Lowell Cohn: The Bay Area team everyone's talking about

What pro sports franchises around here create the most interest? Buzz. Emails. Comments on my Twitter.

Not talking about the best teams, the most worthy teams, the most deserving teams or the most admirable teams. Not talking about won-lost record or quality of franchise. Nothing like that. Talking about teams that generate interest. I admit my conclusions are based on my experience only and are gloriously unscientific.

One other thing. All teams are in action right now. That includes three Warriors in Rio. We have a news hook here, as serious journalists say. Note: this list does not include the Sharks because I don’t cover them.

Here’s the ranking in reverse order. Meaning it starts with the team that generates the least interest and then moves upward toward the winner.

No. 5: Oakland A’s, hands down. Oakland A’s, in a class by themselves. Oakland A’s, the only team in this group in the Hall of Shame.

The A’s are not interesting. A’s ownership makes sure of that. The A’s rarely contend. A’s ownership makes sure of that.

The A’s just rid themselves of Josh Reddick. Good guy. Very good player. Fan favorite. The A’s are currently playing the Cubs - best record in the majors. The Cubs, who have Addison Russell, at one time the A’s top prospect, and Ben Zobrist, on the A’s a while last season. So sad. So pointless.

The A’s always rid themselves of good players like a crazy old lady throwing her fancy dresses in the garbage can. The A’s always get young players in return. Players you never heard of. The A’s always are building toward the future. The future constantly recedes. The future never arrives.

If the A’s leave Oakland, will anyone notice?

No. 4: Oakland Raiders. This low ranking is unfair and could change real fast. The Raiders are on this chart with a bullet next to their name. Being in the?NFL makes them a big deal. Their fan-interest ceiling could be the highest of any team on this list. A playoff year will launch them.

They have a serious offense and a serious defense that will hurt opponents. They have a serious coach. They are serious. To move up this list, they must finish the season at least 10-6. They must make the playoffs. Maybe win a playoff game. All possible. They are a shooting star. The sports world notices them. The Raiders should make the teams above them on this list tremble.

No. 3: San Francisco Giants. Seems strange to put the three-time world champs in third place. That’s life in the big time. The two teams above them create more interest according to me.

Maybe people take the Giants for granted. Maybe the Giants get hurt by their crummy and entirely unforeseen second half.

The Giants are a first-class franchise. Make all the right moves. Never throw in the towel like the A’s, chronic towel throwers. The Giants will make the playoffs. May win the World Series, although their starting pitchers seem tired - even Madison Bumgarner - and they don’t hit with power. Could be a passing phase. It’s just that one team recently vaulted past them in the Fan Interest Department.

No. 2: Golden State Warriors. They are the sports phenomenon in the Bay Area. Came from nowhere - and I mean nowhere - to become a notable franchise in American sports.

This is how good they are. People talk about the Warriors during their offseason.

That’s when you know you’ve arrived, when fans talk about you 24/7,?12 months a year. When you transcend your season. The Warriors’ season never seems to end. They play in the Finals, rest about a week and then go to training camp.

Doesn’t hurt that the Warriors have four superstars - Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and Kevin Durant.

Doesn’t hurt that the Warriors got Durant and other teams didn’t. Doesn’t hurt that the Warriors loom large on the Olympic team. Doesn’t hurt that the Warriors always sell out their arena. Doesn’t hurt that the Warriors will build a glittering palace in San Francisco.

Doesn’t hurt that, although the Warriors lost in the championship series, it feels like they won. Like they didn’t blow that 3-1 lead to the Cavs. They don’t act like a team that lost. Don’t hang their heads like a team that lost. They improve. They move on. The world watches.

No. 1: San Francisco (sort of) 49ers. The Niners are by far the biggest topic, attract the most readers to anything I write. To anything any Bay Area sports writer writes.

The Niners are proof that quality of franchise and quality of team don’t matter. The Niners put their stadium in the wrong city. Doesn’t matter. Ran down a team that played in three consecutive NFC championship games. Doesn’t matter. Ran off a great coach and replaced him with a clown. Doesn’t matter. Lucky to win four or five games this season. Doesn’t matter.

Everything they do is news. Colin Kaepernick throws a pick in practice. News.

Blaine Gabbert throws a touchdown pass in practice. News. Anthony Davis decides football isn’t so bad after all, returns to team. News. They have a new coach, Chip Kelly, third coach in three seasons. News.

Why are the Niners so popular? So important.

They were the first major professional sports franchise in the Bay Area. Started operating in 1946. History counts for something. When Eddie DeBartolo ran them, they were among the best franchises in America. Rivaled the New York Yankees. Renown counts for something. They play in the NFL. NFL counts for something.

They had Joe Montana and Jerry Rice and Steve Young and Bill Walsh. Superstars that still shine. Superstars count for something.

The current 49ers don’t deserve first place on this list, not if life is fair, not if performance matters. But the Niners firmly hold first place. Own it. Not even close.

For more on the world of sports in general and the Bay Area in particular, go to the Cohn Zohn at cohn.blogs.pressdemocrat.com. You can reach Staff Columnist Lowell Cohn at lowell.cohn@pressdemocrat.com.