Looks and image are still two of the major driving forces that can turn a gifted athlete into a known and respected crossover star capable of hawking any product put in front of them. It's not just the corporate world that's guilty of giving preferential treatment to the "beautiful people"; teams are placing great stock into the image and marketability of an athlete and in particular are looking for what a player can contribute to a team off the field, above and beyond what they can provide on the field. Consider this example of soccer power Real Madrid and their decision between two players

	Ronaldinho's attractive style of play was overlooked by Real Madrid. (Source: AP)

In the summer of 2003 when the soccer transfer market was at the height of its frenzy, Spanish league heavyweights Real Madrid were ready to make a big splash with a major player acquisition and were sidled with a tough decision between two midfield talents. Do you opt to bring in a midfielder who has immeasurable talent, and who at the age of 23 still has his best days ahead of him? Or do you take the player with international brand recognition, the face that adorn posters on the walls of millions of kids and who at age 28 is still a serviceable player but has clearly already reached his peak and is infact slowly creeping towards having a reduced impact. The decision was between Ronaldinho and David Beckham, with Real Madrid opting to sign Beckham. The decision didn't really come down so much to factors on the field as it did off. Real Madrid thought the buck-toothed Brazilian wasn't "attractive" enough to fit in with the image of the team, so they opted for the Hollywood looks and fame of Beckham to sell jerseys and bring greater international attention.

Fast forward two years later and Ronaldinho is now the top soccer player in the world and his Barcelona club continues to edge out Beckham's Real Madrid team. This is just one situation where sacrificing off field success for achievements accomplished on the field is a hard argument to justify. With winning comes increased attention and thus improved business opportunities. Real Madrid simply tried cutting the corner with the acquisition of Beckham.

Not to be outdone by looks, image and "street cred" have become invaluable and necessary factors when it comes to selling an athlete. Of course it all depends on the sport. Hockey fans for instance typically embrace humble and accessible players. Hockey players with strong or overbearing personalities are often viewed as abrasive, arrogant and prima donnas. Jeremy Roenick is a love 'em or hate 'em guy. I personally love him, because I think one of the NHL's problems is that they don't market individual players well enough partly because a lot of the guys aren't engaging enough to build a marketing program around.

An example of the importance of reputation and respect in the eyes of consumers is Kobe Bryant. Even before his sexual assault court case, Kobe was heavily out shadowed in the corporate world by Allen Iverson. A.I. has the look and the street cred that brings relevance to what he's selling. In the audiences' eyes Kobe didn't have that same reputation which helps explain why he got booed at the 2002 All-Star Game in Philadelphia (his home town) and why despite being arguably the NBA's greatest talent Kobe continues to struggle to make inroads with the NBA's core audience and fan base.

The best way to understand the importance that street cred and reputation have in the NBA is to look at the world of rap and hip-hop. The NBA and the world of hip-hop are tied together like a felony and a Trail Blazer or a child born out of wed lock and Shawn Kemp so it's only natural to use the example of Ja Rule to illustrate the importance that reputation can make.

	Ja Rule's image wasn't helped by the Honda Accord fiasco. (Source: MTV)

Ja Rule was tried earlier this month in a Toronto court for an assault last year when he punched a guy in a T.O. nightclub who taunted him for being a "Wanksta" or in other words a fugazi, a phony. Of course Ja Rule's career has been in a tailspin ever since 50 Cent's song ruined Ja Rule's reputation, especially when there wasn't a proper response back. Anyways, I'm convinced that Ja wanted the assault charge to be played up as much as possible just to try and gain back some of his lost respect. As the trial adjourned, the rapper and his entourage proceeded to walk across the street to what they believed was a waiting limousine. The limo wasn't waiting for them. In front of the media and in front of the court house they had to embarrassingly file out of the vehicle and concoct a plan to save face. They decided to huddle up in a coffee shop until their proper ride arrived. Minutes later a two door Honda Accord arrived and Ja Rule and his entourage piled in like it was a clown car! You can't make this stuff up and this is just the type of thing that separates someone like Ja Rule from someone like 2Pac or in NBA terms someone like Doug Christie from Shaq. Image is everything. How you carry yourself is how people will treat you. To be a true superstar athlete you can't have people thinking of you as the guy in the broken down hatchback.

Image, street cred and looks are obviously just part of the equation of what makes a good player a superstar. There are a slew of other factors that make up the whole equation.

Unique Name: This may seem inconsequential but we all know Carmelo, LeBron, Shaq, Tiger, Gretzky, etc. by just one name. That's strong brand power.

The Excite Factor: Do you watch their games just to see what they'll do next? Each LeBron James game is a must see for this very reason; what will he do next?

Unique Defining Feature: This is sometimes hard to quantify but each superstar has that one ability or talent that has become their calling card: Mario Lemieux has the incredible vision and reach; Brett Favre has the fearlessness and gunslinger mentality.

Clutch Performer: What good is a superstar if they can't perform in the clutch? Think Jordan hitting the game winning shot on Utah, Curt Schilling defying the odds and gutting out playoff wins, Tom Brady coming up big in Super Bowls.

Mainstream Crossover Ability: Does Oprah's audience know who you are? Do people outside the realm of true sports fans know who you are and what sport you play?

Easily Identifiable as the Best Player and Talent in Their Respective Sport: This can take an athlete to another level of superstardom. Few players actually fit into this category. Think Tiger Woods, and Roy Jones Jr. ignoring the last two years.