I sat in front of my computer, trying to brainstorm Ultimate 11 ideas, and I started writing some notes on games that I’ve seen live. More and more games came flooding back so I wondered whether I could complete an ULTIMATE 11 - Best Games I’ve Ever Seen Live. Not only did I complete an 11, I had a few Honorable Mention games to add to the mix.

My love for the safety position started with 49ers superstar/USC legend Ronnie Lott and a former Florida Gator All-American by the name of Louis Oliver. The Gator star wore these bad-a-- blue Neumann receiver gloves and that was the first thing that got my attention. Then, he hit someone and that left an impression forever. Lott and Oliver were 1980s kings at the safety position but I’ve always thought that to play safety, it takes ALL kinds of bodies, builds and talent…and I’m going to prove that with this Ultimate 11.

For the past 20 seasons, the greats of the game have taken home one of the most iconic trophies in all of sport: The Heisman Trophy. Just one college football player wins the stiff armed statue each season so there’s a unique fraternity of men around the world that have won that honor. In those Heisman seasons, certain players crafted absolute works of art, a Monet, if you will. A work of art, like a masterpiece of a performance, makes you feel something and that’s how I arrived at this Ultimate 11 - The Monets. Similarly, there may not be a masterpiece in every artist’s collection but there will be a gem that takes your breath away. That’s what I looked for here with this Ultimate 11.

For those that didn’t grow up in the 1980s, I feel for you. What a decade it was! The NBA grew exponentially with the arrival of Larry, Magic and someone named Jordan. Music, movies and fashion were amazing feats of beauty. Can any other era truly claim filmmakers like John Hughes and Steven Spielberg? The 1980s established the prime time television era led by The Cosb...uh, I mean, Cheers and Night Court.