| | | 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. Arizona Diamondbacks |
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Looking mah-velous, but it's never wise to count the Yankees out, as the A's can attest. |
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| 2. Nebraska Cornhuskers |
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No. 1 in the BCS, No. 1 in the New York Times
poll, and closing quickly in coaches' and wire polls after knocking off defending champ Oklahoma. |
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| 3. New York Islanders |
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With an 8-0-1-1 record, not only are
they off to the best start in the NHL, but the best start in franchise history. |
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| 4. Tiznow & his connections |
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In a stunning show of heart, Tiznow held off European
invader Sakhee to become the first two-time winner of the Breeders Cup Classic. |
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| 5. Oakland Raiders |
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Pounded talented Eagles in Philly, left with best
record in AFC. With all other preseason favorites -- even the Rams -- struggling, the Raiders have emerged as the hot Super Bowl pick. |
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| 6. Surprise Central division leaders |
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Both 5-1, the Bears and Steelers have all the experts offering the same insightful comment: "Huh?" |
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| 7. Miami Hurricanes |
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Has there ever been a No. 1 team that got less
respect? |
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| 8. Flutiemania |
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OK, let's see if we've got this straight: He's too short -- and too old -- to win consistently in the NFL? The way we see it is Ryan
Leaf, Jeff George, Tony Banks, Rob Johnson, Trent Green and Elvis Grbac are just too tall. |
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| 9. New York Yankees |
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If this is the end of the trail for Paulie, Tino,
Knobbie and El Duque, we have only one thing to say: Fellas, you were great. |
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| 10. Washington Wizards |
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If pro sports are all about the green, nobody
beats the Wiz, at least not this year. |
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| ALSO RECEIVING VOTES: New Orleans Saints, St. Louis Rams, Miami Dolphins, Stanford Cardinal, BYU Cougars, Detroit Red Wings, Calgary Flames, Joe Paterno, L.A. Lakers, Jeff Burton, European Breeder Cup entries, Michigan cross-country star Alan Webb, "K-PAX"
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TEAM
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PAGE 2 SAYS
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MO' METER
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| 5. Pittsburgh Penguins |
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Just when it looked like Rick Kehoe had straightened things out, Mario Lemieux and Martin Straka join Alexei Kovalev on injured list. |
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| 4. Philly 76ers |
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In a sublime case of subtraction by addition, they
reacquired noted hoops cancer Derrick Coleman from Charlotte. Toss in injuries to A.I. and Aaron McKie, plus the resignation of Iverson-Larry Brown
referee Pat Croce, plus the new zone rules that figure to make Iverson's life sheer misery, and we're looking at an implosion in the making. |
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| 3. Fresno State football |
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The Great Pretenders couldn't even enjoy a trip to Hawaii last week, dropping their second straight conference game. |
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| 2. Officer & his connections |
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"Next Secretariat" finishes fifth in Breeders Cup Juvenile. |
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| 1. Detroit Lions |
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There are a lot of bad teams in the NFL this year, but the Lions seem to be in a class by themselves. |
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| ALSO RECEIVING VOTES: UCLA football, Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, NHL Atlantic Division (except for Islanders), heavy Breeder Cup favorites You and Flute, Navy football coach Charlie Weatherbee
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| Mo' Meter explained: |
No mo'; holding
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Climbing the charts |
Peaked; all downhill
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