Hometown Heroes: 44 Players Best Representing The 44 American Sports Markets
Often, certain teams in American sports markets seem to garner more attention than other teams in that same market.
The Bears are Chicago, the Red Sox are Boston, the Lakers are Los Angeles, etc.
However one of the things that may be tougher to discuss, is which players represent the towns they played in the best?
Some of the things I considered when I made this list were the character of the cities and the players, the talent of the players, the accolades of the players and their popularity in their respective media market.
This list covers all the American cities that host a team from one of the four major sports.
Now on to the list.
No. 44 Columbus, OH: Blue Jackets LW Rick Nash
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Ummm.... yeah.
Columbus has only had a hockey team for 8 years now and they have never been good.
However, the one mainstay for the Jackets has been big left winger Rick Nash.
Nash led the league in goals as a 19-year-old back in 03-04. Since then he has been first or second in scoring every year for the Blue Jackets.
At 26, Nash still has a long time to produce for the fans in Columbus, but as of yet it just hasn't been enough.
Interesting side note, I was at the Blue Jackets Inaugural home game in 2002 when they played my Blackhawks.
No. 43 Memphis, TN: Grizzlies C Pau Gasol
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Let's be honest, the city of Memphis is still more of a blues town than a real sports town at this point. So far their biggest contribution to the world of sports was trading Gasol to L.A. and making the Lakers most recent championship run happen.
Gasol did have seven very good years in Memphis, but a general lack of talent around him did him no good in his three playoff appearances.
One thing Memphis has to be hopeful about is Rudy Gay. Gay has an opportunity to be very good for the Grizzlies for quite some time, if the Grizzlies can keep him.
No. 42 Sacramento, CA: Kings G Mitch Richmond
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This was honestly a difficult choice, not because of the Kings great history, but because their lack thereof.
It came down to Richmond and former King Chris Webber.
Both were great players for the Kings and were the go-to scoring options on their respective teams but I went with Richmond because he had the longer, more productive career of the two. Webber had more postseason success but also had a LOT more talent than Richmond ever had.
One thing that has to make Kings fans wonder is what could've happened if these two could have suited up together, having played for the team merely a year apart.
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No. 41 Jacksonville, FL: Jaguars QB Mark Brunell
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This time three years from now the Jacksonville Jaguars are likely to be ancient history, but what little success they have been able to achieve in the last 15 years probably has to do with Mark Brunell.
Maurice Jones-Drew and Jimmy Smith are two other names that potentially could have represented the Jags here but I went with Brunell because in the franchise's second season he led them to a conference championship with a roster still filled with expansion draft players.
Brunell went to three Pro Bowl's with the Jags and led them to the playoffs for four consecutive seasons from 96-99.
No. 40 Orlando, FL: Magic C Dwight Howard
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Orlando has actually been one of the more consistently good teams in the Eastern Conference since their inception, but the reason they fall this low on the list is because they seem to struggle to keep their better players.
I could have easily went with Shaquille O'Neal or Penny Hardaway here, but I chose Dwight Howard because at age 25 he is already the longest tenured of the three.
Howard has also taken the Magic just as deep in the playoffs as Shaq and Penny did without the support of having a fellow super star on the squad.
Dwight has stated that "him and Mickey Mouse" will be the only things to stay in Orlando forever, which means that Orlando and Howard have a great chance at moving up on this list.
No. 39 Nashville, TN: Titans QB Steve McNair
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When the Houston Oilers packed up and left the state of Texas and became the Titans of Tennessee, one of the things that the fans in Nashville quickly accepted was Steve McNair.
McNair played nine seasons in the Music City and was well known for his leadership skills and his warrior's mentality, playing through pain and countless injuries.
McNair also had some tangible success with the Titans. In 1999, he led the Titans to within a yard of a potential Super Bowl Championship and in 2003 he won a league MVP.
His death was tragic and controversial, but the people of Nashville will always hold a spot for "Air McNair" in their hearts.
No. 38 Raleigh, NC: Hurricanes C Eric Staal
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The Carolina Hurricanes are the only professional sports team that call Raleigh home and in the past decade the Canes have been one of the pleasant surprises in the NHL, winning two of Lord Stanley's Cups.
Eric Staal was drafted by Carolina in 2003 and has been making a big impact ever since. In 2005-06, the second of the Hurricanes Stanley Cups, Staal scored 100 points in the regular season and probably would have won the Stanley Cup if not for the lights out play of goaltender Cam Ward.
Ron Francis is the franchises all-time leading scorer and is probably the only other name that comes to mind on a list of Hurricanes greats (maybe Cam Ward and Rod Brind'Amour?) however, I went with Staal because Francis did the large majority of his damage when the franchise was still in Hartford, Conn.
Staal is only 26 and as long as he stays in Carolina you can expect him to challenge most of Francis' records.
No. 37 San Jose, CA: Sharks C Patrick Marleau
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I probably could have lumped the Sharks into the Bay Area category but I figured it would be fitting to give the San Jose area a little bit of love since it is surprisingly the 10th largest in our nation.
The Sharks have been a GREAT addition to the NHL since their creation in 1991. They have made the playoffs in 13 of the 18 years and the man with most of the franchise records is Patrick Marleau.
Marleau has played with the Sharks since 1997-98, and since Marleau has arrived in San Jose as an 18-year-old rookie, the Sharks have only failed to qualify for the postseason once.
Marleau is still only 31 and is likely to extend those franchise records by quite a bit before it is all said and done.
No. 36 Oklahoma City, OK: Thunder F Kevin Durant
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Oklahoma City is the newest American city to obtain a professional sports franchise and there is no doubt that the face of this franchise for the next several years is going to be Kevin Durant.
Durant played his rookie season in Seattle but has now started his third season in Oklahoma City. Durant led the league in scoring last year but really burst on the scene this summer at the FIBA World Championships which he dominated on the way to a gold medal and tournament MVP honors.
Durant teamed with teammate Russell Westbrook forms one of the stronger young cores in the league, and with these two young stars the Thunder have a chance to really start doing some serious damage in the Western Conference, which seems to lack an elite team outside of Los Angeles.
It is unclear how long the Lakers will be able to hold their squad together but you can expect Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder to be waiting in the weeds for their opportunity.
No. 35 Charlotte, NC: Panthers DE Julius Peppers
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This was a tough choice. Charlotte has been home to the NFL's Carolina Panthers as well as the NBA's Hornets and Bobcats.
The names that were at the top of my list were QB Jake Dehlomme who led Carolina to a Super Bowl appearance, as well as Larry Johnson and Alonzo Mourning of the Charlotte Hornets in the early 90's.
The Hornets were never able to capitalize on their great young talent before being run out of town and Dehlomme just doesn't "wow" me.
One player that does wow me in Charlotte sports' history though, is current Bears defensive end and former Panthers star Julius Peppers.
Charlotte fans may not love this selection since Peppers has bolted from Charlotte and headed to play for my hometown Chicago Bears, but it is quite challenging to find anyone who was more successful as a professional in Charlotte.
Peppers put up 81 sacks in his eight season in Carolina and was the anchor of that defense, while making the trip to Honolulu for the Pro Bowl five times.
No. 34 Milwaukee, WI: Bucks C Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
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This is honestly where picking players and then trying to rank them at the same time becomes extremely difficult because the majority of the rest of these cities have multiple franchises and the majority of the players are Hall of Famers.
Milwaukee is a small market but has still comfortably supported their Bucks and Brewers for a while now. This spot on the list was a virtual toss up for me between Paul Molitor of the Brewers, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Hank Aaron for his time as a Milwaukee Brave.
Molitor collected over 2000 of his 3319 hits in Milwaukee while leading the Brewers to their only World Series appearance in 1982.
Aaron played 11 years in Milwaukee before the franchise moved to Atlanta and also lead Milwaukee to a World Series loss in 1958 for the Braves. He also won his only MVP in Milwaukee. Unfortunately the moment everyone will remember Hank for, breaking Babe Ruth's home run record, took place in Atlanta.
I decided to go with Kareem though because he was able to lead the Bucks to a title in 1971 and though he was only in Milwaukee for six years he was as dominant as ever in his time playing for the Bucks averaging nearly 30 points per game and 15 rebounds per game during his tenure.
Milwaukee has had some phenomenal players, and if any of them had played the majority of their careers there I think it's safe to say that they would be much further up the list.
No. 33 Phoenix, AZ: Diamondbacks P Randy Johnson
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Phoenix is home to the Suns, Cardinals, Coyotes and Diamondbacks and has been home to some solid athletes.
Charles Barkley and Steve Nash led the Suns to prosperity in separate eras and the Arizona Cardinals played in the Super Bowl a couple of years ago, but the only team to win a championship thus far has been the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001.
The reason, undoubtedly was the strong pitching of Randy "The Big Unit" Johnson and Curt Schilling. Randy is the Phoenix entrant on this list because he won four consecutive Cy Young awards for the Diamond backs from 1999-2002 and won a World Series MVP in 2001.
Randy spent six years in Arizona the first time around and at the tail end of his career also spent two more season with the D'backs.
No. 32 Tampa Bay, FL: Buccaneers DT Warren Sapp
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The Tampa-St. Pete area is home to the Rays, Lightning and Buccaneers and each team has had their own share of success in the past ten years.
Carl Crawford led the small market Rays to a World Series appearance and Martin St. Louis led the Lightning to a Stanley Cup victory.
However the crowning achievement of Tampa Bay sports is their 2002 Super Bowl Championship over the Oakland Raiders. Nobody had a larger influence over the Bucs success in the late 90's and early 00's than DT Warren Sapp.
When Monte Kiffin and Tony Dungy brought their version of the Cover 2 to the Bay area it called for a dominant interior lineman to provide pressure on the quarterback and to control gaps in the running game. Sapp was more than adequate to fill that roll.
Sapp won a defensive player of the year award in 1999 and went to seven straight Pro Bowls from 1997-2003.
The Buccaneers were all about defense and Warren Sapp was the face of that defense for many years, and that is why he is Tampa Bay's selection on this list.
Sorry For Leaving You Out Canada: The All-Canada Selection
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Wayne Gretzky..... enough said.
No. 31 Miami, FL: Heat G Dwyane Wade
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It's tough to argue that Dan Marino isn't the best player that has played in Miami of all-time. However, it doesn't mean that he best represents the city of Miami.
South Beach has become all about being stylish and living the night life and I happen to think that there is one Miami sports star who happens to exemplify style on South Beach.
Dwayne Wade.
Wade certainly has a style all his own, which can be seen in post game interviews or in his pre-game arrival.
Don't think Wade is all about just partying though because the man is a player too.
Wade is one of the NBA's most dynamic players and has a fiery personality well suited for competition. He has been a great scorer in his time in Miami (24.2 ppg) and has also been a great distributor of the basketball when needed.
Wade teamed up with Shaquille O'Neal in 2005-06 and led the Heat to an NBA Championship and has recently invited fellow superstars Lebron James and Chris Bosh to join the party down in Miami. It will be interesting to see if Wade will continue to be the unquestioned of that team, because it will greatly effect how is legacy in Miami is viewed.
No. 30 Buffalo, NY: Bills QB Jim Kelly
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Buffalo is home to the Sabres of the NHL and the Bills of the NFL.
Unfortunately for the city of Buffalo, both teams seem to have made a bad habit of losing deep in the playoffs. The Sabres have been to two Stanley Cup Finals and lost, and the Bills lost four straight Super Bowls from 1990-1993.
These losses has given Buffalo a bit of a bad rep, but the truth is both of their squads have a long standing tradition of excellence, especially the Bills.
Those great Bills teams of the early 90's featured Thurman Thomas and Andre Reed. However, nobody was more crucial to their success than QB Jim Kelly.
Kelly was a five time Pro Bowler for the Bills and he also threw for a franchise record 35,467 yards and 237 touchdowns. He did all this while amassing a 101-59 record as a starter in the regular season and a 9-8 record in the post season.
It is unfortunate that four of those postseason losses came in the Super Bowl, otherwise we would be talking about Jim Kelly even more favorably.
No. 29 Houston, TX: Astros P Nolan Ryan
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Everything is bigger in Texas, and Hakeem Olajuwon was a major part of the city's only two championships, but I decided to go with Nolan Ryan here because I can't think of anyone who doesn't wear a ten gallon hat and drill for oil that is more Texas than Ryan.
Ryan didn't have a lot of team success in Houston, but he was certainly the face of the franchise in the late 80's. He did make two all-star teams in his nine season in Houston and he also led the league in strikeouts and earned run average twice.
Once again, I don't think that Ryan was the greatest Houston professional athlete ever, but I do think he best portrays what Houston, and Texas is all about.
No. 28 Portland, OR: Trailblazers G Clyde Drexler
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In Portland there is only one show playing in town, and that's the Trailblazers.
The Trailblazers have had some pretty great teams with some pretty great players over the last 40 years, but the two that stand out in most Portlanders minds would most likely be Clyde Drexler and Bill Walton.
To me, if Walton had been in Portland more than four years he would have easily been the pick here. He won a championship in Portland and he is the quintessential West Coast kind of guy, however he was only there four years so the pick here is Drexler.
Drexler led Portland deep into the playoffs himself, including a two trips to the NBA Finals in 89-90 and 91-92, falling short to the Pistons and Bulls, respectively.
Drexler also made seven all-star teams in 12 seasons as a member of the Portland Trailblazers, finishing second in MVP voting behind Michael Jordan in 1991-92.
No. 27 Seattle, WA: Mariners CF Ken Griffey, Jr.
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Another story of what could have been on this list. Seattle has had some great players like Gary Payton and Steve Largent, but none compare to the the talent and excitement that Ken Griffey, Jr. brought to the table.
Seattle is known for rain and gloom and there were two things in the 90's that could erase both of those things in a hurry. Starbucks and Ken Griffey, Jr.
There was a six-year period where Ken Griffey, Jr. wasn't just the best player in the league, he may have been the greatest to ever play the game all-around. Griffey wound up running into injury problems after leaving Seattle but still wound up with 630 career home runs, 417 of which coming with the Mariners.
There was a time when Seattle had Randy Johnson, Griffey, Jr. and Alex Rodriguez but unfortunately it never amassed to much and the gang was broken up by 1999, leaving Mariners fans wondering what could have been.
No. 26 Newark, NJ: Devils Goaltender Martin Brodeur
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Newark is home to the New Jersey Devils and the New Jersey Nets (although they will be relocating to Brooklyn in 2012.)
The Nets have historically been a pretty terribly run franchise so that leaves us with the Devils, who have won three Stanley Cups in the last 15 years.
There is only one man that anyone in America thinks of when it comes to New Jersey hockey, and that man is goaltender Martin Brodeur.
Brodeur was drafted by the Devils in 1990 and has been with the organization ever since, serving as the starting goaltender on all three Stanley Cup Championship teams. Brodeur is also the NHL's all-time leader in games played for a goaltender, wins, and shutouts.
Brodeur has been the face of the franchise for nearly 20 years, and he is still serving as the resident net keeper in Jersey.
No. 25 Minneapolis, MN: Twins CF Kirby Puckett
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Minneapolis is another city that has teams from all four major sports, and has seen a great deal of success, especially from the Vikings and Twins.
The Vikings dominated the NFC in the late 60's (when it was still the NFL) and the early 70's thank in large part to defensive tackle Alan Page, but were never able to get over the hump in terms of winning the Super Bowl. Losing the contest four times.
My selection was able to lead fans in the Twin Cities to the promise land, twice!
Kirby Puckett was an outfielder for the Minnesota Twins from 1984-1995 and lead the Twins to World Series titles in 1987 and 1991.
Puckett his an astonishing .318 lifetime for the Twins and went to 10 All-Star games, while winning six Gold Gloves.
Most will remember Kirby Puckett for his game six performance in the 1991 World Series. With the Twins trailing 3-2 to the Atlanta Braves, Puckett made an unbelievable leaping catch in the third inning and then went on to hit the game winning home run in the 11th.
No. 24 Oakland, CA: Athletics OF Reggie Jackson
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Oakland is home to the Raiders and Athletics, as well as the Golden State Warriors. The Raiders have put out some very recognizable names, but unfortunately the best of them (Bo Jackson, Howie Long, and Marcus Allen) played the majority of their careers in Los Angeles so I decided to go with the Reggie Jackson for his play with A's in the early 70's.
The A's won three straight World Series titles from 1972-74 and nobody played a larger roll in that title run than the young Reggie Jackson.
He hadn't exactly earned the reputation of "Mr. October" yet, but he did earn a World Series MVP in 1973 as well as his first and only regular season MVP award that same season.
Jackson played eight seasons in Oakland before returning in 1987 for a ninth season to close out his career.
No. 23 San Antonio, TX: Spurs F/C Tim Duncan
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San Antonio is another one-team town, and oh what a team the Spurs have been. The Spurs won four NBA Titles from 1999-2007 and it is really 1A and 1B when you look at the list of the best Spurs of all-time.
David Robinson unfortunately get the short end of the stick, because he only was a part of two of the Spurs title teams, and he had Duncan standing next to him in the front court as one half of the Twin Towers.
Duncan gets the nod here because after Robinson retired in 2003, all Duncan did was lead the Spurs to 2 more titles in 2005 and 2007.
The "Big Fundamental" is more than just 12 foot bank shots though, Duncan improved his game to include a solid face-up arsenal as well as an array of low post moves. He also happens to be one of the premier rebounders in the game, and is also an adept passing big man.
Duncan is getting up there in age but he has another solid group of talent around him in 2010-11 and I look for him to make some noise again.
No. 22 Salt Lake City, UT: Jazz G John Stockton
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Stockton or Malone? Malone or Stockton?
I almost feel like I should just pick Jeff Hornacek just so I don't have to make the tough call, but alas I'm picking Stockton.
Malone was undoubtedly the more talented of the two, but Stockton easily got more out of what he had and that is the reason I'm sure the people of Salt Lake will be more than happy with my selection.
Stockton and Malone never got their title, however they are both likely on the short list for best ever at their respective positions.
Stockton averaged over 13 points, 10 assists and two steals a game for his career while making 10 all-star games including an All-Star MVP in 1992-93.
Oh by the way, Stockton is the leading assist man in the history of the NBA. He also likely lead the league in arm hair as well.
No. 21 San Diego, CA: Padres OF Tony Gwynn
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San Diego was another tough decision. They have been home to the Padres and Chargers, and were also previously home of the Clippers once upon a time.
Dan Fouts and LaDainian Tomlinson were the first two names that came to my head and for a while I was kinda set on Tomlinson.
However, when I began thinking about San Diego I started thinking about the easy life and how everything in SoCal seemed so smooth. Well who was every smoother in any sport then former Padre great Tony Gwynn?
Gwynn could always pepper base hits to all parts of the field, and sometimes he made it look like he could place the ball better with his bat then he could if he were to throw it.
Gwynn hit a ridiculous .338 for his career and flirted with .400 on a couple of occasions. He also led the Padres to the World Series in both 1984 and 1998, unfortunately he was never able to bring home any World Series hardware.
He did however, bring home a bunch of silver and gold. As in seven Silver Slugger awards and five Gold Glove awards, and he did all this while making 15 All Star games.
No. 20 District of Columbia: Redskin RB John Riggins
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To be honest with the exception of the '78 Bullets and the football Redskins, D.C. sports have been pretty bad. So it had to be a Bullet or a Redskin in my mind.
Wes Unseld was great, but I just didn't feel right with that pick. So it came down to the Redskins, and honestly I think Joe Gibbs was likely the biggest star on those teams.... however there were a couple guys I found that stood out.
Darrell Green was an ageless wonder, but corners didn't garner the attention they do nowadays with the Darrelle Revis's of the world.
So I went with John "The Diesel" Riggins. Riggins was the MVP of Super Bowl XVII and played for 14 seasons, nine with the Skins, all while running like a wild man. Guys who run like Riggins did in today's NFL are out of the league in a couple of years, and Riggins bruised his ways to over 11,000 yards rushing and 104 rushing touchdowns.
Riggins brute strength on the field earns him a spot on this list.
No. 19 Kansas City, MO: Royals 3B George Brett
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Kansas City is another difficult decision. The emotional pick would have been Derrick Thomas, and I wanted to make special mention of the fact that I would have loved to see Thomas play a full career because his numbers would have been very Lawrence Taylor-like.
Another Chiefs defensive star I looked at was Willie Lanier, because I feel like Lanier was one of the most underrated linebackers of all-time in the NFL.
I decided to the Royals rout though instead, because George Brett just looks like a Kansas City meat and potatoes kind of guy.
Brett isn't just a poster boy for Kansas City, he also happens to be one hell of a ball player.
Brett won and MVP in 1980 when he hit a staggering .390 for the year. He wound up losing to the Phillies in the World Series but was able to bring the Royals to the promised land in 1985 when the Royals beat their in-state rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals, for the 85 World Series Championship.
Many people associate Brett with the pine tar incident in 1983 when he blew up on an umpire who claimed his bat was covered with more than the legal amount of pine tar. It's that kind of intensity that makes Brett the king of KC.
No. 18 New Orleans, LA: Saints QB Drew Brees
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A year ago the easy answer to this question was probably Archie Manning, but that all changed last winter when Drew Brees led the New Orleans Saints to their first ever Super Bowl Championship.
Brees is as accurate as they come as evidenced by the fact that he is third in the history of the NFL in completion percentage.
In 2008 Brees threw for 5069 yards, the second highest total ever in the NFL and last year he followed that up by leading the league in QB rating and by winning the Super Bowl.
Brees will always be a cult hero in the NO for leading a city that needed it more than ever, to their first major professional sports title.
No. 17 Atlanta, GA: Hawks F Dominique Wilkins
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Okay, maybe I should skip the pleasantries because I can foresee some serious outrage over leaving Hank Aaron off the list considering he had legit shots in both Atlanta and Milwaukee, but let me explain myself.
I personally view Atlanta as an L.A. of the south because it is a flashy urban sprawl with some serious emphasis on style points. Think "Neon" Deion Sanders high-stepping down the sideline after a pick six in the Georgia Dome.
Deion was very flashy and beloved in the ATL, however if you want highlights you look no further than "The Human Highlight Film."
Dominique Wilkins is quite possibly the greatest dunker in the history of the NBA because he didn't just do crazy things in the air, but because no matter what insane acrobatic move he made he always found a way to dunk it with serious power. I can remember seeing replays of the 1990 Slam Dunk Contest and thinking he may legitimately tear the rim down.
"Nique" is the first thing that comes to my mind when I think Atlanta.
No. 16 Cincinnati, OH: Reds OF Pete Rose
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Cincinnati is also home to a great sports tradition. Believe it or not the Bengals actually used to be good in the early and then late 80's. The Reds were a machine in the mid 70's, a "Big Red Machine" to be exact.
The Reds in 1975 and 1976 were loaded with players who could make an argument for this list. Joe Morgan, Tony Perez, and quite possibly the greatest catcher of all time.... Johnny Bench, but the guy that was probably most important to the city and that team was none other than Pete Rose.
Whether you agree with his life time ban from baseball or not, one thing that isn't up for argument is that nobody has ever played the game of baseball harder than he did.
He didn't have overwhelming power or speed or arm strength, but he could hit to both fields and you would never catch him giving less than everything.
"Charlie Hustle" was the epitome of working class Cincinnati.
No. 15 Indianapolis, IN: Colts QB Peyton Manning
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There was a time when I was putting this list together when I thought of putting Reggie Miller in this spot instead of Manning because Indiana is a basketball state with a love for pure shooters, but Peyton Manning is just too good.
If I were to do this list five or six years from now there is little doubt that Manning would be in the top 10 easily, because he means that much to Indianapolis.
Even without another championship he is likely the greatest QB to ever lace them up, but if he can scratch out another title or two.... he may be the best player in the history of the league.
Peyton Manning is likely to throw for his 400th career touchdown pass this season before his 35th birthday, Brett Favre was 36. Last year Manning crossed 50,000 passing yards for his career and he was 33. When Favre did it he was 35.
Favre is statistically the greatest QB of all-time but barring major injury or early retirement Manning is likely to shatter the majority of them.
Manning, in my opinion, is going to go down as the best ever, and for that reason Reggie Miller will have to settle for the best in Pacers history.
No. 14: Baltimore, MD: Orioles SS Cal Ripken, Jr.
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Baltimore is another tough choice. It's a violent city and for that reason I wanted to put Ray Lewis who is one of the most ferocious and violent hitters in America's most physical game.
I also thought about putting Johnny Unitas because even though he was well before my time, this is who I was taught was the greatest ever when i was young.
When I really started to think about what Baltimore is though, I started to think of old-school Baltimore. Guys working in the shipyards and the steel mills and bringing their lunch pales to work every day and that's when I found my answer.
The "Iron Man" Cal Ripken, Jr.
Ripken went to work everyday to entertain the people of Baltimore for 2,632 games straight, and he wasn't just filling a spot on the lineup card. He was playing at a high level too.
Ripken won an MVP in 1983 and then again in 1991. He had over 3,000 career hits and over 400 career home runs and he was also able to lead Baltimore to the 1983 World Series Title.
Ripken's blue-collar work ethic is what makes him the face of Baltimore.
No. 13 Cleveland, OH: Browns RB Jim Brown
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This one was not even a real contest. Honestly the only competition here was Lebron James, but:
A) Lebron James won no titles for Cleveland and was only there for seven years.
B) I don't want Cleveland fans to try to hurt me.
Jim Brown delivered Cleveland's last professional sports title 46 years ago in the 1964 NFL Championship Game.
Many consider Jim Brown to be the greatest running back of all-time, citing his early retirement as the only reason he doesn't still hold the majority of the NFL records for running backs.
Brown's combination of size and speed was unmatched in the 60's and Brown was able to put up over 12,000 yards and 106 rushing touchdowns in just nine seasons in the NFL.
Brown has gone on to star in several movies and TV shows, but in Cleveland Jim Brown will always be known as the face of the Browns.... no pun intended.
No. 12 St. Louis, MO: Cardinals OF Stan Musial
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Musial was one of the easy ones on this list.
All this St. Louis Cardinals great did was win an NL MVP and two World Series Rings, go to war, and then come back and win one more ring and two more MVP's.
When the dust settled Musial had over 3,600 hits and had 475 home runs while hitting .331 for his career.
St. Louis is a baseball town and there is no doubt that Stan "The Man" Musial is tops on the list of the Cardinals all-time greats.
One man to watch for in the Gateway to the West is Albert Pujols. "The Machine" is quickly closing the gap on Musial.
No. 11 San Francisco, CA: Giants CF Willie Mays
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One thing for sure about San Francisco sports is that they have had a plethora of great players on their two major teams, the Giants and 49ers.
The Niners have had the best WR of all-time, Jerry Rice, as well as two of the best QB's of all-time, Steve Young and Joe Montana.
The Giants have had Juan Marichal, Willie McCovey and Barry Bonds.
But, the best of them all has to be Willie Mays.
"The Say Hey Kid" played 14 seasons in San Francisco after spending his first six years in New York where the Giants previously took up residency.
He never did win a World Series in San Francisco but that doesn't change his favor in the Bay one bit.
Willie is definitely one of the three greatest players in the history of MLB and he would probably be higher on this list if he hadn't spent his first 6 seasons in New York.
No. 10 Philadelphia, PA: Phillies 3B Mike Schmidt
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Philadelphia sports is always going to be about attitude. There fans will boo Santa and have no qualms booing their own team if they are under performing.
If I wanted to go the Hollywood route, I could take Rocky in this spot or even real life Eagles special teamer Vince Papale who's life was portrayed in the movie "Invincible."
However, I think there is a guy with a bit more star power that fits the bill of tough guy from Philly and that is Phillies 3B Mike Schmidt.
Schmidt played like he was constantly angry and it showed in his 548 career home runs.
Schmidt led the Phillies to a World Series title in 1980 and won three MVP's as a member of the Phillies.
No. 9 Detroit, MI: Red Wings C Steve Yzerman
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In 1996, Detroit decided to start calling itself "Hockeytown" and for good reason. Detroit is probably the greatest non-Canadian hockey mecca there is.
I could of picked Barry Sanders, but to be honest the Lions sucked when he was there and I get the feeling that most Detroit fans don't even care about the Lions anymore.
I probably could of picked Al Kaline or even Ty Cobb. Detroit loves their Tigers, but the Tigers haven't given them much beyond their one World Series run in 2006.
Joe Dumars and Isiah Thomas split the limelight a little too evenly during the days of the "Bad Boys."
Yzerman was the face of the Red Wings for an unbelievable 22 years and in those 22 seasons the Red Wings made the playoffs 20 times!
During Stevey's tenure the Wings went to four Stanley Cup Finals, winning three of them.
He is a nine- time all-star, and the winner of the 1997-98 Conn Smythe trophy. He is also sixth in league history in scoring.
When it comes to Detroit sports, there is little doubt that Steve Yzerman is mayor of "Hockeytown."
No. 8 Dallas, TX: Cowboys RB Emmitt Smith
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Dallas is definitely all about the Cowboys and so were the 1990's in the NFL. The Cowboys won three Super Bowls in the 90's and truly lived up to the moniker of "America's Team."
So I figure that the Dallas representative had to come from the Cowboys, since I couldn't exactly justify trying to tell anyone from Dallas that their biggest star is Dirk Nowitzki or Mike Modano.
Aikman, Irvin, or even Staubach all woulda been very good picks, but I decided to go with the guy who happens to hold all of the NFL's rushing records, Emmitt Smith.
Smith played 13 seasons in Dallas rushing for over 17,000 yards there and breaking the rushing record formally held by Walter Payton. He also scored 153 rushing touchdowns while in Dallas, also a record.
He went on to spend his final two seasons in Arizona but Smith will always be remembered as a Cowboy.
No. 7 Denver, CO: Broncos QB John Elway
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Denver was another easy decision. John Elway is and likely always will be the face of the Denver Broncos and the "Mile High City" will always be a Broncos town.
Melo can run the Nuggets, and Tulo can take his new contract and run the Rockies, but Elway runs the town.
During the early part of John's career, he went to four Super Bowls and lost them all, but in the late 90's Elway got a chance that fellow class of 1983 quarterback Jim Kelly never got.... retribution.
Elway closed his career out with back-to-back Super Bowl Championships in 1997 and 1998 before retiring on top of his game.
No. 6 Pittsburgh, PA: Steelers DT Joe Greene
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Pittsburgh has as rich a tradition in sports as anybody in the nation. The Pirates were great in the 60's and 70's with guys like Willie Stargell.
Even the Penguins have had periods of prosperity in the early 90's with Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr, as well as currently with Evgeny Malkin and Sidney Crosby.
The Steelers, though, are the pulse of the three rivers. The most popular players in Steelers history are guys Bradshaw, Harris, Stallworth, and Swann, but the heart of "Steel City" is the "Steel Curtain" and who better to represent Pittsburgh than the anchor of that great defense, "Mean" Joe Greene.
Now it's difficult to give you the numbers on why Greene was so great because they didn't record sacks until 1982, the year after Greene retired.
However, Greene did make 10 Pro Bowls and was named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year two times.
Greene received unprecedented popularity for a defensive player in the 1970's and even starred in a popular Coca-Cola commercial in 1979.
No. 5 Green Bay, WI: Packers QB Brett Favre
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Well, this was about as clear cut as they come.
If I were crazy, I could have put Bart Starr and I'm sure some bitter Green Bay fans would commend me for sparing them the pain of seeing Favre in a Packers uniform, but c'mon.
Favre is currently the best statistical quarterback in NFL history and though some think he is sullying his legacy by bouncing around the league in his 40's, he will go into the Hall of Fame is a Packer for good reason.
The Packers are one of the more historically dominant teams in the NFL had gone nearly 30 years without a championship before Favre led them to the Super Bowl Championship in 1996.
Favre will likely hold all the franchise records for quite some time and will certainly go down as the greatest Packer ever.
No. 4 Chicago, IL: Bears LB Dick Butkus
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This may look like an unconventional pick to most outsiders, but anybody who has spent any sort of extended time in my hometown, Chicago, knows that Butkus and "The Windy City" are synonymous.
It was surprisingly an easy decision for me, because we have had so many great players and we have so many teams. Frank Thomas played for the White Sox. Ernie Banks said "Let's play two," with the Cubs, and Sayers, Ditka, Payton, Singletary, Dent, and Urlacher all have laced them up for the Chicago Bears.
Don't forget Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita, and Phil Esposito for the Blackhawks either.
The toughest person to overlook here is obviously Michael Jordan and the six titles he brought the city. Don't get me wrong we love MJ in Chicago, but when it comes to personality fit and who the people of Chicago would choose to represent them, it's Butkus.
Butkus was born here and raised here. He played at the University of Illinois and played his whole career in Chicago, but it wasn't just the fact that he is home grown that makes him so special in Chicago. It is the fact that he was also one of the best and meanest linebackers of all-time.
Honestly if Butkus had achieved a little more in the terms of winning titles, I would have had him at No. 1 because his personality matches up with Chicago perfectly.
No. 3 New York, NY: Yankees CF Mickey Mantle
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New York was obviously a very difficult decision. They currently have seven major sports franchises with another on the way (NJ Nets moving to Brooklyn.) They also used to be home to the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers, who both had their share of great years in the "Big Apple."
New York City has had A-Rod, Jeter, Dimaggio, Ruth, Gehrig from the Yankees. Lawrence Taylor from the Giants and Joe Namath from the Jets. The Knicks have had Ewing and Willis Reed, and Mark Messier led the Rangers to a Stanley Cup title.
The one guy that seems to meet the criteria the best is Mickey Mantle. Mantle was practically built for "The City That Never Sleeps."
Mantle could drink all night long and then come to Yankee Stadium and show all five tools at a day/night double header the next day.
Mickey played all 18 seasons in New York and in his time their amassed some staggering numbers, most impressive of which being his seven World Series titles.
He went to 16 All Star games and won three MVP's, and that is why he is the MVP of NYC.
No. 2: Boston, MA: Celtics C Bill Russell
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Boston may be home to the greatest sports fans in America, as well as four of the greatest sports franchises in America.
You really couldn't go wrong with guys like Bobby Orr, Tom Brady, Larry Bird, Bob Cousy or Carl Yastrzemski, but I wanted to capture the essence of Boston in a nutshell. Boston is community-oriented and very defensive to outsiders. That's why I picked Bill Russell.
The paint was Russell's community and anyone not in green was definitely an outsider. Russell was the greatest rebounder and defender in the history of the National Basketball Association.
He likely could have been a dominant scorer if he had liked, but he just settled for playing defense, rebounding, and simply winning.
Russell was a member of an NBA record 11 NBA Championship teams and at the heart of each of those titles was Russell's tenacious defensive instincts.
No. 1 Los Angeles, CA: Lakers G/F/C Magic Johnson
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Los Angeles has been home to many, many great players but this was probably the easiest pick of them all. Everyone thinks glitz and glamour when they think of the "City of Angels" and when you put that in the contest of L.A. sports, it's obvious you are going to look at the "Showtime" Lakers of the 1980's.
No offense to all the other Lakers, Dodgers, Angels, Kings, Ducks, Rams or Raiders teams of the past (I left out the Clippers because let's be real) but the L.A. Forum on a February night in the 80's was the hottest night spot in a city all about it's night spots.
The biggest draw of them all was, of course, Earvin "Magic" Johnson.
Magic was the king of razzle-dazzle, and he was the biggest star in an arena literally filled with stars.
The thing about Magic was he could beat you so many ways. He might have been the best pure passer ever, he could rebound and defend, and he could even score if he had too.
Johnson played 13 seasons in Los Angeles and led the Lakers to five NBA titles.
In 1991, Johnson's career was cut short by the HIV virus or else he likely would have improved on what were already otherwise stellar numbers. He returned for a short stint in 1995-96, but only played 32 games.
Johnson might not be the best Laker of all time when it is all said and done, but he will always be the most lovable Laker and for that, he is L.A.'s hometown hero.
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