Funkerstation » reen Bay still has s

This story is part of ESPN The Magazines Oct. 31 NBA Preview Issue. Subscribe today!Nashville PredatorsOverall: 6 Title track:?49 Ownership: 18 Coaching: T21 Players: 12 Fan relations: 1 Affordability: 1 Stadium experience: 1 Bang for the buck: 52 Change from?last year:?+21After ending two straight seasons with April golf, the Nashville Predators hired Peter Laviolette in May 2014 and secured back-to-back playoff spots in a tough Central Division. Even still, the on-ice success seems like just a bonus in Smashville. The Preds claimed the top spot overall in fan relations, affordability, and stadium experience to go along with their 96-point 2015-16 season.Whats goodThe Bridgestone Arena topped the charts in stadium experience, and it seems like it will only continue to improve. In August, the Predators announced concepts to improve the arena, including adding an on-site hotel, a second rink, interactive components for fans, additional concessions, and renovated suites. The Predators rolled out multiple promotions last season, including Nissan Tuesdays (two tickets and an ice scraper for either $60 or $120) and Subway Student Rush Night on Thursdays (a ticket for as cheap as $19, along with a sandwich voucher for students). Average ticket prices were already just $62, putting it right at the league average, helping make the Preds the number one team in affordability in our fan rankings. And if you didnt enjoy enough of their $6.75 beers, you can walk out the front door after the game onto Lower Broadway.Whats badDespite ranking first in affordability, Nashville claims only the 52nd spot in bang for the buck. The average cost per game is $80, but the Predators have just one 100-point season in the past four and have never made it out of the second round of the playoffs. They had four 20-goal scorers last season and potentially the leagues best blue line, but weak goaltending led them to a fourth-place finish in their division. Still, the Preds were one win from the Western Conference finals last season, and the team has improved in Year 3 under Laviolette. Expect a lot more bang in 2016-17.Whats newTitle track jumped 25 spots this season to break into the top 50. A big reason why wears number 76. Nashville dealt an aging Shea Weber to Montreal this offseason for P.K. Subban, who will join Roman Josi as staples on the point. Subban is just 27 years old and has not had fewer than 50 points since the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. Young dynamic forwards Filip Forsberg, and Ryan Johansen mesh well with veterans James Neal and Mike Fisher, helping the players ranking hop 10 spots to 12th overall. The X factor will be which Pekka Rinne shows up in goal -- the Vezina Trophy runner-up in 2014-15 or the player who finished with just a .908 save percentage last season. For this team to have any hope of raising a banner in the arena that everyone loves so dearly, Rinne will need to elevate his play.Next: Florida Panthers?| Full rankings Cheap Air Jordan 1 China . There are surprises among the Vezina candidates, but most of the others are standard top-tier performers, even if the two Hart Trophy runners-ups have never been quite as good as they have been through the first half of the season. Adidas Gazelle Cheap . Argentina winger Ezequiel Lavezzi and France midfielder Blaise Matuidi scored, with star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic setting up both despite having a poor game by his high standards. Forward Eduardo gave Ajaccio the lead in the sixth minute after being set up by right winger Benjamin Andre, and the Corsican side looked comfortable in the first half, with the lively Johan Cavalli causing problems with his probing runs from midfield. http://www.fakeyeezyscheap.com/wholesale-air-max-90.html .com) - Yankee Stadium is the home of the Bronx Bombers, but on Sunday afternoon it will open its gates to host the latest addition of the Hudson River Rivalry. Cheap Fake Air Force 1 . Olli Jokinen, Mark Scheifele, and Bryan Little each had a goal and an assist as Winnipeg won 5-2, handing Calgary its record-setting seventh consecutive loss on home ice. Yeezy Boost 350 China Wholesale . Andreas Johnson had a goal and two assists while Jacob de la Rose also scored for Sweden (2-0-0). Esa Lindell and Rasmus Ristolainen replied for Finland (1-1-0) Lindell opened the scoring for Finland just 41 seconds into the game, but the hosts quickly regained their composure and tied the score less than four minutes later on Wennbergs first of the game. GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Now that converted wide receiver Ty Montgomery is listed as a running back, Morgan Burnett has no interest in a similar switch being made on the Green Bay Packers roster and depth chart.No, Im a safety, Burnett said with a big laugh Thursday. Thats what I am. Im a safety that sometimes plays in the box.Burnetts transition in recent weeks to playing a valuable role as a hybrid safety and linebacker comes just as the Packers defense is getting better as it gets healthier, especially in the secondary.Opponents have struggled to score points, the takeaways that were hard to come by earlier in the season are adding up, and Green Bay (7-6) is back to playing winning football in its quest for the playoffs.Guys are just starting to click, Damarious Randall said.Randalls return at cornerback has been a boost.The Packers have won all three games since Randall rejoined the starting lineup after he was sidelined for a month with a groin injury.Randall had two interceptions, a career high, in a 38-10 rout of the NFC West-leading Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.Those were among five Russell Wilson passes picked off by Green Bays revitalized group of defensive backs. The Packers forced a season-high six turnovers in the game.Everybody knows their role, and guys arent trying to play outside of their role, Randall said. Thats how you make up a great defense. Everybody is just doing their job and executing.Green Bay hasnt allowed more than 13 points in any of the past three games, the first time thats happened since the Packers Super Bowl-winning season in 2010.Next up is a trip to Chicago on Sunday. Green Bay stymied its longtime rival in a 26-10 victory at Lambeau Field in October.Coach Mike McCarthy feels continuity from having more bodies available has been vital to the turnaround for the defense.The Packers allowed 153 points and nearly 1,700 yards during a four-game losing streak that dropped them to 4-6.Since then, Green Bay has given up just 36 points and 953 yards the past three weeks.Weve got players coming back, McCarthy said. We were challenged in the secondary there for about a month and a half.dddddddddddd We had a position that was pretty much depleted in our corners. We were playing really, really young players. So the younger players are better (as) weve got guys back. If we can just keep players in the same position, well be better as we move forward.Green Bay still has some injury concerns at linebacker, however.Blake Martinez, a starter from the beginning of the season, has been sidelined a few weeks with a knee injury. Fellow rookie Kyler Fackrell also has missed significant time with a hamstring injury.And standout Clay Matthews has played in a greatly limited role the past two games because of a shoulder injury.Itll continue to get stronger and better, but unfortunately until the offseason, its not getting 100 percent healthy, Matthews said Thursday.Matthews wont know if hell need surgery for the shoulder until he sees a specialist after the season.By having a healthier secondary, defensive coordinator Dom Capers has compensated for the depleted depth at linebacker by playing Burnett closer to the line of scrimmage.Burnett, a starting safety for Green Bay since his rookie season in 2010, started the Packers takeaway spree against the Seahawks on Sunday with an interception.Hes a guy whos been around here who can handle those things, Capers said. Hes proven to us he can handle that. Weve asked a lot of him this year with all the moving parts weve had on defense.Game notes James Starks remained in the concussion protocol Thursday after McCarthy said the veteran running back was in a car crash Monday. Starks is listed as a starter, but hes been unproductive with only six carries for 4 yards the past two games with Montgomery getting more of the rushing opportunities. ... QB Aaron Rodgers (calf) didnt practice for the second straight day as the team focuses on getting him healthy to play Sunday.---For more NFL coverage: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '