World’s 20 Most Powerful Athletes for 2011

01. Peyton Manning

The Indianapolis Colts quarterback is more than simply the one of the best players in America’s sport. He’s also a model of class, sportsmanship and overall likability that fans (and sponsors) can’t get enough of. 19 More after the break...

02. Shaun White

White, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, combines dominance on the slopes with a friendly face and personality. All this adds up to instant marketability.

03. Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods may have fallen from grace, but he hasn’t fallen far. Last year he still made $70 million in endorsements to remain America’s highest paid athlete. But guess who’s not far behind.

04. 04 Phil Mickelson

More than just a moneymaker and an ace golfer, Mickelson provided the feel good sports story of the year when his wife, recovering from breast cancer surgery, met him at the 18th hole of his third Masters victory.

05. Tom Brady

Although he couldn’t make it past Rex Ryan’s Jets, the three-time Super Bowl champ still led his New England Patriots to a staggering 14 regular season wins.

06. Shaquille O’Neal

At 38, the four-time NBA champ has a legitimate chance to earn his fifth ring as the back-up center for the Boston Celtics. Even if the big man falls short, it’s doubtful that his extreme marketability will suffer much.

07. Drew Brees

Want to know how to win the support of fans and sponsors the world over? Try bringing a championship to an American city that’s seen more hard-luck and shown more resiliency than any other. That’s exactly what Drew Brees did for New Orleans.

08. Lance Armstrong

Although Armstrong has seen his share of controversy over the past few years, no number of doping allegations can take away from his cycling accomplishments (winning seven Tour de Frances after beating cancer) and his charity work.

09. Albert Pujols

The perfect antidote to the backlash against baseball over Performance Enhancing Drugs, Pujols is proof that you don’t have to play dirty to dominate the game.

10. Apolo Anton Ohno

Ohno? Oh yes. The Olympic speed skater has won loads of gold medals, but he really captured America’s heart as a contestant on Dancing With the Stars.

11. LeBron James

To some, LeBron is a backstabber who betrayed his hometown team on national TV. To others, he’s a phenomenal player who, like many other athletes, simply wants the best chance to win. For the time being at least, it would appear the public has embraced the first perspective; LeBron slipped a whopping nine spots this year.

12. Michael Phelps

Although it’s been over two years since winning eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics, that stellar achievement is enough for him to continue raking in the advertising bucks for years to come.

13. Lindsey Vonn

The darling of the 2010 Winter Olympics, Vonn is a sexy, hardworking downhill phenom whose star should only continue to burn bright into the future.

14. Kobe Bryant

In 2009, Bryant won his first NBA title without the big man Shaq down low. But that clearly wasn’t enough for him. Last year he won another title and now has a solid shot of a 2nd three-repeat, a feat that would only be rivaled by the great Michael Jordan.

15. Roger Federer

The Swiss Maestro has won 16 Grand Slam singles titles, more than any other male tennis player in history. He held the ATP number one spot for 237 straight weeks until earlier this month, when the following athlete overtook him…

16. Rafael Nadal

Winner of last year’s French Open, U.S. Open and Wimbledon, the dashing Spaniard’s advertising strategy is wildly varied: he’s been in a claymation viral video, but he’s also gearing up to be the new face (and body of course) of Armani underwear.

17. Eli Manning

While no match for big brother Peyton in the endorsement category, his heroics in Super Bowl XLII have made him a fan favorite pretty much everywhere outside of Foxboro.

18. Serena Williams

The accolades speak for themselves: 27 Grand Slam titles, 2 Olympic golds, and Williams shows no sign of slowing down. And with her fashion line and high-dollar endorsements, Williams’ influence is as potent as her crushing serves.

19. David Beckham

Plagued by injuries, Beckham didn’t exactly have a banner year on the field. But he’s the most recognizable face in international soccer which certainly counts for something ($40.5 million to be exact).

20. Dwayne Wade

Unlike LeBron, Wade didn’t have to betray anyone to get his own personal dream team in Miami. Nevertheless, it looks like he’s suffered from “guilt by association,” falling to number 20 after being ranked sixth in last year’s list.

Top 10 American Cities with Most Attractive People

01. Charleston

This South Carolina city bumped off perennial winner Miami this year; have the good-looking people really migrated north? Charlestonians also score high for friendliness, rank second for their classic sense of style, and even make the top 10 for intelligence. To see if it’s all true, just stroll the streets of this quaint city, which also ranks No. 1 for its noteworthy neighborhoods.

What makes the people of one city so good-looking and the folks elsewhere…well, not so much? Do some cities become magnets for the Greek god and goddess types, or does the mere act of living in a certain area actually have a transformative effect? Whatever the reasons, in this year’s America’s Favorite Cities survey, voters told us that good weather and great shopping go hand-in-hand with attractiveness. San Diego and Miami, for example, did well in all three categories, ending up among the top five cities to find America’s most attractive people. 09 More after the break...

02. San Diego

Maybe it’s all those sunny blondes in this SoCal city, or just the fact that everyone looks good when the forecast is perfect (its weather ranks No. 1), but San Diego maintains its No. 2 ranking in this category from last year. Certainly the locals take good care of themselves, jogging along the beaches: the city also ranks No. 2 for its athletic citizens.

03. Savannah

This newcomer to the America’s Favorite Cities survey makes a bold entrance into this category. The Georgia city also racks up a huge number of No. 2 berths in the survey, thanks in large part to its ever-so-appealing denizens.

04. Miami

Who cares if these Floridians don’t come off as brainy or even terribly nice? AFC readers ranked them near the bottom for both friendliness and smarts. But though they’ve lost their grip on the No. 1 ranking in this category, Miamians are still top-five material. Perhaps that’s because they seem to be out at the gym (No. 10 for athletic) or just out shopping. Miami ranks No. 9 for luxury boutiques and No. 3 for style.

05. Salt Lake City

Salt Lake is a survey newbie, but that didn’t stop it from cracking the upper echelon of this list. And the Utah natives rank about the same as an overall package: they’re top 10 for being physically active, friendly, and intelligent. They’re a pretty trustworthy bunch too—the city ranks No. 1 for safety.

06. Honolulu

Those island breezes toss the hair in a nice way—and no doubt all that hula dancing nicely tones the abs. The locals in the Hawaiian capital rank sixth for staying fit. And if you want to seize the moment, Honolulu is also the No. 1 city for romance.

07. San Juan, Puerto Rico

San Juan is one of three newcomers to the survey that cracked the top 10 in this popular category. The locals here certainly know how to charm visitors in many ways: they also made it into the top 10 for friendliness and for dressing to the nines (No. 6 for style).

08. Austin

People in the Texas capital are smart (No. 5) and amiable (No. 8 for friendliness), and they stay in shape too (No. 4 for being active). Luckily, it’s fun finding them, too: Austin ranks No. 2 for both its live music and bar scene.

09. Denver

Even though the Mile High City ranks second for its microbrews, there’s no need to pack your beer goggles when coming for a visit. (The city did slip three spots from last year in this category, however.) Denver also ranks No. 2 for its parks and outdoor spaces, and the fit locals make the most of it, ranking No. 1 for being athletic.

10. Nashville

Something about those cowboy hats must flatter the face—and being able to sing doesn’t hurt either. Music City types don’t go for rhinestones as much as they used to, which maybe helped them land at No. 10 for style. But folks are still plenty country: they rank No. 10 for farmers’ markets and No. 3 for a howdy-there friendliness.