Completely agree with Roadie on ASU.
Talent is getting better there but most of the players do not stay in Arizona. Last year 7 of the top 10 went out of state. ASU got 4 of the top 12 and Arizona got 3 of the top 15. And this is with both programs at a high and relatively successful over the past few years with good new coaches.
The climate in Arizona sucks. You think guys want to be practicing and working out in 90 degree heat most of the year? Fuck no.
And there are jersey chasing sluts at every fucking school. Certainly more at ASU and UA though.
Have you ever lived in AZ? I've lived in AZ (15 years), the South Bay area (3 years) and WA (too many years to mention), and I would not trade AZ's weather for the other two, and it ain't even close. San Diego, on the other hand, wins hands down.
The reason why many AZ kids bail on the local schools is that very few of them were born and raised here. The vast majority of AZ residents are transplants. So the "growing up loving the local school" thing doesn't exist.
Arizona is a beautiful state. The heat is only a problem at lower altitudes and only for a few months of the year. I've seen snow in Flagstaff in April. Sedona, Oak Creek Canyon, Red Rock State Park, the Grand Canyon, the Sonoran Desert, and many other portions of the state are all incredibly beautiful, especially in the late spring when everything has greened up and is blooming. The air is dry, and all joking aside, that does feel pleasant, even at temperatures (high and low) that are unpleasant in more humid climates. 40 and raining in Seattle is a helluva lot "colder" than 32 and dry in Sedona.
I have spent most of my years living in and around Seattle, moving out of the area permanently some time ago. I still get up there very frequently, for business and pleasure, and I do like the area, but the place is far from a panacea. Summers can be beautiful, but the weather does suck for most of the year. Depression and disorders like SAD are linked to this. Traffic has always been a bit of a challenge, but it has become unbearable for most of the Seattle Metro area. State sales taxes, property taxes, liquor taxes, hotel and car rental taxes are all now at ridiculous levels. And to go along with is is one of the most parochial and least diverse populations I've encountered anywhere in the country, both of which have spun some seriously ironic attitudes. Sports fans only need to consider that the Sonics are gone but the Sounders and Mariners are thriving.
