Track 12: My Top 5 NFL Players

So it feels like it's been a ridiculously long day. I am fully initiated now in my fraternity (Delta Sigma Phi) and saw Georgia Tech upset Duke in basketball. I watched the game from the floor and apparently was on ESPN for a second. We stormed the court when we won, but I got trapped in between three fat, sweaty ESPN camera crew guys.

But enough with that. Because I can't think of anything else to do, I'm just going to make a list of my 5 favorite NFL players past and present.

1. Brett Favre. So I know I'm going to get some crap over this one given all of his recent team switching and glory hogging, but I absolutely love to watch this guy play (not as much now because of the purple he currently wears). When the ball is in Brett Favre's hands, you have no clue what to expect. You have to prepare for a big play at any moment. He essentially makes football exciting. I also wanted to mention his ridiculous record for number of consecutive starts. This guy is a competitor.

2. Barry Sanders. I mentioned him in a previous blog post from the other day, but this guy is amazing. I never received much of a chance to watch much of him live, yet just watching this highlight video blows my mind. He made plays stay alive just by persistence, and that's something that I greatly admire. It was unfortunate that he played for the Lions his whole career, because the Lions' struggles helped bring about his early retirement due to being tired of the culture of losing.

3. Jerome Bettis. As a kid I always would play football with a friend who lived in my neighborhood. We were around seven or eight years old. He was a skinny, little guy, and I was fairly hefty. Whenever we played, I always pretended I was Jerome Bettis, because I could just run the ball all over the yard with my friend hanging on my feet. He could do the same thing. Jerome Bettis truly deserved his nickname of "The Bus". He was huge, and no one could stop him when he started driving his legs.

4. Charles Woodson. I have to include a defensive player in this list, because they're just as important as the offensive players. He's having the best season of his career just as other players his age are declining. He's smart, talented, athletic, and a leader. Charles is always looking to make a play which differentiates him from many of his peers. He's an easy pick for the Hall of Fame whenever he retires.

5. Reggie White. I was trying to keep this list from becoming biased towards the Packers, but I can't help it. Reggie White was the defensive end. He defined the position in my eyes. His ability to disrupt a play and obtain a sack makes him unparalleled. Sure, other players have come along and broken some of his records, but it just isn't the same nowadays. He was the "Minister of Defense". Requiescat in pace.