20 Athletes Who Would Make The Best Jeopardy Contestants

20 Athletes Who Would Make The Best Jeopardy Contestants

By Walter Bergeson

April 30, 2014

20 Athletes Who Would Make The Best Jeopardy Contestants

Shane Battier Miami Jeopardy — Athletes are often stereotyped as "dumb jocks" even though some of them are actually highly educated. Many of these educated athletes would be able to hold their own against typical Jeopardy contestants. There are other athletes who would be great on the trivia show just because they are so entertaining.

Here are the 20 Athletes who would make great Jeopardy contestants.

Athletes are often stereotyped as "dumb jocks" even though some of them are actually highly educated. Many of these educated athletes would be able to hold their own against typical Jeopardy contestants. There are other athletes who would be great on the trivia show just because they are so entertaining.

Here are the 20 Athletes who would make great Jeopardy contestants.

20. Bill Bradley

Bill Bradley Jeopardy

20. Bill Bradley

Bill Bradley Jeopardy — Bradley became a New York icon after helping lead the Knicks to NBA titles in 1970 and 1973. The forward graduated magna cum laude from Princeton, received a Rhodes Scholarship, and went on to become a U.S. Senator after retiring from basketball.

Bradley became a New York icon after helping lead the Knicks to NBA titles in 1970 and 1973. The forward graduated magna cum laude from Princeton, received a Rhodes Scholarship, and went on to become a U.S. Senator after retiring from basketball.

19. Brad Ausmus

Brad Ausmus Jeopardy

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19. Brad Ausmus

Brad Ausmus Jeopardy — Ausmus attended and graduated from Dartmouth while playing minor league baseball for the Yankees organization. He went on to play 18 years in the major leagues, and is the current manager of the Detroit Tigers.

Ausmus attended and graduated from Dartmouth while playing minor league baseball for the Yankees organization. He went on to play 18 years in the major leagues, and is the current manager of the Detroit Tigers.

18. Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning Jeopardy

18. Peyton Manning

Peyton Manning Jeopardy — Manning received a Bachelor's degree in only three years while attending the University of Tennessee. He's earned the reputation for being one of the smartest quarterbacks in the NFL with his ability to read and dissect defenses. His football smarts are unquestioned, but it would be interesting to see how he would fare on Jeopardy.

Manning received a Bachelor's degree in only three years while attending the University of Tennessee. He's earned the reputation for being one of the smartest quarterbacks in the NFL with his ability to read and dissect defenses. His football smarts are unquestioned, but it would be interesting to see how he would fare on Jeopardy.

17. Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods Jeopardy

17. Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods Jeopardy — His golf game certainly helped, but Woods also showed enough intellect to attend Stanford University. It's hard to know how Woods would fare with general trivia, but the preparation and focus he shows on the golf course would seem to translate well to Jeopardy.

His golf game certainly helped, but Woods also showed enough intellect to attend Stanford University. It's hard to know how Woods would fare with general trivia, but the preparation and focus he shows on the golf course would seem to translate well to Jeopardy.

16. Dikembe Mutombo

Dikembe Mutombo Jeopardy

16. Dikembe Mutombo

Dikembe Mutombo Jeopardy — Mutombo came to the U.S. to play basketball at Georgetown and graduated after serving internships for the U.S. Congress and the World Bank. It would also be awesome to see Mutombo give his patented finger wag to his opponents after beating them to the buzzer.

Mutombo came to the U.S. to play basketball at Georgetown and graduated after serving internships for the U.S. Congress and the World Bank. It would also be awesome to see Mutombo give his patented finger wag to his opponents after beating them to the buzzer.

15. Roger Federer

Roger Federer Jeopardy

15. Roger Federer

Roger Federer Jeopardy — The tennis great is fluent in English, French and German, and can also speak some Italian and Spanish. Multilingual contestants are often rewarded by some of the categories on Jeopardy, giving Federer an advantage.

The tennis great is fluent in English, French and German, and can also speak some Italian and Spanish. Multilingual contestants are often rewarded by some of the categories on Jeopardy, giving Federer an advantage.

14. Pau Gasol

Pau Gasol Jeopardy

14. Pau Gasol

Pau Gasol Jeopardy — Another multilingual athlete, Gasol initially wanted to be a doctor before pursuing a professional basketball career. He is quite the renaissance man, with interests in classical music and historic novels.

Another multilingual athlete, Gasol initially wanted to be a doctor before pursuing a professional basketball career. He is quite the renaissance man, with interests in classical music and historic novels.

13. Shaquille O'Neal

Shaquille O'Neal Jeopardy

13. Shaquille O'Neal

Shaquille O'Neal Jeopardy — Even though he nicknamed himself "The Big Aristotle", Shaq wouldn't exactly threaten Ken Jennings' victory streak on Jeopardy. However, dropping his name in his responses like, "What is Shaqtober?" or "What is Shaqtopus?" would make him a must-watch.

Even though he nicknamed himself "The Big Aristotle", Shaq wouldn't exactly threaten Ken Jennings' victory streak on Jeopardy. However, dropping his name in his responses like, "What is Shaqtober?" or "What is Shaqtopus?" would make him a must-watch.

12. Alex Smith

Alex Smith Jeopardy

12. Alex Smith

Alex Smith Jeopardy — Smith was elected senior class president in high school, and earned enough college credits before enrolling at Utah that he earned his bachelor's degree in just two years. He was selected as the Academic All-America Team Member of the Year in 2004.

Smith was elected senior class president in high school, and earned enough college credits before enrolling at Utah that he earned his bachelor's degree in just two years. He was selected as the Academic All-America Team Member of the Year in 2004.

11. Greg Maddux

Greg Maddux Jeopardy

11. Greg Maddux

Greg Maddux Jeopardy — The Hall-of-Fame pitcher had a legendary ability to recall past at-bats and mentally flummox opposing hitters. If his ability to retain information off the diamond is as strong as it was on it, Maddux would be a force to be reckoned with on the game show.

The Hall-of-Fame pitcher had a legendary ability to recall past at-bats and mentally flummox opposing hitters. If his ability to retain information off the diamond is as strong as it was on it, Maddux would be a force to be reckoned with on the game show.

10. Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson Jeopardy

10. Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson Jeopardy — Is there any television program that wouldn't be entertaining with Tyson on it? He never finished high school and used to get punched in the head for a living, but the former heavyweight champ would be must-see TV as a contestant on Jeopardy.

Is there any television program that wouldn't be entertaining with Tyson on it? He never finished high school and used to get punched in the head for a living, but the former heavyweight champ would be must-see TV as a contestant on Jeopardy.

9. Curtis Granderson

Curtis Granderson Jeopardy

9. Curtis Granderson

Curtis Granderson Jeopardy — Granderson played college baseball at the University of Illinois-Chicago, graduating with a double major in business marketing and business administration. The Mets outfielder has expressed interest in attending graduate school, and has traveled around the world to promote baseball.

Granderson played college baseball at the University of Illinois-Chicago, graduating with a double major in business marketing and business administration. The Mets outfielder has expressed interest in attending graduate school, and has traveled around the world to promote baseball.

8. George Parros

George Parros Jeopardy

8. George Parros

George Parros Jeopardy — Parros plays the role as an enforcer who racks up penalty minutes on the ice, but beneath the rough exterior is one of the smartest players in the NHL. He attended Princeton University as an economics major before playing professional hockey.

Parros plays the role as an enforcer who racks up penalty minutes on the ice, but beneath the rough exterior is one of the smartest players in the NHL. He attended Princeton University as an economics major before playing professional hockey.

7. Ryan Fitzpatrick

Ryan Fitzpatrick Jeopardy

7. Ryan Fitzpatrick

Ryan Fitzpatrick Jeopardy — Fitzpatrick attended Harvard University and left with many of the school's passing records. At the NFL Combine, Fitzpatrick scored a 48 out of 50 on the Wonderlic test, completing it in less than 10 minutes.

Fitzpatrick attended Harvard University and left with many of the school's passing records. At the NFL Combine, Fitzpatrick scored a 48 out of 50 on the Wonderlic test, completing it in less than 10 minutes.

6. Charles Barkley

Charles Barkley Jeopardy

6. Charles Barkley

Charles Barkley Jeopardy — "The Round Mound of Rebound" has never been shy around a microphone, and an appearance on Jeopardy wouldn't be any different. Barkley's answers and pronunciations would surely draw some priceless reactions from host Alex Trebek.

"The Round Mound of Rebound" has never been shy around a microphone, and an appearance on Jeopardy wouldn't be any different. Barkley's answers and pronunciations would surely draw some priceless reactions from host Alex Trebek.

5. Jeremy Lin

Jeremy Lin Jeopardy

5. Jeremy Lin

Jeremy Lin Jeopardy — Lin excelled playing college basketball at Harvard, and he graduated from the Ivy League school with a degree in economics. The guard would certainly be able to hold his own on the game show.

Lin excelled playing college basketball at Harvard, and he graduated from the Ivy League school with a degree in economics. The guard would certainly be able to hold his own on the game show.

4. Ross Ohlendorf

Ross Ohlendorf Jeopardy

4. Ross Ohlendorf

Ross Ohlendorf Jeopardy — Ohlendorf played college baseball at Princeton, ultimately getting his degree while playing in the Diamondbacks' farm system. He was a double major in college and also completed an internship with the Department of Agriculture.

Ohlendorf played college baseball at Princeton, ultimately getting his degree while playing in the Diamondbacks' farm system. He was a double major in college and also completed an internship with the Department of Agriculture.

3. Myron Rolle

Myron Rolle Jeopardy

3. Myron Rolle

Myron Rolle Jeopardy — Rolle graduated from Florida State University in just 2.5 years, and delayed playing in the NFL to study at Oxford after being selected as a Rhodes Scholar. He studied medical anthropology in college, and has returned to Florida State to attend medical school.

Rolle graduated from Florida State University in just 2.5 years, and delayed playing in the NFL to study at Oxford after being selected as a Rhodes Scholar. He studied medical anthropology in college, and has returned to Florida State to attend medical school.

2. Shane Battier

Shane Battier Jeopardy

2. Shane Battier

Shane Battier Jeopardy — Battier was a two-time Academic All-American and was named Academic All-American of the Year in 2001. A graduate of Duke University, he's earned the reputation as being one of the smartest NBA players on and off the court.

Battier was a two-time Academic All-American and was named Academic All-American of the Year in 2001. A graduate of Duke University, he's earned the reputation as being one of the smartest NBA players on and off the court.

1. Craig Breslow

Craig Breslow Jeopardy

1. Craig Breslow

Craig Breslow Jeopardy — Breslow double-majored in molecular biophysics and biochemistry while captaining the baseball team at Yale. He's pitched for seven teams over his 10-year MLB career and is widely regarded as one of the smartest men in baseball.

Breslow double-majored in molecular biophysics and biochemistry while captaining the baseball team at Yale. He's pitched for seven teams over his 10-year MLB career and is widely regarded as one of the smartest men in baseball.

Walter Bergeson is a writer for www.Rantsports.com. Follow him on twitter @WalterBSports or add him to your network on Google

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