The SportsCentury begins with this two-hour reflection of the major sports events that endeared themselves to the American conscience in the first half of the 20th Century. Dave Anderson, Dick Schaap, and Curt Gowdy sit around newspaper offices as the ""hosts"" in this newsreel-type retrospective.

Counts down the ten non-athletes who left the greatest impact on the sports world in the 20th Century. Profiles include: Walter O'Malley, Branch Rickey, Pette Rozelle, David Stern, Roone Arledge, and Marvin Miller.

The teams that dominated their sport–the New York Yankees, Boston Celtics, Montréal Canadiens, UCLA Bruins, Notre Dame Fighting Irish–are profiled. So are the Dallas Cowboys, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Bulls, and San Francisco 49ers.

A profile of the late Brian Piccolo, the 1964 ACC Player of the Year at Wake Forest and later a member of the Chicago Bears, where he formed a friendship with Gale Sayers that was depicted in the 1971 film “Brian's Song.” Piccolo died of cancer in 1970.

The most-recognized team in professional sports always gets the undeserved breaks. This episode, the first SportsCentury devoted to a team, is certainly no exception. Jeremy Schaap sends more excess glory on the team that won an all-sports record 26 world championships, all in the 20th Century.

A nation of American baseball fans have grown to hate the Yankees. Their dreams were realized when the team went from dynasty to dumpster between 1965 and 1972. Then came George Steinbrenner, a native Clevelander who, despite turmoil and controversy, returned the Yankees to glory–twice.

Jerry Jones took over the Dallas Cowboys in 1989 to restore the glory of ""America's Team."" It worked, as the Cowboys went on to win three Super Bowls in four years. But when it was over, it was really over. The 'Boys were suddenly back where they started, and worse.

For all the accolades he earned–the 1988 Heisman Trophy, a 2,000-yard rushing season in the NFL–Barry Sanders was a lone man who did not seek the spotlight.

For one incident with the Golden State Warriors, Latrell Sprewell became the most hated and reviled player in the eyes of the NBA, or so the legend would have it.

From a lifetime of tragic turns, Bart Starr emerged with visions that will endure forever. Five NFL Championships in seven years and victories in the first two Super Bowls made him the Packers' model quarterback.

As the coach of ""America's Team,"" Tom Landry stood for all the old American values. These were carried out with efficiency as the Dallas Cowboys won their way to 20 straight winning seasons.

He has been despised by every fan of every NBA team that has never won the World Championship or died trying. To be sure, Phil Jackson does not have as much an in-your-face attitude as the men he coaches. But after a triad of threepeats, is Jackson finally up Shaq's creek without a paddle?

One of the young stars in the NBA was drafted at a young age. Kevin Garnett has become without question the biggest attraction on the Minnesota Timberwolves.

He is the winningest coach in NFL history, with 347 victories. But how will Don Shula be remembered?

Duke is the Yankees of men's college basketball, winning its way to high tournament space year after year. While its coach did not top ESPN's 25th-anniversary list of the Best Coaches, Mike Krzyzewski is clearly the coach for his sport.