Royce-Ranked

Aaron brought up a good point the other day… I would be winning by about 40 if I would’ve taken the Dolphins over the Lions like he was encouraging / begging me to do during the draft. It’s a good lesson of how hatred can cause loss. Yet I still have a hold-over of disgust toward the Dolphins stemming from their Dan Marino days when they were as over played and annoying as a Madonna song. It got me thinking about why I like or dislike certain teams. So, here are my rankings of NFL teams in order of how much I like them, with some notations:

Vikings
Favorite team since Jan. 12, 1975, the day they played the Steelers in Super Bowl 9. Uncle Jimmy was pulling for the Steelers so I wanted to go for the opposing team. I’ve been cheering for the Vikings ever since.

Seahawks
We lived in Portland when the Seahawks were formed and they are the closest thing we have to a home team.

Falcons
I’ve liked the Falcons since the Steve Bartkowski days. Can’t go wrong with Blazer colors either.

Bills
Aaron’s influence has added a healthy respect level for the Bills history.

Steelers
It’s in our genetic make-up to like the Steelers. Steel Curtain years were great.

Saints
I always like underdogs and up until a couple years ago the Saints were perennial at it. Drew Brees is fun to watch and you never know when Reggie Bush is going to make a move that is humanly impossible.

Titans
Liked the Oilers, like them as the Titans even better. The Air McNair days were awesome and I like the blue-color work ethic they have now.

Panthers
A team everyone overlooks but always seems to play beyond their potential. Steve Smith is amazing.

Colts
The Peyton Manning era has been so fun to watch… hope it’s not over. Also, Johnny U. adds much credibility to their history.

Chargers
Dan Fouts, Kellen Winslow, Charlie Joiner, Wes Chandler… the Chargers passing game in the 80s was one of the best shows of all-time.

Redskins
Didn’t like them until the early 2000s when they brought in a Christian coach and QB... have watched and appreciated them more since then. Jim Zorn is a great addition.

Eagles
Any team that starred Randall Cunningham, Cris Carter, and Reggie White is worthy of goodness.

Packers
Though they are a Vikings rival, the Favre years taught me to like the grit of Green Bay.

Rams
This team has dropped off over the past few years. Loved the 70s teams and the Kurt Warner / Marshall Faulk years.

Bears
If they weren’t in the Vikings division I would like them more. I miss Walter Payton.

Broncos
Since Bess is from Colorado and likes them, and since I don’t have Tim rubbing it in every time they win anymore… I am OK with the Broncos.

Jaguars
One of my top 5 favorites when they had Mark Brunell and Fred Taylor in his prime… not much since then.

Cardinals
I really like Kurt Warner and their passing game is fun to watch… but 20 or 30 years of mediocrity is hard to overcome.

Buccaneers
No real connection to them, except Doug Williams, Leroy Selmon, and Warrick Dunn… I like those guys. While I’ve grown to respect Jeff Garcia’s game I still picture him in a 49ers uniform and it ruins them for me.

Lions
Maybe they’ll start to get better… in the year 2020!

Chiefs
Almost every year I think the same thing… Ho Hum.

Giants
Have been holding a grudge since they pummeled the Vikings in the 2001 play-offs and made it to the Super Bowl.

Texans
I always like the upstart teams and like the logo, etc… but the rosters so far have done nothing for me.

Browns
I liked the Kevin Mack / Earnest Bynum / Ozzie Newsome years. Not much since then except for Derek Anderson, and now they benched him. Feeling a little bitter about that or they might be higher on my list.

Raiders
I liked the Rich Gannon years and really like Art Shell, Cliff Branch, Ray Guy, and Otis Sistrunk. But the only guy I really like on their team now is RunDMC.

Patriots
Really sick of them at this point. Dynasties are boring to me.

Ravens
Not a big fan. Liked McNair but not into the thug defense (even though it’s always good).

Bengals
Ugghh. Mrs. Woods named her son Icky when she had a premonition about the uniforms he would wear one day. Hard to watch even though I like Carson Palmer.

Jets
Brett Favre has brought respectability to the Jets. Still though, I hated them for too long to
put them any higher on my list. Joe Klecko and Mark Gastineau were the epitome of grossness for us in the 80s.

Cowboys
Since most of the American population are trend followers who don’t have any meaningful convictions, America’s team is NOT my team. I’ve been sick of the Cowboys since the mid-70s and there is still way too much hype over them. I do like Herschel Walker, Tony Dorsett, Tom Landry, & Too Tall Jones, and Brad Johnson though.

Dolphins
Dan Marino was annoying in the 80s because he was always showing up on the cover of Tiger Beat Magazine… at least that’s the image I get when I think of the Dolphins. Another team who I got sick of because they won all the time. They also have the wimpiest color scheme and mascot in the NFL. Seriously. Lame.

49ers
Joe Montana was no Golden Boy in my book… he was turd boy. I may always harbor bitter hatred toward the team that consistently vexed the Vikings playoff chances, dashed their dreams of dominating, crushed their championship crusades. BOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!