Mississippi: Best football state in the country?

[blackfordpu]

USA Football: Mississippi best football state in nation

JACKSON, Miss. -- Mississippi isn't home to an NFL team and hasn't had a national college football champion in decades, but on Friday the state was named America's best in the sport.

The honor, a glass football statue, came from USA Football, a nonprofit organization founded in 2002 by the National Football League and the NFL Player's Association.

Some of Mississippi's greatest sports heroes, including Archie Manning, L.C. Greenwood and Hugh Green, were at the state Capitol when Gov. Haley Barbour accepted the award.

While there are few who would dispute that Mississippi produces first-class players, USA Football executive director Scott Hallenbeck knows he'll have to justify the award to fans in Texas, Kansas and Florida.

JACKSON, Miss. -- Mississippi isn't home to an NFL team and hasn't had a national college football champion in decades, but on Friday the state was named America's best in the sport.

The honor, a glass football statue, came from USA Football, a nonprofit organization founded in 2002 by the National Football League and the NFL Player's Association.

Some of Mississippi's greatest sports heroes, including Archie Manning, L.C. Greenwood and Hugh Green, were at the state Capitol when Gov. Haley Barbour accepted the award.

While there are few who would dispute that Mississippi produces first-class players, USA Football executive director Scott Hallenbeck knows he'll have to justify the award to fans in Texas, Kansas and Florida.

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/news/story?id=2561681

[BaylorTitan]

Hell no, TEXAS!!!

[wannabegaucho]

Then why is Orgeron still recruiting in California?

[TexasTerror]

There's a reason there's a "Texas versus the Nation" post-season All-Star game in the talks!

Mississippi?!? Heck, I'm sure a good half of the football players in that state can't spell the name of the state! :eek:

Gotta love these analysis though. I think I've seen Mississippi brought up as a football hotbed before for their rate per thousand of folks who make the NFL or something wierd like that...

[blueballs]

Tier one: Cali, Texas, Florida

Tier two: Ohio, Georgia, Penn, Louisiana, Bama, Mississippi, Virginia, Michigan

Tier three: South Car, NC, Tenn, NJ, NY, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Colorado,

Tier four: every other state except...

Tier 5: Vermont, Alaska, Rhode Island

[DuckDuckGriz]

Tier one: Cali, Texas, Florida

Tier two: Ohio, Georgia, Penn, Louisiana, Bama, Mississippi, Virginia, Michigan

Tier three: South Car, NC, Tenn, NJ, NY, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Colorado,

Tier four: every other state except...

Tier 5: Vermont, Alaska, Rhode Island


I would also add Washington to that tier three area.

I agree though no way Mississippi is number one. Texas and Cali all the way.

[HiHiYikas]

According to the article, Mississippi was chosen "after a state-by-state analysis measured the per capita percentage of fans interested in collegiate and professional football, number of NFL players who hail from Mississippi and the percentage of lettered high school football players."

This isn't an award based on a subjective judgement. It's like the old joke on SNL, where Manute Bol edges out Sam Bowie to win the ESPY for "tallest basketbal player."

Of course Texas and California outnumber Mississippi when it comes to talented football players. It would take almost 8 Mississippi's to equal the population of Texas, and 12 Mississippi's to equal the population of California.

[Cocky]

Mississippi plays some very good high school football. Their top teams can play with any from Texas, Cali, Georgia, Bama, or any other state. The state doesn't have the population of most other state but they have more than their fair share of football players.

[Cocky]

Tier one: Cali, Texas, Florida

Tier two: Ohio, Georgia, Penn, Louisiana, Bama, Mississippi, Virginia, Michigan

Tier three: South Car, NC, Tenn, NJ, NY, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Colorado,

Tier four: every other state except...

Tier 5: Vermont, Alaska, Rhode Island


This maybe true with quantity but not quality.

[Tod]

According to the article, Mississippi was chosen "after a state-by-state analysis measured the per capita percentage of fans interested in collegiate and professional football, number of NFL players who hail from Mississippi and the percentage of lettered high school football players."

This isn't an award based on a subjective judgement. It's like the old joke on SNL, where Manute Bol edges out Sam Bowie to win the ESPY for "tallest basketbal player."

Of course Texas and California outnumber Mississippi when it comes to talented football players. It would take almost 8 Mississippi's to equal the population of Texas, and 12 Mississippi's to equal the population of California.

Once again, HiHi is RightRight. :thumbsup:

[Gil Dobie]

Could start with these guys

Walter Payton born in Columbia, Mississippi
Jerry Rice born Starkville, Mississippi
Brett Favre born in Gulfport, Mississippi

[jstate83]

Hell no, TEXAS!!!

Think about it.

Mississippi only has about 2.5 million people in it total.

Look at the list of the top players in college and pro's comming from this state.
It's been like that forever.

[jstate83]

There's a reason there's a "Texas versus the Nation" post-season All-Star game in the talks!

Mississippi?!? Heck, I'm sure a good half of the football players in that state can't spell the name of the state! :eek:

Gotta love these analysis though. I think I've seen Mississippi brought up as a football hotbed before for their rate per thousand of folks who make the NFL or something wierd like that...

Man........The dumbest MF in the world comes from Texas................BUSH.

[jstate83]

Mississippi plays some very good high school football. Their top teams can play with any from Texas, Cali, Georgia, Bama, or any other state. The state doesn't have the population of most other state but they have more than their fair share of football players.

I will put Madison Central, Meridian, Starksville, West Point, and Jackson Provine against any highschool team in the country and would not be surprised if they won 5 out of 5.

I'll put Clarksdale, Oak Grove, Wayne County, and South Panola against anybody and bet they win................Period.:nod:

[Gil Dobie]

Man........The dumbest MF in the world comes from Texas................BUSH.

That's debatable, but Bush was born in New Haven, Connecticut, and that's not debatable. :)

[jstate83]

Could start with these guys

Walter Payton born in Columbia, Mississippi
Jerry Rice born Starkville, Mississippi
Brett Favre born in Gulfport, Mississippi

and the list go on and on.

[jstate83]

That's debatable, but Bush was born in New Haven, Connecticut, and that's not debatable. :)

His family claims texas, HE'S FROM TEXAS. xlolx xlolx

And I have seen a lot of dumb Texas athelete's on "Where are they now".xlolx

[bluehenbillk]

For this article to be true, wouldn't EITHER Ole Miss or Mississippi St have had to be really good teams at some point in time??

[jstate83]

For this article to be true, wouldn't EITHER Ole Miss or Mississippi St have had to be really good teams at some point in time??

Man..................Ya'll can sit here and debate all you want.
Most of the players LEAVE the state when you are talking about Ole Miss and Mississippi State.......that would consider them whlie being recruited. A lot stay, but a lot go also.

We are talking where the players come from originally...............not the college they graduate/play at.

The top 40 is littered with Highschoolers from this state............Especially in the SEC.

Ole Miss hasn't been National Caliber since Archie Manning.
They good, but as far as SEC teams, they middle of the pack.

Heck...................USM's team is made up of mostly players from Alabama.xlolx

Mississippi HOF Museum (http://www.msfame.com/hof_inductees.html)
If you are ever in Jackson, Visit this place on Lakeland Drive by Smith Will's baseball stadium.

Just click on the name and stat's, college played for, and pro carear will come up.

[wannabegaucho]

The Oregeron might get Ole Miss to be respectable again, otherwise I hope he returns to SC.

[jstate83]

The Oregeron might get Ole Miss to be respectable again, otherwise I hope he returns to SC.

Right now...................I don't even think SC could crowbar Oregeron away from Ole Miss right now.xlolx
The only way he leaves Ole Miss is he screw up really bad and I don't see that happening.

Them Rebel's got a death grip on him now.xlolx