Matthew Lambert: Thank you for tuning in to the Generational Gauntlet Top 5 Faves. This is the podcast where we give you our top five on a topic with a generational twist to it. My name is Matt Lambert and I'm the host of this podcast. Each week I bring in a guest who's from a different generation than me to discuss or debate our top five on a selected topic. Today I am bringing in a Zennial. This is part of a micro generation that's smack dab in the middle of a Gen Xer and a Millennial. Matt Oliver: Okay. Thank you. Matthew Lambert: This guest is a minister, he's a lawyer, and he has the best first name of anyone I've brought on this podcast thus far, and that is Matt Oliver. So Matt, welcome in. You're a huge sports guy, right? Matt Oliver: Absolutely, I like hockey, like NBA, but my heart's with the NFL, I love football. Matthew Lambert: Okay, and it's my understanding you're trying to see is it every NFL stadium in the country? Matt Oliver: Yes, yeah, trying to see every my cousin and I are trying to see every NFL stadium. Of course, there's 32 teams, but 30 stadiums because two of New York and LA share. it's a work in progress and it's going to take several years, but that's what our goal is. Matthew Lambert: Yes. How many stadiums are you in as of here? We're recording this in March, 2026. How many stadiums are you in? Matt Oliver: We're in 14 so far, so we're close to getting halfway there, but not quite. Matthew Lambert: Okay. That is an accomplishment. I've been to zero NFL stadiums. So you're, you're much further along than I am in that type of endeavor. Matt Oliver: Well, it's a lot of fun and now the challenges we're getting to where we are going to have to start flying because we've done everything drivable. Matthew Lambert: Makes total sense. Well, with that introduction in mind today, and with a guy who's heavily invested in seeing some different sports cities and stadiums, our topic today is our top five favorite sports cities. And I'm very curious where this list takes us, I have a feeling Matt and I might have very different reasons for what cities end up on our list today and why. And for anybody that hasn't listened to this podcast before, here's how the whole thing works. Matt and I have each put together our own list for our top five favorite sports cities. I do not know his list. I do suspect one based on some Intel that I have. I'll see if I'm right, but he doesn't know my list. He's going to give his number five city and why he'll kick it over to me. I'll give my number five and why, and we'll continue in that fashion until we get to each of our number ones. So with that, Matt, I'm going to hand it over to you. What is your number five sports city? Matt Oliver: Well, my number five sports city will be surprising to a lot of people who know me because I'm a Cleveland Browns fan, but my number five city is actually Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the whole dealers. Uh, and the criteria I use to judge this is fan experience, food, and other things to do in the city. That's not. Matthew Lambert: Okay. Matt Oliver: other things of entertainment to do for visitors. um, Pittsburgh Steelers sworn enemies of the Browns, but my experience there in 2023 when the Steelers played the Browns was amazing. even though the game wasn't, the fan experience, first of all, if you've never been there for a football game and they may do this for other sports too, but the subway system is free for people traveling from anywhere in town to the stadium. So was really impressed by that right off the bat. Matthew Lambert: ⁓ nice. Matt Oliver: It was a really tough game for Browns fans because football fans might remember that this was the game. Nick Chubb, our star running back, suffered a catastrophic injury that ruined his season and really ended his career with the Browns. And so the, the empathy and sympathy that, that I felt from the Steelers fans when they saw we were dressed in Brown's clothes, they were just, they were class acts through the whole thing. they legitimately felt bad for us ⁓ showed that. so, Matthew Lambert: Yeah. Matt Oliver: As far as production goes in the stadium, the lights, the chance, the fan experience, really cool situation, but impressed by the fans. As far as food goes, there's Pimenti Brothers sandwiches there that they were recommended and they were fantastic. And it's a sandwich where they jam the French fries into the sandwich, which makes it really good. And so that was a really neat experience. And as far as other activities, we rode the Incline, which is a train-like vehicle that slowly takes people Matthew Lambert: Mm-hmm. Matt Oliver: from the city area up to the top of the mountain, originally built in the twenties to transport steel mill workers and it's still in use today. And so if you're ever in Pittsburgh, that's a really cool thing to check out. But Pittsburgh was a really cool experience. And so for those reasons, it's my number five sports city. Matthew Lambert: Matt, I've spent a lot of time in Pittsburgh for work from a previous job I had way back in the day. I've had Pimenti Brothers, great sandwich, you're right. I did not do the incline because I'm terrified of heights, but I will throw an additional plug in for Pittsburgh here. They have the National Aviary in Pittsburgh, and if anybody's a fan of birds like my daughter is, we took her when she was really young. She loved every second of that place. So another thing you can do in the Pittsburgh area, but... Matt, will say from knowing that you were a Cleveland fan, I am very surprised this one was on your list. Matt Oliver: I figured you might be that that is the prize, but it was a really neat experience ⁓ even for a Browns fan. Matthew Lambert: Well, I'll tell you, I'm gonna be real with you. I thought about on my list, originally I was like, I should go by the numbers. And you you could look at cities that have the most championships with the big four teams. New York would be that dominant city, if you consider the teams of old. I think they've got like 60 some titles. Boston has like 40, LA's in the 30s. And I said, no, we're going favorites. So my list today is very sentimental. I have actually not been to three of my cities. but they play a role in my fandom of, or what I appreciate about sports. So my number five, I've never been to this city. I don't know if I ever will, but it's Las Vegas, Nevada. And this makes my list because I am a massive UFC fan. I love MMA, I love fighting sports. We just had an episode release, ⁓ I think that was last week. Most of my top five sports movies were ⁓ fighting related, so I love the fight game. Matt Oliver: Okay. Yeah. Matthew Lambert: This city has hosted the most UFC events in history. Vegas is known as the fight capital of the world. The two largest gates in boxing history occurred in Vegas with Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao ⁓ and Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor. The highest attendance at a boxing match in occurred in Vegas with the Terrence Crawford Canelo Alvarez fight back in 2025 and This has been the site of some of the most iconic fights in history. I'll just drop a few, but you've got 1981 Sugar Ray Leonard versus Thomas Hearns, a Vander Holyfield and Riddick Bowe in 92, the infamous fight that saved the UFC, Forrest Griffin and Stefan Bonner in 05, the Anderson Silva and Chelsunin, their rematch in 2012, and I could keep going. You could throw in with that city that they've got the Raiders, the Vegas Golden Knights, who won the 2023 Stanley Cup, Matt Oliver: you Matthew Lambert: and the Las Vegas Aces who won titles in 22, 23, and 25. So that city had to make it on my list. Matt, I hope I'm not taking anything away from your list, but is Vegas in your top five? Have you been to Vegas before? Matt Oliver: I've been to Vegas before but never for sports. I've not been to Raider Stadium yet and that is on the list but it is a growing city with sports too. mean they ⁓ adding baseball, Yeah, so I think the Oakland Athletics are actually relocating there. So ⁓ growing lot of ways in sports and I will be there eventually. ⁓ Matthew Lambert: Okay. Okay, yeah. I think so. Uh-huh. Well, that's my number five. I'll kick it back to you for your number four. Matt Oliver: Okay. Number four for me is Baltimore, Maryland. those are here in 2023 when the Ravens hosted the Buffalo Bills. this stadium, as far as the, the theatrics ⁓ and production has really been my favorite so far, which is somewhat surprising maybe, but, the, level of excitement with the fans is something I've rarely seen in a regular season game. Usually you see that kind of excitement in the playoffs. Lamar Jackson, Derek Henry. All the other stars on the Ravens team just played exceptionally well this night. It was a Sunday night game and they destroyed the Bills. Josh Allen was not only his game and they destroyed the Bills. A blowout game. This, the food at this stadium, best food I've ever had at the stadium. They have smash burgers made with beef and crab and seasoned in Old Bay. And the whole stadium smells like Old Bay. So if you love that, Baltimore is the place for you. Matthew Lambert: Mm-hmm. Oof. Matt Oliver: The next day we enjoyed crab at out on the bay at a place called Nick's Fish House and it was it was a really neat experience. Baltimore's a little light when it comes to other activities to do that aren't sports related because there's just not a lot of things there but we did get to go see the home of Edgar Allen Poe and his poem The Raven is actually where the Baltimore Ravens get their name. So Baltimore was a really neat city for that purpose. Matthew Lambert: ⁓ nice. Matt Oliver: And ⁓ the food and the actual excitement of the game was probably one of the best we've ever been to. So Baltimore is number four on my list. Matthew Lambert: love the Edgar Allan Poe reference. I never put two and two together for that. Did you all hit up the aquarium while you were there? I think they've got the National Aquarium there, correct? Matt Oliver: We, yes, they do. And, and aquariums are something that we do try to hit up in most of the cities that we go to, but we didn't have time on this trip to do it. was Sunday night game and, and, know, Monday you got to get back. So, ⁓ but that's, ⁓ that's definitely on the list. If we ever make our way back to Baltimore. Matthew Lambert: Mm-hmm. Gotcha. Nice, well again, another city I did not expect. I was expecting a lot of Ohio related cities from you and maybe we get there later, but I've been surprised with two of the ones on your list thus far. My number four for people that know me will be a huge surprise and I'm gonna be clear from the jump. I am not an Oregon Ducks fan, but Eugene, Oregon is on my list. I've never been to the state of Oregon, but this city makes the list because of its tie in with Track and Field. And Matt, you probably don't know this about me. That's okay. I ran track and cross country growing up. ⁓ Loved both sports. My parents spent a lot of time watching me run through the woods of West Virginia, watching me run in circles in West Virginia, Ohio, other places. And as a runner, one of my heroes growing up was Steve Prefontaine. Pre ran at Oregon for the famous Bill Bowerman. He won three cross country national championships, four straight 5,000 meter NCAA championships on the track. Matt Oliver: Okay. Matthew Lambert: I won't go more into his accolades because if there's ever a top five on runners, he's very likely going to be on my list. But Eugene is also the site of where Nike was founded. And I know some people don't like Nike. are you a Nike guy at all? Matt Oliver: I didn't know that. I did not know that. I am, but I didn't know that fact. That's very interesting. Matthew Lambert: Yeah, so that's where they were founded and anyone who knows me knows I am a Nike addict. I don't even want to say how many pairs of Nikes are in my closet right now, but I actually have a pair of Nikes that are Oregon colors and they were part of the pre-date collection. It was a tribute to Steve Prefontaine. They're one of my most favorite pairs of shoes. At Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, the USA Track and Field Championships was hosted from 2021. until 2025 and for me I had to put a city on the list that I view as the running Mecca in the United States. So if you throw Nike in there you got me sold. Matt have you been to Oregon before? Matt Oliver: I have never been to Oregon at all, Matthew Lambert: Okay, well I got one that, ⁓ you know, maybe somewhere else that you need to go on your list. I know not the professional stance, but check it out, you know, collegiately. Matt Oliver: That's right. That's right. Yeah. And it looks beautiful from the pictures I've seen, especially over at the coast. So that would be a great place to visit just to visit the state. But that's, that's really interesting. I learned something. Yeah. Matthew Lambert: Absolutely. Well, I'll hand it to you. What's your number three city? Matt Oliver: Number three is Atlanta, Georgia. Really cool city. I've been there before, but we visited in 2023 when the Falcons played the Seattle Seahawks. When we arrived in Atlanta on Saturday morning, we discovered that Georgia Tech was actually hosting Notre Dame in a college football game at Stadie's Ben's Stadium, which is where the Falcons play. So at the last minute we, we decided to buy tickets and go to that game. We got, got a preview of the stadium before. Matthew Lambert: ⁓ nice. Mm-hmm. Matt Oliver: Sunday's NFL game. The stadium has the ability to close the roof or keep the roof open. And they actually did that that afternoon because there was some rain. It was really sunny, but then some rain was coming. And so to see that was really neat. course of the college football experience is a little different than NFL. You've got the band and you've got all the other student ⁓ going on. Matthew Lambert: Mm-hmm. Matt Oliver: The crowd was a lot less than you would see, you know, at an NFL game, but the stadium is a lot bigger than most college places potentially, but really neat experience. Of course, the next day on Sunday, Falcons, ⁓ have a tough go of it most of the time and the Seahawks beat them. ⁓ that was a very modern stadium and probably if you're just judging on stadium, probably the thing, ⁓ the closest to that that I've ever been to would be Detroit with their dome. But Atlanta was really neat. ⁓ Matthew Lambert: You Yeah. Matt Oliver: Mercedes Benz stadium is known for having cheap food. Their owner actually insists that his stadium be the cheapest of any NFL stadiums. And so you can get a massive chicken, tender fry back for 10 bucks. And soda is $2. Where do you ever see that? and it's the quantity and quality is, is pretty impressive. other activities, this is really what carries the day for me with Atlanta, because in the downtown area where Mercedes Benz is and where we stayed, You are walking distance of the College Football Hall of Fame, which is really neat thing to see, the Coca-Cola Museum, as well as the Georgia Aquarium. And so all these things downtown, easily walkable. I recommend Atlanta for anyone, whether you're a sports fan or not, just because of those other activities. But that is why Atlanta made it to my number three. Matthew Lambert: Mm-hmm. Well Matt, this is really interesting, because Atlanta is my number three as well. Yes, so it's funny, Atlanta is a city that I've been scheduled to go to twice. Once for work, once personally, both trips got canceled. It's still on my list of places to go, And ⁓ I do not like any the teams. I do not like Georgia college football teams. I cannot stand the Georgia Bulldogs. But this one made the list for me for three. Matt Oliver: Really? ⁓ no. Matthew Lambert: reasons. One you already mentioned, it's College Football Hall of Fame. College football is my favorite sport, so you've got the Hall of Fame there, gotta be there. It's on my list. I'm still trying to convince my girls for us to go there too when we're in Atlanta. Number two, I am a massive Ohio State fan. 2025 National Championship won by Ohio State was in Atlanta over Notre Dame. Great memory for me. Matt Oliver: You would love that, absolutely. Matthew Lambert: Add in we were the first team to ever win the 12 team college football playoff just saying and then reason number three Atlanta was the site of the 1996 Summer Olympics and I love the Summer Olympics that was the first Olympics that I remember watching was back in 96 and 96 was iconic the highlight for me was Michael Johnson winning both the 200 meter and the 400 meter and setting world records in both and Matt I'm curious. Do you remember his iconic gold spikes? He ran in his Nike spikes Matt Oliver: Yep. I do not know I don't Matthew Lambert: Okay, that's alright. They were so fantastic. I don't even know if my parents remember this, but I really wanted a pair of those shoes. I had no purpose for them. I didn't run track at the time, but I wanted those gold spikes that he had. But some other notable people with that Olympics. You had Carl Lewis won the long jump. Randy Barnes, who's from West Virginia, won in shot putt. Both basketball teams went undefeated and won gold medals. Amy Van Dyken won four gold medals in the pool. And I think that if... Matt Oliver: ⁓ That's right. Yes, yep. Matthew Lambert: you have memories of the Olympics, you remember Carrie Strug landing that move off the vault, being carried off by her coach, which was such an awesome memory. So for a Natty that I loved, for an Olympics that I loved, that's why Atlanta makes the list. And I will tell you, Matt, the Atlanta Aquarium is like the number one thing on our list to do when we get to Atlanta. So that is like been on our bucket list for as long as I can remember. Matt Oliver: Yes. It's the best aquarium I've ever been to and that Coca-Cola museum you may think I don't know that's for me the interactive stuff and the history and and it's it is by no means a boring thing that is the kids would love that that's that's definitely do that it's right beside the aquarium. Matthew Lambert: Mm-hmm. Well, well Matt, I'll kick it to you. What's your number two city? Matt Oliver: Absolutely. Great. Number two for me is Buffalo, New York. Didn't see that one coming. We were here January 19th, 2025 for a playoff game between the Bills and the Ravens. So we saw the Ravens and Bills at the beginning of the season and then we saw them in the playoffs that same season. But the fan experience Orchard Park, which is where the stadium is, it's not in the city of Buffalo, really neat area, both the old stadium and the new stadium, which they're going to start using this coming season. Matthew Lambert: Ooh, I did not see that coming, okay. You Mm-hmm. Matt Oliver: That's all surrounded by neighborhood. There's no area, you know, there's no businesses in Orchard Park. It's all neighborhood and then the stadiums. So you have to go online and buy tickets to park in people's yards when you go to the football game. We parked a mile away and the pass cost $123, 120 bucks to park with a $3 processing fee. Who's processing it? I don't know, but that was the call. So we parked, it was a Sunday night game. It was eight degrees. and snowing like crazy as we were walking to the stadium. As we approached an area of tailgaters, you heard all these alarms start to go off and it was everyone's iPhone going off telling us life threatening cold weather and heavy snow is on the way. And everyone erupted in cheers. Everybody thought that was really cool. Now the game was really cold, but we were prepared with electric hand warmers, electric socks, masks, the whole nine yards. Jackson for the Ravens. had some turnovers as did Andrews and a couple other players. had like five, four or five turnovers that game. The game was really close, but the bills held on and won this playoff game 27 to 25. So it was so exciting. Fans were fun, respectful, cold, but also excited. as far as the food, Buffalo wings, that's what it's about in Buffalo. We went to multiple area, multiple restaurants there while we were there. that said they had the best Buffalo Wing, but the title for the best in our minds goes to the anchor bar, which is the spot where the Buffalo Wing was invented. And they still do a good job at it today. So other activities that weren't game related. So we woke up Monday morning to negative 22 degrees in inches of snow, 10 inches of snow, which meant our flights home were canceled. It would be two more days before we would be able to fly out of there. Matthew Lambert: Okay. Nice. ⁓ my gosh. Matt Oliver: So we made the best of it. Our rental car was actually a truck. And so we went everywhere we wanted. We drove up to Niagara Falls and saw it frozen, but still running underneath and making noise, which was amazing. ⁓ We hiked to this place called the Eternal Flame, which is a gas deposit behind a waterfall that someone at some point lit and there's a little flame that comes out of the rock and it never goes out. And you have to hike there, but the experience was really cool with that waterfall partially frozen. Matthew Lambert: ⁓ nice. Matt Oliver: hiking in 10 inches of snow. It took a while, but we were prepared and it was really neat. ⁓ We got to, you know, spend a couple of days just doing things that we otherwise wouldn't have been able to do or have time for. So that delay wasn't all that bad, while Buffalo's my number two. Matthew Lambert: Yeah. So Matt, I gotta ask, did you jump through a table while in Buffalo? Matt Oliver: I did not jump through a table. did not. There were plenty of people doing it, but quite honestly, by the time that they won, it was just time to get back to the truck and get the heat on. ⁓ yes. Yeah. Plenty of people jumping through tables. Yeah. There were, there were plastic tables broken all over the Matthew Lambert: Did you see somebody jump through a table though? Okay. That's all I know about Buffalo. I'm gonna be honest, if I was there, I would probably have to jump through a table much to the chagrin of my wife. I'd be like, hey, I don't care about my physical ailments, I'm jumping through this thing. Matt Oliver: Yeah, yeah, and you'd be justified in doing that. No one would think anything of it. Matthew Lambert: Well, I'll give you my number two and it's my understanding you're a big Browns fan, right? Okay, so my number two is Cleveland, Ohio. And I'm gonna be honest with you, this city does not make my list for the Browns. I'm actually not a huge NFL guy. Love college football, love the NBA, love the UFC. I'm a college basketball guy. NFL's a little bit lower on my list. Matt Oliver: That's right. Yes. Okay. Okay. Matthew Lambert: I'm not a big Major League Baseball guy either, but this city mainly makes the list because of one team and one man. And that team is the Cleveland Cavaliers, and that man is the GOAT, LeBron James. And people listening, if you've listened to episode one, you've heard me ramble on and on about LeBron, so I won't do that. Matt Oliver: Yep. Absolutely. Matthew Lambert: If you've listened to, I think it was episode six, we talked about our favorite athletes we've seen in person. LeBron was on that list as well. And I mentioned that back in 2015, my dad and I got to watch him go play in Cleveland. And it was one of the most fun trips I've had with my dad. We stayed in a hotel that there's, I'm trying to think how to describe it. It was like a tunnel that went under the hotel to the stadium. We ate at the Hard Rock Cafe. We were there during the NCAA tournament. So our whole way there, we listened to college Matt Oliver: Yep. Matthew Lambert: basketball on the radio, we got to our hotel, we watched basketball in the hotel room, we went and ate, we then watched an NBA game, and then we watched more college basketball afterwards. So my dad and I, for like two days, all we did was basketball, and it was phenomenal. And I think, in my mind, the greatest NBA championship of all time. was the 2016 Cavs when they came from a 3-1 deficit. So, man, I like this. We've got some good chemistry here going. ⁓ Greatest one ever. I mean, the only team to ever come back from that is phenomenal. I get it. Cleveland doesn't have a ton of titles to its name like New York or LA. But if you look at the city of Cleveland, there are some of the biggest legends of the sport. I already mentioned, you got LeBron. You've got Jim Brown, who's probably one of the greatest running backs in history. Matt Oliver: the to do it. Yep. Yep. Matthew Lambert: Otto Graham, Joe Thomas, Miles Garrett, who everybody needs to know, Miles Garrett is just a freak and an absolute force. And if we go back further in history, one of the greatest track athletes in history, Jesse Owens, got his start in Cleveland, Ohio. ⁓ Matt Oliver: Absolutely. Yep. Okay. Matthew Lambert: Another personal reason for me, I went to Cleveland Clinic for a while for some messed up discs in my neck. They were able to fix me right up when some people locally couldn't. yeah, Cleveland took care of me physically. LeBron took care of me emotionally. I don't wanna phrase it. So Cleveland is number two on my list. Matt, I'll hand it to you to hear your number one city. Matt Oliver: Good kicker there, yes. Okay, no surprise here, Matt. My number one city, Cleveland, Ohio. As a lifelong Browns fan, I've been there 20 some times. I'm having trouble coming up with the exact number of times I've been there to see the Browns, but I know I've seen five wins. So that's not very good, but the fans make the game in Cleveland. Browns fans are loyal people and they're very sad people. It's a dark experience at the beginning of the game. Matthew Lambert: Yes! Yes! Hahaha Mm-hmm. Yeah. Matt Oliver: And every once in a while, there'll be a glimmer of hope when they get the lead. But you know, we know to never take a lead for granted or get excited about a lead until that clock says zero. ⁓ terms like factory of sadness or mistake by the lake. That's common when you're referring to Browns and Browns fans, but they're tough people, people that are a lot of fun to watch a game with. And there's nothing better than a bunch of Browns fans watching their team win or lose. because we all understand what each other's thinking, what we're feeling, and we all know how to keep our applause metered until it's appropriate. So, um, there's nothing like it. Uh, like I said, I've made 20 some trips up there, uh, Cleveland as far as the food goes, there's a lot of great steak houses, a lot of nice local places, but it's hard to beat the hot dog at the Brown stadium with stadium mustard, which is mustard, unlike any kind of mustard I've ever had. but it is a really neat experience. In addition to football, Cleveland is the home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Science Center, and of course just a short drive to Sandusky, Ohio Cedar Point, and another short drive to Canton, Ohio is the Pro Football Hall of Fame. So there's all kinds of other things to do in Cleveland when visiting the area. that, and I've done all those things and they're fun. And they're always a great, they're great things to add to a trip when you go to watch the Browns. And like you mentioned, another reason that I like Cleveland as a sports city. It's the Cleveland Cavaliers. make multiple trips every winter to watch the Cavs. We saw LeBron play several times when he was there. Now we're enjoying watching Donovan Mitchell and James Harden. And ⁓ the Cavs games are a lot of fun and you usually come away with more wins there than you do the Browns. So for a Browns fan, there's no place like Cleveland. And that's why it's number one on my list. Matthew Lambert: Yes. ⁓ huh. Yes. Well, I'm gonna make a prediction here. The Cavs are going to the NBA Finals this year. That's my call. Matt Oliver: Well, they kicked it in gear at the right time. If that's going to, sure hope so. But I thought that last year and it didn't pan out. So yeah. Matthew Lambert: That's true. That's true. See, I feel like you need a little heartache as a team before you get to seize victory. All those teams, gotta have something bad happen before you have your heart ripped out before you can go win that title, typically. So. Matt Oliver: That's right. You do and I was not I was not real happy about the the hardened trade and losing Garland, but man I realized what I didn't know because it worked out very well very well Matthew Lambert: I think people just see Harden as a scorer and don't realize how much of a facilitator he is. I'm not a Harden fan, just, the dude is, people that say he's not one of the greatest NBA players of this generation, that's just blasphemy. He's just, he's a phenomenal athlete, phenomenal facilitator. Think what you want about his drawing fouls. Hey, everybody's doing that these days. Matt Oliver: ⁓ my goodness. Yeah. Right. That's right. Everybody does that, but it's, been fun to watch, but yeah, I, the calves are definitely part of the reason for my analysis, but you know, Brown's been a heart always. Matthew Lambert: Well Matt, have to ask you, you a college sports fan at all? Okay. ⁓ Matt Oliver: Not so much. ⁓ We follow Marshall, you know, and I have season tickets to the Marshall football games because that's where I went to where my wife went. You know, we live a half hour from it from from Huntington. And so we enjoy that. But as far as following college sports, not something that I've really gotten into. ⁓ But, you know, I don't dislike it. It's just not something I've gotten into. Matthew Lambert: Mm-hmm. No, it makes complete sense, I'm gonna go the college route for my number one. And my number one, and it's funny, I was telling my wife this list, she could have guessed my one and two very easily. My number one is Columbus, Ohio. yes, Ohio State, I told somebody that I'm gonna give a shout out to on this podcast. So one of my good friends, Linda, she and I are both massive Ohio State football fans. And quite frankly, as many of us know, Ohio State is the big brother. Matt Oliver: Okay. Ohio State. Yep. Matthew Lambert: to Penn State University. So for my Penn State fans listening, you know, we're the big brother in this relationship. But I've been to the horseshoe with my wife. I have been to the city of Columbus more times than I can count. So being from West Virginia, Columbus, two and a half hour drive, been to the zoo, been all over the place in Columbus. And Ohio State football is a powerhouse and could drive my list alone. Nine national titles, including the first ever 14 playoff title. Matt Oliver: Right. You Yeah. Right. Yep. Right. Right. Matthew Lambert: first ever 12 team playoff title. Six different Heisman winners. I got to watch one play in person with Troy Smith. They have the only ever two time Heisman winner, Archie Griffin. I would like to add in that Ryan Day currently is the winningest college football coach by percentage. And Ohio State has produced some of the most iconic athletes in history. Football, you've got Archie Griffin. You've got Orlando Pace, Eddie George. In basketball, Jerry Lucas. Matt Oliver: Right Matthew Lambert: who led him to a 1960 NCAA championship. Katie Smith, who's a three-time Olympic gold medalist. Jesse Owens, who is one of my favorite runners of all time, ran for Ohio State. He won eight national titles in only two seasons of running. And I have a lot more I could say about Jesse Owens, but kind of like what I did with Pree, I'll hold back in case he's on another episode at some point. But the greatest golfer of all time from Ohio State. Jack Nicklaus, when I went to a Buckeyes game, he actually dotted the I that day. So, the greatest golfer, they have wrestler Kyle Snyder, who won an Olympic gold medal. So, if you go all sports, Ohio State has won 33 national championships. I think this is just an iconic city, situated in the heart of the Midwest. I have spent so many times driving there, so many hours in the city of Columbus, and for the fact that I just love the Buckeyes, had to be. Matt Oliver: ⁓ wow. Matthew Lambert: number one on my list. So, Matt, I gotta ask, any beef with any of the cities I've had on my list today? Matt Oliver: No, I'm I've actually made some notes of some places I may have to check out so and Columbus Columbus is an awesome city for a variety of reasons and I do their. Matthew Lambert: Yeah. Matt Oliver: multiple times a month to watch the Blue Jackets play. And so we love hockey and there it's two and a half hours away. I've been to the horseshoe not for football but for a Rolling Stones concert which still need to be there because that is an iconic place with a lot of history and and and just a really neat place to a bucket list place to go for sure. Know that the it's been interesting to hear the top sports cities from your perspective and uh hopefully get to check some of these things out. Matthew Lambert: ⁓ nice, nice. It is. Yeah. Yeah, like I said, mine were all sentimental. This was a tough list for me to make, because there's other teams that I follow that I wanted to put their city, but I went with the ones I was like, this is the heart of me. Like the stuff with running from Oregon, that's just been a part of my blood since I was in eighth grade. So I was like, it's gotta make my list. Well, Matt, I really appreciate you coming on here with me and sharing some of your sports fandom with us. And I appreciate everybody that listens to this podcast. Matt Oliver: Right. Sure. Yeah, absolutely. Matthew Lambert: If you haven't already done so, subscribe, leave us a five star review, let someone know to check this thing out. As I always say, I want this podcast to cover topics that interest you. If you have a top five list that you want us to rank, I take suggestions at generational, fae5 at gmail.com. That's generational, F-A-V-E, the number five at gmail.com. Thank you all for tuning in.