Superstar Sport Celebrities
The Team Challenge brings All-Star caliber players from baseball, basketball, football, and hockey into a single golf Team Challenge competition.
Charles Barkley will also be a non-playing Team Basketball Captain.
Baseball
Ozzie Smith (Team Captain)
Retired, Hall of Fame MLB shortstop who was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002. Nicknamed "The Wizard of Oz", he is widely cited as one of the greatest defensive players of all time, having won 13 consecutive Gold Glove Awards during his career.
George Brett
Retired, Hall of Fame MLB player for the Kansas City Royals. He is considered one of the greatest third basemen in MLB history. His 3,154 career hits are the most by any third baseman in major league history, and 15th all-time. George was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1999, with what was then the fourth-highest voting percentage in baseball history (98.2%). That same year, he ranked Number 55 on The Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was nominated as a finalist for the MLB All-Century Team. Brett is one of four players in MLB history to accumulate 3,000 hits, 300 home runs, and a career .300 batting average. Combining his superior hitting skill with his great defensive ability and team focus (and humility), George Brett is arguably one of the most complete baseball players of all time.
Vince Coleman
A former MLB All-Star, best known for his years with the St. Louis Cardinals. Primarily a left fielder, Coleman played from 1985 to 1997 and set a number of stolen base records, including 6th all time for career stolen bases (752), 3rd, 4th and 6th for single-season stolen bases in MLB history (3rd -110 in 1985), (4th - 109 in 1987) (6th - 107 in 1986), led the Major Leagues in stolen bases four times, holds an MLB record with 50 consecutive stolen bases without being caught stealing (September 18, 1988 through July 26, 1989) and was the last man to steal 100 bases in a season, when he did it for the third consecutive year in 1987.
Bret Saberhagen
Winner of 2 Cy Young Awards in a 17 year professional career as a pitcher, mostly with the Kansas City Royals. His stellar accomplishments also included leading the Royals to a World Series Championship in 1985 (and being named MVP of the Series), multiple appearances as an All-Star, and pitching a no-hitter against the Chicago White Sox. He was a perennial league leader in innings pitched, complete games, and strikeout to walk ratio. In 2005, he was inducted into the Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame.
Basketball
Charles Barkley (Non-playing Captain)
The commissioner of Team Challenge and non-playing captain for Team Basketball. View more about Sir Charles.
Kenny Smith
A retired NBA player who won NBA championships in 1994 and 1995 with the Houston Rockets. He is also the Rockets' all-time leader in three-point field goal percentage at .407. Kenny is currently a studio analyst for the TNT show, Inside the NBA. He provides analysis and acts as a straight man for studio partner and Team Challenge Commissioner, Charles Barkley. When a team is eliminated from the playoffs, Smith sends them "fishing" by showing a placard with team members on a fishing boat. Kenny is also a color analyst for New York Knicks broadcasts on MSG, hosts Full Court Press on Sirius Satellite Radio, and in October 2007 became an NBA analyst for Yahoo! Sports.
Jason Kidd
A professional basketball player in the NBA who currently plays for the Dallas Mavericks. He led the Nets to two consecutive NBA Finals appearances (2002 and 2003) and is considered to be one of the best players of his generation, one of the greatest play makers in NBA history and also one of the greatest point guards in NBA history. His on-court versatility also makes him a regular triple-double threat, and he is in third place all-time for regular season triple-doubles in the NBA with a career total of 99 (as of February 8, 2008) and second in playoffs triple-doubles with a career total of 11.
George "The Iceman" Gervin
Averaged at least 14 points in all 14 of his ABA and NBA seasons and finished with an NBA career average of 26.2 points per game. He led the ABA in scoring in 1978, defeating David Thompson by seven hundredths of a point (27.22 ppg) by scoring 63 points in the last game of the regular season (and 73 points in an earlier game). George went on to lead the NBA in scoring average three years in a row from 1978 to 1980 (with a high of 33.1 points per game in 1979-80), and again in 1982. George was inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame, had his #44 jersey retired by the San Antonio Spurs and was named to the NBA's 50 Greatest Players. He was ranked #25 on SLAM Magazine's Top 75 NBA Players of All Time in 2003.
Clyde Drexler
A retired NBA shooting guard who is a ten-time All-Star and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame. The NBA named him one of basketball's fifty greatest players of all time. “Clyde the Glide” won an Olympic gold medal in 1992 with The Dream Team and an NBA championship in 1995 with the Houston Rockets. He is one of only three players in NBA history to have posted career totals of at least 20,000 points, 6,000 rebounds and 6,000 assists (the two others being Oscar Robertson and John Havlicek). His extraordinary leaping abilities allowed him to be an acrobatic dunker and he was consistently among the leaders at his position in points, rebounds, assists, and steals. The former "Dancing with the Stars” contestant enters the Team Challenge to Golf with the Superstars.
Football
Drew Brees (Team Captain)
A Pro Bowl quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the NFL. The San Diego Chargers originally selected him as the first pick of the 2001 NFL Draft's second round. His achievements include being a Heisman trophy finalist (1999 and 2000), 2000 Maxwell Award winner, Socrates Award for top college athlete in terms of academics, multiple Pro Bowl participant, 2006 Walter Payton Man of the Year Award (with LaDainian Tomlinson), 2006 Halas Award Pro Football Writers Association (The Halas Award recognizes an individual in the NFL who overcame the most adversity to succeed), 18th best season for passing yards in NFL history, and NFL record for most completions by a QB in a season.
LaDainian Tomlinson
A Pro Bowl and All Pro football player who currently plays running back for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. Tomlinson, frequently called "LT", set several records during the 2006 NFL season by scoring a league-leading 186 points. He received additional honors by winning the NFL’s Most Valuable Player Award and the Associated Press’ Offensive Player of the Year Award.
John Elway
Retired, Hall of Fame NFL quarterback. He is often considered to be one of the greatest college and professional quarterbacks ever. Elway set career records for passing attempts and completions at Stanford. He also received All-American honors. Elway was drafted #1 overall in the 1983 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts before being traded to the Denver Broncos. By his second year in the league, Elway set team records for passing attempts, completions and yards. In 1987, he embarked on what is considered to be one of the most clutch performances in NFL history, when he helped guide the Broncos on a 98-yard, game-tying drive in the AFC Championship Game against the Cleveland Browns. The moment is known in NFL lore as The Drive. Following the AFC Championship Game, Elway and the Broncos lost in Super Bowl XXI. After two more Super Bowl losses, the Broncos entered a period of decline; however, that would end during the 1997 season, as Elway and Denver won their first Super Bowl title by defeating the Green Bay Packers, 31-24, in Super Bowl XXXII. The Broncos repeated as champions the following season in Super Bowl XXXIII by defeating the Atlanta Falcons, 34-19. Elway was voted MVP of the Super Bowl, as the game would prove to be the last of his career.
Stay tuned to find out who the final member of Team Football will be!
Michael Strahan
One of the finest defensive ends in NFL history spanning a 15 year career, Michael holds the NFL record for sacks in a single season with 22.5 and is the all-time sack leader for the NY Giants with 132.5. He was a key member of the 2008 Super Bowl Champion NY Giants football team. Michael has received numerous awards as a player, including NFL Defensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press in 2001 and 7 Pro Bowl selections. He has also co-written an autobiography titled Inside the Helmet: Life as a Sunday Afternoon Warrior and, with an engaging personality, is one of the most sought after athletes for TV and product endorsements.
Hockey
Mario Lemieux (Team Captain)
Retired professional Hall of Fame ice hockey center who played 17 seasons for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the NHL between 1984 and 2005. Mario won three Hart trophies as the most valuable player, six Art Ross Trophies as the leading scorer, and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP during both Stanley Cup victories. At the time of his retirement, he was the seventh highest all-time scorer with 690 goals and 1,033 assists. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame immediately after his first retirement, waiving the normal three-year waiting period; upon his return in 2000, he became the third Hall of Famer (after Gordie Howe and Guy Lafleur) to play after being inducted. Mario has won two Stanley Cups, an Olympic gold medal, and two World Cups of Hockey (one while it was still the Canada Cup).
Brett Hull
A former All-Star NHL player, the current interim co-general manager of the Dallas Stars, and the son of legendary player Bobby Hull and nephew of Dennis Hull. The often colorful and outspoken Hull scored 741 career goals, placing him third on the all-time list. He played for the Calgary Flames, St. Louis Blues, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings and Phoenix Coyotes. He also scored the controversial Stanley Cup winning goal on Buffalo Sabres goalie Dominik Hasek in 1999 to give Dallas their only Cup win. Hull also won the Cup as a member of the Red Wings in 2002. Finished his career with 741 goals (3rd all-time), 650 assists (48th all-time), 1391 points (19th all-time) and 1269 games (43rd all-time). He won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy in 1990, the Hart Memorial Trophy in 1991, led the NHL in Goals scored for 3 consecutive years, recorded 33 career Hat Tricks (4th all-time), and he is included in The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players of all time. On December 5, 2006, his #16 sweater was retired by the St. Louis Blues and raised to the rafters of the Scottrade Center. Along with his father, Bobby, they are the only father-son combo in any professional sport to have their respective numbers retired.
Grant Fuhr
a former MVP and All-Star goaltender in the NHL. In 2003, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. He played for the Edmonton Oilers for ten seasons, winning five Stanley Cups. In 1987, he won the Vezina Trophy as the NHL's top goaltender and finished second in voting for the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP, behind Mario Lemieux and ahead of teammate Wayne Gretzky. He is recognized as one the greatest goaltenders of all-time.
Pierre Larouche
Retired All-Star NHL ice hockey forward who played in the NHL for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Montreal Canadiens, Hartford Whalers, and New York Rangers. In 1976, he became the 16th player ever to reach the 50-goal mark. At the time he was the youngest player to hit the 50-goal plateau. His record was broken by Wayne Gretzky in 1980. He was first player to score 50 goals in a season with 2 different teams: he scored 53 with Pittsburgh in 1975-76 and 50 with Montreal in 1979-80. Pierre is also one of the few players to score at least a point-per-game average in their final NHL season. He scored 12 points in 10 games, during the 1987-88 NHL season, his last in the league. He won 2 Stanley Cups with Montreal in 1978 and 1979.