It's Not You, It's Me...

So it's Friday, which means it's time to cut 2 teams. You'll notice that in the standings every team has a score for "Location" but not every write-up has been posted. Those write-ups will be up over the next few days, but I wanted to go ahead and factor the scores in so that each team is in an even playing field for this elimination. So with that said, we've had some shakeups in the standings and a new Bottom 10 with some familiar faces and some new ones:

Here is this week's Bottom 10:

Oakland Raiders (16)
Jacksonville Jaguars (15)
Cincinnati Bengals (15)
New Orleans Saints (14)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (13)
Arizona Cardinals (13)
Kansas City Chiefs (12)
Detroit Lions (11)
Houston Texans (10)
Seattle Seahawks (7)

And now for the cuts...

Detroit Lions - As I discussed with Cleveland last week, when a fan-base overwhelmingly says "Do yourself a favor and don't pick this team", that's never a good sign. As with Cleveland, that's been the cry from the Lion "faithful".  Granted, a lot of non-fans have challenged me with "If you want to prove you're not a bandwagon fan, then pick the Lions".  While this would definitely show I'm not looking for the easy way out, I feel that there is a happy medium somewhere between picking a bandwagon team and signing up for what is likely to be 50 years of misery.  I do feel somewhat bad about this decision, as the Lions were one of the earlier teams to respond to my letter, but I can't honestly say that a pencil, a key-chain, and a few stickers are enough to convince me to pledge my allegiance to a team coming off a stellar 0-16 season.   I just can't do it to myself...Sorry Motown.

And the 2nd team cut..

Seattle Seahawks - Look, the bottom line is that if I'm going to cheer for a team located 2,600 miles away, there needs to be something to reel me in.  With the Seahawks, I couldn't be any less emotionally moved. Their history isn't great, the current team is average, and while I'm sure it's a great city, I've never thought to myself  "I have GOT to see Seattle".  Granted, they've got a great fan-base with the "12th Man", but thinking about the team couldn't stir up any less of an emotional response in me (except for those awful neon green jerseys they wore earlier in the year. Those definitely stirred my innards.).  I don't really like them, I don't really hate them.  They're kind of like Cheerios...and I'm not traveling 2,600 miles for Cheerios.

Hot Dogs, Tweets, and Cross-dressers: Week 7 in Review

Week 7 was not the most competitive week in the history of the NFL.  Outside of the New Orleans comeback and a couple of others, most of these games were decided pretty early.  Still, anytime you have a coach cross-dressing, a QB causing a controversy via a hot dog, and an epic Twitter meltdown, then you've got some points-worth activities.

Week 7

+1 Minnesota Vikings via Miss Childress - So Coach thinks the best way to teach his team to treat flight attendants with respect is by cross-dressing in heels and boarding the plane (story here)?  How do we have no pictures of this yet?

+1 New York Jets via Oscar Meyer - His Coach didn't appreciate it, but is Mark Sanchez eating a hot dog any different than drinking some Gatorade, other than that one replenishes you and the other makes you feel like you swallowed a handful of rocks?

-1 Washington Redskins via Being a Complete Mess - So your head coach has been relegated to basically a spectator while a guy who was a Bingo caller a few months ago is calling plays?  Meanwhile you're holding midseason press conferences to announce you won't be firing your coach anytime soon?  And I'm sure Daniel Snyder was only banning those signs for "security and comfort".

+1 Buffalo Bills via 2 Sneaky Wins - Now that everyone has completely written off the Bills, they've won 2 straight road games and are getting back near .500. Of course, that 6-3 loss at home to Cleveland has to be one of the worst losses of the year and the fact that they'd be 3-2 with that win makes it even worse

+1 Cincinnati Bengals via Ced's Revenge - “I continue to be as graceful as I can be,” he said. “I’m not shoving anything in anybody’s face. Like I say, it wasn’t a revenge day for me. I just wanted to take advantage of the opportunities.” Riiight....

-1 Kansas City Chiefs via Larry Johnson's Twitter - It's not just what he said, it's about the fact that outbursts like that are going to ruin Twitter for the rest of us.  If teams start banning it, I'm going to miss out on things like Nate Robinson tweeting from his car while being pulled over , Kevin Durant doing play-by-play of every movie he sees, and really just anything OchoCinco says.  Please tweet responsibly.

And now, time for some cuts...

Ski Lodges, BBQ, and Cali - Location of the AFC West

Halfway through the location analysis portion of the team ratings, we look at the other West Coast conference. A diverse division of cities, including beaches, ski resorts, the bay, and midwest BBQ.

AFC West

Denver Broncos
City: Denver, CO
Population: 1.9 million (metro)
Distance: 1,332 miles

Colorado is one of the few states that people go to seeking colder weather in the fall/winter. I'm envisioning a winter vacation that involves a couple of days of skiing in the mountains and then a Broncos game on Sunday and that'd be tough to beat. Granted, I'd quickly end up in debt so deep Dave Ramsey couldn't help, but hey, it'd be fun. I think I have the same conversation with friends about once a year "We should do a ski-trip this winter. How much would it cost? Oh...well, maybe next year". Still, Denver's an awesome city with a cool downtown and I imagine sitting in my Bill Cosby sweater in a ski lodge is the ideal way to experience a cold winter.

13/15

Kansas City Chiefs
City: Kansas City, MO
Population: 1.3 (metro)
Distance: 748 miles

First of all, do you know how confusing it is that Kansas City is in Missouri? Secondly, Kansas City is the "City of Fountains"? Hey, you've gotta be known for something, right? Kansas City falls just outside of what could justified as driving distance, so that hurts. Outside of that, the only thing I really know about KC is it's supposed to have great BBQ and steaks, and that's always a good thing. Other than that and fountains, there's nothing overly distinguishable about KC.

6/15

Oakland Raiders
City: Oakland, CA
Population: 420k (city-only (metro-area includes San Francisco))
Distance: 2,325 miles

Who knows whether the Raiders will be in Oakland or L.A. 5 years from now, but they're in Oakland now. No offense to Oakland inhabitants, but when most people head to California for a vacation, Oakland isn't their first stop. It's not going to make any "Safest Cities to Live" lists anytime soon and the only thing I can think of that people do in Oakland is visit San Francisco. While it's tough to argue against any California city in the winter, Oakland just isn't at the top of the cities to see list.

3/15

San Diego Chargers:
City: San Diego, CA
Population: 3.0 million (metro)
Distance: 1,996 miles
If you're talking San Diego in the wintertime, how can you argue against the weather? Sunny and 70 degrees in December? Head to the beach in November? Come on, you can't beat that. Yes, it's about 2,000 miles away, but it's a surprisingly inexpensive city to get to. And if you're going to fly 2,000 miles in the winter, don't you want to end up on a beach? Yes, there's a little Dodgers/Padres tension, but nowhere near that of the Giants (at least not on the Dodgers' end). Besides, SoCal is SoCal, right?

14/15

From Deserts to Flood Zones - Location of the NFC West

Next up in the location analysis, the NFC West. These are definitely not the closest cities for me, but they might be worth a visit for a short vacation once a year or so.  Still, for a team over 1,000 miles away, it'd be nice if the city had something to offer.

NFC WEST

Arizona Cardinals -
City: Glendale, AZ (but really, Phoenix)
Population: 4.3 million (Phoenix metro)
Distance: 1,712 miles

Another city I'm yet to visit, but one that's unique enough to form an opinion on. The Cardinals are the only NFL team that could be classified as playing in the desert. The Phoenix skyline against the mountains is easily distinguishable and one of the cooler to look at. It's probably the only NFL city outside of California or Florida where you can count on sunshine for the games.
Still, at over 1700 miles away, there are no "short trips" to Phoenix, but the city has enough good qualities to make it worth the trip.

10/15

San Francisco 49ers -
City: San Francisco, CA
Population: 4.2 million (metro)
Distance: 2,336 miles

San Francisco is a city that I didn't want to like. I had been bashing the Giants too long to give the city a chance. So when I actually visited, it was hard to admit how much I enjoyed it. The bay was beautiful, the food was great (clam chowder in a bread bowl and fish and chips…not to mention garlic fries), and Alcatraz can make any city cool. I even liked the weather and driving down America's crookedest street. Still, as a die-hard Dodger fan, I've been brainwashed to believe that nothing good can possibly come out of San Francisco. Is it possible to cheer for teams from both San Francisco and L.A.? If I lived in California? Definitely not. If I live in Alabama? Slightly more plausible…

9/15

Seattle Seahawks -
City: Seattle, WA
Population: 1.7 million (metro)
Distance: 2,640 miles

At a whopping 2,640 miles away, Seattle is the furthest city away and, not surprisingly, is a city I've never visited. When I think Seattle, the following instantly pop into my head: rain, coffee, Pearl Jam, more rain, and Space Needle. Out of that list, I don't really care for rain, I don't drink coffee, "Ten" is the only Pearl Jam CD I own, and I have no idea what the purpose of the Space Needle is. I don't really have anything against the city of Seattle, it's just a long way to travel to get rained on.

2/15

St. Louis Rams - ELIMINATED
City: St. Louis, MO
Population: 1.7 million (metro)
Distance: 503 miles

The Rams have of course been eliminated, so I won't waste too much time here. But, just to see where the eliminated teams would finish in the scoring, I'll go ahead and rank them. First of all, how in the world is St. Louis in the West? I know all about the L.A. roots and all, but when their closest division-mate is over 1,000 miles away, that's a problem. Regardless, St. Louis is a pretty cool town and not too far away. It's drivable, the food is good, and it gave us Nelly.

7/15

E-Mail of the Day

As I'll be doing from time to time, I'm going to be putting some of my favorite emails I receive up on the site. Here's a classic from a Detroit Lions fan. As I've mentioned, the Lions (as well as Browns fans) have been readily advising me to stay away from these teams for my own good. Here's a perfect example:

Hey there,

Found your site through Hot Clicks. I admire what you are doing, I think it's a great idea. However, as a lifelong Lions fan, thanks Dad, I want to help you make your decision. Eliminate the Lions from the running. I repeat, DO NOT BECOME A LIONS FAN!!!!!!! I was born into Lions fandom. I refuse now to put my children through the same torture I was put through. Redwings, Pistons, Tigers, and University of Michigan all will be passed to my children as a sports heritage, but they will be free to choose any NFL team they want. It will however break my heart if they become Lions fans. This is an organization that has been mismanaged all of my lifetime, 31 years. The greatest player I have seen in a Lions uniform quit the game on the verge of breaking the all time rushing record simply because he couldn't stand the losing culture that is Detroit Lions football. The recent Matt Millen era was simply a part of the epic failure that is Detroit football. While coaches, players, and management change, until ownership does as well, I cannot in good conscience allow you to become a Lions fan. Choose from any of the other 31 teams and your choice can be defended. Choose the Lions and you will have proved yourself incompetent. Best wishes.

Eric

Pretty convincing...

How Much Does a Pirate Charge For Piercings?

And the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the 9th team to respond. Their response included the following:

• Letter addressed to "Single White Fan" thanking me for my letter ("signed" by Raheem Morris)
• Info Card of Head Coach Raheem Morris and GM Mark Dominik
• Buccaneers Sticker Sheet
• Earnest Graham Bookmark
• Buccaneers Pencil
• 2 Buccaneers Temporary Tattoos
• Buccaneers 2009 Pocket Schedule
• NFL 2009 Pocket Schedule

The Bucs are the first team to include a card with information on their GM (which I'm not sure what that says about their current roster of players).  I also now have my 2nd pencil and what is a  Buccaneer without some temporary tattoos. Also, please notice the Earnest Graham photo on the bookmark.  Nice...

Thanks to Tampa Bay for their response.  Come back later this evening and in the next few days as we wrap up the Location category of the Team Analysis.

Another 2 Bite the Dust...

And like every Friday from here on, today is the day when two teams are removed from consideration (barring some unforeseen circumstances, arguments, or things received in the mail that inexplicably thrust them back into the running). As usual, I'm picking 2 of the Bottom 10 teams. Now, here's where it's a little complicated because this week (and will be the case for other weeks in the future as well), not every team has been evaluated equally. We currently have 2 divisions that have received points based off location but the rest have not. So what's the solution? Well, there isn't one. It's the luck of the draw. That's why I'll change which divisions I start with in each category each time. However, in the end, it's all going to even out, it just might delay the inevitable for a team for a week or two.

So with that said, here are the current Bottom 10:

New York Jets (9)
Atlanta Falcons (9)
Cleveland Browns (8)
Buffalo Bills (8)
San Diego Chargers (8)
Detroit Lions (8)
Kansas City Chiefs (7)
Cincinnati Bengals (6)
Seattle Seahawks (5)
Arizona Cardinals (3)

So without further ado...this week's elimination:

Cleveland Browns - With the exception of  maybe 1, every e-mail or comment I've received from a Cleveland Browns fan has sounded the same:  Don't put yourself through this...stay away...trust me, it's not worth it.  While I'd prefer not to just jump on a bandwagon, I also don't know if I want to jump into a pit of despair, either.  Things don't look good right now for the franchise, and there's not exactly a history to show they're going to improve any time soon.  To be honest, I'm not sure they're going to fare well in the remaining categories either.  Current Team Makeup?  Not quite.  Uniforms/Colors?  Well, to each their own.  Fanbase?  Hey they've got GREAT fans. You can't beat the Dawg-Pound...except that they're warning me to stay away.   So, I'm taking the advice of their own fans.  I'm just not a glutton for the punishment that they seem to be going through.

And the second team...

Atlanta Falcons - Over and over I've gotten the advice to "Pick a team that is located nearby."  Granted, it'd be nice to have a team that's a short drive away, but then again, the Falcons have been a short drive away my entire life and have never captured my attention.  Shouldn't they have been able to lock up my fandom years ago based off of this?  It's just not there.  There's no chemistry with us.  Also, what does it say about their chances when they're the only team in the Bottom 10 who has been evaluated on 2 categories?  They'd have a lot of ground to make-up and I don't see it happening.

Here's a little secret about Atlanta football...the most popular team is the Georgia Bulldogs and the Falcons are battling with Georgia Tech for second.  In my lifetime, I am yet to meet anyone  that I would call a "Falcons fan" despite the fact that they're only 2 hours away.  Sure there was some excitement in the ATL for the Dirty Birds and the Vick years and they've got a little buzz now, but there's no real passion or loyalty to the team.  Sorry, Atlanta.  Thanks for the word-search, but I think we should just be friends...

Hogan vs. Flair All Over Again - Location of the NFC South

And we continue with the location category of the team analysis. We're still in the dirty south and take a look at the NFC side of the regions.

NFC South

Atlanta Falcons

City: Atlanta, GA

Population: 5.4 million (metro)

Distance: 147 miles

The closest of any of the teams to Birmingham. Still, I have to be honest, it's not a city I enjoy spending a lot of time in. It's huge, traffic is awful, and you always feel like you're about two wrong turns away from a car-jacking. With so many transplants to the city, it also seems to be missing that Atlanta-only uniqueness that the great cities all have.  The fact that it's a 2 hour drive is something, but it's not a city I'm making plans to drive to on a regular basis.

5/15

Carolina Panthers -
City: Charlotte, NC
Population: 1.7 million (metro)
Distance: 390 miles

The only time I've ever spent in Charlotte was in an airport, so I don't have a great feel for the city. I have spent some time in North Carolina itself and from what I've seen, it's a beautiful state. Outside of that, the rest is on reputation. I hear the BBQ is good, I know the city is growing fast, and the state definitely loves its basketball. Also, if it's good enough for Ric Flair, it's good enough for me. I was surprised that it got within the 400 mile mark from Birmingham, and knowing my cheapness, that sounds drivable.

11/15

New Orleans Saints
City: New Orleans, LA
Population: 1.1 million (metro)
Distance: 344 miles

If ever a city were in it's own universe, it'd be New Orleans. It's a whole different world in New Orleans and most people either love the city or hate it. Me? Give it to me in small doses. You can't beat the food. There's great music and a lot to see while you're there as well. On the other hand, if I fall for the "I bet you $5 I can tell you where you got your shoes" trick one more time, I'm going to need to take out a loan. The night-life/Bourbon street/Mardis Gras aspect? It's great if that's your thing. For me, it's a little much. But that food...

8/15

Tampa Bay Buccaneers
City: Tampa, FL
Population: 4 million (metro)
Distance: 602 miles

Like I said in the previous post, this is one of the tougher categories to score because there are a lot of these cities I've never been to and have no real feel for. Tampa is on that list. I'm sure it's a great city, I'm just not the person to ask. In the "what else could I do if I were to go down there to watch a game" category, they've got great beaches and Busch Gardens are always a good things. It's good enough for Hulk Hogan to call it home. Still, this is a shot in the dark....

8/15

And now for the cuts...

Week 6 In Review - Wrong Jerseys, Nice Socks, and Tough Crowds

Confession - Between the baseball playoffs, training for a marathon, and some other weekend commitments, I watched less football this weekend than I have all year, so forgive me if I miss anything here. Still, some things jumped out...

Week 6

-2 Tennessee Titans via Worst Week Ever - Titans getting hit twice here. First off, there's the 59-0 beatdown in New England. That's bad enough. Then Coach Fisher wears a Peyton jersey to a charity event because he says he wanted to feel like a winner? (Watch it here)  If most of the Titan's fans didn't have an orange Peyton Manning jersey from his college days, this would be a much bigger deal.

+1 New Orleans Saints via Giant Beatdown - You win the biggest game of the week, you usually get a point. Big win for the Saints and Who Dat nation...

+1 New England Patriots via 59-0 - 59 points, 35 points in 1 quarter, 6 TDs for Brady, and a field full of snow? That's a good week.

-1 Washington Redskins via Tough Crowd - I think they're the only team that's getting booed more at home than on the road, and maybe rightfully so with that offense.

+1 Denver Broncos via Peanut Butter Bar Socks - All I could think of when watching this game were the Atkinson's Peanut Butter Bars that you can get for about a nickel each. Come to think of it, I haven't seen these in a long time. That is, except for Jabar Gaffney who went with the swirl look

-1 New York Jets via Sanchise - It's only fair. If I'm going to hammer Delhomme for his INTs in week 1, then the same has to be done for Sanchez's 5 this week. Sanchise is starting to look more like the rookie we expected than Mr. Poise of the first 4 weeks.

And that's it for now.

Location, Location, Location of the AFC South

This may be one of the hardest categories to accurately score. To be honest, I've never been to most of these cities save for driving through a time or two. Really what I've got to look at are my limited experiences, distance from Birmingham, and reputations. Fair? Maybe. Maybe not. But it's the best I can do. Since we started with the North last time, we'll start in the South this time.

AFC - South

Houston Texans -
City: Houston, TX
Population: 5.7 million (metro)
Distance: 667 miles

In my one experience with Houston, I was driving through and made a wrong turn and ended up driving around downtown, but that's about the extent of it. I do remember commenting that it was surprisingly clean (but maybe I just lucked up on where I ended up). Outside of that, no real feel for it. I know it's big and I'd obviously never have trouble finding a flight there. I don't have any real feelings for or against the Astros or Rockets (though I did have an Olajuwon jersey in 7th grade). Overall, just a solid, big city with warm weather for which I have no emotions one way or the other.

8/15

Indianapolis Colts -
City: Indianapolis, Indiana
Population: 1.7 million (metro)
Distance: 480 miles

Indy is a city I have spent zero time in and honestly know very little about. I do know it's a sports-friendly town, regularly hosting the NCAA Final 4 and of course the Indy 500 and Brickyard 400. Also, how can you not love Hoosiers? They don't have other major sports teams, so no prejudices there. When I think of the city, I think of a friendly, mid-western feel, but honestly, I could be way off...

9/15

Jacksonville Jaguars -
City: Jacksonville, FL
Population: 1.3 million (metro)
Distance: 491 miles

Jacksonville has its perks. It's a warm weather city, not too far away (I've driven there for an Alabama game that I don't care to remember), close to some awesome beaches, and a good backdrop as it's built on a bay. It's not the biggest city in the world, but it's a good size. It's not a city loaded with major attractions, but has plenty of food/hotels. It doesn't have any other professional teams, so it has a clean slate there. Overall, it's somewhat easy to get to and would be a solid city to spend a few weekends in.

12/15

Tennessee Titans -
City: Nashville, TN
Population: 1.6 million (metro)
Distance: 193 miles

Nashville is one of my favorite cities to spend time in. It's clean, it's got enough going on, traffic isn't that bad, lots of good places to eat, tons of music and it's only about a two and a half hour drive from home. If Opryland were still around, the Titans might have been a lock in this. A city I know I like that's a short drive away? Tough to beat.
15/15


Next up, the NFC South...

Kansas City Delivery...

And the Chiefs are the eighth team to respond. Their delivery included the following:

• Autographed Brodie Croyle Photo
• Chiefs Mini-Ruler with picture of Arrowhead Stadium
• Red Friday Magazine
• 2 Chiefs Pocket Schedules
• NFL Pocket Schedule
• Form Letter to "Chiefs Fan" with info on how to purchase merchandise, etc.

So, on one hand, the Chiefs do mistakenly refer to me as a "Chiefs Fan", but on the other send an autographed Brodie Croyle picture.  Now, the question is, did they read the letter and know I was an Alabama fan, or were these left over from last year when Brodie was their QB of the future?

Either way, thanks to KC for the response.

E-Mail of the Day

One thing I plan to start doing is sharing some of the better responses I receive from different teams' fans so that you can see some of the pitches that are being made. Even though I eliminated the Eagles on Friday, this remains one of my favorite e-mails I've gotten. Keep in mind this was sent early in the season (hence the comment about having 4 QBs).  Also, I believe Keith thought I'm in L.A. rooting for Alabama instead of vice-versa.  Unfortunately, I'm not sure the "convict on parole" description really fits to me, but still a great email:

Jason,

I am a Philadelphia Eagles fan in (temporary) exile in Minnesota (and, yes, it’s as cold as they say it is). I encourage you to become a fanatical, passionate fan of the Philadelphia Eagles.

First, I want to commend you for being a passionate fan for other sports. My impression of the Left Coast fans is that they are excessively mellow and don’t get excited about anything except maybe a new guacamole or maybe a mudslide or something like that. The fact that you venture far afield to root for Alabama shows a) open-mindedness and b) some fire in the furnace. I used to live in Georgia and SEC fans are fairly psycho (=passionate) in their loves and hates of football teams. That’s why Nick Saban (former LSU coach) is so much fun in Tuscaloosa.

You need to think of Eagles fans as convicts on parole (and no, I am not referring to Michael Vick). Where else but in Philadelphia (in the old Veterans Stadium) was there a jail in the stadium? The Eagles fans booed Santa Claus! They yelled insults at Daunte Culpepper’s wife (when he was with Minnesota). They attack each other, sometimes with tragic consequences. But their tacky, manic-depressive ways reflect an underlying love for all that is Green and White. We have FOUR quarterbacks that are better than Oakland’s JaMarcus Russell. We have the largest coach in the NFL. We hate everybody in our division and they all hate us (yeah, everybody in the AFC West hates Oakland, but Denver-San Diego? Puh-leaze! Where’s the heat?) A former Eagles coach once (was accused of) put bounties on Dallas Cowboys players. This level of passion is identical to Alabama-Auburn! Think about how much you hate to hear [Auburn’s] War Eagle cheers. That’s how much Eagles’ fans hate to hear Jerry Jones.

Being an Eagles fan is not for the faint of heart. We’re up and down. But what’s the point of rooting for a team if they can just mail it in and win. (But you still want them to have a shot, otherwise you should keep those Detroit Lions pencils).

There are a lot of good teams out there besides Philadelphia: New England, Pittsburgh (my dad’s team), Indianapolis, New Orleans, etc. But you need to pick a team where you can fit in with the fans: Passion, craziness, even anger, occasional bodily harm.

The Philadelphia Eagles are for you. The Green and White are waiting.

Best,

Keith

And Then There Were 30...

So after the realization it's going to be hard to really get anywhere if I keep 32 teams in this until the end of the season, I've decided to start making some cuts. So today, 2 teams are getting bumped. As I said yesterday, I'm cutting the 2 teams from the Bottom 10 who I feel I'm least likely to pick in the end.  So is it really lights out for these teams?  Pretty much...but, like any good playoff system, there are always Wild Cards, so if I realize I've mad a huge mistake, or if one of these teams really woo me in the meantime, or if one of the teams that have been cut wins the fan vote, they might just sneak back in.  But more than likely, they're done. So as a quick review, here are the Bottom 10 teams:

Philadelphia Eagles 
Cincinatti Bengals 
St. Louis Rams 
New Orleans Saints 
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 
Seattle Seahawks 
Atlanta Falcons 
Jacksonville Jaguars 
Arizona Cardinals 
Houston Texans 

So let's get to it. The first team to get the axe:

St. Louis Rams - If you've read along, this shouldn't be a real surprise. If the Rams never leave L.A., there's a good chance this search never happens because I have my team. Instead, they pack up and move to St. Louis and I'm rendered teamless. Not only that, once they get there, they actually win a Super Bowl. They're kind of like the homely girl that you used to date. You always knew you could find someone prettier but you stuck with her because it was the right thing to do. Then she calls things off with you, proceeds to drop 15 pounds and start fixing herself up a little more and dating guys in bands and athletes and won't give you the time of day. A few years later, the weight is back on, she's looking a little aged, and she's calling again. Are you really going to answer the phone?

And the second team cut might be a little more of a surprise...

Philadelphia Eagles - Look, I've got nothing against the Eagles or their fans. In fact, I have a combination of fear and respect for their fans. The responses I've gotten from their fans have been some of the best I've received, taking pride in their reputation, their antics, and their in-stadium jail. But, I've got to be honest, I'd never fit in. Eagles fans are brash, borderline violent and are the first to admit it. Me? I'm a little too nice, relatively positive at games, and have never been to court for more than a speeding ticket. I mean, I'm 5'11, 155 lbs., and the last fight I got in was over some Micro Machines when I was about 9. I'm not exactly going to hold my own the next time a brawl breaks out in Philly. So forgive me Eagles fans, but this is best for both of us.

So there we go. Now there's 30. Next week, we'll cut a couple more.

Trimming the Fat...

So when you're trying to pick between 32 teams, it's almost overwhelming. It makes it kind of difficult to really learn about or get a better feel for any one team because there are so many out there. So with that said, I think it's time to start shortening the list and narrowing the focus to a smaller number of teams. So slight change in plans - I'm still going to get down to a playoff style format at the end of the year, but I'm going to get there by eliminating some teams along the way, basically 2 a week. So what if I eliminate a team and then a few weeks from now I realize I was dead wrong? Well, playoffs do have Wild Cards, right? That fan vote might be that team's best friend.

So here's how we're cutting - if you look at the standings (on the link on the top-left of the page), I'm taking the bottom 10 teams from the overall standings and cutting 2. Not necessarily the 2 with the lowest score, but just the 2 teams from the Bottom 10 that I see as the least likely to be my future team.

So here are this week's Bottom 10 (with their current scores). Check back on Friday and see which 2 aren't making the cut:

Philadelphia Eagles - 7
Cincinatti Bengals - 6
St. Louis Rams - 6
New Orleans Saints - 5
Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 5
Seattle Seahawks - 5
Atlanta Falcons - 4
Jacksonville Jaguars - 3
Arizona Cardinals - 3
Houston Texans - 2

Week 5 in Review - Blast From the Past

Week 5 is in the books, and that means some teams need some points. Surprisingly, this week's biggest impact was due to something that happened 25 years ago. On that note...

Week 5

-2 Indianapolis Colts and +1 Baltimore Ravens via The Band That Wouldn't Die - if you missed ESPN's documentary "The Band That Wouldn't Die" as part of their 30 for 30 series, do yourself a favor and find a replay. I'll be honest, I didn't understand just how clandestine the move of the Colts from Baltimore to Indianapolis was. It kind of breaks your heart for Baltimore fans. And then there's the band that refused to stop playing until Baltimore had pro football again? Wow. Seriously heart-string tugging stuff. Of course,
Baltimore got their current team by taking Cleveland's, but at least
they didn't take the colors, name, and history with it.

-1 Cleveland Browns via Ineptitude - Are you kidding me? How do you win a game when your QB has a ZERO passer rating and is 2 of 17 for 23 yards? If they had lost at least I could have felt sorry for them.

+1 Atlanta Falcons via Roddy White - 8 catches for 210 yards and 2 TDs? Could he be the next in a long line of NFL legends from UAB. All that place does is produce playmakers. And to be fair...

+1 Dallas Cowboys via Miles Austin - 10 catches for 250 yards and 2 TDs. If you watched Hard Knocks last year, it's easy to pull for this guy.

-1 Tennessee Titans via 0 and... - Team that formerly resided in Houston, we have a problem. The "We Want Vince" chant was loud and clear on my TV. Granted, it was only one guy who happened to be really close to an NBC mic, but it was loud and clear.

+1 Denver Broncos via Josh McDaniels - I didn't like the guy in the offseason any better than you did, but SO FAR, you can't argue with the results. We'll see if it lasts, though. Let's not forget the last Belichick disciple to beat his old boss in their first meeting is 1-4 with his 2nd team.

+2 Miami Dolphins via Monday Night Magic - I can't emphasize this enough, I love watching this offense. It's different, it's exciting, and if Henne throws like he did on Monday it will continue to be effective.

So we've given out a lot of points but it's getting hard to track, right? Say no more. If you look at the top left corner of the page, you'll see links to the current standings by division and overall. Granted, it's still early so these basically just reflect history/tradition, but it's at least a way to see where we're at now.

Rings, Tuna, Santa, and NASCAR - History and Tradition of the NFC East

And for the final history/tradition breakdown, we may have saved the best for last. With 11 Super Bowl titles the AFC East may be the most historically rich division in the NFL.

NFC East

Dallas Cowboys - How bout them Cowboys? Boasting 5 Super Bowl Titles and claiming to be "America's Team", the Cowboys are a historical juggernaut. Like the Steelers and Packers, the Cowboys distinguish themselves by two dominant eras of football.

Though it's nearly impossible to believe now, the Tom Landry Cowboys of the 1960's were arguably the 2nd most popular team in Dallas behind the Texans. As the 70's came (and with Roger Staubach, Mike Ditka, and "Too Tall" Jones among others) that changed quickly. Dallas ended the 70s with 2 Super Bowl titles, nationwide popularity, and as the winningest team of the decade.

The 90's Cowboys may have been even more notorious, for the right and wrong reasons. The team won 3 NFL titles in the decade, but also earned a reputation for its off the field issues. Since their last title, the only constants in Dallas have been Jerry Jones and disappointing playoffs exits. Still, the Cowboys have been as dominant and competitive since inception as any other franchise.

18/20

New York Giants - One of the dominant franchises of the pre-merger NFL, the Giants have 4 NFL titles before 1960 and 3 Super Bowl titles since. In the early-merger days, the Giants were repeatedly at the bottom of the standings, failing to make the playoffs until 1981. After Ray Perkins bolted to replace a football legend in Tuscaloosa, the Giants turned the reins over Bill Parcells.

During Parcells tenure, the Giants returned to the top of the NFL, winning 2 Super Bowl titles behind stars such as Phil Simms and Lawrence Taylor. After the two stars retired in 1993, the franchise struggled through the rest of the decade.

Despite advancing to the Super Bowl in 2000, it was really later in the decade until the Giants returned to prominence. After re-establishing itself as a contender, the Giants knocked off the undefeated Patriots in Super Bowl XLII, capturing the franchise's 3rd Super Bowl Title

15/20

Philadelphia Eagles - All-out brawls? Check. Pelting Santa with snowballs? Check. In-stadium jail? Check. Forget the football, the best Eagles history is in the stands at the old Vet.

On the field, the Eagles best years were pre-1960, winning 3 NFL titles before the modern era. Since then, the team has struggled to get over the hump. Dick Vermeil's Eagles of the 70's/80's, the "Gang Green" teams of the 90's and Andy Reid's teams of recent have been playoff regulars, but managed only two Super Bowl appearances and zero titles.

While the fans' escapades are notorious, the product on the field hasn't stood out in nearly 50 years. Still, the team has been fairly competitive over the last 30.

7/20

Washington Redskins - After NFL titles in 1937 and 1942, the Resdkins struggled through the 50s and 60s. After a return to the playoffs in the 70s, the team entered the 80s hungry for a championship.

Joe Gibbs was hired to coach the team in 1981, and it wouldn't take long to establish himself as a legendary coach. Though they had stars such as Joe Theismann, John Riggins, and Art Monk, it was "The Hogs" on the O-line that set the tone for the team, leading them to their first Super Bowl win in 1982. The team returned to the Super Bowl the next year but came up short. However, the team would win its 2nd and 3rd Super Bowls in 1987 and 1991.

After Gibbs's left the NFL for NASCAR in 1993, the franchise has struggled to find a coach or consistency. Norv Turner, and Marty Schottenheimer, the Ole Ball Coach, and even Joe Gibbs himself have each taken turns at trying to return the team to a championship level, but have been unable to return the franchise to glory.

15/20

A Perfect Season, A Guarantee, A Bridesmaid, & A Late Bloomer - The History and Tradition of the AFC East

Heading down the home-stretch with the History/Analysis Rankings, we come to a division with a little bit of everything. It's got perfection, guarantees, the ultimate runner-up, and the most famous sweatshirt in NFL history.

AFC East

Miami Dolphins - How many teams can claim a residence in Perfectville? Only one. The 1972 Dolphins, led by the future founder of Shula's Steakhouse, claimed their residence by defeating the Redskins in Super Bowl VII. The Dolphins followed the perfect season with another title in 1973.

The Dolphins stayed strong through the early 80s as well behind the "Killer B's" defense and Dan Marino (who retired with every passing record, but no Super Bowl). After a playoff drought in the late 80s, the franchise returned to contention as a playoff regular in the 90s.

While the Dolphins don't boast the quantity of rings of some franchise, the quality of their championship teams is, well, nearly perfect. They haven't been the dominant franchise of the early 70's since that time, but are never far from contention.

14/20

New York Jets - J-E-T-S. The franchise's image and future changed when "Broadway Joe" Namath came to town in 1965. Known as much for his off the field persona as what he did on the field, Namath put the franchise (and the AFL) on his back when he issued his famous guarantee before Super Bowl III. Namath, of course, backed up the talk and established credibility for the Jets and the rest of the AFL.

Unfortunately, Namath's career took a downward turn due to injuries, and the Jets franchise followed the same path. They didn't have a winning season post-merger until 1981 and have failed to return to the Super Bowl since.

While the Jets of Namath's prime were an iconic franchise, the years since have been lean.

9/20

Buffalo Bills - Always the bridesmaid never the bride? That might be the first thing that comes to mind with the Bills. They did AFL championships in 1964 and 1965, but are more well-known for their Super Bowl losses in the early 90s.

Despite featuring O.J. and the Electric Company, the Bills of the 70s made just one playoff appearance. The franchise began to encounter real success in the late 80's and early 90's behind Coach Marv Levy and Jim Kelly, becoming playoff, and Super Bowl regulars.

Though they weren't able win the big game, the Bills of the 90's don't get nearly enough credit for 4 straight Super Bowl appearances. Still, between those losses, being on the wrong end of a "Music City Miracle", and, well, O.J., the franchise has had its share of misery.

8/20

New England Patriots - If this analysis only included the 21st century, it'd be tough to argue any team but the Patriots belonged at the top. Unfortunately for New England, The first 40 years weren't as kind as the last 10.

The Boston Patriots of the AFL struggled through the 60s, making the playoffs just one time. After the merger, the New England Patriots weren't a lot better, though they did make their first Super Bowl appearance in 1985, unfortunately running into the Chicago Bears. The 90s were a little better, as Bill Parcells led the team back to the Super Bowl in 1996 and the Flutie years were at least exciting. Then came a couple of guys named Belichik and Brady and you know the rest.

Today, many would point to the Patriots as the ideal NFL franchise, and rightfully so with 3 titles in the last decade. The rest of their history is nothing special, but three rings are three rings.

13/20

From The Drive to The Jumpsuit - History and Tradition of the AFC West

The first category of the team breakdowns continue with a look at the history/tradition of one of the most hostile divisions in the NFL.

AFC West

Denver Broncos - Like most franchises, Denver got off to a slow start, not making the playoffs in their first 17 years of existence.  Their luck started to turn after making the playoffs in 1977, followed by John Elway's refusal to play in Baltimore in 1983.  The Broncos were the beneficiary of Elway's bluff and the franchise reaped the benefits.

Elway led the Broncos to 5 Super Bowls, the first 2 after dramatic victories over the Browns known as "The Drive" and "The Fumble".  However, the Broncos didn't bring home the title until Elways last 2 seasons with the help of Terrell Davis and Coach Mike Shanahan.

Since Elway's retirement in 1998, the Broncos have remained competitive, making the playoffs four times.  Shanahan stayed on board until last season before the team turned the reigns over to Josh McDaniels.

13/20

Kansas City Chiefs -  Formerly the AFL's Dallas Texans, the Chiefs franchise was dominant in the 1960s, with 3 AFL Championships and a Super Bowl title in 1969.  After joining the NFL the following year the Chiefs never experienced tat level of success again.

The 70s and 80s weren't kind to Kansas City, making the playoffs just twice and experiencing 11 losing seasons over the 2 decades.  The 90s were a much better time for the Chiefs, as Coach Marty Schottenheimer turned the team into a playoff regular, including cameos by Joe Montana and Marcus Allen.  Still, the franchise failed to return to the big game.

The post-Schottenheimer era has looked a little closer to the pre-Schottenheimer years, as the team has just 2 playoff appearances and more losses than wins.   Overall, the franchise's best years appear to be in the AFL and its struggled to establish itself as a true contender in the NFL

7/20

Oakland Raiders - Let's face it, the Oakland Raiders of today are viewed as football purgatory.  However, that hasn't always been the case.  Behind one of the brightest young minds in football in Al Davis (yes, the same Al Davis), the Raiders of the 70's and 80's  were a far cry from the product on the field today, winning 3 Super Bowl titles and making the playoffs almost every year.

Before John Madden was famous for his video game, commentary, and the turducken, he led the Oakland to their first Super Bowl Title.  After Madden bolted for TV, the team won its second title in 1980 and its third in 1983 after a move to Los Angeles

Since its return to Oakland in 1995, the franchise has not been nearly as successful.  Despite a Super Bowl appearance in 2002, the franchise has been marred by a coaching carousel, terrible draft picks, and bad jumpsuits.  One has to wonder if their return to prominence is postponed until a new owner takes charge.

12/20

San Diego Chargers - The Chargers of the 1960's were a perennial AFL contender, including a title in 1963.  Like the Chiefs, times weren't so good for the Chargers after the merger of 1970, failing to make the playoffs until 1979.

The Chargers became playoff contenders in the late 70s/early 80's under Dan Fouts and a wide open offense, not to mention this catchy theme song.  The team made its first Super Bowl appearance after the 1994 season (though I'm sure they don't remember that game too fondly).  They didn't make the playoffs again until recent years, in which they have sdgfi a playoff regular behind Ladian Tomlinson and a stingy defense.

Still, the biggest question in Charger's history remains...Why did they ever stop wearing those powder blue jerseys?

8/20

America Has Spoken...

I got this in my e-mail today and thought it was interesting. Harris Interactive (the same ones who do the college football poll and other surveys) did a survey on the most popular NFL teams. Granted, it's a fairly small sample size of fans in the survey (2,334) but some interesting results overall. Some highlights:

• For the 4th year in a row, Dallas Cowboys are the most popular team, with Pittsburgh coming in 2nd.
• Jacksonville Jaguars are the least popular team in America. 
• Proving that bandwagons do exist, the Arizona Cardinals jumped from #24 to #16.
• I'm actually surprised that the Bears came in at #3, ahead of New England, both New York teams, and the Packers.
• The Titans made the biggest jump, going from #25 to #9.
• Only 51% of the participants surveyed claim to follow the NFL.  I have a hard time grasping that half of our country cares nothing about sports.
• The results of the poll on this site have absolutely no correlation to the results of the Harris Poll.

http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/pubs/Harris_Poll_2009_10_07.pdf

SWF Article in Times Daily Newpaper

Thanks to the Bernie Delinksi and Times Daily of Florence, Alabama for their article on my team search in today's paper. The article is linked below, or pick up a copy if you're in the Florence, AL area.

Fan goes online to find his team

Also, if you're new to the site, be sure to check out our these older posts that explain how I'm trying to find my future team and browse through the older posts for team responses/scoring thus far:
1)  An Intro to the Search
2)  The Letters Sent to the Teams
3)  How The Selection Process Works

Hello Jacksonville...

And the Jacksonville Jaguars are the 7th team to respond, and do so in interesting fashion.  Their approach? Forget pictures of the team, the players, the coaches, any of that...here are autographed pictures of our cheerleaders in swimsuits.  The full contents of their package include:

• Jaguars 2009 Media Guide
• Jaguars 2009 Yearbook
• Letter thanking me for my interest
• 2009 Ticket Brochure
• Autographed 2010 Jaguars Cheerleader Swimsuit Calendar

With all the talks of blackouts, relocations, etc. things weren't looking very promising for the Jags. In fact, they were on their way to being the first team eliminated. Maybe they knew they were an underdog in this search and decided to pull out all the stops.

And before you ask, no I won't put more swimsuit calendar photos up...

From the Gateway to the Pacific - History and Tradition of the NFC West

The first of the team analysis categories continues as we look at the history/tradition of the NFC West. Ranging from a dynasties to duds and marked by teams changing locations, this is not a division that's ever short on excitement.

NFC West

Arizona Cardinals - When describing the history/tradition of the Arizona Cardinals, mediocre might be a complement. The did win NFL championships in 1925 (who knew!?) and 1947, but then made the playoffs only 6 times over the next 60 years.

As the "other" St. Louis Cardinals, the team failed to come close to its baseball counterparts in winning or fan support. Life in Arizona wasn't much better outside of a playoff run behind Jake the Snake in 1998. Then, of course, there was last year's improbable Super Bowl run.

Have the Cardinals turned the corner? Maybe, but if I'm just looking at the past, the possibility of my new team making the playoffs once a decade isn't exactly exciting.

3/20

San Francisco 49ers - Behind 2 of the greatest QBs of all time, without question the greatest WR ever, and one of the greatest coaches in history, the 49ers of the 80s are one of the greatest dynasties in NFL history.

Up until 1981, the 49ers history was nothing extraordinary. Behind Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, and Bill Walsh's west-coast offense, that all changed in the 80's as the team won 4 championships. As many of the veterans from that dynasty aged and retired, the team brought in some younger free agent talent and loaded up for its 5th championship in 1994 with Steve Young at the helm. That team stayed competitive throughout the rest of the decade but has failed to return to the Super Bowl.

While their pre-80s history isn't all that special and the last 10 years haven't been overly kind, their dominance in the 80s is almost unmatched. You have to think they won't be content until they get back to the championship level.

17/20

Seattle Seahawks - In its first 32 years, the Seahawks franchise has made 10 playoff appearances but is still looking for its first championship. The franchise got off to a promising start after drafting Steve Largent, but failed to live up to the early hype. They became a playoff team during the 80's under Chuck Knox , but that success was temporary as they struggled through the 90s.

Seattle's fortunes turned when they were able to hire Mike Holmgren away from the Green Bay Packers. One of Holmgren's first moves was to acquire his former backup QB in Matt Hasselbeck. Behind Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander, the Seahawks soon became a playoff regular, finally getting to a Super Bowl in 2005, though a couple of controversial calls and a loss to the Steelers left a sour taste in the fans' mouths.

Relatively young and moderately competitive, the Seahawks success under Holmgren is by far the best ear in the franchise's history. What's unclear is whether this will prove in the future to be the exception or the norm.

7/20

St. Louis Rams - The history of the Rams? Better on paper than you might think. Multiple playoff appearances in every decade except the 90s, NFL titles in 1945 and 1951, and of course a Super Bowl win and "The Greatest Show on Turf".

However, this one gets a little personal. As a Dodgers and Lakers fan, the L.A. Rams were the logical choice for my NFL team. Granted, my passion for the team paled in comparison to my allegiance to the Dodgers and Lakers, but a young Jerome Bettis had me as excited as ever and I was beginning to get invested. Then, of course, came the move to St. Louis, and I was as furious as a 12 year old in Alabama could be (even though, really, the team just got closer).

The Rams are a team that have been competitive over the years with a brief stint as a championship level franchise. Since, I'm wiping the slate clean for all the other teams, it'd probably be fair to do it here as well. Still, the move that incited a 12 year old Alabamian is a part of their history.

7/20

Next up, the AFC West.  Also, I'll try to get a standings up on the site soon so that you can see where all the teams currently rank in the points standings (though it's still way too early to pick any favorites). 

Week 4 - Pretty In Pink

And as the first quarter of the season (for most teams) comes to a close,  it's time to hand out some points for the good, the surprising, and the horrendous.  The best part of the week by far was seeing 300 pounders in pink shoes as NFL players donned variations of pink accessories to support Breast Cancer Awareness.  While there were too many pink shoes to count, there were some other performances that stood out during the week.

+2  Minnesota Vikings via Farve/Jared Allen - No matter how sick you were of hearing about Favre (and I'm probably up there with anyone), you know you watched this game.  You knew Brett was going to be either great or terrible and nothing in between, and he was great. 24/31, 271 yards, 3 TDs.  You might want to get used to hearing about him this week.  Oh, and Jared Allen is scary.

-1 Tennessee Titans via Forgetting to Show Up  - The best news for the Titans?  No one in Jacksonville saw the game on TV.

+1 Denver Broncos via 4-0 - I'll admit, I thought Josh McDaniels was going to be lucky to make it through the season. I thought that Week 1 Stokley catch was nice and all, but thought it'd take miracles like that every week to win.  I have no clue how Kyle Orten is the QB for a 4-0 team, but he is.

+1 New Orleans Saints via Reggie Bush - Sure, Darren Sharper is probably the more deserving Saint for his on the field performance, but in a week where Lamar married Khloe, Reggie got back with Kim.  Advantage:  Reggie.

-1 St. Louis Rams via End-Zone Allergies  - The Rams are averaging a whopping 6 points per game and have been shut out in half of their games so far.  That is less than a Touchdown more than I'm averaging this season.

-1 Oakland Raiders via Jamarcus Russell - The good news?  Russell had his highest QB rating of the season in Week 4.  The bad news?  It was 48.5.


And that's all I've got for this week. If you think I missed something, let me know. More tradition/analysis scores are on the way.

Help Me Help You

So the process is churning along and as it goes, I've come across a few questions I could use some help with. As a fan of your team, there are some things I want to know from a fan's perspective about your team and what makes it unique. Feel free to answer in the comments section or email me at singlewhitefan@gmail.com.

1) What is it that makes your team unique and separates your team from the rest?

2) As an average fan, how hard and how expensive is it going to be for me to get a ticket to one of your games. I know most teams sell out almost every game, but how much advance planning, begging, or saving do I need to do to actually get inside the stadium a couple of times a year?  

3) What's the absolute best thing about the game-day experience for your team?  Is it the product on the field?  The all day tailgating?  The in-stadium violence between mutual Eagles fans?  Give me some insight.

Just to clarify, fan voting, comments, and emails play a big role in all of this.  In the overview, we said there would be around 10 points for this, but at that time, I wasn't expecting the great responses I've gotten.  Because of the great feedback I've gotten thus far, this is going to be adjusted accordingly.  I'll get into more specifics soon, but just know that the fan vote/comments/emails, etc. are going to be a big factor.

So spread the word and get some of your fellow fans on board and let me know what it is that makes your team great to root for (or why I should run in the other direction as some Detroit and Cleveland fans have told me).