People have various criteria on what makes a state good to live in? Air quality? Traffic? Sports Teams? In State Public Universities? Social Programs? Leniency on various criminal activities? Distance from the border? There is obviously a lot of different things a citizen can look at. What is the American Dream though? You can live in the city or country, plains or the mountains, next to the oceans or the rivers. The American Dream is only one word......EVERYTHING! Yes sir. We want it ALL!!!! Plain and simple. Many ways to get that. Because....
America is made up of different experiences. And the differences in those childhood experiences make up a beautiful menagerie of Americanism. I grew up in a singular experience. An experience most people in America did not have. I grew up on a 7 acre farm complete with the experience of never buying fruits or vegetables. Cherries, Pears, Plums, Apples, Blackberries, Strawberries, Watermelons, and Grapes. Spinach, Corn, Green Beans, Carrots, Tomatoes, Potatoes, Beets, Radishes, Onions, Okra, Lettuce, and Lima Beans. These were the fruits and vegetables we lived off of. We also had a steady supply of deer, turkey, and herring fish. Four wheelin, creek crossin, sleigh ridin, good country fun. True country living. While that was a great childhood experience, You would have to drug my ass to get me to live on a 7 acre farm as an adult!!! I want to drive 3 minutes to a RedBox rather than 20 minutes to a freakin Blockbuster!!! Everyone has their preference of country vs city. I have experienced both. And if you prefer the country, then you are wrong. And I'm sure there may be a disagreement or two on that one. But seeing a recent USA Today article got me thinkin about where its best to live and what singular existence of American culture ALWAYS alligns a better way of life. Naturally I thought of sports....
So the USA Today has come out with a list that attempts to quantify which state is best. The stat used is the average income per person, by state. Showing money per individual per state. Attempting to show the greatness of a state in one statistic. But You can't quantify happiness by money, city, or sports. That's what they tell me at least. I SAY, greatness of a state and city can be linked to SPORTS. Good'ol American sports capitalism at its finest! I SAY, America is Sports! I SAY, Sports is Capitalism! I SAY, Capitalism is America! I SAY, Baseball is freakin Apple Pie, Condoleezza Rice is an NFL Groupie, and Magic Johnson has the cure for AIDS!!!! I SAY, America and the capitalism of Sports in America is as intertwined as liberal/conservative flip flopping of the Rep/Dem parties since their inception!!!! But let me show you the difference in the top 10 compared to the bottom 10 in cities and their relationships with sports. Make your own opinion on how sports affects our nation.
The Top 10 is Connecticut, Mass., NJ, Maryland, NY, Wyoming, VA, Alaska, New Hampshire, and Washington. Sports DEFINITELY correlates to money in top 10 states. Connecticut gets the pass of not having a Pro team because ESPN in located in Bristol. If you're looking for logic, watch CNN... Mass, NJ Maryland, NY, VA and Washington contain 6 MLB teams, 4 NBA teams, 5 NFL teams, and 5 NHL teams!!! The top 10 is loaded with cities whose economy and dreams are built off of professional sports teams. 40yr plumbers, down on their luck Honda salesman, the Wal Mart greeter making ends meet. They ALL live for sports. That $9 ticket to your favorite MLB team that makes that shitty week a little better. That trip you planned for the past month. Crucial tailgate and game at your favorite NFL stadium. You know what I'm talkin about. You've decided to keep your box at the Staples Center. People are buying your shit again. Every fan has their own level of the dream. Their own city. Seems like the top 10 earning cities have a lot of teams. And a lot of fans. And a lot of people who have a complete escape for themselves or their family. And you know the state's economy and money generated from professional sports continuously funnels back into the citizens hands.
Now for the bottom rung. Number 50, going thru the bottom ten, shows you that city, sports, and prosperity is not just a coincidence. At number 50 is the state of Mississippi. And continuing down we have Idaho, Utah, West Virginia, Arkansas, South Carolina, Kentucky, New Mexico, Alabama, and Indiana. Who wants to live in any of those states? Anyone? anyone? don't be shy! The correlation of sports, escapism, the middle class of America, and happiness is intertwined like social oppression is to the fabric of American politics. 0 MLB teams, 2 NBA teams, 1 NFL teams, and 0 NHL teams. Is it any wonder they are on the bottom 10 of average income in America? Come On Man!!!!
The point is this...Not liking any sports means that you don't like America. The sports culture of America, its dreams, its capitalism, its never say die attitude is EXACTLY what America is. And if you are a person that cant appreciate any mainstream American sport then I say...You are a Commie and i am putting you on my list of people to report to Hoover and McCarthy!!! I'm Just Sayin.
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