R-E-S-P-E-C-T

It's time to put an end to the complaint that Miami/South Florida is not a SportsTown. Miami is a SportsTown, just simply a unique one. Think about it. The Florida Marlins won 2 titles in their first 10 years as a franchise. The Heat have just come off of their championship run. The Hurricanes have won 5 NCAA football champtionships and are perennial qualifiers to the College World Series. The Miami Dolphins have struggled more in recent years but have won a Super Bowl, hold the only undefeated season in history, touted one of the top 3 greatest QB's ever and have a much larger fanbase than are often given credit for. It's not that Miami/South Florida isn't a SportsTown they simply battle a few factors more traditional sports towns do not:

1) With the exception of the Dolphins (even they are recent comparably) South Florida franchises are still new enough where a tradition has not yet developed. For example in places like Boston, New York and Chicago people have followed baseball teams for decades thus leading them to raise their kids as fans. Here in South Florida a team like the Marlins has just turned 13. Although South Florida can boast numerous pre-teen mothers, 13 years isn't enough to build a pseudo-religious fan following like other cities have.

2) South Florida is one of the largest immigration destinations on earth. What this means is that South Florida is a transient place. It is home to tons of people who didn't live here yesterday and might be gone tomorrow. Not only are there countless illegal aliens who don't share an American sports mindset and/or can't afford a game ticket, it is also home to tons of snowbird types who have migrated here from traditional SportsTowns where they were indoctrinated and thus will not pull for the local Miami franchise. This explains why games such as Dolphins/Jets and Marlins/Mets do not feel like home games for us native Floridians when we attend them. It't not just that no home fans have bothered to come. There simply are not that many home fans - check the license plates on your way out of the stadium. Quebec. New York.

3) There is actually other stuff to do. I know I know places like Boston, Chicago, and Philly have things to offer as well but will someone freaking be honest and admit none of it compares to South Florida? How many times can you eat a steak sandwich covered in cheese whiz and visit the Liberty Bell before that gets old? Why not go catch a Phillies game? What don't you have in South Florida? Beaches, great weather, bars, clubs, etc, etc. A pro sporting event really doesn't fall on the top of the list in South Florida especially at the prices tickets go for now a days. For sixty bucks I can have an awesome night out and not even think twice about a game score.

4) Everyone brags on how awesome a place like New York's fans are. There are almost 9 million people there! How can you not fill a baseball stadium that holds 30,000 plus have left overs thus the need for a second team - ala Yankees/Mets? Trust me I haven't forgot that Miami is huge but it is a fourth the size of New York plus it battles the previously mentioned factors.

All I'm asking for is a little respect. This is not a traditional SportsTown. But it is a SportsTown But if the goal of sports is to win (and it is last time I checked) the Marlins average a chamionship per decade, the Heat are your current NBA champs, its only a matter of time before the Canes return to glory (although they have hardly "fallen") and the Dolphins are poised for a breakout season. Throw in the fact that you don't have to wear parka's to home games and there is actually stuff to do after and between games and let me know if there is a better place for a sportsfan to live in the country.