41. Dirk Nowitzki, F, Dallas Mavericks
The playoffs didn't go as expected in Dallas, but our choice to top this section of "Best by Number" athletes should come as no surprise.

42. Mariano Rivera, RHP, New York Yankees.
Worth mentioning: Elton Brand, F, Los Angeles Clippers.

Rivera is the last remaining big leaguer allowed to wear No. 42. Major League Baseball retired the number in 1997 but permitted players who already had it to keep wearing it.

43. Troy Polamalu, S, Pittsburgh Steelers
Worth mentioning: Cla Meredith, RHP, San Diego Padres.

Why not (get it? hee-hee) show a little love to Meredith, the fierce sidearmer?

44. Roy Oswalt, RHP, Houston Astros
Worth mentioning: Bruce Davis, DE, UCLA football; Jake Peavy, RHP, San Diego Padres; Richie Sexson, 1B, Seattle Mariners.

45. Carlos Lee, OF, Houston Astros
Worth mentioning: Pedro Martinez, RHP, New York Mets

46. Andy Pettitte, LHP, New York Yankees
Worth mentioning: Ladell Betts, RB, Washington Redskins

Pettitte wore 46 when he came up with the Yankees, but he switched to No. 21 -- in honor of Roger Clemens -- when he signed with Houston. He switched back to 46 when he rejoined the Yankees.

47. Tom Glavine, LHP, New York Mets
Contender: Andrei Kirilenko, F, Utah Jazz.

48. Jimmie Johnson, NASCAR driver
Worth mentioning: Torii Hunter, OF, Minnesota Twins.

Johnson chose the number from a list because he liked the idea of being double the number of his teammate, friend and team co-owner Jeff Gordon.

49. Sedrick Ellis, DT, Southern California football
Contender: Tony Richardson, FB, Minnesota Vikings.

Ellis will be a leader on the best (arguably) defense in the country on the best (arguably) team in the country.

50. Tyler Hansbrough, F/C, North Carolina Tar Heels basketball
Contender: Pisa Tinoisamoa, LB, St. Louis Rams.

It's Hansbrough by a nose (har!).

51. Ichiro Suzuki, OF, Seattle Mariners
Contenders: Trevor Hoffman, RHP, San Diego Padres; Randy Johnson, LHP, Arizona Diamondbacks; Lofa Tatupu, LB, Seattle Seahawks.

52. C.C. Sabathia, LHP, Cleveland Indians
Contenders: Jose Contreras, RHP, Chicago White Sox; Ray Lewis, LB, Baltimore Ravens.

53. Keith Bulluck, LB, Tennessee Titans

54. Brian Urlacher, LB, Chicago Bears
Worth mentioning: Zach Thomas, LB, Miami Dolphins; Joel Zumaya, RHP, Detroit Tigers.

Urlacher is an easy pick here. But we would not want to get hit by Thomas -- or Zumaya's fastball -- either.

55. Terrell Suggs, DE, Baltimore Ravens
Contenders: Lance Briggs, LB, Chicago Bears; Hideki Matsui, OF, New York Yankees.
Worth mentioning: Gil Meche, RHP, Kansas City Royals.

Meche is worth mentioning because of the huge numbers the Royals are paying him -- $55 million over five years. When Meche joined the Royals, his number was already being used by reliever Joe Nelson. But Nelson gave it up and replaced 55 with 77. "I just wanted a double-digit number, and I wasn't going below 55," Nelson told the Kansas City Star. "I looked at 66, 77, 88 and 99. I don't throw hard enough to wear No. 99. I didn't want 88. So I just said, 'I'll take the hockey sticks. That will work.'"

56. Shawne Merriman, LB, San Diego Chargers
Merriman's ferocity on the field brings to mind another amazing linebacker -- Lawrence Taylor, who happens to be the all-time great at this number. Merriman has said he wants to go down as the best linebacker of all time. That's the only way he'll go down as the best 56 of all time.

57. Johan Santana, LHP, Minnesota Twins
Worth mentioning: Olin Kreutz, C, Chicago Bears; Francisco Rodriguez, RHP, Los Angeles Angels.

58. Antonio Pierce, LB, New York Giants
Worth mentioning: Jonathan Papelbon, RHP, Boston Red Sox.

59. DeMeco Ryans, LB, Houston Texans
Contender: Todd Jones, RHP, Detroit Tigers.

Jones was given No. 59 when he broke into the majors with Houston. He was a big leaguer for a year before he realized he could have asked for a new number, and by then, he figured it was too late. For his one season with the Marlins, he wore No. 50 because 59 was taken. "I think 59 is a rather slimming number that doesn't make me look so fat," Jones wrote in his Sporting News column.

60. Chris Samuels, OT, Washington Redskins

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