The class of the NFL: one fan's opinion

[Chief Dick]

I've been thinking about what NFL organizations best represent their cities. I based my thoughts on ownership, coaching, fans, and results on the field. Keep in mind, this is just my perspective on how I see the best and worst of the league. I offer my top 5 and my bottom 5, mainly because the teams that fall between these 2 groups don't really stand out one way or the other, IMO. Have fun with this, and offer up pros and cons to what I've written.

 

Keep in mind: these are my perceptions as things are happening today.

 

1. Green Bay Packers. The team that is owned by the fans deserves the top spot. When the championship trophy is named after your legendary coach, you deserve the top spot. The Packers are also home to the most famous field in NFL history, that being the frozen tundra. They also have also produced winners in every era of professional football. You also have to respect a fan base that wears cheese on their heads and in that cold Wisconsin air in December and January. Not to mention one of the great tailgate experiences in the NFL. This team is the poster child of why the NFL is the best professional sport. Despite the size of their hometown, they can field just as good a team, if not better, than any bigger city.

 

2. New England Patriots. They get this spot mainly due to their recent success. They deserve recognition for an owner who will finance his own stadium, which says a lot about the character of the owner and the organization he is trying to create. Add to that a coach that has implemented a system that calls on every player to do his part, and you have a collection of talent that is a true "TEAM", which is very rare these days. Their recent on the field success speaks volumes of what they are achieving there, and the Patriots are the model in todays NFL on how to make it work. The fan base has to be one of the most passionate in sports, and that attitude follows ALL the sports teams in that geographical area.

 

3. Pittsburgh Steeler. One of the great, "old school" football organizations. They have one of the great ownership families, and I like the loyalty they show to their players and coaches. To me the team embodies the blue collar town they represent. The way they play football works in any era, with a good running game and stout defense. They also have the great fan base that lives and breathes Steeler Football. They have the new stadium, and one of the classic helmets of all time. If any one team truly is extension of their city and fans, this is it.

 

4. Denver Broncos. It pains me to write about this team, but facts are facts. The organization is good. They have good ownership, and you have to admire a fan base that can make a stadium shake and the willingness to sit through all that dam snow. This team also has produced winners consistently. They aren't many organizations that you can say has a chance at the playoffs EVERY year, as the Bronocs seem to. The face of the organization (albeit an ugly one) is one of the greatest QB's of all time.

 

5. Dallas Cowboys. America's Team. That says it all. When your organization can capture the heart of America, you have something really good going for you. The fan base for this team has got to be one of the farthest reaching in any professional sport. They have so much history, with great players and championships spread thoughout every era of the NFL. They also have the greatest profile ever in Tom Landry, with a look unmistakeable for any serious football fan. Ask any Cowboys fan why there is a hole on the roof of Texas Stadium. They also have an owner who is more of a fan than an owner. He loves this team more than anybody, and is willing to try ANYTHING to bring home a championship.

 

Honorable Mentions: Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagle, NY Giants. EDITED to add the Chicago Bears

 

Now, the best of the worst.

 

1. Arizona Cardinals. Any organization that can produce apathetic fans in 2 separate geographical locations deserves this spot. They have a terrible owner, a bad stadium situation(currently), and a fan base that doesn't even know Arizona has a team.

 

2. St. Louis Rams. I'm not a fan of owners who move teams, and especially an owner who moves a team to a city that didn't support their original team. The Rams got lucky when they won the Super Bowl, and their fan support has been good because of that. However, since the Rams moved, their fans have yet to have a really bad team. It's coming. They have a coach who is arguably one of the worst in the game. I see bad times coming for this organization, as the karma will come back to haunt the ownership.

 

3. New Orleans Saints. Probably the most underachieving football team in history. More talent has been wasted in New Orleans than anywhere. They have an owner who seems to worry more about government issues than the team. I mean, they traded away their entire draft for Ricky Williams for crissakes. They have a coach that should have been fired LAST year, and it's hard to tell how the fans really feel. (though rajncajn assures me they support this team) This is an organization I have always been waiting for to reallyt explode, but just never have.

 

4. Cincinnati Bengals. Two good seasons doesn't get them off the hook. Yet. Though they are making progress. Next to Bidwell, probably the next worst owner on football history. How many #1 draft picks can one organization screw up? Years of futility have marred this team, but yet the fan base supports them. They deserve medals, though they now are being rewarded for their support. An up and comer.

 

5. Miami Dolphins. A once proud franchise being decimated by bad ownership decisions. This franchise right now cannot get a clue on how to turn themselves around.

Edited December 12, 2004 by Chief Dick

[crispirons]

despite my homerism, the bears should be up in the top 5 somewhere. black and blue division, the city of broad shoulders, working class team. almost always a tough defense. physical, undying, and never give up attitude.

[Retrograde assault]

Well done and very interesting. I really enjoyed reading your take on the Cowboys.

[rattsass]

I would amend your Rams analysis. The team stunk on ice the first few years in St. Louis, they didn't just inherit a Superbowl team. And the community supported the team quite well during the "Tony Banks era".

[Pope Flick]

despite my homerism, the bears should be up in the top 5 somewhere.  black and blue division, the city of broad shoulders, working class team.  almost always a tough defense.  physical, undying, and never give up attitude.

 

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My 5 in no particular order: Bears (founding team); the Pack (the city isn't even on the Top 100 pop. list); Chiefs (out of respect for L Hunt founder of the AFL); Steelers (for reasons above - could've been the Browns if they hadn't been replaced) and tie between 49ers/Cowboys for the well established histories.

 

I seem to remember Kraft being a real buffoon a few years before the success.

[Rovers]

I think Buffalo deserves some sort of honorable mention. Small market, rabid fans, freezing freakin-kiil-ya cold.... and though it's been a while, some success, but the team is almost always competitive.

[Chargerz]

Before this year I would have put my Bolts in the bottom five, but A.J. Smith and Marty along with Dean Spanos have put the Chargers back on the city map. I'm just happy that the organization finally has a pulse.

[spain]

I think Buffalo deserves some sort of honorable mention. Small market, rabid fans, freezing freakin-kiil-ya cold.... and though it's been a while, some success, but the team is almost always competitive.

 

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Agreed! Especially after God gave a Dirty Sanchez to the entire town..

[Randall]

Have to agree with the Packers and Lambeau getting the top spot. What other team could never move in the middle of the night for more money, when they won the NFC Championship had the presentation on the field in the cold with the fans, and when they needed a new stadium rebuilt Lambeau, lowering the field for more seats and installed a tron outdoors so fans who couldn't get tickets could warch?

 

It's a tribue to the league that a small city can have a team like this in these days.

 

Nice post. All of it was good.

[Big John]

and when they needed a new stadium rebuilt Lambeau, lowering the field for more seats and installed a tron outdoors so fans who couldn't get tickets could warch?

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It was not lowered - the old skyboxes were torn down so more seats could be built on top (9 more rows) alons with a upper concourse and expanded the lower concorse, along with the year-round atrium.

 

And there is no outward-facing jumbotron.

[rocknrobn26]

despite my homerism, the bears should be up in the top 5 somewhere.  black and blue division, the city of broad shoulders, working class team.  almost always a tough defense.  physical, undying, and never give up attitude.

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[Chief Dick]

Bears were a tough team to leave out, and I meant to put them on the honorable mention list for the reasons you all listed. I apologize for the oversight.

[Big John]

One other oversight, the Cards were in 3 different geographical areas.

[Chief Dick]

One other oversight, the Cards were in 3 different geographical areas.

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Only adds to their status.

[Jumbie]

I don't mean to take anything away from the Packers, as they really are a class orginization. But, as a transplanted Chicagoian living amongst the cheese heads (Madison, WI), much of the popularity of the Packers has to be due to the fact that there isn't much else going on up here...that and the fact that Wisconsin has the most bars per capita of any state in the nation. (Remember when Reggie White came to the Packers from Philly the quote was, "let's build him an inner city so he can reform it.")

 

As a Bears fan, I love to hate them. Still, I respect them...and you gotta love that they play outside, on grass, in the cold...like my Bears.

 

I would add the Vikings to the list of the teams that represent the best of the worst. Whadda think Bud Grant would say about that stupid dome and the amplified crowd music.

[Chief Dick]

I don't mean to take anything away from the Packers, as they really are a class orginization.  But, as a transplanted Chicagoian living amongst the cheese heads (Madison, WI), much of the popularity of the Packers has to be due to the fact that there isn't much else going on up here...that and the fact that Wisconsin has the most bars per capita of any state in the nation.  (Remember when Reggie White came to the Packers from Philly the quote was, "let's build him an inner city so he can reform it.")

 

As a Bears fan, I love to hate them.  Still, I respect them...and you gotta love that they play outside, on grass, in the cold...like my Bears.

 

I would add the Vikings to the list of the teams that represent the best of the worst.  Whadda think Bud Grant would say about that stupid dome and the amplified crowd music.

 

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You know, I had the Vikings on my mind, mainly due to the Super Bowl losses and late season collapses of late. Red Combs darn near put them on the list himself though, with the way he would move that team if someone offered him an extra .10 than what he already has.

[Chief Dick]

I think Buffalo deserves some sort of honorable mention. Small market, rabid fans, freezing freakin-kiil-ya cold.... and though it's been a while, some success, but the team is almost always competitive.

 

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I thought about them as well, but they fell in the category of the middle teams.

[Big John]

As a Bears fan, I love to hate them.  Still, I respect them...and you gotta love that they play outside, on grass, in the cold...like my Bears.

And the Bears played on Artifical turf at Soldier Field in the 70s and 80s.

[Grid Scrote]

Chief, I'm usually just a reader of the boards, but for the sake of historical accuracy I need to speak up. The Cardinals were in the top third of the NFL in attendance when they left St. Louis, despite the fact that we are just below the middle of the leage in market size. The team was here for 30 years, never won a playoff game, never even hosted a playoff game, but the fans SUPPORTED that team and attended games.

 

The team was moved by Bidwill (the great Satan) because he was trying to rape the city on a new stadium deal and the politicians couldn't get a deal done, so he did it to the people in Phoenix instead. (They have my sympathy) The Cardinals did NOT move for lack of support.

 

And your comment on us not having experienced a bad team is just laughable. For 30 years we supported the Dead Birds and for the first seven years they were here, we also supported the "Same Old Rams." They were fighting with the Bengals for several years there for the "Worst Record in the 90's."The Rams have sold out every game since moving here, even during the Tony Banks era, and they will continue to sell out every game even if Mad Mike is allowed to run this franchise into the ground.

 

I agree we probably don't belong in the top five in football franchises (yet), but get your facts straight before you lump us in with Bidwill's Cardinals.

 

There, I feel better. Slam away fellas, I've been on this site for years and have seen how you disregard the opinions of "newbies." In fact, that's why I've never posted. Just because I'm new to the board, though, doesn't mean I'm wrong.

[Turf Boy]

Chief, I'm usually just a reader of the boards, but for the sake of historical accuracy I need to speak up. The Cardinals were in the top third of the NFL in attendance when they left St. Louis, despite the fact that we are just below the middle of the leage in market size. The team was here for 30 years, never won a playoff game, never even hosted a playoff game, but the fans SUPPORTED that team and attended games.

 

The team was moved by Bidwill (the great Satan) because he was trying to rape the city on a new stadium deal and the politicians couldn't get a deal done, so he did it to the people in Phoenix instead. (They have my sympathy) The Cardinals did NOT move for lack of support.

 

And your comment on us not having experienced a bad team is just laughable. For 30 years we supported the Dead Birds and for the first seven years they were here, we also supported the "Same Old Rams." They were fighting with the Bengals for several years there for the "Worst Record in the 90's."The Rams have sold out every game since moving here, even during the Tony Banks era, and they will continue to sell out every game even if Mad Mike is allowed to run this franchise into the ground.

 

I agree we probably don't belong in the top five in football franchises (yet), but get your facts straight before you lump us in with Bidwill's Cardinals.

 

There, I feel better. Slam away fellas, I've been on this site for years and have seen how you disregard the opinions of "newbies." In fact, that's why I've never posted. Just because I'm new to the board, though, doesn't mean I'm wrong.

 

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You should post more often GS.

[Rovers]

You should post more often GS.

 

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Ditto. You know yer stuff, and I know even what seems a simple post can at times turn into a chitstorm, but....GS.... I am sure you would add a lot to this board in general, and certainly for Rams homer info. If they git ya po'd, just add em to the ignore list!

[CaptainHook]

I gotta agree with Grid Scrote too. I don't think the Rams should be on that list. Replace them with the Falcons, Jaguars, or Lions. When I drove through St. Louis on my way to the Colts/Chiefs game in the play-offs last year, that town was going bonkers over their game with the Panthers. I also ran into plenty of Ram fans in Kansas City. Seems like a good football town to me.

Edited December 12, 2004 by CaptainHook

[Chief Dick]

Chief, I'm usually just a reader of the boards, but for the sake of historical accuracy I need to speak up. The Cardinals were in the top third of the NFL in attendance when they left St. Louis, despite the fact that we are just below the middle of the leage in market size. The team was here for 30 years, never won a playoff game, never even hosted a playoff game, but the fans SUPPORTED that team and attended games.

 

The team was moved by Bidwill (the great Satan) because he was trying to rape the city on a new stadium deal and the politicians couldn't get a deal done, so he did it to the people in Phoenix instead. (They have my sympathy) The Cardinals did NOT move for lack of support.

 

And your comment on us not having experienced a bad team is just laughable. For 30 years we supported the Dead Birds and for the first seven years they were here, we also supported the "Same Old Rams." They were fighting with the Bengals for several years there for the "Worst Record in the 90's."The Rams have sold out every game since moving here, even during the Tony Banks era, and they will continue to sell out every game even if Mad Mike is allowed to run this franchise into the ground.

 

I agree we probably don't belong in the top five in football franchises (yet), but get your facts straight before you lump us in with Bidwill's Cardinals.

 

There, I feel better. Slam away fellas, I've been on this site for years and have seen how you disregard the opinions of "newbies." In fact, that's why I've never posted. Just because I'm new to the board, though, doesn't mean I'm wrong.

 

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The last five years attendance figures for the St. Louis Cardinals:

 

St. Louis Cardinals 1983 8 309,612 38,702

St. Louis Cardinals 1984 8 372,154 46,519

St. Louis Cardinals 1985 8 325,353 40,669

St. Louis Cardinals 1986 8 284,380 35,548

St. Louis Cardinals 1987 7 194,748 27,821

 

The final column is the average per game attendance. And note my original post: this is my perception of these organizations. As I noted, the Rams are on this list mainly because of the relocation factor, and the fact St. Louis lost a team in the first place. Just my perception. We shall see.

Edited December 12, 2004 by Chief Dick

[CaptainHook]

I wouldn't of supported the Cardinals either. Of all the teams that have moved, I think St. Louis deserves the least amount of blame, considering how the franchise treated them.

[whomper]

Gotta have the Eagles in the worst 5..Played in a nightmare of a stadium for many many years..Classless fans at the stadium..No Knock on the eagles fans Ive seen on these boards who have a great passion for their team but the fans who cheer guys being carted off the field and actually heckled Jurevicious about his baby that passed away..Tradition of choking in the playoffs in recent years.Id say Reid is a good coach though although he has gotten his ass handed to him a few years in a row.