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Page 2's Power Poll dares to rate the teams that are currently wielding the most power in the entire sports universe.
Each week, our poll will rank the 10 teams at the top of the power heap -- and the five teams that have lost the most power in the past week. And, by the way, Page 2 uses its own definition for a "team" -- any group of two or more bonded together for the common purpose.
Our Momentum Meter also predicts the direction these teams will be heading in future weeks (see the bottom of the page for a full explanation).
If you've got anything to say about our Top 10 or our Bottom 5, click here to comment -- or forever hold your peace.
TEAM
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PAGE 2 SAYS
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MO' METER
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| 1. L.A. Lakers |
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Lost one at Sacramento last week, proving they are almost human. Still, at 16-2, few are panicking. |
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| 2. St. Louis Rams |
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OK, we were wrong when we said they were a flawed team. Only thing that can beat them is turnovers. Except, maybe ... |
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| 3. Pittsburgh Steelers |
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... a great defensive team playing on grass. |
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| 4. Miami Hurricanes football |
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The only undefeated college team left, and a heavy favorite (10 points) to win the national title, but they were lucky to beat Virginia Tech and Boston College. And Nebraska, as undeserving as they are to be in the Rose Bowl, will be a handful. |
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| 5. College hoops monsters |
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Unbeaten Duke men looking unbeatable, and UConn women won their first nine by an average of 40 points.
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| 6. Colorado Avalanche |
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Thanks to ticked-off Patrick Roy, Avs are finally playing like Stanley Cup champs -- unbeaten in past nine (7-0-2). |
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| 7. American Greco-Roman wrestling hopes |
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Rulon Gardner became only third American -- after Dennis Hall in 1995 and Michael Houck in '85 -- to win a gold medal at the world championships. |
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| 8. Green Bay Packers |
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If the Pack can somehow manage to get home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, look out. |
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| 9. Santa Clara women's soccer |
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Beat the North Carolina powerhouse for the Broncos' first NCAA women's soccer title. |
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| 10. Bill Belichick's reputation as a defensive genius |
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He gives lousy press conference, and he left the Jets in the lurch, but, hey, the guy can coach. |
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| ALSO RECEIVING VOTES: Nebraska Cornhuskers football, Fighting Irish fans everywhere, Sacramento Kings, Baltimore Ravens, Oakland Raiders, San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, Tennessee women's basketball, Maryland men's basketball, "Ocean's 11"
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TEAM
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PAGE 2 SAYS
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MO' METER
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| 5. Miami Heat |
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How can a team with Alonzo Mourning, Brian Grant and Eddie Jones -- not to mention genius coach Pat Riley -- have a worse record than the truly horrendous Chicago Bulls? |
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| 4. Carolina Panthers |
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Toothless Panthers couldn't even beat the pathetic Bills, despite holding an 18-point lead and facing Buffalo's No. 2 QB. |
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| 3. BCS ranking system |
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OK, can somebody explain to us again how a team that didn't even win its division, let alone its conference, could be playing for the national title? |
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| 2. Bud Selig's credibility |
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When congressmen are making fun of you ... heck, when a former wrestler-turned-cartoon- governor makes you look bad ... well, it doesn't get much worse than that. |
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| 1. Anybody who loves NFL |
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We are all losers after the death of George Young, architect of two New York Giants' Super Bowl victories, one of the truly honest people in all sports and all-around good man. |
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| ALSO RECEIVING VOTES: Detroit Lions, New York NFL teams, Chicago Bulls,
Tennessee Volunteers football, BYU football Pretenders, Oregon Ducks and Colorado Buffaloes, U.S.
National soccer team |
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| Mo' Meter explained: |
No mo'; holding |
Climbing the charts |
Peaked; all downhill |
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