Now here is a photo debate I can really sink my teeth in to. Sports Illustrated recently chose the 100 greatest sports photos of all time (weighing on the American-side). Their #1 choice is definitely a surprise: Fernando Medina’s image of Michael Jordan’s game-winning shot in the 1998 NBA championship.

When seeing the title of this list, I instantly thought it would be “Ali vs. Liston” by the great Neil Leifer. Not even close… number 93. Now I am a sucker for lists like this, especially when it comes to baseball and music (the best right-handed hitters of the ’50′s, the best indie albums of the ’80′s, etc.), and this particular one gets the job done by churning the photographic waves. There many iconic images in this list. Some are no-brainers. Some are a bit questionable. It is a tad difficult to separate the important sports “moment” versus the best “photograph”. Those are not always one in the same.

Either way, it’s still a delight to go through each of these and take wonder in the craft of great sports photography.

However, I will throw in my two cents and seriously question the omission of this unreal image taken by Mark Pain at the 2010 Ryder Cup. I can stare at this picture all day. This is a once-in-a-lifetime photograph.

What is your favorite sports photograph? Do you agree with Sports Illustrated’s list?