# Worst Place in America Tournament **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 6, 2007, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-place-in-america-tournament/399012 "2007-04-06T18:05:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Spirit\_of\_Radio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19b73/32.png) [@The\_Spirit\_of\_Radio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Spirit_of_Radio)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-place-in-america-tournament/399012/1 "2007-04-06T18:05:13Z")
You may recall that there was a Worst town in America thread quite some time ago. One thing I noticed was that there was no real agreement on the true Worst Town in America. That’s why I’m suggesting a tournament. Everyone name the worst town in all 50 states. It can be a continuous list like one person does Alabama, the next does Alaska, etc… Then there could be a March Madness-like tournament to find a definite winner. There would be a round of 50, then narrowed down to 25, etc… Everyone, get nominating! ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-place-in-america-tournament/399012/2 "2007-04-06T18:27:27Z")
**Massachusetts** Nominee: Lawrence Backing up on Prevent Defense: Brockton ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-place-in-america-tournament/399012/3 "2007-04-06T19:00:43Z")
**Hawaii** Nominee: Waianae Although not the most pleasant place (Police just took out 800 homeless in tents on the beach), I don’t expect anywhere that says \* x, Hawaii\* to last long in the tourney. We’ll probably be in the Play-in game to play a #1 seed from the Rust Belt Predicted Final Four: [ol] [li]Gary, Indiana[/li][li]East St Louis, Illinois[/li][li]Camden, New Jersey[/li][li]And one Cinderella[/li][/ol] ---
**Author:** ![The\_Spirit\_of\_Radio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19b73/32.png) [@The\_Spirit\_of\_Radio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Spirit_of_Radio)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-place-in-america-tournament/399012/4 "2007-04-06T19:16:06Z")
For Maryland, I’d say Baltimore, even though it’s pretty good, Maryland’s a small state and I wouldn’t expect it to last long in the tourney. Also, the District of Columbia is exempt because it is only one city and it would throw off the numbers by making it 51 choices instead of a nice round number like 50. For Virginia, I’ll have to go with a book I have by Dave Gilmartin on this topic and say Virginia Beach. Once again, Virginia was a toughie like Maryland. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-place-in-america-tournament/399012/5 "2007-04-06T19:17:46Z")
Camden’s a contender. On this side of the river, I’ll propose Chester for Pennsylvania. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Spirit\_of\_Radio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19b73/32.png) [@The\_Spirit\_of\_Radio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Spirit_of_Radio)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-place-in-america-tournament/399012/6 "2007-04-06T19:24:59Z")
Also, this isn’t a nomination, I’ve never been to Connecticut, but I’ve heard that New Haven’s pretty cruddy outside the Yale campus. Also, there’s blood in the streets there 😃😃😃 Does anyone know where that’s from? ---
**Author:** ![tashabot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tashabot/32/6250_2.png) [@tashabot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tashabot)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-place-in-america-tournament/399012/7 "2007-04-06T19:27:54Z")
Are we going based on general miserable-ness, crime rate, or suckitude? Or all three? From my experience: Nevada: Wells. My Final Four prediction: Gary, Ind. Camden, N.J. East Orange, N.J. Compton, Calif. ~Tasha ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-place-in-america-tournament/399012/8 "2007-04-06T19:37:23Z")
[QUOTE=Shagnasty] **Massachusetts** Nominee: Lawrence Backing up on Prevent Defense: Brockton [/QUOTE] Revere Parts of Salem ---
**Author:** ![The\_Spirit\_of\_Radio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19b73/32.png) [@The\_Spirit\_of\_Radio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Spirit_of_Radio)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-place-in-america-tournament/399012/9 "2007-04-06T19:38:36Z")
[QUOTE=tashabot] Are we going based on general miserable-ness, crime rate, or suckitude? Or all three? [/QUOTE] Pretty much all three. [QUOTE=tashabot] My Final Four prediction: Gary, Ind. Camden, N.J. East Orange, N.J. Compton, Calif. ~Tasha [/QUOTE] I don’t know, East St. Louis is a major contender, may push East Orange out of the Final Four. Plus, you can’t have two from one state. One per state. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-place-in-america-tournament/399012/10 "2007-04-06T19:42:21Z")
[QUOTE=tdn] Revere [/QUOTE] Hey, my BIL lives in Revere! …no, you are absolutely right come to think of it. He could make any place a contender just by living there. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Spirit\_of\_Radio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19b73/32.png) [@The\_Spirit\_of\_Radio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Spirit_of_Radio)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-place-in-america-tournament/399012/11 "2007-04-06T19:43:40Z")
So as both \*\*Tashabot \*\* and **Twickster** have said, I guess we and declare Camden the worst town in New Jersey? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-place-in-america-tournament/399012/12 "2007-04-06T19:52:48Z")
[QUOTE=Shagnasty] Hey, my BIL lives in Revere! …no, you are absolutely right come to think of it. He could make any place a contender just by living there. [/QUOTE] Sounds like a charmer. 🙂 Another nominee might be Mehfuh. I understand that’s where ozone depletion got its start. ---
**Author:** ![HubZilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ccd318/32.png) [@HubZilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HubZilla)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-place-in-america-tournament/399012/13 "2007-04-06T20:55:14Z")
[QUOTE=The Spirit of Radio] So as both \*\*Tashabot \*\* and **Twickster** have said, I guess we and declare Camden the worst town in New Jersey? [/QUOTE] New Jersey is going to be like the Southeastern Conference, hard to place just _one_ team in. ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-place-in-america-tournament/399012/14 "2007-04-06T21:17:36Z")
[QUOTE=HubZilla] **Hawaii** Nominee: Waianae [/QUOTE] I’ve always been amused at the one-letter spelling difference between Waianae and Waialae. Definitely one of those, “Be sure to enunciate when tourists ask for directions” places. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-place-in-america-tournament/399012/15 "2007-04-06T21:48:09Z")
As a former Ohioan, I nominate Youngstown (Mafia-ridden site of numerous shuttered steel plants) as the Buckeye State’s entry. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Spirit\_of\_Radio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e19b73/32.png) [@The\_Spirit\_of\_Radio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Spirit_of_Radio)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-place-in-america-tournament/399012/16 "2007-04-06T21:53:13Z")
[QUOTE=HubZilla] New Jersey is going to be like the Southeastern Conference, hard to place just _one_ team in. [/QUOTE] Yeah, but, once again, you have to choose one from each state and I’d say that nowhere in New Jersey, no matter how horrible, can beat Camden. ---
**Author:** ![rhythmonly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ee59a6/32.png) [@rhythmonly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhythmonly)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-place-in-america-tournament/399012/17 "2007-04-06T22:06:48Z")
**TEXAS** Nominee: Alpine. Prediction: could go all the way, especially if judging committee travels there by Amtrak. ---
**Author:** ![Jayrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Jayrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jayrot)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-place-in-america-tournament/399012/18 "2007-04-06T22:40:18Z")
**CALIFORNIA** Nominee: Palmdale Prediction: Like the Hawaii nominee, it probably won’t last long since it is in California. As shitty as it might be, it’s at least _near_ some good stuff. ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-place-in-america-tournament/399012/19 "2007-04-06T22:50:02Z")
**Washington State** Nomination: Burien Runner up: Kent **Wyoming** Rock Springs ---
**Author:** ![threemae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@threemae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threemae)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2007, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-place-in-america-tournament/399012/20 "2007-04-06T22:51:46Z")
After a 15 second deliberation, Colorado nominates scenic: **Pueblo, Colorado!** Okay, it’s not that bad. We’ll leave and expect our appearance check in the mail. Also, I’ve eaten lunch in Rock Springs, Wyoming and I didn’t think it seemed _that_ bad. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worst-place-in-america-tournament/399012.md?page=2)