Dat's right -- the New Orleans Saints!

Baseball purists don’t want to hear this, but the fact that a team such from teeny, tiny market has even a remote chance to dominate its sport explains the popularity of football throughout the country these days. Super Bowl XLIV attracted a record 106.5 million television viewers -- or slightly less than the number that watched the six games of the 2009 World Series combined.

In the last five seasons, mid-market teams from New Orleans, Phoenix, Seattle, Indianapolis and Pittsburgh appeared in the Super Bowl at least once. In MLB, at least one of the usual suspects took part in 11 of the last 12 World Series -- Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and New York.

Seriously, what will happen first – a Milwaukee Brewers-Seattle Mariners Fall Classic or Sauerkraut Saul to be eaten alive?

Here’s the part that I don’t understand: Unlike the NFL, which believes it is only as strong as its weakest link, MLB allows four franchises to dictate the rules for the 26 others, basically. Team president Frank Coonelly conceded as much at PirateFest the other day. The Boston Red $ox, New York Yankee$, Los Angeles Angel$ and Los Angeles Dodger$ were the only teams that opposed a salary cap, he said, while the others were in favor of one to various degrees.

At any rate, the collective bargaining agreement is scheduled to expire after the 2011 season, which leaves the players association and the club owners with a decision to make soon. Do they still want to cater to the select few that give them the most bang for their buck right now? Or do they want to do what’s best for the sport as a whole and ensure its growth and stability in the years to come?

Bet I know how at least 106.5 million people would vote right about now.