FUN WITH GOOGLE TRENDS: BIRMINGHAM=OBSESSED
Google’s latest step in becoming the Omega point for all thought and human activity comes in the form of Google Trends, which tracks searches by region, frequency, and time. College football searches by major American metropole:
1. Birmingham
2. Omaha
3. Baton Rouge
4. Oklahoma City
5. Columbus
6. Austin
7. Nashville
8. Tampa
9. Atlanta
10. Houston
College football–the official sport of the ‘tweener set? Not only are most of these cities university or university-proximate towns, they represent highly populated regions stuck between big-league sports markets, or at least sit on their fringes. That they serve as the de facto teams for these cities is nothing new; to see it illustrated so dramatically in terms of active interest is fascinating. It also confirms our suspicions that no one, and we mean no one, ever works in Alabama.
Other results of interest:
Top city for searching “sweatervest”: Chicago, not Columbus.
Top city for “mustache”: Austin (we know we’d like it there.)
Top city for “badonkadonk”: Raleigh! Who knew? NORTH CAROLINA…
Top city for “NCAA”: Columbus. Don’t say you weren’t worried, Buckeyes–it’s on record now.
Top city for “Herpes”: New York.
Your work day is hereby declared over. Go to it.
Big in Raleigh, evidently.
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51
Steven says:
It seems Raleigh has lost its grip on “badonkadonk.”
Damn you, Rochester!
May 11th, 2006 at 11:22 pm
52
NewAZTiger says:
the difference between nut and nutt pretty much sums up the electorate.
May 12th, 2006 at 12:14 am
53
Stephen Orr Spurrier says:
Ha! Now who’s the REAL “Carolina?”
Take that, UNCarolina!
May 12th, 2006 at 12:59 am
54
mss says:
Tampa ranks number 1 in camel toe.
May 12th, 2006 at 1:38 am
55
statprof says:
I’ts not *supposed* to be a population size thing — this is supposedly ranked by proportion of searches. But there is some kind of filtering on population size, because searches seem to turn up towns of roughly the same size.
“college basketball” the same kind of thing as “college football”:
1. Louisville
2. Raleigh
3. Kansas City
4. Cincinnati
5. Indianapolis
May 12th, 2006 at 7:22 am
56
Andy says:
Where’s Columbus???
“Cadillac Escalade”
1. Miami United States
2. Irvine United States
3. Phoenix United States
4. Tampa United States
5. Montreal Canada
6. Dallas United States
7. Houston United States
8. San Diego United States
9. Los Angeles United States
10. Atlanta United States
May 12th, 2006 at 7:44 am
57
au03 says:
Rim Job:
1. Chicago
2. Toronto
3. San Fransisco
4. LA
May 12th, 2006 at 7:46 am
58
Doug says:
Birmingham is finally first in something football-related? w00t! MARS, BITCHES!!!1!1!11!1one
May 12th, 2006 at 8:29 am
59
Odell 51 says:
I am now offically ruined at my job today. Thanks EDSBS!
May 12th, 2006 at 9:21 am
60
R.D. Baker says:
> Tampa, Atlanta and Houston don’t quite fit the ‘tweener
> Label. However, they are chock full of Alums from major
> football loving institutions.
If that’s the case, where’s Dallas? Just about every Big 12 school’s alumni seems to find their way there eventually
May 12th, 2006 at 9:24 am
61
Wooderson says:
I googled Fighting Irish, and got this:
1. Dublin Ireland
2. Indianapolis United States
3. Philadelphia United States
4. Chicago United States
5. St Louis United States
6. Washington United States
7. Toronto Canada
8. Atlanta United States
9. New York United States
10. Los Angeles United States
Now that is a national fanbase.
But what I find to be the most intruiging part of the search is the graph above the geographical areas, that indicates volume of stories with in correlation with hit volume on the search words. The ND-OSU Fiesta bowl generated insane loads of traffic, compared with the rest of our season. Also, the hiring of Charlie weis saw a massvie spike in searches. This tool is incredible, just from a statistical analysis standpoint.
Oh, and try doing “DUI”. 1st place goes to Littleton, colorado (yes, that Littleton), but take a look at the news stories that pop up on the right side of the screen. Do those count for extra Fulmer Cup points?
May 12th, 2006 at 9:57 am
62
matt says:
as a southerner transplanted to chicago a little over a year ago, I can’t say these results really suprise me…Chicago is full of sick fucks
May 12th, 2006 at 10:28 am
63
bitterhorn says:
Results for Cleveland Steamer:
1. Indianapolis
2. Louisville
3. Cincinnati
4. Detroit
5. Cleveland
6. St Louis
7. Raleigh
8. Pittsburgh
9. Columbus
10.Chicago
Thanks Orson, another day of productivity lost because of edsbs!
May 12th, 2006 at 10:32 am
64
Russ says:
“Tailgating” is indeed a southern sport:
1. Baton Rouge United States
2. Columbia United States
3. Des Moines United States
4. Cincinnati United States
5. Atlanta United States
6. Charlotte United States
7. Raleigh United States
May 12th, 2006 at 11:05 am
65
Nico says:
…and people in Orlando said I was crazy when I declared just how much people in Birmingham are obsessed with college football. At least my intuition is now backed by Google stats.
May 12th, 2006 at 11:12 am
66
Odell 51 says:
I must proclaim that Cincinnati is not located in the South! That is a big river. Not in terms of physical geography, more in terms of social disparity. Take it from a resident/native.
May 12th, 2006 at 11:46 am
67
bitterhorn says:
“I must proclaim that Cincinnati is not located in the South!”
Then why is their airport in Kentucky?
May 12th, 2006 at 11:52 am
68
Chris says:
Top city for “Doobie”
You guessed it..Austin, TX
May 12th, 2006 at 11:52 am
69
Geaux Irish says:
Typed in “crunk”…got exactly what I thought would be there…
1. Atlanta United States (Lil Jon shouts “Yeeeeeaaahhh”)
The rest:
2. Charlotte United States
3. Orlando United States
4. Miami United States
5. St Louis United States
6. Tampa United States
7. Chicago United States
8. Boston United States
9. Irvine United States
10. Houston United States
May 12th, 2006 at 1:19 pm
70
Orson Swindle says:
WHUUUUUT?
May 12th, 2006 at 1:20 pm
71
FreeShoesU says:
Who would have thought nashville is the leader in “redneck”?
May 12th, 2006 at 1:36 pm
72
Odell 51 says:
Then why is their airport in Kentucky?
I really honestly don’t know. Something to do with an illiterate dirt farmer named Cletus/path of least resistance/ kentucky good ol’ boys.
All the above, or take your pick.
May 12th, 2006 at 1:52 pm
73
RedTide says:
Did you read the fine print? It’s not the percentage of searches by that city for that topic vs the rest of the world. It’s the percentage of searches by that city for that topic vs the total number of searches FOR THAT CITY. I think that’s where your popluation equality comes in.
May 12th, 2006 at 3:36 pm
74
Chg says:
What’s with the Slovakian obsession with koalas?
May 12th, 2006 at 3:53 pm
75
Chg says:
Regarding #52, I assume you are referring to the “nut” searchers being so out of touch with average Americans they can’t even spell Houston’s name right. Either that, or they really are looking for nuts.
Either way, I think you’re right about it saying summing up the electorate.
May 12th, 2006 at 4:20 pm
76
fattus says:
NAMBLA
1. San Diego United States
2. Philadelphia United States
3. Denver United States
4. Portland United States
5. Pleasanton United States
6. Washington United States
7. Austin United States
8. Boston United States
9. San Francisco United States
10. Los Angeles United States
May 12th, 2006 at 5:17 pm
77
Lazer says:
“Boob Job” – you get what you would expect (LA, Miami, Tampa, etc), but there is a shocking #2 – Salt Lake City. Take that Mormonism! As a side note, “polygomy” has resounding interest in South America, and SLC is the only U.S. city that hits the top ten, coming in at 6th.
Also, in comment 17, Benny Friedman noted that college football is the sport of the South, and all but one city in the list is south of the Mason-Dixon. I would suggest that Mr Friedman use google maps to locate Omaha (#2 on the list). Not only is it north of the Mason-Dixon, it is west of the Mississippi, and therefore not even in the realm of dividing line. For shame sir bad geography!
May 12th, 2006 at 6:42 pm
78
rob says:
Sweater vest:
1. Chicago United States
2. New York United States
3. San Francisco United States
4. Atlanta United States
5. Los Angeles United States
You’re letting your man down, Ohio.
May 12th, 2006 at 6:47 pm
79
Nupe in VA says:
Badonkadonk?!? You guys kill me!!
May 13th, 2006 at 10:01 am