South Florida vs. Boston

Been spending a lot of time investigating South Florida, or to be more specific Southeast Florida, due to my impending free agency. Signed to a series of one-year contracts, I may very well exercise my right to the open market come July, and leave Boston for opportunities in the Sunshine State. Obviously, the level of sports entertainment within any community is of great importance to me, so I thought I would think out loud, and go into some detail about the kind of factors that help me decide where I might raise my family.

The big question is this - Which place has more sports entertainment, Boston or South Florida? Here is a sport-by-sport breakdown of the two locations.

Baseball - South Florida has the World Champion Marlins, Spring Training, and the National League. But there ain't nothing like a pennant race in Boston. Boston 1 Florida 0.

Pro Football - I've always hated the Dolphins, even before I loved the Patriots. The first sports event I remember crying about was the Dolphins beating Washington in the Super Bowl the year they went undefeated. Boston 2 Florida 0.

Pro Basketball - My Celtics over anyone and everyone. Boston 3 Florida 0.

Pro Hockey - The Bruins are the perfect example of a franchise that isn't trying to win even though they have incredible fans, kind of like the Twins. I'll take the Panthers, just like I took the Lightning when I lived in Tampa. Boston 3 Florida 1.

College Baseball - Non-existent in Massachusetts, big time in Miami. Boston 3 Florida 2.

College Football - Miami and BC are both now in the same conference, but I don't like either of them, and I'll get to see my Gators play every week. Boston 3 Florida 3.

College Basketball - I have no special loyalty to anyone in Boston, although I like to see Northeastern do well. I'll say Florida. Florida 4 Boston 3.


College Hockey - Are you kidding? I would take Boston over any place. This is kind of like the Harlem Globetrotters against the New Jersey Generals, or whatever their name was. Boston 4 Florida 4.

Horse Racing - Gulfstream Park over Suffolk Downs. Easily. Florida 5 Boston 4.

I'm calling soccer and boxing ties. So that makes South Florida the winners. What else do I need to know?

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