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SportsNation: Twenty-five bold proclamations

Sorry, Dallas Cowboys. There is no America's Team.

But if there were, it would be you -- even though you're the team more people love to hate.

Got that?

A week of SportsNation polling produced more than 870,000 votes spread across 25 topics, from Favre to Vick and much more. We sift through the answers to single out 25 [mostly] bold proclamations.

1. There is no America's Team! So said 37 percent of the more than 161,000 people asked to choose between the Cowboys (22 percent), Steelers (20 percent), Patriots (11 percent) and Packers (10 percent).

2. Only the Cowboys are more despised than the Patriots. SportsNation singled out five teams fans loved to hate. The Cowboys drew 36 percent of the vote, followed by the Patriots (34 percent), Steelers (12 percent), Giants (9 percent) and Raiders (9 percent).

3. Michael Vick is a sympathetic figure. Relatively speaking, anyway. Forty-four percent of respondents said they would like to see the suspended former star succeed upon his return, easily outpacing Plaxico Burress (14 percent) and Donte' Stallworth (13 percent). Twenty-nine percent said they hoped none of them would succeed.

4. Fans love to hate T.O. Twenty-nine percent of voters said they would prefer Brett Favre on their team over Chad Ochocinco (21 percent), Plaxico Burress (18 percent), Michael Vick (16 percent) and Terrell Owens (15 percent).

5. Felix Jones will have a breakout year. The Cowboys' running back commanded 37 percent of more than 24,000 votes when SportsNation asked which emerging NFC player would enjoy a breakout season in 2009. Percy Harvin (24 percent), Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (22 percent) and Pierre Thomas (18 percent) rounded out the voting.

6. So will Lawrence Timmons. The Steelers' linebacker drew 38 percent of the vote among AFC prospects, beating out Brian Cushing (28 percent), Dustin Keller (19 percent) and Zach Miller (16 percent).

7. Chad Ochocinco isn't such a bad guy. Although fifty-five percent described the former Chad Johnson as annoying, forty-five percent called him entertaining.

8. Rodney Harrison is right. Seventy-seven percent of more than 20,000 voters said the NFL was going soft.

9. 'Roids are wrong. Seventy-one percent said they would care if players used them.

10. One overtime isn't enough. Seventy-three percent said they would rather see teams play a second overtime than end a game in a tie.

11. The college overtime rule is worth a look. SportsNation voters produced a 50-50 deadlock when asked whether they would prefer the college overtime rule to the current NFL setup.

12. An 18-game regular-season would be OK. Sixty-four percent said they would like to see the preseason shortened to two games in favor of an 18-game regular season.

13. Bet on it. Seventy-seven percent of respondents said they'd appreciate legal gambling on the NFL in their state.

14. The NFL is king. Forty-nine percent said they preferred watching NFL games in person to NHL (21 percent), NBA (17 percent) and MLB (13 percent) games. Keep in mind that respondents were voting within the NFL section of ESPN.com.

15. Fans follow the entire league, not just one team. So said a two-thirds majority. Nineteen percent said they followed only one team.

16. Super Bowl halftime shows are overrated. Fifty-eight percent of respondents thought so. Seventeen percent said no part of the Super Bowl experience was overrated. Fifteen percent thought commercials were overrated.

17. There's no one way to improve the TV experience. Voters did not produce a strong consensus when asked how best to upgrade coverage. Forty-three percent chose better analysts/commentators. One-third singled out additional camera angles as the top priority. A quarter preferred more tricks such as the virtual down line.

18. Roger Goodell should focus on a new CBA -- and players' off-field behavior. Those issues won out overwhelmingly over steroids, international growth and gambling among issues the commissioner should focus upon. The CBA commanded 42 percent, followed by behavior (37 percent), steroids (13 percent), overseas growth (5 percent) and gambling (3 percent).

19. Thirty-two is enough. Nearly two-thirds said the league should stay at 32 teams. Thirty-one percent favored expansion. Five percent favored contraction.

20. If the league does expand, Orlando might not be a bad spot. Orlando (29 percent) narrowly led San Antonio (26 percent), Toronto (23 percent) and Portland (21 percent) among possible destinations.

21. The draft is long enough as it is, thank you. Two-thirds of voters said the NFL draft should not add a third day as part of a move to prime time.

22. Halftime shows probably will not require a PG-13 rating. Fifty-eight percent of respondents expected the league to play it safe in selecting halftime entertainment at future Super Bowls. Thank you, Janet Jackson.

23. Patriots-Colts rules the rivalries. One-third of voters singled out Patriots-Colts as the NFL's best current rivalry. Steelers-Ravens (26 percent) led Giants-Cowboys (18 percent), Vikings-Packers (13 percent) and Giants-Eagles (10 percent) among the also-rans.

24. The Saints are heading to the Super Bowl. Eventually. Nearly half of more than 94,000 voters thought the Saints would reach the Super Bowl before the other teams without appearances. The Jaguars (23 percent) were next, followed by the Texans (18 percent), Browns (6 percent) and Lions (4 percent).

25. Your team probably has no chance. Nearly 90 percent of voters said fewer than one-third of teams had a legitimate chance at the Super Bowl this season. That included 46 percent saying five or fewer teams had a realistic chance. Forty-two percent put the range between six and 10 teams. So much for parity.

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
July 13, 2009 1:59 PM
NFL Nation - ESPN

On the overtime, I would sort of adapt to college rules with a little bit of a tweek. IMO, each team should have at least one possesion regardless if the first team scored or not.