Top 10 Teams of the Decade

The Decade Series is back! This week our list focuses on the Top 10 Teams of the Decade. These aren't single-season teams, but rather the best franchises of the past 10 years. These teams have a "Commitment to Excellence" that Al Davis would be proud of, if he's still awake. To make such a prestigious list you have to have won multiple championships and be the epitome of greatness in the sports world. These franchises are simply the best.

10) Pittsburgh Steelers - Winners of SB XL and XLIII, 5 Division Titles, 6 Playoff Appearances

With first Bill Cowher and now Mike Tomlin at the helm, this is the model of a stable, successful franchise. Behind the QB play of Ben Roethlisberger and heroics from Willie Parker and Santonio Holmes, they won 2 titles this decade. Something only surpassed by a team later in the countdown. Throughout the decade, they have consistently been at the top of the NFL and have one of the nation's largest fanbases. In a league of supposed parity, the Steelers are always good.

9) San Antonio Spurs - 2003, 2005, 2007 NBA Champions, 10 Playoff Appearances

If there is one team on our list that can have a beef, it's San Antonio. 3 titles in a decade is quite the accomplishment, not to mention making the playoffs every single year in the 00's. Led by the unflappable Big Fundamental Tim Duncan and Coach Pop, the Spurs are the epitome of a consistent winner. But, if there is one thing holding back the Spurs it is there utter lack of interest, pizazz, or excitement which makes them the most boring team in the countdown.

8) #48 Jimmie Johnson - 2006, 2007, 2008 Nascar Champion, 2006 Daytona 500 Winner, 2006, 2008, 2009 Brickyard 400 Winner

Wait a minute, a racecar driver... that's not a team! Oh contraire mon frere as the French say. Jimmie Johnson's success is in large part due to the fantastic team around him. As has been documented here before, car owner Rick Hendrick is perhaps the best owner in all of sports, and Crew Chief Chad Knaus has been with Jimmie through every step of his likely 4 straight titles. The #48 team never puts a foot wrong seemingly, and the entire crew deserves credit.

7) Ferrari F1 - 6 Drivers Championships (2000-2004, 2007) and 7 Constructors Titles (previous and 2008)

Wait, 2 racing teams! But of course! In the world of racing, only the legendary red cars of Ferrari can match NASCAR's #48 team. Their dominance in the early part of the decade led by Michael Schumacher is one of the most impressive runs in sport across the world. They then showed in 2007 and 2008 that they weren't totally dependent on Schumi's excellence by winning a Team title in 2008 and Kimi Raikkonen's triumph in 2007.

6) Boston Red Sox - 2004 and 2007 World Series Titles, 6 Playoff Appearances

The Red Sox make a ceremonial appearance on the countdown due to their 2 World Series triumphs in 2004 and 2007. The '04 title win that broke the curse of that one guy is enough to put them on the list, but the comeback against the Yanks will be talked about forever. Even though the Yankees might have won more division titles this decade, the Sox won most when it counts - October. But, if the Yanks go on and win the 2009 World Series, consider this Sox/Yanks decision reversed!

5) Florida Gators - 2oo6 and 2007 NCAA Bball Titles, 2006 and 2008 BCS titles

In the college realm, Florida has been Titletown USA. Their 2006 Football and Basketball titles is an unprecedented accomplishment that might not be seen again in major college athletics. Stars such as Noah, Brewer, Tebow, and Harvin have led the Gators on the field while Billy Donovan (the Magic flirtation aside) and Urban Meyer have provided outstanding leadership for each program. Florida football might even add to the trophy cabinet in January, would that count for this decade or the next though.... ummm... next?

4) UConn Basketball - 5 NCAA Championships (2000, '02-'04, 2009) 39-0 in 2002 and 2009

The UConn Women's basketball team is the best. The program that Geno Auriemma built in Storrs won their eternal rivalry with Tennessee this decade. They had 3 more NCAA titles and also an incredible feat of 2 perfect 39-0 seasons 7 years apart! The only reason UConn isn't at the top is the total lack of depth in Women's Bball. Every year there might only be 6-7 teams capable of winning a title and one of them is UConn. I guess that's not Geno's fault though...

3) Manchester United - 12 Total Trophies including 5 EPL Titles, 1 Champions League, and 1 Club World Cup

We go back to the world stage for our #3 team and the most accomplished soccer club in the world. Glory, Glory Man United indeed. Their trophy rack has increased greatly this decade with 5 EPL titles (now in a tie with Liverpool for the most ever) and their unique international double of winning the UEFA Champions League and the Club World Cup. Throughout the decade, Fergie's troops have been the most consistent soccer power throughout the world, and they show no signs of slowing down.

2) Los Angeles Lakers - 2000, 2001, 2002, and 2009 NBA Champions, 2004 and 2008 Finals Appearance

If only Kobe and Shaq were kept together! They would be a solid #1 on our list, but the breakup of the LA dynasty meant they only won 4 titles this decade, yea, only 4. The 2004 team beating the Pistons would have easily put the Lakers at #1, but that was instead the end of an era. Kobe, Shaq, and Phil broke up and the Lakers were never the same... at least until 2008. Surprisingly, Phil came back as Kobe was the lone wolf in leading LA to a 2008 Finals appearance and a 2009 victory.

1) New England Patriots - Super Bowl XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX Champions, 16-0 regular season in 2007.

The team of the decade. However, their image has gone from that of underdog heroes in 2001 (remember the team introduction at the Super Bowl?) to obnoxious, cheating villains with guys like Belichick and Brady that you love to hate (don't forget Spygate either). Nevertheless, their acheivements this decade are unmatched in sports. They are the dynasty in a dynasty-proof league. Plus, they are only the second team in league history to have an undefeated regular season, don't ask about what happened in the Super Bowl that year though. With their unmatched success, this team has been the flagship bearer in the world of sports throughout the 2000's.

That's our list, what's yours? Don't forget to leave us your feedback (you can be critical, or positive... don't forget you can actually agree!) on the Top 10 Teams of the Decade. Who's #1? Who belongs and who doesn't? Who would you move up and down the list or on and off the list? The decade series will return with our extended countdown and profiles of the Top 10 Games of the Decade. Till then, it's bye for now!

Athletes of The Decade - Recap

Following our Top 10 Soundbytes of the Decade, our second Top 10 list in The Decade Series at Randall Simon's Sausages has focused on the Top 10 Athletes of the Decade. In this list, we look at athletes from around the world of sports to see who are the Top 10 defining athletes of the decade. The RSS Committee factored in the athlete's resume as well as the lasting impact of each athlete. Click on the link on each athlete's name for our extended take for their entire resume, a couple highlights, and why they make the countdown. When we look back from the 2100's, these will be the 10 Athletes (give or take a couple) that we remember most from the 2000's. Here they are!

#10 The Williams Sisters - Tennis, combined 28 Grand Slam Titles

#9 Albert Pujols - Baseball, 8 Time All-Star

#8 Tim Tebow - College Football, 2 Time National Champion and Heisman Winner

#7 Kobe Bryant - Basketball, 4 time NBA Champion

#6 Michael Phelps - Swimming, 14 career Olympic Gold Medals

#5 LeBron James - Basketball, 5 Time All-Star, global icon

#4 Tom Brady & Peyton Manning - Football, 13 Combined Pro Bowls, 4 MVPs, 4 Super Bowl Rings

#3 Lance Armstrong - Cycling, 7 Straight Tour de France Titles

#2 Roger Federer - Tennis, 15 Grand Slam Titles

#1 Tiger Woods - Golf, 14 Majors, Earned $1 Billion Dollars

Best of the Rest - These are the guys that were considered for the Top 10, but fell just short:

Tim Duncan - (Basketball), Floyd Mayweather Jr. - (Boxing), Jimmie Johnson - (NASCAR), Michael Schumacher - (F1), David Beckham - (Soccer), Shaquille O'Neal - (Basketball), Brett Favre - (Football)... hahaha, ok that's a joke, we never considered him.

So there it is. We here at RSS want to hear what you think. Should some of these athletes be ranked higher or lower? Do some not belong at all, or have we totally missed out on a deserving athlete? Then again, maybe we've got it just right (but probably not). Let us know what you think in the comments below and tune in for the next installment in our Decade Series coming soon! Bye for now...

Athletes of The Decade - #1 Tiger Woods

Was there ever any doubt as to what person would hold the distinguished title of Athlete of the Decade? Yes, that man is indeed Eldrick "Tiger" Woods. He burst onto the scene as a toddler on the Mike Douglas show, grew up winning US Amateurs, shocked the world with his dominance at Augusta, won the Tiger Slam, and proceeded to become the defining athlete of a generation.

Resume

-14 Major Titles, #2 in golf history behind Jack Nicklaus (12 this decade)

-71 PGA Tour Wins, 3rd all-time behind Nicklaus and Sam Snead

-Highest career earnings of any golfer (over $92 Million)

-Only man to ever win all 4 majors in a row, creating the Tiger Slam

-9 Time PGA Player of the Year

Facts

-Won the 2000 US Open by 15 shots.

-Holds career scoring average record

-Set all-time record for consecutive cuts made (142)

-Only golfer to win US Amateur 3 straight times

-The obligatory link to the Career Achievements Wikipedia page.

-First person in the history of the universe to earn $1 Billion by playing sports for a living.

Why He's Here

-If you in any way question this decision, then you've got some explaining to do. Tiger Woods is the defining post-Jordan athlete. There is no other person that has captured the imagination of the sporting nation, and the sporting world like Tiger Woods. In a way, he's been destined for greatness since the beginning. I wonder if he's even ever lost a game of Tecmo Bowl growing up, or is he just used to always winning? Along every step of the way, Tiger Woods has been as close to perfection as you can get from an athlete. Oh, and he still has about 10-12 years of his golfing prime ahead of him to rewrite the record books even more. But, you ask, is golf even really a sport? Come on, that's what old ladies play at their retirement homes in Boca Raton. If you have that attitude, you've come to the wrong sports blog. Golf is indeed a sport, and the most mentally challenging at that. Tiger is the most dominant, most successful, most accomplished, most transformational, most recognizable athlete of this decade and this generation.

(Of course, there is a little bias here because Tiger is the only athlete in the countdown to actually acknowledge yours truly. At the Memorial a few years ago I had a deep philosophical conversation with Woods about his place in history:

Me: Go get 'em Tiger

Tiger: Thanks

This conversation moved me in a subtle, yet complex way. As an impressionable kid just out of high school, the mere acknowledgement of Tiger Woods changed my life. Maybe I could wear that red shirt some day and be as great as he is. Ok, that last part might be a little much, and I might have slightly overstated the significance of the moment, but it was kinda cool. At least I didn't get punched by his caddie or anything...)

Lasting Impact

-Where to begin? Golf was never exactly seen as a sport open to the masses before Tiger Woods came along. It was mostly a country club sport for old, white dudes (cough, Augusta, cough). However, Tiger broke through that barrier in a huge way and opened up the sport to an uncountable number of people. For a man of black and Asian descent to do what Tiger Woods has done on the golf course is astounding. Much like the Williams Sisters, Tiger's lasting impact in this way is untouched by most all other athletes. Furthermore, his commercial appeal is only rivaled by that of Jordan and has elevated golf into must see viewing whenever he swings the clubs. One could make the argument that he doesn't use his position as the world's most famous athlete to do enough good much like some criticism of Jordan, but he does have the Tiger Woods Foundation amongst other charitable work, so it's largely unfounded.

On the course, he's provided some of the most memorable performances in golf and sports history. The Tiger Slam might stand the test of time as one of the impressive achievements in sports this decade, century, and millennium. He won one US Open on one leg, and won another one by 15 shots. Only Tiger Woods can leave you speechless on Sundays in that way. Not to mention his countless shots that have seemed only possible in the imagination. Tiger has transformed golf. His power and athleticism are unmatched, his putting in the clutch is unbreakable, and his competitors (save for YE Yang at this year's PGA of course) have been left wilting.

At 33, some cracks in the armor have appeared, and critics have been ready to pounce on them. But, when looking back at the 2000's, no other athlete comes close to the stratosphere that Tiger Woods occupies. He is the indisputable #1 Athlete of the Decade. Surely, that has to rank right up there with those 14 majors, right Tiger? For a close, here is for my money the most remarkable shot in golf history. I'll always remember my brother Y2 calling this shot perfectly, and when it rolled in, the roof came off of Augusta and every house watching. Roll it!

That's it for the countdown! Stay tuned for the recap later tonight and our next Decade Series Top 10 list will come shortly! Bye for now...

Athletes Of The Decade - #8 Tim Tebow

We hope you have enjoyed the footballing weekend. Tonight, the Decade Series is back with our #8 Athlete of the 2000's. For this selection, we go outside the box for a man not even in the prime of his career, well... because he's not even a professional yet. However, when we look back on this decade, whether he becomes a successful pro or not, Tim Tebow made his mark on the world of sports as one of its most transcendent athletes.

Resume:

-2 time National Champion QB (2006, 2008)

-2007 Heisman Trophy Winner, 1st Sophomore to win the award.

-2007, 2008 All American

-2007, 2008 Maxwell Award Winner (1st 2-time winner)

The Facts:

-Only Division I-A player to rush and throw for 20 TDs in a season (2007)

-SEC Record 23 Rushing TDs and 55 total TDs in 2007.

-3rd in 2008 Heisman voting, most 1st place votes

-Currently has the Gators at #1 in the country

-Lives in Chuck Norris' nightmares

Why He's Here:

-There is no doubt that when you look at college football this decade, Tim Tebow's star shines above the rest. As the growth of college football's popularity has taken off this decade, Tebow's iconic figure has taken centerstage. His qualities and toughness at the QB position has reached mythical stature. His bruising running style brings fans back to a time of the days of the Single Wing, and his passing skills are highly underrated (somewhat oxymoronic i know... 66% Comp. Pct. 67 Tds 11 INTs). With the Gators at #1 again in 2009, Tebow has the chance to do the unthinkable: tie Archie Griffin's record of 2 Heisman Trophies, and win 3 National Titles. He makes the list because of his stature as the defining player this decade in arguably the nation's second most popular sport.

Lasting Impact:

-Merely the name Tebow brings to mind so many images. He's almost a cult figure at this point. He's dominated the college game in ways that weren't thought to be imaginable. It's hard to say that Tebow has revolutionized the game at the QB position, but his running and passing skills stand above the rest. Tebow isn't your traditional fleet-footed mobile QB, but his hardcore style will eventually see him pass Herschel Walker (one of the greatest running backs in history) on the all-time SEC TD list. Will he succeed at the pro level? It is impossible to say right now. What we can say is that when he hangs up the Florida boots, he will be known as the greatest college football player of this generation. The resume and the numbers speak for themselves.

But his impact spans beyond the field and around the globe as well. In the days of the Steroid Era and the NFL Personal Conduct Policy, this is a guy who spends summers doing mission work in the Philippines and speaking to prisoners in his free time. Some folks would rather go the drunken frat boy route and tease him about silly things like his virginity, but in all seriousness Tebow is one man young kids can look up to in a world that spotlights a lot of guys you shouldn't. Heck, there are even "Tebow Bills" going around state legislatures advocating for homeschooled athletes and their rights to play high school sports.

College football is great because of its sense of history. Tradition is as important to college football as any other sport. In the great history of the game, there are few athletes that have been able to do as much in 4 years on the field as Tebow. When we look back on the career of Tim Tebow, he'll be mentioned in the same breath as Grange, Griffin, Staubach and a select few as the greatest of all-time.

If you're skeptical about Tebow's place on this list here is one last piece of evidence. He has a speech on a plaque, and he hasn't graduated college yet!

Check back with RSS as we'll give you our thoughts on the football weekend and the continuation of our Athletes of the Decade countdown. I will make a pledge to you. You will never see any blogger blog as hard as me the rest of the season. You will never see a team blog harder than the Yoders of RSS.

The Best Ever

Is there now any doubt as to who the greatest men's tennis player of all-time is now? Roger Federer's marathon win over Andy Roddick Sunday at Wimbledon was Federer's 15th Grand Slam Title, breaking his tie with Pete Sampras for most Grand Slam wins. Federer has been so dominant for so long, that he is taken for granted by the sporting public. Some of the numbers and records that Federer holds:

-15 Grand Slam Singles Titles

-He's needed just 41 Grand Slams to win 15 (better than a 1 in 3 success rate)

-20 Grand Slam Finals, reached SF stage in 21 straight majors

-237 Consecutive Weeks at #1 from '04-'08

-Won Wimbledon and US Open every year from '04-'07

-Holds record winning streaks on grass and hard-court in Open Era

-6th Player to win Career Grand Slam, something Borg & Sampras never accomplished

This is only the beginning of the list of records and accolades that Federer has earned throughout his illustrious career. Yesterday's final only adds to Federer's allure as he won the longest final in Wimbledon history beating Andy Roddick 16-14 in the 5th Set. Spare a thought for Roddick as he played the greatest match of his life, and still lost. Much like golfers that play in the Tiger Woods Era, Roddick will be a mere footnote to history because he was unlucky enough to play in the Federer Era.

With the greatest tennis players of all-time watching (Sampras, Borg, Laver, McEnroe) Federer would simply not lose, regardless of his inability to break Roddick's serve before the ultimate game of the match. It's rare that so much history can happen in one place, but Wimbledon 2009 was the perfect storm. Federer broke the all-time grand slam record in front of the man he passed and other greats in one of the best Wimbledon finals ever. Wimbledon 2009 will always be remembered for Roger Federer not only sealing his status as the greatest tennis player of all-time, but one of the greatest athletes of all-time.

Sister Act

Is there any doubt as to who the greatest sports siblings are now? With their semifinal victories today, Venus and Serena Williams will again meet to decide the Wimbledon Ladies' Champion. In fact, the Williams Sisters may be two of the most underrated athletes of all-time. Just look at their accomplishments:

-17 Grand Slam Singles Titles (10 Serena, 7 Venus... and soon to be 18 after Saturday)

-37 Grand Slam Total Titles including Doubles and Mixed Doubles

-83 Weeks at #1 (72 Serena, 11 Venus)

-5 Gold Medals (2000 & 2008 Doubles, 2000 Singles - Venus)

-Played in 4 Consecutive GS Finals ('02 French - '03 Australian, Serena won all 4)

-Wimbledon 2009 is the 8th GS Final between Serena & Venus

-Wimbledon 2009 will be their 8th Wimbledon title this decade in tennis' premiere event.

What's even more impressive is at 29 and 28 respectively, the Williams Sisters have risen back to the top of a young woman's sport. This is like Joe Montana taking the Chiefs to the Super Bowl, or Michael Jordan winning an NBA title with the Wizards. Don't forget that in the middle of the decade, both sisters dealt with injuries, losses in the family, and fancied off-court interests. Plenty of pundits started the obits for the Williams' careers, but their comeback over the past few years has cemented their legacy as all-time greats.

The numbers dictate that the Williams Sisters are the greatest sister or brother act of all time. The other great sports duos (Mannings, Spinks, Richards, Dimaggios...) fall short when compared to the legacy Serena & Venus have created. The Williamses are set apart because of their accomplishments together and individually. No other athletes have done as much for their sport outside of Tiger Woods this decade. With most of the attention on creating a rivalry, their dad, their outside interests, and their lack of compelling duels, it's been easy to lose sight of just how great Venus & Serena are. Here's hoping their 21st career meeting on July 4th will bring down the house at Wimbledon and give the two sisters a career-defining classic so the sporting public can truly appreciate their greatness.

By the way, as the official older sibling representative here at RSS, I'm picking Venus.