Best Sports Cities in the USA

[Teddy Roosevelt]

It was, as a famous Pittsburgher liked to say, a beautiful day in the neighborhood.

The world champion Steelers were kicking off their title defense against the Titans. The world champion Penguins were down in D.C., Stanley Cup in tow, to meet the president. Native son Dave Wannstedt was at practice on the South Side, preparing his unbeaten Pitt football team for the weekend's win at Buffalo.

That was September 10, 2009, and here's how beautiful it was in this year's Best Sports City: Pittsburgh's Pirates did not—repeat, did not—lose that day. (So it was an off-day. Beauty is in the eye of the long-suffering beholder, OK?)

"It's been quite a year in Pittsburgh, with the Steelers winning the Super Bowl, the Penguins winning the Stanley Cup and our local college football and basketball teams having successful seasons as well," Mayor Luke Ravenstahl says. "Sports fans in Western Pennsylvania have had a lot to be proud of these last 12 months. Pittsburgh truly is the City of Champions once again."

In fact, it may always be sunny in that other city across the state, but citizens there can lay claim to only one title team during the past 12 months. Over here—where an elected official changed his name temporarily to "Steelerstahl," just so, y'know, there was no question of which team he supported when Baltimore came to town for an NFL playoff beatdown in January—you've got two titles, basketball tournament teams aplenty, and a bowl-bound and Backyard Brawl-winning football team.

Oh, and fans like no other.

"We thank them," Super Bowl 43 MVP Santonio Holmes says, "for being our 12th man."

It's been a great year, indeed. Twelve months like no other city experienced or could expect to experience. Unless one of Pittsburgh's adopted sons has his way.

"You're born into the Steeler Nation. People get into hockey, and they love the Penguins," says Steelers receiver Hines Ward, who in his 12th season in Pittsburgh could count as a naturalized citizen. "The Pirates were great back in the day, and hopefully they can be again. If they can get back on track, they'll have the whole trifecta—football, hockey and baseball."



1. Pittsburgh
2. Philadelphia
3. Boston
4. Chicago + Evanston
5. Los Angeles
6. New York
7. Phoenix + Tempe
8. Miami
9. Dallas-Fort Worth
10. Detroit + Ann Arbor + Ypsilanti
11. Houston
12. Nashville
13. Atlanta
14. Washington
15. Tampa-St. Petersburg
16. Minneapolis-St. Paul
17. Raleigh + Durham + Chapel Hill, N.C.
18. Denver + Boulder
19. Salt Lake City + Provo
20. Indianapolis
21. Anaheim
22. Cleveland
23. Charlotte
24. San Jose + Palo Alto + Santa Clara
25. New Orleans
26. Milwaukee
27. Orlando
28. Baltimore
29. Cincinnati
30. St. Louis
31. San Diego
32. Portland
33. Oakland + Berkeley
34. Columbus
35. San Antonio
36. Toronto
37. Oklahoma City + Norman
38. Austin, Texas
39. Vancouver
40. Buffalo
41. Gainesville, Fla.
42. Calgary
43. Storrs, Conn.
44. East Lansing, Mich.
45. Montreal
46. San Francisco
47. Memphis
48. State College, Pa.
49. Kansas City
50. Jacksonville
51. Green Bay
52. Seattle
53. Edmonton
54. Ottawa
55. Sacramento
56. Columbia, Mo.
57. Tuscaloosa, Ala.
58. Blacksburg, Va.
59. Tucson, Ariz.
60. Stillwater, Okla.
61. Lawrence, Kan.
62. Morgantown, W.Va.
63. Lubbock, Texas
64. College Park, Md.
65. Oxford, Miss.
66. Clemson, S.C.
67. Louisville, Ky.
68. Eugene, Ore.
69. Boise, Idaho
70. Iowa City, Iowa
71. Corvallis, Ore.
72. Lincoln, Neb.
73. West Lafayette, Ind.
74. Tallahassee, Fla.
75. Madison, Wis.
76. South Bend, Ind.
77. Athens, Ga.
78. Lexington, Ky.
79. Baton Rouge, La.
80. Knoxville, Tenn.
81. Columbia, S.C.
82. Tulsa, Okla.
83. Winston-Salem, N.C.
84. Champaign-Urbana, Ill.
85. Waco, Texas
86. College Station, Texas
87. Piscataway, N.J.
88. Auburn, Ala.
89. Charlottesville, Va.
90. Syracuse, N.Y.
91. Manhattan, Kan.
92. Albuquerque, N.M.
93. Reno, Nev.
94. Fayetteville, Ark.
95. Starkville, Miss.
96. Las Vegas
97. Hattiesburg, Miss.
98. El Paso, Texas
99. Annapolis, Md.
100. Greenville, N.C.
101. Logan, Utah
102. Spokane, Wash.
103. Akron, Ohio
104. Troy, Ala.
105. Fort Collins, Colo.
106. Colorado Springs, Colo.
107. Moraga, Calif.
108. Ruston, La.
109. Bowling Green, Ohio
110. Fresno, Calif.
111. Omaha, Neb.
112. Muncie, Ind.
113. Pullman, Wash.
114. Ames, Iowa
115. Murfreesboro, Tenn.
116. Honolulu
117. Kingston, R.I.
118. Huntington, W.Va.
119. Bowling Green, Ky.
120. Laramie, Wyo.
121. Dayton, Ohio
122. Birmingham, Ala.
123. Oxford, Ohio
124. Kent, Ohio
125. Las Cruces, N.M.
126. Kalamazoo, Mich.
127. Athens, Ohio
128. Moscow, Idaho
129. Bloomington, Ind.
130. Mount Pleasant, Mich.
131. Jonesboro, Ark.
132. Denton, Texas
133. Lafayette, La.
134. DeKalb, Ill.
135. West Point, N.Y.
136. Toledo, Ohio
137. Monroe, La.
138. Richmond, Va.
139. Normal, Ill.
140. Albany, N.Y.
141. Niagara, N.Y.
142. Ithaca, N.Y.
143. Fargo, N.D.
144. Cedar Falls, Iowa
145. Burlington, Vt.
146. Peoria, Ill.
147. Nacogdoches, Texas
148. Des Moines, Iowa
149. Stockton, Calif.
150. Little Rock, Ark.
151. Ogden, Utah
152. Mobile, Ala.
153. Johnson City, Tenn.
154. Wichita, Kan.
155. Evansville, Ind.
156. Harrisonburg, Va.
157. Emmitsburg, Md.
158. Martin, Tenn.
159. Hempstead, N.Y.
160. Murray, Ky.
161. Binghamton, N.Y.
162. Huntsville, Texas
163. Amherst, Mass.
164. Norfolk, Va.
165. Clarksville, Tenn.
166. Lexington, Va.
167. Carbondale, Ill.
168. Corpus Christi, Texas
169. Lawrenceville, N.J.
170. Santa Barbara, Calif.
171. Missoula, Mont.
172. Radford, Va.
173. Morehead, Ky.
174. Lynchburg, Va.
175. Thibodaux, La.
176. Olean, N.Y.
177. Richmond, Ky.
178. Fairfield, Conn.
179. Worcester, Mass.
180. Springfield, Mo.
181. Pocatello, Idaho
182. Providence, R.I.
183. Orem, Utah
184. Riverside, Calif.
185. Chattanooga, Tenn.
186. Terre Haute, Ind.
187. Charleston, S.C.
188. Vermillion, S.D.
189. Stony Brook, N.Y.
190. Bozeman, Mont.
191. Macon, Ga.
192. Newark, Del.
193. Beaumont, Texas
194. Greeley, Colo.
195. Youngstown, Ohio
196. Fort Wayne, Ind.
197. Davis, Calif.
198. Montgomery, Ala.
199. Cullowhee, N.C.
200. Valparaiso, Ind.
201. Hammond, La.
202. Jackson, Miss.
203. San Marcos, Texas
204. Towson, Md.
205. Williamsburg, Va.
206. Cheney, Wash.
207. Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
208. Brookings, S.D.
209. Cedar City, Utah
210. Flagstaff, Ariz.
211. Boiling Springs, N.C.
212. Clinton, S.C.
213. Rock Hill, S.C.
214. Asheville, N.C.
215. Spartanburg, S.C.
216. Durham, N.H.
217. DeLand, Fla.
218. Bethlehem, Pa.
219. New Haven, Conn.
220. Daytona Beach, Fla.
221. Jersey City, N.J.
222. Cookeville, Tenn.
223. Lake Charles, La.
224. Jacksonville, Ala.
225. Boone, N.C.
226. Buies Creek, N.C.
227. Shreveport, La.
228. Bakersfield, Calif.
229. Hampton, Va.
230. Princeton, N.J.
231. Grand Forks, N.D.
232. New Britain, Conn.
233. Charleston, Ill.
234. Hamden, Conn.
235. Fort Myers, Fla.
236. Orangeburg, S.C.
237. San Luis Obispo, Calif.
238. Wilmington, N.C.
239. Elon, N.C.
240. Conway, S.C.
241. Hartford, Conn.
242. Savannah, Ga.
243. Lewisburg, Pa.
244. Dover, Del.
245. Greensboro, N.C.
246. Orono, Maine
247. Farmville, Va.
248. Hamilton, N.Y.
249. Macomb, Ill.
250. Statesboro, Ga.
251. Prairie View, Texas
252. Edwardsville, Ill.
253. Itta Bena, Miss.
254. Easton, Pa.
255. High Point, N.C.
256. Natchitoches, La.
257. Conway, Ark.
258. Pine Bluff, Ark.
259. Hanover, N.H.
260. Jupiter, Fla.
261. Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
262. Fontana, Calif.
263. Loudon, N.H.
264. Martinsville, Va.
265. Talladega, Ala.
266. West Long Branch, N.J.
267. Rochester, N.Y.
268. Quad Cities (Moline-East Moline-Rock Island, Ill.-Davenport-Bettendorf, Iowa)
269. Smithfield, R.I.
270. Augusta, Ga.
271. Loretto, Pa.
272. Erie, Pa.
273. Greenville, S.C.
274. Teaneck, N.J.
275. Huntsville + Normal, Ala.
276. Bristol, Tenn.
277. Brooklyn, Mich.
278. Darlington, S.C.
279. Long Pond, Pa.
280. Manchester, N.H.
281. Sonoma, Calif.
282. Watkins Glen, N.Y.
283. Viera, Fla.
284. Dunedin, Fla.
285. Edinburg, Texas
286. Clearwater, Fla.
287. Port Charlotte, Fla.
288. Port St. Lucie, Fla.
289. McAllen, Texas
290. Portland, Maine
291. Sarasota, Fla.
292. Kennesaw, Ga.
293. Grand Rapids, Mich.
294. Bismarck, N.D.
295. Tacoma, Wash.
296. Uncasville, Conn.
297. Allentown, Pa.
298. Sioux Falls, S.D.
299. Bradenton, Fla.
300. Carlsbad, Calif.
301. Cromwell, Conn.
302. Hilton Head Island, S.C.
303. Kapalua, Hawaii
304. Kissimmee, Fla.
305. La Quinta, Calif.
306. Lakeland, Fla.
307. Midland, Texas
308. Monterey, Calif.
309. Oakville, Ontario
310. Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
311. Vero Beach, Fla.
312. Verona, N.Y.
313. Winnipeg, Manitoba
314. Norwich, Conn.
315. Pawtucket, R.I.
316. Bridgeport, Conn.
317. Hershey, Pa.
318. Kodak, Tenn.
319. Lowell, Mass.
320. Reading, Pa.
321. Springdale, Ark.
322. Bowie, Md.
323. Jackson, Tenn.
324. Cape Girardeau, Mo.
325. Hamilton, Ontario
326. Harrisburg, Pa.
327. Latrobe, Pa.
328. Trenton, N.J.
329. Westminster, Md.
330. Mankato, Minn.
331. Bourbonnais, Ill.
332. Cortland, N.Y.
333. Zebulon, N.C.
334. Altoona, Pa.
335. Georgetown, Ky.
336. Napa, Calif.
337. River Falls, Wis.
338. Kannapolis, N.C.
339. Rockford, Ill.
340. Springfield, Mass.
341. Adelanto, Calif.
342. Albany, Ga.
343. Charleston, W.Va.
344. Midland, Mich.
345. Wilmington, Del.
346. Cedar Rapids, Iowa
347. Tri-Cities (Pasco-Kennewick-Richland), Wash.
348. Woodbridge, Va.
349. Princess Anne, Md.
350. Eastlake, Ohio
351. Modesto, Calif.
352. Burlington, Iowa
353. Lake Elsinore, Calif.
354. Lakewood, N.J.
355. Salem, Va.
356. Geneva, Ill.
357. Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
358. Frederick, Md.
359. Kinston, N.C.
360. Lancaster, Calif.
361. San Bernardino, Calif.
362. Myrtle Beach, S.C.
363. Rome, Ga.
364. Visalia, Calif.
365. Aberdeen, Md.
366. Amarillo, Texas
367. Clinton, Iowa
368. Danville, Va.
369. Salisbury, Md.
370. Beloit, Wis.
371. Elizabethton, Tenn.
372. Appleton, Wis.
373. Hickory, N.C.
374. Salem-Keizer, Ore.
375. Idaho Falls, Idaho
376. Princeton, W.Va.
377. Grambling, La.
378. Bluefield, W.Va.
379. Everett, Wash.
380. Great Falls, Mont.
381. Hagerstown, Md.
382. Williamsport, Pa.
383. Kingsport, Tenn.
384. Wappingers Falls, N.Y.
385. Pulaski, Va.
386. Lorman, Miss.
387. Batavia, N.Y.
388. Bristol, Va.
389. Casper, Wyo.
390. Greeneville, Tenn.
391. Oneonta, N.Y.
392. Billings, Mont.
393. Burlington, N.C.
394. Helena, Mont.
395. Jamestown, N.Y.
396. Winooski, Vt.
397. Yakima, Wash.
398. Troy, N.Y.
399. Auburn, N.Y.

[Chamillitary Click]

lol, cool read.

[Blasphemy]

110. Fresno, Calif.

I know its barely out of the top 100, but still  Never expected it 2 be that high, Go Bulldogs >