Sometimes it's more than just a game.  Sport has the power to effect, and be effected by, the forces of history in ways that few other institutions can.  It can both incite and unite, change minds and inflame passions.  The following moments spilled over from the sports page to the front page, transcending the game to leave an indelible mark upon the course of history.

1)  Jackie Robinson debuts with the Brooklyn Dodgers, April 15, 1947----Dodgers owner Branch Rickey was looking for someone "with guts enough not to fight back." In that way, Jackie Robinson was the perfect person to break the color barrier: courageous, resilient, and perhaps most importantly, one hell of a ballplayer. America was fresh off victory in Europe, a society coming to terms with a changing identity and new, more prominent place in the world. For many, baseball seemed like the one constant to cling to, a haven existing outside of the changing times, symbolizing all that was right in American life. When a black man suddenly stepped up to the plate in one of America's most hallowed stadiums, in its biggest city, wearing the colors of one its most beloved teams, that haven seemed to be crumbling. Right away, Jackie became a lighting rod for vicious racially-motivated hostility, both from fans, opponents, and even some of his own teammates. Through it all, Jackie just continued to do what he knew best, play ball. His number 42 now adorns every major league stadium, retired to all players, a symbol of the shared impact he made not only on his sport, but on American life even to this day.

2)  Joe Louis vs Max Schmeling, June 22, 1938 ---- After beating Louis in 1936, German wunderkind Max Schmeling had ingratiated himself as Hitler's darling, a supposed paragon of Aryan superiority.  Two years later, Nazi fervor was at its peak and war was just over the horizon.  A rematch was scheduled that summer, taking on a world of meaning as a battle of both race and country in a preamble to the growing world conflict.  FDR himself chided "Joe, we need muscles like yours to beat Germany." The symbolism deepened as Schmeling's Nazi publicist announced that their prize money would go to build German tanks.  At Yankee Stadium, in front of over 70,000 spectators, the Brown Bomber resoundingly defeated Maximilian in just under 2 minutes to become a nationwide source of pride across racial lines.

3)  Massacre at the 1972 Munich Olympics, September 5, 1972 ----It was 4:30 AM on the night of September 5th, 1972, and the Israeli Olympic team were fast asleep in their apartments within Munich's Olympic Village after a night out. Suddenly, eight masked men burst in carrying assault rifles and grenades.  Despite putting up a fight, two Israelis were killed outright while nine others were taken hostage.  Claiming to represent the terrorist organization Black September, the kidnappers demanded the release and safe passage of over 200 predominately Palestinian prisoners jailed in Israel.  Refusing to negotiate, the Israeli and German authorities instead pretended to provide the terrorists transport to Cairo, planning to ambush them during the plane boarding. However, the rescue attempt was badly botched, and when the dust settled, 11 Israelis, 1 German, and 5 of the terrorists lay dead.

5)  The Rugby World Cup in South Africa, June 1995 ---- A year after Nelson Mandela had been elected president, effectively bringing an end to South African apartheid, the country was thrust onto the world stage as hosts of the 1995 Rugby World Cup.  In a country still bearing the scars of a divided populace, to non-whites the national Rugby team, the Springboks, represented oppression and prejudice.  Mandela recognized that if he could bring about a shared pride in the national team, it would go a long way towards uniting the country. Slowly, whites and blacks alike began to rally around the Springboks as they knocked off one team after the other to ultimately face New Zealand, a team considered to be nearly invincible, in the finals.  As Mandela sported the Springbok colors, captain François Pienaar propelled his team to an improbable victory, bringing South Africans of all races together in a scene that only months earlier had seemed unthinkable.

8)  Jack Johnson vs James Jeffries, July 4, 1910 ---- In the early 20th Century, Jack Johnson was the most well known African American on the planet, accumulating over 50 victories and capturing the World Heavyweight title in 1908 that had just a year earlier been off limits to blacks.  Racial outrage at this perceived injustice prompted a widespread call for a "Great White Hope" to take the title back for the white race.  One after the other fell to Johnson before the former undefeated heavyweight champion James Jeffries emerged from retirement, citing a feeling of obligation to "demonstrate that a white man is king of them all." So it was that on July 4, 1910, the match billed as "The Fight of the Century" took place in front of 20,000 people in Reno, Nevada.  Johnson pummeled Jeffries for 15 rounds before Jeffries' handlers called the fight, hoping to avoid the impending knockout that would further humiliate the supposed "Great White Hope." The outcome sparked riots across the country as black revelers clashed with angry whites, ultimately leading to 25 deaths.

9)  "Blood in the Water" match between Hungary and the USSR, December 6, 1956 ---- 1956 was drawing to a close, and while Hungarian athletes were off competing in the Melbourne summer games, back home their countrymen were still reeling from the devastating carnage of a failed revolution against the Soviet occupation.  When the Hungarian water polo team met the USSR in a hotly-contested semifinal match, it goes without saying that there was no love lost between the two bitter rivals.  Over the course of a brutally physical bout, the Hungarian nationals mounted a 4-0 lead.  Finally, the frenzy reached its breaking point when Soviet Valentin Prokopov struck Hungarian captain Ervin Zador, opening a bloody gash that immediately set off the Hungarian-dominated crowd into a near riot.  A victorious Hungary would go on beat Yugoslavia in the finals to win Olympic gold, restoring some semblance of dignity to an embattled nation.

10)  Pat Tillman leaves football to fight in Iraq, 2002 ---- A promising defensive back for the Arizona Cardinals, Pat Tillman would forgo a $3.6 million contract to instead serve his country. He took part in the initial invasion of Iraq before being deployed to Afghanistan, where on April 22, 2004, he was killed by friendly fire.  What followed was a cover-up that rose to the highest ranks of the military, as authorities scrambled to protect public perception of the war effort by purporting that Pat had died heroically as a result of enemy fire. Congressional inquiries would later prove that superiors had warned witnesses not to divulge the true nature of his death, ultimately contributing further to the growing distrust of government and anti-war sentiment.

Baseball is a game of legends, larger-than-life stars ever ingrained in our public psyche. However, all too often, the off-the-field personalities get lost in the shuffle, dwarfed in the eyes of history by the Babe Ruths and Jackie Robinsons of the world.  Here then is the Mount Rushmore of those other legends, the pioneers and innovators that built baseball into the game it is today.  

1)  Alexander Cartwright, Jr.-- In truth, there is no big bang of baseball, no moment when the inspiration for what would become the American Pastime was beamed down from the heavens. For centuries, men had played cricket, rounders, and other various contests featuring bat and ball. However, if you're going to point to one man who truly set the wheels of baseball in motion, that man is Alexander Cartwright. Cartwright was a bank teller and volunteer firefighter who for many years had played various ball games around the parks of New York City. Though many of these games roughly resembled what we now know as modern baseball, Cartwright showed up one day with some new found inspiration. As his friend Duncan Curry recalls of that Spring afternoon in 1845, "Cartwright came to the field...with his plans drawn up on a paper.... He had laid out a diamond shaped field with canvas bags filled with sand or sawdust for bases at three of the points and an iron plate for home base. He had arranged for a catcher, a pitcher, three basemen, a short fielder and three outfielders. His plan met with much good-natured derision, but he was so persistent in having us try his new game that we finally consented more to humor him than with any thought of it becoming a reality." Cartwright would proceed to codify a set of accepted rules and engineer what is widely accepted today as the first organized baseball game between his Knickerbockers and the New York Club at the Elysian Fields in Hoboken, New Jersey, June 19th, 1846. Three years later, lured by the California gold craze, Cartwright began trekking westward, along which he would spread the gospel of baseball. Barely twenty years following that day in Hoboken, there were thought to be over a thousand organized baseball clubs scattered across the country.

Note: Though many think of Abner Doubleday as the creator of baseball, history has all but proven this to be myth. In 1907, The Mills Commission, appointed to determine the origin of baseball, concluded that "the first scheme for playing baseball, according to the best evidence obtainable to date, was devised by Abner Doubleday at Cooperstown, New York, in 1839." However, Doubleday never claimed this distinction in any of his writings, and it was even determined that at the date of the alleged invention, Doubleday was a cadet at West Point, his family having moved away from Cooperstown a year prior. Adding further doubt is the fact that the primary testimony on behalf of Doubleday lay with a man named Abner Graves, who after shooting his wife two years later wound up spending the rest of his life in an insane asylum. So yea, not the most credible of witnesses.  On June 3, 1953, Alexander Cartwright was officially declared by Congress to be the inventor of modern baseball.

2)  Henry Chadwick-- Often the best way of conferring legitimacy upon something is simply by committing it to paper. A British-born journalist in the mid-nineteenth century, Chadwick was one of the first to cover the infant game in print, writing up game summaries for the New York Clipper.  In it, Chadwick originated the box score, giving birth to a national obsession with baseball statistics and records that persists to this day. He also penned the "Base Ball Manual" and "Beadle's Dime Base Ball Player," guide books in which he described rules, techniques, and star players of the game.  The American Pastime was on its way.

3)  Harry Frazee-- History has not been kind to Mr. Frazee. The infamous former owner of the fledgling Boston Red Sox will forever be linked to the disastrous transaction that sent Babe Ruth to the Yankees, damning the Sox to nearly a century of futility.  However, that may not be the only raw deal Frazee got. In truth, and this is coming from a die-hard Red Sox fan, Frazee had his hands tied, making a move that almost any other owner in his position would have made. For starters, Ruth was the ultimate diva of his day, a drunk, a womanizer, a hothead (at one point throwing a punch at an umpire), an egomaniac, and the farthest thing from a team player. During the 1919 season, Ruth refused to continue pitching, continually undermined his manager, and even went 'Manny being Manny' on his teammates by pulling himself out of the last few games of the season. That year, the Sox would finish sixth (in the two years following his departure, they would actually climb a spot to fifth). After that season, Ruth demanded that his salary be doubled, an unheard-of figure that Frazee simply could not pay. Ruth then proclaimed that he wouldn't play until his demands were met, all but forcing Frazee to negotiate a trade. Due to an ongoing dispute with American League president Ban Johnson, Frazee was effectively banned from dealing with any team but the White Sox and Yankees, two teams that also defied Johnson's corrupt reign. (Johnson's hatred of Frazee in part stemmed from his belief that Frazee was Jewish, violating an unwritten rule within the game to keep Jews out of the ranks of ownership. Frazee was in fact Presbyterian.)  It's hard to fathom that the only other offer on the table would actually have been more catastrophic than the one that ultimately transpired, but that's exactly the case. The White Sox offered up superstar "Shoeless" Joe Jackson and cash, an intriguing offer were it not for the fact that just months later, Jackson would be suspended for life for his role in the Black Sox scandal. At the time, the Ruth transaction was actually seen by many as being favorable for the Red Sox. In subsequent years, numerous inaccuracies were perpetuated about the Sox owner, many of which were motivated by the ongoing belief in his Jewishness and the notion that a cash-strapped Frazee selfishly sold Ruth to finance his landmark play No, No, Nanette. (which actually didn't come out until six years later) As we all know, Ruth would go on to transform the Yankees into a dynasty while the Red Sox would go titleless for 86 years. Whatever blame Frazee deserves, the impact of his decision upon the future course of the game is impossible to deny. For more on Frazee's misplaced maligning, check out the illuminating Glenn Stout piece 'A Curse Born of Hate.'

4)  Kennesaw Mountain Landis-- When in 1921, baseball decided that it was finally necessary to bring in a commissioner, the game was reeling from the revelations of a fixed World Series.  That commissioner was Kennesaw Mountain Landis.  Upon the appointment, The Sporting News summarized Kennesaw's stated mission: "to clean out the crookedness and the gambling responsible for it and keep the sport above reproach...he would have no mercy on any man in baseball, be he magnate or player, whose conduct was not strictly honest...The Judge will be the absolute ruler of the game."  During his time in office, Landis did indeed rule with an iron fist, at once banishing the eight guilty players who had conspired to throw the World Series in the infamous Black Sox scandal. The ruling that was ultimately established-- 'Any player, umpire, club or league official or employee who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any baseball game in connection with which the bettor had a duty to perform shall be declared permanently ineligible'-- would go on to be the damning assertion used against Pete Rose several decades later.
Under his reign, Landis also helped usher in the live ball era.  From 1903-1921, small ball had been the order of the day, as a series of factors contributed to an unprecedented decline in offense.  Among them was the common practice of leaving baseballs in play for much of the game until they were brown with dirt, making it harder for batters to pick up while in flight.  Balls also became softer with repeated usage, resulting in a greater difficulty to drive with power over the course of the game.  Upon assuming power, Landis immediately legislated that balls be removed from play at the first sign of wear, causing an immediate uptick in offense as batters could not only see pitches better, but when they did, it would travel further on contact.   Landis also outlawed the spitball, further shifting advantage away from the pitcher.  From 1903-1919, the league-wide ERA had been 2.80.  In the decade that followed, it had jumped to 4.00.   Upon his death in 1944, Landis had transformed the game, restoring both its excitement and integrity.

5) Mel Allen and Red Barber- Baseball on the radio would make its debut in the summer of 1921, as a man named Harold Arlin called the Pirates-Phillies match to an almost non-existent audience. However, it would be over a decade more before baseball received its true airwave ambassadors in Allen and Barber.  Known and beloved primarily as the voices of the Yankees and Dodgers respectively, Melvin Israel and William Barber were the first truly iconic broadcasters in American sports history. Initially concerned that radio would discourage people from actually showing up to the park, owners soon found the medium to be an unparalleled promotional tool for their sport (not to mention a great way to generate additional income).  By the 1940's, Barber's presence was so ubiquitous in Brooklyn, The Daily News mused "A person could cover the length of the beach of Coney Island and never lose his voice."  Perfectly suited to the pace and nature of the game, radio was instrumental in broadening the game's reach and appeal, expanding fan bases and turning local stars into national heroes.

6)  Branch Rickey-- There is perhaps no man more responsible for changing the complexion, both literally and figuratively, of the modern game more than that of Branch Rickey.  When Rickey was named the general manager of the St Louis Cardinals in 1925, minor league teams operated independently of big league clubs, auctioning off their top prospects to the highest bidder.  Rickey decided to buck the system, buying his own minor league clubs through which he could develop talent and directly funnel players to his major league franchise.   It took only a single year as GM before the Cards captured their first World Series, and in time the homegrown talent of Pepper Martin, Stan Musial, and Dizzy Dean would take three more pennants for the Gashouse Gang between 1928-1932. By 1940, Rickey's farm had steadily expanded into an empire, claiming ownership of an astounding 32 teams while maintaining working agreements with 8 others.  Rickey moved on to the Dodgers in 1942, where he would continue his prowess in developing young talent, producing such stars as Duke Snider and Gil Hodges from within the organization.  However, his most important achievement was the signing of Jackie Robinson from the Negro League's Kansas City Monarchs in 1945.  Upon his major league debut two years later, Robinson would bring a pennant to Brooklyn, opening up the doors to full-fledged racial integration in the years to come.  Dickey soon left for Pittsburgh, where he would once again shake the baseball establishment with the drafting and promotion of baseball's first Hispanic player in Roberto Clemente.  When he ultimately retired in 1955, Rickey had introduced the modern farm system, racially integrated the game, popularized the use of the batting helmet and batting cage, and created the first spring training facility.  Moreover, he was perhaps the earliest proponent of what we now call sabermetrics, valuing such indicators as on-base percentage over average to further his advantage over the competition.  A maverick in the truest sense, Branch Rickey remains the most influential figure in the history of baseball, if not the entire sports world.

7) Walter O'Malley--You're in a room with Hitler, Stalin, and Walter O'Malley and have a gun with only two bullets.  What do you do?  Shoot O'Malley twice.  To many 1950's Booklynites, the Dodgers were everything.  In one fell swoop, O'Malley ripped it all away, unapologetically moving the team to Los Angeles following the 1957 season.  The vitriol knew no bounds as the Dodgers' owner become public enemy #1 to a city reeling in grief.  Harsh as it was, O'Malley's infamous decision would mark a pivotal moment in the course of baseball history, as professional baseball was finally introduced to the West Coast.  America's pastime had for half a century been concentrated predominantly in the Northeast, with the westernmost team being St. Louis at the time of O'Malley's ascendancy.  The first domino to fall had been the Boston Braves, who in 1953 relocated to Milwaukee.  However, it was not until the Dodgers split town that the game truly underwent a tidal shift.  O'Malley knew that to make baseball a reality in the West he would have to recruit a partner, and so inserted himself as key player in facilitating the Giants move to San Francisco as well.  The entire complexion of American baseball had changed, as O'Malley's Dodgers helped make baseball a truly national game.

8)  Marvin Miller--Today, the Major League Baseball Players Association is the most powerful union in all of sports, and no man deserves more thanks for that fact than Marvin Miller. Elected head of the MLBPA in 1966, Miller soon made his impact felt, negotiating the first collective bargaining agreement with owners, increasing minimum salaries, introducing the all-important independent arbitration practice, and eventually ushering in the age of free agency with the invalidation of the reserve clause.  Under the reserve clause, players had been effectively married to their initial club, with that club retaining their rights from year to year not so unlike a piece of property. To make matters worse, those players unhappy with their compensation were forced to settle their disputes with the commissioner, who, as having been hired by the owners, was naturally biased in his rulings.  In 1974, after Cardinals' outfielder Curt Flood brought the issue of the reserve clause's inherent unfairness to the forefront, Miller encouraged pitchers Andy Messersmith and Dave McNally to refrain from signing a contract for the following year and instead enter arbitration.  Peter Seitz, the arbiter, ruled that the players had no legal ties to remain with their clubs and were free to pursue other offers.  The reserve clause had effectively been abolished and the era of free agency had begun. During Marvin's tenure, which stretched from 1966-1982, the average player's salary rose from $19,000 to $241,000.  His work signified a colossal shift in the balance of power between athlete and owner, an impact enjoyed every time a player signs on the dotted line to this day.

9)  George Steinbrenner-- Before there was Jerry Jones, before there was Mark Cuban, there was George Steinbrenner. Loud, irreverent, controversial, and hyper-controlling (changing managers 20 times in his first 23 years as Yankees owner), George Steinbrenner was the archetype for the larger-than-life sports owner. Buying the Yankees for a measly $8.7 million in 1973, he turned them into a $1.6 billion franchise, the gold standard for sporting excellence the world over. Today, ballplayers earn more than the GDP of small countries, and perhaps no man is more responsible than the Boss. With it came unprecedented market inequality, as the Yankees payroll grew to such exorbitant levels that it literally sextupled that of the smallest market teams. Contracts are now bloated to the point of absurdity (see: Werth, Jason and Rodriguez, Alex) as owners from around the league struggle to keep up with the Evil Empire. 

10)  Bud Selig-- Sadly, when all is said and done, Bud Selig will go down first and foremost as the man that presided over the Steroid Era, baseball's black eye.  However, to pin him solely as "The Steroid Commissioner" is to overlook the vast amount of good Selig was actually able to accomplish for the sport.  Assuming the role of acting commissioner in 1992, the former Milwaukee Brewers owner's first act was to realign the divisions and institute a wild card, expanding the postseason roster to eight teams.  Achieving permanent status in 1998, Selig would go on to make a series of other important changes, including the introduction of revenue sharing and interleague play, the expansion of instant replay, and the creation of the World Baseball Classic.  He also presided over a 400% explosion in league revenue and brought baseball to both Arizona and Tampa Bay.  Time will tell just how favorably future generations look upon his legacy, but one thing is for certain: Uncle Bud left baseball in a vastly different place from how he found it.

Marlin Brando once said "To grasp the full significance of life is the actor's duty, to interpret it is his problem, and to express it his dedication."  Just a short generation later, Jim Carrey would observe "Until Ace Ventura, no actor had considered talking through his ass."  Yes, there is no recipe for what makes great acting and no surefire way to distinguish it from the talking asses of the world, perhaps in no small part because when it's at it's best, it doesn't seem like acting at all.  Ranking artistry is never easy, if not downright impossible.  It's undeniably subjective, contentious, and almost sure to offend.  Of course, that's never stopped us before.  

Rankings were made taking into account overall ability and range, strength of the roles taken, longevity, influence, and awards won.  Listed alongside are each actor's best works, also loosely ranked according to how each exemplifies their talents. Actors must have appeared in at least one 21st century feature film for consideration as "modern."

1. Robert De Niro: The Godfather II, The Deer Hunter, Goodfellas, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, Once Upon a Time in America, Mean Streets, Heat, Cape Fear, Casino, The King of Comedy, Brazil, The Mission, Meet the Parents, Awakenings.
2. Al Pacino: The Godfather II, The Godfather, Scarface, Heat, Scent of a Woman, Carlito's Way, Dog Day Afternoon, Serpico, Donnie Brasco, The Insider.
3. Paul Newman (D): Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Cool Hand Luke, Hud, The Sting, The Hustler, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, The Color of Money, Road To Perdition, The Verdict, Nobody's Fool.
4. Jack Nicholson: The Departed, One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Shining, Easy Rider, Chinatown, Batman, A Few Good Men, As Good As It Gets, Terms of Endearment, The Little Shop of Horrors, The Pledge.
5. Peter O'Toole: Lawrence of Arabia, Beckett, The Ruling Class, Goodbye Mr. Chips,  The Stunt Man.
6. Daniel Day-Lewis: There Will Be Blood, Gangs of New York, My Left Foot, The Last of the Mohicans, In the Name of the Father, The Age of Innocence, The Crucible, The Boxer, Nine, A Room With a View.
7. Tom Hanks: Forrest Gump, Saving Private Ryan, The Green Mile, Road to Perdition, Cast Away, A League of Their Own, Big, Philadelphia, Apollo 13, Catch Me if You Can.
8. Dustin Hoffman: Rain Man, Midnight Cowboy, The Graduate, Kramer vs. Kramer, Tootsie, Lenny, Marathon Man, All the President's Men, Papillon, Sleepers.
9. Clint Eastwood: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, Unforgiven, Million Dollar Baby, Dirty Harry, Gran Torino, Escape from Alcatraz, In the Line of Fire, The Bridges of Madison Country, The Outlaw Josey Wales, Hang Em High.
10. Robert Duvall: The Godfather, The Apostle, Apocalypse Now, Network, Tender Mercies, The Great Santini, Get Low, To Kill a Mockingbird, M*A*S*H, The Natural.
11. Anthony Hopkins: Silence of the Lambs, The Remains of the Day, Shadowlands, Nixon, Amistad.
12. Denzel Washington: Malcolm X, Training Day, Glory, American Gangster, Inside Man, Remember The Titans, Courage Under Fire, Philadelphia, The Hurricane, Crimson Tide, The Bone Collector, The Manchurian Candidate, The Siege, Antwone Fisher, He Got Game.
13. Gene Hackman: The French Connection, Bonnie and Clyde, Unforgiven, The Conversation, Mississippi Burning, Hoosiers, Superman, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Poseidon Adventure, Get Shorty.
14. Morgan Freeman: The Shawshank Redemption, Unforgiven, Se7en, Million Dollar Baby, Glory, The Dark Knight, Gone Baby Gone, Driving Miss Daisy, Street Smart, The Sum of All Fears, Batman Begins, Outbreak, Amistad, Along Came a Spider, High Crimes.
15. Robert Redford: Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Jeremiah Johnson, Out of Africa, The Natural, All the President's Men.
16. Sean Penn: Mystic River, 21 Grams, Milk, Dead Man Walking, Carlito's Way, The Thin Red Line, I Am Sam, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Colors, Sweet and Lowdown.
17. Michael Caine: Sleuth, Alfie, The Dark Knight, The Cider House Rules, Educating Rita, Hannah and Her Sisters, Little Voice, The Quiet American, The Italian Job, Harry Brown.
18. Ben Kingsley: Gandhi, Schindler's List, House of Sand and Fog, Sexy Beast, Shutter Island.
19. Harrison Ford: Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Fugitive, Blade Runner, Witness.
20. Sean Connery: James Bond films, The Untouchables, The Hunt For Red October, Murder on the Orient Express, The Rock.
21. Leonardo DiCaprio: Blood Diamond, The Departed, The Basketball Diaries, Shutter Island, Inception, Gangs of New York, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, The Aviator, Catch Me If You Can, Titanic, Revolutionary Road, The Man in the Iron Mask.
22. Geoffrey Rush: Shine, The King's Speech, Quills, Pirates of the Caribbean.
23. Kevin Spacey: Se7en, The Usual Suspects, American Beauty, LA Confidential, The Negotiator, A Time to Kill, Glengarry Glen Ross, Outbreak, Superman Returns, The United States of Leland.
24. Russell Crowe: LA Confidential, Gladiator, The Insider, Cinderella Man, A Beautiful Mind, Romper Stomper, 3:10 to Yuma, American Gangster, Master and Commander, Blood Oath.
25. Willem Defoe: Platoon, The Last Temptation of Christ, The Boondock Saints, Shadow of the Vampire, To Live and Die in L.A.
26. Ralph Fiennes: Schindler's List, Harry Potter Franchise, The English Patient, The Constant Gardener, Bernard and Doris.
27. Dennis Hopper (D): Easy Rider, Blue Velvet, Hoosiers, Speed, Apocalypse Now.
28. Jon Voight: Coming Home, Midnight Cowboy, Deliverance, Runaway Train, Ali.
29. Martin Sheen: Apocalypse Now, The Departed, Badlands, The American President, Wall Street.
30. Ed Harris: Pollock, Apollo 13, The Truman Show, A Beautiful Mind, The Hours, Gone Baby Gone, A History of Violence, Empire Falls, The Rock, Glengarry Glen Ross, The Abyss.
31. Warren Beatty: Bonnie and Clyde, Heaven Can Wait, Reds, Bugsy, Bulworth.
32. Richard Dreyfus: Jaws, American Graffiti, The Goodbye Girl, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Mr. Holland's Opus.
33. Matt Damon: Good Will Hunting, Saving Private Ryan, The Departed, Rounders, The Bourne Identity, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Ocean's 11, Syriana, School Ties, Dogma.
34. Brad Pitt: Se7en, Fight Club, The Assassination of Jessie James, Twelve Monkeys, Moneyball, The Tree of Life, Sleepers, Ocean's Eleven, Babel, Inglourious Basterds, Snatch, True Romance, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Legends of the Fall, Interview with the Vampire.
35. Christian Bale: The Machinist, The Prestige, The Fighter, The Dark Knight, American Psycho, Batman Begins, 3:10 to Yuma, Empire of the Sun, Rescue Dawn, I'm Not There.
36. Ian McKellan: Gods and Monsters, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Richard III, X-Men, Apt Pupil.
37. Johnny Depp: Edward Scissorhands, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, Blow, Finding Neverland, Donnie Brasco, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Platoon, Sleepy Hollow, Ed Wood.
38. Edward Norton: Fight Club, American History X, Rounders, The Illusionist, 25th Hour, Primal Fear, Keeping the Faith, The Italian Job, Red Dragon, The People vs. Larry Flynt.
39. Phillip Seymour Hoffman: Capote, Magnolia, Doubt, Almost Famous, Boogie Nights, The Big Lebowski, Charlie Wilson's War, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Flawless, Punch-Drunk Love.
40. Liam Neeson: Schindler's List, Kinsey, Batman Begins, Taken, Michael Collins.
41. Tom Cruise: Rain Man, Magnolia, A Few Good Men, Born on the Fourth of July, Minority Report, Risky Business, The Color of Money, Jerry Maguire, The Last Samurai, The Firm, Mission Impossible, Tropic Thunder, Top Gun, Vanilla Sky, Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicle.
42. Christopher Walken: The Deer Hunter, Catch Me If You Can, A View to Kill, The Dead Zone, At Close Range.
43. Tommy Lee Jones: The Fugitive, JFK, No Country For Old Men, In the Valley of Elah, Men in Black.
44. Harvey Keitel: Mean Streets, Bugsy, Reservoir Dogs, Taxi Driver, Pulp Fiction.
45. Samuel L. Jackson: Pulp Fiction, A Time to Kill, Jackie Brown, The Negotiator, Against the Wall.
46. John Malkovich: Places in the Heart, The Killing Fields, In the Line of Fire, Of Mice and Men, Being John Malkovich.
47. James Earl Jones: The Great White Hope, Field of Dreams, Jack Ryan Franchise, Coming to America, Star Wars.
48. Jeff Bridges: The Big Lebowski, Crazy Heart, True Grit, Starman, The Fabulous Baker Boys.
49. William Hurt: Kiss of the Spider Woman, Children of a Lesser God, Broadcast News, A History of Violence, Too Big to Fail.
    
50. Gary Oldman: JFK, The Dark Knight, Leon, Harry Potter, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
51. Benicio Del Toro: The Usual Suspects, Traffic, 21 Grams, Che, Sin City, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Snatch, Guerrilla, The Argentine, The Pledge, The Way of the Gun.
52. Javier Bardem: No Country For Old Men, Biutiful, Before Night Falls, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Mondays in the Sun.
53. James Caan: The Godfather, Misery, Thief, A Bridge Too Far, Brian's Song.
54. Alan Arkin: Wait Until Dark, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Catch-22, Little Miss Sunshine, The Russians Are Coming, the Russians Are Coming.
55. Mel Gibson: Braveheart, The Patriot, Lethal Weapon, Ransom, Mad Max.
56. Christopher Plummer: The Sound of Music, The Insider, Malcolm X, Beginners, The Last Station.
    
57. Will Smith: The Pursuit Of Happiness, Ali, Six Degrees of Separation.
58. Robin Williams: Good Will Hunting, Good Morning Vietnam, One Hour Photo, Dead Poets Society, Mrs. Doubtfire.
59. Don Cheadle: Hotel Rwanda, Traffic, Crash, Devil in a Blue Dress, Ocean's Eleven.
60. Kevin Costner: Dances with Wolves, Field of Dreams, JFK, The Untouchables, Bull Durham.
61. Michael Douglas: Wall Street, Traffic, Wonder Boys, The American President, Basic Instinct.
62. John Hurt: The Elephant Man, Nineteen Eighty-Four, Alien, Scandal, The Hit.
63. Bruce Willis: The Sixth Sense, Die Hard, Pulp Fiction, 12 Monkeys, Sin City.
64. Kevin Bacon: Animal House, The Woodsman, Sleepers, Apollo 13, Mystic River.
65. Robert Downey Jr.: Chaplin, Tropic Thunder, Less than Zero, Iron Man, Sherlock Holmes.
66. Nicholas Cage: Leaving Las Vegas, Adaptation, The Rock, Raising Arizona, Face/Off.
67. Max von Sydow: The Seventh Seal, The Exorcist, The Greatest Story Ever Told, Three Days of the Condor, Never Say Never Again.
68. Paul Giamatti: Sideways, Cinderella Man, American Splendor, The Illusionist, Cold Souls.
69. Billy Bob Thorton: Monster's Ball, Sling Blade, A Simple Plan, The Man Who Wasn't There, Friday Night Lights.
70. George Clooney: O Brother Where Art Thou?, Syriana, Good Night and Good Luck, Michael Clayton, Up in the Air.
71. James Woods: Salvador, Once Upon a Time in America, Ghosts of Mississippi, Casino, Contact.
72. Bill Murray: Lost in Translation, Groundhog Day, Caddyshack, Rushmore, Ghostbusters.
73. Joe Pesci: Goodfellas, Raging Bull, My Cousin Vinny, Casino, Lethal Weapon, Home Alone.
74. Kenneth Branagh: Henry V, My Week with Marilyn, Hamlet, Othello, Much Ado About Nothing.
75. Heath Ledger: (D) The Dark Knight, Brokeback Mountain, The Patriot, 10 Things I Hate About You, Candy
76. Woody Allen: Annie Hall, Manhattan, Hannah and Her Sisters, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Deconstructing Harry.
    
77. Josh Brolin: No Country for Old Men, W., Milk, True Grit, Goonies.
78. Tim Robbins: The Shawshank Redemption, Mystic River, The Player, Bull Durham, Bob Roberts.
79. Joaquin Pheonix: Gladiator, Walk the Line, Quills, The Yards, Ladder 49.
80. Jim Carrey: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Man on the Moon, The Truman Show, Ace Venture, Dumb and Dumber.
81. Forest Whitaker: The Last King of Scotland, Good Morning Vietnam, Bird, Panic Room, American Gun.
82. John Travolta: Pulp Fiction, Saturday Night Fever, Grease, Primary Colors, A Civil Action.
83. Donald Sutherland: M*A*S*H, JFK, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Ordinary People, The Dirty Dozen.
84. Colin Firth: The King's Speech, A Single Man, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.
85. Mickey Rourke: The Wrestler, Sin City, Diner, Barfly, Angel Heart.
86. Martin Landau: Ed Wood, North By Northwest, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Tucker: The Man and His Dream, Rounders.
87. Viggo Mortenson: Lord of the Rings, A History of Violence, The Road, Eastern Promises.
88. Steve Buschemi: Fargo, Reservoir Dogs, Ghost World, Living in Oblivion, The Big Lebowski.
89. Albert Finney: Murder on the Orient Express, Tom Jones, The Dresser, Under the Volcano, Erin Brockovich.
90. Gary Sinise: Forrest Gump, Of Mice and Men, Ransom.
91. Laurence Fishbourne: The Matrix, Apocalypse Now, What's Love Got to Do with It.
92. Nick Nolte: Affliction, The Thin Red Line, The Prince of Tides, Cape Fear.
93. Ryan Gosling: Half-Nelson, Lars and the Real Girl, Blue Valentine, Drive, The Ides of March.
94. John Turturro: Barton Fink, O Brother Where Art Thou?, Quiz Show, The Big Lebowski, Miller's Crossing.
95. Roy Scheider (D): Jaws, The French Connection, All That Jazz, Klute, Sorcerer.
96. William H. Macy: Fargo, Seabiscuit, Boogie Nights.
97. Daniel Craig: Casino Royale, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Road to Perdition, Defiance, Munich.
98. Casey Affleck: Gone Baby Gone, The Assassination of Jesse James, Good Will Hunting, Ocean's Eleven, Chasing Amy.
99. Guy Pierce: Memento, LA Confidential, The King's Men.
100. Jeremy Renner: The Hurt Locker, The Town, Dahmer.

*Best Actor/Supporting Actor Academy Award winning performances appear in italics

1. Jim Thorpe- His Indian name translates to Bright Path, and in every one of the countless paths Thorpe took over his legendary career, he shone with a brightness that few could match.  Gold medals in pentathlon and decathlon, Hall of Fame honors in both college and pro football, and stints playing professional baseball and basketball. Heck, Thorpe even won the 1912 inter-collegiate ballroom dancing championship.  We'll always be left to wonder how Thorpe would have fared among today's athletes, but with his unprecedented versatility and all-around dominance of his era, it's almost impossible to say he's anything but the number one multi-sport athlete of all time.

2. Bo Jackson- Oh, what could have been.  A Heisman Trophy winner out of Auburn, Bo electrified NFL scouts right out of the gates by running an unheard of 4.12 40-yard dash at the combine.  Drafted by Tampa Bay as the first pick of the 1986 NFL Draft, Vincent Edward Jackson instead went to play for the Kansas City Royals and in doing so cost Tampa their rights to him.  Seeing his potential, Al Davis would subsequently re-draft Jackson despite the baseball career, signing him to a lucrative deal that allowed him to continue playing in the MLB while joining the Raiders in the offseason. Just 29 days into his NFL career, Bo exploded for an astonishing 221-yard rushing performance on Monday Night Football.  Tragically, barely four years later a hit by Kevin Walker in the 1990 playoffs ravaged his hip, effectively ending what was quickly proving to be one of the most promising careers in professional sports history.  Bo would struggle through another couple of years of baseball, but with his legendary speed gone, his days of dominance were clearly behind him.

3. Babe Didrikson Zaharias- Though lacking the notoriety of her male namesake, BDZ is widely considered to be the greatest female athlete to ever walk the planet.  The female Bambino won gold medals in track and field, achieved All-American status as a basketball player, barnstormed with the local baseball team, and was even reported to bowl an average of 170.  Capping it all off was her legendary golf career, in which she positively dominated her peers to win every tournament in existence at the time including 10 LPGA majors and 82 tourneys overall.  Damn...

4. Deion Sanders- Prime Time was a part time outfielder and an all-time cornerback, collecting rings for both the World Series and Superbowl.

5. Jim Brown- In addition to being just about the greatest football player to ever step on the gridiron, Brown holds a place in the Lacrosse Hall of Fame, scoring 43 goals in 10 games in his All-American senior season at Syracuse.

6. Lionel Conacher- Though that name might not ring a bell to many Americans, Conacher was Mr. Canada in the early to mid 20th century.  Conacher won championships in hockey, baseball, boxing, wresting, and lacrosse.  (Sadly, his professional football efforts fell short of a title.)  He is a member of four different halls of fame and even won a seat on the House of Commons after he hung up the cleats, skates, and gloves.

7. Bob Hayes- Before Hayes was a Hall of Fame receiver for the Dallas Cowboys, he was winning gold medals in Tokyo as a world record-holding sprinter.  As a result, he is the only person who can wear a Super Bowl ring on his finger and Olympic gold around his neck without going on Ebay.

8. Charlie Ward- Ward entered the public consciousness in 1993, quarterbacking his Florida St Seminoles to a national championship and along the way capturing just about every honor a collegiate football player can win, including, of course, the Heisman.  Though not even playing baseball in college, he was drafted as a pitcher by the Milwaukee Brewers.  Upset that he wasn't taken in the first round of the 1994 NFL Draft, Ward instead opted to go play for the New York Knicks, who had selected him 26th in the NBA Draft of the same year. Ward played 11 years in the NBA before being forced to retire due to injuries in 2005.

9. Otto Graham- Arguably the greatest quarterback to ever strap on a pair of cleats, Otto would go on to win 11 championships in 11 years, 10 with the Cleveland Browns and another with the Rochester Royals of the National Basketball League.

10. Gene Conley- While Deion is the only person to have won both a World Series and a Super Bowl, Conley can boast being the only person to win a World Series and an NBA Championship.  Conley pitched 11 seasons in the MLB, compiling 91 wins and a 3.82 ERA for four different clubs.  He also concurrently played in the NBA for six seasons, racking up three championships with the Russell-led Celtics.

11. Dave Winfield- Playing hoops for the Minnesota Golden Gophers (for which he would help lead to a conference title), his coach Bill Musselman later called Winfield the greatest rebounder he'd ever coached, quite a distinction considering Musselman would coach for over thirty years, nearly half of which time would be on the professional level. Drafted by all four major professional sports leagues, Winfield earned his stripes in baseball, appearing in 12 All-Star games and capturing 7 Gold Gloves.  He ended his career a member of both the prestigious 3000-hit club, and the even more prestigious Baseball Hall of Fame.

12. Danny Ainge- Long before he ran operations for the Celtics, Danny dominated the high school sports world, and is still the only person to win first team All-American honors in basketball, baseball, and football. Ainge was drafted out of college by the Toronto Blue Jays, and kicked things off with a bang, where he would hit his first home run at 20 years, 77 days, a record that survives to this day as the youngest Jay to go yard. After a mediocre three years in Toronto, he was drafted by the Boston Celtics in 1981, where he would contribute to two championships.  Over a fourteen year NBA career, Ainge finished with an impressive 11,964 points and 4,199 assists.

13. Herschel Walker- A physical specimen even at the ripe old age of 50, Herschel recently made waves in the MMA community, putting his 5th-degree black belt in Taekwondo to use by clobbering his first two opponents in Strikeforce. More importantly, the former Heisman Trophy winner currently holds the NFL's eighth spot for total combined yards, though had he not spent the early part of his career in the ill-fated USFL, he may very well have finished #1.  Herschel was even a member of the 1992 Olympic bobsled team (seriously), with which he finished seventh.

14. Dick Groat- Best known for his prolific career as an MVP shortstop, in which he accumulated two rings and over 2000 hits, Groat began his athletic career as a Collegiate Hall of Fame guard at Duke.  A two-time All-American, his #10 jersey would be the first ever retired by the school.  Groat was drafted 3rd overall by the Pistons, but he would play only one year in the NBA before being called away to military service.  When he returned home, he opted to pick up the bat instead and the rest is history.

15. Brian Jordan- Jordan spent two years as an NFL safety for the Atlanta Falcons before jumping to baseball, where he would go on to become a solid contributor to the Cardinals, Braves, Dodgers and Rangers en route to 184 career home runs and a .282 AVG.

16. Chuck Conners- Our third Celtic on this list is probably best known for playing the lead man on the 1960's hit western series The Rifleman.  However, Conners found time early on to play for both the Celtics and Dodgers, and was even drafted by the Chicago Bears.

17. Clara Hughes- Clara won Olympic golds in both speed skating and cycling.

18. Dave Debusschere- Debusschere pitched a year for the Chicago White Sox (finishing with a 2.90 ERA) before becoming an 8-time All-Star, 2-time champion, Hall of Fame power forward for the Pistons and Knicks.

19. Stephen Neal- Though best known as a three-time champion guard for the New England Patriots, Neal compiled quite the resume as an amateur wrestler, including posting a 151-10 record at Cal St Bakersfield (in which he won his second title victory against now UFC villain Brock Lesner).  He would go on to win both a Pan American Championship and a World Championship en route to being named the best wrestler in the world in 1999.

20. Dave Logan- Logan was drafted by the NBA, MLB, and NFL before embarking on a successful 9-year career at wideout for the Browns and Broncos.

21. Wilt Chamberlain- Perhaps the world leader in ass-tappage, the Stilt is enshrined in both the basketball and volleyball halls of fame.

22. Jackie Robinson- The Dodger revolutionary graduated UCLA as the first person in school history to letter in four sports (baseball, basketball, football, and track and field). Jackie would play professional football in the Pacific Coast League before his momentous entrance into Major League Baseball in 1947.

23. DJ Dozier- Dozier played five seasons as running back in the NFL before jumping over to the Mets for a single season in 1992.

24. Willie Gault- An 11-year receiver for the Bears and Raiders, Gault was also a member of the Olympic track and bobsled teams that boycotted the 1980 Moscow games.

25. Joe Mauer- Named the national high school player of the year in both baseball and football before ultimately claiming a cool $184 million contract to catch for the Twins.

1)  The Notorious BIG- Ready to Die -(1994) Around the years '87-'88, a young crack dealer named Christopher Wallace began entertaining local passersby by rapping into a beat-up old amplifier on the street corners around Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.  Six years later, he was the biggest rapper in the world.  Three years after that, he was dead.   During the short flash that was his career, only one album was to be released, a top-to-bottom classic with the eerily prophetic title 'Ready to Die'.  This album has it all.  Sick beats, brilliant lyrics, crazy flows, and that intoxicating voice of Biggie Smalls.  Key Tracks: Warning, Juicy, Ready to Die.

2) Nas- Illmatic --(1994) Five months prior to Ready to Die, this 20-year-old Queensbridge native paired with producers Large Professor, DJ Premier, Pete Rock, and Q-Tip and burst onto the scene with what would be his masterpiece. Calling the album Illmatic after his incarcerated friend Illmatic Ice, Nas originally wanted the cover to feature himself with Jesus in a headlock. Key Tracks: N.Y. State of Mind, Life's a Bitch, One Love.

3)  Dr. Dre- The Chronic --(1992) Fresh off of his split with supergroup NWA, Dre took it solo and ended up creating perhaps the best produced rap album of all time. The Chronic would introduce Parliament-laced G-funk to the mainstream and made Snoop Dogg, Warren G, and Nate Dogg stars before they'd ever even released albums of their own. Key Tracks: Nuthin' but a "G" Thang, F*ck wit Dre Day, Let Me Ride.

4) Jay-Z - Reasonable Doubt --(1996) In 1996, Jay-Z blew audiences away with his debut effort and first release on label Roc-A-Fella records.  Sean Carter had been known as "Jazzy", a nickname that developed into his stage name Jay-Z as an homage to his musical mentor Jaz-O and to the J-Z subway lines that stop by Marcy Avenue.  Jaz-O had given Jay-Z his first break by recruiting him on the 1989 song "Hawaiian Sophie."  However, it wasn't until seven years later that J truly broke through, and he's never looked back since.  Key Tracks: Dead Presidents, Brooklyn's Finest, Can't Knock the Hustle.

5) Public Enemy-It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back --(1988) Channeling the black anger and urban tension so in need of an outlet, Nation of Millions was one of the first truly socially conscious hip hop albums. Key Tracks: Bring the Noise, Don't Believe the Hype, Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos.

6) The Wu-Tang Clan- Enter The Wu-Tang Clan - 36 Chambers --(1993)  In 1993, Ghostface Killah and RZA decided to create a hip hop group whose ethos would be a blend of "Eastern philosophy picked up from kung-fu movies, watered-down Nation of Islam preaching picked up on the New York streets, and comic books."  Recruiting the best rappers they could find, RZA set out to produce an album layered with eerie beats, martial-arts movie clips and soul music samples.  To decide who appeared on each song, he forced the Wu-Tang rappers to battle with each other.  The album's title originates from the 1978 martial arts film 'The 36th Chamber of Shaolin'.  Key Tracks: C.R.E.A.M, Protect Ya Neck, Bring Da Ruckus.

7)  NWA- Straight Outta Compton --(1988) This debut studio album pioneered gangsta rap and scared a whole lot of white people in the process. Instrumental in shifting power to the west coast, Straight Outta Compton became the first album to reach platinum status without any airplay support or major tours. Key Tracks: Straight Outta Compton, Express Yourself, F*ck The Police.

8) A Tribe Called Quest- The Low End Theory --(1991) Fusing hip hop and jazz, childhood friends Q-Tip and Phife Dawg and high school mate Ali Shaheed Muhammad created an unique brand of intelligent, socially concious music.  Low End features contributions from jazz great Ron Carter on upright bass. Key Tracks: Excursions, Jazz (We've Got), Scenario.

9) Snoop Doggy Dogg- Doggystyle --(1993) Following the success of The Chronic, Doggystyle debuted at number one and sold over 800,000 copies in its first week, the record for a debuting artist. Key Tracks: Gin and Juice, Who Am I (Whats My Name)?, Lodi Dodi.

10) Raekwon- Only Built 4 Cuban Linx --(1995) Raekwon brought producer RZA and Ghostface Killah along for his solo debut, an album widely regarded as the pioneer of Mafioso rap, a genre later perfected by Biggie and Jay-Z (It was also the first hip hop album to name drop Cristal). It's title suggests that the music was as tough as Cuban link chain jewelry.  Key Tracks: Criminology, Glaciers of Ice, Rainy Dayz.

11)  Outkast- Aquemini --(1998) Outcast's third studio album took its name from a combination of the duo's astrological signs (Aquarius for Big Boi and Gemini for André 3000). The sythesizer-laden, distinctively Atlanta sounding record took only 2 months to go platinum. Key Tracks: SpottieOttieDopaliscious, Rosa Parks, Return of the "G".

12) The Fugees-The Score --(1996) The second and final album of super-group Wycelf Jean, Lauren Hill and Pras. 18 million sold. Key Tracks: Killing Me Softy, Fu-Gee-La, Ready or Not.

13) 2Pac- All Eyez On Me --(1996) All Eyez was released after Suge Knight, CEO of Death Row Records and baddest mofo on planet earth, bailed 2Pac out of jail in exchange for signing to the label.  Arriving in studio to begin work hours after being released from jail, 2Pac would lay down what would become his crowning achievement.  Key Tracks: 2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted, California Love, Ambitionz Az a Ridah.

14) Afrika Bambaataa & the Soulsonic Force- Planet Rock: The Album--(1986)  Respectfully known as the "Grandfather" for his monumental impact on the early development of hip hop (it was he who in fact coined the term), Bambaataa recently became one of the first hop hop artists to enter the rock and roll hall of fame.  Representing Zulu Nation, he released the seminal Planet Rock over two decades ago as a collection of previous singles that had up until then never appeared on an album.  Key Tracks: Planet Rock, Looking For the Perfect Beat, Renegades of Funk. 

15) Boogie Down Productions-Criminal Minded --(1987) With Criminal Minded, KRS-One and BDP laid the groundwork for gangsta rap, as it was the first album to feature gun-toting MCs on its cover and crime narratives within its tracks. Their hardcore lyrics would become all too real after DJ Scott La Rock was shot and killed a mere five months after this seminal release.  Key Tracks: The Bridge is Over, Criminal Minded, South Bronx.

16) Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five- The Message --(1982) Releasing their debut album on upstart Sugarhill Records, DJ Grandmaster Flash and MCs Melle Mel, Kidd Creole, Cowboy, Mr. Ness/Scorpio, and Rahiem essentially wrote the rule book on turntablism, break-beat deejaying, and rapping.  The title track was the first hip hop song to integrate socially and politically concious lyrics. Key Tracks: The Message, Scorpio, She's Nasty.

17) Eric B. & Rakim-Paid In Full ---(1987) After Rakim responded to Eric B.'s search for "New York's top MC," the duo got to work as Rakim's friend and roommate Marley Marl allowed them to use his home studio.  They would end up creating one of the most influential rap albums ever for its use of samples, internal rhyme, complex lyricism, and laid back flow.  Key Tracks: Eric B. Is President, I Know You Got Soul, Paid in Full.

18)  Dr. Dre-Chronic 2001 --(2001) Almost a decade after releasing his landmark album, The Chronic, Dre took back to the studio to begin work on his much-anticipated follow up.  Dre did not mince words about his motivations: "For the last couple of years, there's been a lot of talk out on the streets about whether or not I can still hold my own, whether or not I'm still good at producing. That was the ultimate motivation for me. Magazines, word of mouth and rap tabloids were saying I didn't have it any more. What more do I need to do? How many platinum records have I made? O.K., here's the album -- now what do you have to say?"    Key Tracks: Forgot About Dre, The Next Episode, What's The Difference. 

19) The Notorious BIG-Life After Death --(1997)-This double album released posthumously featured guest artists 112, Jay-Z, Lil Kim, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, R. Kelly, The LOX, Kelly Price, and Puff Daddy.  Considered a seminal mafioso rap album, it is one of three hip hop albums to ever be certified diamond (10 million US sold). Key Tracks: Notorious Thugs, Hypnotize, Ten Crack Commandments.

20) Run D.M.C.- Run DMC--(1984) Run DMC's debut effort was the first hip-hop album to ever have a 5-mic rating from The Source. Key Tracks: Rock Box, It's Like That, Sucker M.C.'s

21) Beastie Boys- Licensed To Ill ---(1986)-Some fast facts: --It is the first rap LP to top the Billboard 200 chart.  --It is Columbia Records' fastest selling debut record to date and sold over 9 million copies.  --Kerry King of Slayer made an appearance on the album playing lead guitar on "No Sleep 'Till Brooklyn".  --The '3MTA3' on the cover image of the plane spells 'EATME' when viewed in a mirror.  --The original title for the album was Don't Be a Faggot but Columbia Records refused to release the album and pressured Russell Simmons into having the Beastie Boys to come up with another name.  Key Tracks: Fight for Your Right, No Sleep Til Brooklyn, She's Crafty.

22) 2Pac- Me Against The World --(1995) Recorded in a matter of weeks before Pac was to go to prison on sexual assault charges, MATW would make the embattled rapper the first and only artist to ever have a number one album while serving a prison sentence. Key Tracks: Dear Mama, Me Against the World, Outlaw.

23) Eminem- The Marshall Mathers LP --(2000) Em's third studio album was gritty, angry, and brutally honest, lashing out against critics and illustrating the troubles that his new found fame had unearthed. The album sold more than 1.79 million copies in its first week in the US alone, making it the fastest selling solo album ever. Since its release, The Marshall Mathers LP has sold over 19 million copies to date.  Key Tracks: Stan, The Way I Am, The Real Slim Shady?

24) Ice Cube- AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted --(1990) Primarily produced by The Bomb Squad, AMW made use of several tracks Cube had originally written for NWA before their acrimonious split. Taking on the American justice system, race relations, poverty, and drug addiction in South Central, LA, Cube produced an instant classic that is as powerful today as it was two decades ago. Key Tracks: AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, Endangered Species, Who's the Mack?.

25) Jay-Z- The Blueprint--Despite the unfortunate coincidence of being released on September 11, 2001, The Blueprint sold over 426,000 copies in its opening week, becoming Jay-Z's fourth consecutive album to reach number one on the Billboard 200 chart.  Produced by Kanye West and Just Blaze, The Blueprint was reportedly cut in two weeks, with Jay-Z allegedly writing the lyrics in two days.  Key Tracks: Izzo (H.O.V.A.), Renegade, Girls, Girls, Girls.

26) Big L- Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous --(1995) Like Biggie Smalls' Ready to Die, Lifestylez was the only studio album to be released before it's creator was shot and killed.  The tremendously underrated LP introduced up-and-comers Jay-Z and Cam'ron.  Key Tracks: Put It On, M.V.P., Street Struck.

27) Mobb Deep- The Infamous...--(1995) This rap duo is the third act on this list to hail from Queensbridge. Key Tracks: Shook Ones Pt. II, Temperature's Rising, Survival of the Fittest.

28) LL Cool J- Radio --(1985) This first full length album release on Def Jam Records was primarily produced by co-founder Rick Rubin.  Key Tracks: I Can't Live Without My Radio, Rock the Bells, I Need a Beat.

29) Outkast- ATLiens --(1996) "It's deep. So deep that listening to 'ATLiens' you might feel like drowning, but the smooth vocals of Big Boi and the earthy flows of Andre always push you back up to the surface. They are players in the truest sense of the word; not just playing for ends but playing to win in the ultimate battle of life over death, good over bad, and righteousness over evil." --Steve Juon, RapReviews. Key Tracks: ATLiens, Wheelz of Steel, Two Dope Boyz (In a Cadillac).

30) Run DMC- Raising Hell --(1986) One of the most important rap albums ever for its success in bringing the genre mainstream, Raising Hell silenced critics who had called hip hop a passing fad.  It made its biggest mark with Walk This Way, a collaboration with Aerosmith that became the first hip hop video in heavy rotation on MTV.  Key Tracks: Its Tricky, Walk This Way, My Adidas.

31)  Bone Thugs N Harmony- E. Eternal 1999 --(1995) Released four months after executive producer Eazy-E's death, Eternal spawned the landmark single "Tha Crossroads", which won a Grammy, went double-platinum, and tied The Beatles' 32-year-old record (1964's "Can't Buy Me Love") for the fastest rising single on the pop charts. Key Tracks: The Crossroads, 1st of tha Month, East 1999.

32) Black Star- Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are Black Star- (1998) The sole album release from this power collaboration, the hyper-intelligent Black Star is a nod to the Black Star Line, an early 20th-century African-American shipping line incorporated by Marcus Garvey. Key Tracks: Definition, Brown Skin Lady, Respiration.

33) Nas- Stillmatic --(2001) Nas harkened back to his Illmatic days with his fifth release, 2001's Stillmatic, which instantly received a classic 5 mic rating from The Source.  On Stillmatic, Nas retaliated against Jay-Z with the much-anticipated "Ether", a scathing counterattack that portrayed his rival as both a plagiarist and sell-out.  Key Tracks: Got Ur Self A..., One Mic, Ether.

34) GZA- Liquid Swords --(1995) GZA's second solo album is up with Cuban Linx as the best of the Wu-Tang solo efforts. Key Tracks: Duel of the Iron Mic, Liquid Swords, Shadowboxin'.

35)  Lauryn Hill- The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill --(1998) After breaking with The Fugees, Hill released her solo debut in 1998, a fusion of Hip Hop, Soul, Reggae, R&B, and Gospel.  The album garnered ten Grammy nominations at the 41st Grammy Awards, winning five, including Best New Artist and Album of the Year.  Key Tracks: Doo Wop (That Thing), To Zion, Everything Is Everything.

36) Mos Def- Black On Both Sides --(1999) Mos Def's debut solo album post-Blackstar featured live instrumentation and socially-conscious lyrics. Key Tracks: Ms. Fat Booty, Brooklyn, Mathematics.

37) Wu-Tang Clan- Wu-Tang Forever --(1997) The long-awaited follow-up to 36 Chambers, Forever showcased a stream-of-consciousness style of rap.  Key Tracks: Triumph, Visionz, As High As Wu-Tang Get.

38) Jay-Z- The Black Album --(2003) J's 8th studio album was promoted as his last, though he would obviously return years later.  This epic has been mixed with everything from the Beatles and Grateful Dead to Linkin Park and Prince.  Key Tracks: What More Can I Say, Dirt off Your Shoulder, 99 Problems.

39)  Cypress Hill- Black Sunday --(1993) This stoner opus marked the first time a Latino group would go platinum.  They would later be banned from Saturday Night Live after Muggs smoked a joint on-air and the band trashed their instruments while playing their second single "I Ain't Goin' Out Like That".  Key Tracks: Insane In The Brain, Hits From The Bong, I Ain't Goin' Out Like That.

40) Gang Starr- Moment of Truth--(1998) The fifth studio album from DJ Premier and the late great Guru (Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal), Moment was the high water mark within a brilliant, nearly two decade-long career.  Key Tracks: You Know My Steez, Brooklyn Trooper, Moment of Truth.

41) De La Soul- 3 Feet High and Rising--(1989) Produced by Prince Paul, the album takes its title from a Johnny Cash song called "Five Feet High and Rising". Key Tracks: Me Myself and I, Buddy, Eye Know.

42)  Eminem- The Slim Shady LP --(1999)-For a kid in 6th grade, I remember exactly where I was when I first heard Eminem introduce himself to the world.  This was something unlike anybody I'd ever heard; raw, revealing, humorous, and at the same time brutally violent.  The album erupted a firestorm of opposition, as parental groups balked at lyrics that discussed everything from drugging a fifteen-year-old girl to disposing of Em's dead wife's corpse.  Key Tracks: Guilty Conscience, My Name Is, '97 Bonnie & Clyde.

43) Beastie Boys- Paul's Boutique --(1989) Incorporating production by the Dust Brothers, the album makes use of samples from 105 different songs.  The sampling was uncleared, which was one of the last albums to do so before the landmark Grand Upright Music, Ltd. v. Warner Bros. Records Inc. case against Biz Markie that forced artists to obtain the rights to any song from which they sampled.  Key Tracks: Hey Ladies, Shake Your Rump, The Sounds of Science.

44) Big Pun-Capital Punishment--(1998) As The Source put it, "Capital Punishment is all about execution."  To be sure, Pun positively killed it in this debut effort, his spitfire rhyming skills asserting him as one of the most promising figures in hip hop before a heart attack killed him just two short years later. Key Tracks: Still Not a Player, Twinz (Deep Cover 98), You Came Up.

45) EPMD- Strictly Business --(1988) One of 43 albums to ever receive a 5-mic rating from The Source.  Key Tracks: It's My Thing, Strictly Business, You Gots to Chill.

46) The Roots- Things Fall Apart --(1999) The Roots' fourth studio album turned out to be their commercial breakthrough.  During recording, the group laid down an astonishing 145 songs, which they later whittled down to the 14 that appear on the album.  Key Tracks: Adrenaline!, The Next Movement, Act Too (The Love of My Life).

47)Wyclef Jean- The Carnival --(1997) Wyclef kicked off his solo debut with an electric record that combined hip hop, reggae, folk, disco, soul, Son Cubano and Haitian music.  As a tribute to his homeland, the final three songs are sung in Haitian Creole.  Key Tracks: Gone Till November, We Trying to Stay Alive, Guantanamera

48) Jurassic 5- Quality Control-- (2000) The major label debut of Chali 2na and company played a central role in alternative rap scene that was burgeoning at the turn of the century. Key Tracks: Quality Control, The Influence, World of Entertainment (W.O.E. is Me)

49) Puff Daddy & the Family- No Way Out --(1997) Originally titled 'Hell Up In Harlem' until the The Notorious B.I.G.'s death, the album topped the album charts in the US with 561,000 units sold in its first week of release. It would go on to win the 1998 Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. Key Tracks: Victory, Been Around the World, It's All about the Benjamins.

50)  Busta Rhymes- When Disaster Strikes --(1997) Busta's second solo effort reached #3 on the Billboard 200.  Key Tracks: Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See, Dangerous, Turn It Up.

Honorable Mentions:

Pete Rock and CL Smooth- Mecca and the Soul Brother, Method Man-Tical, Outcast-Stankonia, Nas-I Am..., LL Cool J-Mama Said Knock You Out, Beastie Boys-Check Your Head, Notorious BIG-Born Again, Run DMC-King Of Rock , Ice T-O.G. Original Gangster, Missy Eliot-Supa Dupa Fly, A Tribe Called Quest-Midnight Marauders, Salt N Pepa- Blacks Magic, Kurtis Blow-Kurtis Blow, Big Daddy Kane- Its a Big Daddy Thing, Eric B. & Rakim-Follow the Leader, Gang Starr-Daily Operation, Common-Like Water for Chocolate, KRS One-KRS One, Kanye West- The College Dropout, 50 Cent-Get Rich or Die Tryin', Eminem- The Eminem Show, Nas-It Was Written, Public Enemy-Fear of A Black Planet, DMX- Its Dark and Hell is Hot.

They say that those who can't do, teach.  When it comes to coaching football, however, a little on-field experience never hurt anyone.  Though the sidelines will never boast the skills of say the pregame roundtables, every once in awhile an athlete comes along who finds a way to transmit his own talents to the next generation.  Here are the former playing careers of today's NFL coaches.   

Mike Singletary (Vikings assistant)- Samurai Mike was a two-time All-American at Baylor University before being drafted by the Chicago Bears in 1981. He went on to start 172 games for the Bears during his 12-year career (second most in club history), amassing an impressive 1,488 career tackles.  One of the most frightening "Monsters of the Midway," Singletary was a seven time first team All-Pro and two time Defensive Player of the Year.  Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1998, Singletary fared considerably less well on the sidelines, lasting a rough three years at the helm for the Niners from 2008-10.  He is currently an assistant for the Minnesota Vikings.
Jack Del Rio (Jaguars, recently let go)- The longtime Jags coach began his career as an All-American linebacker at USC, during which he would take MVP honors in the 1985 Rose Bowl. Del Rio concurrently excelled on the diamond, batting .340 and catching for a USC squad that included both a young Mark McGwire and Randy Johnson. Del Rio would be selected by the Saints in the 1985 NFL Draft, going on to play 11 years for four teams and earning All-Pro distinction in 1994. 
Mike Munchak (Titans)- Munchak was a nine time Pro-Bowl offensive guard for the Oilers, later elected to the 1980's All-Decade team.  He entered the Hall of Fame in 2001.
Ken Whisenhunt (Cardinals)- Whiz played for Georgia Tech in the early eighties, where he achieved first team All-ACC honors during his junior and senior seasons.  Drafted in the 12th round by the Atlanta Falcons, he would last four years as their tight end before stints with the Redskins and Jets.  In all, he spent 9 years playing in the NFL and almost a decade more coaching before taking the head reigns for the Cards in 2007.
Gary Kubiak (Texans)- A member of the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame, Kubiak started behind center for Texas A&M before going on to have the unfortunate position of playing behind John Elway in his nine seasons with the Broncos. 
Ron Rivera (Panthers)- The Panthers head man compiled the then record for sacks and career tackles at UCLA before submitting nine years at linebacker for the one of the all time defenses in the Chicago Bears of the mid-eighties..
Jim Zorn (Chiefs Assistant)- After going undrafted from Cal Poly Pomona, Zorn became the starting QB for the Seahawks from '76-'83, becoming the second player ever inducted into the Seahawks Ring of Honor.  He spent the next three years serving as backup for the Packers, Buccaneers, and Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Lovie Smith (Bears)- A three-time high school state champion, Smith played college football at Tulsa, where he would garner two All-American nods at linebacker and safety.
Tom Coughlin (Giants)- Coughlin attended Syracuse University where he played running back.  In 1967, he set the school's single-season receiving record.
Sean Payton (Saints)- A journeyman in the truest sense, Payton holds the distinction of being the only athlete to ever start in five different football leagues over the course of just two years. A successful quarterback out of Eastern Illinois, Payton would go on to play in the inaugural season of the Arena Football League in 1987.  He was subsequently sold for $1,000 to the CFL's Ottawa Rough Riders before landing in the NFL as a Chicago "Spare Bear" scab during the '87 player's strike.  Once normal play resumed, Payton fell to the UK Budweiser National League, where he led the Leicester Panthers to the quarterfinals in his first and only year.  However, his journey had just begun.  Payton would ultimately coach at four different colleges and three different NFL teams before finally finding a home with the New Orleans Saints in 2006.
John Fox (Broncos)- Fox was a defensive back at San Diego State under future NFL head coach Herman Edwards.
Norv Turner (Chargers)- Backed up future Hall-of-Famer Dan Fouts for the Oregon Ducks of the early seventies.
Jim Harbaugh (49ers)- An all time Michigan great, Harbaugh excelled under center for the Bears and Colts, the latter electing him to their Ring of Honor for his winning leadership of their mid-nineties clubs.  Despite his success, he is perhaps best remembered around Indianapolis as the guy Peyton Manning replaced.
John Harbaugh (Ravens)- Older brother John was a defensive back at Miami.
Chan Gailey (Bills)- Quarterback at Florida.
Pat Shurmur (Browns)- Co-captained the Rose Bowl Champion 1988 Michigan St. Spartans.
Jason Garrett (Cowboys)- Long time backup to Troy Aikmen during the mid-nineties.
Jim Caldwell (Colts)- Defensive back at Iowa.
Leslie Frazier (Vikings)- Member of the "G Crew" who spent the early '80s as a defensive back with the Bears.  Coaches Frazier, Mike Singletary, Jeff Fisher, and Ron Rivera all received rings as players from the 1985 Super Bowl Champion Bears.
Jim Schwartz (Lions)- Schwartz played four years of linebacker for the Hoyas.
Andy Reid (Eagles)- Offensive guard for BYU.
Mike Shanahan (Redskins)- Quarterbacked at Eastern Illinois until a crushing hit on the practice field ruptured one of his kidney's, causing his heart to stop for over 30 seconds.  Shanahan was so close to death that a Catholic priest was actually summoned to read him his last rites.  Needless to say, that would mark the end of his playing days.
Mike Smith (Falcons)- An All-State linebacker in high school, Smith went on to grab defensive MVP honors twice for East Tennessee State before landing in the CFL for a short stint in 1982.
Rex Ryan (Jets)- Sexy Rexy served as a loyal foot soldier for Southwestern Oklahoma St Bulldogs, playing defensive end opposite his twin brother Rob in 1986.

1. The Mannings (Archie, Peyton and Eli) In the world of sports, the quarterback is king. In the world of quarterbacks, the Mannings reign supreme.  When you're a #2 pick, and #3 in your own family in terms of draft selection, you know you're dealing with one hell of a gene pool.  Bear Bryant once called Archie the best college quarterback he'd ever seen, a patron saint at Ole Miss and an all-time Saint in Louisiana.  Not bad pops, but where's the ring?  Peyton and Eli are each Super Bowl MVPs, the former one of the top three or four players to every throw the pigskin.  Love 'em or hate' em, there's just no arguing with success.

2. The Hulls (Bobby, Dennis and Brett) The Golden Jet, Silver Jet, and Golden Brett. Only 18 players in the history of the NHL have scored more than 600 goals over the span of a career.  Only 16 of those are not name Hull.  Bobby and his son Brett were hockey royalty in their days, with slapshot prowess that is nearly unparalleled to this day.  Silver Jet Dennis would never land a spot in the Hall like his brother and nephew, but 303 career goals and five All-Star nods ain't too shabby either.

3. The Williams (Serena and Venus) Serena and Venus have amassed a ridiculous 48 combined Grand Slams, a number that would no doubt be even higher were they not having to constantly face off against one another (they have met in 8 Slam finals, including 4 straight). Both rising to the rank of #1 over the past decade, the Williams sisters are in a league of their own when it comes to women's tennis in the 21st century.

4. The Gracies (Helio, Carlos, Royce, Rorion, Rickson, Rolls,....) The Gracies aren’t just a great sports family, they’re a certifiable dynasty.  Brothers Helio and Carlos are regarded to be the creators of modern Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and on top of imparting this revolutionary martial arts style to the world, their tutelage created a virtual army of fighting Gracies. Carlos’ offspring alone included 13 children who rose to the rank of black belt. Among Helio’s numerous sons were the acclaimed Rickson, Relson, Royler, Royce, and Rorion. Rorion co-founded UFC and Royce helped bring it to the masses, winning three out of the first four UFC tournaments to go down as one of the most influential and dominant fighters in MMA history. All in all over 60 Gracies have achieved prominence in the field of mixed martial arts.

5. The Sutters (Brian, Daryl, Duane, Rich, Ron, Brent, Brandon, and Brett) The six Sutter brothers played over 5000 combined games and captured six Stanley Cups throughout the 70's and 80's. Brent's son Brandon and Daryl's son Brett are currently members of the Carolina Hurricanes.

6. The Howes (Gordie, Mark, Marty, and Vic) Nicknamed Mr. Hockey, Gordie Howe is of course regarded as one of the greatest hockey players to ever pick up a stick. However, his son Mark resides with him in the Hall, a prolific two-way defenseman who spent 16 years with the Whalers, Flyers, and Red Wings. Gordie's other son Marty and brother Vic also had significant careers in professional hockey.

7. The Richards (Maurice and Henri) The first player to ever reach 500 goals, Maurice "Rocket" Richard was the heart of the Canadiens dynasty of the 40's and 50's, winning 8 Stanley Cups in that span. Henri "Pocket Rocket," 15 years Maurice's junior, would eventually join his brother in the Hall after 20 years of service to Montreal.

8. The Dimaggios (Joe, Dom, and Vince) Joltin Joe's 56-game hit streak may be one of the most celebrated records in all of sports, but not many know that little brother Dom had a nifty little streak of his own, 34 games in 1949, which remains a Red Sox record. Along with Vince, the three brothers combined for 22 All-Star appearances over 34 years of service.

9. The Waners (Paul and Lloyd) Nicknamed "Big and Little Poison," the Waner brothers patrolled the Pirates' outfield during much of the 20's and 30's. Paul would collect over 3,100 hits despite playing many of his games hungover. According to Casey Stengel, "he had to be a very graceful player, because he could slide without breaking the bottle on his hip." Both Waners would wind up in the Hall of Fame, boasting the most combined career hits by brothers with 5,611.

10. The Espositos (Phil and Tony) A ten-time All-Star, Phil was one of the best centers to ever play the game, winning two Stanley Cups with the Bruins before retiring with 717 goals.  Tony was a long time Blackhawk who revolutionized the goalie position with his development of the butterfly style, joining his brother in the Hall of Fame in 1988.

11. The Sharpes (Shannon and Sterling) Sterling was a 6-time All-Pro wideout who brought in 65 touchdowns before a neck injury cut his career short, only two years before his Packers won the title in '96.  Luckily for him, his brother Shannon bequeathed his first of three rings to his big bro.  Shannon would go on to appear in 8 Pro Bowls and become the era's greatest tight end outside of Tony Gonzalez

12. The Matthews (Clay Sr, Bruce, Clay Jr, Clay III, Kevin, Jake and Casey) Stay with me here because running down the exploits of the Matthews clan is enough to make your head spin.  While Bruce might be the greatest offensive lineman of all-time, his brother Clay Jr was a four-time Pro-Bowler who played linebacker into his forties. Clay Jr's son Clay III is a defensive force for the Packers who has the potential to join his uncle in the Hall, while his other son Casey was an Oregon linebacker who you might remember forced a key fourth quarter fumble in the national championship game against Auburn and was just signed as an undrafted free agent by the Eagles. Bruce's son Jake is promising offensive tackle at Texas A&M and his other son Kevin is a young center for the Tennessee Titans. And of course there's Clay Sr, patriarch of the Matthews clan, who played four seasons for the Niners in the early fifties.

13. The Barrys (Rick and sons Scooter, John, Brent, and Drew) NBA legend Rick Barry had four sons who all ascended to the ranks of professional basketball.

14. The Klitschkos (Wladamir and Vitali) When it comes to the heavyweight division nowadays, there are the Klitschko brothers, and then there's everyone else.  The Ukranian man-beasts are positively unrivaled over the last generation, combining for a record of 98-5 with 88 knockouts.  Vitali is the current WBC heavyweight champion, while Wlad holds the WBA Super, IBF, WBO Super, and IBO crowns.

15. The Alous/Rojas (Felipe, Matty, Jesus, Moises, Mel Rojas, and Mel Rojas Jr) Brothers Felipe, Matty, and Jesus combined to form the first and only all-brother outfield for the mid-60's Giants. A generation later, Felipe's son Moises would outdue them all en route to six All-Star appearances and two Silver Slugger awards. Even Felipe's nephew Mel had a solid decade-long pitching career that spanned the 1990's and Mel Jr is carrying the family into a third generation with his recent selection by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 2010 draft.\

16. The Deans (Dizzy and Paul) In 1934, Dizzy famously proclaimed "Me an' Paul are gunna win 45 games." They would win 49, with Dizzy contributing a mind-boggling 30. That same year, the duo would go on to win two games apiece in the World Series for the Cardinals' "Gashouse Gang", combining for 28 strikeouts and a 1.43 ERA to overtake the Tigers in seven.  Sadly, both brothers had their careers cut short by injury, but though Dizzy had only four healthy years in the Show, his overwhelming dominance was enough to get a ticket to the Hall in 1953.

17. The Millers (Reggie, Cheryl, and Darrell) We all know Reggie as one of the greatest pure shooters of the past generation, but sister Cheryl could give him a run for his money. A three-time Naismith college player of the year, she led her Trojans to two championships and owns just about every record in USC's books. When Reggie inevitably gets his Hall of Fame bid, he will be joining his sister, whose likeness has resided in Springfield for over fifteen years.  Even more, the third Miller child Darrell spent four years at catcher and outfield with the California Angels.

18. The Browners (Ross, Jim, Joey, Keith, Keith Jr and Ross' son Max Starks) Joey was a 6-time Pro Bowl strong safety for the Vikings who was named to the 1980 All-Decade team. Brother Ross was a two-time All-American for Notre Dame who was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame and played 11 seasons in the NFL at defensive end. His son Max is currently a offensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers who has contributed to their two recent Super Bowl victories. Keith had an four year stint in the NFL and his son Keith Jr is following in his father's footsteps at defensive end, currenly playing at Cal Berkley.

19. The Perrys (Gaylord, Jim, and Chris) Hall of Fame hurler Gaylord was said to have approached Vaseline about doing an endorsement due to his widely known habit of doctoring baseballs. In fact, Gene Tenace, long time catcher of the prolific pitcher, once remarked that at times he would have to walk the ball back to the mound as it was so greasy he couldn't even through it back. Still, a Hall bid was hard to deny, as Gaylord accumulated 314 wins and 3,534 strikeouts over his 22 year career. Brother Jim won a Cy Young and 215 games in his 17-year career while Jim's son Chris was a successful golfer on the PGA tour.

20. The Bonds (Bobby and Barry) Only two players in MLB history have gone 30 and 30 five or more times. One is named Barry Bonds. The other is his father.

21. The Niekros (Phil, Joe, and Lance) Masters at the art of the knuckleball, Phil and Joe's 539 combined wins makes for the most successful brother combination in baseball history. Joe's son Lance also spent limited time with the Giants as a first baseman.

22. The Barbers (Tiki and Ronde) Tiki was the football version of Nomar Garciaparra, a top notch player who for whatever reason prevented his team from winning a championship until immediately after his exit. However maligned, with 10,000+ rushing and 5000+ receiving yards (one of three in NFL history alongside Marcus Allen and Marshall Faulk), his place in the Giants pantheon is indisputable. Lining up on the other side of the ball was identical twin, Ronde, who accomplished quite the combo of his own as the only player in NFL history with 25+ sacks and 40 interceptions over a career.

23. The Griffeys (George Kenneth Sr, Ken Jr, and Craig) Ken Sr was an integral member of Cincinatti's Big Red Machine, hitting .336 in 1976 en route to their second title in as many years. Fourteen years later, he would sign with the Seattle Mariners, joining his son who had a year earlier been called up from the minors. On September 14th, 1990, the father-son tandem would hit back-to-back home runs in a moment right out of a Disney movie. Junior would of course blossom into one of the greatest, most exciting players of his era. Younger brother Craig even played in the Mariners farm system, but never made it to the big leagues.

24. The Laudrups (Brian and Michael) Soccer siblings for the ages, Brian collected a record four Danish Footballer of the Year Awards from 1989-1997 while his brother piled up four straight La Liga championships with Barcelona en route to being named the greatest Danish player of all time by the Danish Football Association in 2006.

25. The Alomars (Sandy, Roberto, and Sandy Jr.) Roberto just entered the Hall as one of the greatest second baseman of all-time.  A tough act to measure up to, Sandy Jr still held his own, winning Rookie of the Year and going to six All-Star games as a catcher. Their father Sandy Sr was a mediocre hitter best known for his defense at second base and subsequent coaching career. Sandy had the pleasure of coaching his two sons on the 1989 Padres.

26. The Nevilles (Gary, Phil, Tracy and Neville) Yes, you read that right.  The Patriarch of the Neville clan is indeed named Neville Neville, and was a well known cricketeer in the 1980's.  Gary and Phil played together on Man U for over a decade, winning 6 Premier League titles (Gary would win two more after Phil departed to captain Everton).  They concurrently compiled a combined 144 caps with the English national team.  Moreover, their sister Tracy was a long serving netball player for England, compiling 74 caps in her own right.

27. The Spinks (Michael, Leon, Cory, Leon Calvin, and Darrell) Michael went undefeated in his first 31 professional fights to become the undisputed light-heavyweight champion of the world, and later the heavyweight champion with his defeat of Larry Holmes. Mike's only loss would be his final fight, a knockout by the surging Mike Tyson in 1988. He is enshrined in both the International and World Boxing Hall of Fames. His brother "Neon Leon" is best known for upsetting Muhammad Ali to become the WBC/WBA heavyweight champion of the world in 1978. Born just five days later, Leon's son Cory would go on to become the undisputed Welterweight Champion in 2003. Two other sons, Leon Calvin and Darrell, also had brief professional careers.

28. The Bells (Gus, Buddy, David, Mike) A rare three-generation baseball family. Grandfather Gus was a four-time All-Star currently enshrined in the Reds' Hall of Fame, while his son Buddy racked up 2,514 hits and six Gold Gloves with the Rangers. Son David had a solid 11 year career at third base for six different teams while his brother Mike was the black sheep of the family, appearing on the 2007 Mitchell report despite only managing to hit a mere two career dingers in his less-than-illustrious 1-year professional career

29. The Alis (Muhammad, Laila, Rudy, and Ibn) Muhammad is of course the greatest boxer of all time.  However, his daughter Laila is gunning to be the greatest female, boasting a 24-0 record with 21 knockouts. Muhammad's brother Rudy also found success as a professional heavyweight, as did Rudy's son Ibn

30. The Nessers (Al, Frank, Fred, John, Phil, Ray and Ted) The seven Nesser brothers composed the most famous football family in the country in the early 1900s, all playing for a Columbus Panhandles team that would eventually contribute to the formation of the modern day NFL. Legendary Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne once said of them, "Getting hit by a Nesser brother is like falling off a moving train."

31. The Martinezes (Pedro and Ramon) A dominant force in his day, Pedro put up mesmerizing numbers during a time when steroid-use was wreaking havoc on ERAs everywhere. However, ever in the shadow of his younger brother, Ramon was one of the more underrated hurlers of the early 90's, eventually boasting a 135-88 career record with a 3.67 ERA.

32. The McEnroes (John and Patrick) Brothers John and Patrick won a combined 192 tennis titles and each ascended to at least a top three doubles ranking.

33. The Bryans (Dan and Mike) Together, the Bryan twins have won 11 Grand Slam tennis titles, spending over 200 weeks ranked at #1 to be named the doubles team of the decade for 2000-2009.
    

34. The Fielders (Cecil and Prince) The Fielders are the only father-son combination to each hit 50 home runs in a season.

35. The Johnsons (Jimmy, Rafer, and Jennifer) Rafer won Olympic gold as a decathlete at the 1960 Rome games. Brother Jimmy is a Pro Football Hall of Famer who played 16 seasons with the 49ers. Rafer's daughter Jennifer won silver at the 1999 Beach Volleyball World Championship in Marseille.

36. The Sislers (George, Dave and Dick) A titan in his day, "Gentleman George" Sisler hit a ridiculous .420 in 1922 en route to 2,812 career hits and a career .340 AVG. Despite a mediocre seven-year career, son Dick would go down in history for hitting a 10th-inning walk-off home run that would help win his Phillies their first pennant in 35 years. His younger brother Dave was once deemed "Yankee Killer" for going 5-0 against them in a 4-year stint as a reliever for the Boston Red Sox in the late fifties.

37. The Delahantys (Ed, Jim, Joe, Frank, and Tom) Hall of Famer Ed Delahanty was known as one of the great power hitters of the late 1800's (of course this meant leading the league with 13 home runs, but still...) His four brothers also had stints in the majors.

38. The Rivers (Doc, uncle Jim Brewer, cousins Ken Singleton and Byron Irvin, and children Austin, Jeremiah, and Callie) Before capturing banner #17 as coach of the Celtics, Doc played point alongside Dominique Wilkins, where he would average nearly 11 points and 6 assists a game. Jim and Byron served nine and three years respectively in the NBA, and Doc's cousin Ken Singleton spent the majority of his career playing right field for the Orioles, where he would go to three All-Star games and win a World Series in 1983. Doc's son Austin may prove to outdo them all, heralded as one of the best recruits to come out of the 2011 class who will soon begin his college basketball career as a Blue Devil. Jeremiah played hoops for Georgetown while Callie is thought to be one of the best college volleyball players in the country.

39. The Ripkens (Cal, Cal Jr, Billy) Cal Sr spent 36 years in the Orioles organization as manager, base coach, player, and scout.  Like Papa Alomar, he coached his two sons in 1987, the first father to ever do so.  Though Billy had a largely unremarkable career, Cal Jr's was about as remarkable as they come, starting an unfathomable 2,632 consecutive games and going to all but 2 All-Star games in his 21-year career.

40. The Sedins (Henrik and Daniel) After Vancouver secured both the 2nd and 3rd overall picks in the 1999 NHL draft, they scooped up the Sedin duo, who would bring them five division titles over the past decade  The Swedish identical twins won gold at the 2006 Turin Olympics and are 4th and 5th in all-time points for the Canucks.

41. The Mayweathers (Floyd Sr, Roger, Jeff, and Floyd Jr) Floyd Sr's two brothers each won professional featherweight titles, while he himself was a welterweight contender for much of the 70's and 80's. His training was of course integral to the development of the undefeated, nine-world title winning prima donna Floyd Jr.

42. The Chavezes (Julio Cesar, Julio Jr, and Omar) A prolific Mexican boxing family. Julio Cesar Chavez was a six-time world champion across three weight divisions over a 25 year career, widely considered one of the best pound-for-pound fighters ever at his peak in the 1980’s. Julio retired holding the record for most title fight victories with 31 and the longest undefeated streak in boxing history at 13 years, accumulating an astounding 89 wins before taking his first loss in 1994. Julio planted the boxing seed in his two sons Omar and Julio Jr at an early age, ceremonially inviting them into the ring before each of his fights. Sure enough, both have followed in their father's footsteps with resounding success, undefeated in a combined 72 contests with Julio Jr currently holding the WBC Middleweight championship belt.

43. The Van Arsdales (Dick and Tom) Identical twins Dick and Tom Van Arsdale had nearly as identical basketball careers. Both played hoops at Indiana, both played on the NBA All-Rookie team in 1966, both were 3-time All-Stars, and both retired in 1977 after 12 years in the league.

44. The Bibbys (Henry, Mike, and Jim) Henry and his son Mike Bibby each had careers in the NBA while Henry's brother Jim won a World Series with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1979.

45. The Robinsons (Jackie and Mack) Though we all are well-versed in the illustrious career of Jackie Robinson, brother Mack had his own feat of courageousness, competing in the historic, racially-charged 1936 Berlin Olympics and capturing silver in the men's 200 meters by finishing .4 seconds behind Jesse Owens.

46. The Bretts (George, Ken, Bobby and John) Ken played 14 years for 10 different teams, and most notably remains to this day the youngest player to ever pitch in a World Series, coming into game 4 of the 1967 Fall Classic at 19 years and 3 weeks.  Brothers Bobby and John played minor league ball while George of course was a 13-time All-Star, first-ballot Hall of Fame third baseman who is one of four players in MLB history to finish with 3000 hits, 300 home runs, and a .300 average.

47. The Uptons (BJ and Justin) Selected #1 and #2 respectively, Justin and big bro BJ are the highest drafted siblings in baseball history. The jury is still out on just how good these two will get.

48. The Molinas (Bengie, Jose, and Yadier) The only three brothers in MLB history to each win a World Series.

49. The Tatupus (Mosi and Lofa) A former classmate of President Obama at Punahou high school, Mosi made a name for himself as a special teams wizard for the New England Patriots, where he was named to both the 1970s and 1980s Patriots All-Decade teams.  His son Lofa was a three-time Pro Bowl linebacker for the Seattle Seahawks.

50. The Madduxes (Greg and Mike) Mike was a journeyman pitcher who played 15 years in the bigs, a career vastly overshadowed by the magnificence of brother Greg, an unparalleled control pitcher who at one point would capture four consecutive Cy Young awards during which he would post a mind-boggling 1.98 ERA.

Honorable Mentions:

The Haistons (Sam, Jerry, Johnny, Jerry Jr, and Scott) The Hairstons hold the modern day record with five family members to play at the major league level.

The Bryants (Joe and Kobe) Father of Kobe, Joe Bryant was selected in the first round of the 1975 draft, going on to score over 5,000 points in 8 seasons in the NBA and spend seven years dominating the hardwood in Italy.

The Niedermeyers (Rob and Scott and cousin Jason Strudwick)

The Gasols (Pau & Marc)

The Boones (Ray, Bob, Aaron, and Bret) The first family to send three generations of players to the MLB All-Star game.

The Grieses (Bob and Brian) Bob was Hall of Fame Quarterback for the Miami Dolphins who won two Super Bowls including the legendary undefeated '72 season. Brian is a former Rose Bowl MVP, Super Bowl Champ, and 1-time Pro Bowler.

The Hamms (Paul and Morgan) Twins brothers who each medaled in Olympic gymnastics.

The Charletons (Jack and Bobby)

The Mahres (Steve and Phil)

Billie Jean Moffitt King and Randy Moffitt While tennis great Billie Jean is known as one of the pioneering female athletes of her time, few know that her younger brother Randy made a living as a Major League reliever, compiling 96 saves with the Giants, Astros, and Blue Jays.
The Williams (Dominique and Gerald)

The Golics (Mike and Bob) Both defensive tackles and Notre Dame alums, Mike spent nine mediocre years in the NFL while brother Bob was a three-time Pro Bowler, two-time All-American wrestler, and one-time RA on Saved By the Bell: The College Years.

The Jones (Thomas and Julius) Only brothers to each rush for 1000 yards in the same season (2006).
The Leiters (Al and Mark) Mark had a mediocre 11-year career in the MLB posting a 4.57 ERA and 65 wins. Al was a 3-time champion, two-time All-Star who won 162 games and struck out over 1900 batters over an 18 year career.

The Baers (Max and Buddy) Though most recall Max Baer as the man upset by Jimmy Braddock in the movie Cinderella Man, both he and his brother Buddy are listed in Ring Magazine's top 100 punchers of all time.

The Longs (Howie and Chris)

The Bryans (Bob and Mike)
The Grants (Horace and Harvey)

The Stottlemyres (Mel, Mel Jr, and Todd) With 3,158 K's, the Stottlemyres have collected the most strikeouts of any father-son combination.

The Hernandezes (Livan and Orlando)

The Schofield/Werths (Dick, Ducky, Jayson, Dennis, and Kim) Whatever this family lacks in athletic dominance, they make up for in financial dominance, as Jayson hit paydirt this past offseason with one of the most ridiculously lucrative contracts in baseball history.  Dicky, Duck, and Dennis each retired with sub-.230 career averages (Jayson's grandfather, uncle, and stepfather respectively), but 45 years of combined MLB service within one family is pretty hard to ignore.  Jayson's mother Kim competed at the Olympic trials in long jump and the 100m.

The Gronkowskis (Rob, Chris, and Dan)

The Wards (Daryl and Gary)

Marat Safin and Dinara Safina

The Wilsons (Mookie and Preston)

The Szczerbiaks (Walt and Wally) Walt won 3 Euroleague titles with Real Madrid

The Winslows (Kellen and Kellen II)

The Hasselbecks (Matt, Tim and Don)

The Staals (Eric, Marc, Jordan, and Jared)

The Laroches (Adam, Andy and Dave)

The Motas (Manny, Andy, and Jose)

The Aarons (Hank and Tommie) The Aarons hold the distinction of having hit the most combined home runs by a pair of brothers.  Tommie chipped in with 13.

The Noahs (Yannick and Joakim)

Santonio Holmes and Fred Taylor (Cousins)

The O'Bannions (Charles and Fred)

The Giles (Brian and Marcus)

The Matthews (Gary and Gary Jr)

The Baileys (Champ and Boss)

The Vicks (Michael and Marcus, Aaron Brooks is a cousin)

The Simms (Chris and Phil)

The Drews (JD, Stephen and Tim)

The Giambis (Jason and Jeremy)

The Weavers (Jered and Jeff)

The Lopezes (Robin and Brook)

The Jordans (Michael and Jeffrey)

The Younts (Robin and Larry) Larry is the only player to be credited with pitching a game without actually facing a batter.  Summoned to pitch in the 9th inning of a 4-1 game against the Braves in 1971, Larry took several warm up tosses before elbow pain forced him to exit.  He would never return to a major league mound.

1. New York Yankees: In 1920, Babe Ruth joined the New York Yankees. In the 90 years that would follow, the pinstripes would appear in what would feel like almost every other World Series hence, en route to a mind-boggling 27 championships. The Bombers have sent enough brass to Cooperstown that they could open their own wing; 44 players enshrined to date with at least a handful more assuredly on their way. Key 5: Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe Dimaggio, Mickey Mantle, Derek Jeter.
2. Boston Celtics: The Celtics have been piling up hardware ever since Auerbach and Russell began their epic run of 11 championships in 13 years way back when.  Today, the Green Men's 17 championships is tops in the NBA. A ridiculous 33 men with Celtic ties are enshrined in Springfield. Key 5: Bill Russell, Larry Bird, John Havlicek, Bob Cousy, Paul Pierce.
3. Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers: The absurdly inapt name isn't the only thing the Purple and Gold carried over from the "Land of 10,000 Lakes." Though they got whipped by #2 for much of the sixties, its hard to argue that since 1980, the Lakers have reigned supreme.  Their 31 finals appearances is just plain stupid nasty, and at 16 championships, it may not be long before their cross-country rivals get overtaken.  Key 5: Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry West, Gail Goodrich, Kobe Bryant.
4. Montreal Canadiens: Though the Habs have been looking more like the Hab-nots as of late, history is clearly on their side.  Canada's finest have won an astounding 24 championships, essentially a quarter of all Stanley Cups won throughout history. They've also sent a stupefying 44 members to the Hall of Fame. Key 5: Guy Lafleur, Jean Beliveau, Henri Richard, Maurice Richard, Patrick Roy.
5. UCLA Bruins Men's Basketball: Behind arguably the greatest coach that ever lived, UCLA epitomized dominance in the sixties and seventies en route to an overall 11 national championships and 30 conference titles.  After falling out of favor for much of the eighties and nineties, the Bruins seized back their prominence under Ben Howland with 3 consecutive final four appearances from 2006-2008. Key 5: Lew Alcindor, Bill Walton, Gail Goodrich, Ed O'Bannon, Sidney Wicks.
6. Brazilian National Soccer Team: In the world of international soccer, Brazil is the gold standard-bar none. Of the 18 World Cups that have been held, Brazil has starred in seven finals, capturing a whopping five Cups. They've also raked in three Confederations Cups and eight Copa America Cups to boot. Key Five: Pele, Ronaldo, Garrincha, Zico, Rivaldo, Kaka.
7. Alabama Crimson Tide Football: UCLA had John Wooden, Notre Dame had Knute Rockne, and Alabama had one Paul "Bear" Bryant." From '58-'82, Bear took the Tide to six of their fourteen (again, this is up for debate) national championships. Over their 114-year history, Alabama Football has captured 26 conference titles and appeared in more bowl games than any other NCAA school with 59. Perhaps their most mind-boggling statistic was somehow managing to go 113 years before finally producing a Heisman winner in Mark Ingram. Key 5: Bart Starr, Joe Namath, John Hannah, Don Hutson, Ozzie Newsome.
8. Notre Dame Fightin' Irish Football: Though the glory days of Notre Dame football are behind us (last championship was 1988), the Fightin' Irish will always hold a special place in college football lore. Notre Dame leads all schools with 48 alumni in the College Football Hall of Fame, and positively churns out NFL talent like few others, having produced nearly 500 NFL draft selections and ten Pro Football Hall-of-Famers (Did someone say Joe Montana?). Though national championships are always a bit murky to conclusively determine pre-BCS era (and even post, sadly enough) many credit the school with 13 national championships. Key 5: Joe Montana, Alan Page, Tim Brown, Paul Hornung, Curly Lambeau.
9. Soviet National Hockey Team: When most of us think of the Soviet National Ice Hockey Team, one phrase comes to mind, “Do you believe in miracles?!!” Well believe me when I tell you that that win for the Americans was a miracle and then some. From the mid-fifties to the early-nineties (when the communist empire crumbled), Soviet hockey ruled with an iron fist, winning just about everything there was to win for an international hockey team including seven gold medals over nine Olympics and another 19 golds at the World Championships. Key 5: Vladislav Tretiak, Vyacheslav Fetisov, Valeri Kharlamov, Sergei Makarov, Aleksandr Maltsev.
10. Tennessee Lady Vols: Though the UConn women are all the rage today, when it comes to women's college hoops, one school stands above all the rest, Pat Summit's Lady Vols. In the 29 March tournaments that have taken place, the white and orange have appeared in 27 Sweet Sixteens, an astounding 18 Final Fours, and have won eight championships. Key 5: Holly Warwick, Bridgette Gordon, Deadra Charles, Chamique Holdsclaw, Tamika Catchings.

-----------------------------Honorable Mentions: -------------------------------------
Green Bay Packers, USC Trojans Football, UNC Tarheels Women's Soccer, Iowa Hawkeyes Wrestling, Pittsburgh Steelers, UCLA Rugby, Duke Blue Devils Basketball, Chicago Bulls, St. Louis Cardinals, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona, Toronto Maple Leafs, USC Trojans Baseball, Detroit Red Wings, UConn Huskies Women's Basketball, USA National Men's Basketball, Juventus, Michigan Wolverine Hockey, AC Milan, Manchester United, Kentucky Wildcats, Oklahoma St Cowboys Wrestling, Texas Longhorns Baseball.