Does your team blow?

ESPN and the research firm Markitecture polled fans of the 92 major-league teams in baseball, football and basketball — hockey was given a pass because they didn't have a season last year and all the data would presumably be stale — and then ranked 91 of them (the NBA Charlotte Bobcats get an incomplete because they're so new) from best to worst according to the following criteria:

Based on these criteria, the San Antonio Spurs, who finished no worse than sixth in any category and at the top in two, are the nation's premier major-league sports franchise. Another NBA club, the Detroit Pistons, placed second; the top-rated NFL team was the Pittsburgh Steelers (third) and the top-rated MLB team was the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (fifth).

Whither the Hornets? Keeping in mind survey lead time, which means that nothing that has happened in Oklahoma City is a factor, the Bugs are regarded this way:

• Bang for the Buck: 49th (15th in NBA)
  
• Fan Relations: 46th (14th in NBA)
  
• Ownership: 76th (25th in NBA)
  
• Affordability: 3rd (1st in NBA)
  
• Stadium Experience: 47th (11th in NBA)
  
• Players: 65th (23rd in NBA)
  
• Coach/Manager: 51st (18th in NBA)
  
• Championships: 88th (28th in NBA)
  
• Overall: 55th (17th in NBA)
  

One could argue that last year's 18-64 record doesn't augur well for playoff potential, I suppose. Then again, Hornets TV guy Bob Licht says with a straight face that this year's Bees are on track to finish 42-40, which surely would be good enough for a playoff berth, inasmuch as eight out of 15 teams in each division will qualify.

Oh, and the absolute bottom of the sports barrel? The New Orleans Saints, who finished nowhere above 60th in any category and came in dead last in ownership. Tom Benson, call your PR man.