This story is part of ESPN The Magazines Oct. 31 NBA Preview Issue. Subscribe today!Cincinnati RedsOverall: 81 Title track: 83 Ownership: 106 Coaching: 121 Players: 100 Fan relations: 99 Affordability: 43 Stadium experience: 60 Bang for the buck: 27 Change from last year: -18The Reds have taken a massive plunge in the rankings since 2013, from 11th to 81st overall, in large part because theyve gone from a 90-win team to a 68-win punching bag. Theyve come to grips with the realization that long-term success is a product of scouting and player development. The question remains: Can the fan base deal with that?Whats goodThe Reds average ticket price of $22.01 is the fourth-lowest in the game, behind that of only Arizona, Atlanta and Tampa Bay, so they continue to rank high in affordability (43rd overall) and bang for the buck (27th). They also fare relatively well in stadium experience, even though the Great American Ball Park experience dropped from 37th to 60th this season, amidst all those bullpen implosions. No matter the final score, Reds fans are privileged to enjoy the hitting artistry of first baseman Joey Votto, who logged a ridiculous .408/.490/.668 slash line after the All-Star break. When Votto is locked in at the plate, its easier for Reds fans to forget that he has a guaranteed $179 million left on his contract.Whats badThe Reds biggest obstacle to success is the stacked field in the NL Central. The Cubs are a juggernaut, St. Louis isnt going anywhere, Pittsburgh has one of the best-run operations in the game, and Milwaukee is building a killer farm system. As such, its hard to see a return to success in Cincinnati without some serious short-term pain. And wheres the stability? The Reds signed manager Bryan Price -- who was ranked the second-worst manager in all of sports by fans -- to a one-year deal with an option for a second year, but the rumblings about his job security are likely to resume if the team gets off to another slow start next season. GM Dick Williams is trying to make his mark, but president of baseball ops Walt Jocketty continues to run the show, and owner Bob Castellini (ranked 106th overall) is no wallflower.Whats newSince the Reds won two NL Central titles in three years in 2010 and 2012, the residual warmth fans had for owner Bob Castellini has faded. Hes down 45 spots this year to 106th. Now, Jay Bruce, Todd Frazier, Johnny Cueto and Mike Leake are gone, and Brandon Phillips has one year left on his contract. Its a full-scale transition for the Reds, who have to hope Billy Hamilton, Adam Duvall and the young pitchers can perform well enough to inspire faith among the fan base. Cincinnatis attendance dropped from 2.4 million in 2015 to a tick under 1.9 million this season, and Reds die-hards will buy in only if they see a vision for contention moving forward. The scouting and player development route is the only way for the franchise to return to relevance, but no one ever said it was easy.Next: New York Mets?| Full rankings Buy Shoes Ireland . Just as Montreal was settling into the first full working week of a new year, the Impact announced the appointment of their new head coach. Discount Shoes Ireland . -- Timbers coach Caleb Porter didnt stray from his business-like approach to the season even after Portland downed the two-time defending league champion Los Angeles Galaxy to gain crucial playoff position. https://www.shoesirelandsale.com/ . Detroit and Boston are deadlocked, 1-1, and Tigers manager Jim Leyland could be forgiven if he was caught rationalizing instead of dissecting how his club could blow a 5-1 lead late in Game 2. Cheap Shoes Ireland Online . "I wrote 36 on my sheet at the beginning of the game," the Cincinnati coach said, referring the yard line the ball would need to be snapped from. Wholesale Shoes Ireland . McCarthy, a player who played some games in the second tier for Wigan at the start of this season, would go on to shine inside Evertons midfield, outplaying the man he was brought in to replace, on one of the grandest stages in English football. On Saturday, it was fitting that Manchester Uniteds most recent dagger into the chest was delivered by Frenchman Yohan Cabaye, a wonderfully gifted central midfielder who put on an outstanding effort for Newcastle at Old Trafford. KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Tyreek Hill didnt know what to do when he started hearing thousands of people in Arrowhead Stadium chanting his name, even as he stood all alone on the frozen turf waiting for the punt.Just give them what they want, I guess, Hill thought to himself.So he did, the rookie speedster taking the punt back 78-yards for a game-changing touchdown. It followed shortly after he had hauled in a 36-yard touchdown grab, spurring Kansas City to a 21-13 victory over the Oakland Raiders on a frosty Thursday night and into control of the AFC West.It gave me chills on the sideline, said Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith, who had 261 yards passing with a touchdown and an interception. The whole stadium is chanting his name and he answers -- that was one of the coolest things Ive seen, for sure.The Chiefs (10-3) and Raiders (10-3), longtime and bitter rivals, are now tied atop the division, but Kansas City has the tiebreaker by virtue of two head-to-head wins this season.This was as big as it gets for a regular-season game, Smith said. We dont get caught up in all the must-win stuff, thats not how we operate, but we knew the stakes for sure.Charcandrick West added a touchdown run and Travis Kelce had five catches for 101 yards as the Chiefs returned from a back-to-back road wins to beat Oakland for the seventh time in eight meetings.It came at a big cost, though: The Chiefs lost Derrick Johnson for the rest of the season after the star linebacker ruptured his left Achilles just before halftime.I felt a little bit of a letdown when it happened, Chiefs coach Andy Reid acknowledged, but the last thing D.J. would have wanted was a letdown.Derek Carr was just 17 of 41 for 117 yards passing for Oakland, but the ugly line wasnt entirely his fault. Seth Roberts dropped just about everything thrown at him, Amari Cooper couldnt adjust to a long throw for a would-be touchdown early in the fourth quarter, and several more passes were dropped to the rock-hard turf of Arrowhead Stadium on a night when wind chills approached single digits.Latavius Murry led the Raiders with 103 yards rushing and a touchdown.I liked our effort, just didnt like the execution, said Jack Del Rio, who remained winless in four tries against Kansas City as the Raiders coach. In all three phases we came up a little short.That includes the way they defended Hill, one of the games bright young stars.He scorched the Raiders for a 36-yard TD reception before bringing his punt back, in the process becoming the first rookie since Gale Sayers in 1965 with touchdowns on the ground, through the air and on punt and kickoff returns in a single season.I didnt knoow that, he said.ddddddddddddI mean, thats great, but Im not the only one on that field doing it. Without those guys blocking for me, and Alex throwing me the rock, none of that stuff would happen.It was still 21-3 when Johnson went down, and his injury seemed to briefly deflate the Kansas City defense. Oakland proceeded to march 92 yards for its lone touchdown just before halftime.But the Raiders kept coming up empty with their chances in the second half.Smith threw a pick on the second play of the third quarter, but Oakland had to settle for a field goal. And when Smith was strip-sacked by Khalil Mack on the next play, the Raiders again had to try a field goal -- only this time, holder Marquette King couldnt get the snap down.The Raiders last chance came with about two minutes left, when a questionable pass interference penalty and a fourth-and-4 conversion got them deep into Kansas City territory. But after a false start on fourth-and-1, Carrs pass toward the end zone was batted incomplete.The Chiefs went on to pick up the first down they needed to put the game away.It was definitely a bad night. Theres no getting around that, Carr said. I hate to have the bad night come on this one, right? Out of all the games that weve had. Obviously, we didnt do enough.CATCHING KELCEKelce has had at least 100 yards receiving in four straight games, matching the franchise record set by Tony Gonzalez. The only tight end with such a streak is Jimmy Graham, who has done it twice.MACK DADDYMack had a strip-sack for the third straight game, and a sack in his eighth straight dating to the Raiders loss to Kansas City in October. That matches Lance Johnstone for the longest streak in franchise history since sacks became official in 1982.INJURIESJohnson appeared to know he had ruptured his Achilles the moment he went down. He ruptured his other Achilles in 2014 and missed the remainder of that season. ... Defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches left with back spasms and did not return.Raiders offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele was a late scratch with an illness that sent him to the hospital, though Del Rio said hell be able to travel home with the team. Safety Karl Joseph was inactive with a toe injury and defensive tackle Stacy McGee was sidelined by an ankle injury.UP NEXTOakland remains in the AFC West when it heads to slumping San Diego on Dec. 18.Kansas City continues its three-game homestand Dec. 18 against Tennessee.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '
