Boxer FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR tops SI.com's "Fortunate 50" list, the "first time since SI.com began publishing" the list in '04 that TIGER WOODS is not No. 1, according to Michael McKnight of SI.com. Woods ranks third this year, with fellow golfer PHIL MICKELSON coming in at No. 2. Mayweather was "unranked a year ago but scored two huge pay-per-view paydays to earn $85 million without a single endorsement." NBA players took up 18 spots last year, but that was cut to 13 this year. NBAers, who have "historically claimed more spots in the Fortunate 50 than any other group, had their salaries slashed" by nearly 20% due to the lockout-shortened '11-12 season. The endorsement estimates for the list "came from Burns Entertainment & Sports Marketing, other sports-marketing executives and analysts, and agents." Salary figures "were based on current or most recently completed seasons." The '11 calendar was used for "winnings-based sports" (SI.com, 7/16). Meanwhile ROGER FEDERER tops the "International 20" for the fourth straight year, but this year's list "is marked by DAVID BECKHAM's return to the top 5, and MANNY PACQUIAO's fall from it" (SI.com, 7/16).
| RK | ATHLETE | SALARY/EARNINGS | ENDORSEMENTS | TOTAL |
| 1) | Floyd Mayweather Jr. | $85,000,000 | $0 | $85,000,000 |
| 2) | Phil Mickelson | $3,763,488 | $57,000,000 | $60,763,488 |
| 3) | Tiger Woods | $1,940,238 | $54,500,000 | $56,440,238 |
| 4) | Kobe Bryant | $20,286,000 | $28,000,000 | $48,286,000 |
| 5) | LeBron James | $12,880,000 | $33,000,000 | $45,880,000 |
| 6) | Alex Rodriguez | $30,000,000 | $3,500,000 | $33,500,000 |
| 7) | Peyton Manning | $18,000,000 | $13,000,000 | $31,000,000 |
| 8) | Dale Earnhardt Jr | $4,164,690 | $24,000,000 | $28,164,690 |
| 9) | Derek Jeter | $15,729,364 | $12,000,000 | $27,729,364 |
| 10) | Larry Fitzgerald | $26,250,000 | $500,000 | $26,750,000 |
| 11) | Kevin Durant | $14,000,000 | $12,480,840 | $26,480,840 |
| 12) | Joe Mauer | $23,000,000 | $2,750,000 | $25,750,000 |
| 13) | Mario Williams | $25,000,000 | $500,000 | $25,500,000 |
| 14) | Dwight Howard | $14,490,000 | $11,000,000 | $25,490,000 |
| 15) | Carmelo Anthony | $14,907,450 | $10,000,000 | $24,907,450 |
| 16) | Dwyane Wade | $12,638,000 | $12,000,000 | $24,638,000 |
| 17) | Vernon Wells | $24,187,500 | $250,000 | $24,437,500 |
| 18) | Jeff Gordon | $5,912,830 | $18,000,000 | $23,912,830 |
| 19) | Derrick Rose | $5,621,880 | $18,230,770 | $23,852,650 |
| 20) | CC Sabathia | $23,000,000 | $800,000 | $23,800,000 |
| 21) | Mark Teixeira | $23,125,000 | $250,000 | $23,375,000 |
| 22) | Prince Fielder | $23,000,000 | $250,000 | $23,250,000 |
| 23) | Calvin Johnson | $21,750,000 | $1,000,000 | $22,750,000 |
| 24) | Amar'e Stoudemire | $14,665,250 | $8,000,000 | $22,665,250 |
| 25) | Adrian Gonzalez | $21,857,142 | $500,000 | $22,357,142 |
| 26) | Tom Brady | $12,250,000 | $10,000,000 | $22,250,000 |
| 27) | Kevin Garnett | $17,103,870 | $5,000,000 | $22,103,870 |
| 28) | Justin Verlander | $20,100,000 | $2,000,000 | $22,100,000 |
| 29t) | Cliff Lee | $21,500,000 | $500,000 | $22,000,000 |
| 29t) | Tony Stewart | $6,530,000 | $15,470,000 | $22,000,000 |
| 31) | Eli Manning | $11,750,000 | $10,000,000 | $21,750,000 |
| 32) | Ryan Howard | $20,000,000 | $1,500,000 | $21,500,000 |
| 33) | Jimmie Johnson | $6,269,360 | $14,703,640 | $21,000,000 |
| 34) | Tim Duncan | $17,146,500 | $3,500,000 | $20,646,500 |
| 35) | Roy Halladay | $20,000,000 | $250,000 | $20,250,000 |
| 36t) | Barry Zito | $19,000,000 | $1,000,000 | $20,000,000 |
| 36t) | Carl Crawford | $19,500,000 | $500,000 | $20,000,000 |
| 36t) | Albert Pujols | $12,000,000 | $8,000,000 | $20,000,000 |
| 39) | Arian Foster | $18,000,000 | $1,750,000 | $19,750,000 |
| 40) | Chris Paul | $13,169,643 | $6,000,000 | $19,169,643 |
| 41) | Torii Hunter | $18,500,000 | $200,000 | $18,700,000 |
| 42) | Rashard Lewis | $17,015,000 | $750,000 | $17,765,000 |
| 43) | Kevin Kolb | $17,500,000 | $0 | $17,500,000 |
| 44) | Josh Beckett | $17,000,000 | $200,000 | $17,200,000 |
| 45) | Jake Peavy | $17,000,000 | $150,000 | $17,150,000 |
| 46) | Robert Mathis | $17,000,000 | $125,000 | $17,125,000 |
| 47) | Calais Campbell | $17,000,000 | $100,000 | $17,100,000 |
| 48) | Chris Bosh | $12,898,112 | $4,000,000 | $16,898,112 |
| 49) | A.J. Burnett | $16,500,000 | $275,000 | $16,775,000 |
| 50) | Charles Woodson | $15,562,500 | $250,000 | $15,812,500 |
DISSECTING THE LIST: Syndicated radio host Dan Patrick discussed the list on his show yesterday, saying of Mayweather, “How long did he fight, like 35 minutes maybe?” Patrick said of Woods, “Isn’t it amazing ... with all the endorsements that Tiger lost that he would still be in the top five? I think that’s what’s surprising because it was abandon ship there. Now you’ve had some other brands that have come back, some stayed with him.” Meanwhile, he noted that Angels LF
VERNON WELLS was the most "surprising" person on the list and said, “Man, it’s surprising that people didn’t think that was a bad deal when they signed it. You know I said, ‘Really, Vernon Wells?’ The Wells family is not going to show up to see Vernon Wells” (
"The Dan Patrick Show," 7/17).
