Greatest to wear 1-40

I'd also give No. 34 to Walter Payton. Ryan was No. 30 with the Angels, with whom he had his best years.

 

Strasburg has yet to play a full season. How is he on that list?

 

That's exactly who I was thinking of.

 

For No. 8 - I'd give it to Troy Aikman or Yogi Berra over Cal Ripken. Titles trump durability.

 

No. 9 - Gordie Howe over Ted Williams
No. 10 - Pele over Fran Tarkenton
No. 28 - Marshall Faulk over Curtis Martin
No. 32 - Jim Brown over Magic Johnson
No. 34 - Walter Payton over Nolan Ryan


-----

Some of these could invite a threadjack/thread war over what sports are more important, what markets, who cares, etc. But since the logs were set for such a bonfire ...

 

Though Ryan was still plenty good with Texas, Payton is the no-doubt-about-it athlete that comes to mind at No. 34.

Also might I suggest Thiery Henry at No. 14

 

Adding on...

00 – Robert Parish
41 – Tom Seaver
42 – Jackie Robinson
43 – Richard Petty
44 – Hank Aaron
45 – Bob Gibson
46 – Doug Plank (Bears' 46 defense)
47 – Mel Blount
48 – Jimmie Johnson
49 – Ron Guidry
50 – David Robinson
51 – Dick Butkus
52 – Ray Lewis
53 – Don Drysdale
54 – Brian Urlacher
55 – Junior Seau
56 – Lawrence Taylor
57 – Dwight Stephenson
58 – Jack Lambert
59 – Jack Ham
60 – Chuck Bednarik

 

Johann Cruyff wore 14 and was ten times the player Henry was/is.

 

Some tough decisions in the 80s

80 - Jerry Rice
81 - Terrell Owens (or maybe Art Monk?)
82 - Ozzie Newsome
83 - Andre Reed
84 - Randy Moss (Shannon Sharpe)
85 - Chad Johnson (Antonio Gates)
86 - Hines Ward
87 - Reggie Wayne
88 - Lynn Swann (or Michael Irvin or Tony Gonzalez)
89 - Alexander Mogilny

 

Just realized Jack Youngblood wore 85. He wins.

 

And, looking ahead, the Great One's a shoo-in for #99

 

Nope. Super Mario's got No. 66 locked up tight.