By Paul M. Banks

As the 2000s wrap up, it reminds us how it was a decade in which sports television media started prioritizing “hottie tokenism” in their hiring practices. Networks literally started hiring bikini models and beauty pageant winners to be reporters. The broadcasts didn’t stress eye candy in every new female on-air personality, but they did in many of them. Some of these “hotties” have done a serviceable job, but many fall short.

The new media landscape has also influenced the move towards stressing looks over talent, as all the names below are search engine gold. So many of these women emerged that the term “sideline princess” was coined somewhere along the way. The rankings below are not based on “hotness” or journalistic skills, but popularity. Of course, those first two factors often help determine that popularity.

So let the debates begin. For more on each sideline princess, click their name where highlighted.

1. Erin Andrews

Have you seen the XM satellite radio commercial mentioning how Elvis altered the course of music history, Michael Jordan revolutionized sports, Richard Pryor redefined comedy and Howard Stern changed the landscape of radio? EA is that person for female sports reporters. When we found out this year about her secretly being videotaped by some deranged pervert, her victimhood vaulted her already stratospheric star level up another notch.

2. Jill Arrington

The former Miami Hurricanes tennis player and Orange Bowl queen caused near hysteria when she first started appearing on screen in tight black pants, and polo shirts clinging to her skin. Arrington won the first ever America’s sexiest sports caster poll hosted by playboy in 2001. Last year, EA took the crown.

3. Melissa Stark

Yes, she’s disappeared from view in recent years; which is more an indictment of NBC Sports than it is of her. However, she was on Monday Night Football for three years, granting her a top 5 slot. She’s also married with child to a Goldman Sachs employee, which means I regret even placing her on this list.

4. Charissa Thompson

Charissa is much more well known (especially for her pants, which are so tight they’re practically under her skin) in the Midwest than overall nationally. However, her NFL on Fox sideline gigs have brought more national exposure recently. I would say the same about her NHL on Versus work, but the NHL comes about sixth or seventh (behind NASCAR and slightly ahead of MMA) in the sporting landscape these days and about six whole people in this country have Versus in their cable package.

5. Trenni Kusnierek

Are former Sports Bank contributors truly eligible for this list? Yes, especially when they REALLY know their baseball and have moved on to bigger and better gigs like MLB Network. This list is highly subjective and arbitrary to begin with. And since her move to New York, Trenni’s mass appeal has grown by leaps and bounds.

6. Wendy Nix

Her boxy glasses that scream “naughty librarian” and Kathleen-Turner-in-her-prime style voice make her the overall favorite to a special niche audience of sports geeks. Thanks to sidelinehotties.com for the photo above.

7. Bonnie Bernstein

One of the most beautiful, talented and professional reporters on this list. We didn’t really believe the rumors that she hooked up with Bill Belichick, did we?

8. Jillian Barberie Reynolds

The Fox NFL weather girl is in “Cougartown” (age wise) these days, but she certainly helped redefine the “genre” at the beginning of this decade.  She was blogged about extensively this summer for saying Erin Andrews was “hot,” and she’s also currently a star of a reality series entitled “House Husbands”.   

9. Lindsay Soto

Some of you may be like, “who?” but when a NHL player checks out your rack on live television (see video below), you’ll “earn” a lot of internet popularity and grab a spot on this list.

10. Jenn Brown

Really on this list only for the Twitter and search engine hysteria she caused this fall, but her insane following on the internet is so huge, the bikini model could very well be the next Erin Andrews. People throw that term around a lot, but in her case it’s likely true. Given that Florida was the unquestioned “Jock University of the decade,” it’s fitting that two former Gators bookend this list.

Just missed:

-Jenn Sterger: Maybe she’ll make next decade’s list, now that she’s removed her breast implants? Maybe not.

-Alex Flanagan/Krista Voda: remember this is a decade list, not a 2007-present list

-The girl on Big Ten Network who just graduated from Penn State and always dresses sleazy on air

Honorable Mention:

Ashley Russell, Hazel Mae, Michelle Beadle, Lisa Guerrero, Stacey Dales, Pam Oliver, Lisa Cornwell, Elizabeth Moreau, Rebecca Grant, and of course the nominees for 2009’s poll which haven’t been mentioned yet.

Possibly Related Posts:

• Why do NFL pregame shows suck so badly?
• Alleged Jenn Sterger-Brett Favre text saga Hilariously set to Music
• Which Jenn, Sterger or Brown, will be Erin Andrews’ Successor?
• UCF Football has Miss July going for it, Not much else
• Deadspin Claims Favre left Jenn Sterger sexually creepy photos/messages

>

Trackback Post