Interesting ESPN polls

[RedStormRising 7]

So I was browsing ESPN and came across what I thought were two very interesting polls.

The first, currently on the main page asks: Which has been the most dominant professional sports team of the decade?

Lakers: 21%

Wings: 26%

Patriots: 38%

ManU: 14%

I found this one interesting because I find that its pretty respectable for the Wings to get over a quarter of the votes, even with the NFL and the Lakers being so popular in the US and not that much respect ever being given to hockey. But I guess you can't argue the Wings championships.

The second poll I found interesting was one that asks: Which describes your interest in the Stanley Cup Finals?

Overwhelming 66% of people responded with "Will watch every game."

Now is this just indicative of the rematch between the Pens and Wings or do you think this is a genuine interest among Americans? Do you think that many people would answer the same way if there were two different teams playing in the Finals?

Anyways I just found these two polls interesting and thought I'd share...

[bccarlso 0]

Can't say it's "Americans" in general, because not all Americans vote on ESPN.com. I think a lot of people who like sports enough to go on ESPN.com would say of course they'd watch the Stanley Cup Finals, any sport's finals would usually interest sports fans for the most part.

[Guest Shoreline]

I don't watch soccer so I can't comment on Manchester United, if that's what MU means, but the Patriots over the Lakers and Wings?! Well, voters are stupid, I guess that's a given though. Wonder how the results would have been had they included the Yankees.

[RedStormRising 7]

Can't say it's "Americans" in general, because not all Americans vote on ESPN.com. I think a lot of people who like sports enough to go on ESPN.com would say of course they'd watch the Stanley Cup Finals, any sport's finals would usually interest sports fans for the most part.

In general it is Americans voting. The international vote makes up a small percent of the total vote. I just figured more people would say they "will watch occasionally" rather than watching every game since the overall popularity of the NHL is very low in the US. That's what I found interesting.

I don't watch soccer so I can't comment on Manchester United, if that's what MU means, but the Patriots over the Lakers and Wings?! Well, voters are stupid, I guess that's a given though. Wonder how the results would have been had they included the Yankees.

Good point. That is weird that they chose to put a soccer team in there over a baseball team like the Yankees. I think the Yankees would be third behind the Patriots and Wings. I don't think the Lakers have been that dominant over the last ten years.

Edited June 9, 2009 by RedStormRising

[Gutierrez 7]

The Lakers did have the 3-peat and not to mention two other Finals appearances in which they lost to Detroit and Boston. That's pretty impressive, but I still think the wings have been the most dominant over the last decade. I don't think I have to explain why

The pats won 3 times but with all the spygate stuff, winning each Super Bowl by 3 points in the final seconds which is not exactly dominating, and losing to the NY Giants; a huge upset=not the most dominating team of the last decade.

[Winther 6]

If you look in an international perspective, Man U is easily beating all the others though.. I guess North Americans havent figured out soccer (or as its actually called in most parts of the world, FOOTBALL) yet .

[Mudvayneowns91 0]

I don't watch soccer so I can't comment on Manchester United, if that's what MU means, but the Patriots over the Lakers and Wings?! Well, voters are stupid, I guess that's a given though. Wonder how the results would have been had they included the Yankees.

Man Utd has been the most dominant in my opinion. They've won their league title 7 times in 10 years and 9 times in 13 years. I definitely don't like the Spurs, but I feel they should be considered. They have more titles than the Lakers, Wings, Patriots or the Yanks in the last 10 years.

If you look in an international perspective, Man U is easily beating all the others though.. I guess North Americans havent figured out soccer (or as its actually called in most parts of the world, FOOTBALL) yet .

Definitely. They've been very successul in the EPL, but then when you add other competition victories like the League cup, FA cup or European Championship.... The Red Devils have been a bit more successful.

Edited June 9, 2009 by Mudvayneowns91

[hak 21]

as a big football fan i disagree about manu.. sure they have won the premier league 7 times in 10 year but it's basically 4 teams competing for the top spot. the gap between the top 4 teams and the rest is huge!

the real test is in champions league where the top teams from all countries in europe meet. Manchester united has only won 1 time in the last 10 years.. I would still say they are one of the best football teams the last decade but this poll was for Most dominate team in the past decade in ALL sports!

so if manchester only won champions league one time the last decade how are they the most dominate team in all of sports?

wings is much more impressing imo..

[betterREDthandead 58]

Good point. That is weird that they chose to put a soccer team in there over a baseball team like the Yankees. I think the Yankees would be third behind the Patriots and Wings. I don't think the Lakers have been that dominant over the last ten years.

The Yankees haven't won the World Series since 2000, nor even been to the Series since 2003. There hasn't really been a dominant team in baseball this decade the way the Lakers, Wings, and Patriots have been. It's the Red Sox if anyone.

[PROBIE4PREZ 58]

Wow .. "Will Watch Every Game." thats pretty awesome

[C-TownWing 0]

I definitely don't like the Spurs, but I feel they should be considered. They have more titles than the Lakers, Wings, Patriots or the Yanks in the last 10 years.

True when it comes to the Wings, since limiting it to 10 years cuts off our 97 and 98 Cups.

Since the 2009 Finals are now underway, I think you could probably argue that the Spurs 1999 championship is outside the window as well, making it 3 for each. And of course, the Lakers are in good shape this year too.

IDK, if someone were to ask me the dominant NBA team of the last 10 years, I'd say the Lakers without really hesitating. All due respect to the Spurs though.

The Yankees don't belong anywhere near this conversation though. Big money, big hype, no results (in the last 10 years).

[Mitchmac33 103]

Pretty impressive really! Thanks to kenny holland! and superior coaching

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

I don't watch soccer so I can't comment on Manchester United, if that's what MU means, but the Patriots over the Lakers and Wings?! Well, voters are stupid, I guess that's a given though. Wonder how the results would have been had they included the Yankees.

Being a big football fan, I can understand their thought process. Save the quarterback, careers are much shorter and there's far more turnover in pro football than in hockey. Your average lineman or running back might only be an elite starter for 4-5 years before the physicality and violence of the game has made him completely useless. Except for the ******* Lions the NFL probably has the best parity of any major sport because of how rapidly rosters change. For the Pats to be as consistently good as they have in the last decade is really a huge testament to their management being able to replenish a 53 man roster year after year (and how completely great Tom Brady is).

[Dabura 12,232]

Gisele Bundchen.

Oh, sorry, what were we talking about again?

[MississippiWing 14]

It's actually balanced out a little. The patriots were at 41% when they released that poll on first take this morning. The Wings had 30% and the other 2 split the rest.

[LeftWinger 5,152]

So I was browsing ESPN and came across what I thought were two very interesting polls.

The first, currently on the main page asks: Which has been the most dominant professional sports team of the decade?

Lakers: 21%

Wings: 26%

Patriots: 38%

ManU: 14%

I found this one interesting because I find that its pretty respectable for the Wings to get over a quarter of the votes, even with the NFL and the Lakers being so popular in the US and not that much respect ever being given to hockey. But I guess you can't argue the Wings championships.

The second poll I found interesting was one that asks: Which describes your interest in the Stanley Cup Finals?

Overwhelming 66% of people responded with "Will watch every game."

Now is this just indicative of the rematch between the Pens and Wings or do you think this is a genuine interest among Americans? Do you think that many people would answer the same way if there were two different teams playing in the Finals?

Anyways I just found these two polls interesting and thought I'd share...

or just that 66 out of 100 people that voted are Detroit/Pit fans!

[C-TownWing 0]

Except for the ******* Lions the NFL probably has the best parity of any major sport because of how rapidly rosters change.

Don't forget the Browns

But yeah, I agree. The Patriots have been declared done several times when they lose this player or that player, but they persevere, because they have a tremendous organization. And Tom Brady, although it should be mentioned that they still managed 11-5 without him last year and barely missed the playoffs.

MLB doesn't have a salary cap. NHL does, but the gap between big and small market remains. In the NBA, you're set as a good team for 10 years if you're lucky enough to have one great player because of the nature of the game. The NFL's the only league that limits team spending AND where every team makes enough money to spend up to that limit. Therefore, I have lower expectations for the dynasties there.

[soonboomer 31]

If you look in an international perspective, Man U is easily beating all the others though.. I guess North Americans havent figured out soccer (or as its actually called in most parts of the world, FOOTBALL) yet .

Maybe that's because soccer is a boring crap of a sport.

[blues_demitra38 11]

The Spurs have consistently been more dominant than the Lakers over the past decade. Look at their results over the past ten years:

1999: Championship

2000: 4th seed, out in first round

2001: Lost in Conference Finals (to eventual champion Lakers)

2002: Lost in second round (to eventual champion Lakers)

2003: Championship

2004: Lost in Conference Finals (to Lakers: this was the Derek Fisher miracle shot series)

2005: Championship (over a GREAT Pistons team, I'm sure most of you remember this series well)

2006: Lost in second round to eventual Western Conference champion Dallas

2007: Championship

2008: Lost in Conference Finals

2009: Out in first round

So, in ten years, they've won four championships, made it to at least the conference finals in 7 out of 10 years and either won it all or lost to the eventual champs in 6 out of 10 years .

Even if you're only counting from 2000 onward they still equal the Lakers championships but they haven't missed the playoffs or finished lower than a 4 seed in all this time whereas the Lakers went through two years of rebuilding.

Finally, Tim Duncan is the equivalent of Nik Lidstrom in that he is quietly the most valuable player on his team over a long period of time.

It's no contest, San Antonio>LA in basketball.

[Taylorov 37]

The Stanley Cup is widely known as" the most difficult trophy to win". The Wings are trying to capture it for a 5th time in 12 years.

Seems like a no-brainer to me.

[Dabura 12,232]

Maybe that's because soccer is a boring crap of a sport.

Truth. Take away all the hoopla, fanfare, and cultural underpinnings and you've got a damn boring sport.

Same thing with American football, really.

[Ms_Hockey 0]

Ironically, there's massive numbers of people who don't think Detroit is in a dynasty at all.

[C-TownWing 0]

So, in ten years, they've won four championships, made it to at least the conference finals in 7 out of 10 years and either won it all or lost to the eventual champs in 6 out of 10 years .

...and the Lakers have been in the finals 6/10 years from 2000-2009, with 3, maybe soon to be 4 championships. Obviously, if you lose in the finals, you're also losing to the eventual champs and have been to the conference finals, etc.

Not saying the Spurs don't have a damn good argument, they do. And they have my eternal gratitude for denying the Cavs a couple years ago. Just saying it's not as cut and dried as you make it sound.

Of course, the fact that there is an argument kind of works against both if you're comparing them to Patriots and Wings, who don't really have a competitor for recent success in their leagues.

[Husker BigGuy 0]

The Stanley Cup is widely known as" the most difficult trophy to win".

Is that with or without Pavel Datsyuk?

[Electrophile 3,554]

Ironically, there's massive numbers of people who don't think Detroit is in a dynasty at all.

I think a dynasty is more than just winning championships every year. When you look at the Red Wings and how dominant they've been for damn near 20 years, that to me is a dynasty. When you realize that in order to win the Stanley Cup you HAVE to beat Detroit, that says a lot for the team we've been able to put on the ice and the kind of players they've been.

That's a dynasty in my eyes.