anyone that knows me knows that music is a super important part of my life. these are not necessarily the greatest, or even my favorites - but are/were influential to me:

Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana - Blew my mind. Knew immediately that this was exactly what I was looking for
Back in Black - AC/DC - Like Bon Scott era better, but this introduced me to them
So Whatcha' Want - Beastie Boys - game changer
Dammit - Blink 182 - Just a great punk/pop jam
Wicked Game - Chris Isaac - Only time I ever karaoke'd in my whole life, how I stood up for 4 straight minutes at that point in te game was a miracle
Nothin' but a "G" Thang - Dr Dre - Snoop comes onto the scene
Jump Around - House of Pain - Remember the first time I heard this at O'Furrys, crazy scene with people tearing the place apart. Also, headliner for greatest concert I have been to, Rage opened for them
Stacy's Mom - Fountains of Wayne - Extremely underrated band, and this is areally great pop song
Welcome to the Jungle - Guns n Roses - What an album
Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash - The live version gives me chills
Livin' After Midnight - Judas Priest - First song I learned on guitar, thanks Steve Sheldon!Bawitdaba - Kid Rock - Another one of those first time you hear it songs...
Detroit Rock City - KISS - I remember staring at the cover of this album and listening to it over and over, it was almost mystical
Nookie - Limp Bizkit - the band turned out to be a bunch of dicks, but this CD is seminal
For Whom the Bell Tolls - Metallica -Still rocks beyond compare
Badfish - Sublime - Favorite song of my all time favorite band
Plush - Stone Temple Pilots - Cool guitar riffs without needing a solo
Looks that Kill - Motley Crue - Favorite metal band of that time, think I saw them live 6 times
My Name is - Eminem - Was hooked immediately
It's the End of the World as we Know it - R.E.M. - MY first post-metal band in college
Bombtrack - Rage Against the Machine - Wow, obviously our politics are 180 degrees out of phase, but these cats rock like no other
Anarchy in the U.K. - Sex Pistols - Glad I got to see Johnny Rotten live, one of the most interesting people ever
Undone (Sweater Song) - Weezer - Great songwriters
C.R.E.A.M. - Wu Tang Clan - These guys are just flat out good

slam

so espn has decided to totally rip off fox sports and start doing countdowns of the greatest things in sports - greatest super bowl plays, best hockey fights, top 10 kobiyashi hot dog pukes, etc. it's weird that it's exaclty the same format as fox, complete with rapid fire images of the number they are on. i guess there is no copyright on the list idea, and apparently people, especially sports people really like lists. anyway, i was at oc's and they were running down the top 20 dunkers of basketballs of all time and they were on like #10, i think it was larry nance (who was a bad ass dunker indeed). as soon as i saw the topic, i knew MJ would be #1, as he is #1 in every one of these lists that he is eligible, including #1 worst golf gambler and #1 worst hitter of the curve ball for the birmingham barons. turns out i was right, and this infuriated me so much (apparently had a short fuse that day) i had to do my own top 4 list.

4) Dr J. he was obviously so ahead of his time, but in general i don't give credit for being in a different era. when I compare Shaq and Wilt, i just think could Wilt cover Shaq in both of their primes? (short answer - no). but the doc could throw down with the best of em, the quintessential one for me was over Coop in the finals. it was over after that.

3) MJ. i definitely underrated him in my mind because most of my memories today are of the last 3 seasons with the bulls and the horribly conceived willie mays with the mets show he did with the wizards. but seeing the highlights reminded me of the major throwdowns on Ewing and Mutombo. #3 is not where his airness is used to finishing, but still not too shabby.

2) Dominique. dude was just a freaky athlete and was strong as a bull. i don't remember him having much of a jump shot ( i may be wrong about that) so even with guys playing off, he still attacked and beat them to the tune of 26,534 points. and the windmill was always a winner for us short white boys on the 8.5 foot rim.

1) Vince Carter. i do not like his game. i do not like his attitude (at least my perception of his attitude, i could easily be convinced otherwise over a beer). I do however like watching Vinsanity throw down inconceivable one handed alley oops in traffic. he must have giganto hands (take note ladies). and even at 31 he still can out athlete alot of nba players. but there was a 2 to 3 year span in the early 00's that every time i caught a game he was in that i would spew my beer all over and scream a chris tucker "DAMN" (not really on the Damn part) after a particularly vicious dunk. he is a mind blower.