To know list: 5 bricks in rebuilding our rep after picking Auburn no. 1.(Know It All)(Brett Favre tops football player ranking)(Sonny Vaccaro leaves Adidas)(the Dodgers' Greg Miller)

(1) TSN'S ANNUAL NFL RANKINGS

Six years of Favre and fun

Those who have followed our annual ranking of the NFL's top 100 players (Page 14) will not be surprised to see Brett Favre atop this year's list. Favre was the No. 1 player in 1998--the first year we did a top 100--and never has been lower than fourth (last year). More on the history of our rankings:

* Eight others have made our list all six years: Peter Boulware, Isaac Bruce, Marshall Faulk, Ray Lewis, Jonathan Ogden, Orlando Pace, Warren Sapp and Michael Strahan.

* Favre is the only player who has been in the top 10 all six years. Next are Peyton Manning and Randy Moss, with four top 10 appearances. Manning is 10th on this year's list, Moss 15th.

* Manning is the only No. 1 overall draft pick to be No. 1 with us (in 2000, before his third season). On the other hand, many No. 1s never have made the top 100, including Jeff George, Russell Maryland, Dan Wilkinson, Ki-Jana Carter, Tim Couch, Courtney Brown and David Carr.

* Five players named Brown and five named Smith have made the list. The Browns are Chad, Gilbert, Mike, Ruben and Tim. The Smiths: Bruce, Emmitt, Jimmy, Robert and Rod. Of those 10, only Mike Brown made it this year.