Long Live Frank Fixaris!

So the folks on The Shootaround (WZON) posed this question earlier this week, and I thought it could lead to an interesting discussion here (there is also a discussion on their Facebook page - just search for them):

"How does the state of Maine rate as a sports state? Single A, Double A, Triple A, or major league?"

Please show your work for full credit.

Easy...double A.

Only pro teams in state are minor league teams...and while the minor league hockey team in Portland is one step from the NHL (unlike the Sea Dogs that are two steps from MLB), right now the NHL is one step below the rest of the major pro leagues (MLB, NFL, NBA) so I'll call it equivalent to the AA baseball team in town. NBADL is a lesser league than the AHL, IMO, so the Red Claws barely cause a blip in the radar. So the peak of the pro game is AA.

Only D-1 college is UMO, and the signature program is the hockey team...again a step below other major college team sports like basketball and football. So on that front we're not quite big league either. If UMO was D-1A in football, I might call the college sports scene AAA, but I think it too is AA.

Take the average and there it is...double A.

Every male born in Maine throws like a girl, that doesn't help.

But despite being a rural state Maine really benefits from being so close to Boston. Imagine what it would be like to live in Montana, or North Dakota.