LeBron James was recently in the news promoting his campaign to retire the #23 in the NBA in honor of the great Michael Jordan. “His Airness,” LeBron and my favorite Movember supporter Don Mattingly aren’t the only great players who have shared the same number. In fact, #23 is (arguably) not even the greatest number in sports, just take a look at these.

#3: Babe Ruth, Alex Rodriguez, Harmon Killebrew

Babe Ruth is probably the greatest player to ever play the game. Alex Rodriguez wore #3 until he came to the New York Yankees, will in all likelihood end up as the all-time home run leader, and is currently tenth on the all-time home run list.

#8: Cal Ripken Jr., Yogi Bera, Carl Yastrzemski, Joe Morgan, Troy Aikman, Steve Young and Kobe Bryant

Ripken is a two-time MVP, 19 time all-star, two-time gold glover, and first ballot Hall of Famer who played 2,632 games straight. Berra is a 13-time World Series champion, three-time MVP, and 15-time All Star. Yaz is a former MVP, seven-time Gold Glove winner, and 18-time All-Star. Morgan is a back-to-back MVP, two-time World Series Champ, and 10-time All-Star. Quarterbacks Troy Aikman and Steve Young and shooting guard Kobe Bryant also wore #8.

#12- Terry Bradshaw, Tom Brady, Joe Namath

Bradshaw is a four-time Super Bowl champion and former MVP. Brady is three-time Super Bowl Champion, former MVP, and holds the record for most touchdowns in a single season with 50. Namath is a Super Bowl Champion, former two-time AFL MVP, and four-time AFL All-Star with one Pro Bowl selection.

#24: Willie Mays, Rickey Henderson, Manny Ramirez, Ken Griffey Jr.

Mays is also arguably the best player who ever lived, a two-time MVP, World Series champ, 12-time Gold Glover, and 20-time All-Star. Rickey Henderson is the all-time stolen base and runs leader (he also led off more games with a home run than anyone) and a two-time World Series champ, MVP, and ten-time All-Star. Manny is a two-time World Series champion, 12-time All Star, and is currently 15th on the All-Time home run list. Griffey is a former MVP, 13-time All-Star, 10-time Gold Glover and is currently fifth on the All-Time home run list with 630.

#34: Walter Payton, Earl Campbell

Payton is the 2nd leading rusher in NFL history with nearly 17,000 yards and fourth all-time in rushing touchdowns. Campbell doesn’t have the career numbers that Payton had because he peaked early and played only nine years but his first three years in the league were as good as anyone’s. He’s also a five-time Pro Bowler and a Hall of Famer. Nolan Ryan also wore #34 and used his old man strength to beat the crap out of Robin Ventura – oh, he also struck out 5,714 batters, threw 7 no-hitters and an astonishing 12 one-hitters.

#42 Jackie Robinson, Mariano Rivera

This number is forever retired in Major League Baseball because it was worn by Jackie Robinson and until Mariano Riviera retires and goes down at the greatest closer of all-time he will run out of the bullpen with “Enter Sandman” blaring wearing #42.

Follow the author, Igor Derysh, on Twitter @IgorDerysh

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Ken Griffey Jr. Traded To The White Sox : Ken Griffey Jr. has the right to veto a trade to the first-place White Sox, the White Sox would be adding the slugger to a team that leads the AL in homers. If the White Sox get Griffey, Paul Konerko might be the odd man out.

Manny Ramirez/Jason Bay Three Team Blockbuster Brewing : The Red Sox, Marlins and Pirates are working on the blockbuster of the century–Florida would acquire Manny Ramirez, whose salary nearly matches their payroll and Boston may end up with Jason Bay and John Grabow or perhaps even Jack Wilson.

Sharapova To Pull Out Of Olympics? : Third-seeded Maria Sharapova withdrew from the Rogers Open after her second-round victory Wednesday because of a shoulder injury, possibly jeopardizing her participation at the Beijing Olympics.

Mike Loree Retires 62 of 63 Batters : Loree has been absolutely untouchable this season. To prove the point, he has retired 62 of the last 63 hitters faced in his last four starts.

The Cowboys Are Screwed : It didn’t take Jessica Simpson long to insinuate herself into the Dallas Cowboys’ mix this season as she visited Tony Romo at camp yesterday.

Michael Jordan at 45 : Even in his mid-40s, Michael Jordan is still talking trash.

Female Athletes To Undergo Gender Tests in Beijing : Organizers of the Beijing Olympics have set up a sex-determination laboratory to evaluate “suspect” female athletes. The lab will evaluate an athlete’s external appearance, hormones and genes. India’s Santhi Soundarajan failed a sex-verification test after the 2006 Asian Games.

If CNBC can project presidential primary winners with only 3-percent of the vote totals in, then we can also take advantage of mathematical impossibility. Thanks to the updated vote tallies released, we can announce the position players who will appear in the 2008 MLB All-Star game taking place at Yankee Stadium on July 15th.

Yesterday we gave you the Projected AL All-Star Team team and today we present the NL All-Star Team.

After the jump check out the 2008 AL All-Star Team! (more…)

Tonight against the Florida Marlins, Ken Griffey Jr. has joined a class more elite then the mile high club. Only 5 other players have ever reached the exclusive 600 home run mark and 2 of them (Bonds and Sosa) cheated to get there.

Now that Griffey has reached the historic mark of 600 home runs let’s dip into the COED archives and take a look at some of the game’s young studs to predict who’s next to make a serious run at 600+.

After all, 600 is the new 500 or is it?’

COED Presents: Young Players Likely To Hit 600 HR’s

• UPDATE 12.13.07 1:15 PM – For the REAL List click here.

Senator George J. Mitchell’s “Mitchell Report” on steroid use in the MLB “outed” many former and current major leaguers.

Here is COED’s list of players that have admitted to using steroids in the past. The full list of players listed in the Mitchell Report is included at the bottom.

Names listed in the ‘Mitchell Report’ after the jump! (more…)