Nashville ranked again in nation’s top 25 sports cities – The Daily News Journal
Nashville ranked again in nation’s top 25 sports cities The Daily News Journal
For the third consecutive year Nashville cracked the nation’s top 25 Best Sports Cities ranked by Wallet Hub.
The Music City slipped one spot from No. 23 in 2017 and 2018, but still came in at No. 24 in the ranking that compared 418 cities across more than 50 metrics related to the five largest sports in the U.S. — football, basketball, baseball, hockey and soccer.
College sports are also factored into the ranking.
The ranking included a breakdown for each sport. Nashville was 23rd in hockey, 24th in football, 27th in soccer, 31st in baseball and 54th in basketball.
Nashville, which currently has a USL team, will likely receive a big boost when Major League Soccer arrives in 2020.
The top 10 cities in order: Boston, New York, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Chicago, Washington, Dallas, Oakland, Denver.
Other Tennessee cities included: 44 Memphis, 98 Johnson City, 126 Murfreesboro, 173 Chattanooga, 189 Clarksville, 215 Knoxville, 217 Cookeville, 309 Elizabethton, 325 Kingsport, 361 Jackson, 367 Greeneville.
For the complete list visit Top Sports Cities.
TSU’s Rowland finalist for Walter Payton Award
Tennessee State wide receiver Chris Rowland, a senior from Ravenwood, was named a finalist Monday for the Walter Payton Award that goes to the FCS offensive player of the year.
Rowland, who led the nation in receiving yards per game (119.8) and tied for second in catches (8.7), is among 26 finalists.
He finished the season with 104 catches for 1,437 yards, both which were school records. He scored 11 touchdowns.
On Tuesday Rowland was named the Ohio Valley Conference offensive player of the year.
Austin Peay defensive back Kordell Jackson was named a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, which goes to the defensive player of the year.
Austin Peay coach Mark Hudspeth is among 15 finalists for the Eddie Robinson Award, which goes to the FCS coach of the year.
Hudspeth, in his first season, was named the OVC coach of the year after leading the Governors to a 9-3 record, 7-1 OVC. Austin Peay set a school record for wins in a season and made the FCS playoffs for the first time.
State’s top sportscaster and sportswriter finalists named
Finalists for Tennessee Sportscaster and Sportswriter of the Year were announced this week by the National Sports Media Association.
Sportscaster finalists include Dawn Davenport (104.5 The Zone, SEC Network), Joe Fisher (Vanderbilt Radio Network), Jeff Hem (Sounds Radio Network), Jonathan Hutton (104.5 The Zone), Kevin Ingram (104.5 The Zone), Mike Keith (Titans Radio Network), Steve Selby (Memphis Redbirds Radio Network), Pete Weber (Predators Radio Network) and John Wilkerson (WIVK/WNML Radio).
Davenport and Weber shared the award in 2018.
I was named a finalist for sportswriter of the year along with Joe Rexrode (The Athletic) and Teresa Walker (Associated Press).
Rexrode won in 2017 and 2018 when he was with The Tennessean.
Winners will be announced during the second week of January and honored at the 61st annual NSMA awards banquet in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, June 27-29.
Predators gear up for special events
Boston Red Sox outfielder and former Overton star Mookie Betts, Mrs. Tennessee USA 2019 Juliana Wilson and NBC’s 2019 American Ninja Warrior Ben Wilson will join several Predators at the eighth annual Preds & Pins Celebrity Bowling Tournament Dec. 5.
Calle Jarnkrok, Mattias Ekholm, Filip Forsberg and Kyle Turris are scheduled to represent the team at Hermitage Strike & Spare.
The event begins at 4:30 p.m. with children bowling. The adults will start bowling at 6:30 p.m.
For more information visit Predators Foundation.
In another upcoming Predators event Austin Watson and Colton Sissons will serve as hosts for the Predators Holiday Party benefiting Nations Ministry on Dec. 8 in the Lexus Lounge at Bridgestone Arena.
The party will be a celebration for 110 children from the ministry and their families, which will include receiving gifts, ice skating, food and entertainment.
Stars will cook for you at Chris Hope’s fundraiser
Betts will also be a guest on Dec. 9 at former Titan Chis Hope’s A Night of Hope at Shogun Steakhouse in Brentwood.
Hope played for the Titans from 2006-11.
He will moderate the event which benefits his I C Hope Foundation and the NFL Alumni Tennessee Chapter.
Hope and his special guests will cook for those in attendance, pose for photos and sign autographs.
Along with Betts other special guests include current Titans Kevin Byard, Jurrell Casey, Logan Ryan, Wesley Woodyard and Jayon Brown, former Titans Albert Haynesworth, Kevin Dyson, Cortland Finnegan, Keith Bulluck, Derrick Mason, Blaine Bishop and Brad Hopkins. former Brentwood Academy and NBA star Brandan Wright, former Vanderbilt basketball star Shan Foster and former Tennessee star Marcus Haislip.
For tickets email talk2ingrid@gmail.com.
For tickets email talk2ingrid@gmail.com or visit A Night of Hope.
MTSU basketball players honored in Chattanooga
Former Middle Tennessee State basketball stars Stan Sumrell and his sister Rhesa Sumrell will have their Chattanooga Notre Dame High School jerseys retired.
Another former MTSU star, Terry Scott, will be inducted into the Greater Chattanooga Sports Hall of Fame on Feb. 24.
Stan and Rhesa Sumrell and Scott played at MTSU in the late 1960s and early 70s.
Kurkjian will speak at Lipscomb baseball dinner
ESPN baseball analyst Tim Kurkjian will be the guest speaker for the Lipscomb First Pitch Dinner Jan. 25 at the George Shinn Event Center.
The dinner is a fundraiser for the Lipscomb baseball program.
Kurkjian has been with ESPN since 1998 when he started as a reporter for “Baseball Tonight” and a senior writer for “ESPN The Magazine.”
Kurkjian, who has authored three books, still makes regular appearances on “Baseball Tonight” and “SportsCenter.”
For reservations or more information visit First Pitch Dinner.
Hupka elected into Babe Ruth Hall
Former Montgomery Bell Academy baseball standout Spike Hupka has been elected into the Babe Ruth League Hall of Fame.
Hupka, a catcher and outfielder, made The Tennessean All-City Western Division team as a junior in 1961 and All-City third team as a senior.
He was part of Babe Ruth Baseball as a player, coach and official for more than 50 years.
After his playing career ended when he helped lead his team to the World Series in Stockton, California, Hupka spent 14 years as a coach.
He then served as a district and state commissioner in Tennessee and in 2008 was elected to the league’s International board of directors.
Hupka was named Mr. Baseball by the Nashville Old Timers Baseball Association in 2018.
Ex-UT assistant fired at Eastern Kentucky
Former Tennessee assistant football coach Mark Elder was fired Tuesday as the Eastern Kentucky head coach.
Elder, 41, spent four seasons at EKU and compiled a 21-24 record. The Colonels were 7-5 this season and 7-4 in 2018.
International rugby match to be played at Father Ryan
The Father Ryan rugby team will serve as host for an international match Dec. 4 at 6 p.m. at Giacosa Stadium.
The match will be between Nashville Rugby Club, a USA Rugby Division III program, and Gordon Highlanders RFC from the North Shore of Sydney, Australia.
Admission is free.
Sports on Nashville TV
The top five local ratings for sporting events from Nov. 18-24:
1. NFL: Titans-Jaguars, 21.9
2. NFL: Packers-49ers, 13.2
3. NFL: Seahawks-Eagles, 12.1
4. NFL: Cowboys-Patriots, 9.3
5. NFL: Texans-Colts, 9.2
If you have an item for Midstate Chatted contact Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on Twitter @MikeOrganWriter.
Published 5:45 PM EST Nov 29, 2019
