Outside Online has done us all a favor, people: they’ve compiled a list of “The Top 10 Athletes On Twitter”! Yes, tweets are the new blogs, and everyone loves it when their favorite jock gets online and reveals what goes on in their rarefied world.

Even better, while Lance Armstrong’s tweeting is understandably popular due to his fame and the fact that Armstrong’s posts are actually revealing and amusing, Outside’s list concentrates largely on those sports figures whose tweets actually deserve more readers. Not surprisingly, the likes of icons Tony Hawk and Kelly Slater makes the cut, but there’s also triathlete supreme (K-Swiss athlete and friend of Kspace) Chris Lieto, due to Lieto’s writing skills sharpened by constant blogging. Dana Torres gets points for her versatility, meanwhile, switching with ease from commenting on her swimming regimen to the ups and down of motherhood; Gretchen Bleiler gets kudos as well for her command of diverse forms of online communication. From this list, it’s clear Twitter isn’t just the new blogging, but the new radio, too: getting fresh posts from, say, street skate legend Bob Burnquist means readers will get the inside take on the X-Games like nowhere else. Also, athlete tweets provide a wellspring of useful information, as this Tony Hawk update makes clear: “travel tip: You can’t carry a skateboard through FRA or LHR, even if you are only making a connection. I’ve tried more than once. No dice.” Hawk’s writing also helps protect his fans from possible electrocution: “Interesting fact: ethernet cables in hotel rooms shock you when you put them in your mouth. Our baby just found out in a not-so-fun way.”

As well, the list conveys that when it comes to twitter, democracy rules: it doesn’t play favorites, moving from kayaking to skiing, sprinting to snowboarding, featuring male and female athletes. That sprawl makes clear that, when it comes to winning at Twitter, with enough practice and dedication, it’s anyone’s game for the taking.