| | | 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. Oakland Athletics |
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Baseball's hottest team and AL wild-card winner pushes Mariners into first four-game losing streak of season, first road-series loss in more than a year. |
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| 2. Seattle Mariners |
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Still have a shot at Yankees' AL regular-season win
record (need to go 7-4 to tie it), but whispers have started. |
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| 3. 2000 AFC Doormats |
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With Flutie at controls (when is this guy ever going
to get his due?), San Diego has already doubled its win total of last year;
on-the-cheap Bengals, also 2-0, embarrass defending Super Bowl champs.
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| 4. NL Slugging Superstars |
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Barry and Sammy combine for five HRs in a day,
as Bonds closes inexorably on Big Mac, and Sammy's on verge of becoming first
to break 60 three times. |
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| 5. Washington Wizards |
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Stress level goes way up with increased speculation, but so do win totals, attendance, TV ratings, sale of team merchandise and press coverage. |
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| 6. Fresno State football |
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From nowhere to Top 10, and nobody standing in way of undefeated season. |
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| 7. St. Louis Cardinals |
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Just missed becoming first team in 47 years to have
three winning streaks of 10 or more in single season, but still hold
commanding lead in NL wild-card race. |
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| 8. Indianapolis Colts |
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With 40-plus points in both games, this year's
version of 1999 Rams. |
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| 9. New York Yankees |
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Coasting home in AL East, and starting pitching
looking formidable again with return to form of El Duque, but will probably have to go through two best teams in game (A's and M's) just to reach World Series for fourth straight year. |
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| 10. Dale Earnhardt Racing Team |
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Dale Jr. wins Cal Ripken Jr. 400 before
weekend's largest crowd (140,000). |
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| ALSO RECEIVING VOTES: Houston Astros, New York Mets, Miami football teams (Hurricanes No. 1 in both polls, Dolphins 2-0), Jacksonville Jaguars, Australia Davis Cuppers, "God Bless America," "America the Beautiful," "The Star-Spangled Banner," Lee Greenwood, President Bush's approval ratings, Rudy Giuliani & George Pataki, American firefighters and police officers everywhere
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TEAM
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PAGE 2 SAYS
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MO' METER
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| 5. Traditional College Football Powers |
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Notre Dame (0-2) loses at home to Michigan State, and Big 10 teams are 1-5 against ranked teams this season. |
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| 4. All Golfers Almost Named After an Edible Fowl |
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Despite four-shot lead
with four-holes to play, U.S. Open champ Retief Goosen loses Lancome Trophy
to Sergio Garcia. |
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| 3. Cursed Baseball Teams |
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Despite Sosa's heroics, Cubbies slowly drifting
out of postseason contention; Red Sox continue second-half bid for title of Sport's Most Dysfunctional Team with yet another Carl Everett fiasco. Come
back, Jimy Williams, all is forgiven! |
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| 2. Overrated NFL Scoring Machines |
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Vikings' high-powered offense managed only 23 points so far in losses to two of NFC's weak sisters (Chicago and Carolina), but still look like Montana's 49ers compared with hapless 'Skins, averaging 1½ points per game. |
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| 1. Coaches Chasing The Bear |
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Paterno, who needs just two victories to become winningest coach in Division-I history, will be lucky to get there this year. Bowden, only seven wins behind Bryant, will be lucky to finish in the Top 25, off Florida State's shocking 41-9 pasting by previously 0-3 North Carolina. |
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| ALSO RECEIVING VOTES: Los Angeles Dodgers, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Rutgers football, New York City mayoral term limits, "Glitter" |
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| Mo' Meter explained: |
No mo'; holding
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Climbing the charts |
Peaked; all downhill
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