SANSan Antonio Spurs Named Top NBA Team In ESPN The Magazine’s 2008 Ultimate Standings List
ANTONIO, April 23, 2008 – The San Antonio Spurs reached another milestone today when ESPN The Magazine released its ‘The Ultimate Standings’ rankings for the 2008 season, listing the Spurs as the top NBA franchise and the second-best professional team out of 122 NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB franchises.
The Spurs are the only professional sports team to rank among the top three in each of the six years that ESPN has conducted its annual ‘The Ultimate Standings’ survey.

“The San Antonio Spurs' four NBA Championships in the last decade are a testament to the tireless work of the entire organization, starting with owner Peter Holt,” said NBA Commissioner David Stern. “Their title-winning success on the court, led by Gregg Popovich and R.C. Buford, is matched by the corporate and community success of Russ Bookbinder and Rick Pych and this winning culture is embodied in every member of the Spurs family. The Spurs' unwavering commitment to excellence and achievement both on and off the court makes them a model franchise. It is with tremendous pride that we congratulate the Spurs for being ranked among the top three professional sports franchises for six consecutive years. It is truly an extraordinary achievement.”

The Ultimate Standings debuted in 2003 with the Spurs ranked #3 overall with the Arizona Diamondbacks at #2 and the Green Bay Packers at #1. In 2004, the Spurs garnered their first title ranking from ESPN, followed by the Dallas Mavericks at #2 and the Green Bay Packers at #3. In 2005, the Spurs ranked an impressive #2 behind the Detroit Pistons, and ahead of the #3 ranked Indianapolis Colts. In 2006, a year after their third NBA Title, the Spurs were voted to the top of the list again with the Detroit Pistons at #2 and Pittsburgh Steelers at #3. Last season, the Spurs finished second behind the Buffalo Sabers and above NBA Division Rival the Dallas Mavericks (#3).

“I am extremely proud of our organization, both our basketball and business team, for their commitment to being the best,” said Spurs Sports & Entertainment Chairman and CEO Peter Holt. “The fact that we are ranked first among fan relations proves that we have the most avid and loyal fans in professional sports. We are thankful for their passion and support …they are the reason for our success.”

This year’s list ranks the Spurs at #2, the Indianapolis Colts #1 and the New Orleans Hornets claimed the third spot as the best-of-the-best among professional sports teams.

“To rank in the top three in professional sports in each of the six years ESPN has conducted this survey is a tremendous honor,” said Spurs General Manager R.C. Buford. “It is a tribute to the direction, leadership and philosophies of Peter Holt and Gregg Popovich. Of course the real credit goes to our players, especially to our core group - Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker and Bruce Bowen - who have been our leaders, on and off the court, during this six-year period. As an organization we thank them for their professionalism and their dedication to the San Antonio community.”

ESPN The Magazine has compiled ‘The Ultimate Standings’ each of the past six years, rating professional sports teams by a formula which combines Bang for the Buck, Fan Relations, Ownership, Affordability, Stadium Experience, Players, Coaches and Championship Title track.

Hitting newsstands and ESPN.com today, ESPN The Magazine’s “The Ultimate Standings” reveals the best and the worst franchises in its sixth annual franchise rankings. It is the only comprehensive ranking of all 122 major North American professional sports franchises. It aims to quantify the unique relationship between fans and their favorite teams by determining which MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL franchises establish and maintain the most overall reward for their fans. Results are determined using analysis of team financial data by The Magazine and the WSMC, combined with fan feedback data gathered by the Norwalk, Conn.-based research and marketing firm Markitecture and ESPN.com.

伟大的我看不懂这些表述伟大意思的伟大的文字，伟大的你给翻译下？

是啊
我一看见英文就感到浑身不舒服
因为我也是一个“英盲”啊

哪个强人给翻译下

早就有人承认了啊

LZ太妄自菲薄了
马刺一直就强,不论别人成不成认
LZ说"终于有人承认马刺的伟大了"......关于这句话,我是这么理解的:LZ一直就不认为马刺伟大

我觉得马刺的伟大不需要别人的承认，喜欢他的会一直喜欢，憎恨他的也会一直憎恨。

[highlight]San Antonio Spurs被ESPN杂志评为“2008年度最强”！！[/highlight]
（作者：安东尼奥， 2008年4月23日撰写）

　　 今天，当ESPN杂志公布了2008年赛季的最终战绩排名后，圣安东尼奥马刺队成就了另一个里程碑，不仅打出NBA历史上的最好成绩而且在122支美国体育联盟历史（MLB、NFL、NHL和NBA）上成为第二最佳职业球队（好似是BOSTON　CELTICS第一）。ESPN在这六年内每年进行年度“最终排名”调查中，马刺是唯一一支职业体育联盟中跻身前三名的球队。

　 “从他们老板彼得霍尔特开始，圣安东尼奥在过去的十年勇夺NBA冠军让所有人见识了它整个团队的坚持不懈的工作成果。” NBA总裁大卫斯特恩说， “在波波维奇和R.C.福德的带领下，他们球队的夺冠成就可以和Russ Bookbinder公司及Rick Pych社区等事迹相提并论了，而成功文化背后更体现在马刺家族中的每一位成员。马刺队的坚定不移的承诺和在场内外的卓越成就都是NBA历史上的模范。对于马刺队在连续六年内排名前三名的职业体育的光辉历程，我们感到极大的自豪和表达衷心的祝贺。它的的确确是一个非凡的成就！”

　 “最终排名”是在2003年推出的，当时与马刺队的排名第三，而亚利桑那响尾蛇队（MLB）第二，绿湾包装工（NFL）则第一 。
　　 在2004年，马刺队赢得了他们的第一个冠军后排排名升到第一，紧跟其后是达拉斯小牛队（第二名）和绿湾包装工（NFL,第三名）。
　　 在2005年，马刺队的排名令人印象深刻的第二名，而底特律活塞队第一，印第安纳波利斯小马队第二（NFL）。
　　 在2006年，第三个NBA总冠军的后一年，马刺再次排名第一，其次是底特律活塞队，匹兹堡钢铁人（NFL）每三 。
　　 在2007年，马刺队排名第二，落后于布法罗骑兵队（NFL，第一名）及领先NBA的分区对手达拉斯小牛队（第三名） 。

　　 今年（2008）的球队名单为：印第安纳波利斯小马队（NFL，注：是吗？但这个好像应该算是2007年吧，2008年是New York Giants胜利了,或者说NYG可能会在下年排名第一或第二名）； 马刺队第二；新力军黄蜂队第三。
　　 在2008年的整个体育联盟组织里，以上的三支球队是最佳中的最佳！

“无论是我们的篮球队伍和商业团队，从他们的承诺到成为最好，我都感到无比自豪！”马刺的体育和文娱组织的董事长兼CEO彼得霍尔特说，“事实上，我们在球迷心目中的排名第一已证明了在职业体坛中有着我们最真挚的和最忠诚的球迷。我们非常感谢他们的热情和支持。。。他们是我们成功的最大真理！”

　　“我们在这六年来每年在ESPN“最终排名”的调查中稳居前三，这是一种莫大的荣誉。”马刺总经理R.C.福德接着说，“这是由奉献为主导思想，在具备领导才能和哲学的彼得霍尔特和波波维奇带领下的成果。当然，真正成果应归功于我们的球员，特别是我们的核心－－邓肯，吉诺比利，帕克和鲍文(BIG FOUR)! 而在这6年里，不论是场内还是场外，他们是我们球队的灵魂和支柱。仅代表整个组织，我们衷心地感谢他们的专业态度，他们对我们的贡献，以及他们献身于我们整个圣安东尼奥马刺社区的精神！”

　　　在过去六年里，ESPN杂志每年都进行这样的调查“最终排名”，评选体育联盟的排名名次是某一计算公式所决定，其中的数据包括了该球队的财政问题，球迷公关，物业管理，负担能力，场馆历史，球员、教练和冠军的跟踪等等。

　　　最新的杂志摊和espn.com的ESPN杂志的“最终排名” 都显示了在这六年来的众多球队的历史最好排名及最坏排名的情况。该报告只是综合地针对北美体育联盟中（四大联盟）的122支球队的历史状况。它的目的是量化球迷和自身钟爱的球队之间的独特关系，建立和维系这些美国职业联盟（MLB,NBA,NFL及NHL）历程及实力状况，同时也作为一个给予球迷的最大回报。

　　　这结果的大量数据都来源于ESPN杂志和WSMS的财务数据，Norwalk, Conn等网络公司所收集的球迷反馈信息，以及调查和推广公司Markitecture和espn.com的数据等。

谢谢楼上，我也没耐心看英文。

呵呵,没想到我们这里还有这么多的英语高手呀..