NYC vs. Minneapolis: A tale of two cities

The Bronx Bombers are shipping out to Minneapolis to officialy begin their World Series title defense. Kind of a familiar place for them to start. Anyway, we're expanding the competition between the two cities to anything and everything pop culture related. Who's better, the polite, corn-fed Mid-Western city with the shiny new ball park, or the abrasive, vibrant East Coast city that never sleeps with the almost new shiny ballpark? Let's see how they throw down.

HOMEGROWN POP STAR

Minneapolis: Prince
NYC: Lady Gaga

In the microcosm that is "right now," Gaga's bad romance with her little monsters trumps everything. In the macrocosm that is "music history," Prince is a top 10 all-time artist. He's got the look.

Edge: Minneapolis.

IN-STATE TARGET LOCATIONS

Minnesota: 73
New York: 65

Minnesota has the obvious mathematical advantage here, but they get the real nod because Target is headquartered in Minnesota.

Edge: Minneapolis

QUINTESSENTIAL BRETT FAVRE MOMENT

Minneapolis: Interception on last pass in NFC championship
NYC: Keeps quiet about shoulder injury

Oh sure, he led the Jets to an 8-3 start, then had a shoulder injury and kept it quiet to preserve his consecutive games played streak while finishing 1-4 and out of the playoffs in 2008. After retiring for the 29th time, he joined the Vikings in 2009, played out of his mind and then capped off his season of rebirth in true Favre fashion with an interception on the final play of the NFC championship. At least he broke Jets fans' hearts earlier.

Edge: NYC.

CITY NICKNAME

Minneapolis: Twin Cities
NYC: Big Apple

Hmmm, let's see. Although sometimes noted as the "City of Lakes," Minneapolis needed to pull in St. Paul in order to gets its more well-known nickname. New York is a city so nice, they named it twice.

Edge: NYC.

DAVE WINFIELD'S LEGACY

Minneapolis: 3,000th hit
NYC: "Mr. May"

Only 27 people have eclipsed 3,000 career hits, and Winfield joined the club in 1992 with Minnesota. But he earned one of the greatest nicknames in history -- "Mr. May" -- from Yankees owner George M. Steinbrenner. In a roundabout way, Winfield also got "The Boss" suspended by Major League Baseball after Steinbrenner paid Howard Spira to dig up dirt on Winfield. In doing so, Winfield accomplished something no one else in baseball could -- he stopped Steinbrenner.

Edge: NYC.

MARY J. BLIGE PRODUCERS

Minneapolis: Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis
NYC: Sean "Puffy" Combs

Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, who rose to prominence on Janet Jackson's "Control" album, also were co-producers on Mary J. Blige's 1997 album "Share My World" and the 2001 release "No More Drama." Diddy produced her debut album "What's the 411?" and the subsequent remix album, one of the best R&B albums ever. "What's the 411?" launched Mary J. Blige as the queen of hip-hop soul.

Edge: NYC.
 

KEVIN SMITH MOVIES WHERE EACH CITY POSED AS JERSEY

Minneapolis: "Mallrats"
NYC: "Chasing Amy"

“Mallrats,” set in Jersey but filmed in Minneapolis, is arguably the funniest of Kevin Smith’s films with such memorable phrases as “The backseat of a Volkswagon?” and “THE KID IS ON THE ********** ESCALATOR AGAIN,” while “Chasing Amy” was Smith’s attempt at being a little more emo. Both contain thespian genius Ben Affleck. Technically most of “Chasing Amy” was filmed across the river in Jerz. However, the memorable comic convention scene was set in New York. We think Kevin Smith is eons better when he’s dropping f-bombs and utilizing potty humor.

Edge: Minneapolis

NOTORIOUS FORMER GOVERNORS

Minneapolis: Jesse “The Body” Ventura
New York: Eliot Spitzer

In 1998, Minnesota elected a former professional wrestler to the highest office in the state. Ventura ran on the reform ticket, and served his five-year term without seeking re-election. He claimed he didn’t want to run again because there was too much media attention on his family, and came under fire for joking at one point about resigning to allow his Lieutenant Governor, Mae Schunk, an opportunity to be governor. Former New York governor Eliot Spitzer rode into Albany as the white knight who fought Wall Street, but was taken down in 2008 amid reports he solicited really expensive prostitutes. Ventura was a pioneer of Hollywood in politics. Spitzer unleashed Ashley Dupree on the world.

Edge: NYC

STEPHON MARBURY MOMENTS

Minneapolis: Marbury was drafted fourth in 1996 by the Milwaukee Bucks but quickly traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves for the rights to Ray Allen. Marbury averaged 15 points a game, and led the Wolves to two playoff appearances. Somewhere along the line, Marbury transformed into the Marbury that New Yorkers all grew to know and loathe, and demanded a trade because he was unhappy with his role on the team’s offense.

New York: Marbury came to New York, became the sworn enemy of two head coaches in Larry Brown and Isiah Thomas, testified in the infamous MSG sexual harassment suit, and was ultimately banned from all Knicks activity, practices and games, on Dec. 1, 2008.

Edge: No question. NYC

CASTMEMBERS FROM 'OLD SCHOOL'

Minneapolis: Vince Vaughn
New York: Jeremy Piven

In one of the most hilarious movies of the last decade, Vince Vaughn plays old man frat ringleader Beanie and Piven plays Dean Pritchard, the Dean Wermer of the current generation. Vaughn’s persona ("earmuffs") was still funny in 2003, but it’s no match for Wermer’s weasily antagonistic behavhior.

Edge: NYC