It must be something in the water in Louisiana. The numbers don't lie, our state puts more players in the pro's than any other part of the country.

Sure, Texas, California and Florida put out more total athletes, but they also have much larger populations. When you compare the number of people in the state to the number of professional athletes, Louisiana comes out on top.

A study by Rukkus.com revealed that Louisiana has 2.08 professional athletes per 100,000 people in the state. For perspective, Louisiana was the only state to come in over two. Georgia (1.90) and Alabama (1.81) were close, but nobody could touch Louisiana.

Take a look at the concentration map yourself. Louisiana is a factory, and it cranks out professional athletes.

(from Rukkus.com)
(from Rukkus.com)
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New Orleans also ranks 12th when it comes to cities putting athletes in the pro's with 25 current players in the NFL, NBA, MLB, MLS and NHL. Baton Rouge also checks in with 20, but the per capita numbers show Louisiana as a whole is a hot bed for pro athletes.

What makes this place so special? Is it all the boudin, cracklin and jambalaya that makes us grow a little faster? Maybe it's the seasoning we use or the water from the bayou. Whatever it is, it's working.

Every year, more players from "The Boot" make their way into the pro's, and usually they come back to their beloved home state when their playing days are over. It's one of the most unique places in the planet, and now there's no debating how special it is.

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