Users submitted their list of best places to play and live in the NFL. Below are the best responses. For the top five choices of ESPN's Mike Golic, click here.
The Lists
Forget where you can get tanned or which city has the most latté stands. Here are the best places to play and live if you REALLY want to play football in the NFL:
1. Pittsburgh. Great tradition, new stadium, real football weather, Bill Cowher.
2. Oakland. Jon Gruden is great and you just gotta love their fans -- it's a passionate Halloween every night.
3. Green Bay. Tradition is strong, Lambeau is mecca, but they took a huge hit when Holmgren left.
4. Cleveland. Their fan support was so strong they never deserved to lose their franchise -- so here's hoping they can rebuild respectability in a great football city.
Jonathan Billings
St. Albans, Vt.
1. Chicago. The Bears are Chicago. Just ask members of the '85 Bears.
2. Dallas. Football is a way of life there.
3. New York. How about the Giants' homefield advantage against Minnesota in the NFC title game?
4. New Orleans. Mardi Gras will be changed to January if the Saints ever win a title.
5. Pittsburgh. Try to get tickets to a Steelers game. Football is the only game in town (sorry Mario).
Mark Zuccarello
Florida
1. Nashville. Relatively new facilities and stadium. One of the great teams in the NFL now.
2. Philadelphia. New practice facility opening, new stadium coming, new SOFTER turf in the Vet. Great area to live in. And a great young, up and coming team.
3. New York (Giants). NFC champion team, new grass in Giant Stadium. You can either live in the city, or secluded North Jersey. And it doesn't hurt to see Angie Harmon at all the home games.
4. Indianapolis. For the reasons Mike Golic said.
5. Tampa Bay. It's always warm in Tampa. Great facilities to play and practice at. Very good team to play for. Only minus – 10-foot rule at Mons Venus.
Steve Marston
Roslyn, Pa.
1. Miami. Great weather and great football tradition.
2. Chicago. I agree with what Mike had to say.
3. Indianapolis. Who wouldn't want to play with this Big Three?
4. Denver. Something has been put together post-Elway era, and it looks good. Shanahan is the man.
5. Green Bay. I know its cold, but the tradition is amazing.
Jaymz Majerle
Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
5. Baltimore. Super Bowl, D.C. and a young-minded city.
4. Pittsburgh: Legends and a new stadium.
3. Buffalo. Like the Packers, who wants to play there at the end of the season. The beauty of the falls, and next door to great skiing in Canada, what more could you ask for?
2. Cleveland. New stadium, Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame, within driving distance to Canton, and loyal fans.
1. Green Bay. "The Frozen Tundra," the town owns the team, great fans, football tradition is the Green Bay Packers.
Barbara A. Shelton
Sicklerville, N.J.
Cheers
Miami would be the best place to play. It's always warm and sunny, and the risk of injury is smaller because of the grass field. Most importantly, the FINS are in the hunt every year. What more could one ask for?
Grant Zarzour
Mobile, Ala.
San Francisco is the greatest city in the greatest state in the greatest country in the world. It's both cutting edge and historic at the same time. Its diversity and landscape add to its charm. Oh, by the way, did I mention the San Francisco 49ers? In case you haven't heard, they have a pretty good tradition.
Andrew Berquist
San Francisco, Calif.
I don't think there is any competition where the best place to play and live is – New Orleans. Best food, best girls, best party, and now the best team in the NFC WEST.
Wes Fontana
Lafayette, La.
C'mon, Tampa Bay has got to be the most beautiful place in the world. Clearwater, Bradenton, Anna Maria, Sarasota – these are the best beaches in the country! The golf is phenomenal, the weather splendid, and the fishing, boating, etc. is incomparable. It's a mini-Miami, so there are fewer people. Also, its stadium is the best venue in the NFL. And if there is a better coach under whom to learn than Tony Dungy, then I'd like to know!
Nathan Funderburke
Hoover, Ala.
Buffalo – that's the best place to live and play. It's a branded fact that Buffalo's quality of life is one of the best. Football? They say there are two religions in Buffalo. Catholic and Buffalo Bills.
Patrick Nogaj
Norwalk, Conn.
Jeers
Golic are you crazy? To play pro football in Arizona, you have to play for the Bidwells, who made it possible for St. Louis to have a Super Bowl team by leaving.
Rich Harter
Thebes, Ill.
What exactly did you have for lunch that caused you to pick Indianapolis, Mike? Come on now!
Rick Ryall
Chicago, Ill.
THE WORST: BUFFALO. Cold weather, turf, losing history, poor treatment of vets. When you go to four Super Bowls and the only thing your city is still known for is the wings, then something's wrong.
William Shfuord
San Leandro, Calif.
