FanHouse Ashley Force

PostmanE already told you that funny car drag racer Ashley Force massacred softball hottie Jennie Finch to win the crown as AOL Sports' hottest athlete. So what is it that makes Ashley so hot? Is it her looks? Her fame? Her driving prowess? Is it her accessibility to her fans? The fact that she races for a family mom-and-pop style operation? I think her dominance throughout the tournament, including mop-up jobs of Danica Patrick, Anna Rawson, Gretchen Bleiler, Paula Creamer, and Jennie Finch, indicates it was probably a combination of all the aforementioned factors.

Let me make a suggestion for you: take a look at some of the comments from previous rounds of the tournament and you'll get a sense of Force's fervent fan base. Most voters seemed to be taken by Force's natural beauty. Additionally, many of the voters seemed to be particularly intrigued and awe-stricken by Ashley's athletic ability. There aren't many people in the world, much less beautiful women, who can handle an automobile at speeds upwards of 300mph.

Also do yourself a favor and check out the interview Ashley gave to Dave Hollander in response to being crowned the hottest female athlete. You truly get the sense that Ashley knows her fans have recognized her success and have helped her gain popularity:

And it wasn't even close: Ashley Force, she of the funny car drag racing -- which isn't exactly a sport that sends men into dreamy thoughts of female beauty -- has decisively taken down the field in the AOL Sports Hot Female Athlete Contest, rolling Jennie Finch in the final 79%-21%.

That's a really impressive victory, given Finch's established status as one of the most beautiful women in sports, and high name-recognition among most people. Finch and Force are both in fringe sports, but Finch is by far the more famous of the two, rendering Force's win that much more unlikely.

But the fun doesn't end there. Force will now face off against Tom Brady, who took home an equally decisive title over Andy Roddick in the Hot Male Athlete bracket. How exactly these two people will graded against one another is beyond me. As a guy, I'm fully willing to admit that Tom Brady is a handsome fellow -- and he certainly has an enviable life -- but when it comes to "hotness," is any straight guy going to take Brady over Force? Likewise, is any straight gal going to vote against Brady? Who will hit the polls harder: men or women? Not to mention homosexual voting patterns and the key bisexual swing vote. The politics are mind-boggling.

I do know this, though: Ashley Force is your female champ. And no amount of sexual confusion in the final round can rob her of her hotness.

Well, the man sitting here typing all this doesn't have a whole lot of credibility left after his pick to win it all made a first round tournament exit like it were a Kansas Jayhawks team in March. Shortly after that, everyone's favorite Playboy poser, Amanda Beard, was eliminated. Which now brings us to the Fab Four that's open to your vote.

Remaining are hotties Maria Sharapova, Jennie Finch, Ashley Force, and Danica Patrick. Gone are the golfers, Natalie Gulbis and Paula Creamer, as well as Karina Petroni, and Heather Mitts.


Sharapova vs. Finch: If this isn't a marquee matchup between two heavyweights in the female sports world, then I don't know what is. Their similarities are endless -- tall, hot, athletic, blond ... it's hard to find anything bad to say about either of them. Sharapova is more in the public eye these days, as she's still doing well in the tennis world -- in between her trips to Chernobyl. Finch has settled in as a married woman, that is, when she's not analyzing fantasy baseball. Since both of them have pretty much run through their competition up until this point, it will be a tough call. If pressed, I'd have to say Sharapova gets the nod for her immediate presence on the sports scene. Now, if I were in a room with the two of them and only had one choice, I'd probably go with Jennie. Should we all be so blessed to have such a "decision" on our hands.

The geniuses at AOL Sports came up with an idea to hold a hottest athlete in sports tournament. On one side of the draw are the hottest males, and on the other are the hottest females. That's where I come in. I'm going to look into my crystal ball and tell you some of the sleepers, predict the final four and then crown who I think will be the champion. So, without further ado ...

Sleeper Picks

(8) Allison Stokke - An eight-seed for this hottie is an utter joke. With her tan and muscle tone, she'll run through opponents like the 2005 Steelers in the playoffs. Stokke might not enjoy all the publicity she's received, but over a million YouTube views of a high school interview says she'll be tough to beat no matter what.

(10) Candace Parker - She's already tested well on the Would You Do ... scale, making me think she could have some legs in this tourney. Plain and simple, she's super girl-next-door cute, and her ballin' skills make her even hotter (I don't care who she's dating).

(13) Tanith Belbin - Just look to your right and think of all the possibilities. You simply cannot beat that type of flexibility.

(16) Cassie Johnson - She gives you a reason to tune into curling. Need I say more?