AFC East
City: Buffalo, New York
Population: 1.2 (metro)
Distance: 900 miles
I'll be honest, here is what I knew about Buffalo before this search: They have an NFL team and I am fairly certain Buffalo Wings originated there. Outside of that, I'm pretty clueless. Still, there's something inherently cool about a small city the size of Buffalo having an NFL team. It doesn't really add up but it may be the one thing that distinguishes the team the most. However, to be honest, I don't think Buffalo is a trip that I would plan to make were there no NFL team in the city, and I'm not sure how easy of a trip it is even at this point. But the uniqueness of the city in comparison to other NFL cities (outside of maybe Green Bay) is worth something, and where would we be without Buffalo wings?
7/15
City: Miami, FL
Population: 5.4 million (metro)
Distance: 807 miles
I haven't technically been to Miami, but do I really have to go to make this ranking? It's Miami? The weather is going to be awesome, the beaches are incredible, and I'm pretty sure it's not a town you're going to get bored in. If I plan it just right, I could head to Miami for a home game, head out the next morning on a cruise, then come back just in time to catch another game before heading home. How's that for a vacation? The downside? Not sure this would help my "saving for retirement" plan.
12/15
City: Foxborough, MA
Population: 16,298k (but really 4 mil in Boston metro area)
Distance: 1,163 miles
Yes, the New England Patriots are technically in Foxborough, but if I'm visiting the team, I'm probably going to be spending my time in Boston. Boston's a great city to spend a weekend in. Easy to get to, good food, all kinds of history, plenty to do, etc. There is a downside to the city, however, and that is a green-clad basketball team that calls it home. As with San Francisco and the Dodgers, can I rightfully full-heartedly love the Lakers while giving another piece of my heart to a team that shares a city with their arch-rival? Is it fair to penalize the entire city for that? Yes. Yes it is.
8/15
City: New York City
Population: 19.0 million (metro)
Distance: 962 miles
I've only been to NYC one time, and I've got to admit, I was completely in awe the entire time. I only spent a few days there and feel like I only saw about 1/10th of what I wanted to see. I don't think there is any real reason to expound on what all is cool about New York, but I just know as soon as I left I was already trying to plan a trip back up there. Still, it's not a quick or inexpensive trip to make, but I stand by the fact that as you get closer to Christmas, there's not a better city to be in (and that mindset is very much influenced by Home Alone 2)
12/15
What happened to not being biased? You seem to have an LA sports teams rivalry bias. Not saying that Boston deserved a better score but I don't think your love for the Lakers and hate for the Celtics should count against Boston. You'll be choosing a football team, not the other pro teams that share the same city.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous - It's a good question and I have to admit I debated on how it should count. When it comes down to it, though, I can't separate sports teams from a city (which is why I'm scoring this category to begin with). I am being unbiased against the Patriots, but that doesn't mean that my existing thoughts/feelings towards the city they play in won't be a factor. I know, it's a fine line, but it is a factor.
ReplyDeleteBut, to be honest, it didn't really hurt Boston's score that much (or San Fran's).