Ravens #20 In ESPN's Ultimate Rankings

[BuckWilds]

The Ravens move up from #29 to #20 on ESPN the Magazine's Ultimate Standings of teams across the major leagues (NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB).

[b][size="2"][url="http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/teamrankings"]Check the Standings Here[/url][/size][/b]

It's just "Fluff & Fill" for the doldrums of the off-season, but it's neat to see where they think we rank in each of the categories.

[RavensAllTheWay]

How'd the AZ Cardinals get in front of us???

[BuckWilds]

[quote name='RavensAllTheWay' date='01 July 2010 - 08:37 PM' timestamp='1278031056' post='428616']
How'd the AZ Cardinals get in front of us???
[/quote]

Some of the categories are oddly calculated. But theoretically they might be nicer to fans, etc. I'm already noticing that "Bang for the Buck" is skewed oddly. We're at #5 for wins in the NFL but since we as Ravens fans buy a lot of merchandise or otherwise spend more money than fans of other teams we drop in rank in the BNG category...

Lots of wins and lots of fan support via spent cash seems to be bad... Huh? If we didn't spend a lot the Ravens would be ranked higher. It almost seems like the more money spent should be considered 'fan loyalty' and increase a franchise's status.

Oh well, it's just fluff.

[J-man]

Personally, I think the whole thing is stupid. How do you rate the players of the teams from different league?

[BuckWilds]

[quote name='J-man' date='01 July 2010 - 08:46 PM' timestamp='1278031584' post='428622']
Personally, I think the whole thing is stupid. How do you rate the players of the teams from different league?
[/quote]

The magic 8-ball, of course.

[size="2"][b][url="http://www.mattelgamefinder.com/demos.asp?demo=mb"]Magic 8-Ball[/url][/b][/size]

[ed.s52]

The Magic above the Lakers? That is laughable. Not to mention us below the Cards.

[svt2nv04]

Baltimore Orioles...102

[ed.s52]

I am liking the Sharks at 12 though, even though Nabby is gone

[BuckWilds]

[quote name='ed.s52' date='01 July 2010 - 11:28 PM' timestamp='1278041307' post='428662']
The Magic above the Lakers? That is laughable. Not to mention us below the Cards.
[/quote]

It's not 'best team' so much as their view of best franchise based on fan experience. If the Raiders gave out massages and free cars at the start of every game, they'd likely be #1... and many people would likely be moving.

[ed.s52]

[quote name='Zhamtao' date='01 July 2010 - 07:59 PM' timestamp='1278043177' post='428674']
It's not 'best team' so much as their view of best franchise based on fan experience. If the Raiders gave out massages and free cars at the start of every game, they'd likely be #1... and many people would likely be moving.
[/quote]

But I'd still take the fan experience of 3 conference championships in a row, and 2 consecutive league championships over the Magics experience of getting handled in the Finals by the Lakers.

[XxSizzleXx]

Pittsburgh Penguins with the best Fan Relations in the Pro Sports according to ESPN.

Nice to see that the Ravens are top 35 in everything except for Affordibility and Bang for the Buck. The Steelers are down at 98 at Fan Relations, I wonder what that number was before all the Roethlisberger non-sense.

[BuckWilds]

[quote name='ed.s52' date='02 July 2010 - 12:04 AM' timestamp='1278043440' post='428675']
But I'd still take the fan experience of 3 conference championships in a row, and 2 consecutive league championships over the Magics experience of getting handled in the Finals by the Lakers.
[/quote]

I agree, they ought to weigh championships more heavily. But they know it's just a fluff story too, and wanted to find ways to engage all the fan bases, I'm sure.

This is like ESPN's version of when you don't keep score for little kids' basketball games. It finds a way to make as many fans feel good about their franchise as possible.

[DrMoonTooth]

Cardinals...better on-field leadership??? Ray Lewis leads our defense! These standings are for appeasement purposes only.

[BuckWilds]

[quote name='DrMoonTooth' date='02 July 2010 - 12:45 AM' timestamp='1278045908' post='428692']
Cardinals...better on-field leadership??? Ray Lewis leads our defense! These standings are for appeasement purposes only.
[/quote]

Yeah, that was confusing to me when I broke down that category and saw them ahead of us. I thought, "Kurt Warner?" and then realized he was retired anyway. I didn't have the patience to go check their roster for comparisons (maybe the committee in charge of this didn't either).

[XxSizzleXx]

?? There isn't even an on the field leadership category. The Rankings were based off of:

Bang for the Buck
Fan Relations
Ownership
Affordability
Stadium Experience
Players
Coaching
Title Track

[Alexir]

This is stupid. The Washington Redskins are behind the Orioles? HA, yeah right....

[Brendan Ayres]

[quote name='Alexir' date='02 July 2010 - 11:05 AM' timestamp='1278079559' post='428745']
This is stupid. The Washington Redskins are behind the Orioles? HA, yeah right....
[/quote]

That is odd, although I guarantee that the Redskins come in dead last in Bang for Your Buck category. This article just sounds like a waste of a lot of people's time.

[Alexir]

It's very flawed because The Capitals owner, Ted Leonsis, is also the Wizards owner but it doesn't account for that in the rankings.

And how is Angelos not last lol

[Brendan Ayres]

[quote name='Alexir' date='02 July 2010 - 12:18 PM' timestamp='1278083930' post='428762']
It's very flawed because The Capitals owner, Ted Leonsis, is also the Wizards owner but it doesn't account for that in the rankings.

And how is Angelos not last lol
[/quote]

In Ted's defense, he just took over majority control of the Wizards.

[DrMoonTooth]

[quote name='XxSizzleXx' date='02 July 2010 - 02:04 AM' timestamp='1278054259' post='428704']
?? There isn't even an on the field leadership category. The Rankings were based off of:

Bang for the Buck
Fan Relations
Ownership
Affordability
Stadium Experience
Players
Coaching
Title Track
[/quote]

"Coaching (CCH): Strength of on-field leadership."

To me, that translates to leadership ability of our players. That's what we were referring to. It is an odd phrasing, I'll admit, especially considering that there is already a "players" category.

[Alexir]

[quote name='Brendan Ayres' date='02 July 2010 - 11:29 AM' timestamp='1278084555' post='428766']
In Ted's defense, he just took over majority control of the Wizards.
[/quote]

Yeah I love Ted, thats why i say wizards should move up for that

[BuckWilds]

[quote name='XxSizzleXx' date='02 July 2010 - 03:04 AM' timestamp='1278054259' post='428704']
?? There isn't even an on the field leadership category. The Rankings were based off of:

Bang for the Buck
Fan Relations
Ownership
Affordability
Stadium Experience
Players
Coaching
Title Track
[/quote]


If you sort by category the chart will change to the sub-categories.

[Brendan Ayres]

[quote name='Alexir' date='02 July 2010 - 02:03 PM' timestamp='1278090183' post='428789']
Yeah I love Ted, thats why i say wizards should move up for that
[/quote]

I don't personally care about the Wizards. The Terps are our real pro basketball team anyway. But I am a huge Caps fan, and Ted Leonsis is definitely one of the best owners in pro sports. He has tons of money to spend, but unlike another wealthy Washingtonian, he lets his GM make all of the decisions regarding who to sign and who not to sign. Again, I don't care about the Wizards, but Leonsis is definitely going to take that team places.

[DMT]

They should categorize this by sport...ranking everything together is <[i]confusing[/i]>

[BuckWilds]

[quote name='DMT' date='03 July 2010 - 06:38 PM' timestamp='1278196706' post='429103']
They should categorize this by sport...ranking everything together is retarded
[/quote]

You can select a league at the top of the chart.

[Natural Born Hitters]

Baltimore Orioles, Spot # 102, sad.