Not many people are aware of this, but Mario Lemieux had an older brother who went to the NHL before he did. In fact, Alain played six years in the big show with three (teams) before retiring in 1987. But growing up together, the older brother had a tremendous influence on the adoring younger Mario. "I learned a lot just by watching him when I was young," Mario revealed to hhof.com just before the 2002 All-Star Game in Los Angeles. "I think every kid learns from his older brother. He was a very good hockey player, very skilled. He showed that by what he did in junior and by making it to the NHL."

Sure enough, Alain played well enough in junior to be drafted 96th overall by St. Louis in the 1980 draft. He made the team the following season, and although he was never a regular in the NHL, he certainly made an impression on young Mario and gave him a clear sense of what skills were needed to get there.

It isn't very often the younger brother outshines the older (think Frank vs. Peter Mahovlich) or the son becomes better than the father (think Gordie Howe vs. Marty and Mark), but when 18-year old Mario went first overall in the 1984 draft and then scored on his very first shift four months later, it seemed clear that that would be the case in the Lemieux family.

Although scoring and winning came easily to Lemieux, even in his first days in the NHL, pushing himself and developing not into just a star but into the best player he could possibly be, took a little more time and effort. "Speaking specifically of the Canada Cup in 1987," Lemieux acknowledged, "I learned so much about how the great players work and conduct themselves. Remember, I was only 21 years old at the time. To be around guys like Wayne and Mark Messier and Paul Coffey, guys who'd already had so much success and had won Stanley Cups, was a tremendous learning experience."

The man beat cancer...and will forever be my all time favorite athlete.

Based on sheeer talent, he's arguably better than Gretzky, in my opinion. Had he not had all those injuries he may have broken a few of Gretz's records.