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"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." What? Isn't that's how you are supposed to start a Tale of Two Cities?
The visiting Bowling Green Falcons will take on the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers in college football this Friday night in a game scheduled for national television on CBS Sports Network.
I can just see Brent Musburger opening the broadcast (if he still worked for CBS) with his signature phrase, "You are looking live at Bowling Green, Ohio." Then, after the opening segment and during the first commercial break, someone in the booth would get word to Brent that he's actually in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Brent would come back on and apologize to the viewers and make a joke about it with his color man. But hey, it's the MAC versus Conference USA. Does it matter? When's the last time they mistakenly said the University of Georgia Bulldogs play in Athens, Greece instead of Athens, Georgia?
If you are a student or fan of the Falcons or HIlltoppers, you know this drill all too well. Despite the two universities being separated by 400 miles and a seven hour drive, the media can't seem to get them straight. Bowling Green State University is located in Bowling Green, Ohio. Western Kentucky University is located in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
If you check the Hilltoppers basketball schedule on certain websites, you'll see that they play their homes games at the Stroh Center. Trouble is, the Stroh Center is in Bowling Green, Ohio. You can also read an article on New England Patriot defensive lineman Chris Jones that says he played his college ball at Western Kentucky. In actuality, Jones was an All-MAC standout for the Falcons.
While individually these errors of mistaken identity aren't enough to warrant a congressional hearing, collectively they set journalism back about 100 years. So in an effort to help the media distinguish between these two cities with the same name, we have developed a chart comparing the two on 12 data points. And, in the true spirit of competition, we have indicated who we think has the edge in each area.
Tell of the Tape:
| Item | Bowling Green, KY | Bowling Green, OH | Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|
| County | Warren | Wood | OH - Wood is warmer |
| Mayor | Bruce Wilkerson | Dick Edwards | OH - Dick, Wood, starting to see a trend here |
| Area | 35.6 sq. mi. | 12.61 sq. mi. | KY - Do hills count as area? |
| Elevation | 547 ft. | 696 ft. | OH - Flat Ohio in an upset |
| Population | 60,600 | 30,028 | KY - Cousin lovin'? |
| Incorporated | 1798 | 1855 | KY - Kentucky had the name first |
| Famous Resident | Duncan Hines (cookbook author, food critic) | Scott Hamilton (Olympic figure skating Champion) | KY - Gold medal is nice but ever had those brownies? |
| Sister City | Kawanishi, Hyogo, Japan | St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada | OH - Easier to go see your sister in Canada |
| College Students | 21,048 | 17,706 | KY - Define college student? |
| Avg. Yearly Snowfall | 8.4" | 37.6" | OH - More snow = more snow days |
| Major Event | International Festival | National Tractor Pull Championships | OH - That's a good pull Hoss! |
| Major Employer | Fruit of the Loom | GKN Driveline | KY - World headquarters for boxer briefs |
So if you are looking for a hotel in Bowling Green, Ohio this weekend, don't bother. They are all booked up. The Falcons are playing the Hilltoppers in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Got it?