Column by Rick S. Alvord

Sports Editor

A guy in line at Subway the other day asked me where I come up with the ideas for “those stories that have your picture with it.” Ideas? He’s giving me far too much credit.

Ideas are highly overrated. Reactions are more like it. As in, see/hear something, then react.

This particular Subway customer said he enjoyed a “story that had my picture with it” a few years back that featured nothing but Top 10 lists.

“Everybody loves a list,” he muttered, as he argued with the sandwich artist that his turkey-and-ham should have been five bucks, not six.

Since I couldn’t remember which “story that had my picture with it” he was talking about, I thought it would be a good idea to present the sandwich guy with a totally new offering of Top 10s.

Because, hey, everybody loves a list.

Top 10 Seattle Mariners of all-time:

10. Omar Vizquel

9. Alvin Davis

8. Norm Charlton

7. Dan Wilson

6. Jamie Moyer

5. Ichiro Suzuki

4. Jay Buhner

3. Randy Johnson

2. Ken Griffey Jr.

1. Edgar Martinez (because HE never left)

Top 10 worst Seattle Mariners of all-time:

10. Jeff Cirillo

9. Brad Wilkerson

8. Rich DeLucia

7. Heathcliff Slocumb

6. Al Martin

5. Bobby Ayala

4. Richie Sexson

3. Pete O’Brien

2. Mackey Sasser

1. Kevin Mitchell

Top 10 places to eat in Longview-Kelso:

10. Mint Valley Golf Course snack bar

9. Henri’s

8. Country Folks Deli

7. Masthead

6. Three Rivers Golf Course restaurant

5. Kim Bowl

4. Pancake House

3. El Charrito

2. Red Lobster

1. Hart-C’s

Top 10 most attractive female athletes of all-time:

10. Jenny Finch (softball)

9. Florence Griffith-Joyner (track and field)

8. Summer Sanders (swimming)

7. Anna Kournikova (tennis)

6. Dorothy Hamill (figure skating)

5. Maria Sharapova (tennis)

4. Gabrielle Reece (beach volleyball)

3. Katarina Witt (figure skating)

2. Biba Golic (table tennis)

1. Chris Evert (tennis)

Top 10 most unattractive male athletes of all-time:

10. Popeye Jones (basketball)

9. Randy Moss (football)

8. Bartolo Colon (baseball)

7. Joakim Noah (basketball)

6. Dennis Rodman (basketball)

5. Randy Johnson (baseball)

4. Sam Cassell (basketball)

3. Otis Nixon (baseball)

2. Gheorghe Muresan (basketball)

1. Andre The Giant (pro wrestling)

Top 10 toughest golf holes in Cowlitz County:

10. 14th at Three Rivers

9. 6th at Mint Valley

8. 12th at Longview Country Club

7. 2nd at Longview Country Club

6. 9th at Three Rivers

5. 10th at Mint Valley

4. 6th at Lewis River

3. 6th at Longview Country Club

2. 12th at Lewis River

1. 14th at Longview Country Club

Top 10 Harrison Ford movies of all-time:

10. “Blade Runner”

9. “Witness”

8. “Working Girl” (not bad for a chick flick; plus, Ben Zimmerman’s aunt had a role in it)

7. “The Empire Strikes Back”

6. “The Fugitive”

5. “Return of the Jedi”

4. “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”

3. “Air Force One” (… “Get off my plane!”)

2. “Raiders of the Lost Ark”

1. “Star Wars”

Top 10 active coaches in Cowlitz County, all sports:

10. (tie) Eric Swanson (Toutle Lake boys basketball)

10. (tie) Jim Van Fleet (Castle Rock softball)

9. Mark Buchanan (Kalama football)

8. Eric Hansen (Wahkiakum football)

7. Lacey DeWeert (Kelso girls basketball)

6. Bill Bakamus (Mark Morris boys basketball)

5. Scott Grabenhorst (Toutle Lake football)

4. Lisa Verage (Mark Morris volleyball)

3. Jim Roffler (LCC men’s basketball)

2. Tim Mackin (LCC softball)

1. Kelly Smith (LCC baseball)

Top 10 reasons to believe the Seahawks will make the playoffs next season:

10. LeRoy Hill’s new contract

9. The Rams will stink … again

8. Deion Branch and Nate Burleson stay healthy

7. Three words: Aaron Freakin’ Curry

6. Lofa Tatupu remembers his rookie year

5. Jim Mora Jr. calls more exciting plays

4. T.J. Houshmandzadeh’s signing

3. The Cardinals will remember they’re the Cardinals

2. The offensive line rises up

1. Matt Hasselbeck stays upright