This story is part of ESPN The Magazines Oct. 31 NBA Preview Issue. Subscribe today!New England PatriotsOverall: 17 Title track: 2 Ownership: 20 Coaching: 2 Players: 2 Fan relations: 12 Affordability: 79 Stadium experience: 36 Bang for the buck: 37 Change from last year: +8If quarterback Tom Brady serving a four-game suspension to open the NFL season was supposed to get Patriots fans down, it didnt work. In fact, optimism for the team might be at an all-time high as the Patriots improved eight spots in ESPNs Ultimate Standings, after making an 18-spot jump the year before. The only nitpick for fans is the rising cost to attend a game.Whats goodPretty much everything, which is the way it goes with a team that is an annual Super Bowl contender. The Patriots No. 2 title track ranking is the best in the NFL, as are the No. 2 rankings for coaching and players. No NFL team ranked better in categories like consistently win more games than they lose, will win at least one championship in my lifetime and demonstrate a commitment to winning. Bill Belichicks work without Tom Brady at the start of the 2016 season has been widely lauded as exemplary -- no surprise, since hes been ranked No. 1 or 2 in the NFL in these standings for each of the past six years. After all, thats why they have a saying in New England: In Bill We Trust.Whats badThe Patriots rank 79th in affordability, which is an 11-spot improvement from the 2015 ultimate rankings, but still lags overall. Tickets are indeed expensive (the average price of $122 is cheaper only than the Giants), but one thing the Patriots often point out is that when Gillette Stadium opened in 2002, there were no personal seat licenses. So that contributed to some higher ticket costs. Also, for those who believe you get what you pay for: For all those high prices, a great bang for the buck ranking shows that the Patriots havent disappointed, annually putting a winning product on the field.Whats newThe Patriots saw a significant increase in stadium experience, jumping 15 spots to No. 36. Among the unique parts of attending a game at Gillette Stadium is the bridge in the north side of the end zone where fans can congregate during the game. Also, those with some extra change to spare can take in a field-level, end zone view from the new Optum Field Lounge, where fans can get close to the action during warm-ups. Independent-minded New Englanders also rewarded Robert Kraft for his fight against the NFL over the handling of Bradys suspension: The Patriots ownership ranking spiked 20 spots, to No. 23 overall.Next: Denver Broncos?| Full rankings Patrick Corbin Jersey . Oaklands loss to Seattle clinched the ALs best record for the Red Sox with one day to spare in the regular season. "I think everybody was kind of watching," catcher David Ross said. "Demp (Ryan Dempster) came out before he went to the bullpen and was just yelling that they lost. Yasmany Tomas Jersey . -- Patrick Reed got an early start in golf. http://www.cheapdiamondbacksjerseys.com/ . The showiest items on Calgarys lot were forwards Mike Cammalleri and Lee Stempniak. Both will be unrestricted free agents this summer. Luis Gonzalez Jersey .H. -- Matt Kenseth made it 2 for 2 in the Chase, holding off teammate Kyle Busch to win Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Daniel Descalso Jersey . -- Chicago Bears cornerback Tim Jennings was selected Monday to his second straight Pro Bowl, while guard Kyle Long made it after a solid rookie season. NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The?LSU Tigers?might not have made the NCAA tournament with eventual No. 1 overall NBA draft pick?Ben Simmons?on their roster, but dont tell Johnny Jones that his team failed last season.When youve got a guy like Ben Simmons and all the hype thats surrounding him, it was exciting for us, Jones said of the TIgers 19-14 season during the SECs media day on Wednesday. A lot of positive things happened.Not getting to the NCAA tournament -- that was a disappointment for us. But we dont consider it a disappointing season. ... We did not declare that as a disappointing year for us because we were 8-1 at home [and] again had a tremendous fan base.The previous nine teams that featured the No. 1 pick in that years NBA draft -- eight were freshmen -- reached the NCAA tournament. Five of those squads advanced to the Elite Eight or beyond.Anything that was lacking in last yeears team, you can certainly point at me, Jones said.dddddddddddd Im the head basketball coach.Jones thought his teams top-three finish in the SEC should have ensured an at-large berth in the NCAA tournament field, but LSU just didnt have any control over that.Injuries were a factor, as Jones said Simmons didnt have healing power.?Keith Hornsby, who averaged 13.1 points per game, missed 14?games with a hernia injury.Jones had nonconference losses to College of Charleston and Wake Forest, but he chose Tuesday to focus on the high points.Through it all, not much would I try to change because I thought we had a lot of success on last years team, Jones said. We won a lot of basketball games, was top three in the league. ... So there are a lot of positives. ' ' '