Best state in the south for football at all levels (high school, college, pro)? (1 Viewer)

[ATC Saint]

Mississippi just won this honor not too long ago.

 

[HailStateSaintsFan]

Just an observation....I remember going to high school football games in New Orleans, and the parents that were there were parents of the players or cheerleaders or band members; that was about it. Here, you have parents of kids who aren't even on the field attending; if their kids are simply students there, then the parents are usually rabid fans of that particular school. The whole family attends games. The high school football games are an integral part of the community, almost as if they were "the only game in town". I don't see it in other sports, FWIW....just football. This type of community commitment to high school football is different than any other place I've lived. And I'm still sticking to that being my definition of "best football state".....commitment to the sport of football at all levels, whether or not the teams win or lose; whether or not they send tons of players to the pros; whether or not they achieve BCS rankings....

Our school, Madison Central High School (student population 1300) quite frequently puts 10K people in the stands for a regular season game, and upwards of 14K have attended playoff games. That far surpasses just the parents and friends of the players. Here, football is considered a religion, though I personally don't like the analogy, being a devout Christian.

Membership in the booster club is phenomenal, with the lowest level of membership support being $100, and going up to $2500+

This community loves its Jaguars, and though we are perennially in the playoffs, we have only won one state championship in our 11 year history. Our new coach will be changing that soon though!

 

[Father Markus]

Seems like we all have different criteria for what constitutes "best football state in the South".

Jumping in late on this... as Prima wrote... it depends on your criteria.

If it's HS football.. I'd say the order goes TX, MS, LA, FL (appx, but will vary by year, I believe.), and probably the easiest to determine, since no crossing state-lines

If it's Junior college: Then it's an entirely different order. (MS and AL PROBABLY run away with this category of the southern states, but can't say for sure.)

If it's college: Then it's another order altogether.. do you go by school they went to? Do you go by school success? Do you go by state of residency of the players?

Then there's I-AA, the Black College Association, Division III, etc.

Pros? Then it's a case of do you go by state of residency? Number of HOF'ers? Number of Pro-bowlers? College they graduated from? Team they play with now?

 

[Saint Greg]

I don't know if this was already posted, but it is interesting. Here's a portion of the first comment on the page:

"The real world scenario is..."what are the chances you would go to a local high school football game and meet a future NFL player?" Well to find that, you do just as I said and divide the state's total population by the number of players that state has in the NFL.

Guess what the numbers say?

10. Iowa - 7.49 NFL players per million in population
9. Nebraska - 7.52
8. Texas - 8.31
7. Alabama - 9.81
6. Georgia - 10.98
5. Florida - 11.19
4. Hawaii - 12.05
3. South Carolina - 12.66

READY FOR THIS.....

2. LOUISIANA - 16.51 !!!!
1. MISSISSIPPI - 17.06 !!!!"

http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2006/08/debate_the_top_.html

 

[Mr. Blue Sky]

I don't know if this was already posted, but it is interesting. Here's a portion of the first comment on the page:

"The real world scenario is..."what are the chances you would go to a local high school football game and meet a future NFL player?" Well to find that, you do just as I said and divide the state's total population by the number of players that state has in the NFL.

Guess what the numbers say?

10. Iowa - 7.49 NFL players per million in population
9. Nebraska - 7.52
8. Texas - 8.31
7. Alabama - 9.81
6. Georgia - 10.98
5. Florida - 11.19
4. Hawaii - 12.05
3. South Carolina - 12.66

READY FOR THIS.....

2. LOUISIANA - 16.51 !!!!
1. MISSISSIPPI - 17.06 !!!!"

http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2006/08/debate_the_top_.html

...Nice post Greg- Hope this shuts up all the Homers, esp. the Texas ones... I find it interesting that Hawaii came in at #4- Who knew??

 

[Loose Cannon]

It's ashame we're not talking per capita.

We're big, and a higher percentage of our population aspires to be more than an amateur football star, thus the lower per capita.

 

[Mr. Blue Sky]

It's ashame we're not talking per capita.

We're big, and a higher percentage of our population aspires to be more than an amateur football star, thus the lower per capita.

...Oh, so I was wrong- it DIDN'T shut up all the Texas homers... Carry on with your mindless babble........

 

[Saint Greg]

...Nice post Greg- Hope this shuts up all the Homers, esp. the Texas ones... I find it interesting that Hawaii came in at #4- Who knew??

Yeah Hawaii isn't a state that you think of immediately...But if you think about it....they have some big boys over there. Many of the NFL guys with those odd names are from Hawaii....guys like: Toniu Fonoti, Chris Fuamatu-Ma'afala, Ma'ake Kemoeatu, Olin Kreutz, Vince Manuwai, Itula Mili, Chris Naeole, Dominic Raiola, Isaac Sopoaga, Pisa Tinoisamoa, Kimo von Oelhoffen......Can't think of his name off hand but that rookie DT from Tennessee....never set foot on the mainland until college....another big boy.

 

[Saint Greg]

Can't think of his name off hand but that rookie DT from Tennessee....never set foot on the mainland until college....another big boy.

Ahh...got it....Jesse Mahelona

 

[Nonreg]

1. Florida
2. Texas

 

[Saint Greg]

5. Florida
8. Texas