Jilted Again by Men?s Journal (Outtakes Opinion)

The June issue of Men’s Journal released its Top 50 best places to live in America and once again omitted anywhere in Arkansas. Several southeastern cities comparable to Northwest Arkansas did make the cut, however, including Athens, Ga., and Oxford, Miss.

We’re avid readers of MJ, the New York-based national monthly tribute to all things testosterone, but this is the second time the publication has given Arkansas’ northwest quadrant the shaft.

Back in September of 2002, MJ listed the world’s seven best places for football tailgating. LSU and the Universities of Mississippi, Florida and Georgia made the cut. We’ll spot you LSU, but the University of Arkansas at the least competes with Ole Miss.

The other SEC towns were given the nod for their party atmospheres and female scenery. The best places to live list incorporated a variety of criteria deemed desirable by men including fun, career opportunities, adventure and more.

Clearly, the MJ editors have never fished for trout on the White River, stayed late on Dickson Street or visited the UA for a Kappa Kappa Gamma social.

Never mind the fact the Milken Institute last summer rated the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers (and ultimately Bentonville) metropolitan statistical area the “best performing city” in America.

We’ll take the nation’s heartiest economy over a “Hotty Toddy” any day.