Being a Tampa Bay sports fan these days is a pretty good gig. Not as good as Boston, but not as bad as across Alligator Alley. A little food for thought as the Rays head to the Big Apple, another fine place to be a sports fan. The five best and worst cities to be a sports fan these days.
Five best places to be a fan
1. Boston
They have the defending champs in baseball and basketball. And they should have had the defending champs in football. Even still, that football team has won three Super Bowls this decade and looks poised to win one or two more.
2. Tampa Bay
We have the story in baseball with the miracle Rays. The Bucs are a playoff team. And, for a last-place hockey team, the Lightning sure keeps things interesting. Throw in the Bulls, Gators, the Super Bowl, the ACC football championship, a new bowl game and last season’s college hoops tournaments and we have it pretty good.
3. Los Angeles-Anaheim
No pro football, but the college team (USC) more than makes up for that as perennial national contenders. The Lakers went to the NBA Finals, the Ducks won a Stanley Cup just two seasons ago, and there's an outside chance of a SoCal World Series with the mighty Angels and a Dodgers team that is in a weak division.
4. Detroit
Watch out, here come the Tigers. Sure, you have to sit through Matt Millen's awful Lions, but at least you have a really good basketball team (the Pistons) and hockey's best team during the past 15 years (the Cup-winning Red Wings) to get you through the winter.
5. New York
You have nine teams in the metro area and two of the legendary venues -- Yankee Stadium and Madison Square Garden. The Giants won the Super Bowl, the Rangers are Cup contenders, and the Yankees, Mets and Devils are always in the hunt. The baseball All-Star Game will be there next week, new stadiums are being built for the Yanks and Mets, and the Nets are moving to Brooklyn soon.
Five worst places to be a fan
1. Atlanta
Michael Vick turned the Falcons into a joke. The Braves' run is over with only one world title to show for it. The hockey team stinks. Put it this way, when the highlight of your sports year is the basketball team losing a seven-game series in the first round, then you spend a lot of nights watching cable.
2. Cleveland
Great city. Lots of famous players in history. Exciting NBA player in LeBron James. An up-and-coming football team. A cool baseball stadium. So what's the problem? They haven't needed a victory parade route in 44 years. The last time Cleveland won a pro title in a major sport was when the Browns won in 1964. The Indians haven't won the World Series since 1948.
3. Miami
The Marlins are a nice little story, but you have to sit in a football stadium to watch them. After that, not only are the Miami teams bad -- they're baaaad. The NHL Panthers haven't made the playoffs in eight years and haven't won a playoff game since 1997. Meantime, the Dolphins and Heat combined to go 16-82 in their most recent seasons.
4. Seattle
The football team is just good enough to lose in the playoffs. The baseball team was supposed to be a contender but instead already has fired its manager and GM and owns the worst record in the AL. The best hope was a young basketball team that looks to have a good future. Oh yeah, that future won't be in Seattle. It moved to Oklahoma City last week.
5. Philadelphia
The Philly teams always seem to be sniffing around the playoffs, but they almost never win the big one. The Phillies have won one World Series in more than 100 years and that was 28 years ago. The Eagles have never won a Super Bowl and haven't won an NFL title since JFK was in the White House. The Flyers have won't a Cup since 1975, and the Sixers won the city's most recent championship -- 25 years ago!
Tom Jones doesn't sing "It's Not Unusual'' or shake his hips (well, unless you're willing to pay cash), but he does have plenty to say about sports. If it's funny, crazy, weird, irreverent or worth arguing, Tom has his opinions. So pull up a chair and get his two cents -- and give him your two cents, as well.
E-mail Tom Jones:
Tampa #2?
Are you insane?
Posted by: Chris | July 07, 2008 at 09:12 PM
Tom-
You know, a shrink might offer you some telling observations about your Atlanta fixation.
Posted by: tractorhappy | July 07, 2008 at 09:45 PM
Got a better choice than Tampa at #2?
Posted by: Scott | July 07, 2008 at 09:46 PM
I agree, I have lived here for 15 years and have been to the Superbowl, seen the lightning win the Stanley Cup, watched a new football team called The Bulls come out of nowhere to become a contender, spring training, the sweet 16 playoffs, boat racing, iron man competitions and now The Rays...Chris, why don't you name a better place fool! And I moved here from Boston...go RAYS!
Posted by: Marc | July 07, 2008 at 10:20 PM
As much as I hate the Yankees, New York should be #2.
And the last time I checked, the Gators don't play in Tampa Bay. May as well count UGA for Atlanta, Fresno State for LA, and Ohio State for Cleveland.
Posted by: Andy | July 07, 2008 at 11:50 PM
you know the philly part of the article really makes me feel pitiful towards that city, guess i'm feelin the "brotherly love", i think they're long overdue for a title but they're gonna have to keep waitin cuz once Mcnabb goes out of that town they'll be waitin another 20+ years to get back to the Superbowl, just to (cough cough)choke(or get choked) again
Posted by: shane | July 08, 2008 at 12:14 AM
Don't forget the Storm! Now if we could just get the "new" Rowdies to schedule their home games around those of the Rays!... that would just leave the Magic.
Posted by: JDM | July 08, 2008 at 02:31 AM
Worst list ever.
This just in: No one cares about USF except the losers who go/went there.
A list like this doesn't work if 99% of the country laughs out loud when they get to #2.
Posted by: Chuck | July 08, 2008 at 03:43 AM
Hey Chuck...go back up North ya loser
Posted by: steve | July 08, 2008 at 06:24 AM
I didn't know the Gators were in Tampa? I guess they should be since that is the only school you focus on.
Posted by: Rit-Dee | July 08, 2008 at 06:59 AM
Tampa Bay at #2???????????
That was ALMOST as inaccurate of a story as the 10 reasons to hate the Red Sox piece you did. Get your facts straight. Wow, your clueless.
Posted by: daren | July 08, 2008 at 07:02 AM
And Miami being on the worst list? Didn't they win a championship two years ago and picked up a good player in Beasley? They Marlins have two championships right? How many does Tampabay have? Yeah things age looking up but being #2 is a bit much.
Posted by: Clipse | July 08, 2008 at 07:05 AM
Come on guys, don't you realize that the Gainesville Sun South Edit.... errr, the St Pete Times exists to pimp the mighty gators? Who cares that they're 2+ hours away and the hoops and football titles are faded from RECENT PERFORMANCE ... it's the good ole fightin' gators of F-L-O-R-I-D-A ... where the men are strong and goats run scared.
Gotta go now ... there's a nice space-consuming infommerical by Antonio English about UF's budget I need to read this morning.
Posted by: Gator Honks Everywhere | July 08, 2008 at 07:55 AM
2+ hours away? NO PROBLEM ... doesn't stop Antonio English from writing space-consuming pro UF articles for the Gainesville Sun South Edition ... errr, I mean the St Pete Times!
What a great article that was today ... doesn't everyone care to read two pages with full color pics about their budget?
Gotta go put my Tim Tebow PJ's in the wash and pull my jean shorts out of the dryer for work ... the foreman will be mad if I'm too late!
Posted by: Gator Honks Everywhere | July 08, 2008 at 07:58 AM
Is this article serious? Tampa the 2nd best sports town in America? LOL
Posted by: flsportsfan83 | July 08, 2008 at 08:22 AM
hey, philly may not have won a championship in a realllllyyyyy long time, but at least any one of their team is guaranteed to make the playoffs and most of them make it to the big game before choking it away. but at least they make it there. i've been here 20 years and i can remember at times when none of the teams were in post season. love the gators, but they're not in tampa. like the bulls, but really. and i have a real problem with tampa being #2 when opposing team fans regularly fill the stadiums around here.
Posted by: Heckler | July 08, 2008 at 08:36 AM
"Losers that go/went to USF". What in the world is that supposed to mean? Would you still be calling me a loser when I am saving your life in the ER? Yeah...I went to USF and yeah I am a doctor. What's your occupation there Mr. Smarty-pants??
Thought so....
Posted by: Matt | July 08, 2008 at 08:56 AM
>>>Don't forget the Storm!<<<
why, is there something special about minor league indoor "football?"
Posted by: joe hillman | July 08, 2008 at 09:18 AM
Miami has 5 Championships, Tampa has 2.
Who has the better Sports city?
Posted by: flsportsfan83 | July 08, 2008 at 09:35 AM
OK, so we couldn't get into UF or FSU but give us some respect!
We're just like Texas now that we do that cool "hook 'em horns" thing with our fingers!
Posted by: USF Bull | July 08, 2008 at 09:53 AM
flsportsfan83: that is an easy question
south florida is eliminated from all conversations about sports "fans" when they can't even sell out an NFL playoff game
nice try ... come back when your skin isn't so thin
Posted by: ThE aNsWeR gUy | July 08, 2008 at 09:55 AM
The Fins did sell out that Colts game, it was just past the blackout deadline, however the Bucs needed help from the 20-35k Giants fans that invaded RJS last year for the playoff's.
Posted by: flsportsfan83 | July 08, 2008 at 10:10 AM
Last I checked...USF was more difficult to get into than FSU. I hardly think USF gets FSU rejects!
Posted by: Steve | July 08, 2008 at 10:31 AM
>>>The Fins did sell out that Colts game, it was just past the blackout deadline<<<
oh, ok. it seemed as if quite a few people that game were disguised as orange seats then.
Posted by: joe hillman | July 08, 2008 at 10:35 AM
Steve: go check the US News & World Report National College rankings ... FSU is a nationally ranked university --- USF, on the other hand, comes in as a third tier school
FSU is MUCH tougher to get into than usf ... everyone knows that [but those confined to commuter u.]
Posted by: Chief Osceola | July 08, 2008 at 10:47 AM
How did I get into FSU and turned down from USF?
Posted by: FSU student | July 08, 2008 at 11:06 AM
words cannot describe how retarded this blog is. there is nothing funnier for a dolphans than talking football with bucs fans... you guys hate us with such a passion, yet we couldnt care less about your joke of a team. how many hall of famers do you guys have compared to the dolphins (thats 9-1)? how many rings?
im not saying that miami should even be considered as a top sports town now... its been pretty miserable the last year or so, but with the exception of hockey, our franchises are way more prestigious than yours.
and the gators arent in your market... thats a good thing for you.
as espn once said, tampa is just a poor mans miami.
Posted by: tampa is a joke | July 08, 2008 at 11:47 AM
Tom, double check your dates. I believe you will find that JFK was President-ELECT when the Eagles won their last NFL championship. The season ended earlier in those days. That would make Eisenhower Presidents which sounds better for your point.
Posted by: Joe | July 08, 2008 at 11:53 AM
hola amigos ... no speaka da ingles muy bien ... and we no go to support DollFins --- they not so good fotball team
i no read mucho either ...
but i did git into honurs program at USF!!!
Posted by: Pedro Gonzalez Lopez Diaz | July 08, 2008 at 12:41 PM
I come from my trailor pack for every Bucs game. I sit in the uperdeck with my buddies from the trailor park.
Posted by: Tampa fan | July 08, 2008 at 01:04 PM
I cant find my teeth.
Posted by: I Live in Tampa | July 08, 2008 at 01:06 PM
>>>words cannot describe how retarded this blog is. there is nothing funnier for a dolphans than talking football with bucs fans... you guys hate us with such a passion, yet we couldnt care less about your joke of a team. how many hall of famers do you guys have compared to the dolphins (thats 9-1)? how many rings? <<<
you make a good point.
Posted by: john riggins | July 08, 2008 at 01:26 PM
How many championships have the devil rays won? Hmm... not as many as the Marlins. This article clearly indicates why Tampa is a small market city with small market teams. Come to MIA and we'll show how a big market city works, like winning championships instead hoping to just make the playoffs.
Posted by: sdg | July 08, 2008 at 02:18 PM
I am a huge Rays fan. But I cant name a player on the team 3 years ago.
Posted by: Rays fan | July 08, 2008 at 02:24 PM
The FREAKING GAYTRURDS ARE NOT IN TAMPA.
GO BULLS GO RAYS. DIE GAYTURDS, NOLES, and CANES
Posted by: Gary | July 08, 2008 at 02:31 PM
I just heard Wade Boggs played here? Were we good then? He is my new fav all time RAy
Posted by: Rays fan | July 08, 2008 at 03:40 PM
we got futbol team in norte habana?
my cusin tell me that rays give miami mullets a tony montana style beat down dis year
Posted by: Julio Diaz Castro de La Cruz | July 08, 2008 at 04:13 PM
We've got the best view in town!
We're always EMPTY ... no matter what season it is!
We're cozy even when we make the playoffs ... plenty of room for all of us
Posted by: Stadium Seats in South Florida | July 08, 2008 at 04:14 PM
1997-2007 (2008 still an open question):
Miami:
College Football Championship
2 World Series Championships
1 NBA Championship
Posted by: Eric Wiener` | July 08, 2008 at 06:38 PM
am I a Weiner, a Wiener or a Whiner?
one thing's for sure, we might have won aa couple titles, but nobody still supported the team
the most fickle fans in America reside here .... SOUTH FLORIDA
where we care more about suntans, liposuction and breast augmentation
Posted by: Eric Whiner | July 09, 2008 at 10:01 AM
Tom:
The Rays have lost two in a row. Must have been the fault of the Sox huh?
Posted by: Tom | July 10, 2008 at 08:04 AM
Tampa at #2 is a complete joke, at least they got Boston right. The Rays are already back to their old ways, fading fast...cowbells should not be allowed into baseball games. There is an unwritten rule in sports that fans make their own noise, don't bring in something to make fake noise. And cowbells, really? what do cowbells have anything to do with Tampa? I would understand the U of Nebraska bringing cowbells to football games, but why dont you come out and tap on some fishing poles or some Medicare checks? that is if you could produce more than 12K fans at a game that didn't feature the Sox, yanks, or cubs. Tampa is a joke.
Posted by: AJwontanswermyTextsthesedays | July 15, 2008 at 07:23 AM
Los Angeles has been named
the City of the Sports 10 years straight
It's just that Boston won the nba and nfl this year or Los Angeles would've won again
Los Angeles has the Ducks,Lakers,Clippers,Bruins,Warriors
and if Los Angeles isn't the sports city
than California is the sports state
because they have the most championship winner teams
Posted by: Mike | August 25, 2008 at 03:45 PM
Cleveland should be #1 worst place. I mean come on 44 years. Atlanta at least one World Series in the last 44 years. Miami has won a championship in the NBA. No look at the flop of their basketball and baseball teams (And their football team isn't that far behind this season.)
Posted by: Bob | August 25, 2008 at 05:59 PM