If you're like me and you watch and listen to the endless parade of football talk shows on the TV and radio, undoubtedly you've heard the "who's the best player ever" argument over and over and over again. It makes for great debate and keeps a lot of folks employed and paying top tax rates. Everybody loves a good argument. Endless statistical analysis is used to dissect every aspect of the top player's games, be they running backs, wide receivers, linebackers, or quarterbacks.

Next weekend Tom Brady takes the field for his 5th Super Bowl appearance. He'll have a chance to win his 4th, putting him in select company as an NFL starting QB. Is he the best QB ever? I'm a big fan of Tom and what he's done, but to me he could win 100 more and would never top my #1, Joe Montana.

Does that mean I'm right? Nope. Just because I write a blog doesn't make me any more right than the guys that have microphones in front of them on the TV or radio. The beauty of it is.... it doesn't really matter what you think.

To my eyes, nobody will ever be better than Joe Cool. To my Dad's eyes, nobody will ever be better than Johnny Unitas. My Dad is just as right as I am. Someone 10 years older than me might argue for weeks that Terry Bradshaw is the best ever, or Roger Staubach, or Fran Tarkenton. Ask somebody 10 years older than my Dad and you might get Sammy Baugh or Otto Graham. And to you, probably 15-20 years younger than me, nobody will be better than Brady...or Peyton Manning, or Drew Brees, or maybe even Tom's Sunday adversary, Eli Manning.

My suggestion..don't worry about it. It doesn't matter. Just enjoy watching the guys YOU think are the best YOU'VE ever seen, and leave the arguing to the politicians.

Enjoy the game, it should be another great one!

P.S.

For what it's worth, here is the unscientific list of Dan's all-time top 10. No mountain of statistics used, just an 'eyeball test' list through my 40 years of watching the NFL. You won't find guys that my eyes didn't watch 'live' anywhere on the list, such as Unitas, Namath, Starr, Dawson, or Baugh. 

10) Jim Kelly

9) John Elway

8) Dan Fouts

7) Peyton Manning

6) Troy Aikman

5) Roger Staubach

4) Terry Bradshaw

3) Tom Brady

2) Dan Marino

1) Joe Montana

Honorable mention: Ken Stabler, Bernie Kosar, Steve Young, Warren Moon, Brett Favre, Boomer Esiason, Jim Plunkett, Drew Brees, Eli Manning, Aaron Rodgers, Doug Williams, Joe Theismann, Kurt Warner, Donovan McNabb