15 Professional Athletes You Would Love To Trade Places With


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15 Professional Athletes You Would Love To Trade Places With

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Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Professional athletes have really great lives. They have money, fame and all that comes with having money and fame.

Some get to live the hedonistic lives that many wish they could. They party at all the best places in the world, with all the most beautiful people in the world. When they do travel they travel in first-class style, from private jets to the best hotel suites in the world. They eat at the best restaurants and never have to wait for a table.

For other athletes, it’s the success on the field or the court that makes their lives desirable. There’s no feeling quite like winning on such a grand scale, with the whole world watching. After all, who hasn’t fantasized about winning a Super Bowl or sinking the game-winning shot in the NBA Finals?

And with that winning comes recognition and respect. Some athletes have turned their celebrity into a lifestyle where everything they want is at their fingertips. Not just because they have all the money, but because they’re so respected by the public that everywhere they go they're immediately treated like royalty.

Oh yeah, but it all comes back to the money, doesn’t it? The amount of money that these athletes make today is astounding. Sure, the travel, the women and the fame are all nice, but sometimes it all just comes down to the money. I won’t say money is everything, but it was the easiest way to find yourself on this list.

Have fun and check out the 15 professional athletes you know you would love to trade places with.

Ben Sullivan is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @bensullivan52, "Like" him on Facebook and add him to your network on Google.

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15. Chris Paul

Chris Paul
John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Chris Paul is one of the most respected players in the NBA. He just got a new coach and is the floor leader of one of the league's best young teams.

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14. Calvin Johnson

Calvin Johnson
Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

He's the hands-down best receiver in the league, the owner of a mutli-year contract worth over $100 million and you get the coolest nickname in sports right now. Being Megatron must be nice.

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13. Mike Fisher

Mike Fisher
Marc DesRosiers-USA TODAY Sports

Positive points for landing Carrie Underwood. Negative points for playing in a sport where guys actually try to punch you in the face if they’re not happy with you. I’ll take the trade-off.

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12. Blake Griffin

Blake Griffin
Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Blake Griffin is one of the league's best young players on one of the league's best young teams. He also gets to make some of the best commercials around right now.

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11. Rob Gronkowski

Rob Gronkowski
Stew Milne-USA TODAY Sports

Rob Gronkowski always seems like he's having more fun than the rest of us. He might be injured all the time, but that just leaves Gronk more time to party!

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10. Mariano Rivera

Mariano Rivera
Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports

A sure-fire first-ballot Hall-of-Famer, Mariano Rivera is so revered that he's the last player in decades to get a celebration for his retirement in each and every city he's visited this year. Basically, he's sports royalty.

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9. John Wall

John Wall
Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

John Wall just signed a huge extension worth $80 million guaranteed. The Wizards may still be picking in the lottery, but that contract is basically like winning the actual lottery.

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8. Phil Mickelson

Phil Mickelson
Jason O. Watson-USA TODAY Sports

Everyone in America roots for Phil Mickelson. He has a great family life, more money than he knows what to do with and plenty of wins. All his life is missing is a U.S. Open title, and when he eventually does get one the whole world will celebrate with him.

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7. Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Floyd Mayweather Jr.
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

At first I didn't want to put someone on this list who gets punched in the face for a living. Then I remembered Floyd Mayweather Jr. cashed a $40 million check for his last fight. Oh yeah, and he’s tight with the Biebs. Sign me up.

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6. Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning
Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

He makes a ton of money, already has a Super Bowl ring and is on his way to another. Throw in his cool commercials and you have one nice life.

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5. LeBron James

Lebron James
Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

LeBron James should probably be higher on this list after dominating the NBA for the last few years, but we all know that about 90 percent of the country is just waiting for him to fail so they can start hating him again.

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4. Tony Romo

Tony Romo
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Tony Romo basically has the perfect All-American life. He's the quarterback of America's Team and has a beautiful wife and family. All you have to do is get over the occasional season-killing interception. I think I can handle that.

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3. Derek Jeter

Derek Jeter
Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Derek Jeter is a future first ballot Hall-of-Famer who is the de facto king of New York. He dates some of the most beautiful women in the world, and nobody seems to mind when he gets tired of one and moves onto another. Sounds like a good life.

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2. Tom Brady

Tom Brady
Stew Milne-USA TODAY Sports

Future Hall-of-Fame, Super Bowl winning NFL quarterback? Check. Tailor made to be a leading man in Hollywood? Check. Supermodel wife who makes even more than you do? Check. Now all you would need is a receiver or two this year.

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1. Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods
Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

You would have tons of money, get to travel around world to play golf and find a new tall blonde girl in every city. Plus, now that the cat's out of the bag, you don't have to hide it anymore!



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