Regarding the "power rankings" on ESPN and other national media

[Ed B]

Of course we're going to be 32nd.

We were 5-11 last year and lost our biggest offensive weapon. Our draft was panned by the national media and, let's face it, I can't blame them for not getting all excited about Calvin Pace.

The only way for this team to get any respect is to win. Until they prove otherwise on the field, this is a bad team.

Don't misunderstand me.....I know that <b>we</b> know this team is better than 32nd in the league, but you can't be surprised or upset when the national media puts us down with the Bengals.

Because, just like the Bengals, no one is ever going to give us credit for a damn thing until we win. Or at least have a decent 8-8 type year. Such is the life of the perennial doormat. Nothing gets handed to you, everything must be earned.

 

[Houdini]

The other thing I would add, is that in the last 5 years or so, it seems to me that preseason rankings have been more off than ever before because of the high turnover rate in free agency. They make their predictions to much on reputation and the kind of year a team had the previous season, instead of looking at the team's roster of players. Every year there have been a few teams rated as a powerhouse because of the year they had before, but then they fizzled out that season. And likewise a few teams would be rated to be bottom of the barrel, and came out of nowhere to make the playoffs. A few years ago when the Rams won the Superbowl they came off a bad season out of nowhere to win it. Last year when everyone still expected them to be the team to beat they fell apart. I predict the Raiders to be one team that falls apart this year.