I gave myself five minutes to construct my top five athletes list because I'm paid to write articles quickly and I wanted to see which ones jumped to mind the fastest. I automatically ran through the four major sports, discounting hockey and inserting tennis because I don't watch the former and I watch the latter's majors with above average interest. I also touched on the sport I ran in college (cross country/track and field) and briefly considered boxing before my mind lept from Manny Pacquiao to Juan Marquez (that was 2012) to Floyd Mayweather, and the media's insistence to report every time "Money" wins an absurd bet (like the recent 200,000 he pocketed off a Texas A&M first half cover over SMU) knowing the guy is probably losing millions of dollars a year if he's staking that much money to random college football games of which a professional boxer likely has no insider knowledge. If he's tweeting big wins just once every few months, something's wrong. Without further rant, here's the top five:

5. Tom Brady: My friend and I frequently debate the value of championships versus winning seasons. Would you rather be a Colts fan during the Peyton Manning era (two Super Bowl appearances, one Super Bowl, playoffs ever year but one), I ask him, or a Giants fan during Eli's reign (two Super Bowls, five playoff appearances in now ten seasons)? The easy answer for us both is Peyton Manning, though on closer examples (like maybe an Eagles fan versus a Rams fan overlapping the McNabb and Warner eras), we're split. Brady, who was an early winner, now embodies the second half of that debate: winning seasons. With Brady as your quarterback, you always feel you have a chance. The guy plays (and yells) like he loves competing, thirsting for championships in the same rare way Derek Jeter does.

4. Mo Farah/Galen Rupp: Non-running fans can skip to number four, but if you want a brief education, stay with me. Farah, an African-born, British citizen, and Rupp, born and bred American, train together under the preeminent running coach in the world right now, Alberto Salazar, who's broken down the task of distance, track-style racing into its most scientific pieces to date. The results: Farah was a double Olympic gold medalist in the 5k and 10k in 2012, won gold in the 5k at the 2011 World Championships, and gold in the 5k and 10k at the 2013 World Championships; Rupp became the first American to win a silver medal in the 10k in nearly 50 years.

3. Brett Gardner: Gardner, 31, who hits .270 or so every year, rarely steals bases on the first pitch, frequently drives in less than 60 runs, wears an oven glove to protect his right thumb, and hasn't had a full set of hair since middle school, is lauded among MLB fans, players, and executives for his fastidiousness in drawing walks (career .352 OBP), elite fielding range, gritty speed (always sliding headfirst), league-leading 10 triples in 2013, and supreme leadoff personality (the man will do literally anything to get on base). Perhaps most amazingly, the South Carolina product makes less than $3 million per year. For that reason and attributes mentioned previously, he's been turned down in straight-up trade offers involving Brandon Phillips and Justin Masterson this offseason.

2. Paul George: If the Pacers win the title this year, George goes to one; if they don't, he falls, but still remains in the top five. How many other players on an elite team like the Pacers have such a margin for error? George's development from a promising young prospect to a top five player at the age of 23 has been so satisfying to watch because such steady and significant improvement over a period of four years (and likely more) is so rare. Winning the title this year would be a feat not accomplished maybe ever, where a young superstar without a superstar sidekick wins a title before the age of 25 (Magic had Kareem, Bird had McHale and Parish, Wade and Kobe had Shaq). With Jordan's early career struggles and Lebron's noted misses in Cleveland (as well as Dirk's close calls) an early title by George, maybe three of four more, and his continued development could one day put him in the discussion of the all time greats, no doubt helped by his stout supporting cast.

1. Reserved For Petyon Manning: I'm reserving the number one spot for Peyton Manning if and only if he wins the Super Bowl. With my Giants out of it, I'm rooting for him. He'll need to at least get to the big game (in New York) to somewhat validate his historic season. If the Broncos lose to the Patriots and they win the title, Brady gets the number one spot.