Five Ways Rockford is Better Than Brooklyn

During my three days in Brooklyn for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Ceremony, I got to take in some sights, sounds, and smells.

On Friday morning last week I had a couple hours to walk the downtown. Didn't really do the "tourist" thing, but soaked in the atmosphere on my own terms.

Obviously there is a size difference between Rockford and Brooklyn, but there are things that reminded me of being back here.

Here are my Five Ways Rockford is better than Brooklyn:

• Hard Working Blue Collar People - Throughout downtown Brooklyn you find plenty of auto body shops, misc repair shops, businesses where people work hard and take pride in what they do. That is very Rockford, the local pride here is ten fold.
• Braclay's Center vs. BMO - I've walked the basement, top floor, the offices, the arena and everywhere in between down at The BMO. Friday night I did the same thing at The Barclay's Center in Brooklyn. Now Barclay's is newer and bigger, but seriously that's about it. Take pride in the fact that we have such a nice building in downtown Rockford.
•  Food - I was told that while I was in Brooklyn eat here, eat this, eat there. Now I did have some nice "Brooklyn" food. But honestly hitting Lucha Cantina, Vintage 501, Pig Minds Brewing, etc....Way better.
• Sight seeing - The Brooklyn Bridge is breath taking. But, do they have a "Symbol" or a Coronado or an Anderson Japanese Gardens?
• People - I met a lot of great people in Brooklyn. The folks at Harbor Gym, the people that ran the show at the HOF Ceremony, the 12 random Uber drivers. But there is just something about running into someone in Rockford that is born and lives here. There is a sense of pride and, hey this is my town.