OT: random espn polls and statless (baseless) musings on college-vs.-pro-sports-fandom
This post is going to be as random as you like, so enjoy. While perusing ESPN.com under the NBA mainpage on this enjoyable Friday night, I happened upon a random Sports Nation poll. It poses the question: Who will be the bigger weapon for Team USA in the 2016 Olympics? Anthony Davis or Kyrie Irving? I clicked on Kyrie Irving, and surprisingly or unsurprisingly, Kyrie Irving was winning 77% to 23% on 26,865 national votes.
Next, I clicked on View Map, because that's how I do. The map, surprisingly or unsurprisingly, showed all states siding with Kyrie Irving--BUT ONE--which sided with Anthony Davis.
Now, my task for you is this: without looking at this poll--or after looking at this poll, I don't necessarily care--guess which state picked Anthony Davis and write why you guessed it.
Kentucky... Their fans are about as bad as they come.
I spelled Kyrie correctly for every time I spelled his last name wrong. And Irvin is on our team, so I award myself 1 point.
I look like a jackass for pointing out the mis-spelling.
Michigan. Because why else would this be of interest.
But this one is easy. Louisiana, since he plays there.
But a lot of times history plays a role. You know that Dwyane Wade will always get favorable votes from Florida. But there's another state that votes for him. Not Illinois, because Chicago never viewed him as an inner-city baller and over the years he became somewhat of a traitor. Of course it's Wisconsin because he went to Marquette.
On a few occasions though, you have to think. I remember a month or so back ESPN was asking who's the best QB, and it was between Aaron Rodgers and Peyton Manning. Four(or more, my memory is fuzzy) states voted for Manning. Colorado, Indiana, and Tennessee are the obvious ones. But there was also Louisiana, which puzzled me at first. And then I went A-HA! Archie Manning played for the Saints! But now that I think of it, it may have more to do with recent playoff history, but I stopped following the NFL a few years ago.
All the Manning chitlins attended Isidore Newman in NOLA for high school. I'd surmise that the Louisiana love stems from those years and their accompanying success.
Admittedly, I saw this reply and thought the same thing, so I couldn't resist looking up the poll out of sheer curiosity (LINK).
In Lousiana, on 205 votes, there is a 62-38 split in favor of Davis, and in Kentucky, there is only a 54-46 split in favor of Irving. That margin in Ketucky is the narrowest, it seems, of the 49 states in which Kyrie Irving holds a lead with splits of 70-30 or better for Irving not at all uncommon almost everywhere else.
Because of their rivalry with Duke. Oh wait...
Holy crap, I'm old.
When I first read the OP the name "Anthony Davis" triggered thoughts about the USC running back from the 1970's.
*sigh*
That and your profile picture is in black and white. But at least you can figure out how to upload your profile picture...
We can point and laugh at Kentucky or Louisiana or whoever all we like, but the truth is that Michigan is always the biggest homer state in these ESPN polls. Whenever the opportunity is presented, Michigan will out-homer the rest of the country. Keep track if you don't believe me. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing is up to you. I kind of like it.
In this case I would argue that Kentucky is a split state when it comes to college loyalties while Louisiana is not, so I think that submarines the conclusion you're aiming for. Assuming homer voting, Louisville fans will vote Kyrie Irving because fuck Anthony Davis.
Whenever there's an opportunity to vote for the SEC, the whole SEC footprint will vote for it. They could put out a pull asking "Who has the more explosive offessive? Oregon or Kentucky?" and that whole region would vote for Kentucky
Double post fail
