MLB Top-10: Reader Response Time

The list in its entirety:

Preface

1. Babe Ruth
2. Ty Cobb
3. Stan Musial
4. Hank Aaron
5. Barry Bonds
6. Willie Mays
7. Ted Williams
8. Lou Gehrig
9. Randy Johnson
10. Rickey Henderson

Conclusion

What do you think?  Where did we go wrong?  What did we do right?  Who's too high?  Who's too low?  Who did we miss out on?  Who should be on the list but isn't?

Speak up!  Be heard!  Comment!

MLB Top-10: Eric's Parting Shot

Making up my list of the Top-10 baseball players of all-time was an exercise based almost entirely in statistics.  There was no other way I could do it.  For one, no other sport lends itself to be judged entirely on stats like baseball.  Also, it was the only way I could honestly compare the players of today to the ones who came before I was born, before my parents were born, even before my grandparents were born.

Now, I stand by my rankings wholeheartedly, but my only regret is that they don’t feel as personal as they could be.  I call myself a numbers guy, and these players certainly have the numbers to qualify for any Top-10 list.  But if you were to ask me to name my Top-10 players off the top of my head, based more on personal opinion, my list would have looked very different.

In my mind, Sandy Koufax was the greatest pitcher ever, but since he retired early, his career totals don’t stack up with those of Randy Johnson, Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens, and others.  I based my analysis off career numbers, so he didn’t make the cut.

Without a doubt in my mind, Albert Pujols is the greatest player of his generation, yet he doesn’t get any credit on my list because he hasn’t played his full career yet.

Having Barry Bonds at fifth doesn’t sit quite right with me, but he has the numbers, tainted as they may be, so he stayed.  Ted Williams, very curiously, didn’t have the numbers I was looking for and ranks lower than he would have on my off-the-cuff list.

Despite my misgivings about what may or may not have gone into the official list, I ultimately enjoyed and am proud of it.  Geeking out and devising complex mathematical formulas to determine greatness is pretty much what baseball’s all about.  It’s what made list-making fun for me.

--from @jeuneski

MLB Top-10: #2 Ty Cobb and #1 Babe Ruth

2) Ty Cobb

We’re turning back the clock to discuss one of the Baseball Hall of Fame’s original members, Ty Cobb.

“The Georgia Peach” absolutely dominated of the turn of the century Major Leagues.  At the time of his retirement, Cobb was credited with creating or equaling more records than any other player, roughly 90 different categories.  Cobb still holds a number of those records to this day, including highest career batting average (.366), most career batting titles (11), and most career steals of home (54).  Only once in his entire career, in his rookie season, did Cobb post an average of less than .314, and he batted .400 on three separate occasions.

Cobb’s .433 on-base percentage ranks ninth all-time; he led the league seven times in that category.  Cobb led the league in slugging percentage eight times, and for his career he sits at .512.  Finally, with a career .945 OPS, Cobb’s OPS led the league ten times.

The feisty competitor Cobb played the 5th-most games in Major League history and his career numbers for plate appearances and at-bats also both rank fifth.  All-time, Cobb ranks second in runs scored with 2,246; in hits with 4,189; in singles with 3,053; and in triples with 295.  Plus he’s seventh with 1,938 runs batted in; fifth with 5,854 total bases; and fourth with 724 doubles and 897 stolen bases.

The one-time AL MVP reached three World Series with the Detroit Tigers but lost them all.  Cobb batted .262 in those Series, much lower than his career numbers.

#2 Ty Cobb

1) Babe Ruth

Like the other lists so far, the choice for #1 was extremely simple.  The Sultan of Swat.  The King of Crash.  The Titan of Terror.  The Colossus of Clout.  The Colossus of Clout.  The GREAT BAMBINO!

Babe Ruth.

Ruth is a legend, an athlete that transcends the sport he played in.  Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali: those are his peers, not baseball players. But to get that way, he had to be pretty good at baseball too.

The legend of Ruth begins in Boston where he was a three-time World Series-winning pitcher for the Red Sox.  Ruth even still holds the World Series record for consecutive scoreless innings pitched.  First playing in 1914, Ruth saw more at-bats every year in the majors.  Even as a pitcher, his bat was invaluable.  It wasn’t until he was traded to the Yankees though—a move that seemingly crippled Boston for the next 86 years—that Ruth moved to the outfield full-time.

Before Ruth came along, the record for home runs in a season was 27.  After seeing a few more at-bats and leading the league with 11 home runs in 1918, Ruth blasted 29 in 1919.  Coming to the Yankees in 1920, he hit 54.  The following year he hit 59.  Then six years later, in 1927 Ruth jacked 60 long balls, a record that stood for the next 34 years.  Ruth revolutionized the game and ushered in the “live ball” era.  His flair for the long ball and his over-sized personality made everyone want to watch.

What everyone saw was the greatest baseball player of all-time.

The league-leader in home runs twelve times, Ruth’s 714 career home runs record stood for 39 years; that total still stands third all-time.  Ruth still holds the MLB career records for both slugging percentage (.690) and OPS (1.164).  Ruth’s .342 batting average ranks tenth all-time; he’s second on the all-time RBI list with 2,213; he has the 2nd-highest on-base percentage with a .474 mark; Ruth ranks fourth all-time in runs scored with 2,174; he’s sixth with 5,793 total bases; and his 2,062 walks rank third.

As a pitcher, Ruth posted a 2.28 ERA, which stands as 17th-best all-time.  With a 94-46 career record, Ruth also holds the 11th-best win-loss percentage, and he has the 13th-lowest home runs allowed per 9 innings ratio in history.

All told, Ruth won seven World Series (three with the Red Sox and four with the Yankees), one MVP award, was named to two All-Star Games, and was the biggest player baseball’s ever seen.

#1 Babe Ruth

--from @jeuneski

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MLB Top-10: #4 Hank Aaron and #3 Stan Musial

4) Hank Aaron

When we talk about consistency, we talk about Hank Aaron.  From 1955-1973 he never hit less than 24 home runs in a season, and he hit 30 home runs a record fifteen times.  What that all added up to was Aaron’s retirement as baseball’s all-time home run leader with 755.  But when you play for 22 years and compile the second-most at-bats of anyone ever, you’ll do a lot more than just hit home runs.

A career .305 hitter with a .374 on-base percentage and .555 slugging percentage, Aaron won an MVP award playing for the 1957 World Series Champion Milwaukee Braves.  Also, Aaron won three Gold Gloves to go along with his record twenty-five All-Star Game appearances.  (If you’re asking yourself how can a player make twenty-five All-Star Games in twenty-two years, the answer is because from 1959-1962 there were two All-Star Games a year.)

Career-wise, Aaron ranks first with 2,297 RBI; 1,477 extra base hits; and 6,856 total bases.  He also holds the record for most consecutive seasons with 150+ hits with seventeen.  Aaron ranks third all-time in hits, games played, and plate appearances, is fourth in runs scored, twelfth in singles, and tenth in doubles.  Add to all that 240 career stolen bases.

Aaron had eight 40-homer seasons, led the NL in hitting twice and in home runs, RBIs, and slugging percentage four times each.  1963 marks the last time someone led their league in runs scored, HRs, and RBIs and did not win the MVP award.  Aaron finished third in voting.

#4 Hank Aaron

3) Stan Musial

Even though other players on this list might have higher career totals, Stan “The Man” Musial takes the third spot because of what he did relative to his peers.  Musial was always among his league’s leaders in practically every offensive category, leading the NL in games played five times, runs scored five times, hits six times, doubles eight times, triples five times, runs batted in twice, hitting seven times, slugging six times, on-base percentage six times, OPS seven times, and total bases six times.  Also, in 1948 Musial was just one home run short of winning the Triple Crown.

The career Cardinal was a three-time MVP (1943, 1946, 1948), four-time MVP runner-up, and three-time World Series Champion (1942, 1944, 1946) who tied Willie Mays’ record for most All-Star Game selections with 24.  Plus, he missed the entire 1945 season serving in the Navy.

Musial posted a career .331 batting average, a .417 on-base percentage, and a .559 slugging percentage.  Along with 475 career home runs, Musial has the 4th-most hits all-time with 3,630—1,815 came on the road and 1,815 at home—the 3rd-most doubles with 725, the 2nd-most total bases with 6,134, the 9th-most runs scored with 1,949, and the 6th-most runs batted in with 1,951.

Musial is one of the most chronically underrated players in baseball history.  Part of that is playing in the heartland, in St. Louis, away from big media markets.  Another part is just the guy Musial was: a quiet, go-about-your-business-type who would simply go out and rip line drives all day.  In essence, he’s the man.

#3 Stan Musial

--from @jeuneski

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MLB Top-10: #6 Willie Mays and #5 Barry Bonds

6) Willie Mays

The definition of a five-tool player, Willie Mays hit for average, hit for power, fielded, threw, and ran with the best of them.  And when I say the best, I refer to Mays’ 24-straight All-Star Game selections.

Mays won the first of his two MVP awards and a World Series with the Giants in 1954, and in his 1951 Rookie of the Year-winning season, he was actually the on-deck batter when Bobby Thomson hit his famous pennant-winning home run, "The Shot Heard 'Round the World."

Mays’ 660 home runs currently rank fourth all-time.  He ranks tenth all-time in runs batted in and has a career .302 batting average, .384 on-base percentage, and .557 slugging percentage.  Also ranking third all-time in total bases and eleventh in hits, Mays finished among the NL’s top-5 in OPS fourteen times, five times leading the league.  When Mays retired he was third in runs scored; his 2,062 runs now place seventh.

The two-time All-Star Game MVP hit 51 home runs in 1955 and 52 in 1965.  Those ten years are the longest stretch between 50-homer seasons for a player in MLB history.

Famous for his defense as well as his hitting prowess, Mays won twelve Gold Glove awards.  The award was introduced six years into his career; he easily could have won more.  Plus, Mays holds the record for most putouts by an outfielder with 7,095.

Range in the outfield translated to speed on the base paths for Mays.  Starting in 1956, Mays led the NL in steals four straight years.  Also, in 1969 Mays became the first member of the 300-300 club, a player with 300 home runs and 300 steals.

#6 Willie Mays

5) Barry Bonds

Next we come to one of the most controversial figures in all of sports, Barry Bonds.  However you feel about Bonds, the fact remains that he put up some historic numbers.  Tainted as those numbers may be, Bonds was bar-none the most prolific offensive force of his era.  In a generation where everyone used steroids, Bonds was unquestionably the most productive hitter.

Before Bonds’ career got off-track and he went the gorilla-with-a-maple-bat route, Barry Bonds was still a great player.  He won the Rookie of the Year in 1986, he won three MVPs in the early 90’s, and he won eight gold gloves before he bulked up and couldn’t move around the outfield.  Pre-2000, Bonds was consistently a .300 hitter who hit 30 homers, drove in 100 runs, and stole 30 bases.  It’s just what happened after that that causes us to look at his career in a different light.

I don’t care what Bonds wants to say, a consistently very good player, like Bonds was, does not all of sudden jack 73 home runs at age 36.  Still, that’s a record, ahead of other juicers Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa.  Also, with the steroid crackdown these days, it’s a record we may never see broken.

Bonds holds the career home run record with 762.  He’s a career .298 hitter with the all-time 6th-highest on-base percentage at .444 and the 6th-highest slugging percentage at .607.  Bonds’ 514 career steals, the vast majority coming pre-2000, make him the only member of the 500-500 club.  In addition, Bonds was perhaps the most feared hitter ever as evidenced by his record 2,558 career walks, a record 688 of them coming intentionally.

In all Bonds won seven MVPs (his next highest competitor has three), eight Gold Gloves, twelve Silver Slugger Awards, three Hank Aaron Awards, won the 1996 Home Run Derby, and was a fourteen-time All-Star.

Other records Bonds holds: most home runs against different pitchers (449), home runs by a 40-year-old (74), consecutive seasons with 30+ home runs (13), slugging percentage in a single season (.863), slugging percentage in a World Series (1.294), consecutive seasons with a .600+ slugging percentage (8), single season on-base percentage (.609), walks in a single season (232), intentional walks in a single season (120), consecutive games with a walk (18), consecutive MVP awards (4), Player of the Month selections (13), and he was the oldest player to win a batting title for the first time (37 years old).

#5 Barry Bonds

--from @jeuneski

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Top-15 NFL Offseason Targets

1. Nnamdi Asomugha

Along with Darelle Revis, one of the best two cornerbacks in the league right now, Nnamdi Asomugha's value in a pass-happy league could not be higher.  However, I worry about Asomugha in that he's reached that scary age of 30.  Having seen Nate Clements sign a gargantuan contract with the 49ers around that same age only to be nothing more than an average player makes me wary of signing aging players.  Asomugha is a better player than Clements was, and at 6'2" and 210 pounds, he doesn’t have to totally rely on speed to be effective, though he is still very fast.  I think for the next three years he can be an elite player and change the complexion of an entire defense.

The Texans have been horrible defending the pass, and he could go a long way toward solving their problems in the secondary.  Asomugha could mentor second year corner Kareem Jackson and eliminate half the field while Brian Cushing, DeMeco Ryans, and Mario Williams make up a formidable trio in the front seven.  Landing Asomugha could make the Texans an elite, playoff-level team as opposed to an 8-8 disappointment.  He’s that big of an impact player, and the Texans are that close to competing.

Other potential suitors include the 49ers, who should think twice before signing a 30-year-old corner to a mega deal; the Jets, who somehow get in on every free agent discussion and just imagine a duo of Asomugha and Revis; and the Lions, who could also really use his services to combine with rising star safety Louis Delmas and a nasty front four.  Asomugha could turn Detroit's into a powerful defense.

2. Osi Umenyiora

The word is Osi Umenyiora is unhappy in New York, and the Giants would be amenable to trading him for the right price while grooming Jason Pierre-Paul as his replacement.  Umenyiora is right in his prime at 29 and last year compiled 11.5 sacks with 10 forced fumbles.  Getting to the passer and creating turnovers is the magic elixir to winning games in the NFL; Umenyiora excels at both.  He could play 3-4 outside linebacker, but I like him more with his hand down.

Philadelphia might want him, but I doubt the Giants would trade him in the division.  New England could certainly use a pass rusher as that has been the weakest part of their team for years, but when has a New York team been willing to help a Boston team?

3. Sidney Rice

In Brett Favre's first year with the Vikings, Sidney Rice looked like one of the best receivers in the game.  Last year in Minnesota the whole season was an unmitigated disaster, and Rice was injured for much of the year, so I'll write that season off.

A proven deep threat that was the number one receiver on a team that reached the NFC Title Game, a huge threat in the red zone with elite ability to retrieve jump balls, I would love to see him come San Fran way, but I doubt he wants to play with Alex Smith.

New England would be an interesting fit as Rice would complement all of their underneath pass catchers with a certifiable deep threat who doesn't carry half of Randy Moss' baggage.

St. Louis, Chicago, San Diego, Baltimore, and Detroit also seem like viable landing spots; all could use a big-time, number one wideout/deep threat and all are in a position to compete this year.

4. Jonathan Joseph

Jonathan Joseph is a top-10 corner in the league, and at age 27 he’s a much safer guy to give a long term contract to than Asomugha.  With great speed and pure cover skills, Joseph can be the number one corner on the majority of NFL teams.

Since Nate Clements will likely be cut, I would love to see the 49ers pursue Joseph, who is younger and will be less expensive than Asomugha.  I believe they will at the very least consider making a move for him, and other suitors could be Baltimore, Philadelphia, the Giants, Arizona, St. Louis, Detroit, and the Texans.

5. Santonio Holmes

When his head is right, Santonio Holmes is one of the best receivers in the league and instantly upgrades any passing attack.

Baltimore should be interested to add some speed opposite Anquan Boldin.  Pittsburgh maybe could look to bring him back and replace Hines Ward, though that seems unlikely.

The Bears have to think about going after him.  With Jay Cutler, Matt Forte, Greg Olsen, Johnny Knox, and Holmes, they would finally be respectable at the skill positions.

Detroit, St. Louis, San Francisco, San Diego, and Kansas City could all benefit from his services as well, though with Dwayne Bowe and first round pick Jonathan Baldwin in house K.C. might not be willing to spend on another wideout.

6. Ahmad Bradshaw

Super-talented all-around back Ahmad Bradshaw probably can’t carry the ball 25 times per game, but 18 reps would be just fine to get big-time production out of him.  He’s got great vision and tremendous speed, and is only 25 years old, which is still young even for a running back.  He should be productive barring injury for at least three more years and perhaps up to five more.

I would bet the Giants want to resign this guy after rushing for over 1,200 yards last year, but he is the definition of a scatback and probably understands that he needs to be in a two-back system.

He’d be a nice complement to the more bruising Frank Gore in San Francisco, though both are such top-flight backs there may not be enough carries to go around.

Bradshaw could be a nice complement to Cedric Benson (also a free agent) in Cincinnati, but I doubt any free agent is clamoring to land with the Bungles.  Seattle is running back deprived but again; that’s not exactly a team on the upswing.

The Dolphins love to run the ball and if they re-sign Ronnie Brown, bringing in Bradshaw as a change of pace back would be lethal.

If Bradshaw demands to be the feature back, Seattle, Detroit, Denver, and Washington would be viable landing spots.

7. DeAngelo Williams

Running backs are always a scary free agent proposition no matter how good they are, but few backs have the talent of DeAngelo Williams.  He is 28, at which point some backs are done and others are declining, and he lost most of last year to injury.  However, the two prior years, splitting carries with Jonathan Stewart, Williams tallied 1,515 and 1,117 yards rushing, respectively, and averaged well over 5 yards per carry in both campaigns.  Still with home run ability, Williams can change a game with one touch, so I think he has tremendous value.  Probably if you sign him to a three-year deal or so, you’ll likely get your money’s worth.

Williams will likely want to play for a competitor so I will rule out teams like Washington, Denver, and Seattle.

Most teams are committed to a two-back system these days so it wouldn’t be shocking to see him go to teams like Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh, or Chicago especially if winning is Williams’ main goal.

The Jets may not have a ton of money to spend, but I like him as a complement to the young bruiser Shonn Greene as Ladaninan Tomlinson continues to age.

If Indianapolis has the money Williams would be a great pickup to finally give them juice in the running game and a feature back.

8. Paul Posluszny

Only 26 years old, this tackling machine would be a nice addition to any defense.  Paul Posluszny finds the football, and though he’s not going to tally up sacks or interceptions, he will cover well and is a very sure tackler.  He’s a Pro Bowl-level young player, and though the Bills will likely re-sign him, there will be plenty of potential suitors if they don’t.

The Lions could certainly use an impact linebacker as could the 49ers, Cowboys, Colts, and perhaps even the Saints.

The Packers have an abundance of good linebackers but with Nick Barnett aging, “Poz” could play inside our outside and along with Clay Matthews, Dez Bishop, and the like and create one of the best linebacking corps in the league.

9. Antonio Cromartie

Ask him the names of all his children; you may have a problem.  Ask him to lock down a top-flight receiver; this is your man.  The Texans, 49ers, Lions, Ravens, Steelers, Vikings, Bears, and Eagles should all consider adding Cromartie.

10. Kevin Kolb

Though Kevin Kolb isn't a free agent, he's going somewhere because his value is simply too high right now for the Eagles not to cash out on him.  Some speculate he’s worth anywhere from two first round picks to just a single second rounder.  I tend to believe it's closer to the latter, but who knows what teams will do in this quarterback-driven and -deprived league.

All the hype over Kolb is a bit mysterious to me.  He’s played in nineteen total games and accumulated a passer rating of 73.2 with 11 touchdowns and 14 interceptions—not exactly Peyton Manning numbers.  But insanity is contagious amongst NFL owners, and in a condensed transaction period anything could happen.

My best guess is that he heads to Arizona because they can’t throw Max Hall into that fire again, and Derek Anderson is god awful.  The Cardinals might be willing to give up a first rounder for Kolb.  Since they have talent on the offense, landing Kolb could mean winning the division.

Other interested teams should be Seattle, Buffalo, Washington, Miami, and Oakland.

11. Jared Gaither

A mammoth man at 6’9” and somewhere in the ball park of 340 pounds, Jared Gaither is young at just 25 and the perfect fit for a mauling running game.  Suited as a right tackle and athletic enough to be a good pass protector, Gaither's strength is as a road-grater in the running game.

If the Ravens don’t resign him, the Steelers should be interested given their injuries and old age along the offensive line.  I also think he would be a nice physical addition to the Colts' offensive line, which always seems to lack punch and physicality.

The Texans, Lions, and maybe even the Packers could look at him if they think he could possibly play guard, but he’s probably too tall for that position.

The Bears and Redskins desperately need offensive line help as well and should seriously consider Gaither.

12. Zach Miller

If you succeed in the passing game in Oakland, you can really play.  Zach Miller is a legit, Pro Bowl-level talent at tight end that could help a litany of teams.

Cleveland could really use a middle of the field target to help out Colt McCoy.  Of course they could use Holmes, Rice, and Braylon Edwards too.

The Dolphins could use another pass catching threat to take heat off of Brandon Marshall, so Miller would be a nice fit in Miami as well.

The Giants, Cardinals, Rams, and even the Falcons with the 200-year-old Tony Gonzalez, would also be good landing spots for Miller.

13. Braylon Edwards

Braylon Edwards has as much God-given ability as any player in the league, but he drops balls, loses focus, and has some attitude issues.  Still, if things break right, he could be an absolute steal.

Detroit could make a nasty duo with Calvin Johnson and Edwards representing the most physically imposing pair of receivers in the league.

St. Louis, San Francisco, Arizona, Chicago, Baltimore, San Diego, Pittsburgh, and Miami are all teams that could use his talents and places he might actually consider going.

14. Donovan McNabb

Not a free agent either, Donovan McNabb is as good as gone in Washington.  Last year playing with offensive weapons that, and this is not my joke, “couldn’t even get you arrested if you carried them through airport security,” McNabb still posted a decent 77 passer rating.  It’s not his fault that Ryan Torrain, Santana Moss, and Chris Cooley were his best options, nor that he played behind an offensive line with more leaks than Julian Assange.  I don’t understand why everyone has buried him so fast.  Just the year prior his rating was 93 and he was a Pro Bowl performer.

I’d love to see McNabb come to San Francisco on a two-year deal and play with some talent—Frank Gore, Vernon Davis, Michael Crabtree—and help develop Colin Kaepernick, whose physical gifts resemble McNabb’s in his early years in that he's mobile and strong with a big arm.

McNabb could also be a good fit with the Vikings, though I would hate to see a good man walk that plank, and he could also go to Arizona.

15. Cullen Jenkins

When Cullen Jenkins is healthy, he’s as disruptive a 3-4 end as any in the league.  He’s a monster at the point of attack and consistently gets penetration and disrupts plays in the backfield.  Even at the ago of 30, a 3-4 end can play for a long time in this league because athleticism is not as paramount as brute strength.

He would be a scary addition to the Ravens.  Other teams that might be in the market for a 3-4 end are Buffalo, San Francisco, San Diego, Kansas City, and Houston.  Perhaps the Colts could even use him as a 4-3 defensive tackle.

--from @AdamHocking

Hill 364's Votes for ESPN's Power Rankings

Top Wide Receiver
 

Adam: Andre Johnson – Houston Texans
 

Eric: Andre Johnson – Houston Texans
 

Hands, routes, size, speed.  Andre Johnson is the complete package, the most difficult guy to cover in the league because he does so many things well.  And unlike the other guy most people mention as the best in the biz, Larry Fitzgerald, Johnson actually has a quarterback who can get him the ball.
 

Top Running Back
 

A: Adrian Peterson – Minnesota Vikings
 

E: Adrian Peterson – Minnesota Vikings
 

Though Adrian Peterson might not be the best "all-around" back, he's the best pure runner there is.  His tenacity is unmatched.  When most runners start heading towards the sideline at the end of the play, Peterson initiates contact with defenders to gain the extra yard.  For this physical monster with electric speed, tremendous power, and cat-like agility that we haven't seen since Eric Dickerson and Bo Jackson, the biggest knock on him coming into last year was a case of fumblitis, but with just one fumble in all of 2010, Peterson clearly is a man who works on his craft.
 

Top Pass Rusher
 

A: DeMarcus Ware – Dallas Cowboys
 

E: DeMarcus Ware – Dallas Cowboys
 

DeMarcus Ware had more sacks than anyone in 2010.  It's that simple.  Ware has never finished outside of the league's top-10 in sacks for a season and even racked up an astounding 20 in 2008, the NFL's 6th-highest total ever.  A pure missile of a man, Ware is nothing but strength and speed firing off the edge on every play.
 

Top Tight End
 

A: Vernon Davis – San Francisco 49ers
 

The best athlete at his position and one of the best blocking tight ends, Vernon Davis is virtually peerless in terms of his ability and versatility on the field.  After a rocky start to his career, he's put up back-to-back All-Pro-caliber years despite having nobody to throw him the ball.
 

E: Antonio Gates – San Diego Chargers
 

There is no more productive quarterback-tight end tandem than Philip Rivers and a healthy Antonio Gates.  Despite no real weapons on the outside for the majority of last year, Rivers still threw for 4,000 yards, and his main weapon is Gates.  While it seems like Gates is always injured, he's shown great toughness, playing in all sixteen games 2006-2009, only last year missing significant time.  And even though he's reached the dreaded age of 30, there's still no other tight end I'd fear more when creating a defensive gameplan.
 

Best Head Coach
 

A: Bill Belichick – New England Patriots
 

E: The Hoodie – New England Patriots
 

The measure of a good coach is how he gets the most production out of the least amount of talent.  Last year, even though we knew the Patriots would be good, no one was saying they were the most talented team.  Yet despite a perceived lack of talent, they had far and away the best record in football at 14-2.  That starts with the coach, the mad scientist, Bill Belichick.  Plus, he's won three rings in four Super Bowl appearances.  No other coach comes close in either of those categories.
 

Top Linebacker
 

A: Patrick Willis – San Francisco 49ers
 

Prior to the start of last season, expectations were high for the 49ers, primarily because of the supposed strength of the defense.  However, it quickly became apparent that Nate Clements, well, kinda sucks, that Abruayo Franklin may have been a one year wonder, and that San Francisco wasn't all they were cracked up to be.  Yet the Niners' defense revolves completely around #52, who I believe is the game’s most athletic linebacker.  Intelligent, blazing fast, a lock down tackler, and excellent in coverage, if I had one player to build my defense around, it would be Willis.
 

E: James Harrison – Pittsburgh Steelers
 

What I'm looking for out of my top linebacker is the guy who most excels rushing the passer, stopping the run, and defending the pass.  Others may be better in one or two areas, but the guy I grade highest in all three is James Harrison.  The 2008 Defensive Player of the Year is the nastiest member of the always stellar Pittsburgh linebacker group who flattens quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers in equal measure.
 

Top Cornerback
 

A: Darelle Revis – New York Jets
 

E: Darelle Revis – New York Jets
 

Despite having a bit of a down year in 2010, Darelle Revis takes top honors here because when he's on, throwing to his side of the field is an incompletion at best and an interception at worst.
 

Top Quarterback
 

A: Aaron Rodgers – Green Bay Packers
 

This is a list of right now, so throw legacies out the window.  Right now Aaron Rodgers is the best in the business.  He carried an injury-ravaged team to a Super Bowl title, winning three straight road playoff games just to reach the big game.  Name a quarterback attribute: arm strength, smarts, work ethic, accuracy, mobility, leadership; Rodgers is in the top-3 league-wide in every single one of those categories.  You can't say that about any other quarterback.
 

E: Peyton Manning – Indianapolis Colts
 

You may notice that my Top Quarterback, Top Offensive Player, and Top Player Overall are all quarterbacks, but none of them are the same player.  I couldn't decide on one—I don't think I should have to—and I wanted to spread the love.  In the category of "Top Quarterback," I pick Peyton Manning because whenever I watch him drive the Colts down the field, I never get the feeling he's not going to score.
 

Top Safety 

A: Troy Polamalu – Pittsburgh Steelers
 

E: Troy Polamalu – Pittsburgh Steelers
 

It's easy to see how much the standing Defensive Player of the Year, Troy Polamalu, means to his defense.  When Polamalu's out, Pittsburgh's defense ranks middle of the pack.  When he's in there, it's a top-3 unit.  Polamalu changes the game with his speed, tackling, and ability to get his hands on the football through interceptions and strip sacks.  Offenses always have to know where #43 is on the field, or they'll pay for it dearly.
 

Top Left Tackle
 

A: Joe Thomas – Cleveland Browns
 

To me it came down to Joe Thomas, Jake Long, or Ryan Clady.  Since Clady was injured for much of last year, I went with Thomas because I believe he can do everything Long does but is a better athlete, and thus more equipped to handle speed pass rushers.
 

E: Jake Long – Miami Dolphins
 

It killed me to pick the Wolverine, Jake Long, over the Badger, Joe Thomas, but I call Long the better pro.  Long may be the strongest left tackle around, and his technique is flawless.
 

Toughest Venue
 

A: Arrowhead Stadium – Kansas City Chiefs
 

Arrowhead is always sold out, always loud, and a Chiefs team without spectacular talent made the playoffs last year on the strength of their 7-1 home record.  This city loves their Chiefs whether they are winning or not.
 

E: Heinz Field – Pittsburgh Steelers
 

Heinz Field has probably the worst playing surface of any in the league, the stadium's open end looking out on the Allegheny River and the Pittsburgh skyline allows winds to come in and create havoc with field goals, and the toughest defense in the league calls it home.  Nobody wants to go to Pittsburgh.
 

Rising Assistant
 

A: Perry Fewell – New York Giants
 

E: Perry Fewell – New York Giants
 

This category is about an assistant coach that people might not hear much of that does his job well enough to make people think he could be a head coach one day.  The pick here is New York Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell.  He’s got head coaching experience as a former interim head coach in Buffalo.  He’s black, so he’s a popular interview candidate with the Rooney Rule.  Then on the field, the results speak for themselves.  Last year Fewell helped turn around a dysfunctional Giants defense into a very competitive unit.
 

Best Owner
 

A: Green Bay Packers Inc., The People
 

E: We the People – Green Bay Packers
 

There are only a few owners with much name recognition, and the ones that do are more out of infamy—Al Davis, Jerry Jones, Dan Snyder—than them actually helping the team.  So what it came down to, what's cooler than sports' only publicly-owned team, the Green Bay Packers?  Nada.  Nothing could be more in unison with the feel of Green Bay and the state of Wisconsin than the fact that its people own the team they live and breathe for.
 

Best Helmet
 

A: San Francisco 49ers
 

This has nothing to do with my artistic side; it's purely emotional.  When I see the 49er helmet I get goosebumps still to this day.  Even when they're terrible, just seeing them on the field moves me.  That's when you know you love a team.
 

E: Dallas Cowboys
 

There is no more iconic helmet than the one that adorns Dallas Cowboys' over-sized heads.  The helmet's Lone Star symbolizes the Cowboys' tradition of winning and their collection of star players.
 

Top Overall Offensive Player
 

A: Aaron Rodgers – Green Bay Packers

I told you why he was the best quarterback, and since quarterback is the most important position on the field, it's not hard to see why he’s my top offensive player.  Rodgers' array of skills, both mental and physical, is so hard to prepare for.  I wouldn't choose any other player to build a team around.
 

E: Tom Brady – New England Patriots
 

Reigning NFL MVP Tom Brady is an offensive machine.  Had he not gotten hurt and missed the '08 season, Brady's 2007-2010 run would have been perhaps the most dominant four-year period by any quarterback ever.  When the Patriots traded away Randy Moss mid-way through last season, I didn't think the Patriots were going to be able to score.  Instead, Brady proved me wrong and led the highest-scoring offense in football to an NFL-best 14-2 regular season.
 

Top Overall Defensive Player
 

A: Patrick Willis – San Francisco 49ers
 

E: Patrick Willis – San Francisco 49ers
 

The unquestioned leader of his defense, Patrick Willis plays a position that has to cover, pass rush, and stop the run, and he does it all at an elite level.  Willis is incredibly smart, has blazing speed, hits like a ton of bricks, and has made the All-Pro team every year of his career.  At 26 years old and entering his prime, he’s the building block we’d want for a defense.
 

Top Player Overall
 

A: Aaron Rodgers – Green Bay Packers
 

E: Aaron Rodgers – Green Bay Packers
 

Coming off a Super Bowl championship in just his third year as a starter, Aaron Rodgers is young and has a great arm, tremendous accuracy, mobility, and smarts.  When starting a team, there’s no other player we’d pick first.
 

--from @AdamHocking and @jeuneski