How strong is your team's ownership?

[Officer Joseph J Whitestick]

National Football Post business analyst Robert Boland recently revealed his 2010 franchise rankings with a four-part series.

The annual list reflects strength of ownership and fostering a consistent winning environment.

Here's how the AFC East ranked with Boland's summary on how each team fared compared to last year's ranking:

3. New England Patriots

New England, in a transitional year for the team on the field and in the front office, retains its spot at No. 3 in the rankings. It's a testament to the consistency of Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick's leadership. While much of the organization's success is tied to the unique talents of Belichick, the Patriots have a formula in all aspects of their business and they adhere to that formula and for the most part play the game downhill. So while organizations may vault them periodically, it is hard to argue with New England's place as a top organization year after year.

12. New York Jets

Woody Johnson's real estate development hobby has alienated some fans and proven very costly. But he has his stadium now, and while there are concerns about the Jets' ability to sell PSLs, Johnson has not been afraid to open his wallet to make the Jets competitive. ... The Jets under Johnson have generally been a playoff-caliber franchise and that is good enough to move the Jets and Johnson up four spots.

15. Miami Dolphins

Stephen Ross was too new to rank last year. This year, he has shown that he credibly ranks in the middle of the pack of owners. Ross has found ways to bring some buzz to his franchise and help manage his debt service by bringing in high-profile minority owners and getting a modest naming rights deal in tough times. ... [Vice president of football operations Bill Parcells] has a tendency to leave suddenly and what becomes of the Fins after the Big Tuna leaves will be Ross' real test.

31. Buffalo Bills

It was [owner Ralph Wilson's] failure to recognize his franchise in crisis and adapt that has caused the Bills to drop from a No. 20 ranking in 2009 to the spot near the bottom in 2010. Financially, the Bills perform well, with an operating income according to Forbes of nearly $40 million dollars -- nearly twice that of lower-earning teams. However, facing potentially devastating inheritance taxes, needing a new stadium and a new plan to compete in the highly competitive AFC East, Wilson and the Bills responded by hiring Chan Gailey as head coach. Why you may ask? The only explanation has to be that Gailey, who was fired by Georgia Tech two years ago, was willing to work cheap and that sums up why the Bills' future in Buffalo is in jeopardy after Wilson.

http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast

[slowpokemcgee]

Chan Gailey makes them fall 11 spots?

[buffalofan19]

Chan Gailey makes them fall 11 spots?

I would say the fact that he's turned into a senile clueless old fuck makes them fall eleven spots.

[Jay]

Classy BF.

I would hope that nobody talks about your grandparents the same way.

[slowpokemcgee]

I would say the fact that he's turned into a senile clueless old fuck makes them fall eleven spots.

In 1 year? He's not any different than he's been the last 10 years? Bullshit. And stay classy, btw.

[Toughsy]

Bf19

[calr]

I'm convinced there is some sort of Stonecutters-type cabal out there whose sole purpose is to prop up Dick Jauron, the modern-day Rich Kotite, in the same way the Stonecutters from "The Simpsons" made Steve Guttenberg a star. Every Sunday for the previous three years, we as Bills fans had to listen to insufferable analysts telling us what a "terrific" coach Jauron was and how he got so much more out of the Bills than he should have. Now that he's gone, ESPN drops the Bills organization 11 spots with Chan Gailey -- he of the 98-62 career coaching record -- being one of the main reasons. Gailey may be unexciting and fairly mediocre in a Wade Phillips sort of way, but he still runs rings around Jauron.

:tinfoilhat:

[buffalofan19]

Classy BF.

I would hope that nobody talks about your grandparents the same way.

Nope. They don't. Why? Because they were self-aware enough to give up the responsibilities they knew they weren't capable of anymore.

[buffalofan19]

Oh and btw, if you read the article again, it's not just Chan Gailey. The other financial issues, which the writer is perfectly correct are being ignored by Wilson. Wilson is not using any foresight when it comes to the team, or his own family for that matter. He's just using the hiring of Gailey as an illustration (albeit a weak one).

[LALALALALALAFONTAINE]

Jerry Jones is #1 and Irsay is #2? Writer is insane.

[buffalofan19]

Jerry Jones is #1 and Irsay is #2? Writer is insane.

If we're going by the same criteria that Ralph Wilson is ranked so low (i.e. spending the money when your team really needs you to), then, yes, Jerry Jones does belong up there. However, I think I agree with you, the Rooney's are the like the Illich's (spelling?) of football. There's no better owner in the game when all respects are taken into consideration (if that's what you were going for). I have no problem with Irsay up there, either.