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25 fittest guys

Men's Fitness, June-July, 2006

They've won championships, Oscars, and Grammys. They've fought in Super Bowls, boardrooms, and even in the military. They've worked hard, completed the, toughest jobs, performed the impossible. For MF's salute to the fittest men of the year, we've selected guys who, when facing a wall that separates them from their dreams, haven't just climbed over the obstacle--they've crashed right through it.

The Lord of the Ring

Ben Roethlisberger, 24

Findlay, Ohio

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MF-APPROVED BECAUSE: At just 23 years old--an age when most guys are hunting for their first legit 9-to-5 job--Roethlisberger quarterbacked the Pittsburgh Steelers to a 21-10 victory over the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XL. With that victory he became the youngest quarterback ever to try on an NFL championship ring, breaking the record previously held by the league's golden boy, Tom Brady. To go along with his new jewelry, Roethlisberger sports a glittering 27-4 win/loss record for his first two years in the league, playing what is generally regarded as the most difficult position in all of sports. Not bad for a guy who wasn't allowed to play quarterback until his senior year at Findlay High School because the coach's son was starting ahead of him.

But the most interesting thing about this pigskin-flinging prodigy, who's known to bust a bushy beard and hoard six motorcycles in his garage, is not his eye-popping record. It's the way Roethlisberger plays the game. He competes with an unmistakable swagger that's reminiscent of some of football's all-time greats--namely John Elway and Dan Marino. Says Roethlisberger, "Growing up, I always wanted an arm like Marino or Elway. So if I could be like anybody, I'd want to be like those two guys."

Now, having already conquered the world, what can Big Ben do for an encore? "Well," says the crown prince of the NFL, "you either improve or you deteriorate. The goal every year is to win the Super Bowl, so I'm always working hard to get better."

FIT FACTOR: At 6'5" and 241 pounds, Roethlisberger is built like a linebacker, but he's blessed with a wickedly potent rocket-launcher of an arm. He's considered a physical specimen even in a league known for its freakish athletes. But despite his imposing size, the quarterback readily admits he's not exactly tossing Volkswagens around the weight room like some of his gargantuan teammates. "As a QB, it's not good if I get too bulky," he says. "I'd rather have the kind of muscles that are long and lean."

Staying nimble has helped Roethlisberger dodge some laser-guided missiles posing as linebackers on the football field, and it has also served him well in other arenas. By his own recollection, Roethlisberger averaged 29 points per game as a point guard for his high school basketball team. "Basketball is my first love. I wanted to play in college, but my football coach told me it wasn't such a great idea. Coach Hoeppner's a pretty smart guy." No kidding.

The Show Saver

Andy Samberg, 27

Berkeley, Calif.

MF-APPROVED BECAUSE: His low-budget homage to gangster rap, cupcakes, and the Chronic-What?-Cles of Narnia, "Lazy Sunday" catapulted him from unknown SNL newbie to Internet sensation. Badass and brazen enough to land the late-night gig by impersonating Jimmy Fallon at a funeral, he's the best thing to happen to live television this year.

FIT FACTOR: At 5'9", the slim but well-built Samberg has shown he is a comedic force to be reckoned with: He's gone from making shorts with his friends to creating and rapping in skits with hotties like Natalie Portman.

The Hard Hitter

Joe Calzaghe, 33

Newbridge, Wales

MF-APPROVED BECAUSE: He's the longest-reigning champion in professional boxing, yet somehow he's the best-kept secret since the Manhattan Project. In the summer, this 41-0 "Italian Dragon; the IBF and WBO super middleweight champion, hopes to raise his prone by battling American Roy Jones Jr.

FIT FACTOR: Like a true champion, Calzaghe doesn't know the meaning of the word quit. After breaking his hand early in a 2005 bout against Evans Ashira, he continued fighting--one-handed. "It was excruciating agony even in the clinches" Calzaghe has said. "But I was never going to give up. I'm a very proud boxer, and I'd rather get beat up than pull out."

The Chairman of the Board

Jake Burton, 52

New York

MF-APPROVED BECAUSE: Jake Burton is more than the savvy businessman behind the brand that transformed snowboarding into a multimillion-dollar industry; he's a ripper himself. While Burton, who started his company in 1977, sell makes some of the best boards out there--both Shaun White and Hannah Teter were tiding Burton's goods this year while winning gold at the Winter Olympics in Totino--he's also committed to strapping in himself at least 100 days per season.

FIT FACTOR: It's not always easy for Burton to hit the slopes so often, but he remains steadfast in his goal. One April, Burton had ridden only 91 days, so he hiked up Stowe Mountain in Vermont every day until he hit l00--even though the mountain was closed for the season.

25 fittest guys

Men's Fitness, June-July, 2006

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