At #1 is the first baseman of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Albert Pujols. The best player in the game today. One of the best first baseman to ever play. He is a complete player. He hits for power and average, can spray the ball around the field, push it or pull it, he can really do it all with the bat. He is also a good defensive player with his two gold gloves. He won the Rookie of the Year in 2001, six different times he won the silver slugger award and he has been MVP three times. He has won two rings, one in ’06 and the other one last season. Everything he has done has been with the Cardinals except signing a 10 year $254 million contract with the Angels. He is worth every single dollar that he is going to make. He doesn’t draw a lot of attention from the media which is weird because no one else is on his level. Pujols is very soft spoken, so you never know about his leadership, but he is probably a great guy in the club house. A fantastic player and he is in the number one spot mostly because there is no one in his sport that is close to him. He is head and shoulders above everyone else in baseball. That’s not to knock the other players in baseball because there are a lot of great players, but Albert Pujols is one of the best ever and he still has a good six years left of his prime form. This guy deserves to be great, get paid, and to be on the very top of this list. I just wanted to say thank you for all that followed, and I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I did creating it. Happy Holidays!



At #2 is the small forward for the Miami Heat, LeBron James. He has been THE best player in the NBA over the last decade. He was a force when he came out in ’03 and he lifted the spirits of Cleveland to later on just crush them. The best player in the NBA is also the most hated. But with that said, he should be respected by all, if not than they are just blind. He is a human triple-double. When James is coming down the lane with a full head of steam no one is going to stop him. He grabs rebounds with ease and passes the ball extremely well for his size. Now, a lot of people say that LeBron choked in the Finals, but I honestly don’t believe that. I think that the Heat were still trying to figure out who the ball was going to go through in the fourth. LeBron looked too unselfish in the 4th and a lot of his shots taken then were with the shot clock winding down. Plain and simple, this two-time MVP just balls. He is just a freakish athlete. If he can get some rings on his fingers, that talk about being better than MJ is going to start to get interesting. But everything else he does puts him behind only one player in the four major sports.



At #3 is the quarterback of the New England Patriots, Tom Brady. Brady is the model of consistency at quarterback. He doesn’t have the strongest arm or the most accurate, but where he lacks there he makes up with great decision making. Brady usually NEVER throws interceptions and that is because he only makes the throws where he knows there is going to be a completion. One thing Brady does better than any other quarterback is setting up his guys to make a play after the catch. He won the first ever unanimous MVP last year as he put together a great season. He holds the record with most touchdowns thrown in a single season with 50, and he has a very good shot in holding the record for the most passing yards in a single season. People are going to be wondering why Brady over Rodgers and it’s a real simple ratio--3 to 1. At the end of the day it’s all about the rings and that’s why Brady is sitting at number three and the best football player on this list.



At #4 is the quarterback of the Green Bay Packers, Aaron Rodgers. The 24th overall pick in the 2005 NFL draft has emerged as an elite quarterback over the past fews years. The defending Super Bowl MVP is having another great season this year as he has set the Packers franchise record for most touchdowns thrown with 40. The fans are finally done being bitter about the Brett Favre situation, with a big part of it due to Rodgers’ stellar play. He played out of his mind last year with a bunch of injuries and literally no run game, and it’s a similar case this year. No run game and the defense is letting teams score at will. He does have great weapons around him, but you can’t take away how he has played the past few years. The kid is now 28, and he is also now on that Tom Brady and Drew Brees level of playing quarterback. His ability to read the defense and his consistent play at a high level lands him at number four.



At #5 is the shooting guard for the Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant. He is a five-time NBA Champion, two-time Finals MVP, 13-time all-star, and also has an MVP award. He has been called the greatest Laker ever, and if he wins another ring that comparison with MJ gets even more interesting. One of the greatest scorers ever to play the game. Kobe came into the game as a high flying dunker, but since he has gotten older he has become more of a jump shooter. He scored the second most points in a single game with 81. People can play perfect defense on him, but when he rises up and fades away, it is nearly impossible to stop. Bryant is one of the better defenders in the league as well. Watching him guard the best player on the opposite team in the 4th quarter and really dig down and play hard is how the game should always be payed. A proven winner and a proven leader and that why he is in the top five.



At #6 is the starting center for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Sidney Crosby. Crosby is 24 and he has already won the Cup and a gold medal for his country in overtime against the USA. For that one goal he scored, most of Americans hate him because of it. I personally don’t care if you hate him or not, but he should be respected for his game and what he has done for hockey. When he was out last year, it has had a similar affect with Peyton Manning and the NFL. He is a phenomenal talent in the NHL. Great scorer and a great leader. Crosby is the best hockey player on this list. He is very underrated in most people's eye, but he should get more attention and he skates easily into the 6th spot.



At #7 is the point guard for the Chicago Bulls, Derrick Rose. The reigning MVP of the NBA will take the court against the Lakers on Christmas. He is not your typical point guard just because he can score the ball at any point in the game. He does average about seven assists a game and is a decent rebounding guard, grabbing about four a game. His defense sets him apart from the rest of the point guards in the league. Most guards get a lot of steals, but his man rarely scores against Rose. He lead his team to the best record in the eastern conference, but seems to get no help during the playoffs. A very special player and if the Bulls can get another scorer in Chicago than you can expect Rose to get a ring in the near future. Rose’s all-around great play has him at number seven.



At #8 is the running back for the Minnesota Vikings, Adrian Peterson. He is the most complete back in the NFL today. Peterson just does things that other running backs are not capable of doing. The ability to be running full speed, come to a dead stop, use a mean stiff arm to throw off a defender, get back into a sprint, and finish the play with six. He has the speed and strength in the running game, and he also has great hands to catch those screen passes and check down throws. When/if Christian Ponder can be a capable starter, the Vikings are going to have two very good skill positions to rebuild that franchise around. Peterson’s skill set has him running to the 8th spot.



At #9 is the Center for the Orlando Magic, Dwight Howard. He is one of the most important players in the NBA today. There are a bunch of teams trying to get him from Orlando right now, and I can understand why. He is an athletic freak at seven feet tall. Howard is a 25 and 10 guy, and he can put up those numbers on a nightly basis. He is a great piece to build a future of a team around. Watching him perform in the slam dunk contest was some great entertainment. Who ever said big men aren’t marketable? Haven’t seen a center play at such a high level since Shaq was in L.A. That’s why he is sitting dead center at number nine.



At #10 is wide receiver from the Detroit Lions, Calvin Johnson Jr. He was on a fast start to this season catching touchdowns left and right. He has speed and size to go along with his great hands, and that is why is the best receiver in the game. Sports Science on ESPN did a show on Calvin Johnson and he could catch anything in the area of a two car garage. That right there makes him a very special player. People might think he is a little high on this list, but watch a Lions game this season and you will see why he is where he is. So Calvin Johnson Jr. is catching his spot at number ten.



At #11 is the ce of the Philadelphia Phillies, Roy Halladay. He has been the best pitcher of my lifetime. He was more than consistent when he was with the Blue Jays for all those years. Halladay faced some of the best batters when going up against the AL East, and now that he is in the National League where he gets to pitch against pitchers. His fast ball isn’t over powering, but is still good enough to blow by a few guys. The use of his curveball and change up gives him the edge in just about every match up. He was fourth or better in the top seven pitching categories. He is the best at his position today and that’s why he is in at number eleven.



At #12 is the eft winger for the Washington Capitals, Alex Ovechkin. He came into the NHL in 2005 taking the league by storm. He scored 106 points in his first season with the Caps. Ovechkin is often known for his ability to score the puck. He is always at the top of the league in shots taken because he feels like he can score anytime he gets the puck. For one of the best players in the NHL, you expect him to be more of a leader on the ice, but that just isn’t who he is. He leads by putting up a ridiculous amount of points each season. If he could step up his game in the playoffs, he would probably be the best player in hockey. But for right now he has skated into number 12 spot.



At #13 is the small forward for the New York Knicks, Carmelo Anthony. He came out of Syracuse after winning a National Championship his freshman year. After several years with the Denver Nuggets, he got to go back home to New York. Melo is one of THE best scorers in the game today. He can put up 40 points on you on any given night. His ability to rise and fade away from the defense gives him a chance to get off his shot. The thing that separates Carmelo from the rest of the players that can score, is his clutch factor. You NEED to get him the ball if you have one shot to win the game. He has hit so many buzzer-beaters in his career. There is no reason why the entire offense should not run through him when the fourth quarter starts. That’s why he is in at number 13.



At #14 is the catcher for the Minnesota Twins, Joe Mauer. He has managed that pitching staff and put those pitchers in the best position to succeed. His defense is simply amazing as well. He hits for a good average and usually is among the top five in home runs for catchers. Dude just comes up in big spots. There is a reason he was on the cover of "MLB The Show" two years in a row, and that’s why he slides in at number 14.



At #15 is the running back for the Houston Texans, Arian Foster. This guy came out of nowhere last year, and now he is a force on the ground. His speed and power makes him a complete back. He also has good hands to catch a lot of passes out of the backfield. Not to mention he is a great guy to have on your fantasy team. That’s why he is running away at the 15th spot.



At #16 is the shooting guard from the Miami Heat, Dwayne Wade. He is one of the best scorers in the game. A great ability to finish with either hand at the rim. He won a ring in ’04 with Shaq as a counter-part, but he was the Finals MVP. Wade is arguably the best perimeter defender in the game. He is a thief on the basketball court. Often gets under looked in the NBA as one of the greats today, but he makes my top 25 at number 16.



At #17 is the second baseman for the Boston Red Sox, Dustin Pedroia. The 2007 rookie of the year and 2008 MVP winner, he is one of the scrappiest players ever to play second base. He has pretty good power and always hits for a good average. He is a great young leader for the Red Sox as well as the game of baseball. Pedroia always comes through in the clutch with big hits in the big spot. Such a fun guy to watch and that’s why he in at number 17.



At #18 is middle linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens, Ray Lewis. Ray Lewis plays with so much passion, and so much heart that it makes his teammates get fired up and ready to play. He is one of the most feared hitting defensive players ever to play the game. He is the Peyton Manning or Tom Brady of the defense. Lewis always has his men in the right positions to make the right play. He is also a great guy in the community of Baltimore, and a true leader. That is why Ray Lewis is popped in at number 18.



At #19 is point guard of the New Orleans Hornets, Chris Paul. He is the true definition of a point guard. His passing ability helps makes his teammates better, and puts them in the best position to score. Paul’s quick hands makes him a top tier perimeter defender with all the steals he gets. He is a tremendous three point shooter and free throw shooter. Paul is the complete package and that’s probably why his name has been in trade rumors with the New York Knicks and the Los Angeles Lakers. Both of them know how much this guy would help their team. That is why he has stolen his way to number 19.



At #20 is the second baseman for the New York Yankees, Robinson Cano. I think his coming out party was this year at the home run derby. This guy has a great amount of power, especially for a second baseman. Cano fields anything near him and does it cleanly. He is one of the better men to have when turning a double play. As the Yankees get older, Cano will be there for the long haul. One of the best young talents in today’s game, and that’s why he’s locked in at number 20.



At #21 is the Detroit Tigers Ace, Justin Verlander. He was a work horse for the Tigers this year putting in over 250 innings pitched. He had 250 strikeouts on the year, an ERA of 2.40, and a WHIP of 0.92. He throws some serious heat, but can also beat you with a confusing change up and a big curveball. Oh yeah, did I mention he won the Cy Young and MVP awards this year? He deserves a spot on this list and I plugged him in at number 21.



At #22 is goaltender, Tim Thomas. If you got to see two minutes of him playing in the playoffs last year, this guy needs no explanation. But he had a less than two goals against average with 16 wins, and four of them were shutouts. This guy carried the Bruins through the playoffs and brought “The Cup” back to Boston. Thomas has a great glove hand, and you combine that with his reflexes, your team is always going to be in the game. A .936 save percentage and his 12-4-0 record this season puts him at number 22.




At #23 is Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis. He shuts down the opposing receiver every time he is on the field. His stats aren’t flashy, but that is only because quarterbacks are feared by his presence. He has great hands and is one of the best at jamming receivers at the line. Revis’ only weakness is when he is covering a slot guy. Besides that he is THE best in the game, and that’s why he sits in at number 23.




At # 24 is Giants closer, Brian Wilson. He is one of the best closers in the game and without a doubt has THE best beard in the game. He throws some serious heat and has a knack for getting out of jams and shutting the door at the end of games. Now he isn’t top 10 or even top 15 best baseball player, but his personality puts him in at the 24 spot. Wilson was a riot at this year’s ESPY’s when he showed up in a skin tight penguin suit with a top hat and a cane.



At #25 is Right Winger, Patrick Kane. The 23 year-old who playing for the Chicago Blackhawks is one of the rising stars in the NHL. Kane has 24 points in this young season with seven goals and 17 assists. Kane was NHL ’10 cover star, forward on the USA silver medal Olympic team, and he also scored the game-winning overtime goal when, his team (the Blackhawks), went on to win the Stanley Cup. He has scored 230 points in 244 regular season games. But this guy is a tough pick up for any defenseman, especially in the playoffs where he has 42 points in 38 games.

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