one of the most exciting young WNBA stars today. In August, she was named the 2014 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, and here’s why. Griner blocked a record 129 shots in 34 regular-season games—that’s an average of 3.79 per game. And here’s a wow fact for you: Eight WNBA teams combined for fewer blocked shots than Griner accumulated in 2014. Her team went 29-5 and won the WNBA title.
Intimidation Factor: Standing at 6’8”, the center blocked 11 shots in one game back in June. Also, prior to her professional debut in 2013, the career record for dunks in the WNBA was two. Griner threw down two jams in her very first game.
Jose Abreu
10 of 15
Athletic Accomplishments: Jose Abreu of the Chicago White Sox had one of the best rookie seasons in MLB history. He won the American League Rookie of the Year Award by a landslide, leading all rookies in home runs, RBI, hits, doubles, runs, OBP, slugging and OPS. The 6'3", 255-pound first baseman was the first rookie since Albert Pujols (and only fourth in history) to record at least a .300 BA, 30 home runs and 100 RBI.
Intimidation Factor: As a rookie, Abreu was an All-Star, a Silver Slugger and finished fourth in the MVP voting. His .317/.383/.581 line, .964 OPS and 36 home runs were enough to terrify a lot of big league pitchers.
In fact, Cy Young winner Justin Verlander told Jorge L. Ortiz of USA Today, “I don't think he's somebody that you look at and say, 'Oh, he just had a hot April.’ He's extremely talented. You have to execute your pitches. Otherwise, he can hurt you at any time.”
Justin Williams
11 of 15
Athletic Accomplishments: During the 2014 NHL playoffs, Justin Williams scored nine goals and racked up 25 points. His Los Angeles Kings were 7-0 in the postseason when Williams scored, and he was instrumental in their second title in three years. Fittingly, he received the Conn Smythe Trophy as the postseason MVP.
Williams had five points in three Game 7 victories. Kings president Luc Robitaille told Dan Rosen of NHL.com, “He's the only guy that has that many points in Game 7s. He's alone. He can't be compared to anybody.” He is the Madison Bumgarner of hockey, if you will.
Intimidation Factor: I’m going to go ahead and say that hockey players in general are beasts—that is one tough sport. And as far as Williams goes, you don’t get the nickhame “Mr. Game 7” for nothing.
J.J. Watt
12 of 15
Athletic Accomplishments: In 2014, defensive end J.J. Watt scored five touchdowns—one pick-six, one fumble recovery returned for a TD and three receiving TDs. This is the first time a defensive lineman has scored five TDs since 1944. On top of that, he recorded 20.5 sacks this season, making him the first player in NFL history to record 20+ sacks in two seasons (he also had 20.5 sacks in 2012).
Intimidation Factor: This guy tracks quarterbacks like a hunter to his prey. Watt wore a microphone for the Texans’ recent matchup against the Titans. One phrase says it all. “All I know is, you mess with me, you got problems.”
Ronda Rousey
13 of 15Athletic Accomplishments: Ronda Rousey is an Olympic judo champion and the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion. In March 2014, Rousey was named the No. 1 pound-for-pound female MMA fighter in the world by MMA Weekly. In July, she defended her UFC title against Alexis Davis. Incredibly, the fight lasted just 16 seconds, and Rousey won by KO.
Intimidation Factor: Rousey is undefeated in her UFC career. Her Davis KO was the seventh time it’s taken less than one minute for her to wrap up a fight. Her 10 victories were all by either KO (twice) or her patented arbmar submission (eight times). What does this all mean? Means Rousey is one bad…well you get the idea.
Madison Bumgarner
14 of 15
Athletic Accomplishments: San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner had a historic year. He won the 2014 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year Award. He was the MVP of both the NLCS and World Series. His playoff ERA was 1.03 (!?), tossed over a record 52 and two-thirds innings. In a five-inning stretch that will go down in the history books, Bumbarner came into Game 7 in relief on just two days’ rest and absolutely shut down the Kansas City Royals. It was the definition of domination.
Intimidation Factor: Royals batters had to be intimidated by Bumgarner. His stuff was just absolutely absurd in the postseason. When he trotted out of the bullpen in Game 7, somehow you just knew it was over. After the game, he told reporters, (via ESPN), “I'm a little tired now.” Um, yeah.
Marshawn Lynch
15 of 15Athletic Accomplishments: This 79-yard run against the Arizona Cardinals. That is all. OK, that’s not really all, but that run was absolutely absurd. Lynch’s 2014 rushing stats are as follows: 1,306 total yards, 13 TDs and an average of 4.7 yards per carry. While a resurgent defense is getting much of the credit for Seattle’s late-season improvement, Lynch’s contributions should not be overlooked.
Intimidation Factor: There is no athlete on Earth I would be more afraid to get in the way of than Marshawn Lynch. Just ask his teammate Richard Sherman, who told Tony Drovetto of Seahawks.com, “He's really just showing the world that he's a bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, continue to say bad, man.”
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
