Ranking the Responses

Over the course of the search I've received some great responses from to the letters I sent at the beginning (or just to the search itself).  So far, those teams haven't really been rewarded in terms of points or ranking (in fact, 2 have already been eliminated) so I think it's time to give some credit for these responses.  Granted, a great response doesn't ensure a team of anything but gives them an opportunity to state their own case on why their team is the right fit for me.  Some have done that through letters, some through gifts, and some through bikini calendars.  No matter their approach, I think the fact that they've taken the time to respond is deserving of at least a few points.  While the points are a tangible metric, the responses will no doubt be in the back of my mind when making eliminations as well.

Click on the team names below to review what each team's response included.

Buffalo Bills +12  - There can be only one "first" and no team will be able to replicate the excitement experienced when I opened the mailbox and had my first letter. That tingly feeling was brought to me courtesy of the Buffalo Bills.

Detroit Lions +4  - The Lions were a quick responder as well, and thus far are the only team to offer up a keychain. The Lions, however, stepped on some toes (mostly mine) by referring to me as a "Lions Fan", a mistake that multiple teams would make along the way, effectively serving as a flashing light alerting me this was strictly a form letter.

Tennessee Titans +5 - A simple but quality response. The Titans gave me the first bumper-sticker as well as bookmark.

Atlanta Falcons +3  - The Falcons had one of the more puzzling responses (no pun intended) as they were the only team to send a Word Search (within which a meticulous reader with a little too much time on his hands actually found an error).

Miami Dolphins +8 - The Dolphins provided a solid response including a bumper sticker, team photo, and my only pennant thus far. The only negative was that they, like the Lions, did refer to me as a "Dolphins Fan".

Green Bay Packers +10  - The Packers were the first team to send a letter through which it was clear that they understood what I was trying to do. They were the first team to acknowledge that I was seeking a team and offer their "persuasion". They also sent some pretty cool stuff including a flag, postcard, and team photo. Sometimes it's the little things that count, and by a simple acknowledgement that I was a "prospective fan" the Packers showed they care about the little things.

Jacksonville Jaguars +10  - No team has hung on in this search as a result of their response more than the Jags. They were on their way to being the first team eliminated until they pulled out all the stops with their response. Neglecting the normal response, the Jaguars instead opted for the autographed cheerleader bikini calendar and are alive in this search to this day as a result. Way to go Jags.

Kansas City Chiefs +8 - The Chiefs either put some thought into their response or were lucky to have a lot of Brodie Croyle autographed photos left over from the previous year. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that they read the letter and saw I was an Alabama fan.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers +5 - The Bucs provided quite the grab-bag of swag, including an info card on their head coach and GM, a pencil and a couple of temporary tattoos. I did think it was odd to include a card on your GM and not any of the players, but then again I've also seen their roster.

Arizona Cardinals +20  - So far, the closest thing to a perfect response a person could ask for. If you haven't taken the time to review their response, please do so now. An extremely personal 2 page letter, everything from a t-shirt to a DVD to a car flag, and two tickets to a home game. The Cardinals hit an absolute grand slam.

Houston Texans +6 - The latest team to respond and the first to bring inflatables into the equation. They also followed Jacksonville's lead by going the cheerleader route, though theirs was in one photo and they were slightly more clothed.

Keep in mind that while some of these point totals aren't astronomical, I'm keeping these responses in mind as I make eliminations as well.  I just thought it was time to start assigning some tangible bonuses for the teams that did take the time to respond.