ESPN25: Who's #1?

As might be expected, some of sports' all-time best teams had some of their finest years in ESPN's first quarter-century. There were dynasties in those years.

As much as you hate to hear this, the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their 0-14 record are ineligible for this list. One team that was eligible is the 2001 Carolina Panthers, who lost 15 games in what was essentially a 15-game season, but they didn't make the list either.

This may disappoint you, but Rocky II was ineligible for the list because its release predated ESPN by juat a few months.

Some of the victims of this list were emblazoned in IMDb before this TV Tome series guide was created. We promise that this list of subjects and interviewees is correct and complete.

Yes, my friend, Howard Cosell was eligible for this list (because he was still at ABC when ESPN was born), and he made the list. One surprise: Bobby Knight didn't make it!

These are the biggest broken dreams in a 25-year span. Nightmares such as the 1996 Jets and the new Cleveland Browns did not make the list, and neither did the late Winnipeg Jets of 1980.

Tom Landry and Chuck Noll were past the championship summit when ESPN got started. But the years 1979-2003 saw plenty of other coaches in all sports produce a lifetime of great moments.

Sometimes ""choke"" isn't the correct label. Teams and individuals only choke if they never bounce back. And yes, some of those sad sacks are on this list.

25. Steve Mizerack (Miller Lite) 24. Sugar Ray Leonard and son (7-Up) 23. Terry Tate, office linebacker (Reebok) 22. Dennis Hopper as crazy referee (Nike) 21. Clydesdales play football (Budweiser) 20. John Madden (Miller Lite) 19. I am Tiger Woods (Nike) 18. Mark McGwire: This is SportsCenter (ESPN) 17. Michael Jordan and Mia Hamm (Gatorade) 16. Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi in NYC (Nike) 15. Tom Landry (American Express) 14. Young Jordan vs. old Jordan (Gatorade) 13. Charles Barkley: I am not a role model (Nike) 12. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson go one-on-one (Converse) 11. Bubba Smith, Dick Butkus at the opera (Miller Lite) 10. Greg Maddux/Tom Glavine: Chicks dig the long ball (Nike) 9. Charles Barkley & friends at Shady Rest Retirement Home (Charles Schwab) 8. Yao Ming and Yogi Berra ""Yo"" (Visa) 7. Be Like Mike (Gatorade) 6. Michael Jordan and Mars Blackmon (Nike) 5. Bob Uecker: ""I must be in the front row"" (Miller Lite) 4. Michael Jordan &

The Shot Heard 'Round The World is long ineligible for the list, and ""The Drive"" didn't make it either. But of the 25 plays that do appear, there are moments that have defined athletes and franchises, and sent daggers through the hearts of others.

Incredibly, Kobe Bryant did not make this list! But it's not to say that the leading controversies were not real nightmares.

This is interesting. I have no idea why the No. 10 game was not listed here. I will try to land the No. 10 when this show re-airs April 20 at 8 P.M. EDT/PDT.