Over the next eight weeks MyHOFS will be hosting a tournament to determine the best sports city in America. The bracket features four regions (East, Midwest, South, West) and 32 cities. The next two weeks will feature first round matchups, seeds one through eight in each region.


Original artwork provided by Dud Lawson of DudLawson.com.

To view the entire bracket, head on over to MyHOFS facebook page!

West Region

#4 - San Francisco
Artwork - Brian Wilson and his beard
Writer - Louis Pietig

Tradition
The 49ers are the anchor in the San Francisco Bay. The team joined the NFL in 1950 during the AAFC merger, but is most known for supreme dominance during the 1980s. Most impressively, the 49ers won 10 games or more for 16 straight seasons. Along with five Superbowl appearances and five Lombardi Trophies, the storied franchise boasts two of the best quarterbacks in NFL History in Joe Montana (2 MVPs and 3 Superbowl MVPs) and Steve Young (2 MVPs and 1 Superbowl MVP). Oh yeah, and Jerry Rice (G.O.A.T.). The San Francisco Giants and Big Time Timmy Jim have won one World Series (2010) and four pennants since relocating from New York in 1958, but as one of the original baseball franchises, there is a bit more history to this story than initially meets the eye. The Warriors were based in San Francisco from 1962-1971. The team enjoyed two years of the household name, Wilt Chamberlain, but six without. As he was traded off in 1964-1965 to the 76ers, making room for Rick Barry, the eventual Rookie of the Year, who lead the Warriors to the NBA Finals.  It's fitting that Chamberlain played in San Fran, as his longtime rival Bill Russell began his championship ring collection in The City by the Bay, winning 55 consecutive games and two national championship while attending the University of San Francisco. 

The Edge
Whilst the history is rich in San Francisco, the present is just as bright. The Giants are a constant threat in the NL West and boast one of the most beautiful parks in baseball. The NFC runner-up 49ers rep one the strongest defenses in the NFL today with long term contracts securing numerous key players. Here's the kicker, the Warriors are on the way back, moving from Oakland. Oh yeah, did we mention we're claiming the Raiders and A's. With 5 of the 15 "Major Four" California sports franchises based in the San Francisco Bay Area, there's more than enough juice to squeeze out of San Fran.

Trash Talk
It's hard to mention San Diego these days without immediately imaging a stirring visual from Ron Burgundy. The sports franchises in this SD rank second fiddle to an admittedly impressive zoo and an annual nerdfest: Comicon at the Convention Center. Sweet life. Your .000 record in one Superbowl appearance pales in comparison to 1.000 over 5. The Padres boast the record as the Worst Division winner ever (82-80 in 2005) and in a continuing theme, have never won a championship.  San Diego is sorely missing a winner while winning has become a habit in San Fran. If that's not enough, let's get Super Charger-ed. Oh yeah, and you know that Superbowl loss we discussed earlier by the Chargers? They were downed by Steve Young and the 49ers in the MVP performance. We, good friends to the South, own you.


#5 - San Diego
Artwork - Ron Burgundy
Writer - Tim Kitzrow

Tradition
San Diego might boast the most diverse history of sports in the country. While currently only the Chargers and Padres reside in San Diego, Paradise USA has hosted multiple NBA franchises, an ABA team, and a professional hockey team. Don’t think that counts? The San Diego Gulls, members of the late International Hockey, won the Turner Cup (Season Champions) in 1993. So unlike the 49ers ‘ships, San Diego can legitimately call themselves world champions. Their ABA team – The Conquistadors (or Qs to the locals) signed this guy to be a player/coach/player.   Wilt is the consummate player who’s almost as famous for spearing more women than the actual Spanish Conquistadors as he is for playing basketball. Lest we forget, San Diego also holds the annual Weiner Nationals dachshund dog race where the Weiner takes all. Now for the big boys: The Chargers and Padres. These teams are so steeped in tradition that the Powder Blues are arguably the reason throwbacks were invented. From Dan Fouts to Junior Seau to LT & Antonio Gates, these gods of lightning have all redefined the positions they have played. They also have the best fight song you’ve never heard. Now on to the Friars. The players in the HOF from the Padres can lay the wood with the best of them. Tony Gwynn and Dave Winfield, who are enshrined in bronze from their time in brown, could even give Tom Emanski a few lessons on hitting and he produced back-to-back-to-back AAU national championship teams. As for tradition, the Padres and the Halos are the only California baseball teams to actually originate in the Golden state. My opponent’s baseball team on the other hand originally hails from New York City! The rise of the San Diego State Aztecs in various sports has even been impressive; they were invited to take their talents to the Big East. If mainstream sports weren’t enough San Diego has held the America’s Cup on multiple occasions. Aren’t we looking for the best sports city in America? How could you beat a city who hosts the only sporting event that America puts her big, beautiful name on?

The Edge
Edge? This city is so fantastic it actually drove one of the most famous civil rights activists of recent memory insane. This guy faced guerrilla warfare while witnessing the genocide of Ugandan Children, but one day in Sunny D left him like this. Whatever my opponent alleges against Silicon Beach, the only thing it’s guilty of is making people happier than George Clooney’s publicist after Haitian earthquakes. Its nickname is “America’s Finest City”. Nothing can top that. Class will always be better than any Cali-Swag. Two things never happened after this debate: the Sisters never laid a finger on Andy again and San Diego was respected as the sports town it deserves to be. Stay Classy.

Trash Talk
San Francisco might have quite the history on paper, but let’s examine it a little further. The most famous parts of Giants baseball are the largest head in the history of sports, kayakers who’d rather sit ass-deep in water, look at the back of a brick wall, and wait for an Aubrey Huff homerun than sit in the stadium, and Willie Mays. That all sounds great but who can even read that name without adding Hayes to end of it. Your fans are being bullied at an alarming rate by the City of Angels and Saints fans. Also, what’s not to love about San Francisco? They’ve turned the most intimidating jail in the world into the largest paperweight in the world and have streets so crooked that New Jersey politicians are considering moving West. Do you remember San Diego’s nickname? Well San Fran battles back with “The City that Waits to Die” and “Baghdad by the Bay”. I’m sure these monikers are plastered all over the city but are easily missed with all the people sleeping on benches blocking them. San Francisco, it’s not your Fault, but it will be your problem. Hippies, thanks for the contact high, but go back to making hemp belts for the local prep schools and leave this battle to the real sports fanatics.


Verdict
Like a bad fish taco, San Diego would not go down without a fight.  While they may not be able to match the 49ers punch-for-punch, the Chargers have one hell of an all-time offense. I'd pay to see Don "Air" Coryell coaching up LT, Charlie Joiner, Antonio Gates and Kellen Winslow with Dan Fouts slinging the rock around Qualcomm.  But this matchup is much like San Diego's sports history; close, but no cigar.  Marshall Faulk should have won SDSU a Heisman Trophy in '92, the Padres should have given the Yankees a series in '98 (led in the seventh or later twice during the sweep) and the combo of LT and Philip Rivers should have resulted in a Super Bowl appearance.  I'm not ready to read anything off the teleprompter when it comes to SD, but as we learned on Alcatraz during "The Rock," losers always whine about their best and winners, well, I'm sure Joe Cool has a few stories about winning.