THE MAG.COM PRESENTS:
ALL WORLD POWER RANKINGS

by Ted Bauer

Getty Images

Chris Bosh, you just get "it."

WHEN IT COMES TO PRO ATHLETES EMBRACING THE DIGITAL AGE, CHRIS BOSH IS AS VIRAL AS IT GETS

Andy Samberg turns 30 today. Pop quiz: in the last five years, has there been a guy more associated with viral hits? There was "Lazy Sunday," then "D*ck in a Box" and "Iran So Far Away." As the web expands as a content source—consider: the NBA has a massive YouTube channel, which may contain roughly the same amount of league videos as NBA.Com does—some athletes and teams are becoming hip to the kinds of things Samberg does, like "going viral." Here's a look at some of the best. Side note: we've tried to go viral a few times, like with Dwight Howard, comedians on flopping, Scott Dixon chugging milk, and a few others. So far, we're still waiting for our close-up.

TOP 5
RANK (YESTERDAY)		WHAT	WHY
	1 (4)	CHRIS BOSH	No question at No. 1. His YouTube channel is almost at "must watch" level. Remember his All-Star game vote ads? Blew up so big online, Jay Leno asked him to be his NBA Finals correspondent. He was funny.
	2 (6)	KOBE BRYANT	Think he's more a tried-and-true TV guy? Remember the Aston Martin video? Thing defines "viral" in the sports world for the last year.
	3 (7)	THE REDSKINS!	Obvious reason 1: they have Chris Cooley, one of the most irreverent dudes in pro sports. Obvious reason 2: they also have Clinton Portis, fitting in the same category (hey, we once had 'em together!) Obvious reason 3: DC Sports Bog loves to document 'em.
	4 (9)	USC TROJANS FOOTBALL	There's one main reason for this: Will Ferrell is a huge fan and also understands the value of the Interwebs (he's one of the guys behind FunnyOrDie). Check out this piece he did with Ryan Kalil; it aired on College Gameday but is also a huge online hit.
	5 (11)	BARON DAVIS	Has the fake 'There Can Only Be One' ad with Adam Sandler. Has the Nash 'Step Brothers' video. Has a 'Stare Off' contest on YouTube, which Jessica Alba apparently responded to. He probably won't surpass Kobe in Los Angeles as a star, but he knows the value of keeping himself in the digital world.

HONORABLE MENTION
RANK (YESTERDAY)		WHAT	WHY
	19 (180)	THE SPURS?!?	Supposedly the most boring good team in American pro sports, right? You ever see their music videos from a team dinner? Not sure they truly intended 'em to go viral, but oh—they did. In a way, it helped humanize the team. Wow, that was a huge leap of logic.
	131 (1,656)	NOVAK DJOKOVIC	Just watch this.

RISING AND FALLING
MOVEMENT		WHAT
		THE DALLAS COWBOYS (Watch this video of Jerry Jones singing; we're all waiting for the Owens YouTube channel, which can't be far off)
		THE PISTONS (The guys are funny, but we want more after this rapping Christmas video)