Tuesday Top Ten: Chicago Sports Stars Who I Would Name a Sandwich After

There's a commercial airing on ESPN right now that you've probably seen.

It's a great commercial, but so many questions are left unanswered. Which Esposito? Phil? Tony? Both? Who else has a sandwich? If these guys own an Italian deli, why are they wearing Boston gear with shamrocks? Most importantly, what besides capicola is on an Esposito?

Sunday I was at the grocery store, learning the hard way you can't buy beer before 11 a.m. on Sundays at Jewel, when I made the mistake of walking past the deli counter. There it was: capicola. Immediately, my thoughts turned to the Esposito. I made my move. Things got blurry as I kept ordering deli meats and grabbed some condiments.

When I got home, I made what I assume is the Esposito. I took a French baguette, approximately six to seven inches in length, and I sliced it lengthwise, but not all the way through, so it was like a hinge. I laid it open-faced and added sliced chicken, pastrami, salami, capicola, and mozzarella, and I stuck it under the broiler to melt the cheese. Then I topped it with tomato, onion, giardiniera, mayo, spicy brown mustard, olive oil, and oregano. It was, without question, the best sandwich I've ever made. Here is a picture.

In addition to a full stomach, my version of the Esposito got me thinking: if -- no, when -- I own my own sandwich shop, which Chicago sports stars would I name sandwiches after? It's gonna be heavy on the Bears because, well, Chicago is a Bears town, and there will be more than 10 because it's my blog and I'll do whatever the fuck I want. I haven't thought far enough ahead to figure out what would be on each of these, but here's a rough idea. Players are in alphabetical order.

1. Ernie Banks (Cubs)
Sandwich name: Let's Play Two
A double decker club sandwich. So basically, it has four decks. And it also never wins a World Series.

2. Dick Butkus (Bears)
Sandwich name: Butkus
Roast beef, bloody. No bread.

3. Mike Ditka (Bears)
Sandwich name: Ditka
Pork chops, Polish sausage, and grilled onions on a bratwurst bun.

4. Red Grange (Bears)
Sandwich name: The Galloping Ghost
Since a dead horse is a galloping ghost, this one would be a sizeable portion of pulled horse brisket, topped with a hickory BBQ sauce.

5. Bobby Hull (Blackhawks)
Sandwich name: The Golden Jet
Peanut butter and sliced dill pickles. It doesn't look good, but man does it taste good.

6. Joe Jackson (White Sox)
Sandwich name: Shoeless Joe
A open-faced Sloppy Joe, topped with onions and shredded cheddar. You pay for the sandwich expecting it to suck, but it doesn't, but then you never have it again even though it didn't suck.

7. Michael Jordan (Bulls)
Sandwich name: MJ
The greatest sandwich of all-time. It's basically an Esposito plus pepperoni and green olives.

8. Stan Mikita (Blackhawks)
Sandwich name: Stosh
Breakfast sausage patty between two glazed donuts.

9. Walter Payton (Bears)
Sandwich name: Sweetness
I was going to make a liver joke, but I love Walter Payton too much to make light of his passing. I honestly can't think of a sandwich that would do Walter Payton justice.

10. Scottie Pippen (Bulls)
Sandwich name: Pippen
Unheralded, this sandwich is a perfect complement to the MJ. It has turkey, ham, bacon, lettuce, mayo, and deer.

11. Gale Sayers
Sandwich name: The Kansas Comet
Seems like a veal kind of sandwich. Like Sayers, it's tender and delicious. (Note: I have not actually tasted Gale Sayers.)

12. Mike Singletary (Bears)
Sandwich name: Samurai Mike
Kobe steak sandwich, topped with sauteed onions, mozzarella, wasabi mayo, and actual human eyes.

13. Sammy Sosa (Cubs and White Sox)
Sandwich name: The Sammy
A conglomeration of nitrate-heavy processed meats, including non-all-beef hot dogs, Vienna sausages, and head cheese, topped with pork rinds, HGH, and shredded cork.

14. Frank Thomas (White Sox)
Sandwich name: The Big Hurt
The most underrated sandwich on the board, this one is all organic. No hormones or nitrates. Just grass-fed sliced steak, organic avocado, lettuce, tortilla strips, and a housemade pico de gallo on your choice of breads or wraps.

I'd love to hear who you guys would name a sandwich after, and what you'd put on it, so feel free to comment. Bear in mind, I will steal all of your ideas.