Top 10 Athletes of the Decade
by DeMarco Williams

1. Tiger Wood
We don’t know what’s more amazing, the number of women who’ve reportedly seen Woods’ club head or the dominance the dude has displayed with his other tools over the past 10 years. For the sake of this story, we’ll bask in the 74 wins (to his biggest rival Phil Mickelson’s 29) and 12 majors won this decade and leave the other stuff to TMZ.

2. Roger Federer
Often when we speak of an athlete being the greatest of all-time at his sport, the words come off melodramatic. In the case of this stoic Swiss, it may not be accolade enough. A record 15 Grand Slam titles. A record 21 Grand Slam finals appearances. A record 237 weeks at No. 1. The list goes on and on… And so too will the times you hear “Roger Federer, the greatest tennis player ever.”

3. Lance Armstrong
Avoiding one pothole (cancer) after another (doping scandal) after another (public breakup with Sheryl Crow), it’s astonishing Lance was able to even saddle up for six grueling Tour de France races at the beginning of the decade, let alone win all of them. The proud Texan got off his bike after ‘05’s triumph to concentrate on his non-profit endeavors, only to get back in shape for last summer’s Tour. The amazing Armstrong, 37, quietly finished third.

4. Michael Phelps
You and I were glued to the TV during the ’08 Olympics, yet we still can’t quite put words to what we witnessed Phelps do in the Beijing waters. The human porpoise’s seven world records and eight gold medals not only eclipsed Mark Spitz’s fabled ’72 run, but it gave Michael 16 total medals since 2000, including a record 14 golds.. The 23-year-old with the whopping 79-inch wingspan will likely add to that bounty in London in two summers.

5. Serena and Venus Williams
Okay, think about it like this: What if you were the best [enter profession here] in the world? And no, we’re not just talking about in your family. We’re talking it’s scientifically proven that you’re tops. And then, let’s say your sister comes along and becomes as good as you in your field. Can you imagine? No need. The Williams Sisters, who’ve combined to win 16 solo Grand Slam titles, eight doubles Slams (including three in ’09) and two Olympic golds in the 00s, actually live one of the greatest stories in sports history—yep, history!—every single day.

6. Kobe Bryant
The other night ESPN anchor Scott Van Pelt offered, “Kobe is so good that he might actually be underrated.” Think about that for a sec. Ten-time All-Star. Seven-time All-Defensive first team. Four-time NBA champ. One MVP and one special ’06 night when he gave Toronto 81 points. And mind you, all of that came amidst a Shaq beef, embarrassing sex scandal and tireless comparisons to MJ. At press time, the 31-year-old Laker was leading L.A. with a fractured index finger. Hell yeah, he’s underrated…

7. Peyton Manning
When it comes to football, a few names could have been argued for this slot—Tom Brady, LaDainian Tomlinson and even Ray Lewis. But none of those players have done it in pads this decade with the smoothness (three-time MVP), dependability (started every game in the ‘00s) and record-breaking prowess (six straight years of 4,000 yards passing) that Manning has. Most NFL pundits already consider him one of the five best QBs ever. If the Colts star guides Indianapolis to another Super Bowl victory this year, he might top the list.

8. Diana Taurasi
If you can name a player who’s made the transition from college to the pro ranks as seamlessly as Taurasi, I’d love to meet the guy. A three-time NCAA champ and two-time National Player of the Year at Connecticut, the fiery Taurasi took her well-rounded game to the WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury in ’04 and didn’t miss a beat, earning five first-team All-WNBA honors and being named the WNBA regular season and Finals MVP in ’09.

9. Albert Pujols
Had the steroids controversy not muddied Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez’s names, either could have earned a spot here. But as it stands, the only thing cleaner than Albert Pujols’ image might be Albert Pujols’ swing. The thing is so pretty you’re inclined to ask for its phone number. Sadly, the only digits you’d get in return are eye-popping stats like nine (as in nine straight years of 30 home runs, 100 RBI and .310 average), eight (the times he’s finished in the top four in NL MVP voting) and 366 (the long ones he’s hit this decade).

10. Usain Bolt
A World Junior champion back in ’02, the lightning Bolt was actually making a name for himself on tracks long before he started shattering records in China. It’s just that when the jolting Jamaican (Bolt’s going almost 30 MPH at top speed) got in front of Olympic cameras, he took things to levels once deemed unattainable by man. Here’s some context: Usain’s 100m mark of 9.58 seconds would have him at the finish line two feet ahead of the world’s second fastest man ever. That, my friends, is just ridiculous.