Hey everyone, hope you had a good day or are about to have one.
Music to listen to: Mama by Genesis
I told y’all that I got the greatest hits by Genesis over the weekend and have been playing it hard since then. By the way, Phil isn’t singing about the type of Mama that you may be thinking of.
Crush of the Day: This is going to be done differently this time around, you will see.
I asked in my Reflections yesterday if it was time for me to move away from Nashville. I stated that:
“Is it time for me to move away from Nashville? I’m not married, don’t have a girlfriend, completely single, no children and no major commitments here besides some friends. Should this be a time for me to move away from here. Atlanta would be the easy solution, especially with my mother, brother, sister-in-law, niece, nephews, aunts, uncles, you get the idea living there. However, if I’m going to make a major move, this is the time.”I still thing a day later that this is true.
Here are the criteria for the potential city of choice:
a) I would prefer that it’s not in the Northeast. Grew up there, love it, need something different.
b) At least two professional teams and/or solid college sports scene. I do work in sports management after all.
c) The majority of my family lives in New York City, Atlanta, Dallas and South Carolina. I love my family and would like to be near them but I’m also a loner so moving across the country away from them doesn’t concern me greatly.
d) I’ve never been to any of the places that are going to be listed accept Baltimore and San Antonio, so I have no personal experiences with any of them.
e) Grew up in New York but that was too big, like the size of Nashville even though it feels too small at times and Atlanta is slightly too condensed.
f) I want it to be a known place but not cliché. That’s why you won’t see Dallas, LA, Miami, Chicago, Detroit, etc. on the list. Those are nice cities but I want to go with something different.
g) I don’t like the Eastern Time Zone. I have my reasons so that going to be a factor.
Ok, that’s the criteria. Let’s get to the cities
1) Denver
Nickname: The Mile High City is solid. I don’t like The 303 or D-Town
Sports scene: Very solid. You have the Rockies, Avalanche, Nuggets and the Broncos, all four major North American sports represented. Furthermore, you have the Rapids, so MLS is represented as well.
College scene is ok with Colorado about an hour away and the University of Denver in the Sun Belt Conference. I can see MTSU play once in a while. Also, good hockey with the Pioneers.
Social/cultural scene: Denver seems like a chill place, not too big, not too small. One thing that I would like to do more of is get involved with nature and I think that I can go on a lot of hikes if I wanted.
Weather: I haven’t been through a solid winter in a while and Nashville doesn’t count. I would have to get used to shoveling snow.
Eye candy/celebrity factor/music: Denver is lacking in this department.
Eve Torres of WWE fame is from there, which is nice.
Other celebrities that I could kick it with there include India.Arie, Carmelo Anthony, LenDale White, 2 Cold Scorpio, Don Cheadle and the band The Fray.
Food known for: I’m not really sure what type of food Denver is known for.
Population: City population is around 600,000 and Greater area is around 2.5 million. OK number.
Famous sports icon: John Elway. I approve.
Likelihood of moving here (1 out of 10): A solid 7
2) Vancouver
Motto: By Sea, Land, and Air We Prosper. Respect.
Sports scene: Its all about hockey. The Canucks are the main draw. They also have an excellent USL team in the Whitecaps who will soon become part of the MLS. They also have the BC Lions, which is the CFL team. That would take some adjusting not being near an NFL team.
I’m not familiar with their college scene.
Social/cultural scene: I’ve heard good things about the Canadian town. I like that its in the northwest so it shares the same common aspects of Denver. It seems like a culturally diverse area, which is welcomed by me after growing up in New York.
Weather: Better bring a thick coat.
Odd fact: Vancouver is home to the longest running Ukrainian radio program, Nash Holos. Good to know.
Eye candy/celebrity factor/music: This city is pretty loaded.
My girl Sarah Chalke is from this city. Granted she was born in Ottawa but raised in Vancouver.
Yeah, Kristin Kreuk is from there too.
If I visit the city, I could also hang out with Bryan Adams, Pam Anderson, Michael Buble, Ryan Reynolds, Tommy Chong, Hayden Christensen, Justin Morneau…
Grace Park is from there as well. This is ridiculous.
Jason Priesley, Seth Rogan, Missy Peregrym, Larry Walker, this list goes on.
Food known for: I’m blank on this one
Famous sports icon: I guess you could go with Trevor Linden. I have no beef with him.
Likelihood of moving here: 2 out of 10. It would be a tough go for me to not only move to that part of the country but to Canada nonetheless. However, I think the next city may have a better chance.
Music to listen to: Mama by Genesis
I told y’all that I got the greatest hits by Genesis over the weekend and have been playing it hard since then. By the way, Phil isn’t singing about the type of Mama that you may be thinking of.
Crush of the Day: This is going to be done differently this time around, you will see.
I asked in my Reflections yesterday if it was time for me to move away from Nashville. I stated that:
“Is it time for me to move away from Nashville? I’m not married, don’t have a girlfriend, completely single, no children and no major commitments here besides some friends. Should this be a time for me to move away from here. Atlanta would be the easy solution, especially with my mother, brother, sister-in-law, niece, nephews, aunts, uncles, you get the idea living there. However, if I’m going to make a major move, this is the time.”I still thing a day later that this is true.
Here are the criteria for the potential city of choice:
a) I would prefer that it’s not in the Northeast. Grew up there, love it, need something different.
b) At least two professional teams and/or solid college sports scene. I do work in sports management after all.
c) The majority of my family lives in New York City, Atlanta, Dallas and South Carolina. I love my family and would like to be near them but I’m also a loner so moving across the country away from them doesn’t concern me greatly.
d) I’ve never been to any of the places that are going to be listed accept Baltimore and San Antonio, so I have no personal experiences with any of them.
e) Grew up in New York but that was too big, like the size of Nashville even though it feels too small at times and Atlanta is slightly too condensed.
f) I want it to be a known place but not cliché. That’s why you won’t see Dallas, LA, Miami, Chicago, Detroit, etc. on the list. Those are nice cities but I want to go with something different.
g) I don’t like the Eastern Time Zone. I have my reasons so that going to be a factor.
Ok, that’s the criteria. Let’s get to the cities
1) Denver
Nickname: The Mile High City is solid. I don’t like The 303 or D-Town
Sports scene: Very solid. You have the Rockies, Avalanche, Nuggets and the Broncos, all four major North American sports represented. Furthermore, you have the Rapids, so MLS is represented as well.
College scene is ok with Colorado about an hour away and the University of Denver in the Sun Belt Conference. I can see MTSU play once in a while. Also, good hockey with the Pioneers.
Social/cultural scene: Denver seems like a chill place, not too big, not too small. One thing that I would like to do more of is get involved with nature and I think that I can go on a lot of hikes if I wanted.
Weather: I haven’t been through a solid winter in a while and Nashville doesn’t count. I would have to get used to shoveling snow.
Eye candy/celebrity factor/music: Denver is lacking in this department.
Eve Torres of WWE fame is from there, which is nice.
Other celebrities that I could kick it with there include India.Arie, Carmelo Anthony, LenDale White, 2 Cold Scorpio, Don Cheadle and the band The Fray.
Food known for: I’m not really sure what type of food Denver is known for.
Population: City population is around 600,000 and Greater area is around 2.5 million. OK number.
Famous sports icon: John Elway. I approve.
Likelihood of moving here (1 out of 10): A solid 7
2) Vancouver
Motto: By Sea, Land, and Air We Prosper. Respect.
Sports scene: Its all about hockey. The Canucks are the main draw. They also have an excellent USL team in the Whitecaps who will soon become part of the MLS. They also have the BC Lions, which is the CFL team. That would take some adjusting not being near an NFL team.
I’m not familiar with their college scene.
Social/cultural scene: I’ve heard good things about the Canadian town. I like that its in the northwest so it shares the same common aspects of Denver. It seems like a culturally diverse area, which is welcomed by me after growing up in New York.
Weather: Better bring a thick coat.
Odd fact: Vancouver is home to the longest running Ukrainian radio program, Nash Holos. Good to know.
Eye candy/celebrity factor/music: This city is pretty loaded.
My girl Sarah Chalke is from this city. Granted she was born in Ottawa but raised in Vancouver.
Yeah, Kristin Kreuk is from there too.
If I visit the city, I could also hang out with Bryan Adams, Pam Anderson, Michael Buble, Ryan Reynolds, Tommy Chong, Hayden Christensen, Justin Morneau…
Grace Park is from there as well. This is ridiculous.
Jason Priesley, Seth Rogan, Missy Peregrym, Larry Walker, this list goes on.
Food known for: I’m blank on this one
Famous sports icon: I guess you could go with Trevor Linden. I have no beef with him.
Likelihood of moving here: 2 out of 10. It would be a tough go for me to not only move to that part of the country but to Canada nonetheless. However, I think the next city may have a better chance.
3) Toronto
Nicknames: T-Dot is not good. T.O. reminds me of that certain NFL receiver. The Queen City is ok. The Big Smoke is my favorite.
Motto: Diversify our Strength. Positive thinking.
Sports scene: The Raptors, Blue Jays and Maple Leafs represent three out of the big four. Furthermore, you have the Argonauts, the tremendous CFL team. The Hockey Hall of Fame is there. Toronto FC is a good MLS team. This is a complete professional sports town.
The college sports may be lacking.
Social/cultural scene: I’ve heard that this is a fun town to live in. I like the international diversity of the city.
Weather: Warm coats once again.
Odd fact: Toronto has one of the lowest crime rates in North America. Its homicide rate was 1.9 per 100,000 people. For reference, compared to Atlanta (34.5), Boston (5.5), New York City (7.3), Vancouver (2.8), and Washington, D.C. (45.5). However, the city “has concerns regarding gun violence, gangs, and racial profiling by Toronto Police against minorities.” Well that can put a pickle in your sandwich.
Eye candy/celebrity factor/music: While listening to my Rush, Neil Young and Nelly Fertado albums and paying my respects to Peter Jennings, RIP, I can hang out with…
Neve Campbell, Jim Carrey, Anson Carter, Deborah Cox, Kris Draper, Edge and Christian, Norm McDonald, Jay Manuel, Rachel McAdams, Keanu Reeves, Snow (the musician), Trish Stratus and finally….
XXXXX
Tamia. You are one lucky man Grant Hill.
Population: Its pushing six million, that may be too much.
Sports Icon: It has to be Gretzky, he was born near there. Can’t find anything wrong with that.
Likelihood of moving here: 6 out of 10. I can actually see this happening.
4) Baltimore
Sports scene: You have the Ravens and Orioles as far as the major professional teams, a little lacking. I would like to be in a city with an NBA team again and Baltimore doesn’t have that. They have some colleges there.
But lets go back to the Orioles. I’ve always admired that franchise from afar and to actually get to follow them on a daily basis would be fun.
Nicknames: Charm City is solid.
City Motto: “The Greatest City in America,” that’s a little pompous. Another one is “Get in on it.” I will do that.
Weather: Typical seasonal weather. Nothing too spectacular.
Odd fact: According to crime statistics there were 276 homicides in Baltimore in 2006, the second-highest homicide rate per 100,000 of all U.S. cities of 250,000 or more population. I saw the TV show, The Wire, we all know what’s up.
Actually, this allows me to go on a quick tangent. It used to annoy me as a New Yorker when TV shows would portray my city as the center of crime. Sure, crimes would go down in New York but it wasn’t all the time. I’m sure that residents of Baltimore feel the same about The Wire.
Eye candy/celebrity factor/music: These two women were born there.
Stacy Keibler and Jada Pinkett Smith. Two winners.
I could also kick it with Tori Amos, Mike Bloomberg, Muggsy Bogues, Toni Braxton, David Byrne, Ben Carson…
Ok, David Byrne was in the Talking Heads which all of you know I love and Ben Carson, his book Gifted Hands was life changing. I’m warming up to this city.
DMX, Charles “Roc” Dutton, Mel Kiper, Jr., Frank Deford, Eddie Murray, Ed Norton, Jim Palmer, Travis Pastrana, Bucky Lasek, Pat Sajak, John Waters and finally, he may be dead, but props to Frank Zappa.
That may be the best collection I’m going to find out of all the cities.
Population: Metro population is around 3 million, nearly perfect number.
Likelihood of moving here: Solid 7 out of 10. This one is unfair becasue I like this city a lot. I used to go there every summer for our church youth camps and enjoyed everything, especially the Harbor. Its an underrated city.
That’s Part One. I’ll get to Part Two at some point this week, but here are the cities for your anticipation.
6) Oakland
7) St. Louis
8) Kansas City
9) Houston
10) Seattle
11) Cincinnati
12) San Antonio
Until then, have a good fight and a good night.
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