The Best Franchise of all Time

[BigRedRage]

jaguars

 

[Brian in Mesa]

jaguars

Only if you pronounce it as Jag-wires, right?

 

[NJCardFan]

Only if you pronounce it as Jag-wires, right?

That's Jag-wa:

 

[chickenhead]

interesting thing about the Steelers...and no one seems to remember now...prior to the 1970's, the Steelers were probably the WORST franchise in the NFL. They were truly a 'laughing stock'. I don't know if they even had a winning season until - all of sudden - everything came together for them in the early 70's. The pre-70's Steelers were a worse franchise than the Cardinals BY FAR. I would bet they had one of the worst W-L records in the league prior to the 70's...at the very least, they were at the bottom of the league. (2 playoff appearances in 30 years, 1941-1972)...BUT the 70's happen and ever since they have been one of the BEST franchise's in the NFL. I keep hoping that's the Cardinals story one day (hope I live long enough to remind people of it). Given this, the PACKERs are a MUCH better franchise over all by a long shot.

+1

What is remarkable is how well the Steelers have done since the 1970s to be a contender for this. If they didn't have basically the greatest NFL draft ever in 1974 (HoFers Swann, Lambert, Stallworth, and Webster), we're probably not even discussing them. One day changed everything.

 

[ajcardfan]

Steelers and Niners are in the conversation only since 1970. Before that, the Steelers were arguably even more inept than the Cardinals.

For the entire history of the league, it's easily the Packers.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I think it's the fact that the Packers weren't relevant for over 20 years from 68-Favre (and the fact that they did most of their damage when the league was tiny) that puts the Steelers above them for me.

 

[Covert Rain]

It's the Steelers. That teams ability to simply reload year after year, the commitment of the fans (even when the team is down), the patience to stay with coaches, the scouting department is one of the best hands down, the title wins.....they get my vote hands down.

 

[SissyBoyFloyd]

Exactly. As a kid in the 60's, the Steelers were a joke. It's the Packers with 13 championships & no one is even close.

True, but as someone said, the Packers had a 20 yr period of ignorantly thinking the Pack were Back. That is why i went with the Giants. They have never had such a losing period and have been relevant and a winner in every decade. They are in the discussion and playoffs more than any other team. Are in a major market and have a huge loyal following, as well as tons of HofFers from every decade. Plus i don't hate them as much as i do the Steelers, Packers, and Cowboys. So I don't mind giving them my vote on this one.

 

[WisconsinCard]

While I believe that the Steelers have fielded the best teams for the longest period of time, I have to go with the Packers as the best franchise because of the way they were founded and have remained. They are the ONLY franchise to remain basically a community owned and controlled team that still exists as it did from the beginning as a town team of the Green Bay Wisconsin community. The ticket holders still fill their stadium each game day, and basically shut down the town for the game festivities. That is what I envision as the true spirit of a community invested franchise.

The season ticket holders fill their pockets with cash every game. They don't attend the games anymore. These tickets have been passed down from generation to generation. The difference is the people they are scalping to have no choice but pay the price if they want to see the game. They are just used to paying above face value.

OTOH Cards fan can usually buy a ticket to the game at face value if they plan far enough ahead. That is why they won't over pay for tickets, they are used to paying face.

 

[ajcardfan]

True, but as someone said, the Packers had a 20 yr period of ignorantly thinking the Pack were Back. That is why i went with the Giants. They have never had such a losing period and have been relevant and a winner in every decade. They are in the discussion and playoffs more than any other team. Are in a major market and have a huge loyal following, as well as tons of HofFers from every decade. Plus i don't hate them as much as i do the Steelers, Packers, and Cowboys. So I don't mind giving them my vote on this one.

Not true for most of the 60s and all of the 70s. From 1963 to 1980 the Giants had only 2 winning seasons and ZERO playoff appearances.

 

[English on tour]

Hard to argue with the longest standing NFL team name........ The Cardinals


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This.

No cards would be Steelers for me.

 

[Darkside]

I have a soft spot for the old Browns, don't know why they aren't in that poll. They dominated in the sport, Paul Brown won 7 Championships. Otto Graham may be the best QB who ever lived, and certainly if you go by winning % and championships played and won. And Jim Brown is probably the greatest RB to ever live.

You can go down the list to Marion Motley and Jim Brown as well. They were dominant, and without them football wouldn't even be the same game. Graham was chucking the football long long long LONG before it was considered fashionable. It got so bad with his passing that the Giants, I believe it was, basically accused them of ruining football, so the next championship game Paul Brown had his team run against that Giants team, exclusively. They're still the only team ever to win a championship without throwing a single pass, a game they won 13-7. And that was just to prove a point, that's how good they were.

That's having a HOF QB, a Manning, or Unitas, and saying nope, we're going to run to prove how badass we are, and never throw a pass all game...and you win.