I Want To Fight The People Who Say Indy Can't Host All-Star Weekend

I was enjoying a nice Thursday evening on my couch when I scrolled by a now deleted tweet that not only caught my eye but gutted my soul. I'm not one for fights. I hate confrontation. I'm sure LaJethro Jenkins is a nice guy which is why I want to do him the biggest favor and encourage him to visit Indianapolis next year. After all, it's the place where basketball began. Why wouldn't we host All-Star 2021?

There are few things I am proud of in life. I'm proud that I've never lost the keys to my apartment. I'm proud that I cut back my soda intake to one can a week. But what I am most proud of is that I hail from the great state of Indiana and called Indianapolis home. The city is the PERFECT choice to host any big event. And like my former boss pointed out, it has done it again and again. 

The entirety of downtown Indianapolis was designed to handle major events and conventions. In fact, the city hosts over 600 events a year. We've welcomed the Super Bowl. We opened our arms for March Madness. And not to forget, we cater to the likes of 300,000 people every single year for the Indianapolis 500 - arguably the highest attended single day sporting event in the world. 

But enough about all that. We can't just ignore history. In 1891 James Naismith invented the game of basketball. The game was gaining momentum but it spread like wildfire in Indiana. Naismith visited the state in 1921 and proclaimed it as the center of the sport. Hoosier Hysteria has now been alive and well for over 100 years. And it's not just something you see at a college level. It's something ingrained in our communities and our schools. 13 of the 15 largest high school gyms in the nation are in Indiana. My high school sits happily at number 5. 

And while I'm here, shout out to one of my favorite players Zach Randolph. I am always happy to say I come from the place "where bullies get bullied."

But of course Zbo isn't the only great player to come from Indiana. We got Larry Bird, Glenn Robinson, Gordon Hayward, Shawn Kemp, Oscar Robinson, George McGinnis..I could go on and on but you all get the point. At the end of the day what makes Indianapolis so great is Hoosier Hospitality. We want you here. We want you to try our food, have fun at our bars, just enjoy us for what we are. We are simple people and we enjoy a simple life. What can you hate about that? But most importantly, come see us next February so you can see for yourself the place that truly made the game. Hey LaJethro, we can even share a tenderloin.  I'll leave you with this. 

ps Your weekend will be as fun as Andy's bachelor party.