Scott Elliott Maxwell was born prematurely on January 21, 1969, of humble beginnings in Knoxville, Tennessee. Although weak and frail, the infant Maxwell stared out of his incubator and vowed to make his mark. Today, perhaps, he has achieved his goal. This underrated, underappreciated, and often misunderstood human being has been named the ESPN's Athlete of the Century.

Maxwell is such a magnificent athlete that he almost transcends sport. The question isn't "what can he do?", it is "what can't he do?".

The early years
As a youngster, Maxwell eschewed the more glamorous team sports and dominated the obscure. His amateur career began in 1977 with a 3rd place finish in the 440 at the prestigious Buster Brown Knoxville Track Classic. Always seeking a challenge, Scott put his track career on hold to following in his brothers' footsteps --- Ford Punt, Pass, and Kick. The locals still tell stories about the young redhead who captured two titles in three years. Sadly, the ups and downs of his traumatic personal life, which have always weighed heavily on Maxwell, plagued him even at this young age, keeping him one step shy of national glory.

The formative years
While puberty shaped his body, Maxwell blossomed into the athlete we know today. Hours of weightlifting and the Hershel Walker Sit-up Workout turned the skinny, long-haired Peppermint Patty into the powerful, muscular Thoroughbred, of high school athletic stardom. One of Bearden Senior High School's only three-sport lettermen, the strapping teenager starred in football, cross-country, and track. Maxwell, who would have easily obtained college football scholarship offers had he not been persecuted by the high school coach for his religious beliefs, never held a grudge, content with his role as special team wedge buster.

Unable to participate simultanously in three Fall sports, the prep sports world never experienced Scott's hoop mastery. Honed on the chain-net, blacktop playgrounds of his youth, Maxwell's basketball ability could be summed up simply as scoring machine. Blessed with a soft touch, lightning quick elevation, and no comprehension of the word pass, Scott was a threat from anywhere on the court. He would often toy with the competition, taking half court shots on a fast break, or driving one-on-four while two teammates stood alone under the basket.

During this time, Maxwell also developed one of his greatest talents. Manhood had brought many physical changes, more than a little facial hair and bulging muscles. Facinated by records and statistics, he pushed himself to be the best. Spending hours locked in his bedroom, Scott mastered the techniques required for frequency, accuracy, and distance --- setting new levels of performance, only to break them again and again.

The glory years
"Is he trying to kill himself?"
     ---anonymous
As he entered his college years, Maxwell was a full-fledged testosterone-fueled physical specimen --- an ideal blend of sheer will, speed, endurance, and power. Every inch of his 6 foot frame was packed with 235 lbs of rock hard muscle. Marathon exercise sessions at the University of Tennessee's Bubble prepared him for a stint as a walk-on player for the powerful tradition-rich Volunteers. During his workouts, onlookers were amazed as he Max-ed out several Nautilus machines and tore rowing machines away from their foundations. Nothing could or would stop him. His accomplishments became legendary. The basketball wizardry continued. New sports were added. New records broken.

"Let 'em think about that for a while"
     ---playground legend, Ronnie Davis
Sadly, even during this highpoint in his superstar career, Scott was still haunted by his personal demons. At times his twisted thoughts, magnified by the effects of alcohol, manifested themselves in the form of violent outbursts. On occasion he threatened physical violence, proclaiming he would "tear the head off" of any person that challenged him. He vowed to throw a close friend "through the Earth". This deep-rooted anger was often used to intimidate his rivals. Demonstrations of his strength became commonplace. A college bar or fraternity hangout was silenced on many occasions by the intoxicated Maxwell diving headlong across the room, his fist smashing into a mechanical punching machine.

Life goes on
The one thing that separates the true greats from all the others that have played the game is consistency. As Maxwell enters his 30's, nothing has really changed. Scott is still the physical marvel of old times, able to eat the entire menu at Taco Bell or McDonald's, wash it down with five pitchers of beer and still beat Larry Bird in a three point shootout while wearing dress shoes.

Has he lost a step? I seriously doubt it, he may have even gained one. He may not have the power of his youth, but experience and finesse make him impossible to beat.

Does the competitive fire still burn? Oh yes, you bet, it is still there burning bright. This is a man who has walked ten miles home in the rain, just to prove he can do it. Fortunately for his competition, time has taught Scott how to tone it down when necessary. Not many of our Top 100 Athletes have ever showed up for an intramural football game wearing nothing but a high school graduation robe.

Like so many of our heroes, Scott Maxwell may not be perfect. He isn't a a role model for your son, or the guy you want your daughter to date, but he is a legend. He is a man of epic accomplishments. He has excelled in the face of adversity and done it with a charm that is endearing and unique to the world of sport. This is what makes him --- The Century's Best.

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