The Nike Air Jordan III heads the list of the top 100 athletic shoes of all time, unveiled today by Footaction USA, a Dallas-based athletic specialty retailer that operates nearly 600 stores nationwide.

The list, selected from a roster of more than 320 sneakers by a panel of veteran Footaction footwear buyers, merchandisers, and other company executives, was chosen subjectively based on critical recognition, popularity over time, historical importance, selling power, and cultural impact.

``As a leading athletic footwear retailer for more than 20 years, who better to assemble a list of the best shoes of all time,'' said Footaction President and CEO Ralph Parks, who served on the panel. ``Sneakers are American icons. They're part of our culture.''

Four versions of the Air Jordan rank in Footaction's top 10 of all time, including numbers III (No. 1 on the list), XI (3), X (8), and IV (10). A fifth Air Jordan -- the Jordan II -- just missed, finishing at No. 11. Other shoes making the top 10 are the Reebok Freestyle (2), Converse Chuck Taylor (4), Nike Cortez (5), Nike Air Max (6), Reebok Princess (7), and Nike Waffle Trainer (10).

As the top 10 would indicate, Nike dominates the list with 54 shoes, including 17 of the top 25 and all 14 releases of the Air Jordan. Reebok landed the second most shoes on the list with 13, followed by Adidas with 11. In all, shoes from 16 brands make up the top 100.

Popular shoes missing the cut include the Etonic Trans-Am Trainer, Adidas Pro Model, Reebok AXT, and Nike Air Penny.

Athletic shoe fanatics are invited to share their opinions about the top 100 sneakers at the Footaction USA website (http://www.footaction.com), which features more detailed information about each of the selections, as well as images of many the shoes that made the list.

Founded in 1976, Footaction USA operates 570 stores in 45 states, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The company is a division of Footstar, Inc. (NYSE: FTS - news).