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Minnesota Vikings fans can finally exhale after their team secured funding for a new stadium.

Next up in the stadium game: the St. Louis Rams.

Pull up a chair. This could take a while.

The Vikings needed years to get the job done. Rams owner Stan Kroenke isn't one to rush. He waited til the last minute before exercising his option to purchase a majority stake in the team. He has resisted showing any cards in the Rams' push for an improved stadium situation. And there is a process to follow, anyway.

The Rams' lease requires the St. Louis stadium authority to provide a first-tier facility by 2015. The Edward Jones Dome is not close to first tier by NFL standards. It's debatable whether a re-design could meet the Rams' likely demands without the project becoming cost-prohibitive.

In the meantime, the Rams have rejected the stadium authority's offer as a matter of course. The stadium authority is expected to reject the Rams' counter proposal. Once that happens, an arbitrator will begin deciding what constitutes a reasonable upgrade. That process, scheduled to begin June 15 and conclude before 2013, would produce a compromise proposal for the city to accept or reject.

If the city accepts, the Rams would be bound to the proposal, keeping in place their lease through 2025. If the city rejects the arbitrator's proposal, the Rams would be free to consider their options in St. Louis or elsewhere beginning in March 2015.

The price tag for new stadiums is around $1 billion. Spending $900 million on upgrades would make no sense. What about $800 million or $700 million or $600 million? Where is the cutoff and where would the money come from? These are not minor details.

The Kansas City Chiefs upgraded Arrowhead Stadium for $375 million, with the Hunt family's ownership covering $125 million of that total. Upgrading the Edward Jones Dome to the Rams' liking could cost more. There's a roof to consider, and also the time factor. The Chiefs' upgrades took place five years ago.

Also, the Hunt's connection to Kansas City was strong and emotional. The Chiefs weren't going anywhere, realistically, but the Rams' roots in Missouri aren't as deep. And if St. Louis rejects what an arbitrator considers reasonable, the Rams will be one step closer to the door.

We'll have a marginally better idea where the St. Louis situation stands once officials release upgrade proposals Monday in compliance with public-records laws. Those proposals probably will not include detailed cost projections. We'll be left to project.

Stadium games usually reduce to how far a citizenry will go to keep its team from bolting. It's tough to envision Rams fans stepping up the way Vikings fans did in Minnesota, not after the Rams posted a 15-65 record over the past five seasons. Have the Rams built up enough equity to win hundreds of millions in public funding?

Kroenke is more likely to wait than to beg. This could take a while.

Public-records laws are forcing into the open proposals between the St. Louis Rams and the local stadium authority.

That is great news for Rams fans.

The May 14 release date means fans will soon discover how serious both sides have been about keeping the Rams in St. Louis.

If remaining in St. Louis is a top priority for the Rams, proposals made by the team will show owner Stan Kroenke pursuing reasonable upgrades to the Edward Jones Dome. Ideally, these upgrades would focus at least as much on upgrading the fan experience as upgrading Kroenke's profit margin.

If the Rams are more interested in leveraging their position, the proposals will show the team making more extravagant demands centering around luxury suites and other revenue-producing initiatives.

Of primary interest: to what extent each side's proposals shift the financial burden onto others.

Kroenke is a businessman. There are no laws requiring him to make staying in St. Louis a top priority. He's free to leverage the situation. Likewise, there are no laws requiring fans to purchase tickets or otherwise embrace the product if they feel as though ownership is playing the leverage game in an effort to break its lease and eventually relocate.

The stadium authority has until 2015 to bring the Edward Jones Dome into compliance as a "top-tier" NFL stadium or else the Rams can break their lease.

Note: Thanks to @nickthegrip85 for tipping me off to this story while I was preoccupied with another entry.

Shahid Khan appeared close to purchasing the St. Louis Rams, only to have minority owner Stan Kroenke exercise his option to become majority owner.

Khan, who purchased the Jacksonville Jaguars instead, wants to trade ahead of the Rams for a shot at Oklahoma State receiver Justin Blackmon, ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports.

The Rams pick sixth and need a No. 1 receiver. It's unclear whether they're set on selecting Blackmon, but he would be a logical consideration for them -- unless Khan and the Jaguars move up from No. 7 to get Blackmon first.

The draft is minutes away from beginning, so we'll have answers soon.

The Seattle Seahawks owned the NFC West for years because their owner, Paul Allen, was so clearly superior to his peers in the division.

It was Allen who pushed through a stadium referendum precipitating his purchase of the team in the late 1990s. It was Allen's ownership that enabled the team to hire Mike Holmgren in 1999, another watershed moment for the franchise.

Those two owner-driven events set up the team for seven division titles during a 12-year period, including five in a row beginning in 2003.

Visions of Allen's Seahawks squirming while Peyton Manning visited the Arizona Cardinals over the weekend might not mean much if Manning signs outside the NFC West or agrees to visit Seattle after all. But with Arizona holding a clear edge over the Seahawks at this point in the process, the shrinking ownership gap in the division is worth our attention.

Allen hasn't necessarily slipped even though his fortune, once estimated to exceed $30 billion, has reportedly shrunk to less than half that amount. He remains the wealthiest NFL owner by a wide margin. He helped finance a state-of-the-art waterfront facility that opened in 2008. He gives football decision makers wide latitude and ample resources.

But with the Cardinals' Michael Bidwill and the San Francisco 49ers' Jed York securing new stadiums and winning division titles recently, the Seahawks' competitors have gained ground. Stan Kroenke's ascent in St. Louis has brightened the Rams' outlook as well.

For Arizona, getting Manning to visit was nice. Getting him to sign with the team would more emphatically validate the the Cardinals' progress as an organization.

Bidwill, like York, has a familial reputation to live down.

"(Bidwill) is hugely aware of our fan base and how his dad is viewed," a team source told ESPN's Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter over the weekend. "He came to work with this team to get the stadium built. It took him a long time to get that done, but he did. He is a driven young owner that wants to totally change this franchise's image."

Winning back-to-back division titles while making a Super Bowl appearance affirmed Bidwill's long-held stance that stadium revenue would change how the team could operate. But the Cardinals' 13-19 record over the past two seasons has lent credence to the idea that the team basically lucked into Kurt Warner's career revival.

Beating out John Elway and others for Manning would be another game-changer, comparable to the day Seattle landed Holmgren and, to an extent, when the 49ers secured Jim Harbaugh. Holmgren and Harbaugh were the hottest coaching candidates at the time. Manning, though coming off neck surgeries that might still threaten his career, outranks both in NFL history.

The Cardinals need him. They bet big on Kevin Kolb last offseason, and are running a fat deficit on the investment, with few promising signs. John Clayton's recent report about the team losing confidence in Kolb sounded ominous. Coach Ken Whisenhunt might still need to win the bet on Kolb, but the cost of losing it would disappear if Manning signed with the team.

Finding a quarterback requires taking chances. Manning would be the safest bet in NFL history without the neck surgeries. He still appears to be a safer gamble than putting down another $7 million to continue the relationship with Kolb, a payment that comes due at week's end. Paying Kolb in the absence of Manning would not necessarily prevent John Skelton from winning the starting job.

A year ago, the Kolb experiment gave the Cardinals an opportunity to find out whether Whisenhunt could identify and develop quarterbacks. To what degree had he shaped Ben Roethlisberger in Pittsburgh and, later, Warner in Arizona? That question becomes far less relevant if the Cardinals can close a deal with Manning.

Bidwill's father made a run at Joe Montana in 1993. This time, the Cardinals appear to have a legitimate chance. Times have changed, but by how much? Manning's decision will provide one measure.

INDIANAPOLIS -- If Rams owner Stan Kroenke wasn't going to cut the St. Louis stadium authority any slack, neither was NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.

They simply aren't going to profess their love for St. Louis while trying to leverage stadium improvements under a lease that could expire following the 2014 season.

Goodell, speaking at his annual Super Bowl news conference Friday, followed the impersonal tack Kroenke set during the news conference to announce Jeff Fisher as head coach last month. Both recited the facts when asked about keeping the Rams in St. Louis.

"We want to keep our franchises where they are, so we'd love to have the St. Louis Rams stay in St. Louis," Goodell said.

Well, then. The NFL wants the Rams to stay in St. Louis not necessarily for St. Louis, but because it wants its teams to stay put in general.

"There are lease issues that are going through the process," Goodell continued. "They were articulated very clearly in the lease. Both parties are engaging in that, and their having that dialogue will allow that process to play out, and at that point in time (it) will be more clear about what the issues are and what we need to do to resolve them."

The stadium authority got itself into this mess, he essentially said, so now it must deal with the consequences. And in the end, we'll find out whether St. Louis can pony up adequately.

This was a sweet deal from the beginning for the Rams, and the price of doing business for the city.

Goodell, asked whether upgrading the Edward Jones Dome to the NFL's standards was realistic in a mid-level market, went back to reciting the facts.

"Well, that’s what they agreed to, both the representatives of St. Louis and the team, when the team relocated back into the St. Louis market in the mid-'90s," he said.

As much as St. Louis-based Rams fans might want their team's ownership and the league to offer more convincing assurances, it's apparently not going to happen as long as leverage is at stake. That doesn't necessarily mean the Rams are bent on leaving town. But they will work for the best deal they can get, wherever it might be.

The St. Louis Rams have responded to the city's stadium authority with a statement of their own.

They obviously were not happy with the Convention and Visitors Commission publicly challenging the Rams' plans to play three home games in London over the next three seasons.

"We think that playing in London is great for the Rams and great for St. Louis," the team said. "We are in talks with the St. Louis Convention and Visitors Commission, which is also the region's chief marketing group, about how to make the most of this opportunity. As the CVC said today, this will 'elevate an awareness of St. Louis on the global stage.' We look forward to having amicable and meaningful dialogue with the CVC on many issues and believe those conversations should remain between the parties."

Please shut up, in other words.

There was nothing particularly amicable about the CVC's statement or the Rams' response, or about Rams owner Stan Kroenke previously going out of his way to take a noncommittal stance amid questions about the team's future in St. Louis. The Rams hold the upper hand in the long term because they control the team ultimately. In the meantime, both parties have grasped for leverage when it was available.

A few thoughts on Jeff Fisher's introductory news conference with the St. Louis Rams:

• Overall scene: Owner Stan Kroenke and chief operating officer Kevin Demoff flanked Fisher during the news conference. All three men spoke. They steered clear of specifics, which actually told us quite a bit.


• Purposely vague on power: Fisher would not say whether he had "final say" on personnel decisions. The team still needs to find a general manager. Luring an executive away from another team becomes easier if the Rams can offer the powers associated with the GM position. Clearly stating that Fisher has full control of personnel would complicate the process. Fisher will almost surely have control of the 53-man roster, at least.
• Why no word on staff: Fisher is familiar with process. He would not name coordinator candidates, because he had signed his own deal only recently. He alluded to having solid options. Gregg Williams is expected to become defensive coordinator. Brian Schottenheimer and Hue Jackson are potential candidates for offensive coordinator.
• No commitment to St. Louis: Kroenke had an opportunity to assure Rams fans that the team would do all it could to remain in St. Louis. He did not do that. He pointed to his long tenure in St. Louis, one reaching nearly two decades. But he also alluded to a stadium lease that can end following the 2014 season. "We'll see how that process sorts itself out," Kroenke said. Fisher was even more qualified when asked whether the team's future played a role in his decision to take the job. Fisher: "The future of this franchise right now, in this moment, is in St. Louis."
• Grasp of history: Kroenke noted that the Rams' 1999 Super Bowl team really lost just one game, against Fisher's Titans. Kroenke correctly noted that the Rams rested starters in their Week 17 defeat to Philadelphia. Those Rams did also lose to Detroit, however.
• Fisher's immediate goal: Fisher pointed to becoming competitive within the NFC West as his top priority. The Rams were 0-6 in the division this season. Fisher said he would field a "disciplined, tough, physical football team" that can win in the division. He wants to field a team that runs the ball, protects the quarterback and forces turnovers.

Those were a few of the key talking points. Fisher projects confidence and credibility.

ESPN's Adam Schefter is giving the St. Louis Rams a "slight edge" over the Miami Dolphins in pursuing coaching candidate Jeff Fisher.

The Rams have a young quarterback in place. They have a higher choice in the 2012 draft. They do not have a general manager, meaning Fisher could play a leading role in hiring one.

Those are the factors Schefter cites, while noting that Miami might offer more money.

Reports from Miami have indeed said the Dolphins will not be outbid. However, the absence of such reports out of St. Louis should not be construed as evidence suggesting the Rams feel differently. We should make no assumptions about what Rams owner Stan Kroenke might or might not pay, in other words.

Lots going on around the NFC and in the NFC West. Let's make the rounds ...

• Polian's availability: Bill Polian's departure from the Indianapolis Colts as team president comes while the St. Louis Rams are seeking new leadership. This could be an intriguing fit. Polian succeeded in acquiring weapons for a franchise quarterback. Other aspects of the Colts' roster suffered for the tradeoff. Rams owner Stan Kroenke and executive vice president/chief operating officer Kevin Demoff are leading the efforts to find a coach and general manager. Owners sometimes consult with league brass in putting together short lists of candidates. If Kroenke were to take that route, I would expect Polian's name to emerge. Polian has vast experience, but he's also nearer the career finish line than most other candidates.
• Fisher's status. Former Tennessee Titans coach Jeff Fisher remains a logical candidate in St. Louis. Demoff's father is Fisher's agent. Fisher coached several hours' drive away in Tennessee and never seemed to care about coaching in a glitzy market. His long track record with the Titans would make him a high-percentage play for the Rams, who took a chance on a first-time head coach when they hired Steve Spagnuolo before the 2009 season. Fisher is expected to interview with the Miami Dolphins and the Rams. He sounds like the early favorite.
• What to do with McDaniels. All but one Rams assistant coach appears on his way out with an expiring contract. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels is the exception. He could become a candidate for jobs elsewhere. For now, he's a Rams asset. If that remains the case,the team's next GM and/or head coach would likely decide whether McDaniels remained with the team.
• Greg Roman's prospects. San Francisco 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh has held up his coordinators as strong candidates for head coaching jobs. Reports suggest Penn State might have been listening. Losing Roman would hurt, but Harbaugh's presence as an offensive-minded head coach would protect the 49ers from the turmoil that ensued when they lost offensive coordinators under defensive-minded head coaches previously.
• Matt Flynn's appeal. The Green Bay Packers' backup quarterback tossed six touchdown passes against Detroit in Week 17. The Seattle Seahawks will be looking for a long-term quarterback prospect even though Tarvaris Jackson is expected back. Their GM, John Schneider, was with the Packers when Green Bay drafted Flynn. Schneider would have a good feel for Flynn. Would the Seahawks make an offer substantial enough to trump their interests in a quarterback through the draft? I'd be a little surprised. They pick 11th. The team did not, by all accounts, push to acquire Flynn by trade when deciding to go after Charlie Whitehurst. Has Flynn shown enough in limited reps to become a legitimate option? That is the question. The Packers have no realistic way to keep Flynn from testing the market. Naming him their franchise player would force them to pay him more on a one-year basis than Aaron Rodgers is earning. The money would become guaranteed if Flynn signed the franchise offer.

Those are a few of the issues percolating around the division. Back with more in a bit.

The firings of coach Steve Spagnuolo and general manager Billy Devaney from the St. Louis Rams have become official. Team owner Stan Kroenke issued a brief statement confirming what had been expected.

"No one individual is to blame for this disappointing season and we all must hold ourselves accountable," Kroenke said. "However, we believe it's in the best interest of the St. Louis Rams to make theses changes as we continue our quest to build a team that consistently competes for playoffs and championships."

The Rams finished 2-14 this season, which means they were likely to improve in the 2012 standings whether or not they made a coaching change.

Carolina went from 2-14 in 2010 to 6-10 this season after firing head coach John Fox. It's impossible to know whether the Panthers would have improved by as much or more by staying the course. They could not have gotten much worse.

Three teams went 4-12 in 2010. Cincinnati improved five games after keeping Marvin Lewis. Denver improved four games after firing Josh McDaniels. Buffalo improved two games after keeping Chan Gailey. How did coaching moves play into those changes? Again, it's tough to know.

Two teams went 5-11 in 2010. Cleveland lost ground in the standings by one game after hiring a new coach, Pat Shurmur. Arizona improved three games after keeping Ken Whisenhunt.

The Rams can easily justify the changes they are making by pointing to the bottom line. The team went 10-38 with Spagnuolo as its head coach. Nothing more needs to be said in justifying the move.

Kroenke has been with the Rams for years, but he is relatively new to the position of majority owner. The situation is perfect for him to set a new course with his own people. The team has a young franchise quarterback. Chris Long and James Laurinaitis give the next head coach two young defensive players to build around. Robert Quinn could be another.

The team's salary-cap situation has improved. Most of the veterans signed to make a push in 2010 are easily expendable from a financial standpoint. The Rams are in position to become one of the NFL's younger teams with an offseason roster overhaul. They will have to acquire and develop starters throughout most of their offense. They need help at outside linebacker and throughout their secondary, depending to some degree on health-related issues.

In the accompanying video, ESPN's Adam Schefter points to Jeff Fisher as one potential candidate. That would make some sense given Fisher's experience as a head coach. Spagnuolo was a first-timer. Hiring a more experienced coach would be one way to set a new course. Someone with credibility on a national level might help to win over a skeptical Rams public initially.

The weight of 10-38 prevented the Rams from credibly pointing to a long list of injuries that obviously affected their chances in 2011. No one cares much why teams lose. They want winners. All parties understand that, making Kroenke's announcement no surprise to anyone.

A few thoughts on the San Diego Union-Tribune report connecting ESPN's Jon Gruden to the St. Louis Rams:

• 

  Gruden
  ESPN issued a statement saying Gruden remains committed to "Monday Night Football" for many years to come. Of course, people sometimes change their minds, particularly when vast sums of cash are involved. Stan Kroenke, the Rams' owner, has vast sums of cash to offer. He also has a young franchise quarterback and a power running back suited for the offense Gruden has run in the past.
• Landing Gruden would be a great get for the Rams. Critics will correctly note that Gruden won in Tampa Bay largely with Tony Dungy's players. The bottom line, though, is that he won. Gruden also won in Oakland, something no one had done since Art Shell's run as coach there. Gruden's track record would give the Rams welcome profile in St. Louis and beyond. His offense bears similarities to the one Sam Bradford and the Rams ran in 2010, so that would help in the short term.
• Gruden and Kevin Demoff, the Rams' executive vice president of football operations/chief operating officer, worked together in Tampa Bay from 2005-08. That gives Gruden a direct connection to the Rams' current power structure. Demoff's father, longtime agent Marvin Demoff, represents another potential coaching candidate, Jeff Fisher. There's another name to keep in mind if the Rams change coaches.
• There is no opening in St. Louis just yet. Steve Spagnuolo's run as head coach could be ending, but no decision has been announced. Kroenke has been called "Silent Stan" because he doesn't volunteer information freely. It is possible, perhaps even likely, that those informing reporters on these matters are connecting dots more than they are relaying hard facts.
• The Union-Tribune report suggests Chargers general manager A.J. Smith would land in the same capacity with the Rams, and that Smith would be the key to bringing Gruden to St. Louis. This paints Smith in a flattering light. It suggests the Chargers might want to think twice before letting such a power broker slip away. I am not sure what would make Smith the key to landing Gruden. Kevin Acee notes that Gruden and former Raiders/Bucs executive Bruce Allen are close friends.
• Smith has been a polarizing figure, especially with players. Does his personality lend itself to connecting with a rightfully skeptical fan base in St. Louis? It wouldn't really matter if Gruden were head coach. Gruden would be the face of the franchise in that case. His personality would set the tone for the organization. Smith would remain in the background. His track record in personnel is mixed. The Chargers have enjoyed a run of relative success in recent seasons, but they'll be watching their former quarterback, Drew Brees, in the upcoming playoffs.
• Acee's story mentioned Spagnuolo as a possible candidate to become defensive coordinator in Philadelphia if the Rams make a change. That makes sense on multiple levels. Spagnuolo has coached under Andy Reid previously and would, at least in theory, be a candidate to replace him at some point down the line.

That's it for now. I just finished discussing this and other NFC West matters with Bernie Miklasz on our weekly conversation via 101ESPN St. Louis. I'll post that audio in a bit.

» NFC: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South » Unrestricted FAs

Readiness factor: The Rams must acquire or develop starters at right guard, free safety, defensive tackle, outside linebacker, wide receiver and tight end. They need depth at running back. They've got work ahead, but most of the heavy lifting has been done. The Rams return their quarterback and most of their offensive line while enjoying continuity on defense through head coach Steve Spagnuolo and key players in the front seven. That gives St. Louis a head start on its division rivals even though the Rams will be breaking in a new offensive coordinator.

Biggest challenge: Pat Shurmur's surprise departure as offensive coordinator threw up a hurdle heading into the Rams' second season with Sam Bradford behind center. The lockout has prevented new coordinator Josh McDaniels from getting Bradford up to speed as quickly as the team would have liked. The situation at wide receiver remains unsettled. The most promising tight end on the team, Lance Kendricks, faces a learning curve as a rookie. Those factors create challenges as the Rams seek to build on Bradford's promising rookie season. There's no need to panic, however.

Ownership impact: The Rams still haven't gone through a free-agent signing period since Stan Kroenke became majority owner. There's no indication the Rams will become significantly more aggressive in free agency now that Kroenke has given them an owner with deeper pockets. They do have the wherewithal, however, and the Rams should have some flexibility from a salary-cap standpoint. None of the team's own free agents will command big money this offseason.

Key players without contracts for 2011: Receiver Mark Clayton, defensive tackle Clifton Ryan, tight end Daniel Fells, tight end Billy Bajema, guard Adam Goldberg, defensive tackle Gary Gibson, receiver Laurent Robinson.

No team dominated the NFC West in 2010, but the St. Louis Rams are best positioned to control the division down the road.

They've got the franchise quarterback in Sam Bradford, and that separates them from the other teams in the division, at least for now. The San Francisco 49ers might have the answer in rookie second-round choice Colin Kaepernick, but it's too early to say. The Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks can improve their chances by addressing the position during free agency this offseason or in the 2012 draft.

The Rams have no such worries. Bradford showed them plenty last season as rookie, particularly with the way he commanded the offense and kept his poise. The stats were there for stretches -- 11 touchdowns against one pick over a six-game stretch in the middle of the season -- and the numbers should only improve. If all goes as planned, Bradford will be hitting full stride by the 2014 season, and probably before then.

St. Louis already has the most consistent defense in the division. Defensive end Chris Long and middle linebacker James Laurinaitis give coach Steve Spagnuolo young building blocks. Defensive end Robert Quinn, drafted 14th overall this year, should become one as well.

The Rams have more building to do, of course. They'll need to improve at receiver and find Steven Jackson's successor at running back. They must continue replenishing their defensive line while getting help for Laurinaitis at linebacker.

As much or more than other teams in the division, though, the Rams have shown an ability get things right in the draft. Long, Bradford, Laurinaitis and left tackle Rodger Saffold give St. Louis a strong core to build around. Right tackle Jason Smith hasn't been a big hit after being the No. 2 overall pick in 2009, but he's not a bust, either. Smith and Saffold should give the Rams bookend tackles for years to come.

Thanks to Bradford and billionaire owner Stan Kroenke, the Rams have the strongest foundation in the NFC West. That doesn't guarantee divisional dominance for the time period in question, but it certainly gives the Rams a head start.

» Best of NFC: East | West | North | South » AFC: East | West | North | South

As part of Best of the NFL Week on ESPN.com, here are five bests for the NFC West:

Best stadium innovation: I'm all for downtown stadiums with open roofs and cityscape views. That wasn't practical in Arizona, where temperatures exceed even Kurt Warner's sizzling playoff passer rating. The Cardinals made the most of their climatic predicament by going with a retractable roof and, remarkably, what they hail as the first fully retractable field in the country. The natural-grass surface spends about 150 days each year basking in the Arizona sunshine, requiring only about an hour to slide back inside on a massive tray weighing 17 million pounds (the rough equivalent of 47,200 Deuce Lutuis). Cardinals players get to escape the heat on game days while playing on a natural-grass surface that ranks among the very best in biannual player surveys.

Best alumni assimilation: This one isn't close. Keena Turner is the 49ers' vice president of football affairs. Guy McIntyre serves as director of alumni. Jesse Sapolu, Steve Bono and Eric Wright are alumni coordinators. Dwight Clark is a business consultant. Team president Jed York grew up around the team during its 1980s glory days. He was a fan first and it shows in how eagerly the 49ers embrace their past. The other NFC West teams also employ former players, but not to the same degree. Retired Rams great Jack Youngblood has even accused that organization of failing to adequately embrace its alumni.

Best team facility: Few team headquarters in any sport can compete with the $75 million facility Seahawks owner Paul Allen constructed on Lake Washington south of Seattle. The practice fields overlook the water, with swank homes staring back from the opposite shore. Giant doors slide up for an open-air experience in the players' weight room, offering views of the practice field and, nearby, the water. The team has flown in free agents via seaplane, docking right at the facility. Square footage is right around 200,000 -- second-highest in the NFL, according to the team -- and includes an indoor practice facility adjacent to the locker room. No other facility in the division comes close.

Best billionaire owner: Allen has the clear edge for now based on the Seahawks' success over the past decade, but Stan Kroenke's prospects deserve our attention. Kroenke has proven himself as a capable owner in other sports. He has also engaged his fellow NFL owners in ways Allen simply refuses to do. That gives Kroenke the ability to make the Rams more relevant at the league level. Seattle's profile has suffered with Mike Holmgren and Tod Leiweke leaving the organization in recent years.

Best training camp venue: The Seahawks have it nice on Lake Washington, but there's something special about going away to camp if the venue is right. Northern Arizona University fits the profile for the Cardinals. It's far enough from Phoenix to escape the blistering heat, but close enough for fans to turn out in large numbers. The high-desert scenery and nearly 7,000-foot elevation combine to set apart NAU from other camp venues in the division and the league overall.

The St. Louis Rams are surging. The Seattle Seahawks are moving up, too.

The Arizona Cardinals are plummeting. The San Francisco 49ers are slipping to a much smaller degree.

Those were the conclusions offered up by ESPN's Ultimate Team Rankings for 2011.

The rankings evaluate 122 professional franchises across the following categories: bang for the buck, fan relations, ownership, affordability, stadium experience, players, coaching and to what degree teams have won or are likely to win championships during their fans' lifetimes. Teams from the NFL, NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball comprised the rankings.

Notes in relation to the NFC West:

• The Cardinals, playing without Kurt Warner, dropped 52 spots to No. 71 in the rankings, the third-largest drop among NFL teams. Tennessee fell 61 spots. Carolina fell 58 spots.
• The Rams, transformed with Sam Bradford under center and an improving defense at his back, climbed 31 spots from last year. Only Kansas City (plus-48) and Tampa Bay (plus-40) improved by more places. The Seahawks' 22-spot improvement was fifth-largest among NFL teams.
• The Rams climbed 84 spots in bang for the buck. No NFL team improved more in this category. Arizona fell 50 spots in this category. Only Carolina (minus-93) suffered a bigger drop.
• The Rams climbed 42 spots in fan relations. Only Pittsburgh (plus-50) improved more among NFL teams. The Rams also improved 43 spots in players, second to Tampa Bay (plus-44). But their ranking in the "title track" category remained unchanged at No. 37. Green Bay (plus-15), Kansas City (plus-14) and Detroit (plus-13) enjoyed the biggest gains in title track.
• Arizona dropped 33 places in title track, the third-largest NFL drop behind Cincinnati (minus-36) and Miami (minus-34).
• With Stan Kroenke in place, the Rams jumped a league-high 34 places in ownership to No. 80, but the Seahawks' Paul Allen remained the highest-ranked owner in the division at No. 48. The Cardinals' ownership did not change, but perceptions of its effectiveness appear on the decline. Arizona dropped 29 spots in this category, the fourth-largest fall in the league.
• Seattle improved a division-best 26 spots in coaching. Only Tampa Bay (plus-65) and Pittsburgh (plus-33) improved more among NFL teams.
• The rankings justify the 49ers' push for a new stadium. The team ranked 117th in stadium experience, third worst in the league behind Oakland (No. 119) and Minnesota (No. 121). Seattle's stadium experience ranked 13th overall, best in the division and second only to Green Bay among NFL teams. The Packers ranked first overall.

The first chart shows where NFC West teams rank in relation to the other 118 franchises across baseball, hockey and basketball.


The second chart ranks NFC West teams by how many places they changed in the rankings from 2010 to 2011. The Rams are listed first because they improved a division-high 31 places in the rankings.