While Venus and Serena top the female list the athletes at the top of the male list may surprise you considering more recent events.

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Among the male athletes, the first somewhat surprising result is that Bryant and Woods stood atop the list despite run-ins with serious marital concerns, both of which were made very public, and for Woods was very recent. Of course these results are only somewhat surprising, as professional male athletes typically find it easier to transgress social boundaries with regard to promiscuity. Thus, perhaps it should not be terribly surprising for Tiger and Kobe to still be widely popular among the American public. What is remarkable is that Bryant was the most popular athlete among females polled.

Click here to see both Top 10 lists:  http://bleacherreport.com/articles/423791-americas-favorite-athletes-results-reflect-societal-values

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